AN: Thanks for the reviews! (This hasn't had a second edit yet, so sorry for any mistakes - I'll fix them later today :) )
Chapter 27
The next morning, a Friday in mid November, found Tris and Lauren getting off the plane at Andrews to an overcast Maryland morning.
Tris pulled her heavy, stylish black coat tighter around her as an icy wind whipped through the aerodrome. The gun in her hip holster, concealed by her jacket, cut into her side at the extra pressure she was putting on her coat.
"I think we're going to get some weather today," Lauren said with a forlorn look at the sky. "I hate flying in bad weather."
"So maybe it clears before our meeting ends and we have to fly back," Tris suggested optimistically.
"What is Four up to in our office?" Lauren suddenly asked, as they got into the car waiting for them.
"He said he'd had a breakthrough on some program he was working on," Tris said, telling at least part of the truth. "He didn't want to leave until he'd finished what he was doing."
"He's nothing, if not dedicated," Lauren said, impressed.
They headed to The White House, going through the same processes they had on Tris's visit almost three weeks ago.
Before long they were sitting in The Situation Room, and Lauren was briefing the President, the National Security Advisor, the Chief of Staff and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
It didn't take long for Tris to realise that Jeanine was not present, and an uneasy feeling came over her. She could not ask why Jeanine wasn't there, but she knew the Deputy NSA wouldn't miss a briefing such as this one, unless there was something big afoot.
Tris was thinking and listening intently, when her cell vibrated. She ignored it, as their briefing was at a crucial point.
"The Senator's purpose was not to involve himself with terrorists, he merely wanted the financial gains offered by their plan. He is supposed to publicly and professionally promote a company who is willing to make weapons for them. They needed people to invest in the company and offered him a lot of money to make it happen," Lauren explained.
After half an hour Lauren began to wrap up her briefing, having supplied all of their evidence, and answered any questions put to her. The NSC was more that satisfied that they had enough evidence to arrest Senator Eaton, and quickly. The trial process would probably be a long one, but he would certainly be convicted at the end.
Tris remembered her cell and checked to see why it had vibrated.
A message from Four.
Four: Tris, you have to get to the VP right now. Jeanine and Eric are taking him out, now. They're in the EEOB, just down the road, on 17th Street NW. I'm on my way, but you need to do something, or the VP will be dead.
Tris got out of her seat quietly, excusing herself discreetly, motioning that she had to take a call.
She left the Situation Room and began walking out of the building as quickly as possible, so as not to make a commotion.
As she walked she began to type a reply to Four.
Tris: I'm on my way. Give me any other information you have.
Then she messaged Lauren.
Tris: Lauren, I'm sorry I had to leave. Something big is going down. Leave as soon as you can without causing alarm at get to the EEOB ASAP. Four is also on his way, we've uncovered something big. I can't explain more now, but just trust me.
Tris made it out of the building and looked around quickly for some sort of transport. She couldn't see anything practical, so she set off down the drive on foot, knowing it wasn't any more than half a mile to the EEOB, or the EisenhowerExecutiveOfficeBuilding.
As she hit Pennsylvania Avenue she went left and started to run, knowing she could be at the EEOB in less than 5 minutes at a run. She had to slow her pace a little, the formal heels she was wearing with her suit weren't terribly easy to run in, something that movies tended to overlook and glamourise.
She wondered at the choice of the EEOB, knowing that it should be filled with the staff, and protection detail of the Vice President, as that was where all his office were located. She had no idea how she was to find their exact location if they weren't in his main office or how she would stop them without all hell breaking loose.
Four: It looks like they're in the VP's main office. It seems as though Max is there too. Jeanine and Eric arranged for the Four of them to meet in private, apparently over some fabricated 'issue'. I don't know what their reasons are, but their endgame is clear. They're going to eliminate the VP and pin it on Max, then kill Max. We've just got off the plane at Andrew's. Zeke, Uriah and Shauna are with me.
Tris raced into the EEOB, flashing her badge, or rather, one of her badges, the one that said she was a CIA agent.
She raced through the building, grateful that she had paid attention in her lectures, particularly the governmental ones that detailed the layout of the EEOB.
She approached the outer office of the VP and found his Executive Assistant cowering at her desk.
"Who are you?" she quavered.
Tris flashed her 'badge' and barked, "What's going on?"
"I heard gunshots, just now," she said, her voice shaking.
"Where is the VP's protection detail?" she asked seriously.
"I don't know, something's not right," she said, trembling all over.
"I need you to stay quiet, get out of here. Do you know how to get in touch with the NSC over at The White House? Good. Have them get help, there's an attempt on the VP," Tris instructed. "I'm going in, keep out of the way. Help is coming."
Tris pulled her gun from its holster, cocked it, and entered the room, ready to fire if need be.
She found Max standing next to the VP, his hands tied behind his back, his mouth gagged. The VP was lying in a pool of his own blood, which was pouring from his chest wound.
Eric had a gun raised, pointed at Max.
Jeanine was nowhere to be seen. Doubtless she was too smart to be around to get caught in the aftermath of their plan.
"Drop the gun, Eric," Tris commanded, her gun trained on him.
"Shit," Eric cursed. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Turns out you're not as clever as you think," Tris said, deliberately taunting him, trying to distract him enough to get him to talk.
"Wrong," Eric retorted.
Bang.
Max dropped to the ground next to the VP, his own blood pooling with the VP's.
"A man died because of you," Eric sneered.
"No, you were always going to kill him," Tris replied coolly, even though she felt anything but calm. "But what I don't know, is why? And what have you done with the VP's FBI detail?"
"So many questions, never content to be quiet and know your place," Eric sneered. "Just to prove to you that I am actually clever, I'll tell you how I got rid of the VP's agents. I hacked the rostering system and made sure no one was rostered on to his protection. Your boy Four isn't the only one with IT skills."
