Learning to Trust

Chapter 51 - Three Times

Chapter 51 - Three Times

Third Person

"Do not mention her to anyone, got it? She has to stay here, and she's going to stay here, no matter what he wants." Mark says, standing as he begins to exit Dr. Norton's office in the MIU.

"What do I do if they come looking for her?" Ken Norton says, not expecting to ever be having this kind of conversation with the leader of Erudite, Mark.

"I'll be here before he can even lift a finger, so don't worry about it."

Ken nods his head, unbelievingly. He doesn't like having a "Plan B" if people come looking for Beatrice Prior when she isn't at the trials today.

"Do you expect them to find out?" Ken asks.

"I hope they don't, but time will tell. Just, don't let anyone in on her today. Move her evaluation a few days, at least until things die down. As for these next few days, she doesn't exist to anyone outside of this hospital. Got it?"

"But what about her family? I told them they could see her tomorrow at the least after her evaluation!" Ken tries to draw Mark's attention, but Mark snaps, having more important things on his plate at the moment.

"I told you to not let anyone see her. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

"I must be going. I have a lot of unnecessary bullshit events to attend to today. Keep her on an extremely tight ground. I'm counting on you, Ken." Mark says, leaving before Ken can even answer.

The day rolls by and soon enough it is noon. One hundred people, plus the two leaders from Dauntless and Erudite make their way to Candor Headquarters.

They thought they were doing it out of orders from three of the five factions, but in reality, it was only West's order.

One hundred and one people were rescued from the building, but Beatrice Prior was tucked away in the Mentally Impaired Unit of the Erudite Hospital. Hopefully, her absence would be ignored, and her existence would not matter for these next few days as Candor leader, West's fury raged on.

Vile after vile of Truth Serum was administered; scars were ripped open over and over again, all left to bleed out onto the floor as the people's haunting memories were forcibly ripped from their minds.

It was too soon.

It was cruel.

As the people unwillingly spoke, they were recorded for further investigation.

They all wondered why this was being done; why it was necessary.

The flaw was that it didn't need to be done; and it also wasn't necessary.

Dauntless leader, Josh's trail comes around six o'clock that night and things get interesting.

"Now Josh," West says about three quarters through his trial. "There was one hundred and one people rescued that day. I know for a fact that none of them have left the city and/or died since they've been rescued. I know you know who and where that one person is. So tell me, who's missing?"

Josh may be Divergent, but the serum has changed over time, and nor is he a genetically pure Divergent.

In other words, he doesn't stand a chance against the serum.

"She's..." he hesitates. "She's in Erudite. Prior. She." He groans, biting his lip, trying to keep the youngest Prior a secret.

But it's already too late.