Chapter 5 Chapter V Package Trading Plan

Thomas was stunned, he was dizzy, walked over and sat beside Minho. For a long time, he has been desperately recalling his life, family and childhood, and even what he did the day before he woke up in the maze, but all these past memories are restored?It's unimaginable.But when that was settled, he realized that something had changed, and remembering everything didn't seem like a good thing anymore.His five internal organs can confirm the correctness of his perception, because the rat man said that everything is over, and things are too simple. The Ratman cleared his throat. "As each of you has been told, the Burn Trials as you know them are over. Once your memories are restored, I think you'll believe me and we can move on." Work done. You've all been briefed on the cause of the Flare and the burn trial, and we're very close to completing the kill zone blueprint. With your full cooperation, and your consistent thinking, what we're going to do— — which means continuing to improve what we have — will get better. So, congratulations.”

"I should go up and break your stinky nose." Minho said, his voice was extremely calm compared to the threat in his words, "You pretend everything is perfect, like more than half of our friends are not dead ,I've had enough!" "I'd love to see that rat's nose smashed!" Newt snapped. The anger in his voice startled Thomas, who wondered what horrible things Newt had been through in the third level. The rat man rolled his eyes and sighed: "First of all, you all know what the consequences will be if you dare to hurt me. Don't worry, you are still under surveillance. Secondly, for your loss, I'm sorry, but it was all worth it in the end. My concern is that none of what I've said seems to make you feel the problem, we're talking about the survival of humanity as a whole."

Minho took a sharp breath, as if he wanted to scold, but he quickly stopped and closed his mouth. Thomas knew that no matter how nicely or sincerely the Rat Man said it, it was a lie, everything was a lie.But at this moment, whether it is to scold him or beat him up, it will not help.What they need most at this moment is patience. "Everyone, take it easy," Thomas said quietly, "let's hear him out." Just as the Ratman was about to continue, Frypan yelled again: "Why do we believe you people...what are your names? Brain cards? You have done so much to us and our friends, and now You guys want to take out that brain card? I don't believe it. I'd rather stay ignorant of the past, thank you so much."

"WICKED is good," Teresa said out of nowhere, as if talking to herself. "What did you say?" asked Frypan, and they all turned to look at her. "WICKED is good," she repeated, but louder, turning to meet everyone's gaze, "and all I could think the first time I woke up from a coma was if I were to write I choose these words for words. I've been thinking about this for a reason. I think we'd better shut up and do what this man says, we won't understand until our memories come back .” "I agree!" Ares yelled, his voice unusually loud.

While the room was arguing, Thomas was calm.The debate, largely between the Gladiators in favor of Frypan and the latter in favor of Teresa, and Group B, could not have been a worse battle of wills. "Quiet!" growled the Ratman, pounding his fist on the pulpit, and waited for everyone to calm down before continuing, "Look, no one will blame you for not trusting us. You are pushed to the limit of your body , watching others die, and experiencing the purest horror. But I promise you, when it's all said and done, none of you will look back..." "What if we don't want to?" cried Frypan. "What if we don't want to recover our memories?"

Thomas turned to look at his friend, relieved - that's all he thought. The Rat Man sighed, "Are you really not interested in recovering your memories? Or is it because you don't trust us?" "Oh, I can't imagine why we should trust you," Frypan replied. "Don't you understand until now? If we wanted to hurt you, we would have done so." The man looked under the pulpit for a while, then continued, "If any of you don't want to take out the brain card, then don't do it .You can just stand by and watch others do it." Is he giving choices, or scaring people?Thomas couldn't tell the truth in the tone, but he was still surprised by his reaction.

The room was quiet again, and before anyone could speak, the Rat Man walked off the stage and headed for the back door of the house.When he reached the door, he turned around again and faced them: "Do you really want to have no more memories of your parents, family and friends in this life? Do you really want to give up this opportunity and not take advantage of this happening?" Before, any of those fond memories you had? I don't care, but you may never have that chance." Thomas considered his decision, and honestly, he longed to think of his family, which he had thought about countless times.But he knew WICKED very well, and this time he wasn't going to let himself fall into another trap.He would rather fight to the end than let these people play with his brain anymore.After all, how can you trust the memories they replaced?

