To Save a City (Divergent/Eric) 2 of 3 COH Series

Chapter 55 (Eric's POV)

Jeremy Camp-'The Answer'

I drive us home and my head is spinning. I can't believe our parents were supposedly dead and now they're all alive. It's almost unbelievable. It sounds like her mother is either really ignorant about a lot of things or she's gone completely insane. I can't believe that she abandoned them like that. Her death would have been better in my opinion for them. At least my parents had to leave or die and were forcibly taken away.  She abandoned them, intentionally. She left her children in that nightmare on purpose. Now Hosanna knows that her mother's selfishness and ignorance is what made them have a life of torment.
I look in the rear view mirror and see Hosanna comforting her brother in the backseat. She's been telling him everything in the car and he's taking it surprisingly well so far. If I found out anything like that happened to my sister, I'd grab every gun and knife I have in the apartment before raiding the armory. I'd make their death last days. It's what I frequently contemplate doing to Marcus but I figure that death is too good, too easy for him. We're going to wait and see what we can catch him in. I will deal with him; I will never let this go. I'm actually a little jealous of Hosanna though.  I'm definitely not forgiving like her and I don't even understand how she can be like that.  I'm just lucky that I have her. 
I glance back every so often and hear what they're saying over some music she's playing. She keeps telling him to rely on God—to give up his anger and hurt. To let it go and forgive. She admits that she's struggling, too, but she's trying. He's clearly still upset and holding on to his hurt and shock and frustration and confusion. He looks like he's harboring guilt, too. I can really understand that. I have it too for leaving Lizzy with Jeanine.
I pull into the garage and the guards stand at attention in front of their posts.  We step out quietly and I cross to their desk to hand them the keys.  I'm sure by the solemn look on our faces, they know something is going on.  It's unusual for leaders to be down here at this time of night but it's clear something is amiss. 
We head through the mostly empty Pit—the only people in sight are guards.  I stop Hosanna and her brother before advancing up the stairs to the Pire.  "Where are you going?" I ask them. 
"I'm bringing him home with us.  I'm not going to leave him alone," she responds.  I figured as much. 
"I'm heading up to the control room.  I'll be back as soon as I can," I tell her.  She nods.  I grab her and kiss her tenderly.  I couldn't imagine what she must be feeling right now.  "I love you," I say and she tries to smile at me before turning around but it's forced, only one dimple is showing and barely at that. 
I watch her take her brother upstairs to our home.  I sigh as I start to climb the stairs.  This is going to be an even longer night.  I arrive to the mostly empty room consisting of only two friends of ours and screens viewing a substantial portion of the empty city. 
"Eric?" Ellen shouts when she notices me standing in the doorway.  She runs over and embraces me.  I hold her tightly and look to Thomas.  He has a form in front of him that he was filling out but stops for a moment and stands up nodding to me. 
"Show me what you've got," I say to him when Ellen releases me. 
"I can't believe it," she whispers in a daze.  "I can't even begin to understand what she must be going through."
I nod to her and take a seat.  I have her monitor the rest of the city while Thomas and I go over the recordings.  She's clearly disturbed by what happened. She needs to get her mind off of this and think more clearly.  Thomas plays the recording and I listen to the conversation on the headphones.  The picture isn't very clear even though it's using night vision and the audio isn't the greatest, but I'm still able to make out everything.  He shows me the recording for outside of Four's apartment.  The person breaking in picks the lock, walks in and walks out a moment later.  They're wearing a hooded sweatshirt pulled up covering their face.  They leave the door slightly ajar. 
"What else do you have?" I ask Thomas.
"That's all so far," he says. 
"Alright.  I want you to follow where this person was before and after they came to Four's apartment.  Find out where they entered and exited the compound, what they did and how they got in.  See if you can get a good image of their face for us to find out who they are.  It sounds like they also hacked one of our computers.  See which terminal they used.  Maybe we can get fingerprints and track what they did.  If you find that, send security down to that computer immediately before anyone is awake to touch it again," I instruct.
"I can do that," he nods.  "Is... is she alright?" Thomas asks me, looking over to Ellen.  Her eyes are on me as well. 
"I don't know.  She's with her brother at our place," I respond. 
"It's good that they're together," he says pausing.  He glances at Ellen again and it's clear they want to say something.  I nod my head.  "Did you know?"
"She just told her mother and brother two of her fears.  The leaders and I have known since her second stage of initiation.  We're trying to make a case against him.  Everything involving this and everything else you've heard is confidential.  Do you understand?  This doesn't leave this room and you won't discuss what you've seen with her or anyone unless a leader prompts you," I say. 
I look to my wife's cousin.  "Understood, sir," she whispers.
I nod and head to Max's apartment.  When I arrive, I knock on his door.  He answers in some pajama pants a minute later.  "What's going on?" he questions. 
"Something that will shock you," I say. 
He opens his door and lets me in.  I've never been in here before.  It's very nice, organized, and clean.  His furniture all looks brand new.  He motions for me to have a seat.  We sit down—me at the sofa, him in a leather chair. 
"Can you pull up the recordings from Hosanna's wire?" I ask.  I know he made it so only he would access them which was pretty smart to keep that out of anyone else's hands and also if she gets caught, he would be the one to take the blame. 
He grabs his computer from the coffee table and plays the most recent recording.  It starts out in our bedroom. 
"You can fast forward this.  What we want to see is when a train arrives at the Hub," I say. 
He nods, standing up and moving beside me on his sofa.  He advances the recording.  When Evelyn jumps from the train, coming into view is when he gasps and covers his mouth. 
"She left them?" is his first comment—not she's alive or anything.  He loves them both so much that he cares more about the children than the woman he loved.  In this moment, I realize that he is more of a father to my wife than anything.  He loves her so much that it makes my heart ache. 
Max views the entire recording and looks to me.  "It's late and it looks like you've been up all night.  Tell me what I need to know and get to bed.  Come in midday. I'll handle everything else," he says.
I nod and relay the events of the night.  I tell him all about the break in at Four's and how Thomas is looking into the Factionless getting into the compound. I tell him that I want anyone suspicious that's covering their face—especially in June—to be brought into custody, searched, and identified. We agree to double up the guards at all entrances.  We also want to get a list and pictures of all former members and initiates expelled into Factionless. We decide to increase patrols in the Factionless sector and put up more cameras.
Max says he's calling Jax up to his office first thing in the morning to discuss the security breech and they'll get it all handled and secure. He dismisses me and I stand up to leave. I get two steps from the door and stop, turning to see his head in his hands.
"Jude and Hosanna both told me you loved her. How do you feel about this? That the woman you loved and thought was dead is alive and a possible threat?" I ask him.
Max sighs loudly and rubs his face. "My faction comes first, my family comes first. I can't say that I don't feel anything for her but she sounds like life and circumstance has twisted her over the years. She was too docile or blind or afraid or selfish to let me help her before. I can't say that I don't want to help her now but I care more about the wellbeing of the faction and the city than a girl I loved as a child. One is weighed much more heavily than the other. She needs to learn that a pretty face can only get her so far in life. Her daughter never cared about her looks; she always did what was right. It's time for Evelyn to learn that lesson," he explains and it's by far the most I've ever heard him speak at once. He's always been abrupt and straight to the point. I can understand why he'd still have feelings for her but he must protect and do what's right for the good of the many. I nod and exit.

