Escape From WICKED

Chapter 4

Thomas was lying back on his bed. Teresa had just left and he was exhausted. He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to come.

Thomas dreamed about when he was a kid, about when he first met Teresa, and when WICKED took him in after his parents had been infected by the Flare. He wouldn't remember any if that, and it scared Thomas more the pan anything.

Thomas woke to the sound if alarms blaring throughout WICKED. He quickly jumped out if bed, startled. A piece of paper fell at his feet. Thomas bent over and picked it up. He unfolded the piece of paper and read it aloud.

Tom,

I've decided to run away on my own. I understand

you want to stay, to find a cure for the Flare, but

I can't stay here. I'm running away with some people

Chancellor Paige assigned to protect me. If you want to

find me, we're heading to Chicago. Maybe I can have a new

start. I'm sorry Tom, I really am.

Teresa

Thomas stood there staring at the note until the alarms stopped. He kept re-reading the not, as if it might change if he reads it enough times. But he knew that wasn't the case. Teresa was gone, and the chances of seeing her again were slim to nothing.

Thomas sat down on the bed, shocked. He heard footsteps coming from the hall. As they got closer Thomas realised he had to hide the note before WICKED found it.

He quickly stuffed it under his pillow just as the door flew open.

"Where is she?" Janson yelled furiously as he stormed in the room, a dozen if armed guards follow behind him.

"What are you talking about?" Thomas asked- though he knew why Janson was asking.
"Where is Teresa?" He snarled. Janson's face was bright red, pure anger burning in his eyes.
"I- I do t know what your talking about!" Thomas said, lying.
"Thomas! we know you know so something!" then Janson seemed to calm a little bit. "There are two ways to get the information out of you; the easy way, or the hard way."
The guards had their electric launchers pointed at Thomas. He felt scared. The effect of the launcher is temporary paralysis and extreme pain. Thomas had seen people get shot by a launcher on a number of occasions and he didn't want to to get hit.
"Well?" Janson asked, growing more and more impatient by the second.
Thomas knew he couldn't let Teresa get caught- she would be sent to the Scorch, left alone to fight off the Cranks.
"I already told you, I don't know anything." Thomas tried his best to make it sound believable. He stared at Janson. He wanted to look away but didn't want to give Janson the satisfactory.
Janson looked away. "Then, you wouldn't mind if the guards searched your room?"
"Not at all."