Thomas' POV

After the showers we were led to a large cafeteria where there were probably sixty or more kids around our ages sitting at rows of tables that were set up. Minho led me to a table where Newt, Fry Pan and a few people I didn't know were at and I anxiously took my seat.

"Where are the girls?" I asked, turning to Newt.

He shrugged, a sad look crossing his features. "The guy in the front said they're still getting ready."

"I've tried talking to them again but neither of them are replying now." I mumbled watching the guy in front of the room, the same thin one that led us all to the showers. The anxiety in me continued to rise the longer we sat there without them.

"What do you think that means?" Newt asked me, shaking me from my thoughts.

"I don't know but I don't have a good feeling about it."

As soon as I stopped speaking the man in front turned towards the crowd. "Hello, everyone! Now, as most of you know we've been taking about fifteen of you at a time to the safe haven and now it's time to take the next group!"

There were loud cheers around us and all the gladers watched everyone react with varying expressions. None of us really understood what was happening but it seemed to be a good thing to be chosen. I still didn't know if I trusted this yet though.

"Alright, quiet down and I'll read off the lucky ones to join us in paradise!" The guy said. His lip quirked up in the corner and I was instantly reminded of a rat. Yes, rat man.

Rat man raised his arms to quiet everyone down and started listing off quite a few names. There were cheers and applause as the chosen ones made their way to the front of the room along with a collective groan from everyone else who hadn't been chosen. "Be patient, your time will come!" Rat man said with a small smile, leading the group out through the doors in the front of the room.

"Where are they taking them?" Minho asked one of the kids that was sitting across from us.

"There's a place that's been untouched by the flare. Fields of green grass and stuff like that. They're taking all of us there." The kid replied.

"Said we'll all be safe once and for all." The other one added in.

"Why can't they take everyone at once?" I asked the kid.

He shrugged before replying. "Don't have enough security to get us all out safely because this place is crawling with cranks."

"How are we safe here then?" Minho asked, glancing at me.

"That dude said the walls are like super thick and they got gates and stuff. I don't know man we've been here over a week and nothing's happened yet." The kid shrugged and grinned at his friend next to him.

I nodded and took another look around the large room. There were a lot of girls mixed in with everyone and it made me wonder about our girls once again.

"Where did all of you guys come from?" Minho asked, pulling my thoughts back to the kid in front of us.

"The maze, man. We all came from the maze."

The gladers all looked at each other, shocked by these new details.

"How many mazes were there?" I asked, breaking the silence that had draped over our tables.

"We don't know. That kid," he gestured to a smaller boy sitting by himself at a table by the wall, "has been here the longest from what we've heard. He might have answers for you."

"He hasn't been talking to anyone though. Not that we've seen." The other one added in. We all turned and looked at the kid who was holding something small in his hands, analyzing it.

"Seems kind of...different." Fry Pan mumbled causing a few of us to snicker.

As if feeling several pairs of eyes on him the kid looked up at us. We all went back to not watching him as quickly as possible although I didn't doubt he had seen each and every one of us.

"Real smooth guys." Minho stated sarcastically, rolling his eyes for effect.

I glanced back over and noticed the kid still watching us, or me rather, and didn't bother averting his gaze when my eyes met his. Fry Pan was right, he did seem rather interesting. I wonder what made him so different, why he hadn't gotten chosen yet.

A door opened at the front of the room reclaiming my attention. Rat man walked through with a smug smile on his face. He started talking to the guards hovering by the door and that piqued my interest. What was back there that needed to be guarded?

Movement by the window caught my eye and I stood up, my feet reacting quicker than my brain, as I watched Teresa and Clara being led by the window. Neither of them looked at us and instead were looking at each other, a look of suspicion on both of their faces. They walked really close to one another as if they were frightened and that didn't sit right with me. And why weren't they replying to me?

"Hey, where are you taking them?" I asked rat man once I reached the doors at the front of the room. I heard footsteps behind me and knew at least Newt and Minho had followed me.

"Thomas, calm down. They're just going to get their shots like all of you did. Nothing to worry yourselves over." He spoke calmly to me and glanced at the boys behind me over my shoulder.

"I want to see them." I started walking forward only to be pushed back by the guards.

"Sorry Thomas, no one can go beyond that point without supervision. Too dangerous." Rat man replied easily. I noticed the beads of sweat on his forehead and could see his heart pounding in his throat. Something was definitely not right here.

