Star-gazing: Eric Coulter

Chapter 2

Once everyone was crowded around, I handed them a printed out copy of the email that Max had sent me. The boys looked horrified as they read the writing in front of them. "Eric." I stated, turning to my husband. He tried his best to ignore me but failed miserably as I saw him twitch then glance in my direction. "You have to leave now, it's all confidential now. Sorry." I told him, he approached me and gave me a quick mouth-to-mouth kiss before leaving (and closing the door after him). He did enjoy making people know that I was his.
"It's going to be a long trip isn't it Adams?" Zigzag asked me, to which I only nodded. This was probably one of the most risky operations that we have had in a long time. So we began to plan out what weapons we'd bring, where (on the map) we'd set up our surveillance from and other complicated stuff.

Once the meeting had wrapped up, I quickly announced, "I want everyone in the training room for seven sharp tomorrow, just a precaution. I want everyone to do their best performances, not that you don't anyway, I'm just trying to decrease the number of injuries." The guys in front of me nodded as if agreeing to my statement, "Anymore questions before I let you guys go for dinner?"
Harry put his hand up, I motioned for him to speak, "Not being funny or anything boss, but why can't the other groups carry out this? I feel like they haven't left the compound in ages." He told me, "We're always out and about these past few months. It's been non-stop chaos!"
"They have been, it's all confidential though. You should know that by now Harry." I replied, "Anyway it should be a complement, perhaps we're Max's favourite."
"Or maybe he's trying to get us all killed." Hawk chirped up in his usual monotone voice.
"Relax guys, you heard Adams I'm sure we're going to be fine."
But I hadn't convinced myself of that, something had just felt off from the start. It made me uneasy, I knew something was going to happen- I think the lads knew too.

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After stopping by my apartment for a quick change of clothes, I made my way down to the canteen. Everywhere was filled, I glanced around the room. The leaders' benches were full so I decided on taking a seat with Four, he smiled as I took a seat opposite him. The initiates kept looking weirdly at us as we talked. "Where were you earlier, you didn't come back to training?" Four asked me, piling some food onto his empty plate.
"About that..." I started, lowering my head slightly so that only Four could hear, "Max has got my team on another mission, another huge Factionless group is getting too powerful. He's sending us as surveillance and then to destroy their base, if needed." The look in his eyes said what he couldn't, "they've got dangerous artillery amongst other stuff that threatens the faction systems safety. I don't know if your mother is there, sorry Four."
He nodded, "I don't..." then paused halfway through his sentence- as if he were struggling on how to say it, "She's not family, but-"
"I understand." I blurted out, not giving him any context as one of the initiates loudly started talking. They were still talking about their old factions, Candor, Erudite and Abnegation.
"Have you never seen a hamburger before?" The Candor, who I think was named Christina asked the stiff. Typical Abnegation. I sigh and roll my eyes at Four whom just chuckles in response.
The blonde stutters, "No... i- I've seen one, I've just never eaten one..."
A brunette boy sitting in front of the two girls interrupts them, "Abnegation eat plain food. A plant-based diet with no seasoning." I'm guessing he's from Erudite, he's like a human textbook. I smirk to myself as the ex-Candor reads my mind, "What textbook did you swallow?" She asked, making the other boy laugh.
"Nice to meet you to." He smiles, "I'm Will, Erudite."
"Knew it." I whispered to Fours' direction.
"You we're like that in the first stage of Dauntless training, when we were initiates." Four told me, we wait a moment before bursting out laughing, "It's weird, I kind of miss that part of you. You're different now. You changed after stage two."
I changed after stage two...
The way he said that sentence, like he knew something -or perhaps guessed it. I brushed it off, thinking nothing of it (like I did with all of my problems).