Discoveries ✔ (Divergent Fourtris Fanfiction)

Chapter 22

Tobias

I enter the control room at quarter to three, with enough time to start my shift unhurriedly. I'm working with Sam today, who's not around yet. He's older than me, already in his late forties, and easy to work with. It's good that some years separate us because it means he's not so much into the latest technical inventions, and that way, Eric will ask me to help him with his computer, not him.

I take a water bottle from the fridge and am delighted to see there's some cake left. I shove a piece onto a small plate and set it aside for later.

During the next two hours, nothing extraordinary happens. I see Tris walk down to the training rooms in loose sweatpants and a tight tank top. Obviously she has found a way to spend her afternoon.

Sam has learned over time that I'm not the conversation type, so we both sit in front of our monitors, each with a piece of cake in front of him. It tastes delicious. The chocolate cream melts away on my tongue as I eat it in small portions. Most people devour their cake as if there was no tomorrow, unlike me. I enjoy every small bite of it and don't want to spoil me the opportunity to prolong the pleasure of its taste.

I get nervous when I spot Eric strolling through the pit, his computer in his hands. Good, that means our program has worked fine so far. On the outside, I stay calm and try to keep my view focused on the screens until I hear Eric come in. He never bothers to knock or begin his conversations with a greeting. As usual, he gets straight to the point.

"Four, I need you to look at my computer. I was working on it when the screen suddenly blinked a few times and then turned black. Also, the casing became very hot. Now it has cooled down, but I can't turn it on again."

I set my plate aside on the floor, hardly any cake left on it, and get up to stand beside Eric and his computer, which he has placed on the wooden table next to the fridge. It's the only table there is. The lighting in here is dim, so we can't see much.

"I'll have a look at it, but I need better light first," I say, looking Eric into the eye as I walk past him to the small workspace to fetch the desk lamp from there. Once I've switched it on, I take Eric's computer in my hands to examine it. I check the connection ports and the casing for damage that I know isn't there.

"From the outside it looks normal. I'll have to open it to see what's wrong. If it was hot after it shut down, there could have been a short circuit."

"Come on, Four, is there no other way to find out? You really want me to agree to you dismantling my computer?" Eric snorts.

"I'm sorry, but there's no other way. I could go to the tech depot to look for a new one, if you'd like. It would be quicker, but your data would be lost," I say, about sure what his answer is going to be.

"Fuck, Four, then do it, for heaven's sake. Repair the damn machine." His voice changes from angry to threatening, "But I warn you: I'm going to watch you, closely. No tricks."

"I have enough to do with the initiates, believe me, I don't have time for tricks," I reply coldly.

Then I take out some tools and unfix the screws holding the casing together. I know exactly where our program caused the cabling to overheat. Nonetheless, I take my time inspecting all parts of the device under Eric's skeptical gaze. When I find I have done this long enough, I exclaim, "Got it!" and motion Eric to come closer to take a look. I show him the wire that's burnt out fuse.

"You see that? And the part of the drive that's slightly melted on the side? That's why you can't switch on your computer anymore."

"Can you fix it?"