For three days a restless, mournful spirit hovered over the Eaton estate. Tobias worked. Tris healed from her physical injuries and spoke to concerned friends who'd heard about her attack. Andrew and Natalie visited Caleb or spent time with Tris. Amar worked with Tobias and made call after call trying to keep up with Caleb's treatment and Jeanine's investigation.
On Wednesday afternoon, the call came telling them what foreign substances were found in Caleb's blood. None of it was anything any of the Prior/Eaton family had heard of before.
Later that evening, midday in America, the investigators in Erudite called. They'd found something about Caleb in Jeanine's notes. She'd drugged him with something, a compound she called "Control Serum." Judging from her notes, it appeared to be the chemical key to a psychological conditioning program.
Jeanine had used this compound in conjunction with subliminal and overt suggestions to drive a wedge between Caleb and his family. First she convinced him to take a specially-formulated "supplement" which, in reality, made the young man highly suggestable. Then she began dropping hints that his parents preferred Tris - just as she believed her parents had preferred Andrew. She told Caleb that his family's life choices were wasteful, and that the smartest people should have all the power and resources while others should be allowed to fail, and even die.
According to her personal notes, Jeanine had begun dosing Caleb with this drug soon after he moved to Erudite to begin college. She started him on a small dose, increasing it once he was interning in her lab, and again when he moved into her home.
In Albania, the family received the information with disbelief, sorrow, and fear. They couldn't believe that Jeanine would fill her own nephew with experimental drugs, much less attempt to break up their family.
Tobias hired additional experts - doctors and scientists from around the world - to evaluate the drug using Jeanine's notes, Caleb's blood samples, and pills found in her home. Natalie became increasingly angry at her sister-in-law as she worried about her son. Andrew withdrew into feelings of guilt. Tris tried her best to take care of everyone and keep them together even as she healed from her own ordeal.
.
On Friday, the investigation team called Tobias with the strange news that Jeanine had requested to speak with him. Knowing that the agents were recording the call, he set up his own recording and had Amar sit in with him while he talked to his wife's aunt via speakerphone from his home office.
"Jeanine," Tobias said by way of greeting, his voice cold, flat, and hard.
"Tobias," Jeanine said. She sounded as put together and snippy as ever.
"I understand you haven't been willing to speak with anyone or answer questions - not even with your own lawyer. Why did you request to speak to me of all people?" Tobias asked, diving right in.
"I'm told that my nephew is unwell," Jeanine said, and Tobias thought he heard a slight softening of her voice. "Is that true, or merely an interrogation tactic?"
"Unfortunately, it's quite true," Tobias said. "Caleb is in the hospital. The doctors say he's going through drug withdrawals that have caused a mental breakdown. Do you know anything about that?"
"Mmm," Jeanine mumbled noncommittally. "Can I see my nephew?"
"No," Tobias said firmly. "He's not in Erudite, and you're not going anywhere for quite some time."
"I'd like to see a video then," Jeanine bargained. "Can you arrange that for me? I want to see a video of Caleb as he is today."
"I'll see what I can do," Tobias said.
.
Desperate to do something for his wife and her parents, Tobias sent Amar to video record Caleb in his cell. When his assistant returned, Tobias watched the recording before sending it for the agents to show Jeanine. He was disheartened to see very little change in Caleb. The younger man still sat in his hospital cell, picking at loose threads on his clothes or blankets. He was less verbal then when Tobias saw him the first time, but he still rocked himself oddly and occasionally mumbled different chemical formulas, dissatisfied musings about his family, and odd random comments.
The doctors treating Caleb reported that the concentration of the "Control" compound in his blood was diminishing, and that Caleb was ranting less and starting to say things that actually had context. For example, they'd learned that when Caleb mumbled about food, he was hungry. They tried bringing him the foods he mentioned as a means of positively reinforcing his communication attempt, and it seemed to be helpful. When he'd mumbled repeatedly about cheeseburgers and they brought him one, Caleb had looked clear-eyed for a brief moment before lapsing back into his chemical formula gibberish.
