Waiting impatiently for something to happen is Four. I somehow feel he doesn't deserve to be called Tobias by me anymore. We've just lost something. The problem is I can't figure out what.
He sits in a chair in front of a screen drowning in codes I'd never waste time on in attempt to understand. It would be like teaching a fish to breathe out of water if someone taught me to understand code. Except I don't want to be taught. I'd rather be educated and inspired.
"He's under a simulation" I hear Jeanine say, her voice creeping up behind me till I see her sleek figure beside me, studying Four.
"What for?"
"Why don't you go see for yourself" she eggs me on, giving me freedom to go up to my brother but something in me makes me decline.
"I prefer not to. Is this the only reason you brought me in here?" I ask, slightly altering the topic of conversation. Regret begins to crawl up me, gnawing on my skin every second more Jeanine stares at me. Each second fills me with anxiousness more than the previous second. I search for an escape with every second ticking by that seem to grow further apart from each other until a second feels like a minute, continuously stretching further on.
I look back at the room naturally and see all the Dauntless members have gone so it's just Erudite members.
"I suppose not." Is all she says before placing her gaze onto the ginormous screens of live footage. Already feeling nauseous, I decide not to follow her gaze but that doesn't prevent my stomach churning any less.
"Wait here a moment" she barely says with much thought as something on the screen draws her attention. As soon as she fades from my view, I turn back to Four, only to see a new addition. Amused, I watch Tris as she frees his hands from the chair.
Something seems odd. Mainly in the way Four watches her like it's his prey and she's fallen right into a trap. The minute his hands are free, he grips her hand, jolting them so she drops her weapons and causes me to take a step back. Out of fear that he'll hurt me or astonishment because it doesn't seem like him, I don't know.
How am I just standing here and watching Four carelessly mistreat Tris? Yet I don't feel guilty hardly. All I feel and think is how confused I am. I watch her instant reaction and hear her words louder than she actually says them.
"He can't hear you" Jeanine casually strolls up from behind me and takes a stand beside Four who's face is emotionless towards Tris. I doubt that he's noticed me yet which I'm partially thankful for yet wish he would notice so I could figure out how he sees me by his reaction.
"Amazing isn't it?" She strokes Four's back like he's a doll. Maybe because he is. He's nothing but her puppet. "Everything we think of that makes us a person: thoughts, emotions, history. All wiped away by chemistry" she rhymes as she observes Four like a work of art.
I step further back and try to distract myself with the things on the screens but they just seem even more horrifying and I empathise those that are clinging on for dear life on their knees.
"Divergents threaten that system" I catch Jeanine say over the muffle of sounds that I was trying to drown myself in.
"Don't get me wrong. There's a certain beauty in your resistance" I don't catch what she then says as it's a little too quite from my distance. She gives a nod of communication to one of her pets who walks over to a screen and types in an input I don't understand but instantly do when Tris retaliates against Four as he destroys her.
Unknowingly, I find myself, silently walking over to the screen that has now became unmanned as most people's attention is on Four holding a gun to Tris' head. Even Jeanine is drawn in so I take this as an opportunity to corrupt this as best as I can.
Nothing makes sense. I understand a few bits and bobs like I know what each part of the brain does but it's all the coding and messages that throw me off so instead, I think outside the box and look for a wire. I instantly feel several, all intertwined like branches which I follow along, until I reach what I need. A plug socket. With one final glance at Four and his crowd, I see that he's pulling his gaze away from Tris as he tightens his grip on the trigger. I find myself doing something similar as I turn my head away from the plug that I have tightened my grip on and pull it out, surprisingly nobody notices but I'm not sure if it's worked or not as everyone's still frozen like statues like they were before.
Taking a look at the screen that was controlling him, I see that it's empty black so all I can do now is hope and wait. Probably best to do that from a distance. I would have thought it would have been proven more difficult to corrupt something like this but I guess not. Hopefully it's returned Four to his default self and not kept him as this monster permanently.
I sneak back to my previous spot but become conscious as Jeanine walks rapidly towards the screens.
"I want you to go with them now" she hisses to me without looking at me. I figure she's speaking to me because there's nobody in distance of hearing that hiss apart from me.
