First, I would just like to say that I definitely appreciate all the reviews! I've been updating a lot recently for multiple reasons: 1) I haven't been feeling well so I've had a few days extra off work and 2) I've been in really bad moods lately and I really haven't felt like myself, so I've been getting back to writing because it's always made me feel better. I'd like to thank everyone for giving me a reason to write. I also would like to apologize for all the typos that there have been lately. My phone has been ridiculous with the autocorrect - adding extra letters onto words that don't belong there, changing normal words to ridiculous ones. I try to proofread, but a lot of the time I end up skimming, so I still miss the errors. It drives me crazy when I find them, and I'm sure it drives some of yall crazy, so thanks for bearing with me.
Tobias
I can feel Tris staring at me as I stare at the note on the door. I open my mouth, trying to find something to say to her, but I just close my mouth instead.
"What is that?" She finally asks.
"A note," I speak the obvious.
"What does it mean?"
"I don't know yet."
"Have you seen it before?"
At this point, our conversation resembles that of the monotone "read to the class" sessions when we were in school. I always hated when we were forced to do that.
"I found one earlier," I hold my breath waiting for her response.
"And you didn't tell me?"
Finally, there's some inflection in her voice. Even if it means I'm in trouble, I'd rather hear that than what we were just experiencing.
"I didn't tell you yet because I didn't want to scare you," I pause. "As you can see, they have a key to our apartment."
"What are we supposed to do? Just stay here when they could come in at any moment?"
"No," I shake my head. "Pack a bag. We'll stay somewhere else tonight and I'll change the lock in the morning."
I can tell as she walks off that she's trying not to panic. She goes all the way into the bedroom and then turns around and comes back.
"No," she says calmly. "I want you to change the lock now. It's still pretty early and I'm not going to let some psychopath scare me out of my own apartment."
"Okay," I nod. "If that's what you want."
"It is," she says firmly.
She disappears for a moment, and when she comes back she's dressed in her own shirt and hands me one of mine. I pull it over my head and walk to the door.
"I'm coming with you," she says quickly.
"I thought you weren't going to be scared away," I say before I can stop myself.
"Shut up," is all she replies with.
I laugh as we walk to the keying office.
"Maybe we should just move," I suggest. "They got a key the first time, what would stop them from getting another copy? If we move, maybe it'll take them a while to find us."
"No," she says again. "What did I say?"
"It would be nice to have a bigger place, though, don't you think?"
"Yes, it would," she sighs. "But not right now. I don't want this person thinking that I'm running away. I'm not."
"I know that," I nod. "But I also know that I want you safe."
"I'll be fine," she rolls her eyes.
We walk the rest of the way in silence. As we approach the hallway, I am secretly looking for all the new cameras that I told Zeke to install. I see several of them, inconspicuously located in the light fixtures and in between some of the rocks in the wall. As we approach the door, I notice one in the door frame that will capture the image of anyone that opens the door.
Zeke did a good job with these. If I hadn't been specifically looking for them, I would have no idea they were here. Hopefully, whoever it is that's behind this won't know that they're here, either. I open the door for Tris and then follow in behind her.
"Four!" Danny greets me.
He's been working in this office for years and was the one that gave me the keys to the training room, the initiate dorms, and almost every other place in the compound. He knew I wasn't an official leader, but I think he was suspicious of Max and the rest of the leadership, so he wanted to make sure that someone he could trust was able to access secure areas as well.
"It's been a while, man," he chuckles, knowing that I was here not that long ago to get Tris's key. "What brings you in?"
"Here's the thing," I lean on the counter and lower my voice, not sure of who is working in the backrooms. "Someone has a key to my apartment."
He laughs at this.
"I'm assuming that would be her?" He grins and looks at Tris. "It's a pleasure to meet Four's lady-friend."
I glance over my shoulder and see Tris smile awkwardly.
"See that's the thing," I continue. "Someone else has a key to my apartment."
"Oh?" His brows furrow. "I haven't had anyone come in and ask me for a key."
"I have a feeling that they didn't ask. Who else has a key to this room?"
"Every Dauntless leader had a key," he shrugs. "I don't know what happened to them all, though, when leadership fell."
"So, as far as you know now, you have a key," I pause, "and there are 5 other keys that are randomly out there?"
"You're partially right," he nods. "I have a key, the 5 leaders had a key, and you have a key."
"I have a key?" I ask in surprise.
"I told you before," his voice lowers even further, "I gave you a key to every secure room in this compound."
"What does the key look like?" I ask, pulling out my keyring.
He looks around and pulls his key out of his pocket. I search my keyring for a matching key, but there isn't one.
"Danny," I say harder than I mean to. "Are you sure you gave me a key?"
"I'm positive, Four," he says completely serious.
"Then where is it?" Tris suddenly speaks. "No one has access to your keys."
"Okay, look," I take a deep breath. "I'll figure out the missing key situation. Right now, I need to change the lock."
"I'll do it for you right now," Danny nods. "I'll grab my stuff and meet you at your place."
"Thanks," I nod and take Tris's hand.
"Tobias, I don't understand," she says quietly as we walk down the hallway. "Who could have taken your key?"
I don't respond. I stare straight ahead and keep walking. The tension in the air is thick as we walk to the pit. Across the way, I see a familiar face pass by. Nita. I freeze.
I stop so suddenly that I pull Tris backwards. I keep the momentum going and I pull her with me all the way to an empty hallway and into a closet.
"What are you doing?" She yells.
"I need you to be quiet," I whisper.
She stares at me wide-eyed.
"I think I know who took my key," I continue. "There have only been two people, other than you, that could have had access to my keys."
"Who would have access to your keys?" She scrunched her nose.
"Nita and Evelyn."
Realization hits her like it's her first day fighting during Dauntless initiation.
"That night," is all she says.
"That's why they drugged me. Breaking us up wouldn't have been enough, and they knew it. If they get rid of you completely, what reason would I have to not go along with their plan?"
"Because they're crazy?" She points out.
"They don't see that, though. They think they're justified in what they're doing," I shrug.
"But how would either one of them know that you have the key to that office?" She asks.
"They're probably working with one of the Dauntless that were loyal to Erudite. The had spies planted here, like Eric. I'm sure it was no secret that Danny gave me that key."
"Then why wouldn't they have done something about it? Do you think he could be in on it?" Her eyes are wide again.
"I really don't think so," I shake my head. "Most people don't know this, but his sister was Divergent and she disappeared a while back. He would have no reason to side with Erudite."
"Then why wouldn't they have either killed him or kept him from giving you the key?"
"Max wanted me for leadership. He tried to recruit me every chance he got. He probably thought that by accepting the keys that I was going to accept the position, but I never did. With everything that they were planning behind the scenes, he probably forgot I had them."
"So what do we do?" She asks.
"Right now we need to get to the apartment," I say. "But Zeke and I will be checking the cameras round the clock. Anyone that goes into the keying office, we'll have on surveillance footage. We can compare that with the people that submit the applications to have a key copied or lock changed. Anyone whose name isn't on the list will go under truth serum."
"What if they don't go back to the keying office?" She asks.
"We'll have to figure out a plan b."