Chapter Forty:

I was automatically stired by a long bang and hiss of what could be steam. I was losing it when I swore I heard voice? Then another began rang out in quick succession, wherein the others followed suit to check on the nosie.

In a quick blink of the eye, the door swung outward. Which in stumbling out is a daze but unharmed Thomas. I quickly grab him and wrap him in warm hug, as not to let him fall.

"Ross?" He asks dryly and weak.

"Yes it's really me Thomas. After all this time searching high and low for you, I'm glad you're okay." I reply softly.

"Okay, no. Alive, yes." He said rather numb. As I help him move, not letting go for dear life.

"I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough, would of saved you from all the hassle they put you through."

"Well late is better then never," he said with a short laugh. But I lead him away from the machine.

As soon as there was enough room, she threw her arms around him, knocking me off of him as she went pressing her face against his neck.

"I'm so sorry, Tom," she said; her tears were wet against his skin. "I'm so, so, so sorry. They said they'd kill you if we didn't do everything just like they told us. No matter how horrible. I'm sorry, Tom!"

Thomas didn't answer as I instinctively push her off him. "Back off, or I swear I'll bash your skull in." I growl with a heated fury.

"Let her explain," Thomas said giving me a reassuring nod. The look on his face was of confusion, but still I wanted to grind her skull into the ground for what she did. I hate her, even when it's WICKED fault. I still blame her. I will always blame her.

"Speak!" I yell at her," Or don't I really care less.

She flat out pretends I'm no longer there as she starts up to talk, I couldn't hold back u want to stab her. But I force myself to ease up.

"I told you to trust me," she said to Thomas. "I told you that bad, bad things would happen to you. But the bad stuff was all an act." She smiled then, I didn't buy it, but Thomas seemed to.

"Yeah, but you didn't seem to struggle too much, beating the snot out of me with a spear and throwing me into a gas chamber." Thomas didn't hide the mistrust raging in his heart. He glanced at Aris, who looked sheepish, like he'd intruded on a private conversation.

"I'm sorry," Aris sheepishly spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me we knew each other before?" Thomas responded. "What ..." He didn't know what to say.

"There was no Aris back then you shank." I said.

"It was all an act, Tom," Teresa mentions. "You have to believe us. We were promised from the very beginning that you wouldn't die. That this chamber thing had its own purposes and then it'd be over. I'm so sorry, but I never lied to you. Either way things played out properly or improper, you'd still ended up here."

"What about Ross? Why's he's a part of the real Trials?

"WICKED, they took it out on him and his friends over here. They need to reach the Safe Haven and uncover the Cure. This was initially meant for us." Teresa spoke.

"About cutting out your tongue or Rachel, I apologise," I directed to Aris who wasn't this big tuff guy but normally shy boy.

"Trust me, I understand."

"Alright I'm starting to get Cabin fever," whined Jacob as he tugged on Nyx arm and lead them to a more open space.

"Will leave you to it, come along Aris." Nyx said dragging the boy along.

"Don't take all day, they don't have much time left." Aris said heading off with the guy's.

Teresa really didn't say anything to me, she was more worried about how Thomas felt but she hurt both of us, and she needed to know that what she did isn't easy forgotten.

LB

"I think I need some time to process all this." Teresa wanted him to forgive her―for everything to be how it used to be immediately. But his instinct should tell him to hide his bitter feelings, but that's often hard to do.

"What happened in there, anyway?" Teresa asked.

"How about we throw you in there and you get a up close view." I snip.

"Ross, just wait with the others." Teresa directed.

"Why does my protest rattle your nerves?" I walk up into her face and glare daggers at her.

"You're being an ass!" She said looking at Thomas instead of me as I stood right in front of face.

"Oh so I don't matter. You can betray, beat me, treat me as If I was trash, and I'd be okay with that." I reply with confrontational glance.

"That's not, that isn't what I'm saying." She said throwing her arms up in frustration.

"Let's go Thomas, I can't stand to be around her without wanting to stab her." Thomas didn't budge. So I began to leave on my own.

"Don't!" Teresa said grabbing my wrists. "I didn't mean to overlook you, I had no choice. You two are my closest friends, whatever evil things I had to do it was to protect the two of you." She said her voice cracking from guilt.

"Prehaps you could explain from the start?" Thomas asked a little more concerned.

"Look," she said. "You're right. You deserve an explanation."

"I've gotta check on the others, just don't take all day, we are in a rush."

I said walking from the two of them although I still didn't trust her, but finding how to deal with Teresa can wait. My objective is making my way out of this system of tunnels and back to the surface. It took me a while but the light of day guided me back.

Lucky I had still on the clothing from last time and the blankets to cover my hands and a piece of scrap to use to cover my lower jaw. Once out in the blasting heat, Jacob and Nyx where keeping Aris company. As Jane and Curie had arrived I guess tracking the transmitter.

It's good they had the first aid kit, Aris was a bit more bang up then us, so they wrap his nose with a mesh band-aid and handed out halves of painkillers. I was fine then I ought to be beside getting hit in my groin twice.

Thomas some how came out the machine unharmed. Didn't question it but it work that he was in full health to taken on what lies next.

It's somewhere between 6am to late 7am. There was time left but didn't mean we had all day. Jane and Nyx cuddle together as Curie and Jacob sat on the edge of the cave. Aris seem to be alone and so kept his distance. He'd belong to Group B, but thing's happen from what I heard.

"Yo Aris come have a seat," I say calling him over.

"Sure, okay." He said walking over and say beside Curie in a cross leg position."

"Despite recent events it was you, who free my friends from the facility?"

"I never meant Thomas any harm, things got out of hand."

"WICKED has us all on a tight rope, but it'll be over, soon will be done. Finding the Right Arm after the Cure, is most important." I mention.

"If it's Thomas idea, then I'll follow him to end." Nyx adds.

After talking for a while the two of them made their way out the cave, and with little time for formalities we had to play catch up along the way. What happens next determines our fate.