All rights to Veronica Roth….I own nothing.
I spend the morning getting ready and trying to go over everything I need from Evelyn and how I'm going to get it out of her. Sitting with Beatrice at the table, I don't so much eat as much as push my food around for twenty minutes. Finally she breaks the silence.
" Don't worry so much about it" She says, making me raise my gaze from my plate up to her face, " You work better on the fly! Go with your gut!"
I smile at her. She is my rock now, my gravity that keeps me steady. She's right though. Even in my Dauntless training I remember them remarking on my reaction times. And besides, going with my gut has gotten me this far. Even brought Beatrice back to me! I think this over for a minute and it gives me the boost I need. Finally, I chow down on my eggs and bread.
Several hours later I find myself walking into my old building. I take alleys and roof tops the entire way to keep myself out of sight. I left Beatrice at home with Christina. If something goes wrong, I know she's well taken care of. Before I left I gave Christina strict orders to follow in case something were to happen to being the first time I have left Beatrice's side since bringing her home was fairly hard on me. I kiss her over and over again, too fearful it may be my last…again.
When I approach my old door a weight settles in my chest. When I first moved in here it was my haven. It was the one place I could be myself and let myself grieve. It was where I could talk to Beatrice and not feel crazy. With a subtle quick check of the hallway, I enter and shut the door and lock it immediately.
" Hello Tobias!"
I don't have to turn around to realize who it is. That old familiar voice.
" Hello Mother." I look and see her sitting at the kitchen table. Her legs are crossed and she lips are pursed. " Hope I haven't kept you waiting long!"
" Not really." She says breezily, " Maybe an hour. I suspected you home from work then."
" I had a few things to take care of." I don't consider it lying since I honestly did. I promised Beatrice we could go up to the roof for a while and watch the sun set. I wasn't breaking that promise! We sat there for an hour watching the sun slowly retreat behind the buildings, then like a whisper it was gone. It felt so good being outside with her again. I love to smell the air on her. It reminds me of our trips on the train.
" Really? Well then! If it is alright with you, I'd rather not do the cooking this evening. I'm quite tired. You don't mind cooking do you?"
As soon as the words leave her mouth I remember we left the food I had in there, and by now it's all gone bad. I dread even opening the door. The smell must be deadly.
"I don't think I have much. " I tell her, again, not lying.
I watch as her eyes squint towards me and her look hardens. She stands and walks towards me, with only a counter between us. She stares me down for a moment and I see a small crack of a smile in the corner of her mouth. She raises an eyebrow and i know she's trying to get a read on me. It's like she wants me to confess something to her. Like a good honest son should. But I don't. I look at her at sternly and flatly as I can.
She soon realizes I won't budge in her direction, so with a tone she says," Well maybe if you still lived here maybe there would be food here!"
Her eyes flick towards the bedroom and when I allow myself to look I see all the drawers in my dresser are opened and half on the floor. She's been here already. She's searched. Sly fox, my mother.
" Maybe you're right." I tell her, keeping a level head, " See, I wasn't really feeling this part of town anymore."
Her nails grip into fists as she crosses her arms to hide it. She's too slow though and I see it loud and clear. If it were possible, I'm certain she would strangle me right here, but she doesn't. Her tone however, get angrier and more abrupt.
" But that would be if you could actually get any food. For that you would need to be working still. And according to your secretary, you disappeared a few weeks ago."
I have to give her credit; she's covered all the bases. I worry for a second she knows more than I have on her. I feel a tightness in my stomach. I suddenly wish I was back home with Beatrice. But I stay straight faced, looking her square in the eyes. Whatever happens, I cannot let her break me open.
" Just didn't suit me anymore! I wasn't meant for that kind of work." I tell her. " Besides, I'm too busy for real work."
Her smile cracks a little more, " Maybe you truly were a Dauntless after all!"
" Faction before blood….Mom." It's an instinctual remark. When I call her mom I see the little fractures I've made widen and she become angry very quickly.
She doesn't move but she shakes. An unknown period of time passes as we just stare at each other. Suddenly she makes a move and slams her hand in front on her, causing me to grab the gun holstered in the back of my jeans. She makes a small noise when she sees it. My best guess is she didn't think i would bring a gun, let alone pull it on her.
I aim the barrel straight at her chest before I realized what she's done. My eyes flick to her and then down to the counter. I see it, a small glass bottle with a white label on it.
" What is this?" She asks me, flipping her hair out of her face. She knows. There isn't any point for games anymore.
" Must have left it behind! We had to leave in a bit of a hurry ya know! Didn't think too much about it cleaning up." I say cockily. I'm a step ahead now, I know I am. I see it in her demeanor.
" Where is she, Tobias?" She threatens, taking a step to the left to expose her self from the counter.
" You'll never find her!" I tell her, lifting my chin a little as well as my gun, " And if you do, you won't live long enough to tell anyone!"
" You have done such a grave thing here, my son! You will die for this!" She warns.
" MY SON?" I yell at her, " HOW DARE YOU CALL ME SUCH A THING? AND ME? You're going to tell me I'm making a mistake? You lied to me! You knew this whole time and you lied to me. You told me you wanted to be a family again! YOU ARE NO MOTHER! You are just as bad as Marcus! WORSE! At least he hated me to my face, let me see the full scale of his anger. Ya know what Evelyn? FUCK YOU! And while you're at it, Tell David I said FUCK YOU TOO!"
I watch her face closely, but there is no need. Her face drops and her mouth opens. She's shocked at my mentioning of David. There's the sign I needed.
" I knew it!" I yell, " I fucking knew it! And you can't even deny it! You fucking monster! I'm done! Stay away from us, or so help me…"
I back myself to the door and reach behind me for the handle and unlock it.
" I will not hesitate to kill you. I'm giving you this warning as your one chance. Any communication from here on out makes this void. You will be killed on sight!"
I put two bullets into the counter top and as she ducks out of the way, I bolt for it. I run for the roof and make my way back home. I know she won't follow me, but I can't be certain she will heed my warning. I give her this one and only chance not for her, but for us. This is the only way David will get word and make his whereabouts known. That's when I will ruin that complete and serious fuck!
Running home is cold. But being like this, this adrenaline, running across rooftops and escaping, gives me such a rush. She was right about something. Dauntless will certainly always be in me. As for now, I'm going home to my girl and figure out how to get out of this fucking city.
Writer's note : I was pretty excited to write this chapter. Picturing Four standing up to his mother. OOO it's so good! :D Busy few days coming up! at the latest i swear i'll update by sunday!