Reawakening

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Uriah

I have been at Erudite for almost two days; it's evening now. That means that tomorrow is the final test of Dauntless initiation-- the Fear Landscape.

They have been performing various medical tests-- other than the MRI, I really don't know what most of them were, just that they drew a lot of blood and did a few 'biopsies' as they called them, where basically they cut samples of my flesh out of me. I haven't slept much because they still won't turn down the lights in that cell, but eventually I have gotten exhausted enough that I could fall asleep anywhere, so I've gotten a few hours in here and there.

A couple of the pathetic Erudite guards open my cell door. Maybe I should just take them now, escape, run out of here. But then, I still have to worry about Eric, and he will hurt Marlene. Every cell in my body is telling me to fight and it would be so easy to disarm them, but I can't. I can't risk it. If I could take out Eric, that would be one thing, but I don't see how I can expect to do that, when I don't even know when he will be here at Erudite again. So I cooperate. I let their wimpy guards think they are any more use than Caleb on his own would be-- they aren't. I'm not in great condition at the moment-- physically exhausted, hurting from sleeping curled up on a stiff cot and from the biopsies and crap, underfed, head is pounding-- but I could still easily take them. I'm Dauntless, one of the best in my initiation class.

When we get to the lab room where they'll have me this evening-- it's nearly dinner time-- it's a smaller room than usual, without the usual crowd of brown-nosing scientists. There are monitors and computers and electrodes, some desks, and in the center of the room... a simulation chair. In the room wait only two people: Jeanine, and Caleb Prior.

"Satan Spawn; Lemming," I say, nodding at Jeanine, then Caleb. I know he'll know what a lemming is, he is fascinated by all kinds of boring crap. I remember learning about them in some book the teacher read to us in lower levels. Caleb is just like one of those-- he'll follow Jeanine right off a damn cliff. Jeanine makes that satisfying lip-pursing face and Caleb scowls at me. I just smirk at them, never taking my eyes off Caleb. I guess I must have picked up a few things from Four, because I know I intimidate the hell out of that coward.

Jeanine doesn't bother greeting me. "The image of your brain did give us enough information to develop a new serum. Our goal is to create a serum which the divergent cannot overcome; in other words, you should not be capable of discerning simulation from reality. You will demonstrate it for us today. Once we have succeeded in developing a serum which you are unable to distinguish from reality, we will no longer need you."

"And then I get to go home?" I know the answer to this. I'm never going home. I'm divergent, and Jeanine wants to wipe people like me off the face of the earth.

Jeanine chuckles. "Of course not. When you are no longer of use, you will be executed." Caleb is preparing something over at the countertop, then moves to a computer and begins reading lines of code. I watch for a moment, zoning out whatever Jeanine is saying to me, and watch the lines and lines of seemingly random characters run across the screen. Zeke is really good at computers, and he taught me most everything already. Computer code is like a language, and it's one that I'm nearly fluent in.

That's why by the time Jeanine is interrupted by a knock at the door, I've figured out what Caleb is working on. He's putting finishing touches and checking for errors in the program that will control Dauntless when they attack Abnegation.

My mind races. I have to protect Marlene from Eric, but I also have to get that hard drive. It's a part of the evidence we need to take to Candor.

My attention is drawn to the conversation Jeanine is having at the doorway.

"...is on his way to your office. He says he doesn't have time to wait on you."