From The WICKED Start | A Maze Runner Story (English Version)

25. Thomas' decision

"Hey, Anna, you coming?"
I flinched when someone took my headset off my head. Thomas looked at me expectantly. Was it time for lunch yet?
I had apparently completely lost track of time. Since Alby had started showing Newt the glade, I had been sitting there watching them. Probably I would have remained sitting like this until this evening if Thomas or Teresa hadn't woken me from my trance.
Although it hurt terribly to see Newt where I would never have wished him to go, I had also gained new hope from his memory of Gally. Besides, he seemed to get along really well with Alby and even when Nick had woken up again and joined them together with George, the two of them seemed to think a lot of him.
And they were right. Newt was just as he had been here. You just had to like him. Apart from the fact that he immediately had lots of ideas to improve the glade.
Before Thomas had approached me, they had started talking about the runner's job - George's - and Newt had looked at them perplexed.
"You're sending someone out there all alone? Without knowing what's in there?"
"Well, it seemed best because George is the fastest of us..." Nick seemed kind of taken by surprise.
"He's right, it was really stupid of us. From now on, nobody should go in there alone." Alby gave Newt the nod. "Well, who's the fastest after George here?"
I had sat in my chair, totally confused, watching the conversation. Alby took something so seriously that a new one said on his first day?
Nick cleared his throat. "That would be me."
"Great, then I'd say you're a runner now too, wouldn't you? Finally, you got a real job." Alby laughed and the other boys joined in.
Okay, I wasn't expecting that. But okay, take Newt as one of the greats, I'm fine with it, as long as he's doing well.
Now I got up and followed Thomas from the lab where we left Teresa behind.
My head was rattling, I had to talk to him somehow in private. In the dining room that would definitely not work.
"Tommy?"
He looked at me questioningly.
"I'm not really hungry, to tell you the truth. Would you mind skipping dinner for a while and coming to my room with me?"
We had stopped, and Thomas seemed to be thinking.
"Sure, why not? I can understand why you don't want to be around so many people."
He swallowed it.
So we made our way to the bedrooms, not talking much. Once in my room I offered him the free bed and then sat down on my own.
Okay, here we go...
"Tommy...," I started, and he looked at me questioningly again.
At first I was afraid to talk further, but when I saw absolute kindness and affection in his eyes, this fear fell away from me and I started to tell him about our plan.
Little by little his look changed, going from warm to confused and then to horrified. In the end he only looked concentrated and closed his eyes to follow me better.
When I had finished and told him that we needed his help, the feeling of fear rose in me again. How would he react?
At first he said nothing. He just looked at me and seemed to search for words. This fact was also the reason why his answer then confused me.
"Okay."
Okay? Is that all?
"Tommy... I've just told you that we're planning to completely betray WICKED and we need your help to do so. And your answer is "Okay"? No questions, no warnings?"
"No. 'Okay' is the absolutely correct answer. I'll help you. And I'm going to fix this."
That was the end of the conversation for him and I was completely confused.
He got up and went to the door.
"Come on, before Teresa starts worrying about us."
I nodded as if in a trance and followed him out of the room.
But before we reached the laboratory he stopped once more and held me by the arm.
"Tonight, 2 o'clock, level 5, there's a room there that hasn't been used for ages. They have an old radio there. That's where we do it. And bring your friends."
I nodded.
"Thanks, Tommy," I whispered.
Together we entered the room and sat down on our seats as if nothing had happened.