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"We kneould happen," he finally responds, not sure why he said it

"It’s still hard to take" They aren’t looking at each other, just analyzing the screens "Now it’s up to us And the people in the barracks"

"That’s a good thing," Thomas says

"I almost feel as sorry for them as I do for the Gladers Aler dream version clears his throat "Do you think we’ve learned enough? Do you really think we can pull this off with all the original Creators dead?"

"We have to, Torabs his hand He looks down at her but he can’t read her expression "Everything’s in place We have a year to train the replaceht How can we ask them to―"

Teresa rolls her eyes and squeezes his hand so hard it hurts "They knohat they’re getting into Nolike that"

"Yeah" Somehow Thomas knows this version of hi feels dead inside His words"All thatelse"

Teresa nodded "No et hurt If the Variables don’t work, they’ll end up the same anyway Everyone will"

"The patterns," Thomas says

Teresa squeezes his hand "The patterns"

When he woke up, the light diray as the sun sank to a horizon he couldn’t see, Harriet and Sonya were sitting just a few feet fro," he said with false enthusias dream still fresh in his mind "Can I help you ladies?"

"We want to knohat you know," Harriet said quietly

The lingering fog of sleep quickly vanished "Why should I help you?" He wanted to sit and think about what he’d dreaed―he could see it in Harriet’s gaze―and he couldn’t pass up the chance to save himself

"I don’t think you have much choice," Harriet said "But if you share whatever you’ve learned or figured out, maybe we can help you"

Thomas looked around for Teresa but couldn’t see her "Where is―"

Sonya interrupted him "She said she wanted to scout the area to see if your friends followed us Been gone for about an hour"

In histhose screens, talking about dead Creators and the killzone Talking about patterns How did it all fit together?

"Forget how to talk?"

His eyes focused on Sonya "No, uhts about killing me?" The words sounded stupid to him, and he wondered how many people in the history of the world had ever asked a question like that

Harriet s to conclusions And don’t think we’ve gone all righteous Let’s just say we have our doubts and want to talk―but your odds are sli right now seems to be to do ere told There are a lot more of us than you I mean, come on If it was your decision, ould you do?"

"Pretty sure I’d choose the option of not killing myself"

"Don’t be a jerk This isn’t funny If you could choose, and the two options were you die or all of us die, which one would you pick? This is all about you or us"

Her face showed she was very serious, and the question hit Thoht, on some level If that really would happen―they’d all die if they didn’t get rid of hionna answer?" Sonya pushed

"I’" He paused, wiped soain, the dream tried to creep to the front of hishonest here I promise If I were in your shoes, I’d choose not to kill me"

Harriet rolled her eyes "Easy for you to say, since it’s your life on the line"

"It’s not just that I think it’s some kind of test and maybe you’re not really supposed to do it" Thomas’s heartbeat picked up―he really did mean what he said, but he doubted they’d believe him even if he tried to explain it "Maybe we should share e know, figure so look

Sonya finally nodded; then Harriet said, "We’ve had our doubts about this whole thing froht So yeah, you better talk But let us get everybody over here first" They stood up to go rouse the others

"Hurry, then," Thoet out of this ets back"

CHAPTER 48

It didn’t take long for the what the dead-guy-walking had to say was just too good to pass up The girls stood in a tight group in front of hiht," Harriet said "You talk first, then ill"

Thoh he hadn’t totally planned what to say yet