CHAPTER 44

MAX POV

I arrive at Candor headquarters, better known as the Merciless Mart to a hive of activity. There are people from all the factions here. I walk into the large lobby trying to get to the elevators at the back of the room. It is almost impossible to reach with the amount of people here. It seems half the city has come out to see what Marcus Eaton has to say under truth serum.

I am almost half way across the room, I know this only because I can see that I am no longer standing on the black marble tiles but instead standing on the white marble in the centre of the room that forms the unbalanced scales of the Candor symbol, when Jack Kang comes forward to greet me.

"Max good to see you," Jack says.

"You too Jack. How are you?" I say.

"I'm good. If you follow me I have an elevator waiting for us," he says.

Jack pushes through the people and we walk through a side door next to the elevators. Once we walk through I see there is an elevator on this side of the wall. It has a sign over the top of the doors that reads: Service Elevator. Jack pushes a button and the doors open and we enter.

"Max you may have to go under the truth serum today. You do realise this don't you?" Jack asks.

"Yes I do," I say.

"Four and Evelyn's secrets may have to come out," he says.

"I know," I say.

"Does Four know? Is Four coming today?"

"I didn't tell him. He knows the truth may come out but he doesn't know it maybe me that is the one telling it. He didn't want to be here so I thought it was something we can talk about later if it happens. If he was here when the truth comes out he would have been flooded with strangers gawking at him. He doesn't deserve that; at least back at Dauntless we can protect him."

"Okay. When we walk into the room you will find a bench at the back of the interrogation chair that has been saved for you and any other leaders that are coming today. That way you will not be facing Marcus but you will still be able to be close by," Jack says. "The room is almost full; it is a sea of colour in there today. A lot of people have turned up for this. I am curious to see if Erudite will be sending anyone. I can't imagine Jeanine would want to be in the room for this."

"Thanks Jack. I think it will be very interesting indeed," I say.

I walk into the room and Jack wasn't exaggerating about the sea of colour. I walk over to the bench that he was talking about and see that Andrew Prior is sitting here. We greet in the normal Abnegation nod of the head greeting. Next to him sits Johanna Reyes from Amity. She rises from her seat on the bench and shakes my hand; always mindful of other factions greetings is Johanna. I take a seat next to Andrew waiting for proceedings to get under way. We have only been seated a few minutes when a young man from Erudite walks into the room.

I look over and see shock on the face of Andrew Prior. He stands as the young man walks over to us. "Caleb what are you doing here?" Andrew says.

"I am here as the representative of Erudite," Caleb says.

I find this very interesting. Why would Jeanine send a new member of Erudite and not someone with authority? I know the answer without even asking Caleb. Who I am sure has no idea that he is here in case Jeanine is implicated by Marcus.

"You are barely out of training Caleb," Andrew says. "Jeanine isn't the person you think she is."

"Dad I-," Caleb starts to say.

He is interrupted with Marcus being led into the room in hand cuffs and shackles. Along with two Dauntless and four Candor guards. The room has fallen silent as Marcus is seated in the interrogation chair. Jack comes and sits on the bench with us.

"My name is Niles and I will be your questioner," says an old dark-skinned man. He is holding a black box in his hand. He opens the box and pulls out a needle. He takes an antiseptic wipe out of his pocket. "The injection site is in your neck."

Niles rubs the antiseptic wipe over Marcus's neck he then plunges the needle into Marcus's neck.

"I will ask you a series of simple questions so that you can grow accustomed to the serum as it takes full effect," says Niles. "Now. What is your name?"

"Marcus Eaton."

In a blink of an eye a gunshot has rung out in the room. I watch as Marcus and his chair have been flung backwards and we can now see Marcus has been hit in the face by a bullet. I look up into the crowd and I see a woman standing with the gun still pointed towards where Marcus had been sitting. I jump out of my seat and I am trying to rush towards the woman. I am finding it difficult to reach her as the room has turned into pandemonium as people try to get out of the room.

I have not taken my eyes of the woman and it is then that I realise that it is Evelyn. She hasn't moved from where she was standing other than to lower her hand that has the gun in it. She is not trying to run or hide, she is just standing there. I finally reach her and I say, "What have you done?"

