One hour remaining before Jeanine leave. And within two hours, I also go out into the unknown.
The last three days have been a rush to get everything done. Equipment, food, emergency kits, etc. We have barely had time to think. I would have had more time to spend with my loved ones. I could not even talk to my girlfriend more than two minutes.
At first it was a surprise to learn that Jeanine would also go outside the fence, but not with us. She will go nowhere with Angela, and Jack and Johanna had to settle for not knowing. It really is very difficult to win an argument with Angela.
I disagree, but I can't do anything. I told her she could not go for her injuries, but this woman is almost as stubborn as I am. She infuriates me almost as much as she makes me happy.
Love is unbearable.
-My team will go in one direction and we in another - said Angela stroking her horse's white mane.
We are at the entrance of the city. The final preparations are almost ready, we just need Ángela to order her army to leave our city. Something that has me very upset and is that she and Jeanine will go alone, her men will take another path. According to them it is to confuse, a military convoy striking two women riding alone.
I hate this plan. They will be unprotected. Angela may be an invincible machine, but my Jeanine is still wound. But if I start thinking about it I can't stop, so I tried to put a brave face and pretend that I didn't want hit Jeanine in the head and lock her in her room.
A blue car stopped a few meters and she got out.
I almost didn't recognize her. She wore riding clothes, jeans and a blue shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a braid blonde for a moment reminded me of the story of Rapunzel. She would have been pretty attractive if not for the pale of her skin.
She walked with her straight and elegant steps. Still she walks like herself, although she looks so different.
-Good Morning.
-You look very strange - Angela said quietly.
-I can not ride with my bag and blue pencil skirts - she answered with sharp tone of voice.
She absently stroked her gray mare, which whinnied. That damn animal will be closer to her than me.
-Still you are angry? - She asked gently, trying to test the waters.
-I'm still worried - I corrected.
Her whole body stiffened. When she turned, she had the most serious expression I had seen in my life.
For a chilling moment, I felt again that cold room where she had made me go through all those simulations. That expression was the same as she had when she saw their attempts fail. Maybe because now she also saw her attempt fail: the attempt to make me be agree with her on that idea. She stands looking at me and for a few seconds, I'm afraid of her. I remember when she took Peter's gun and leaning against my head, screaming at me to tell her what was the secret. Her face is now like that.
But then, she takes two steps towards me and kisses me, and shadowy images are easily forgotten.
- You are not the only worried here - she replies with the warmest version of her voice I'd ever heard - You will be running a lot more risks than I, and I accepted it. You should also accept that I will not leave you alone with David.
- David would not kill me with the same ease with which he would kill you.
- David would kill anyone who meddle between him and his goals. We are in the same situation.
Our eyes are still for a while, so we parted. Jeanine back to the side of her mare and I watch her, trying not to feel the pain of separation. But of course I don't succeed. There were no hugs or tears in farewell. We just decided to skip that part. Think too much about it make us weak, and now we would need as strong as we could get.
I found them at the headquarters of Amity, in the trucks that would take us out of town. Tobias, Christina, Lynn, Uriah, Peter, Will, Cara and behind them, Caleb.
I looked at Christina, as soon as our eyes meet, we walked quickly toward each other and hugged. It was a quick and restrained but very meaningful embrace. The presence of Caleb was something that filled me with strength. For the first time since I was a child, I knew what I was actually having a brother. Ironically this happened precisely at the most turbulent time in our lives.
Perhaps all that we always needed to unite us was get out of Abnegation. To wipe out all the grievances that the distance had built throughout our oppressive childhood. We smiled briefly, and he mess my hair playfully.
- Are you ready? - I ask in an attempt not to think about bad things.
- Ready to arrest David and those stupid? I've never been so ready of anything in my life.
I shake my head in agreement.
- I feel exactly the same thing. I need to do this. For Jeanine ... and for our city.
We walked toward the others, and I see the expressions on their faces are varied, ranging from determination, calm, resentment and fear. My eyes meet with Tobias's for a few seconds, and then he turns to face the orchards that are thousands of meters away. I give a brief smile to Christina, who has her fingers interlaced to Will's, and she reciprocates my gesture.
