I don't mean to make him the bad guy, he's flawed like everyone else and just remember Four's a little dumpling in desperate need of a parental figure so he's blinded by that need slightly…
Four's POV
Four clenched his jaw, his head dropping to his hands. Every time his eyes closed that damned blue band was tattooed into his eyelids. What the hell has the Factionless got going on with Erudite of all places. Questions that linked with other questions that led onto even more questions plagued Four's mind. What has the Factionless got that Erudite need? What is the reason behind all of these attacks? Why the hell would the attacks even start at Amity? Who taught the Factionless to use guns?
Four clawed at his face. His shift was nearly over. Hugo would be realising hm soon. They had all agreed to stay in the small room just in case her condition changed. Four stared at Issy's unconscious form laid on the infirmary bed.
It had been two weeks since squadrons 226, 167 and 232 had arrived back at the compound after a six-week patrol. During those six weeks there had been no reported Factionless attacks other than the reports from the usual patrols noting that the numbers of the factionless was growing in particular areas of the city.
The questions never stopped swirling. Why pause the attacks? What was the point for everyone to die in that particular attack? What was the purpose? Why does it feel like those three squads in particular were targeted?
xXx
Vex and Bennett were working together with snipingly dry comments from Vex and painfully observant jabs from Bennett. The surprising pair of brothers advised Issy on what she could and couldn't do while Four was there simply to oversee what they were doing and possibly be her partner if the exercise needed one. Issy was doing well – and healing well, going by what Vex and Bennett were saying.
Four tried to pay attention to what was happening but often than not, he was mentally going through his schedule seeing when if had a large gap open. Though, there would mostly be fingers clicked in front of his face, one of the doctors need his help for something.
xXx
Four followed a small portion of their friend group towards the cafeteria. Tris was laughing along with Christina, their arms laced together, as they followed Uriah in. Four felt an amount of guilt eat at his insides. He should have told Tris when Zack was brought in. Hell, he should have told her way before it all started.
But he didn't. And now he's paying the price.
Four lightly grabs Issy's arm before she can follow Will and Zeke into the cafeteria and pulls her back a step. She turns to look up at him in confusion. He frown – though when just recently was he not frowning? Four though he was always careful of his steps but what if he'd made a mistake and someone had reported his on-goings?
He tensed at the thought and glanced around him to make sure no one was watching. "Hey Issy?" Four asked quietly so that the cameras would pick up the sound. His thoughts were too far gone to think whether that alone would raise some questions. "You remember that favour you owe me? The one from letting you join Capture?"
"Yeah?" Issy nods her head slowly, drawing out the syllables.
"I'm cashing that in now." Four didn't have another choice. This was the only day in a few weeks that he had a large enough gap. He had to go today. He needed answers. "Can you keep the group distracted until I get back? I've got some…work…to do. Just tell them I'll be back in a bit and there's no need to worry."
There was a long pause when Issy just stared at him and he begun to shift on his feet. Thankfully, she nodded and didn't ask why. "Okay, sure. See you in a bit."
Four exhaled a long breath, thankful that she didn't ask why, but Four could see the hint of suspicion in her eye. He walked away from her before Issy could stop him and start asking questions like he knew the old Erudite in her wanted to.
xXx
Four had left the compound through one of the exits near the train tracks. He knew the train times by heart but even as he stood and waited he started to worry that he may have missed it. Though the rumbling in the distance cut off that though and he sighed in relief.
Jumping on the train was almost effortless from almost seven years' worth of practise but his mind was elsewhere and so he staggered a bit when climbing on. While Four waited for his jump to come up, he paced the length of the train cart going over what he'd say. Four will say what he needs to say, cut ties and then leave. That was the plan.
He nearly misses his jump when it comes up but manages to jump out in time and rolls across the ground before jumping up on his feet. The advantages of working in the control room mean that he knows where every camera around the city is placed and where the blind spots are. Edging around the view of a couple of cameras on the edge of Abnegation before finding a worn path. This path had been worn down long before Four even knew about it or where it led to.