Tobias sent the video and the latest reports from Caleb's doctors to the agents holding Jeanine in Erudite. Within hours he was notified that Jeanine wished to speak with him again.
"What have they done to him?!" Jeanine raved when Tobias accepted her call.
"What did you do to him?" Tobias spat back. "Caleb has been getting meaner and angrier since he started at Erudite University. He went off to school an awkward, nerdy kid and came home at Christmas surly and rude. By the time I met him he was a verbally abusive jerk. Once cut off from whatever poison you were feeding him, he literally lost his mind! You tell me what happened!"
For a moment Jeanine was quiet.
"Abrupt cessation of the Control Serum at that concentration caused a psychological break," she mused. For a moment she seemed like the familiar callous, calculating scientist that Tobias knew - accepting and evaluating findings like she was back in the lab. "How are they treating the withdrawal?" she asked.
"They're not," Tobias snarled. "They have no idea what all is in that serum you gave him, and they're afraid of causing some kind of catastrophic interaction. Caleb is being watched and guarded. His physical needs are met, but he just has to sweat it out for now. He's suffering and miserable because of you."
"No," Jeanine said, her voice little more than a whisper.
"Yes," Tobias said. "I have scientists around the world working on the problem. They're trying to figure out what all is in that compound you gave him and how they can counteract it without causing further damage. If you care at all about Caleb, you need to tell us what you gave him and how to fix this!"
"Get me some paper," Tobias heard Jeanine order the agents observing her.
Over an hour later, a worn out Tobias finally hung up the phone. He hadn't understood everything Jeanine said about the chemistry, but he knew enough to understand that Tris and Caleb's aunt had seriously messed with her nephew - as if seeing Caleb's current mental state hadn't made that clear already.
What he hadn't been prepared for was Jeanine's own emotional state. The usually clinical and unflappable scientist became distraught as she went over the formula in great detail. She seemed genuinely remorseful - something she'd never exhibited in her life, as far as Tobias knew.
"Oh, Caleb," he'd heard her whimper several times, and once she'd said everything she could about the drug, she'd actually broken down in tears.
When the call ended, it was late, and Tobias was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to wrap himself around Tris and sleep for days with his wife safe in his arms. Thanks to her drowsiness-inducing evening pain pills, Tris had been sleeping pretty well since the accident. Tobias had not. He had trouble falling asleep and woke from nightmares several times each night feeling panicked and hyper-aware. Each time he woke, he would check the doors and windows of their bedroom, then watch Tris sleep peacefully until he drifted off again. It was as if the ghosts of Caleb and Marcus now haunted their master suite, and neither of them wanted Tobias to sleep.
In spite of the late hour, the family was waiting in the living room when Tobias and Amar emerged from the office. All conversation stopped abruptly when the men appeared.
"Did you learn anything?" Natalie asked, wringing her hands.
"She cracked," Tobias said with a tired smile. "I didn't understand it all, but she seems genuinely concerned about Caleb, and told us many things about the drugs she gave him."
Tris and the Priors let out sighs of relief.
"We passed on the information to the doctors and scientists working on Caleb's case," Amar added. "Hopefully they'll be able to use it to help him recover soon."
"Let's go to bed," Andrew said wearily as he stood and offered Natalie a hand.
She stood, but dropped Andrew's hand to cross to Tobias. "Thank you," Natalie choked out as she threw her arms around her son-in-law. "Thank you for saving Tris. Thank you for putting so much money, time, and effort into helping Caleb. Thank you for not investing in that psycho bitch's project, and for talking to her tonight. You've saved our family, Tobias. I'm so grateful, and so proud to have you for a son-in-law. I love you, son."
When Natalie surprised him with the hug, Tobias had gingerly returned her embrace. But when she said her thanks, he'd held her closer. He stared at Tris the whole time, and she watched his expression go from self-deprecating to stunned wonder. When Natalie said she loved him and called him "son," Tobias slumped into her and sobbed.