She turns and looks at me and says, "He deserved it."

The two Dauntless guards have finally reached us and have put her in hand cuffs. They start to walk her towards the exit.

"Max," Evelyn calls out. "I need to see Tobias. You need to bring him to me."

"Why would I do that?"

"I need his help. Max it is important. Please," she is now yelling as they take her from the room.

"You can go and see her once they have processed her Max," Jack says.

I turn around to see Jack standing next to me. I haven't moved from the spot where Evelyn was standing. The room has been cleared. The only people still here are Andrew, Johanna, Caleb, Jack and the medics who have come to try to save Marcus. One of the medics looks up and is shaking his head. Marcus Eaton is dead.

Caleb rushes out of the room. "Caleb I need to talk to you," calls Andrew. I don't know if he heard his father or he just decided to ignore him but Caleb doesn't turn to acknowledge Andrew he just leaves.

Andrew sits back down on the bench and his shoulders are slumped. "Are you alright Andrew?" I ask.

"I don't know," he says. You can see he is going into shock. Jack calls the medics over so they can check him out; there is nothing more they can do for Marcus.

Johanna rises from her seat and says her goodbyes. I stand with Jack while Andrew is being looked at. "Well I didn't see that coming," says Jack.

"No, but it isn't like it wasn't deserved," I say.

"I can't argue with that Max," Jack says.

"What will happen to her now?"

"We will have to have a trial. She can't become factionless because she already is so we will have to look at jail or execution," Jack says.

The medics have given Andrew the all clear and we are now standing discussing the events that have just unfolded. A woman comes and whispers in Jacks ear. He nods and she leaves.

"You can go and see her now," Jack says. "I will show you the way."

FOUR POV

I am sitting in the dining hall with Tris and our friends. We have been pouring over Dauntless files in my office all morning. Trying to see if any of our transfers from Erudite may seem suspicious. It is good to be out of the office and in the dining hall with our friends. I am sick of reading what feels like nothing.

Shane comes walking up to our table and asks to see Tris and I in his office. I look at Tris and she is looking back at me both of us have a confused look on our faces. We get up and start walking towards the door. As we are about to reach the doors to the dining hall the doors burst open and Lauren starts to shout, "Marcus Eaton is—."

"LAUREN!" Shane yells.

"What? What about Marcus?" I ask.

"Four I need you and Tris to go straight to my office," Shane says. I am stunned, what is going on? Why isn't Shane telling me? I am stuck, I can't move. "NOW," yells Shane.

I still can't move. Tris grabs my arm and tugs me towards the door. "Four. Four come on, let's go," she says.


We walk into Shane's office and mum; Charlie and Jed are sitting in here.

"What is going on?" I ask.

"Four," says Charlie and Jed at the same time. I haven't spent any time with them lately. I pick Jed up and give him a cuddle.

"Hi Tris," says Charlie. She walks over and gives Tris a big hug.

"Hi Charlie," Tris says. She sits down and puts Charlie on her lap.

"Four there was some trouble at Marcus's trial today," Mum says.

"Mum what is going on?"

"Max called. I don't know all the details but when they put Marcus under the truth serum Evelyn shot him dead," mum says.

"What?" I say. I can't believe this. My biological mother killed my biological father. Tris' words are the first thing that comes to mind. 'We have really fucked up families.'

"Marcus is dead Four. Evelyn shot him and she is now asking to see you. Max didn't know what it was about but he said she sounded desperate," mum says. "He would like you to go to Candor and see her. He will understand if you don't want to but. . . I think it might be a good idea if you do."

I feel Tris' hand on mine. I look over to her and she says, "I will come with you if you want. We can do this together."

Thank god for Tris, I don't think I could deal with this without her. I don't know how I feel about Marcus. Numb is the only word I can think to describe it at the moment. Did I hate him? Yes. Did I wish him dead? I did when I was younger. Am I glad he is dead? I don't know, I think so. But at the same time I really wanted him to suffer for what he did to Evelyn and me.

"I'll go now," I say.


