AUDIO; locked from Newt, but otherwise ota.

[shuckit]

The illness that's going around - it's... called the Flare. It effects your mind, and deteriorates it. Makes you go nuts. It was an epidemic, where Newt and I are from. It's airborne, and it's driving humanity into extinction.

[ thomas gets right into business. he's been in the university lab in heropa for who even knows how long and it's not working. anything he tries, it's not working, and he's desperate. taking a deep breath, thomas goes on, and it feels like a confession. something he never wanted to talk about, but, now, they need it. it's admitting failure, something he doesn't often do. but there's no time and he isn't enough. ]

Back home, I worked with a group that was trying to find a cure for it. I... I was someone pretty high up, I think. I don't have any memories of it before then, but, they were close, they kept saying. They went way too far with it, but they were close, and... [ he breathes for a second, his voice taking on a shake that he wants to suppress, but this is more terrifying that he'd ever thought it would be. he's seen his world. he's seen the scorch. he knows what's at stake here. ] Another world like our world... You guys don't understand. It's hell. Humanity's dying, and there's still no cure. I don't know if there'll ever be.

[ why would he have thought of the trials, if he thought there'd be any other way? thomas doesn't want to remember, doesn't want to be the person he used to be, before they took his memories, the one who worked on the flare, who was capable of thinking up something as abhorrent as the trials, to initiate them, watch all that happened to the gladers, to newt. he knows that thomas has all the information on this thing that they desperately need now, but getting that back would mean taking out the swipe; becoming that person again. ]

I've been trying to solve it out here, with what I know, what I can figure out, but it's not enough. ...I can't do this. I can't fix it. [ after how many years researching it obsessively before? making it his whole life? and what does he know about it now - other than that he's immune, that it deteriorates the mind, that it makes you crazy? thomas swallows, pushing himself to go on. ]

This place has stuff our world doesn't, though. Newt's had the virus, the whole time he was here. The reason it's coming out now is that there's something wrong with the nanites. I don't know, maybe the virus advanced too far, maybe the tech wasn't programmed to fix something like this. But...

[ but this is the part he's unsure of, and the reason he blocked newt from this post. not minho, not teresa, because they'll know once it's done, and they deserve to be aware of what he's trying to do. the guilt's eaten at him too much, though, and he knows - he has to do this. at least, it's not WICKED putting their hands in his mind now, and as much as he doesn't want to be the person he was before, he can't let his world destroy this one. not when it's a haven to so many.

not when newt is fading away. ]

If I can get my memories back, I'll be able to help. I worked with this thing all my life, I know everything there we could know about it, it's just... blocked. There's something called the Swipe in my head that keeps me like that - it's a chip. I need-- [ he remembers the masks they used in the WICKED labs, the machines. they were horrifying. there has to be another way, though. maybe even something temporary. just long enought to figure it all out. ]

I need to get it out. To be able to help figure this out, I need it out. But, I need help to do that. [ he shakes his head, looking down at his hands, the last words muttered, thick with guilt. ] We've lost so many people because of this thing already.

[ there's a pause, and thomas's voice has gotten rasped, on the verge of tears. he hates being like this, but, christ, he's so fucking scared. it comes out pleading. ]

Please. My best friend is dying.

ETA: PRIVATE TO NEWT;

we might have something that can help you. newt, tell me where you are, or i'm gonna find you myself. you know i can.

[ considering the 'thing that might help you' is jesse pinkman, and that also means thomas can get the power boost to mentally do a search for him. newt's head probably isn't that quiet right now. ]

Comments

[illuminescent]

Sir-

[There's a pause.]

I have been made to know that I have a power which can cure a man from grave ills. But I fear-

I do not know if it would be of any help. But I would try. If your friend would allow it.

[shuckit]

Anything's worth a try.

[ thomas's lips press together, not sure even where newt is. ]

I don't know if he will. I'll try to get a hold of him. We've got other infected around Heropa, though, we can try it on.

[ he breathes out, a little unsteady. ]

Do you know if you're immune?

[illuminescent]

No, I am only recently arrived, and have not been much outside my home. And I am from no world that uses these...devices commonly, to speak, so you see, I've neglected what has passed.

But I would help, in any case. I could not simply let this pass.

[Audio]

[hands4healing]

[Winry has this Flare thing.]

I wish I could help. I'm a healer...but I have it now.

[Audio]

[shuckit]

[ there's a pang of sorrow, guilt, but he swallows it down. ]

You'd only be in contact with the other infected. We can have Immune go with you.

I'm sorry.

[Audio]

[hands4healing]

That's what he...Newt? said. He was sorry, but I'm going to die.

[She says it with a thread of anger running through her voice.]

[munies]

No, no way.

[ NOOOOOPE. there's part of her that doesn't want to do anything to drive more space between them, but the part of her that cares more about Thomas' well-being wins out. again. ]

It doesn't work that way, Thomas.

private;

[shuckit]

Funny, I thought you'd be all for it.

[ it doesn't have the kind of derisive tone it might've another time, mostly just sounds tired. the last he remembered, teresa volunteered to have the swipe removed. she was the first to agree to it. ]

We don't have time for this. Newt's dying, this whole world could be dying soon. I'm useless without those memories.

private;

[munies]

I was all for getting it removed safely, not like this. At best, trying to dig that thing out of your brain without the proper equipment will leave you with brain damage. And it might not even actually get you your memories back. Not if our nanites already messed with the tech. Do I even need to say the "at worst" option?