In a heartbeat, Tris, Andrew, and Amar gathered around them, their arms and tears joining the embrace.
Rebekah, who had stepped out for a moment, returned to see the family in one big, sobbing group hug. She quickly handed Tris a box of tissues and scurried to the kitchen to grab water for everyone.
The group broke apart, but Tobias continued to hold his wife close. Amar got Rebekah caught up, and Natalie gave the young woman a hug. Everyone eventually said goodnight and broke off to their separate rooms while Amar locked up the house for the night.
.
In the master suite, Tobias dropped heavily onto his side of the bed, his head hanging.
"Lay back," Tris said gently, nudging her husband's shoulders.
He obeyed, letting himself fall backward onto the bed. Tris knelt and removed her husband's shoes, then stood and hovered over him and began to unbutton his shirt. Once Tobias' toned chest and abs were revealed, Tris ran her hands up and down the expanse of his midsection.
"Mmm," Tobias groaned. "What are you doing, Zemra ime?"
"Loving my husband," Tris replied, her voice more husky than usual.
"No strenuous activities," Tobias reminded her.
"There's nothing strenuous about running my hands up and down your chest," she said breathily, then leaned down to place open-mouth kisses on his abs.
"I'm straining," Tobias growled.
"You're not the one with stitches," Tris teased. "Now let's relieve some of your strain, shall we?"
As she began slowly unbuckling his belt, Tobias knew he should stop her, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Tris popped open the button on his pants, and slowly - very slowly - tugged on the zipper. Tobias swore he could feel the vibration of each millimeter as the zipper teeth parted.
"Your… stitches…" he groaned, making one last effort to protect his wife from herself.
"They're fine," Tris insisted. "I trust you to be gentle, Tobias. I trust you with my life."
.
.
With the new information from Jeanine, the doctors were able to make steady improvements in Caleb's case. He became more aware and coherent every day, and was soon able to hold conversations with his caregivers and parents.
He was shocked to learn that he was in Albania. He had no memory of traveling there or attacking his sister. In fact, all of Caleb's memories, from the time he started working as Jeanine's assistant on, were spotty. Some days he was still agitated as the drugs worked their way through him, but most of the time he was just confused, shocked, and sad. Every time his parents visited, he begged to be allowed to see Tris.
Andrew and Natalie weren't sure that was a good idea. While Caleb was getting better, he still had his bad days. Tobias flat-out refused. Tris' stitches had been removed, and she seemed like her usual healthy self, but he wasn't willing to risk her safety by putting her in a room with the brother who tried to kill her. And though And although Tris frequently asked how Caleb was doing, she had never expressed interest in visiting him.
.
As the situation stabilized, Tobias and Amar spent more and more time working. Tris went back to studying Albanian with Rebekah. Other than the presence of Tris' parents in the house, things seemed pretty normal to the newlyweds.
Tris decided to take advantage of Natalie's presence, and finally arranged a tour of the agency that Tobias donated to in her name. On a Thursday in July, Jorik took Tris, Natalie, and Rebekah to the Qendra e Familjes Shqiptare, or Albanian Family Center, about a half hour drive from the estate.
The organization went all out to welcome Tris and her guests. A group of adorable children met their car at the facility's gate, standing on both sides of the long driveway and waving. Tris waved back with a big grin on her face. She loved children and loved seeing so many happy, smiling faces.
They were met by the center's director, Davud, who introduced them to his assistant, Drita. It quickly became apparent to the women that while Davud was the official leader of the organization, Drita was the driving force. She was around thirty years old, and had a large scar on her face that she wore like a badge of honor. Tris imagined that when struggling families saw that scar, they recognized someone who understood suffering. And when they saw the determined and inexhaustible resolve in her gaze, they knew that she would fight for them.
