I've never wished anyone dead in my entire life, but after reading just a few pages of Dawson Andresen's file, someone did Dauntless and the rest of the city a favor by pushing him into the chasm ... if that's indeed what happened. I've learned that when he was 5-year-old both his parents died under mysterious circumstances in Erudite, where he was born. He was sent to live with his only living relative, Maxine Hastings, his mother's sister, who just happened to be Max Hastings', our deceased Dauntless leader, mother.
Dawson's file is full of infractions. I imagine the only reason he wasn't kicked out of Dauntless is because it's against the law to make a dependent factionless. Once the initiation process begins, however, anything's possible including jail time or becoming factionless but Dawson didn't make it to his Choosing Ceremony. Approximately one month before he was to decide which faction would be his permanent home, his badly battered body was pulled out of the chasm. It was determined he jumped to his death but from what I've seen of his autopsy report, suicide isn't supported. There was fingertip bruising around his throat. He had fresh fingernail scratches on both cheeks and down one arm. His knuckles were red and raw just like Tobias' were the morning after his fight with Jason and Jared, indicating to me that Dawson was in a fight with someone right before he died. He also had severe trauma to the back of his skull. Although that's consistent with hitting the rocks at the bottom of the chasm, if he jumped into the chasm where it says he did, the river is calm there, and there are no rocks. It seems like his death file is full of inconsistencies. It's obvious that no one cared what happened to him so they covered up his death.
I set aside his autopsy report and start looking over the incident reports, and it seems like Dr. Parrish was right, Dawson was a bully but I don't think that's strong enough of a word. He was a mean, sick, arrogant, twisted son of a bitch. He picked on people younger than him, older than him, it really didn't matter. I don't see a pattern except that if you caught his attention, you could very well become his next victim. I'm looking at numerous reports on physical altercations, assaults, thefts, drug usage, and curfew violations but the incident report that bothers me the most is the account of a sexual assault on a 15 year old girl almost eight months before the Choosing Ceremony. The victim's name isn't listed because she refused to give it or press any charges according to the guard who took her statement. I'm surprised it isn't in the file anyway since she was so badly beaten she was in the infirmary for 10 days.
Tobias puts his hands on my shoulders and brings me back to the present. I jump out of my seat, my heart hammering in my chest, adrenaline coursing through my veins, and throw a punch at his midsection. He clearly isn't expecting this, and it doubles him over.
"Oh, my God! I'm so sorry," I say, remorse obvious on my face. I put my hands on his back as he's doubled over in pain, panting for breath.
"What the hell was that for?" he asks glaring at me while he sits down at the island once he catches his breath. I calm myself and sit back down beside him.
"I am so sorry, Tobias. I know it isn't an excuse, but you scared me, and defending myself was a gut reaction," I say. "It's this file. Dawson Andresen was worse than Dr. Parrish knew. He terrorized Dauntless for the 11 years he was here. I've never seen so many infractions and incident reports in my entire life. There are too many to name. I guess it has me on edge."
"I didn't mean to scare you, Tris," he says.
"Don't you dare apologize to me," I say, mortified. "I just hit you." I wonder if he'll ever forgive me.
"You said you were sorry. I believe you. I have to admit I'm not as worried as I was before. You definitely can take care of yourself. You pack one hell of a punch," he says with a chuckle.
"You did teach me well," I say.
He pulls me into his arms and kisses me gently for a moment before he asks, "Did you find anything else out about him?"
"He was Max's cousin," I reply, pulling back. "I think Max hid all this information. It's the only thing that makes sense. There's more here than just his medical records."
"Maybe he was embarrassed Dawson was a part of the family," Tobias says but I can tell he doesn't believe his own words.
"I don't know," I say. I look toward the clock and realize we need to leave for Candor soon so I better get my dress, mask, and shoes to Christina for the masquerade ball tonight. "You look over the file while I take my dress and stuff to Christina's." He sighs.
"I forgot about the ball," he says.
"Not in the mood are you?" I ask. "I'm not either but we need to make an appearance. The great thing about tonight's party is we can duck out and no one's ever going to miss us because they won't know we're gone."