"Now!" She hisses harsher which remotely sends me into a run out the room and down the hallway where I find Caleb, Peter and Marcus waiting. We all greet each other with shocked expressions in silence.
"Melody" Marcus finally says. I desperately want to have him embrace me in a hug like most people's fathers would do but it doesn't seem the right thing to do now. Or ever for that matter after everything he's put me and Four through. But I feel like I can understand why and there wasn't really any harsh intentions behind it. At least I don't think so.
"I escaped" I assure them and show the red marks that are still present on my wrist from not long ago that supports my statement. I sense that Marcus and Caleb have bought it but Peter hasn't and I know that he'll question me about it later. I'm actually surprised he hasn't blew my cover right now, unless he thinks Jeanine has done something to me perhaps.
"Tobias" He removes his attention from me as Four and Tris walk in.
"We need to keep moving" Four dismisses our father and continues to walk on, talking the lead as he takes a gun from an unconscious or dead soldier on the floor. I cannot tell what however. He guides us out hurriedly and unsurprisingly breaks into a run the minute we're out in the open. I then notice he's running for the train as he struggles in attempt to tell the time on his watch because of his body shaking his arm as he runs. The next sign that tells me we're getting a train is the vibration emitted off the tracks onto the ground besides it that we're currently racing on.
Four is the first one on and assists us all on it as he's rushed. Once I'm on, I watch him rapidly debating in his mind whether to let him on or not. I know I would. He is my father at the end of the day and he did actually visit me on visiting day which must mean something even if Four thinks it's just for show.
I scuffle back a little as Marcus gets aboard, shortly followed by Four just as the platform disappears beneath his feet.
After a minute of watching Four and Tris in each other's embrace and short whispered conversation that I eventually find boring, I bring my attention back to everyone else on the train. I sit down beside Caleb and opposite Marcus with Peter to my other side and with the love birds several feet away thankfully and at an angle where I can't see them kissing but I know they are.
"That is disgusting" I say out loud.
"You can't say anything" Peter sneers, leaning against the wall. "You and Eric" he says wiggling his eyebrows. I scour the floor for something to throw at him and find an old piece of round copper which I gladly chuck at him which bounces off his arm.
"I hope that haunts you" I say as I get up and watch the world zoom by through the barred windows.
"Eric who?" Caleb asks curiously. I forgot he was Erudite even though he's dressed like one.
"Dauntless leader Eric. She goes for older men"
"I do not!" I defend snapping my head back towards Peter but can't help but say it with a smile.
"Melody?" Marcus asks cautiously.
"Is this true?" He asks acting as the father figure he's meant to be. I wonder if he is actually being a real father now and not just acting. So that's where I got my performance skills from.
I bow my head down in guilt and wrap my arms around myself, unsure of what to say.
"I see" is all he says. I'd much rather he say he's disappointed in me than leaving me on a cliff hanger with those two dangerous words that I never thought as dangerous. I feel like I've done something terrible and I have disappointed him. I don't know why but I always find myself trying to please someone to make them happy especially my father as I can't think of anything to make him happy than have children he's proud of.
I hear him sigh and his heavy footsteps edging closer to me until my light is blocked by his broad figure. His hand places itself on my shoulder and I find myself shivering as I remember and flashbacks send a hurricane rampaging through my head making me slightly tense and unbalanced.
Carefully, I tilt my head up to look at him only to show I have respect for him but when I gaze at his face I see emotion: Misfortune and pain.
I contemplate the idea in my mind and in the end I come to the conclusion that it wouldn't hurt if I hugged him and I shouldn't be afraid of anything stopping me from anything that I can do.
His torso becomes rigid because of the shock but his arms do eventually hold me but with a little uncomfortable and unsureness. However I do sense that he doesn't mind as his chest relaxes with every breath which I find comforting and let my eyes close.
"Have you heard from your mother?" He asks gently, not spoiling the moment.
"What do you mean?" I reply confused yet I stay where I am only changing the tone of my voice.
"Evelyn's alive"
A/N The End...
Going to continue with one of my original stories then I'll get writing book2 for this. Probably some time next year like July 6 week holiday time. I actually wrote this in 4months or so!
Arovoir xxx