The Factionless deceived the rest of the city into believing that they are homeless, living on the streets with no roof over their heads. They put on a front of being defenceless, unorganized, divided. But what Four began to realise was that this wasn't the case. The path lead to what seemed to be a crumbling building. Nothing lived in the unstable floor leading up. However, nobody ever thinks to check the lower levels… There is floor upon floor leading down to the old underground train lines. Each and every factionless in the city has a bed to sleep in there, an area to socialise, and a way of living.
As Four comes to the end of the worn path, he sees two Factionless laying and sitting around. Any other person wouldn't realise that they were in fact guarding the entrance to their compound, knives hidden by the loose clothing. They don't stop him as he opens the door and takes the stairs down to the basement. There's another door that looks like a large safe, guarded by two more Factionless. Though, Four notices, this time they have guns… Standard Dauntless issue and normally set aside for initiation. His eye twitches just slightly. He can't think off the top of his head who would have access to them. Not even Fourhad access to them outside of initiation. One of the Factionless nodded at Four and opened the door, allowing him to step in.
The Factionless Compound was a chaotic order. Some of the rooms were open to the rest of the 'main street' as its called. People came and went, some haggling over items to trade in the makeshift stalls. His jaw clenches at the increasing sight of even more guns. This time they weren't standard issue, they were specialist and expensive in the shops around the Pit. For some of the guns Four saw as he pushed his way through the crowd, any soldier would have to get permission from the Leaders to use but these people were flashing them around like they were water guns.
Rage begins to build deep inside him. They've stolen from Dauntless – from his home! Four was beginning to take it all very personally. This wasn't a part of the original plan he had been told. This was an extreme opposite that Four couldn't swallow. Four climbed a set of metal stairs leading up to a room that overlooked the main street. His footsteps thundering against metal. Another pair of Factionless guarded the door at the top and they shifted slightly to reveal guns of their own. He pushed passed them and slams open the door.
"How dare you!" Four shouts and his mother blinks in response. "How dare you! You said you only wanted your men trained up to protect themselves from the Dauntless that actively abuse them! Not team up with Erudite and attack the factions! And who the hell taught them how to use guns?!"
"I don't see how any of this affects you?"
"Affect me?" Four scoffs. "Everything will fall back onto me if Dauntless Leadership find out! I was the one who trained them in hand to hand combat! I will lose everything, all because I wanted you to be able to protect yourselves. My best friend's little sister was in a coma because of your men! Because of the people I helped train!"
"Beta?" Four blinked in surprise. She knew Issy's name. How the hell did she know that? Shock ran through him. "Oh, she was only meant to take a little tumble. We don't want her damaged. Just let me explain?"
Four pauses. "Who's we?"
"Tobias, come to my office and let me explain?"
A voice in the back of his head told him he should leave. To cut all ties with her. That was the plan after all. But – she's his mother...
Then the image of Issy's unconscious body comes up in the back of his eyes. Declan's little sister. It was so close and Four realised that that could have easily been Uriah laying on the bed instead…
"No!" Four pushed himself away from her. Though when he saw the hurt on her features he nearly took it back. Nearly. "You said it was only a means to protect yourselves from the ruthless Dauntless that take advantage of their ranking. You said that you'd go to the council to ask for a better life for the Factionless – for small privileges and work up!"
"You know that's never going to happen with Marcus leading it."
"You could have at least tried!" Four throws his hands in the air. "And now you're attacking the Factions with some high fuck in Erudite! What –" What has the Factionless got that Erudite need? The answer came to him then. The Factionless had numbers, they knew how to fight, they were practically an army with no cause… And Erudite had that cause… He glowered at Evelyn, shaking his head. "You're hurting my family –"
"They're not your family, I am Tobias –"
"NO!" Four pointed a finger at her. "You don't get to call me that. My name is Four." He walked out without another word. His eyes hard as he looked forward. No one stopped him as he left the Factionless Compound but Four felt eyes follow him.
When he jumped into the train leading home, Four had an odd sensation that he's somehow managed to make everything worse…