Discoveries ✔ (Divergent Fourtris Fanfiction)

Chapter 59

Sorry for the long wait this time, I was traveling a region without Internet access (and even electricity, which made it difficult to write 😁). Thanks for your patience! ❤
The next chapter will be up faster again.

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Tobias

Lauren, Will and I are sitting around the coffee table while Caleb is drawing maps and sketches of the Erudite compound at the kitchen table, which is bigger. After his first attempt, more memories started to return, so he crumbled the piece of paper together and threw it away to start with a new one.

He's been working like a maniac during the last hour, unable to stop as details turned up in his mind, while Marlene added her own memories to his. They seem to return slower than his, but at least they are coming at all.

Still, everything personal is more reluctant to come back. Sometimes Caleb and Marlene come up with little questions, and they need us to confirm if what they remember is right or not. They're mostly about small things, from names of family members and friends to faction traditions and community buildings in our city.

Christina has taken over the task to sit down beside them and answer those questions, because she doesn't feel bad to tell them if they are completely mistaken and their brains imagine things that have never been real. At least that's what it seems like. She says she does feel bad for them, but that she's more used to tell the truth even if it hurts than the rest of us is. Neither of us argues with her, because we're all glad that she deals with the task. I could never be patient enough for that.

Will has started to draw his own maps of Erudite, in order to find ways to get in. He knows a lot of places and labs, but unfortunately not the main lab. Only members are allowed in, and he never was one. But together with Caleb's drawings they form a decent image of Erudite.

We're discussing several strategies on how to best conquer the main lab where we think Tris, Lynn and Uriah are being held. With basically just three of us exchanging our ideas, we move forward much faster than we usually do. There's no joking, no talking around things. We get straight to the point, which revives my hopes that we can succeed. We just have to be smarter than them.

As much as Will has sometimes defended his very own point of view during our meetings to our criticism, he's not resentful. His insight into the typical Erudite way of thinking is actually extremely useful, as is his neutral businesslike attitude. I briefly wonder if the role of the cool rational thinker as whom he acts right now offers him the same comfort and protection that being Four offers to me. After all, his sister has betrayed us in the worst possible way.

Our strategy is almost done, although there's still one big problem to be solved: How can we make sure that Jeanine can't use Lynn or any of us as marionettes during our mission? Apparently she has improved the control serum to overcome our vaccine.

It's this question we keep revolving around when the apartment door opens and Zeke steps in. He looks exhausted, drained of his usual cheerfulness. It's all gone.

"Hey," he greets us weakly.

"Hey," I greet back, unsure of how to treat him. I don't have experience with him being like this. I'm afraid of saying something wrong.

He clears his throat before he speaks.

"I'm sorry I left you alone for so long, I just really needed some time. I'm sorry for Shauna's reaction, Four. I know it should be her who apologizes, but I feel responsible, too - somehow. She's my girlfriend, although right now, I'm pretty pissed at her.