Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Facing the Unknown World

Thomas didn't have much time to think about what the world outside WICKED's control would be like, but now that they were really going to face it, the anticipation of the future made his nerves tense, and he was about to enter the unknown of the field. "Is everyone ready?" Brenda asked.They stood outside the Berg, under the ramp of the cargo door, only a few hundred feet from the concrete wall with a large iron door. Jorge snorted. "I almost forgot how attractive their place is." "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Thomas asked. "Shut up dude and leave me alone. We're using real names, and after all, all they really care about is that we're immune, and they'll be happy to put us on record. Within a day or two, they We'll be caught and made to work for the government. We're worth a fortune! And, I repeat, Thomas, you need to keep your mouth shut," Minho said.

"Shut up too, Minho!" Brenda added, "You know what, Jorge made up a fake profile for all of us, he lied like a thief." "Don't be kidding." Minho muttered. Jorge and Brenda walked towards the gate, followed by Minho.Thomas hesitated, looking up at the wall.The walls reminded him of a maze, and then the horrible memories of the place came flooding back, especially the night he'd hung Alby up in the ivy out of sight of the Griever, and he was grateful that the walls were empty. The road to the gate seemed extremely long. As the group of them approached step by step, the huge wall and gate became more and more towering.When they did reach the foot of the gate, there was an electronic hum from nowhere, and a woman's voice was heard.

"Report your names and reasons." Jorge replied loudly, "My name is Jorge Galaleja, and these guys are my partners, Brenda Despan, Thomas Murphy, and Park Min Ho, and we're here to gather information and conduct field tests. I'm an authorized Berg pilot, and I have all the relevant documentation with me, you can check." He took out a dozen information cards from his back pocket, and held them up to the camera on the wall. "Please wait," the voice ordered.Thomas was sweating profusely: he was sure the lady would sound the alarm any minute now and the guards would rush out.They'd send him back to WICKED, or worse, to the White House.

For several minutes he waited, his mind wandering.Then there was a click in the air, and then a loud bang, and one of the iron doors swung open, its hinges creaking.Thomas looked across the widening opening and was relieved to see that the narrow passage was empty.At the end stood another high wall with another set of doors.The doors, however, look more modern, and there are screens and panels built into the concrete wall to the right. "Go!" said Jorge.He walked through the open door, with the air of going in and out of it every day.Thomas, Minho and Brenda followed Jorge to the aisle, and stopped by the outer wall.The screens and panels that had just been seen on the other side looked complicated on closer inspection.Jorge pressed a button on the largest dashboard, and began typing in their aliases and identification numbers.He typed a few other pieces of information, then slipped the card into a large slot.

A group of people waited quietly, and as the minutes passed, Thomas became more and more nervous.He tried to hide it, but suddenly he felt that this was a huge mistake.They should have gone somewhere less safe, or they should have tried to force their way into town.These people will see them all, and maybe WICKED has issued a call to keep an eye out for the fugitives. Calm down, Thomas!For a split second, he told himself, he feared he was speaking out loud. The lady's voice came again. "The materials are ready, please move to the virus testing station." Jorge walked to the right, a panel opened in the wall, and Thomas watched as a robotic arm stretched out.It's a strange contraption with some grooves that look like eye sockets.Jorge leaned forward, his face pressed against the machine.Just as his eyes met the grooves, a thin thread protruded like a snake and plunged into his neck.After a hiss and click, the thread retracted into the device, and Jorge backed away, walking away.

The entire panel was turned back to the wall, and the device Jorge had just used disappeared, returning to its original state. "Next," the lady announced. Brenda and Thomas exchanged uneasy glances, then stepped forward and leaned against the machine.There was a hiss and a click as the thread went into her neck and it was over.She walked away, visibly relieved. "It's been a long time since I've used something like this," she whispered to Thomas. "It makes me nervous, like suddenly I'm not immune." The lady said again, "Next." Minho finished the procedure, and finally it was Thomas' turn.