Tris and I are on the train to Candor. We are sitting on the floor of the train carriage. We haven't spoken since we left Shanes office. I am sitting with my back to the wall Tris is sitting between my legs facing me. She is holding my hands in hers. It is so comforting having her here with me. I don't know what I would do without her.

"Do you want to talk about?" she asks. I shake my head.

"It's okay. Whenever you are ready I am here for you," she says.

I lift her up onto my lap and just hug her. That is all I want right now. I just need to know she is close. "I'm not ready, I don't really know what to think," I whisper.

"I'm here when you are ready," she says. I just hold her closer to me and whisper, "thank you Tris."


We walk into Candor and dad is waiting for us.

"Four," he says. He comes over and gives me a hug. "I'm sorry to bring you down here. But I really need you to talk to Evelyn. I don't know what she wants she wouldn't tell me but I've never seen her like this."

"Okay," I say.

We walk up to the holding cells where Evelyn is being held. "She is through those doors," says dad.

I go to walk through the doors and Tris has stopped. I turn and look at her. I raise my eyebrow in a questioning way. I don't understand why she has stopped. "Don't you want to go in alone?" she asks.

"No, I want you with me. I need you with me," I say. I hold out my hand and she takes it. I push open the door and turn to dad, "I think you should come with us," I say to him.

We walk through the doors and see Evelyn sitting in the first cell.

"Tobias you came," Evelyn says. She looks between Tris, dad and I. "What you brought a party with you?"

"Evelyn this is Tris," I say.

"Do you really think this is the time to be introducing your mother to some girl," Evelyn says.

"Tris isn't some girl and you are not my mother," I say with anger in my voice. "And my name is Four!" Just hearing my name on her lips makes me sick.

"Tobias I am your mother," she says. "Are you scared she will find out who you really are?"

"No you are not, you gave up that right Evelyn," I say. "And Tris knows everything about me; I have no secrets from her."

"I doubt that. But I am your mother, I—," she says.

"Evelyn stop this," dad says. "What do you want?"

"I have a son," Evelyn says.

"No you don't Evelyn, I am not your son anymore," I say.

"Not you Tobias, I have another son," she says.

"What?" I ask.

"That is why I left. I have another child. Nathaniel, I call him Nate," she says. "Tobias I need you to look after him. He doesn't have anyone else."

"Evelyn how can you expect Four to do this for you? You abandoned him and Charlie and now you want him to just take responsibility for your mistakes?" Dad says.

"What else can I do Max? Are you going to take the boy? I can't leave him to fend for himself in factionless," she says.

I have no idea what to say. I can't comprehend what is going on at the moment. This is unbelievable. She kills Marcus and then drops this on me.

"How do we find him?" Tris asks. I'm shocked, what is she saying? I look at her and she says, "Evelyn is right, we can't just leave him there. We can work out everything else after."

"Thank you Tris," Evelyn says. "Tobias you need to go and see Therese she will help you. I have left instructions with her."

"Fine," I say. I am far from happy with this situation but Tris is right. I can't leave a child alone in factionless especially when we share blood. "Is there anything else Evelyn?"

"Tobias please," she says.

"No Evelyn. We were done a long time ago. This is the last time you will see me," I say. "And this is it for you with Nate as well. You will not see him or Charlie ever again. You can rot in here forever as far as I'm concerned. You can't keep thinking that you can be a part of our lives. You're not and you never will be again. So don't ask to see me because this is it," I say and storm out of the room.

I walk through the doors and I can hardly breathe. That was hard. I can't believe I finally did that. I am hunched over trying to take in deep breathes when dad and Tris come out. Tris walks over and starts to rub my back.

"I was not expecting that," dad says.

I give a short laugh. "Me either," I say.

"Well we should get down to factionless and find this kid," says dad.

"What am I going to do about this dad? How the hell am I supposed to take care of a kid? I have no idea what I should do about this," I say.

"Tobias," Tris says calmly. I stand back up at full height and look at her. "Let's just get him home and then we can worry about the rest. We don't need to make any decisions today."

"We?" I ask.

"Yes, we. We are in this together, I am here for you no matter what," she says.

A smile comes across my face and I pull her into a hug. "Okay," I say. "Thank you."