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Janson scolded her "We hardly have tis"

Thomas couldn’t look away from her, didn’t knohat to think or feel He already didn’t trust WICKED, so her words put the with thee? Was this just another test? Another Variable?

Soed He thought back to how Brenda had spoken in his mind after he’d been put into the white rooet bad He still didn’t understand how she’d been able to do that--was she really on his side?

Teresa, who’d been quiet since they left the first roohts

"What’s she doing here?" she whispered, the spite evident in her voice Every little thing she did or said now bothered hiht she was a Crank"

"I don’t know," Thomas muttered Flashes of all that time he’d spent with Brenda in the broken city filled his head In a strange way, healone with her "Maybe she’s … just throwing me a Variable"

"You think she was part of the show, sent to the Scorch to help run things?"

"Probably" Thomas hurt inside It made sense that Brenda could’ve been part of WICKED fro But that meant she’d lied to hi to be different about her

"I don’t like her," Teresa said "She seems … devious"

Thoh at her Instead, he spoke to her calmly "Go let them play with your brain" Maybe her distrust of Brenda was the best indication that he should trust Brenda

Teresa gave hi what feels right" Then she stepped away, awaiting the Rat Man’s instructions

Janson assigned the willing patients to beds while Tholanced at the door, wondered if they should e Minho when the Rat Man spoke up as if he’d read Tho watched Don’t even think about trying anything Aruards are on their way as we speak"

Tho idea that maybe sohts fro?

"That’s a bunch of klunk," Minho whispered when Janson returned his attention to getting people settled on the beds "I think we should take our chances, see what happens"

Thomas didn’t answer, looked over at Brenda instead She was staring at the floor, see her terribly, feeling a connection he didn’t quite understand All he wanted was to talk to her alone And not just because of what she’d said to him

The sound of rushed footsteps came from the hallway Three men and toear strapped to their backs--ropes, tools, a so at the weapons--they tugged at soer on, but at the sa theht--a clear tube in the renades that crackled and fizzed with electricity--and the guards were pointing the," Newt snapped in a low, harsh whisper

Thomas knew an opportunity would present itself soon "They would’ve caught us out there anyway," he answered quietly, his lips barely"Just be patient"

Janson walked over to stand beside the guards He pointed at one of the weapons "These are called Launchers These guards will not hesitate to fire them if any of you cause trouble The weapons won’t kill you, but trust ive you theon?" Thomas asked, surprised at how little fear he felt "You just told us we could make this choice ourselves Why the sudden ar to choose his words carefully "We hoped you would do things voluntarily once your s easier But I never said we don’t still need you"

"What a surprise," Minho said "You lied again"

"I haven’t lied about a thing You made your decision, now live with the consequences" Janson pointed at the door "Guards, escort Thomas and the others to their rooms, where they can dwell on their ’s tests Use whatever force is necessary"

CHAPTER 8

The two feher, the wide, round muzzles pointed at the three boys

"Don’t make us use these," one of the women said "You have zero rooer"

The threethe straps of their Launchers over their shoulders, then moved toward the defiant Gladers, one per boy Tho in part froht until he couldn’t anymore--and a sense of satisfaction that WICKED needed five arrabbed Thomas’s arm ice as thick as he was, powerfully built He walked briskly through the door and into the hallway, pulling Thouard half drag Minho across the floor to follow, and Neas right behind the to no avail

The boys were hauled down corridor after corridor, the only sounds corunts and shouts and curses Tho it worse, that he was probably going to get shot--but Minho ignored hiroup finally stopped in front of a door

One of the aruards used a key card to unlock the door She pushed it open to reveal a small bedroom with two sets of bunk beds and a kitchenette with a table and chairs in the far corner It certainly wasn’t what Tho--he’d pictured the Slammer back in the Glade, with its dirt floor and one half-broken chair

"In you go," she said "We’ll have solad we don’t starve you for a few days after the way you’ve been acting Tests toht"

The threethe door closed; the click of the lock engaging echoed through the air