. You’re in the canteen when it happens. The walls hum faintly with electricity, and guards line every exit — always watching. Thomas has been restless since they arrived, pacing between tables, whispering to Newt and Minho that none of this adds up. When he spots one of the guards leading another group of kids down the hall — kids who disappear and never return — Thomas snaps. He shoves past the line, calling out, demanding answers. “Where are you taking them?” he shouts. The guards freeze, hands going to their weapons. The air goes heavy and still. Around you, trays clatter, voices die out, and everyone looks at Thomas like he’s just ripped open the truth no one wanted to face. Minho pushes forward to back him up, Newt grabs Thomas’s arm trying to calm him down, and Gally tenses beside the door, ready to fight if he has to. The head guard’s voice is clipped and cold. “Sit down. Now.” No one moves. The illusion of safety cracks right then — and deep down, everyone knows: WCKD never stopped watching.