He's already turned his attention to the file so I kiss him on the cheek and head upstairs, dragging a bit from getting woke up in the middle of the night. I grab my dress and various items for tonight and go back downstairs and head straight to the door.
"I'll be right back," I say to him with my hand on the door knob.
"You're right," he says. "This guy was something else. He abused his aunt and Max. Maybe I wasn't far off saying Max was embarrassed Dawson was a part of the family."
"That's too bad," I say.
I go to Christina and Will's and knock on their door. Within seconds, Christina opens the door and invites me inside. She takes my dress and bags and puts them with hers. Then she asks if I heard any strange noises in the middle of the night, and I tell her about Dr. Parrish's visit. As loud as he was knocking, I imagine half of Dauntless heard him. Will comes downstairs and offers me a cup of coffee, which I gladly accept, and we sit down at their kitchen table. There's a knock on the door, and I know it's Tobias. Will lets him in, and he sits down at the table to have a cup of coffee with us. We tell them about Dr. Parrish's visit, Asher's arrest, and finding Dawson Andresen's file. Tobias gives Will the thick file for safe keeping and tells him he'll keep in contact with him today via text messages and to make sure that any Dauntless members implicated during the interrogations are promptly brought to Candor.
"We better go. Thanks for the coffee," Tobias says. "I'll go get out coats." He leaves and returns almost immediately wearing his heavy black leather jacket and carrying mine. He holds it up so I can put it on.
"Oh, my God!" Christina says. Tobias, Will, and I all jump. Will impulsively moves to her and puts his hand on her abdomen, worried about the baby. Tobias and I are looking around for any signs of danger. "Is that an engagement ring on your finger, Beatrice Prior?" I look down at my left hand. This wasn't news I'd planned to share today but it isn't a secret either.
"Yes," I slowly say and she squeals. She practically throws herself into my arms.
"I know you don't have time right now, but I want every detail, Tris. This is a big deal. Huge," she whispers in my ear. I hug her back once my shock wears off. I see Will congratulating Tobias out of the corner of my eye and shaking his hand.
"I'll tell you all about it," I say, "when we're getting ready for the masquerade ball."
"You promise?" she asks, still holding onto me.
"I promise, Christina. I'll tell you all about it tonight," I say. "Could you two not say anything to anyone else? Four and I would like to make the announcement when everyone's together." They both nod at my request.
"Sorry to cut this short, but we really have to go," Tobias says taking my hand in his. "I'll text you if I need anything, Will. Let Tori know about Asher Parrish and what we found out about Dawson Andresen. You guys have a good day. We'll see you later." We say goodbye to Will and Christina and head down the stairs. We walk to the garage together where the car is parked and leave the compound. Tobias holds my hand on our drive to Candor. Every once in a while I feel his fingers glide over my diamond. I think there might be something on his mind but he isn't saying anything. Although he looks perfectly at ease, something about his actions is nagging me.
"Are you okay?" I hesitantly ask him. He looks my way and smiles.
"Yes, why?" he asks.
"I get the feeling there's something on your mind," I say. He looks into my eyes for longer than necessary since his eyes should be on the road in front of us.
"Very perceptive. You know me so well," he says with a smile lighting his face then his face falls just a bit. "What if Caleb or your dad sees your engagement ring? I want us to sit down with your parents and Caleb for that matter and tell them about our engagement and the baby. I don't want them finding out about it like Will and Christina just did."
"Do you want me to take my ring off?" I say, sadness creeping into my voice.
"No," he says before I finish my sentence. "I put that ring on your finger for a reason. I want the whole world to know you're mine." My heart constricts at his words, and I return his dazzling smile.
"I'll try to keep my hand out of their line of sight today," I say. "Hopefully everyone will be too caught up in the interrogations to notice." He takes our laced hands and lift them to his lips and places a light kiss on my engagement ring and then on the back of my hand. In no time at all, we pull up in front of the Merciless Mart, and I see Caleb and Dad waiting by the curb.
"Hi, Dad, Caleb," I say getting out of the car. Tobias walks around the car and joins us on the sidewalk. "Dad, can I ask you a question?" He looks at me for a moment.