Drita was also much sweeter than her macho, blustering boss. In spite of their limited ability to communicate, Tris took to her quickly. They were kindred spirits, passionate about healthy children and families.
By the end of their tour, Tris was covered in little kids. They held her hands, tugged at her clothes, and told her stories she only partially understood. She heard about their lives from Drita, and dutifully admired the little tricks and talents that they insistently showed her on the playground.
Natalie furtively took pictures. This was Tris, her little girl, in her element.
Tris kept her eyes open as they toured the compound. The facility wasn't anything fancy, but it was adequate and clean. The one thing she saw that most needed updating was the playground equipment. The poles holding up the swings were rusting, and the other equipment was old and very well used.
At the end of their tour, the group stood beside the SUV they'd brought from the estate. "Faleminderit që më tregove vend tuaj," (Thank you for showing me your facility) Tris said in careful Albanian. "Unë e vlerësoj atë që bëni për fëmijët dhe familjet e tyre. Si mund te ndihmoj?" (I love what you do for the children and families. What can I do to help?)
Rebekah beamed and nodded encouragingly. "Shqipja e zonjës Eaton po përmirësohet. Unë gjithmonë do të jem me të për të përkthyer nëse është e nevojshme," (Mrs. Eaton's Albanian is improving. I will always be with her to translate if needed), she added.
Drita smiled broadly. "A jeni gati të vini këtu dhe të ndihmoni fëmijët?" (Are you willing to come here and help with the children?) she asked.
"Po!" (Yes!) Tris declared. A little girl tugged on her arm, and Tris turned to give her some attention while Rebekah and Drita talked.
"Tris?" Rebekah interrupted the little girl's story about seeing a kitten. "Drita would like to know what age group you'd like best and when you're available."
"Preschoolers," Tris said. "Like, three- to five-year-olds? I can help with any age where I'm needed, but that's my favorite. As for availability, I think Tuesdays and Thursdays. Or Wednesdays. I could do more, but Tobias has some travel plans for us, and there are some Mondays and Fridays I'd miss."
"Tuesdays and Thursdays should work well," Rebekah assured her. "We will be extra help that allows them to do extra activities with the kids on those days, so the schedule is really up to you."
"Tuesday and Thursday afternoons," Tris said confidently. "And let Drita know that if the extra activities require supplies or other extra expenses, I'm more than happy to pay for it."
Rebekah grinned and relayed the message while Tris turned her attention back to the little girl and her kitten story.
All the way back to the estate, Tris couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She brainstormed activities and outings for the kids. She cajoled Jorik into promising driving lessons so she and Rebekah could learn manual transmission. She wanted to be able to drive herself to the family center, but her new Audi was a stick shift.
When Tobias came home from working, he could only stare at his beautiful wife as she told him about her day. Tris was so full of life, passion, and enthusiasm as she talked about her new opportunity. From her ratty old pajamas to her wedding gown, nothing Tobias had ever seen her in could compare to how beautiful Tris was when she was excited. And after the weeks of pain and anxiety about her brother, this version of his wife was a sight for sore eyes.
"How long until dinner?" Tobias asked when she stopped talking.
"Um, about a half hour," Tris said, consulting her Rolex.
"I want you," he growled.
Tris blushed, nodded, and grinned eagerly as she took her husband's hand and he practically dragged her up to their bedroom.
.
Caleb continued to ask for his sister, and as his bad days became fewer and further apart, his parents began to seriously consider it.
Tobias did not. A month had passed since the attack, and Tris was physically healed from the ordeal. She was settling in, making progress in her driving lessons, and starting to go out around the village more confidently. She'd begun working with the kids, and was really happy. He didn't want to upset the comfort she'd worked so hard to achieve. And since she never asked to see Caleb, he never told her that Caleb asked to see her.
One rainy Monday, Tobias and Amar left early for a few meetings in Tirana. Tris met up with her parents in the dining room, where Roza had breakfast laid out. Tris and Natalie chatted about this and that, but Tris noticed that Andrew seemed distracted and thoughtful.
