Trials Together (Book Three): The Death Cure

Chapter 7

That was one huge problem out of the way, but it created another. How did they get the news around to the rest of the Gladers in a place full of cameras, microphones and spies? They weren't likely to let Teresa into the computer system any time soon.

It had been decided that they would execute the escape as soon as preparations were made, they needed a real, bulletproof plan, a feasible destination and about twenty sets of fake documents that would pass inspection.

Apparently Jorge did know how to get those and could have it done in two weeks without leaving the WICKED compound. Thomas wasn't even going to question how that worked, computers were Teresa's thing and if any of his friends ever became a career criminal he would put his money on Rachel.

"Okay, considering Rach and Ari aren't really expecting us back at any set time and are probably also enjoying being alone, why don't we make 'some time' now?" Teresa asked after they had left Brenda and Jorge to deliberate technicalities. Thomas remembered the conversation on the Berg they had had before he was taken to the white room. Over the last two days any doubt that her feelings for him were anything but genuine had disappeared, he didn't know what his really were but wasn't going to decline the invitation.

The Trials had allowed the latent potential for a relationship between them to come to the surface. Brenda had mentioned it, Thomas remembered, on his expedition to the Scorch, and Rachel had been teasing them since they had been twelve.

"That sounds amazing." The corridor was empty and no one had come to escort them back to their rooms. Thomas was dimly aware that he would have to make up some statistics to give Chancellor Paige when they next met with her, but he planned to be the one asking the questions when that happened.

Thomas looked at Teresa, who was smiling back at him, somehow both shy and mischievous.

"Come on then." She took his hand and held it until they returned to her room. It was as perfectly neat and ordered as ever, but Thomas hardly noticed that.

Instead all his focus was on Teresa, watching her tug her hair down around her shoulders.

For the first time without drugs involved, it was him who initiated the kiss. It was the best they had ever shared, there were no bystanders about to be woken, no threat of Cranks. They were in what was closest to their own space in the world, and, nothing and no one but Thomas and Teresa.

Thomas didn't know if he had ever been quite this happy, or at least not this sort of happy.

Time seemed to lose all meaning, nothing was real except Teresa, the heat of her lips under his, her hair flowing through his hands.

Thomas wasn't sure how much later it was when he heard someone try the door, and considering they were both completely shirtless he was glad Teresa had had the foresight to lock it.

"I don't wanna know what you're doing in there but do you want dinner?" Aris. Part of Thomas wanted to throttle him.

"Go away." He shouted back, they could always find a meal later if they wanted one but he wasn't hungry.

"Suit yourselves, but use protection if you go that far." Rachel. She slid something crinkly under the door and they both laughed outside.

"They're finally getting payback." Teresa muttered, picking up the object Rachel had given them and placing it on her desk with distaste. Thomas could well guess what it was.

"At least we know to lock doors. Now where were we."

They never did have dinner, but it was the best night of Thomas's life.

Until Rachel knocked on the door again at 2:30AM.

"Storage room meeting, ten minutes, make yourselves decent, Minho brought liquor."

"Do we have to come." Thomas was warm in bed next to Teresa. He did not want to move but there wouldn't be a choice, and Rachel did know how to pick locks and would do it.

"No."

Teresa groaned but pulled herself out of the bed, pulling on her clothes and attempting to brush her hair, Thomas followed her lead and hoped it was decently strong liquor.

But not as strong as the bottle they had shared with Brenda, Aris and Rachel a few weeks before the Maze and been phenomenally hungover.

They eventually arrived in the small, tucked away room, they hadn't all been here for years. Thomas hated the way his mind zeroed in on the absences of Chuck and Alby.

Considering that Minho lit up when he saw them, poured two glasses of a grey-brown liquid and hugged them both Thomas guessed he was already a little drunk. They seemed entirely forgiven.

Miyoko was not there, a definitely sober Harriet said that the wing where infected subjects were being kept was too secure for them to break into, which would have to be fixed for their escape.

The alcohol burned Thomas's throat, but didn't make him splutter like the first time he drank, but that had been because Aris spiked his coke.

"Did you need what I gave you?" Rachel wasn't drunk but smelt of drink. How long had they been here before someone decided to fetch him and Teresa.

Thomas couldn't prevent the blush that crept up his neck, and with Teresa's pale skin hers was even more obvious.

That made both Rachel and Aris laugh, able to correctly interpret their silences.

"Are we really planning an escape drunk?" Teresa inquired of Brenda, who had just removed the bottle from Minho's possession and hidden it behind a stack of spare uniforms.

"Theoretically they're just gonna see a bunch of drunk teens and shut off their cameras to go to bed." Newt glanced at Minho who was now trying to flirt the whereabouts of the alcohol out of a very unimpressed Harriet.

"Do we have a plan?" Thomas hoped they did, he didn't want to have to be the one to make one after his last plan had backfired so badly.

"Jorge's working on it." Brenda replied. "We stage a distraction. Code for blow crap up. Then we all make a run for the Bergs while someone frees the controls and then hopefully get away from here."

"They can probably track us with those little chips they left in our heads, and they can certainly track a Berg." Aris interjected, he was right, and short of wearing tinfoil hats Thomas didn't have much of an idea what they could do for themselves. The tracking device on a Berg was likely easy enough to disable.

"Maybe there's someway to scramble the signals?" Sonya hadn't been anywhere near the liquor, her eyes were completely clear and Newt wouldn't have allowed it.

"I think I could do that. Permanently disable them." Thomas didn't doubt Teresa could do something like that, she was a genius with computers. It sounded better than being tracked by WICKED.

"You'll have to get onto that." Harriet had shaken Minho off and he was now talking to Newt and crying. How much had he drunk? They'd all had at least one glass and there was only one bottle. It must have been strong stuff.

They debated until it got to 5:00AM and they had to leave to appear asleep in their beds come wake up. Minho had given Thomas, Teresa, Aris and Rachel a sincere apology for the day before then fallen asleep. Then was dragged out of the room by Newt and Harriet.

Thomas didn't envy his hangover and was pleased that he wouldn't have one, but he was feeling the effects of a night without sleep and knew he wouldn't enjoy the next day.

But they did have the makings of a very decent plan. Brenda was going to tell Jorge what they had decided and the others were to relay the information around the other Gladers. The Higher Candidates had been subjected to what Newt had called 'very weird brain puzzle tests' with Thomas and the other Elites to be tested the next day.

Tested to have their brains removed, but not if they had anything to say about it.