*****

I arrive home to see Four sprawled out on Hosanna's side of the bed while she lays in the middle.  I walk to the closet to take my gear off and slip into some sweatpants.  I have to admit that I'm not surprised to find my previous adversary here.  He's had an emotional whirlwind of events happen tonight and he needs some comfort from his sister. It seems as if close proximity to her helps him to get through his hardest days. She's skilled at offering advice and just her presence alone is often consolation enough for me at times. I can understand how broken he must feel, though.  I could feel it in the thrashing of his body and the racking of his sobs.  The guilt was prevalent in his face for abandoning her, too.
Climbing into bed with my wife, I realize that we're not having relations anytime soon. Hosanna rolls over and wraps her arms around me. She tilts her chin up and kisses my cheek. "Let's go in the spare room," she whispers into my ear.
"Your brother is here.  Doesn't he still need you?" I mention. 
"He sleeps like a rock. He won't wake up for at least six hours unless you shake him awake," she insists.
I give her an awkward look since that can't possibly be the case and she calls out, "Tobias, are you awake?"
There's nothing but silence and all of our breathing. I wait a minute. Not even a rustle of the sheets or a change in his breathing. "He's really that heavy of a sleeper?" I ask in disbelief.
"Yes. He won't move for several hours," she tells me. She nudges me to get out of bed, insisting on this. I groan but I give in to my wife. It's so hard to say no to her. I'm not comfortable but at least we can share a bed without her brother there and he won't miss her since he's such a heavy sleeper. She follows after me. We cross the hall and I lock the door. "Eric?" she pleads. "Hold me," she whispers on my skin. I comply knowing that I'll do whatever she asks of me. This night must've completely shattered her to the core. I love her so much and I'll be here to console her in any way she needs.

*****

We're woken up by a knock on the door and I jump up in bed.  I remember that we're in the spare bedroom when I look around. I'm so grateful that we have this room and that I locked the door.  As I look at the clock on the wall, I realize that we ended up sleeping until eleven in the morning. 
"Hosanna?  Are you in there?" Four asks. 
"Yes," she responds yawning. 
"Can I come in?" he questions. 
"Just a minute," she calls out grabbing some clothes off of the floor.  I jump out of bed and get dressed.  I open the door.
"What were you doing?" Four inquires of his sister.
"Do you want the truth?" Hosanna responds as I step out of the bedroom. 
"Baby, why don't we have breakfast here and discuss what's going on?" I shout down the hall as I hear them talking quietly.
"Alright," she agrees.
I grab my clothes to take a shower.  I hear Four grumble irritably as he stomps past me in the hallway, an outfit in hand.  "Candors," he mumbles sarcastically before slamming the bathroom door.

*****I hope you enjoyed this one!  Thanks for reading.*****

Words of Wisdom:
Relying on God in every situation is always the answer. If you have stress, if you're unsure of what to do, if you're struggling, in pain, afraid, don't know where to go, cast your cares on Him. Praise Him in the storm. He will be there for you. It may not be in the way you want or expect but if you give up your problems to Him and rely on Him, He will be there for you. He works every situation for the good of those who love Him. Think of your struggles as a test, a tool for strengthening yourself to be a better person. You can either get through it with success and become better—stronger—or you can fail miserably and and let hurt and anger and the trials of life consume you. I'm also telling this to myself. Know that you're not alone.

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