Chapter 14
I have no chance to react when a sharp stinging sensation pierces my face. The ground falls beneath me and my vision blurs. I stare down at the cold concrete beneath my hands, a small pool of blood forming. Lifting my fingers to my lips, I realise the blood is coming from me. In my peripheral vision I see two large black boots, but who do they belong to?
I blink a few times and follow the boots up to their owner, of course – Darius. I meet his cold glare as a pang of guilt overcomes me for doubting Uriah. I shouldn't have been so stupid to think my actions wouldn't receive consequences. I couldn't help it though, I had to try.
Darius mumbles something inaudible to Uriah, all I hear is a loud ringing in my ears. I wipe away the blood from my mouth on my shirt sleeve as Uriah roughly grabs my elbows, lifting me from the ground. He throws me into the chair and handcuffs my wrists to the arms. Where did they come from?
He moves my hair away from my neck, tilts my head to one side and plunges the cloudy, bluish liquid straight into my vein.
"You know I would rather do that myself, Uriah." I hiss, for his ears only. He knows that after the attack on Abnegation I couldn't tolerate that Eric injected me with attack simulation serum. His cold, hard stare runs my blood cold as he chooses to makes no response.
"No antiseptic wipe?" Jack Kang asks Darius.
"That's not how we do things around here, Jack." He smiles at the Candor representative and takes his seat opposite me.
I remember when Christina told me about how it feels to be under the truth serum during our initiation, when we were just getting to know each other.
It's easy. You barely know what's happening when you're under. It's only when you resurface that you even know what you said.
I also remember an extremely good reason for not choosing to transfer to Candor. I have too many secrets, secrets which mustn't be told. However, I now don't only have my own secrets to protect – I have Tobias' too. His name, us being Divergent, where his Mother is. I am not solely responsible for myself and my actions anymore. I must learn to be selfless – but that's the reason I couldn't stay in Abnegation. I am selfish.
I feel the effects of the serum taking hold of me. My blood feels like lead in my veins, my body feels heavy against my seat. I can't form a coherent thought. Everything's just – blank.
I grip the armrests until I see white.
Jack Kang begins my formal interview, "I will ask you a series of simple questions so that you can grow accustomed to the serum as it takes full affect."
He is a handsome man, with warm slanted eyes, like Tori's. I appreciate that he doesn't waste time on pleasantries. Darius, on the other hand, seems to be polite only to mock me.
"What is your name?" He asks.
"Tris." My tone is flat, the answer slipped from my lips before I could stop it.
"I understand that is your nickname. What is your real name?" His tone is flat, but not sharp. He always wants to get straight to the point.
"Beatrice Prior."
"What are you parents' names?" Why do they want to know about my parents? I squirm in my chair and clench my fists.
"Andrew and Natalie Prior." I don't even have to think about it, the words are already there.
"You transferred from Abnegation to Dauntless?"
"Obviously, that's why I am here." Darius chuckles lightly. My comment wasn't supposed to impress him, I don't see the point in the question.
Jack continues, "One purpose of this test is to determine your loyalties. Why did you transfer?" His tone is just as flat as before, my sharpness hasn't affected him at all.
"Because …" I choke back the words I don't want to say aloud. The reasons I chose to transfer are personal to me. I wriggle my wrists in the handcuffs and bite down on my lip.
"It's extremely difficult not to immediately answer questions while under the truth serum. It means they have strong will … and something to hide." Jack mutters to both Darius and Imogen.
"Yes, she definitely has a strong will." Darius' eyes nearly roll into the back of his head.
"Because I am not selfless enough." I say through gritted teeth.
"Thank you for your honesty." Jack replies. Darius eyes me speculatively.
I don't particularly understand why anybody would want their secrets to be laid bare for everybody to see, but I understand the Candor faction a little more now. Maybe it's not cruelty, but a desire to understand, that motivates them. It's also very easy to get lost in honesty. Like every secret is an anchor weighing you down in heavy water, and every secret you strip away lets you become lighter, letting go of the anchors until you reach the surface, finally able to breathe fresh air again.
"I think it's my turn to ask a few questions now." Darius sits back in his chair, one leg crossing the other. He rests his elbows on the armrests. He couldn't look any more relaxed as he eyes me questioningly.
"Are you happy with the faction you chose?" He begins.
