Family of two

23 - Mood swings

Thanks to all of you, who have supported me so far by leaving a comment or voting for a chapter. I hope you enjoy this next chapter.

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Still riled up by the stunt Marcus had tried to pull earlier, Eric headed straight to the fear simulations as he had been ordered by Sean. Orders were not options and as much has he longed to see his son to insure himself of his wellbeing, he returned to his duties in overseeing the fear-sims. As a leader you could learn a lot about their potential new members by knowing their fears and how they conquered them. After today the young leader had no doubt that there would be an additional fear in his fear landscape. Eric had been scared, badly at that, to loose Teddy and reflecting on it, he thanked all those hours he had had to spend in his fear-landscape, which had helped him to conquer his fears and had enabled him today to think on his feet and act rather than freezing up surprised by Marcus attack.

Of cause he would have fought back, if things would have gone differently earlier. No one would take his son away from him. With a thunderous glare Eric made his way through the corridors, never minding everything else. Dauntless members who came across him took one look at his expression before they scurried out of his way. Finally he reached the rooms were the fear sims took place. A bunch of initiates were sitting alongside the walls, waiting for their turn. From experience he knew how uncomfortable these chairs got after some time. Eric shrugged mentally. There were without a question more pressing matters to spend points on. More of those new weapons came to his mind and the playground could to with some maintenance. Perhaps he should address these matters later, when he reported to his fellow leaders about today's council meeting. Maybe they could even ad little climbing wall or zip line. With this pleasant thought he entered the room to be greeted with the spectacle of Graham, one of the weaker initiates, bolting from the chair, then tumbling and tripping over one recently detached surveillance cable knocking Four down in the process, who on his way down hit his head at the table and came to lie on the floor.

Panting hard from the experience under the sim Graham stuttered:

"I... I didn't, I'm sorry."

Eric narrowed his eyes at him, while he got down to check on Four. Still breathing. Now is that good or bad? The young leader wondered. He wouldn't have to put up with wonder boy anymore but given how liked the other man was, as undeserved as it was, it was probably for the best. Not to mention that Tris would haunt him probably for month or even years.

Without another word Eric opened the door and looked at the lined up wannabe members. His eyes zoned in on a stronger one at the end, who wouldn't be up for the sim in a while.

"Zane, get in here, help Graham to carry Four to sickbay."

At his words suddenly everybody was up, asking questions. Questions he wouldn't answer. There was an iron rule: what happened during fear sim, never left the room. Glared at them he barked: "Shut up. Sit. Next one in."

Expecting his orders to be followed, he turned around to prepare the next sim. At least he wouldn't have to handle Four for today. Eric's mood was already improving.

He should have known better, Eric sighed as Tris stormed in, demanding answers while he was in the middle of another sim.

"What did you do, Eric?"

The implied insult of thinking him capable to simply attack Four had Eric clenching his fist. Not to mention the disrespect she showed by barging in like that. She knew very well, that she had no right to disrupt the procedure of the fear sims. But of cause none of all this seemed to cross her mind. Once she thought an injustice happened to a friend she stopped acting rationally. She had already proven that when she acted out at him during her own initiation. Obviously the lessons he had tried to teach her failed.