Chap. 21

Tris POV

Hours. It feels like it's been hours since I've been thrown into this prison-like place. The gunshot wound is really festering and often sends burning pains down my spine, sending me into uncontrollable spasms. That results in another hit from the meaty guy that refuses to be civil. I'd be surprised if I made it out of here with some skin that wasn't purple. After ages, the single door flies open. Someone is shoved inside and pushed to the ground, and the person that follows is someone I'd never thought I'd see again.

Peter.

My face reveals no emotion, as I'd taught myself how to do in dangerous situations. My eyes stay trained on my ex, although from the corner of my eye I can see that the person thrown to the floor was actually Uriah. That makes absolutely no sense, considering I thought he was working with the bad guys. I can't further examine him without removing my eyes from Peter, and there is no way I'm doing that. So I sit still and wait for him to speak.

"Oh, would you look at that! My sweet Trissy Poo is waiting for me, just as I expected." He strolls forward and grabs my face, digging his fingers into every cut and bruise.

"I've missed you, so much. And now we can be reunited!" His eyes rake over me, assessing the damage. "Ah, a gunshot wound to the shoulder. Is the bullet still in there?" He takes his thumb and presses it to the place of entry and sends a shooting pain throughout my body. I clench my teeth and try my best to scream internally. I know that if I show my suffering, it will only fuel him to hurt me more. "Looks like a clean exit wound, lucky for us. Wouldn't want my baby getting hurt." His smile is gruesome and without empathy. He's enjoying every bit of this.

"She also cracked her ankle when she jumped out of her window while trying to escape." Pipes in my attacker, who I have since identified as Drew, an old buddy of Peter's.

"Did she, now? Poor thing. Brave, but still. I didn't expect her to be in such bad condition when I got her. Alas, just another kink in the plan." His wink was so awful that I almost cried out. Instead I settled for biting my tongue, which didn't help with my pain. I glanced at Uriah, who looked absolutely horrified. Peter noticed this exchange and decided to elaborate. "In case you were wondering, Mr. Uriah, Tris and I go back. Way back. We used to be lovers... Then she cut it off. She was under a lot of pressure and I don't blame her." He walked by and jounced my hair, a familiar move that made me shiver. "But now, there's nothing stopping us from rekindling that romance. And thank you, Uriah, for helping me do this. You were a truly crucial part in reuniting me with my love." Uriah stared at me with wide eyes. I think he figured out that Peter was psychopathic, and that he used to beat me. My strangled gulp confirmed what he already knew but didn't want to believe.

"Tris… I'm so sorry. Tris, you have to believe that I'd never do this unless he was threatening me. Tris, please-" Uriah was cut of with a hard hit from Peter, straight to his liver. This effectively shut him up, leaving him curled in a ball writhing in pain. I understand his pain. Peter hits hard.

"Man, did I miss that! What a thrill! I've got to start doing that more often." With that, he turns to me, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Tris, you look so beautiful, just as I remember… What'daya say we go back to old times?" I close my eyes tight and brace myself for a hit. His fist connects with my jaw and it feels too much like old times. He comes up close and whispers in my ear. "It feels good to be back, Tris. I hope you know that I'm here to stay." As he walks away to talk with Drew, I spit out blood that has been pooling in my mouth.

"Hey. Tris. Tris, are you alright? Tris." I turn to see Uriah sitting upright again, leaning against the wall. I wanted to tell him that of course I wasn't alright, couldn't he see that? I was kidnapped by my crazy abusive ex, my friend betrayed me, I've been shot, people just keep on hitting me and help is no where in sight. How could I possibly be alright? But I can't tell him that. I have to stay level headed if I want to get out alive.

"I mean, I've been shot and beat up pretty bad, but yeah, I'm good. Now please explain this whole thing to me." Uriah looks at me with intense sorrow in his eyes.

"Ok, I'll tell you. But just so you know, I am so, so sorry.

It all started when I found myself held at gunpoint, being reassured over and over that if I complied, my family would stay safe. So the only natural thing to do was to do what they said, and that's exactly what I did. Then he showed up and told me to get you to break up with Four and to make it seem like I was behind it. So I did what I was told and thought that that was the end of it. But I kept asking myself what his motives were, and everything I thought of was so horrifying that I could not let him go through with his plan. I told him that I would tell Four about everything that had actually gone down unless he told me what his intentions for you were. So he gave me a vague idea, and I wasn't going to let that happen. So I confronted him on his way here… and he tied me up and threw me down here. But Tris, you've got to believe that i regret everything. I never wanted to put you in this position, and I'm so sorry…" I can't hear him. I can't breath, can't think. Even though Uriah got me into this, if he didn't, his family would be dead. And then Peter would just find someone else.

"Uri, it's ok. I don't blame you. Your family was at risk, and you had to do whatever you could to save them. I wouldn't want your family to end up like mine…" I trail off, thinking about my own parents' death. How I caused it. If Uri had done nothing, he would've thought it to be his fault. "Uri, you did the right thing. Whatever happens to me, don't blame yourself. You're still my friend. After all this time tied up together, maybe even best friends." I chuckle at my own joke, but Uriah still looks at me with sad eyes.

He doesn't think that we'll make it.

"URIAH PEDRAD! We are going to make it out of this, whether you like or not." His answering sigh is heavy and brings the room's atmosphere down even more, if that's possible.

"Tris, I hope so. Maybe we could-" Peter butts into our conversation by punching Uri across the jaw.

"That is quite enough! I've always loved your determination, Beatrice, but you are going to have a rough time escaping this one. Your friend here will have worse luck, because the only option now is to kill him! But us, Tris, are going to take a permenant vacation to Hawaii! You once told me that you loved it there, and now you get to go. And better yet, with the person you love most! That's really all you could ask for." He walks forward slowly and gives me a look that I've seen too many times before. I lock up in fear, but I know that if I stay that way he'll just hit me afterwards. So, I take a deep breath and relax my body. He comes forward and kisses me, very gently like he normally starts off. I keep thinking how Uri has to watch this and wonder why Peter has to do this here. Peter walks back and speaks to me, very sinisterly.

"This is just the beginning, Tris. See you soon, my love." He gives me a wink and then walks out of the room. Uriah turns toward me with wide eyes.

"T.. Tr… Tris, I…" If he thinks that this whole thing is bad for him, he'll never be able to imagine what it's like for me.

"Uri, don't." He then shuts up and looks aways. I still have no idea how to get out of this, and I'm starting to wonder if I ever will.