AWARE (After Allegiant)

Chapter Fourteen - Elite Squad

Tobias

I'm sitting on the couch and Tris is beside me. Her arms, draped across my chest, her legs thrown over mine, her heart no longer still but beating determinedly. Even when we're like this, with nothing, no-one in our way, I can't help but feel a distance between us.

It's a thin pane of glass, I can see her, I can hear her but I can't feel her. I know she's there because I'm looking at her but I think the problem is, I don't believe she's there. She's just a figment of my imagination. Like she's going to disappear into the air, leaving no trace of her ever being here. She'll vanish and I'll be left with nothing but her nightmares. Instead of her dreaming them, it'll be me, I'll be having the nightmares. Just like before. Except this time, I won't shut down, her demons won't scare me, I'll see her scars and never walk away because I know that she's broken but beautiful and that I am in love with her.

"Tobias?" Tris whispers groggily as she looks up to meet my eyes.

"Yes?" I say.

"Promise me that we'll be okay. That it won't stay like this forever." She says quietly. I'm taken aback slightly but quickly recover.

"It just takes time," I whisper stroking her hair. "We will be okay, I promise." Tris nods.

"I love you." She mumbles into my chest.

"I love you too." I reply.

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+

I wake up on the couch with Tris beside me. I wake her up and go into our bedroom to get dressed. Quickly, I open my set of draws and look for something to wear. I decide on some dark blue jeans and a black shirt with some dark brown combat boots.

Once Tris and I have both finished getting ready we head out the door. I notice Tris shaking slightly.

"Hey, it's going to be okay." I whisper reassuringly. She just nods and we continue walking. After about 10 minutes or so we arrive at the courtroom. We take our seats and wait for the trail to begin.

The judge sits there at the tall podium with a large grey wig on her head. I see a small bronze plaque nested on the flat bit of the podium, it reads: Judge Timblick. The judge picks up a gavelin beside her and bangs it loudly on to the wooden surface easily getting everyone's attention including my own.

"Peter Hayes, we have conducted a trial to prove the innocence of you yourself." The judge announces. Peter stands beside the judge with a smug smirk plastered on his face.

"Amar, inject him with the serum please." The judge commands. Amar does what he is told and plunges the syringe filled with Truth serum into Peter's neck. He winces slightly. We all watch. Christina, Will, Shauna, Zeke, Uriah, Caleb, George, Tris and I.

"What is your name?" The judge asks.

"Peter Hayes." Peter blurts out.

"Where were you born?"

"Chicago."

"Have you ever drunk memory serum?" She asks hesitantly. Peter struggles slightly.

"Yes."

"Did it work?" The judge asks. Peter tries to resist. He moves and groans with the pain.

"AHHH." He shouts out of pain.

"The more you resist, Mr Hayes the more pain will be inflicted." The judge says. "I'm going to ask you again, did the memory serum work?"

"N-no!" Peter yells. The courtroom gasps.

"Why didn't it work?" The judge asks.

"B-because I-I'm smart, and they need me." Peter says. Tris jumps slightly.

"Who needs you Mr Hayes?"

"David... And his 'elite squad'." Peter says while putting little air quotes around 'elite squad'. The judges eyes widen.

"Bring him in." She says hurriedly. "I SAID BRING HIM IN!" The judge yells at security. They nod and race out the door of the courtroom. Minutes later David comes in with light blue bruising around his eyes.

"Inject him." She shouts. They nod and inject him.

"Sit down Peter." The judge speak in a much calmer tone. He nods and sits on one of the benches opposite us. The security push David onto the podium to be trailed.

"David, what is this... 'Elite Squad'?"

Be brave.