231.05.05 | 4:15 a.m.
After the four of them had agreed to the mission, Dr. Paige went to get a few security guards to give them instruction on the syringes and weapons and to go over the best plan of attack to coordinate the entire effort. While they waited, Teresa reopened their connection.
You okay? she asked.
I just…I don’t know how I feel about this.
She paused for what seemed like forever, and he could sense her mind racing. He waited, even though he wanted to say more.
Look, she finally replied. That word always meant she was about to reveal her soul to him. Remember when I told you everything about where I came from? When my name was Deedee?
A sharp pain came across with that name, so strong that Thomas had to shift in his seat. Yeah. I remember.
It was a horrible place, Tom, she continued. I can’t even…it was horrible. I saw countless people catch the Flare, remember running from Cranks, remember…The point is that I keep telling myself that so many parts of the world are like that right now. So many little girls, just like I used to be, are watching it happen. Dying in the middle of all those horrors. And WICKED wants to save the world from that. Save all those little girls and all those little boys.
I know, Thomas said. We all saw bad things.
Not like I did. I was basically at ground zero. The infected were concentrated in one place and the virus hadn’t been diluted yet. We’re going back to that as it spreads. One day the whole world—every town and city—will be like it was in North Carolina. And then everyone will be dead.
Thomas stood up, wishing he could somehow escape this depressing talk. I get it, Teresa. I get it. We need to find a cure. You really think I haven’t heard this speech a thousand times?
He could tell she was frustrated with him. Tom, the speech isn’t empty. We have to find a cure, and we can’t look at things in the short term anymore. We’re talking about extinction. All that matters is the end result. How we get there…we just do it. Okay? Whatever it takes.
So we kill them? Thomas asked. That’s what you’re telling me? The four of us are going to walk around these buildings and just slaughter every last person who has the Flare?
Yes. That’s what we’re going to do.
Thomas tried to offer another solution. Can’t we just move them to the Crank pits?
Seriously? You think they want to be thrown into a cage with monsters? Tom, you’re not even thinking straight. A wave of frustration crashed through their connection, powerful enough to make Thomas wince.
So we kill them. It felt like letting go of some vital part of being human.
We make sure Dr. Paige can get these facilities under control, keep both mazes running. It’s not about killing anyone. It’s about saving.
Thomas sighed. I’ll do my best. What else was he going to do?
She came over to him, leaned in to whisper in his ear. “This is so important,” she said. “The most important thing in the world.”
“Yeah,” he breathed. “Because WICKED is good.”
A few minutes later, the door opened. Several uniformed guards came in, followed by Dr. Paige.
“Let’s get you prepped,” she said. “Time is running out.”
