TST: Searching In The Scorch :Sequel to The Maze In Her Heart: ✔ (UNDER EDITING)

Chapter 8: WICKED.

It was silent for a few seconds, before the other Gladers, those who were joking moments before, turned solemn and looked straight ahead at Rat Man, who stood with his hands clasped.

Rat Man remained sitting, facing us, his large watery eyes filled with flat anticipation. They were gray. 

Not blue, not brown. 

Gray, like the walls around us, the walls that were in the Maze, masked behind a curtain of ivy. His eyes are lost behind the ivy. He sat in confidence, but there was something deeper behind his irises. It was unnerving, and I felt an involuntary chill roll up my spine. 

"Thank you for gathering in such an orderly manner so that I can explain to you about phase two. I can see you all are waiting for me to answer your questions." He said, looking up once more. "Well, I'm afraid to tell you that I'm only here to tell you about only one thing, whether my explanation answers your questions or not- The Scorch Trails." With that, the man whipped out another paper from his folder. 

Then a Glader yelled. "Why do you need that wall? You wouldn't need a shucking wall if you were gonna tell us some good news!" 

 Rat Man paid no attention to the outburst. "You guys are still sitting here with your incredible skills of survival, despite the odds. Originally, over seventy boys were sent to the Glade. Well, your Glade, but we aren't talking about the others." There was a pause, and everyone turned to look at Aris, who flushed a little red.

"Only a third of you are sitting right in front of me. I'm pretty sure you've already figured this out by now, but everything that's being done is solely for your responses. We analyze and graph your responses to construct a blueprint. Stimulating the killzone and mapping the patterns. Everything you have been through has a purpose. They are called Variables. Each Variable is very important and has been pondered over and thought out well over years before it happened. We've only had one mistake. It's soon to be.. cared for."

An eerie silence ensued. 

"Every single response to the Variables contribute to our research to achieve the biggest breakthrough in science and medicine in recorded history. Continue to respond well to the Variables, and we will continue to give you the knowledge you desperately need as a reward for.." he lifted his hand, looking at his nails, before wiping something off, "saving the human race. And yourselves, must we mention." 

"This guys shucked in the head." Somebody whispered, probably Minnie. Then louder, she said, "How can a Maze rescue the human race?"

Rat Man raised an eyebrow, which was his only sign of recognition. He grabbed another paper from the folder, turned it, and continued to read. "I represent a group called WICKED. It may sound terrifying at first glance, but it only really stands for something simple. World In Catastrophe: Killzone Experiment Department. Nothing menacing." He gave a shrug, which was so scripted that I couldn't help but wrinkle my nose. 

"We only serve for one purpose only: to save the world from catastrophe. Each one of you are vital to our plan. We have unlimited resources, allowing us to do anything we can with our.. subjects."

"I'm not a bloody subject!" Newt interjected up at the man. Rat Man's face stiffened as he continued to read.

"As you progress through the Trails, you will continue to see signs of how powerful we are. For example: The bodies, and the brick walls. We can alter your course of actions, your nerve receptacles and neurotransmitters, make you see things, and make you forget things. All that I can tell you is that some things you see are not real, some are. What, and who do you trust?"

The answer was burning hatred. The word killzone kept bouncing around my head. Nobody said anything, they only glared at the man. The reason of the wall was suddenly necessary. it dawned on me that I would most likely be one of the first one up to throttle Rat Man's thin, gangly neck if I knew that there was no barrier. 

Rat Man scanned the crowd again, scanning all the Gladers at once. This time, his gaze held more power and intrusiveness. A few Gladers turned away uncomfortably as Rat Man looked at them, including me. As soon as his gray eyes settled on my face, I bit my lip and glanced away, looking over at Newt.        

"The Maze was part of the Trails. Trail one, to be exact. Every variable thrown at you was for a purpose, as I said before. The battle with the Grievers. The deaths. Grievers in general. The serum... The bus ride here, and your days of starvation. And this little treasure-" He lifted a long finger to point right at Lamar- "His role in the experiment has been tremendous. Though we do not care for deaths, some of your times have not come quite yet. He saved countless lives in the Maze. He is.. a variable. As are our young ladies."

        "All of it. All of it has been part of the Trails. Phase One of the Trails. And we are still tremendously short of what we need. So we have to up our game. Welcome to Phase Two." Rat man straightened his papers, and looked up with a sick, sadistic smile. "Are you guys ready?"