" BAD BLOOD " T. SCORCH TRIALS²

seven.

[CHAPTER SEVEN]
phase two

~

"I thought the shuck Maze was bad," Eleanor leaned over and whispered into Minho's ear as the room lapsed into silence. Every Glader stared at the Rat Man with identical looks of disbelief, eyes wide and mouths agape. "I'm afraid to know what these psychos think is difficult."

Minho looked as if he was about to respond, but he immediately clamped his lips shut as Janson slowly lowered himself into the chair once more, scooting forward to sit behind the desk once more. "You may think, or it may seem, that we're merely testing your ability to survive. On the surface, the Maze Trial could be mistakenly classified that way," he said, and he crossed his hands over one another on top of the desk. "But I assure you- this is not merely about survival and the will to live. That's only part of this experiment. The bigger picture is something you won't understand until the very end."

"Sun flares have ravanged many part of the earth. Also, a disease unlike any before known to man has been ravaging the earth's people- a disease called the Flare. For the first time, the governments of all nations- the surviving ones- are working together. They've combined forces to create WICKED- a group meant to fight the new problems of this world. You are a big part of that fight. And you'll have every incentive to work with us, because, sad to say, each one of you has already caught the virus."

His words surprised Eleanor. She remembered the man named Greg telling her of the scorched earth and the hellish wasteland that the sun flares had left behind. She remembered him telling her about the Flare, and all that she discovered about it, and she remembered him saying that her generation had evolved to be immune to the Flare. If they were immune to the virus, how could they have already caught it?

Rat Man quickly held up his hands to cut off the chorus of surprised voices that started, and he spoke before Eleanor had the chance to call him out on his claim. "Now, now! No need to worry- the Flare takes a while to set in and show symptoms. But at the end of these Trials, the cure will be your reward, and you'll never see the... debilitating effects. Not many can afford the cure, you know."

"But enough of the history lesson and time-wasting," Janson continued with a clap of his hands. "We know you now. All of you. It doesn't matter what I say or what's behind the mission of WICKED. You'll all do whatever it takes. Of this we have no doubt. And by doing what we ask, you'll save yourselves by getting the very cure so many people desperately want."

Minho groaned beside her, and Eleanor was positive he was about to shoot yet another sarcastic remark towards the rat-like man. Before the Runner had a chance to do so, however, Thomas quickly shushed him.