As the third Trial draws to a close, Thomas and some of his cohorts manage to escape from WICKED, their memories having been restored, only to face new dangers as WICKED claims to be trying to protect the human race from the deadly FLARE virus.
Traces the fateful period after the Earth is decimated by catastrophic solar flares and reveals the stories behind the formation of WICKED, the construction of the Glade, and Thomas' entry into the Maze.