"What is it, Beatrice?" he asks.
"What exactly did Marcus say when you told him he was removed from the council?" I ask.
"I didn't tell Four because I didn't want you two to worry," he says.
"I'm already worried," Tobias says just as I say, "I need to know, Dad."
"He said you'll be sorry for opening your mouth, and he's going to make you pay," he says. "But what worried me the most wasn't what he said, everyone at one time or another makes an empty threat. What worried me was the look in his eyes. He meant every single word he was saying." Tobias moves closer to me, and I can feel nervous energy rolling off him in waves.
"Has there been any other news?" I ask.
"Asher Parrish was arrested last night," Caleb says. "Some armed Candor walked him out of Erudite in handcuffs. The place is buzzing this morning with rumors. We can't believe we're going through this again so soon. I think this might make Erudite even less trusting of everyone than we were before." It seems odd Caleb would feel that way since it's been Erudite leaders conspiring with people to do harm to the other factions, but I don't say anything.
"We know," I say. "His brother woke us up in the night, gave us the news, and demanded answers."
"Brother?" Caleb and Dad say at the same time.
"Yeah. Asher has a twin brother who still lives in Dauntless. His name is Zander," I say. "He's the head of our infirmary and a much trusted friend. He's sick over his brother's involvement in the attacks and deaths."
"We better get inside," Tobias says taking my left hand in his, trying to hide the engagement ring from my family. "It's almost time for the interrogations to start." We all file through the oversized glass doors of Candor's headquarters and are immediately greeted by Jack Kang and a short, balding man with black hair and eyes just as dark. He's introduced to us as Miles Randolf, another leader of Candor. My head snaps in his direction as I take in the unassuming man standing next to the handsome leader. The name is extremely familiar to me. Where have I heard it before? Realization dawns on me. He's a former member of Dauntless and was a friend of Nathan, Zander, and Asher's. I hold my hand out to him, and he takes it firmly in his.
"I've heard some about you from my mother," I say. His eyes narrow as he looks at me. "You were friends with her brother, Nathan."
"Natalie," he says on a breath of air. Jack gives his colleague a sideways glance. "You're Natalie's daughter aren't you?"
"Yes, I am," I say. "She told me you were friends with my uncle Nathan and his friends Zander and Asher Parrish. His arrest must have been a surprise."
"I will admit it was a shock to see my old friend in handcuffs last night," he says. I think he knows I'm suspicious of him but who could blame me with all I've learned this week.
"Not only was Asher Parrish arrested last night, so was Ben Riley. We haven't been able to locate Cameron Wright yet," Jack says to us. "The interrogations will be done by Niles today, Four. If you have specific questions for any of the prisoners, please relay them to Niles or myself at any time. The interrogations will be held on the top floor, and there will be an audience. Jason will go first followed by Ben and then Asher."
"I have a feeling at least one other person who isn't in custody yet will be implicated today," Tobias says. "I have another Dauntless leader awaiting instruction to immediately arrest her and bring her here for interrogation, if she's implicated that is."
"A woman?" Jack says, sounding like he doesn't quite believe a woman is capable of masterminding this trouble.
"Yes. Drusilla Wright, Cameron's mother," Tobias says. Miles looks flabbergasted. I don't know why I feel this way, but it looks as if his past is coming back to haunt him. "Tris and I believe she and Asher are the instigators, and we also believe it stems from something that happened shortly before his choosing ceremony over 20 years ago, although we have no idea what that might be."
Soon Summer Miller, Amity's representative to the council, and Sofia Rengard, Candor's representative, join us, and we're taken to the bank of elevators at the back of the entry way. Jack puts a white key in a black panel on the elevator, and we travel to the top floor of the Merciless Mart and exit into yet another nondescript black and white hallway. We silently follow behind Jack and Miles down a few more hallways and through a set of double doors. We step into a cavernous three-story room with empty spaces in the walls where there should be windows. I can see the cloudy sky above me through the glass ceiling. It looks like it could snow. Although I can't feel it, I can hear the wind howling throughout the room, and I momentarily wonder how this room will maintain its warmth without windows if it does storm.