Something else was bothering him, and that was the flash in his mind when the Ratman first announced that WICKED would remove the brain cards.In addition to knowing that he couldn't just accept WICKED's so-called memories, he was also afraid.If everything they claimed to be true was true, he still didn't want to face his past, even if he could.He couldn't understand who they said he had been, and more importantly, he didn't like himself. He watched the Ratman open the door and go out, and as soon as he was out Thomas moved towards Minho and Newt so only they could hear him. "We're never going to do that, never."

Minho gripped Thomas' shoulder tightly. "Amen, even if I really trust these bastards, why should I remember? Look at what they did to Ben and Alby." Newt nodded. "We've got to act fast, and when we do, I'll have to kill a few people to feel better." Thomas agreed, but he knew they were being careful. "But don't rush it," he said. "We can't mess it up. We have to pick the best time." Thomas felt a slow flow of power through his body.He was a little surprised, this feeling was really long gone.He was reunited with his friends, and the Burns were over, forever.Anyway, they did what WICKED wanted them to do.

They stood up and walked towards the door together.But as Thomas put his hand on the doorknob, about to pull it open, he stopped, his heart sinking at what he heard.Others in the crowd were still talking, and most of them decided to restore their memories. The Ratman waited outside the Great Hall, leading them down several windowless corridors, until they came to a large stainless steel door.The door was tightly bolted and seemed to block the outside air.Their white-collared passer-by took out a key card and placed it on the edge of the square slot in the stainless steel door. After a few clicks, the huge metal plate slid open, and the harsh friction reminded Thomas of Lin. open space door.

Then another door appeared, and as the group all entered a small hallway, the Rat Man closed the first door, then opened the second door with the same card.When I opened it, I found another large room, which looked nothing special: like the hall, the floor was tiled, the walls were painted beige, and there were many cabinets and counters.Along the back wall was a row of beds, and each bed was hung with some weird-looking shiny metal and plastic pipes. Those scary pipes were put together like masks. Thomas couldn't imagine who would Put that thing on your face. The Ratman pointed to the beds. "This is how we're going to remove the Brain Cards from your brains," the Ratman announced. "Don't worry, I know these devices look scary, but the whole process isn't as painful as you think." "It doesn't hurt as much as we think?" Frypan repeated him. "I don't like it when you say that. Then you're saying it does hurt." "Of course you will feel a little uncomfortable. This is an operation after all." The Ratman said as he walked to a huge machine to the left of the row of beds. The machine had dozens of dazzling lights, buttons, and screens. "We're going to take a little contraption out of the part of your brain responsible for long-term memory, but it's not as bad as it sounds, I promise." He started pressing the buttons, and the room buzzed. "Wait a minute," Teresa said, "will you also take out something that you are using to control us?" Thomas remembered Teresa in the hut in the Scorched Earth, and he remembered Alby rolling on the bed in the big house, and he remembered how Gary killed Chuck, and they were all controlled by WICKED with.For a moment, Thomas doubted his decision: could he really allow himself to be pushed around by them?Or should I let them do the surgery?But soon the concerns faded: it was a matter of mistrust, and he refused to compromise. Teresa went on: "And that..." She hesitated, then looked at Thomas. He knew what she was thinking, she meant their telepathy, not to mention the strange mutual feeling associated with it: when it was activated, it was as if they shared a brain.Thomas suddenly wanted to lose this ability forever.Maybe that way, the feeling of emptiness created by Teresa's absence would disappear with it. Theresa regained her senses and continued: "Everything will be taken out, isn't it? Everything?" The Rat Man nodded. "All but a little device that lets us map your kill zone patterns. And you don't have to say what you're thinking, because I can see it in your eyes: no, you, Thomas, and No more tricks with you, Ares. We did temporarily shut it down, but now it's gone forever. However, your long-term memory will be restored, and we can no longer manipulate your minds. I Think it's a package deal, take it or leave it." The rest of the room began to murmur and whisper, each with a thousand thoughts racing through their minds.There are too many things to think about, too many possibilities, too many reasons to be angry at WICKED.But the desire to fight quickly seems to fade from the group, replaced by a desperate need to end it all once and for all. "That's a no-brainer," said Frypan. "You see? A no-brainer." But only a moan or two came back to him. "Well, I think we're almost ready," the Ratman announced, "but there's one last thing. Before you get your memories back, I have to tell you something. It's better for me to tell you, Instead of... remember that test?" "What are you talking about?" Harriet asked. The Ratman clasped his hands behind his back, his expression suddenly serious: "Some of you are immune to the Flare, but... some are not. I'll read the list—please try to calmly accept the facts."