-All of you knows the plan - I say aloud. - Pretend total and complete ignorance. Don't let them realize that we know the truth, those would spoil everything. If they tell us something we already know, we try to look surprised. As surprised as possible.
- We already know that - responds Lynn. -The question is whether it will work.
Her words cause me heart sank. In front of them all, my plan does not seem as bright as before.
- We'll have to figure it out in practice - I politely answer. - Jeanine and others will be close to us, and help us with anything out of control. But we will do everything possible to make that unnecessary.
- Jeanine? - Lynn sighs. - Okay, this just keeps getting better.
- She is better? - Christina asked.
- Better than I'd like she to be - Before answering, I hear a voice approaching.
Tori.
- I am ready.
-We are ready.
Tobias and Tori entered the cab of the truck, and the rest of us went into the back. Before entering, I could have a glance in the worried faces of Johanna and Jack, along with my parents. Our eyes met for a few seconds, and the four of us smile, giving us encouragement. Caleb took my hand and we set movement.
When the truck stopped, the silence was overwhelming. Tori opened the door, and the light blinded us for a while.
-Wow, how fast - said Uriah.
-There's a truck to two meters. All take their weapons and follow me. They have not attacked, but we must be ready.
Upon leaving, the world lost colors. Outside everything was ruined. There were giant photos of scantily clad girls, product branding, and trash. Many trash. Twenty meters ahead of us stood a black truck.
We got in position, pointing at the target, waiting for a reaction. Tobias and Tori were ahead of us, and Caleb was behind me. My brother can be very brave, but he's so good with weapons as me with manners. From black truck down two men, who began to approach with raised hands.
-Stop! - Tobias orderned. - Who are you and what do you want?
-Don't shot! - They yelled the loudest.
Stay where you are! -Tobias answered them.
-Wait ...- Tori whispered beside him, and suddenly her arms trembled. -¿George?
She lowered the gun slowly, a smile fighting her tears.
The man with hands raised in front of us looked confused for a moment, and soon after incredulous.
- To ... Tori?
- George ... You're alive ... You're really alive. I don't ... I can't believe it. How is this possible?
They totally ignored everything that was around, the shocked and curious stares, the weapons identified. In that short time, the world seems to be only they. They ran and hugged, and silence dominates all of a sudden.
I don't know exactly how I feel. Lately, I had no reason to feel any sympathy for Tori. She was responsible for the near-death of my girlfriend, and all the days of anguish because of this. But in recent weeks, the subject "brother" was something that made me very sensitive, and I could not help but smile too. Caleb glanced at me and I knew he was thinking the same thing.
Tori has tears streaming down her face, George hugged her as if he never let go again.
- Hello - said the other man next to George. -You must be the Chicago expedition, right? I'm Amar.
Tobias' face turned livid, but not the way he would if he didn't know the truth. I see our theater start.
- Impossible. Amar is dead.
- No, I'm not. Nice to see you again, Four.
Tobias's eyes widen falsely, his mouth opens and closes as if he did not know what to say. I see that part of he is trying to act surprised, but another part is really surprised with the vision of something which until then he just knew by Angela words.
- Come on -said George, still with his arms around Tori. - We now work for the organization that founded our city. I think you came here hungry for answers, and we can get them. Our center is near here.
We looked at each other and nodded. We all knew it was part of the plan. Now was the time in which they would take us to the Bureau.
I feel a strange excitement stirring inside me. After all that Jeanine had told me about David and the Bureau, I should be afraid, but I feel now is just the opposite. I'm anxious to get there. I think of all the things they believe in that place, I think the people who they consider flawed -people like Christina, Will, Cara, Caleb- I think the life of desperate anguish that Jeanine endured alone because of David. The need to destroy that place burning inside me like fire.
- Do you think we should trust them? - I ask in a reluctant tone, as suspicious as I can simulate.
- We came here to learn the truth, right? - said Lynn. -So we need to trust them. Or our little adventure will have been in vain.
I smile internally to see how everyone understood perfectly the idea of theater.
- It's all right. - I say slowly lowering my gun, and soon everyone had lowered their weapons. - We'll go with you. But don't try anything.