"Yes." I couldn't help the answer that immediately came to mind. Although everything is messed up since Darius came to power, I have known since I was young that the Dauntless had been calling me. I was fascinated from the beginning. This is where I belong.
"Do you agree that Abnegation should run the government?" He asks.
"Yes, the faction is regarded as incorruptible, due to our commitment to selflessness." I answer truthfully.
"Our?" He raises an eyebrow. Imogen and Jack glance at each other tentatively.
"I meant their commitment." I shrug, I can tell by his icy glare that I gave the wrong answer.
"Are you Divergent?" He says it so simply, it completely throws me off. Should I fight my answer or be completely honest? Feeling under pressure from this test, I just want it all to be over. If I tell them the truth, surely I'll feel better?
"Yes."
"Can you report of any other Divergent's?" He seems nonplussed by my previous answer, as if he could foresee my answer. This is the question I will fight to be dishonest. A bead of sweat drips from my forehead to my cheek.
"No." Darius' jaw tightens.
"Do you know how Jeanine Matthews was overthrown?"
"No." I lie, through gritted teeth.
"Why was Eric in the Dauntless compound?"
"To warn me he will one day seek revenge after I chose Four over him last year." Another lie, definitely not supposed to be in Candor. Those words of dishonestly flowed easier, the truth serum must be wearing off.
I look up to the quizzical gazes of Candor, Dauntless and Erudite. I ponder as to why Imogen was even here in the first place, she played no important role in this round of testing.
Darius looks to both Imogen and Jack and says, "I would like a word with Tris alone, if you wouldn't mind." They nod politely and leave the room. "You included Uriah." All three leave the room quietly.
"Tris, the truth serum has been amended to be Divergent proof. So why can you still lie?" He asks, as if I would know the answer.
"I have no idea." He pinches the bridge of his nose. For the first time I see an exhausted man, not the façade which he puts on.
"I know that you know about other Divergent's, how Matthews was overthrown and that you lied about why Eric was here." He rises from the chair and walks over to the large glass window to the right of the meeting room. My gaze follows to where he is stood, but I quickly turn back to my knotted fingers. The temperature seems to have dropped a thousand degrees in just a few seconds, maybe it's the tension. My feelings are returning to me and I feel … nervous.
"Then why bother wasting your breath asking the questions in the first place?" I spit angrily. He laughs loudly.
"You and your smart mouth. You remind me of someone."
"Who?" I ask.
"My dear wife Ava, you know what happened to her when she decided unwisely to get smart with me." All tones of jovialness have left his voice, he saunters over to me until his face is inches from mine. He runs his fingertips across my swollen face and I wince immediately. How does he know I know?
"You're sometimes a really easy person to read, you know. I told you before, if I see everything then I know everything." His deep penetrating gaze doesn't falter. He continues, "So, now we have to find out why you are the only person able to lie."
"How are you going to do that?" My voice is barely a whisper.
"I'm sure we will find a way. You're free to go, for now." He smiles broadly and for the second time in this round of testing, my blood runs cold.
I try to take deep and steady breaths whilst I make my way back to Tobias' apartment. I can't help but feel anxious about what will come next. How did I manage to still be dishonest under the truth serum, when they have altered it to be Divergent proof? I wonder if I can somehow find out myself, so I can be one step ahead. I think about who would be best to ask for help and immediately think of Will and Christina.
Will for the brains, Christina for the knowledge of the truth serum. Yes, that will be my plan. Finally, my nerves subside at the thought of preparation.
I pass through the dank, cold hallways with purpose. So when I reach the corridor of apartments and see suitcases piled at one end and members with mournful faces, it startles me. I catch someone by the arm, a young handsome man not much older than me.
"What's going on?" I ask him.
"Ugh, this is pretty much everyone who is factionless now. We're leaving." With that, he's disappeared into the swarm of people. I'm unnerved by seeing so many Dauntless members so sombre, without life.
I scan the faces around me for Tobias, but I don't see him. I run to his apartment door and immediately begin to worry when it is unlocked and he is not inside.
I look around for evidence of his whereabouts and spot a small, folded note on the nightstand. I open it with trembling hands, praying that it's not bad news.
Meet me at HQ.
- E
It's not what I was expecting, but it's better than him letting me know he's factionless.
Who is E? It takes me a few moments before I realise who it is – Evelyn.
I wonder why she is reaching out to Tobias? Once again my curiosity peaks and I am determined to find out her reason.