I look around the vast space before me and see that the marble floors are white like in the holding rooms. In the center of the floor in black marble is the symbol of Candor, an unbalanced scale, surrounded by two empty white chairs fixed in place and a white metal table between them. The white walls are lit with row upon row of dim yellow lights giving the entire room an eerie glow. The white wooden tiered benches that wrap around the edge of the room are mostly empty with the exception of a few stragglers here for the interrogations, and they aren't just Candor members. I see every faction color except for ours represented in the small audience. I look at every face and am surprised to see my mother's among them. We make eye contact and smile at each other. I nudge Caleb and nod in her direction, and they beam at one another. This is the first time they've seen each other since our Choosing Ceremony.
When the double doors bang open, the noise echoes throughout the sizable room causing several members of the audience to flinch. Jason Grant is practically dragged into the room surrounded by several armed Dauntless and Candor guards because of his broken arm and broken leg. He's brought to the middle of the room and pushed down into one of the uncomfortable-looking interrogation chairs. This is going to be a long day of interviews so members of Candor kindly bring each one of us who represent the council a chair so we can sit down. We place them in a semicircle around the two interrogation chairs facing the audience. Once Tobias sits down, he starts writing out different questions on a pad of paper he asked Jack for then he gets up and hands it to Niles. I see him look over the list and nod at Tobias. He then sits the pad on the empty chair by Jason.
"We'll have quiet now," Niles says in an authoritative voice I haven't heard him use before. "For those of you who don't know, my name is Niles Murphy. I will be conducting the interrogations today. Since you were able to withstand the effects of yesterday's truth serum, Jason, and made yourself pass out, we will give you a stronger dosage approved by the serum researchers at Erudite. They have assured us there's no way for you not to answer fully and in a timely manner." Niles walks over to the little table sitting between the empty chair and Jason's chair and opens the black box that houses the truth serum. He hands Jason an alcohol swab, and he resentfully wipes his neck off then tosses it in the white trash can Jack holds out to him. Niles takes a syringe out of the box and administers the drug to Jason then tosses it away. I see Jason instantaneously slump in his chair as the drug flows through his system, and his eyes glaze over.
"Some of the questions I will be asking are repeats from yesterday, but this interrogation is being recorded, yesterday's was not," Niles says looking at Jason. He doesn't acknowledge that he's being spoken to. "What is your full name?"
"Jason Alexander Grant," he answers immediately. A confused look lands on his face when he answers and then he frowns.
"How old are you?"
"20 years old."
"What are your parents' names?" Niles asks.
"Alexander and Katherine Grant," Jason says. He once again frowns. He looks up into Niles face and seems to look right through him. I wonder if he'll even want to resist today. So far he automatically answers then looks confused.
"What faction were you born into, and what faction did you choose?" Niles asks.
"Erudite born and Erudite chosen," he says proudly.
"Is your allegiance with your chosen faction?"
"Of course it is. There's no better faction than Erudite," he says proudly but as soon as he finishes confusion once again twists his features. He really doesn't seem to know what's going on. Niles continues asking him the exact same questions Tobias asked him yesterday about his attack and eliciting the same responses. He doesn't seem to be in pain like he was yesterday, but he also puts up zero resistance. He just seems to not understand why he's answering the questions posed to him in the first place. When he repeats that my entire family has been targeted for death, my parents can't hide their shock. After a half-hour rapid-fire question and answer session, we finally move past all the information we learned yesterday.
"I need you to tell me everything you know about any lists involved with Dauntless, Erudite, Abnegation, Candor, or Amity," Niles says to Jason.
"I'm not supposed to talk about the lists," he says calmly. That must be a part of the truth, or he wouldn't be able to say it right now.
"It's okay, Jason," Niles says, almost soothing the prisoner. "You can tell me all about the lists. We need to know about the lists."
"There's a list of suspected Divergents for Dauntless, Candor, Amity, and Erudite that are to be eliminated. Everyone in Abnegation is to be eliminated because they conceal Divergents within their faction." I reach out my hand to touch Tobias'. I can actually feel his nervous pulse in his fingertips. Will we live to see a conclusion to this mess if our secret comes out?