The Scorch Trials is a Young Adult novel by James Dashner, and is the second installment in the Maze Runner Series. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the novel deals with the mysterious and devastating events surrounding a group of teenagers who are being manipulated and tested by a seemingly omnipotent agency known as WICKED. The novel takes place immediately after the events that take place in The Maze Runner, leaving Thomas, Teresa and their friends fighting for their lives in another set of Trials.

Having been rescued from the Maze, Thomas and the others are placed in dorms for the night. Though they have their misgivings, the teenagers are told they are safe now, and will be protected. However, Thomas and the others soon find that this is not the case. Thomas awakes to discover that Teresa is nowhere to be found. Though she was separated from the boys the previous night, Thomas now has no telepathic connection with her. Moreover, just before Thomas wakes up, Teresa tells him telepathically that something is wrong.

The Gladers find that the fearsome Cranks are at each of the windows, attempting to get in. Worse, the rescuers from the precious day are all dead, their bodies hanging from the ceiling. When they reach Teresa’s room, they find that a boy names Aris has been sleeping there, and that he has no idea who Teresa is. Not only is he from another Maze group, he can communicate with Thomas telepathically, like Teresa.

A representative from WICKED finally shows up and informs the Gladers that they are about to face the Scorch Trials, and that they will have two weeks to complete the trial. There are no rules; the Gladers must simple reach the safe haven, which is one hundred miles north of their starting point. The Gladers know that they must comply, or face certain death.

As they set out to cross the Scorch, the Gladers must again face deadly traps, Cranks infected with the Flare, and Group B, the group from which Aris was taken, whose task it is to bring about their destruction. Amidst all of this, Thomas must determine what happened to Teresa. The Gladers come into contact with new people along the way, including Brenda and Jorge, two early-stage Cranks who guide them through the city and out to the mountains in exchange for receiving the cure at the safe haven.

In a startling twist, Thomas is finally reunited with Teresa, but is betrayed by her. WICKED has tasked her with killing Thomas, which she is willing to do, and her actions cause a tremendous rift in their relationship. Thomas does not know if he can ever trust Teresa again, even after she confesses that her action were all for show, and that she never meant Thomas any true harm. As a result of Teresa’s betrayal, old friendships are tested, and new allegiances are explored.

When the groups finally make it to their appointed destination, Thomas makes a stand against WICKED. In the aftermath, he is once again separated from Teresa, and the others as well. While conversing with a distrustful Teresa telepathically, Thomas makes a heart-rending decision and tells her to leave him alone for good. Teresa, in response, tells Thomas that, in the end, “WICKED is good.”