Admit Defeat (TMR fic 2)

Chapter 25

(hopefully this song isn't too spoiler-y, lol~)

The sound is shrieking and intense, ripping through the air with panic and pain.

I glance at the Glader closest to me – Frypan – and we both exchange confused expressions. What is happening to that girl?

The screams accompany us as we run further, slowly growing nearer to the source of the noise.

"Hey, do you see a building over there?" someone calls, and Minho speeds up a bit to get a better look.

"There's some sort of hut," he answers. "Bet that's where the screaming is coming from."

We all slow as we near the worn wooden structure, unsure of how we're supposed to deal with it. Can we just run by, or is it a trap? Or a test?

I jog over to Thomas, knowing his instincts are good and he can recognize a test faster than most of us.

"What do you think?" I ask.

He's squinting at the shadowed building, and then he takes a sudden step forward. "Someone's there."

I whip around to stare with him, and I can see it as well. The silhouette of a girl stands out in the soft starlight. Oh no. I don't have to be a genius to know that it looks like Teresa. There won't be any stopping Thomas-

"I'm going to go talk to her," Thomas says as the girl enters the hut. "We have to know what's going on."

"Great, and we're coming with you," Minho says.

"No. I have to do this alone."

I wonder if Thomas knows how stupid he sounds. He probably wouldn't care. The only thing he wants is to find Teresa.

"It could be dangerous!" Newt snaps. "You're just going to waltz in there and see what's up? What if you die?"

"It's a test," Thomas says, his voice desperate. "Please. Just let me go talk to her."

Minho sighs. "Fine. For the record, I hate this. But go ahead and get yourself killed. See if I care."

Thomas doesn't even answer, just jogs forward towards the building. I'm chewing on my lip. This doesn't feel right. WICKED didn't give us instructions to do anything beyond run north...

"I'm going after him," I say as Thomas reaches the hut and slips inside. "I'll see if I can hear anything."

"Wait-" Newt starts, but I ignore him. Thomas is an idiot, but I'm not going to let him get himself killed.

As I creep up near the door, I can hear voices arguing inside. Thomas, and... it is Teresa. I don't want to know what WICKED is planning with her. The Betrayer. My skin is crawling just from knowing that he's in there with her.

"You have to go, Tom," I hear. Her voice is near to tears. "You have to run."

That's all I need to know. I don't think he's stupid enough to stay when she ordered him to go, so I turn and run back to the others.

"Go, now!" I order sharply.

"What? What's happening in there?" Minho asks, but before I can explain Thomas is exploding out of the hut.

"Run!" he roars, before sprinting into the distance.

I don't know what's wrong, but I know something is.

I clutch my pack tightly, and race after him.