"I wonder why," Thomas said, kind of amazed at his own ability to tease Derek about that. If there was one thing he could thank WICKED for, it was giving him the ability to adapt and adjust quickly. Back in the Scorch, you couldn't stand around and cry at each new horrible thing you saw. There was just no time.

"I got burned a few times back there," he sighed, dipping lower into the ocean and letting the water cool his warm shoulders. He stood back up after a moment. "We had to travel at night and sleep during the day. Safest way to do it."

Safe being a very relative term there.