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"How’d everything get so bad, so suddenly?" Brenda asked "We were here three days ago"

The h "The whole city is full of idiots thinking they’ve been containing the virus It’s been a long and slow rumble, but it’s all finally exploded in our faces The world has no chance--the virus is too strong Soaze wandered back to the group of people approaching He froze when he saw Aris

"Minho, look," he said, elbowing hi

The boy fro over Behind hiirls who had been in Aris’s Maze group Whoever these people ho had taken theood at their job

Aris reached Thoive hi, then held out a hand instead Thouys are okay," the boy said

"You too" Seeing Aris’s familiar face made Thomas realize that any bitterness he’d felt about what had happened between theone "Where is everyone?"

Aris’s face darkened "Most of theroup"

Before Thomas could process what he’d said, Teresa appeared Thoet rid of the lump that had suddenly formed there "Teresa?" He felt such a flurry of conflicted eet the word out

"Hey, Tolad you’re okay" Her eyes moistened with tears

"Yeah, you too" Part of him hated her; part of hi theo?" she asked "How did you get all the way to Denver?"

Thoo?"

She stared at hiot a lot to talk about"

Thomas squinted "What’re you up to now?"

"I’ripped her voice "There’s obviously been soroup was captured by different bounty hunters yesterday--they’ve probably already been taken back and sold to WICKED Including Frypan I’e of the cook popped into Tho yet another friend

Minho leaned in to speak "I can see you’re as cheerful as always So glad to be back in your sunshiny presence"

Teresa co us soon Please come talk to me In private Now"

Thomas hated the fact that he wanted to, and he tried to hide his eagerness "The Rat Man already gave ree with hio back to WICKED"

"I don’t even knohat you’re talking about" She paused, as if battling her pride "Please"

Tho moment, not sure how he felt Brenda was just a few feet away, and it was clear she wasn’t happy to see Teresa

"Well?" Teresa asked She s "Not a lot to do in here but wait around Are you too busy to talk tohis eyes He pointed to a couple of eo, but ainst the wall, ar so that she faced him Minho had warned him not to listen to a word she said as they’d walked away

"So," Teresa said

"So"

"Where do we start?"

"This was your idea You tellto say"

Teresa sighed "Maybe you could start by givinglike a jerk Yes, I know I did things in the Scorch, but you also knohy I did the run I didn’t knoas all about Variables and patterns then How about giving ular person"

Thomas let silence fill the air for a few moments before he answered "Okay, fine But you left me behind at WICKED, which shows you--"

"To as if she’d been slapped "We did not leave you behind! What are you talking about?"

"What are you talking about?" Thohly confused now

"We didn’t leave you behind! We came after you You left us behind!"

Thomas could only stare at her "Do you really think I’m that stupid?"

"All anyone talked about at the complex was that you, Newt, and Minho had broken out and were in the surrounding forest son of you I’ve been hoping ever since that somehow you made it back to civilization Why do you think I was so thrilled to see you alive!"

Thoer "How can you possibly expect me to believe that? You probably knew exactly what Rat Man tried to tell me--that they needed me, that I’m the so-called Final Candidate"

Teresa slouched "You think I’m the most evil person to ever walk the earth, don’t you?" She didn’t wait for hiotten your memories back like you were supposed to, you’d see that I’m the same Teresa I’ve always been I did what I did in the Scorch to save you, and I’ve been trying toa hard ti "How can I believe you, Teresa? How?"

She looked up at hilassy "I swear to you, I don’t know everything about the Final Candidate--that stuff was developed after ent to the Maze, so I have no memories of that But what I did learn was that WICKED doesn’t intend to stop the Trials until they get their blueprint They’re preparing to start another round, Tho if the Trials didn’t work And I can’t do it again I left to find you That’s it"

Thomas didn’t respond A part of him wanted to believe Desperately

"I’h She looked away and ran her hand through her hair She waited several seconds before she looked at hiain "All I can tell you is that I’m torn up inside Ripped apart I did believe that a cure could happen, and I knew they needed you to do it It’s different now Even with my memories back I can’t think the sas will never end"