𝐍𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄 ⎯⎯⎯⎯ THOMAS

011.

eleven !

FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS from the note Brynleigh received earlier that morning, she met Thomas in the back of the lab's control center. 

"Thomas?" She called out, sighing in relief when she saw the brunette boy. "What's going on?"

"Our friends, Brynn, they're disappearing. One by one, for months now." He explained, running his hands through his hair in distress.

"What do you mean?"

"Alby was first. He vanished into thin air three months ago. There's been two other people since."

"What does this mean? Where are they going?" She asked.

"I don't know. They are going somewhere. I think it has something to do with that big thing happening that they were talking about." He said.

She noticed the familiar book in his hands. It had something sticking out of it, which was weird.

"What's that?" She questioned, referring to the object sticking out the book.

"Oh. I⸺ umm.. I made you something." Thomas confessed, blushing profusely.

"Let me see," Brynleigh insisted, taking the book in her own hands. She opened it to the page that held the object inside of it.

It was a bookmark. One with little doodles and a meaningful quote from the book. She noticed that this book had annotations on each page. Her eyes lit up instantly at the sight.

"Thomas, this is.. this is really thoughtful of you." She gawked.

"Thanks. It really wasn't a big de⸺"

"Hello, you two." A voice greeted from behind Thomas.

Brynleigh's eyes searched for the source of the sound where she saw Doctor Ava Paige along with multiple guards around her.

"Doctor Paige?" Thomas recognized when he turned around to face her.

"It really is so unfortunate that I have to do this. I never wanted to split you two up, but you're getting too close to the truth. We can't have that." She claimed.

"What truth?" Brynleigh hissed, getting angrier by the second.

"Where are our friends going? Tell us." The brunette boy demanded.

"Brynleigh will find out soon enough." The doctor quipped.

"What does that mean?"

"I always liked the two of you and whatever little romance you have going on. It's sad to see it end. Take them, guards." She dictated.

"What?" Brynleigh gulped, moving back as the guards approached her and Thomas.

The guards grabbed both Thomas and Brynn, trying to hold them in place as the two kids struggled to break free. The guards waited for instructions from Doctor Paige.