"Okay, then supervise me. I'm going to see them." I stood toe to toe with rat man and his eyes squinted slightly after I spoke.

"Look Thomas, you're still new here, very, very new, and I'd hate for you to do something to get yourself in trouble when we're just trying to help you. Why don't you and your friends just go sit back down and you'll see the girls later."

I glanced back out the window but the girls had long past. Chills shot down my spine and I could feel something was different, something was wrong. It was hard to explain it but I just felt empty, like something was missing.

I turned back to rat man and noticed the smirk on his face. I don't like this guy. I shoved him and tried to make my way past the guards only to be thrown back into Minho and Newt. They both put their hands around me to keep me from retaliating further. Fry Pan, Winston, and Clint stood on either side of them ready to back me up.

"Take Thomas and his friends to their room." Rat man stated, gesturing to the guards.

"No! You're hiding something! I want to see my friends!" I yelled back, aware that everyone in the room was now watching the scene.

"You will see them later!" Rat man yelled back, turning and retreating back through the doors. I thought about following when three more guards walked through the doors.

"We can do this the easy way or the hard way kid." One said arms crossed over his broad chest.

I pulled my arms from Newt and Minho and shook my head.

"Easy way it is." The guard grunted as he stepped around our group. We silently followed them into a small room with about six bunk beds.

"What was all that about Thomas?" Minho asked me angrily after the guards left.

"They're up to something and I want to know what." I replied, walking over and sitting on one of the beds.

"You don't know they're up to anything, why are you acting like this?" Minho leaned against the bunk and arched his brow.

"Why won't they let us see the girls? There's something going on. I know there is."

"This have something to do with Chuck?" He nearly whispered the question but I could still hear the accusation in his tone.

My eyes met his and I was instantly beyond angry. I stood up and pushed him away from my bunk. "This has nothing to do with him! This only has to do with Clara and Teresa! I just want to make sure they're okay!" I knew I shouldn't be this mad but I couldn't help it, my anger just got away from me. I yelled at him and my face was only a few inches away from his until I was pulled away from him.

"Tommy! Calm down alright? What's going on in that bloody head of yours?" Newt had his hand on my shoulder in part to pull me away from Minho but I could see the concern in his gaze.

"I don't trust them!" I replied, still agitated but not nearly as much as I had been a few seconds ago. Newt helped to calm me down because I knew he felt it too. He missed Clara as much if not more than me so I knew he understood my hesitation to trust these people that wouldn't even let us see them.

"Why though?" Newt spoke calmly, desperation seeping into his voice. He wanted to trust them, that much was clear.

"Because. Because something is different now. I can't...I can't feel Teresa anymore. Like before I could feel their presence but now something is different. She's gone." Admitting it out loud made me panic a little more especially when Newt's face paled.

"Just Teresa? Can you still feel Clara?" Newt's voice was quiet as he spoke and I could see the fear prominent in his gaze now.

"I can still feel her but she's not talking to me." I ran a hand through my hair, a gesture I did when I was nervous, but it didn't help soothe my nerves any. I had to see them. That's the only way I'd feel better.

"Listen, I'm sure they're both fine. We probably won't be able to see them until the morning now though since you've gone and made the bloody guards angry at us." Newt frowned as he spoke but I could see he was probably right, I was most likely overreacting.

I nodded and looked up at Minho. "I'm sorry. I just...I'm going crazy."

"It's alright. I get it. Just don't go flipping out on us again. Newt's right, the girls are fine." He jumped up onto one of the top bunks and laid back with a smirk on his face. "They're probably in nicer beds than these."

Newt had his arms crossed over his chest and a neutral expression on his face. "Well, let's just get some sleep and we'll see the girls tomorrow." He climbed onto the top bunk above mine and laid down though I doubted he'd be able to get any sleep with Clara not here.

I looked at the other bunks where Winston and the others were already asleep. Everyone was asleep aside from myself and Newt now.

I sighed and moved to lay down when the grate under my bunk moved. I looked down at it to see that kid from the large room that has been here the longest peering up at me. "Come with me." He whispered before disappearing. I glanced up at Newt but he was still facing the wall so I shrugged and followed the kid into the vent.

"Who are you?" I whispered to him as we crawled through the vents.

"My name's Aris. There's something I want to show you."

"Why me?"

He glanced over his shoulder at me and continued through the narrow vent. "Because you don't trust them either."