When the test panel was turned around again, he stepped on it.The new contraption appeared, and when it was secured, he leaned in and put his eyes where they belonged.He braced himself for the pain from the thread, but before he felt anything, it retracted.All he saw in the machine was a flash of light and color.He felt a gust of wind blowing, he quickly closed his eyes, and when he opened them, he saw that everything was dark. After a few seconds, he stepped back, waiting for whatever might happen next. The woman finally spoke up again: "You all passed the VCT and were determined to be immune. You also know that there are many, many opportunities for people like you here in Denver, but don't go out and advertise it on the street. Everyone here is healthy and free of the virus, but there are still a lot of people who are not so kind to those who are immune."

"We're here to do a few simple tasks, and then we'll be out for about a week," Jorge said. "Hopefully we can keep this little... secret." "What is VCT?" Thomas whispered to Minho. "You think I know?" "Short for viral infection threat," Brenda replied before Thomas could ask, "but keep it quiet, anyone who doesn't know about it will be seen as suspicious." Just as Thomas opened his mouth to say something, he was startled by a loud beep. It turned out that the door had slid open.Another corridor appeared, with metal walls.There is also a closed door at the end.How long, Thomas thought, would this go on?

"Please enter the detector one by one." The woman ordered.Her voice seemed to follow them all the way down this corridor. "The first is Mr. Galaleja." Jorge walked into the small space, and the door slammed shut behind him. "What's that detector?" Thomas asked again. "It detects things," Brenda answered him curtly. Thomas made a face at her, and before he knew it, the siren buzzed again, and the door opened, Jorge no longer inside. "Ms. Despin is next," said the announcer now in a dry voice. Brenda nodded to Thomas, walked into the detector, and within a minute or so it was Minho's turn.

Minho looked at Thomas with a serious expression on his face. "If I don't see you over there," he said brightly, "remember, I love you." Seeing Thomas roll his eyes, he snickered and walked in, closing the door behind him. Not long after, the lady called Thomas in. As soon as he stepped in, the door closed behind him.A few low beeps sounded, and he felt a rush of air, and then the front door slid open, and there were people everywhere.His heart raced, but he was relieved to see his friends waiting.He walked over, surprised by the lively atmosphere around him.A rowdy crowd of men and women filled the courtyard, many clutching rags to their mouths.Overhead is a high glass ceiling that pours in a lot of sunlight.Around one corner, he saw the tops of several skyscrapers, but these looked nothing like the ones they'd seen in the Scorched Earth.In sunlight, these buildings are magnificent.Thomas was so overwhelmed by all this that he almost forgot how nervous he had been.

"Not bad, buddy?" Jorge asked him. "I like it a little bit." Minho said. Thomas was stunned. He could not help but crane his neck, admiring greedily at the building they had stepped into. "What kind of place is this?" He finally came back to his senses, "Who are these people?" He looked at his three partners, expecting their answers, Jorge and Brenda seemed to feel that being with him was a bit strange. Awkward.But Brenda's expression suddenly changed, looking a little sad. "I keep forgetting that you've lost your memory," she muttered, and then she spread her hands and pointed around. "It's called a shopping mall. Generally speaking, it runs along the entire city wall, mainly shops and businesses." "I've never seen so many..." His voice trailed off.A man in a dark blue jacket walked towards them, looking intently at Thomas, who looked unhappy. "Hey," Thomas said softly, nodding at the stranger. Before everyone could react, the man came to them.He gave the group a small nod before announcing, "We know that some escaped from WICKED. Judging by the Berg ships you're on, I'm guessing you're part of that group, and I strongly recommend You accept the advice I am going to give you. You have nothing to worry about, we are just asking for help and you will be protected when you get here." He handed Thomas a piece of paper, turned around, and left without saying a word. "What happened?" Minho asked, "What was written on the paper?" Thomas lowered his head and read the note: "It reads: You must come and see me right away. I am with a group of people known as the Righteous Army. The location is at Apartment 2792, Jianwu Street and Brookshire Street intersection." When Thomas saw the signature under the note, his Adam's apple swelled.He looked up at Minho and felt his face turn pale. "It was written by Gary."