Tris:
I open my eyes to a blinding white light. I am dead. I am certainly dead, but the pound of my heart beat tells me other wise.
Why am I not dead?
My eyes adjust and I realize I'm in some sort of cell similar to the one I once was held in Erudite. I slowly sit up to a pounding in my head and an aching in my ribs where I was shot. I'm wearing some sort of hospital gown in a lightly padded bed and my hands, I realize are bound together by a tough fabric. Across the room is a sink, and in the corner covered by a wall is a toilet.
Prison is the first word that comes to mind. I must be in some sort of prison. I ask myself again: How the hell am i not dead? and where am I? And if I'm alive, does Tobias know? Is he coming to get me? The thought of Tobias brings guilt to my chest. I never got to say goodbye.
As if on cue a tall man with a clipboard enters the room with a smirk on his face. His are a cold gray and the expression on his face makes me shudder. Like a predator looking at his prey.
"Beatrice," he says cooly, "welcome back."
"Where am I?" I demand
"Not so fast Tris, all in good time." His smirk has now turned into a smile "Well, you are as fiery as they described. You will do nicely here." he pauses "If you behave."
My mind is racing with questions but I can't let him get control of me. I need to stay calm.
"Who are you and what do you want?" I say firmly but nicer than before.
"My name is Dr. Connor Flannigan. I am what you call a rebel, an aristocrat, or might I say an insurgent." He winks after the last word. "The bureau may be destroyed, Tris, but there are people like myself who still believe in that government and blossoming it to new levels." He sees my look of confusion and continues to explain. "We strive to create a new society such as the one who grew up in. A new experiment city we like to call City of New Hope."
I roll my eyes, "City of New Hope? That's a pretty stupid name if you ask me."
His grow colder and he unexpectedly swings his hand across my face. My face stings with shock.
"Speaking out of term, especially in rude ways will not help you here." His says coldly. "You are not our first guest Ms. Prior, but you are a special one." His eyes change from cold to crazy hunger. The look reminds me all too well of the greedy Erudite leader, Jeanine. "You know the most about the city where you came from and about her: Jeanine. I know you know what she wanted and how her simulations worked. You, being divergent, have vital information we need to create our new city."
Divergent? What could divergence have anything to do with creating a new city?
"Oh yes," he says, "I can see that you are trying to figure it out in that smart brain of yours. But I won't tell you."
The shock I felt in my body must have spread to my face because he laughs.
"You didn't think I would trust you enough to tell you every part our plan? Maybe you're not as smart as I thought."
Anger surges through me. I already hate him. My body reacts before I think and muster all the spit I can and spit as hard as I can in his face. He makes a gagging noise of disgust and slowly wipes it off his face. I would have felt satisfied if he yelled or got angry but his calmness frightens me.
He leans in so close that the pricks of his growing beard tickle my cheek.
"You're gonna wish you never did that. You're going to wish you were dead after what we do to you, Tris Prior."
Even though my stomach drops with fear as he pulls his face away, I give the most menacing glare I can muster.
Before he reaches the door, he turns around with a cold stare and says, "Day 1 starts tomorrow. You will be facing the worst simulation you could possibly imagine. And if you fail," he smirks now, "lets just the consequences will be…severe."
He walks out and I am left with the pounding in my chest and the ring of the slammed door.
He's right.
I wish I were dead.