"What's on your mind?" Tris asked her father.
"Nothing," Andrew said dismissively. "Just… Caleb. You know. Do you ever… I mean, do you think you'd go visit him sometime?"
Tris paused and mulled over the question. "I don't know," she said. "I don't know if it would be a good idea. I mean, he came here to kill me, and he's just getting better. I don't want to upset that, you know? Besides, I don't really think he wants to see me."
Tris blinked back tears, and her parents looked at one another in shock.
"You… You know he asks about you, right?" Natalie questioned.
"He does?" Tris said in surprise.
"He asks about you every day," Andrew said. "He's been asking to see you for weeks."
"He has? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"At first he was so unstable," Natalie began. "One day he seemed remorseful, and the next he was threatening again. Dad and Tobias didn't think it was safe."
"And now?" Tris asked.
"Now he's much more stable," Andrew replied. "I thought you knew. I should have said something, but I assumed Tobias was keeping you informed."
"He probably assumed we were," Natalie said. "Just think about it, Sweetheart. Caleb really wants to see you, and I think it might do both of you some good."
Tris nodded.
"I… uh… I'm going to go find Rebekah," she said before practically bolting from the room.
She ran up to the master bedroom and grabbed her purse and the keys to the Audi, then made her way to the big garage, where she found Jorik.
"Mirëmëngjes, Mrs. Eaton," he greeted her.
"Hey," Tris said. "I'm going to go work on driving a little, okay?"
"Of course," Jorik said defferrentially. "Would you like me to come along?"
"No," Tris said. "I'm not going far. I can handle it myself. I just want to practice a bit."
The groundskeeper nodded and opened the door to Tris' car for her. She started the engine, put it in gear, and carefully rolled out of the garage.
Jorik waved, then went back to work, not noticing as Tris went down the long driveway and turned onto the road.
Tris followed her GPS - fighting tears, the unfamiliar Albanian road signs, and her lack of experience with the manual transmission all the way. She stalled the car at an intersection, and the tears began to flow as she re-started the engine.
Not knowing the speed limit on the two lane road, Tris assumed it was fifty-five, and tried to keep the Audi around that speed. Another vehicle approached her quickly from behind. As there was no way to pass, the other driver tailgated her, honking his horn angrily. When he finally did get a chance to pass, the man angrily shook a fist at Tris as he did so.
The twenty minute drive took Tris nearly twice that long, but she finally made her way to the hospital where Caleb was locked up. For a long time she just sat in the car, trying to collect her racing thoughts and emotions.
When she couldn't stand the heat any longer, Tris got out and made her way to the main entrance. She took a long drink at a drinking fountain, used the restroom, and found somewhere to sit.
Hours passed, or maybe just minutes. Tris had lost all track of time sitting in the hospital lobby.
Eventually, she worked up the nerve to approach a lady sitting at a desk.
"Me falni, a flisni anglisht?" (Excuse me, do you speak English?) she asked.
"Jo," (no) the woman replied brusquely.
"Po kërkoj vëllanë tim. Emri i tij është Caleb Prior," (I am looking for my brother. His name is Caleb Prior) Tris said carefully.
The woman tapped at her keyboard. "Caleb Prior nuk lejohet vizitorë të paautorizuar. Si e ke emrin?" she said.
Tris didn't understand the first sentence at all, just Caleb's name. But she did understand the second sentence where the receptionist asked for her name.
"Tris," she replied. "Beatrice. Beatrice Prior - uh, Eaton."
Tris handed the woman her passport, and the hospital employee eyed it skeptically. She rattled off another quick sentence Tris didn't understand, then frowned at Tris' lost expression and pointed at the ceiling.
"Up," she said in English. "Five. Bisedoni me infermierin. Nurse. Mirë?" (Okay?)
"Po," (yes) Tris replied. "Pesë. Infermiere." (Five. Nurse.)
She turned and made her way shakily to the elevator and up to the fifth floor.