The trip was relatively quiet. Sitting in the truck bed seats, everything I saw in my companions was startled looks, alluring and disbelief. They looked around as if they didn't believe what they were seeing. As if it were impossible to understand the immense and wild world outside the fence. I understood them, and part of me felt exactly the same, but my thoughts were too busy to concentrate on those things. I was thinking of Jeanine.
Where would she be? She would be okay? She and Angela would have been able to get to wherever they were going?
I closed my eyes and sighed. I tightened my jaw until the pain was enough to ward off thoughts. Even that was a distraction which I had no right. Needed to focus on the plan. The Bureau.
At one point, I feel the hand of Caleb on my shoulder, and I turn to him.
- Do you know where Jeanine was going? - He whispers in a low voice, barely audible.
I shake my head.
- All I know is that she is with Angela. Angela has a similar center of the Bureau, but with ideals contrary. She defends different people, rather than subject them and seek a cure for their ''disease''.
I make a face involuntarily. I could not use the term 'genetically damaged' '. This idea still gave me nausea. Caleb nodded and gently pulled my head to his shoulder. I closed my eyes and relaxed there with my brother's arms around me.
- I think I might have the solution. We'll make it. - He says with a certain confidence.
I look at the starry sky and imagine a life after this. I see myself dressed in blue, giving good morning to Jeanine before work. I imagine we both lying under the glass ceiling of her bedroom, feeling the sunshine or watching the stars, talking about anything. I imagine how would be walk with my girlfriend behind the Erudite gardens, hand in hand, with a clear mind. Without wars, without death possibilities, without the threat of David. Everything in its place, as it should be.
That was a life in which worth fighting.
- Yes, we're going - I answer to my brother before I closed my eyes and fell asleep with my head on his shoulder.
...
Then Cara's hand shake my.
- Hey, you two. We have arrived!
I blink hard, as my eyes adjust to the light. I see the face of Christina in front of me, and behind it, the others began to get off the truck. I lift my head from the shoulder of Caleb, and I realize that he is also confused and sleepy.
- Come on. - I whisper to him - It's time.
Caleb and I are the last to get off the truck, just behind Christina.
There is a high fence which extends throughout the landscape.
The fence has vertical black bars with sharp edges, that would skewer anyone who tries to go over it. A few meters beyond there is another fence with barbed wire that is wrapped on top like that surrounds our city. I hear a loud hum from the second fence, an electric charge. People walk through the space between them, carrying weapons that look a bit like our paintball equipment, but far more deadly and powerful ammunition.
There is a sign at the first fence that reads The Bureau of Genetic Welfare. I rolled my eyes and needed much self-control to keep from laughing. Welfare was the last thing that this place provided. I hated it with all my strength. I hear the Amar's voice speaking with the armed guards, but don't know what he was saying. A door at the first fence opens to the pass and soon we are at the door of the second.
- There we go - I took a deep breath, imagined strength and energy entering my body along with the air - This is for you, Jeanine.
And then we enter the Bureau.
Tori disappeared with her brother, but I heard clearly the wail of Tobias.
The place was very beautiful.
Large white and cream walls, with many offices everywhere. Corridors, hallways, people here and there. Everything seemed a giant machine well maintained. After being properly disarmed, we enter the center, walking by huge corridors that reminded me to Erutite headquarters.
A cold shiver ran down my spine. They created us, have shaped our world, they told us what to believe. In this place controlled and monitored us since the 'experiment' had begun. They watched us as if we were the most interesting reality show in the world.
Amar and George finally stops in front of us.
Behind them was a large circle of white screens, like moths circling a flame. People within the circle are sitting on low desks, writing furiously in even more screens. It's a big control room in the open and I'm not sure what observe here, since all the displays are dark.
Grouped around the screens are chairs, benches and tables, as if people gather here in their spare time. A few meters in front of the control room there is a blonde man with a dark blue uniform. Despite never having seen him before, my instincts warned me about who he is. The director behind the music symphony orchestra, looking at us with curious and wary eyes.
As we approached, he reach out to give us a warm welcome.
- This... - says David - ...is what we were expecting from the beginning.