[ video ]

[hostage]

If nobody else can heal it, I could try.

[He hasn't really tried healing something like this before, but he's not too concerned. What's the worst that could happen? He gets sick and someone has to take him out? Big deal.]

[ video ]

[shuckit]

[ any other time, thomas would be telling him no. it's too far to make jesse take on something like this. but thomas is desperate, and desperate thomas isn't the most virtuous of people. ]

If you want, you could try it on Newt. If we can get to him.

[hostage]

Do whatever it takes to grab him. Long as he's still breathing, I can take care of it.

[runout]

... You're serious right now?

[ Not the rest of it, not the background. Minho already knows about all of that. The memory swipe. Here Thomas is talking about how he doesn't want to go back to being the guy he was before that locked them away in the Maze, and he's also asking someone to unblock his memories?

Unbelievable. ]

What makes you think having them back is gonna do anything to fix this? If our only hope in finding a cure is to use what this world's got to offer us, then they won't mean klunk.

[shuckit]

We still have to know what this shuck thing is and how it works to figure out a cure for it here, don't we?

[ if the nanites are screwing up, it has to be something to do with the nature of the virus. that means the flare specifically. ]

You think Newt's got the kind of time for me to sit around hoping we don't need something I might know about this?

[runout]

[ It's a good point, but something about this still leaves a bad taste in Minho's mouth. It isn't even like it was back home (in an event Minho's yet to live through), where it's WICKED offering to "fix" their memories, but he still doesn't care of the idea of Thomas letting someone root around in his head like that.

But Minho's not his mom here, he can't stop Thomas from doing it.

Besides, he wants Newt to die about as much as Thomas does. Which is to say, he desperately wants to save their friend. He knows if he dies that Newt will be brought back, but will he just be brought back like this and the whole thing starts all over again? Who knows... ]

Still think it's a dumb idea, but your call, man. Just make sure whoever does it isn't gonna mess you up while they're in there.

Voice

[bindsthedead]

I can't physically remove whatever's in your head, but I may have a way to restore memories.

Voice

[shuckit]

[ that... sounds very promising, actually. ]

How? What would you need?

[selfequipped]

I don't know if I can make a promise of it, but if you think hard about what you need and I touch you, my power my overpower whatever's in your head. I get memories off the person, not the thing in your brain.

[There's a pause, however.]

But it might be best to get that out. I don't ... having something like that, something you can get rid of—it doesn't sound good.

[To her, it sounds like a violation of a person's self.]

[shuckit]

The memories are still there. They could restore them back home. The tech is just... blocking it.

[ this might work, though. and it's sidestepping the chip itself, so maybe that'll avoid the failsafe that teresa was talking about. ]

If you can get the memories off me, I can use my telepathy to pull them from your head. [ because it'll be a hard thing for her to... repeat all of it. unless she has a masters in neurology and virology. which, is about what was in thomas's head before, when the WICKED scientists trained him. he's gotten some of it back, here, reading textbooks, but not nearly all. ] It'll be a lot of information. Can you handle that much?

[ sabriel mentioned that she might be able to do it too, so there's that as well.]

audio; ID reads Superman

[andaway]

[So, Clark’s pretty good at connecting the dots. And after this… well, what Thomas described last time they talked sounds a lot like quarantine all of a sudden. Except it was mostly children, and Thomas says he’s immune so maybe some sort of test instead? He guesses in desperate times they would be willing to use humans as lab rats right away.

He knows asking all of the questions that spring up to his mind won’t help, but he wishes they had the time because suddenly he feels really bad he treated Thomas like a child. Even if he technically is.]

Thomas, I’m really sorry this is happening. I’m basically like a walking lab so if there are any scientists that need my help I’ll be there. Is there any way to know if we’re immune at all?

audio; ID reads Superman

[shuckit]

I'm sorry too.

[ he speaks tightly, the unspoken part being 'all the people that were wiped out by this were probably sorry and look how much it did for them'. clark's trying to be kind. the least thomas can do is keep his mouth shut.

his interest perks up, however, at the last part. ]

Walking lab? How do you mean?

private video.

[gluestick]

[ Newt's hands are too shaky for text now. When the screen flickers on, there's a long crack from where he's thrown it. He looks even worse than the last time he showed up on screen, like he's been fighting despite the fact that he's all alone. Everything about his posture is hostile, and he's screaming mentally at him and otherwise. ]

Leave me alone, Tommy! Don't come looking for me again! I won't forgive you.

private video.

[shuckit]

[ christ, newt looks wrecked. the virus must be spreading faster than normal, and he's sure the stress that's on him, and arguments like this, aren't helping keep his brain activity down. ]

What, you're not even trying now? [ his voice grinds, exasperated, and tilts into near pleading. ] Newt, man, come on. Let us try to help. It's different here. There's tech, and people with powers.

private

[wonk]

i can make in intangible + pull it out

like physically remove it from ur brain

idk if thats safe tho

while were @ it sign me up 4 R&D once we got the info im more genetics than microbio but i probs remember enough 2 help

private

[shuckit]

[ wuuuhhhhh that is... probably not safe. he's not sure how much that would fuck up what's surrounding the chip, and sure that it'd trigger the fail safe that has him go nuts if someone's trying to take it out. but, still, an option. ]

someone's got a plan that might work around the chip. gonna try that first, but if it doesn't work, i'll let you know

genetics still helps. anyone that half knows what they're doing. i set up in the heropa university labs, so come by when you're ready