Tris's POV

I throw my clothes into the suitecase with a sigh. As time passes I wonder if this is all worth it.

Yesterday

My mom has been going on and on for the past twenty minutes on why I should come to Adept.

'It's good to visit your homeland every now and then' she says.

'Andre's going to be there and we don't know when he's going to get leave again' she tries.

It's not long until she finally breaks and says that It would be good for me to see Andrew. I have a comeback on the tip up my tongue, but hold it in when I remember mine and Eric's conversation. Going is the only way for me to really find out what's going on.

Mom narrows her eyes at me and tells me to stop. "Stop what?" I ask.

"Thinking whatever your thinking. I can feel your suspicion and ultior motive."

"Me?" I ask sarasticly. "Have an ultior motive? Well I never." I cross my arms and look away from her. I swear I can hear her mutter 'what am I going to do with her' under her breath.

"Fine. I'll go. But only because I miss my big brother," I tell her before she can get too excited. It's not just a cover up. While I don't show it, I sometimes really miss Andre. When he told us he wanted to join the army I was heartbroken and scared, but I also knew that this was what he wanted. He's always wanted to use his powers to help protect the country and try to stop violence. He thought that there were enough gifted to protect the world from the supernatural, but not enough helping against mundane threats. I want him to be happy so I never show him my fear.

I feel a hand on my arm and look up at my mom. There are a few disadvantages to having a mom who can literally tell how you feel, but atleast you don't have explain your feelings when you don't want to.

I look through my mountain of sketch pads until I find the one specificly for Adept. Another thing my mom never dops: why I became a PI rather than an artist.

I slip it into my travel backpack and think it over. Not only would I get to see Andre and get some snooping done, I would get some space from Four. I don't know how to feel about him right now. I spent so long trying to convince myself that I don't care whether he liked me or not that when he finally tells me he wants to forget about the almost kiss it makes me rethink eveything! I let out a sigh and zip up my suitcase. Yup, I definitely need some time away.

I hear a knock on the door and look to see Nathan waiting. "Come on Bea, moms are waiting for us."

Tobias's POV

I'm in my room trying to get some work done, but my mind keeps going back to Tris. I'm so stupid! I was this close to actually asking her out when I chickened out. Sighing I close the case file and go to take a shower. But would it have really mattered? She didn't even seem upset herself.

On my way to the bathroom I see Zeke sitting alone on the back porch. "Hey. What are you doing out here?" I sit next to him and wait.

"Tris and everyone is going to see her father for thanksgiving. Everyone except me. Not only is this something that we would've all done together, but she and her brothers don't have the best relationship with their dad." He lets out a fustrated sigh and runs his hand through his hair. "I should be there for them. I should be able to have their backs. But because I was so stupid, I can't!"

We sit there in silence until I gather up the nerve to ask what I've wanted to the whole time we've been here.

"Why?," I ask carefully. "Why give it all up? They honestly seem like the best family in the world." He gives a laugh. "Best family in the world isn't good enough for them. They're so much better than that. Honestly? I don't even know. Maybe it was stress, maybe I'm just that much of a dumbass. All I know is that something made me snap. I said things to Uriah that I wish with everything in me that I could take back then I just left." More silence.

"The only thing I can do now is earn their forgiveness. I don't care how long it takes me." Using the same deflecting tactic he always uses he reverses the conversation to me. "Speaking of Tris, when are you going to admit to me that you like her." I look at him shocked. "Don't look at me like that. Did you honestly think I wouldn't notice? Dude, I'm your best friend. You could give me a little more credit." I start to deny it then just give up.

"Doesn't matter anyway. I had my chance and I blew it. She doesn't like me anyway." At this he starts cracking up. "Doesn't like you? I've never seen her like anybody the way she likes you."

"What are you talking about? We almost kissed and she stopped it. She acts like it never happened. Then when I finally bring it up, she acts like it was nothing." How could he think she likes me after all that?

