What if

Simulation (TMR)

Before Newt could get a look at the screen, Janson stepped in front of him.

"You probably have many questions." The Rat Man spoke, "You might want to sit down."

Newt nodded, grabbing a chair from a desk not far away. He noticed the screen had been turned off, now showing only blackness.

"Now, you're probably wondering how you're alive." Janson began.

"Something like that." Newt muttered.

The Rat Man ignored him, "I bet you're wondering how you survived getting shot in the head and how you're no longer a crank."

Newt shook his head, "No, not at all. I'm completely fine with leaving everything as a bloody mystery." He replied sarcastically.

Rat Man rolled his eyes, "Well, the answer is simple."

"Yeah? What's this 'simple answer' then?"

"The trials were all a simulation, and if you died in the simulation you woke up here and your memories were returned. We thought it would be better to do a simulation like this instead of actually harming children."

"Wait, so Chuck, Alby, Winston, and all the others, Jeff, Clint, Zart, Ben, and all those shanks? They're alive?"

Janson nodded, "Yes. And you ARE immune. For our data in the  trials, we had to make it seem that a critical figure in Thomas's life was not immume. Sadly, that was you."

Newt took a minute to process the information. "Can I see them now?"

Janson nodded and said something into his earpiece.

Not five seconds later the door clicked open. Newt found himself on the floor, in a dog pile with three others. Alby. Chuck. Winston.

He smiled and hugged each of them, "I'm so glad you guys are alive. So bloody glad."

"We watched your "death" on the screen." Chuck made sure to put air quotes around the word death. "Way to be dramatic."

Newt flinched, remembering what had happened.

A loud laugh sounded from the side, "Way to go Newt. Don't even notice us!"

Newt turned at the familiar voice. It was Ben who had spoke. He was surrounded by Jeff, Clint, and Zart.

"It's good to see you guys too." Newt told them.

"Good that. There's the rest of us who "died" in the Glade outside. Come on."

For some unknown reason, like a strange instinct, Newt looked at Janson for premission.

Just as Janson was about to respond, a loud beeeeeeep sounded.

"Blast." Janson muttered, "Two in one day?" He gave the kids a small smile and turned, jogging out of the room.

Alby and Newt shared a look before following.

***

Janson had went into a room marked "Teresa."

"What's happening in there?" Newt asked, feeling his anger rise up as he looked at the name on the door.

"Means someone died in the Simulation." Alby explained. Newt was reminded of when Alby had given tours of the Glade.

"But why did Janson run in there? He wasn't in there when I woke up."

"I've seen some of the Simulation plans. You were supposed to die, while Teresa wasn't. Thomas was supposed to be crushed by a falling piece of the maze ceiling. My best guess is that Teresa saved him somehow and got herself crushed."