"Someone will notice something's not right, and soon," Tris pointed out, her gun still trained on Eric.
"Sure, but they'll come in here, and I'll be able to tell them what happened," Eric said smugly. "I found Max in here, about to assassinate the VP. I was too late to stop him in time, but I did stop him, permanently. You, you however, are not a problem I foresaw."
"Maybe Jeanine did," Tris suggested, willing Lauren or Four to show up. "What's her part in all of this and why are you working with her?"
"She asked for my help, and I liked what she had to offer in return," Eric answered. "I wanted Max's position, and she wanted him dead and dishonoured. And now, I think it's about time for your questions to come to an end."
Tris ducked just in time, as a bullet whizzed past her.
She crouched behind a couch, and used it to move behind to get closer to Eric.
"Don't even bother, you have no hope of overpowering me," Eric taunted.
As if proving his point, he shot again, the bullet catching the back of Tris's calf.
She winced in pain, but used Eric's brief moment of gloating to launch herself at him, striking his head with the butt of her gun.
The grappled with one another, Tris trying to knock is gun aside.
They exchanged blow after blow, Tris determined that she wouldn't let him defeat her. Help was coming. Her knee connected with his shin, his fist connected sharply with her head several times.
Tris cried out as Eric shot her in the shoulder, causing her to drop off him to the floor, allowing him to stand over her as she writhed in pain.
He trained his gun on her head, ready to finish her off.
Tris head a gunshot and she prepared to walk off into the light, her last thought floating to the way she felt in Four's arms.
It only took her a moment to realise that she was not dead, and the thud she had heard was Eric dropping to the ground.
Footsteps raced towards Tris and she heard both Lauren and Four's voices.
"There's a lot of blood."
"Tris, are you okay? Please be okay."
"Should we move her?"
"Guys, I'm not dead, it's a couple of bullet wounds," Tris said, struggling to get up.
"Don't move, you could be seriously hurt," Four cautioned.
"It's a bullet in the shoulder, just help me up," Tris said through gritted teeth. "Is Eric dead?"
"No, just immobilised," Lauren supplied, as Four helped Tris up. "Now, what the hell went on here?"
"We'll explain back at Dauntless," Four said in a hushed tone. "Tris, where is Jeanine?"
"Not here," Tris said. "I don't think she ever meant to be here for this."
"Well, let's flush her out. We'll have a message sent from Eric's cell to let her know everything is taken care of," Four decided.
"And I'm getting you to a paramedic, and we're going to be answering a lot of questions with the FBI," Lauren surmised.
Tris had her shoulder strapped up, and the area was soon swarming with FBI agents, who were securing the area and taking statements. The President's Chief of Staff made an appearance, as did the NSA, Jim Patterson. Four quietly explained everything they knew, and they quickly devised a scheme to trap Jeanine, who they assumed would be back in her office soon.
They left the scene at the EEOB and headed back to The White House, ready to enact a trap for Jeanine.
Tris's injuries were carefully masked by a fresh shirt and jacket, as well as some quickly applied make up.
They all made their way to the Sit Room, waiting for Jeanine, who had been asked to meet them to be briefed on the assassination of the Vice President.
Tris sat stiffly next to Four, her injuries aching, despite the painkillers she had taken.
Jeanine entered the Sit Room, to find everyone waiting for her.
"Now that Jeanine is here, we can begin," General Williams said. "Four, I believe you have some information to share about the death of the Vice President."
"Yes, unfortunately is seems as though Max, the Director of the Faction branch of Dauntless has assassinated the Vice President. One of our agents, Eric, was not in time to stop it, but he did manage to take Max out," Four began.
"Where is he?" Jeanine asked importantly.
"He was injured in the process, he's receiving medical attention," Four answered.
"Ms Matthews, why would anyone want to have the Vice President killed?" Tris asked suddenly.
"I don't know," Jeanine said, visibly shaken.
"Jeanine, I think it's time you come clean," General Williams said in a booming voice. "You're trapped in this room, with a room full of people who know what you've done, and have the evidence to prove it."
"You can't!" Jeanine exclaimed.
"We can and we do," the general retorted. "The only thing we don't know is why you had Eric kill the Vice President and pin the blame on Max."
"I don't have to say anything," Jeanine said, her mouth hardening.
"Yes, you do," General Williams said in a thundering voice. "You are responsible for the death of the Vice President and you will answer for it, now!"
"I didn't want him to die, he was just collateral damage," Jeanine spat. "It was Max I wanted dead. He killed my brother, my brother who had never done anything wrong, he had to pay! I didn't care who paid the price, as long as Max died, along with any good memory that was linked to him."
The room sat there in shocked silence.
"Jeanine, you are not the law, it's not up to you to make decisions like that," The President said in a dangerous voice. "You will be tried, and sentenced to death. I must go now, and start to clean up your colossal mess. Agents, thank you for your help. We lost two great men today, but at least their deaths will not go unsolved."
Jeanine was soon handcuffed and led away by several FBI agents.
"We'll need your statements, and all of your evidence, but otherwise, you're free to go. I dare say you have a lot to take care of at your headquarters," the general said formally. "We will keep Eric here, and deal with him along with Jeanine."
Tris closed her eyes, trying to concentrate through the overwhelming pain. It was over. Except it wasn't, not but a long run. Her head swam as she saw the aftermath stretching out for days into the future. She was exhausted.
She tried to summon the energy to stand, but slumped against Four's side, passing out into painless oblivion.
AN: I know this all happened quickly, but I've never been one to draw out action like this! Sorry, but hope you enjoyed it anyway :) There's plenty of aftermath to come!
Please review :)