This just makes him chuckle more. "That's the way she is. Acting soft and lovey dovey isn't really her style. You got to know her well enough to know her moods and if she acts like it's not bothering her than most likely she just doesn't know what to do." He pats my shoulder in sympathy while I sit there with a amazed look on my face. He goes to enter the house, but I stop him.

"So that means I could try asking her again. Did she leave yet? I could do it now." Oddly, he freezes and looks a little panicky. "Um...you know what, I'm pretty sure they left and you won't be able to get in contact with them anyway."

"Why?"

"Because...they're at a military base. Their dad is in a classified branch of the military and there's a special base for holidays and things like that. No contact with the outside world unless it's an emergency." He quickly goes inside, leaving me feeling as if that was a complete lie.

Zeke's POV

Shit. It took me too long to remember the cover story.

Tris's POV

Nathan and I meet moms, Uriah, and Caleb in the woods. I give the nerd a hug and mess with his hair. "How's college been? Since someone wants to ignore all my calls." "Basic survival skills sis. Avoid the angry she-wolf for as long as possible when you've pissed her off." I push his shoulder right before titi calls us over. We all get in a circle and put our bags in the middle of us. She tells all to hold hands while she teleports us.

Teleporting is weird. You feel a tingle start at your feet and go up your body until it reaches your head. Then you feel a snap from the inside before you dematierialize. It takes barely a second, literally in a blink. First we're in the woods then we're in Adept's Portal Central. It's in the very front of the city and is the second biggest building. There's five different floors and each have different glass pods to portal into. The first thing I see when we leave ours is Andre and Andrew.

Without thinking I run to my brother and give him the biggest hug I can. He imediately returns it. After awhile I pull back and look him over. "Well you don't seem to be missing any limbs and I don't see any bumps or bruises," I joke, but I open up my empathy just in case. He doesn't seem to be hurting on the inside, just happy to see us.

I move over so he could hug Caleb and Nathan. After that he messes with Uri's hair then hugs mom and titi. I stand back and smile at them until hear him coming toward me.

"Hello Beatrice," Andrew says in a professional voice. He goes to hug me, but unlike with Zeke I don't feel guilty when I move out of the way. "Hello Andrew," I say in a equally professional voice and walk over to the others.

Mom gives me a look then suggest we head to the house.

On our way there I can't help but feel somethings off. At first glance everything would seem ok. Then you start to look, really look, and things aren't right. There's more gaurds patrolling the street, less children roaming around, and the cities aura just feels out of balance.

I nudge Uri next to me. Somethings real off.

I know.

We reach the neighboring Oliver and Belikov manors- mom and titi's maiden names-, and start to split off.

"I'll come home later mom. I'm going to hang out with Tris a bit," Uriah tells her. She gives a nod and we take off up to my room. Once we're up there I lock the door and we crawl into the closet. We always did this when we were kids and had to have what we call 'Bond Talk'.

"Did you see those patrols," he asked. "I swear it's like there were a dozen groups. And since when is there no one outside. It's summer weather 95% of the time, no one would pass that up unless they thought something bad was going to happen-" We both look toward the door when we hear faint footsteps coming to the room. I sniff the air and relax when I realise it's my brothers. I crawl out the closet and unlock the door to see an impatient Caleb and Nathan, and a wary Andre.

Once were all in the room Nathan looks at me expectantly. "Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"What are you-" "Don't act like you haven't been suspicous since we got here. I know you too well baby sis, and if we noticed something was off than so did you." It's takes everything in me not to tell him that I've been suspicious since before we got here and about what happened in the clearing. When mom said she wanted to leave it she meant it, that meant not telling anyone who wasn't there. I didn't want to keep it from them, but I gave my word. I always try to keep my word.

"Ok, Ok. Why you want in?" Having more people on our side would make this better.

"Only," Andre interrupts before he can say anything," if the're a few ground rules."

I smile at him. "Of course."