"You didn't scare me off, bitch," Cameron says, scowling at me. "I've got you right where I want you, alone and vulnerable." No one's going to help me now. Everyone thinks I'm standing here talking to Tobias. Cameron's about the same height with the exact same color hair, and he's wearing an identical white tux, white shoes, and cornflower blue bowtie, cummerbund, and mask.
"How did you know what Four was going to be wearing tonight?" I ask, trying to keep the fear out of my voice.
"My mom's friends with Zoe in the boutique. She told her what you bought, and Mom purchased me a matching outfit," he says. I think Christina's going to get another promotion if she wants it because that bitch is going down. "I wouldn't worry about what I'm wearing right now though. You just drank death serum. You don't have a lot of time left to live. The guy I stole it from at Erudite told me it takes longer when it's ingested. I'm glad ... you deserve to suffer." Death serum? What the hell is death serum? He must be lying. I feel fine. My nervous eyes scan the room trying to locate Uriah, Will, James, or Peter so I can signal to them I need help but I don't see any of them. Why aren't they where they are supposed to be? How could I have been so stupid as to trust Peter?
"Too bad you turned around when you did and looked into my eyes," he says, leering at me. "I was looking forward to getting you alone. You seem like one hot little piece of ass. We could have had some fun before you died."
"You would have raped me just like your mom was raped?" I say. "You're a hell of a guy. Oh, I forgot. You're nothing but a filthy piece of scum." His eyes turn almost black with rage at the mention of his mother's assault. My heart is beating at an alarming rate. I can't stand the thought of him touching me, and he's had his hands all over me. I think I'm going to be sick.
"It isn't rape when you want it, sweetheart," he says with an evil grin on his face, licking his lips suggestively. He leans down, and I feel his hot breath on my ear and tense up. "And, honey, you wanted it just a minute ago. You were ready to rip my clothes off right here in the middle of all these mindless drones. Don't lie to me or to yourself." Shame flows through me. He's right but I'll never admit that to him. I thought he was Tobias. I didn't want him, I wanted Tobias.
"I didn't know how to get you alone, and then I remembered that idiot Peter," he says, the same evil grin on his face. "In case you didn't know, he has a little crush on you. It's kind of sweet. I could tell the first time I talked to him, sniveling little weasel. He didn't even ask why we wanted information on you and your boyfriend. He was just thrilled to have an excuse to watch you. Earlier I told him my plan, implied I was going to hurt you, and I knew he'd come running to warn you. I wasn't wrong. My mom and dad taught me well."
"You mean your mom and Asher Parrish," I say. That erases the smile, and he narrows his eyes at me. "She admitted under truth serum today that Nathan is your father. She just wanted your help with killing suspected Divergents so she lied and told you Asher was your father. I still don't understand how learning someone else is your father turns you into a homicidal maniac."
"You're lying to me," he says, raising his voice. I notice eyes looking our way. Maybe if I can get him to cause a scene, someone will come over and help me.
"Why would I lie to you," I say. "I'm your cousin. We're family." That seems to do it. I see a switch flip within him. I don't know how else to explain it.
"You are absolutely nothing to me," he shouts above the music. "You never have been, you never will be." I can tell by everyone who's staring at us they think Four has completely lost his mind. Everyone within a 10 foot radius has stopped dancing and is watching the tense standoff between Cameron and me. Just then, without warning, Cameron rears back and punches me in the face, catching my nose as well as my left eye with his large fist. I'm not ready for the physical assault, and I lose my balance, falling to the floor. I see him rushing toward the stage door.
"Someone stop him," I manage to shout through the pain shooting across my nose and into both eyes. I see people rushing after him through my pain-induced tears, but I can't tell who they are. Everyone's still in their masks concealing their identities. I don't know if Uriah, Will, James, and Peter finally realized it wasn't Four who has been talking to me or not.
"Tris," Christina says, rushing to my side. She and Ciara bend down to help me up off the floor. "Oh, my God! Someone get Dr. Parrish. You're bleeding." I reach up and touch the hot, sticky liquid that's flowing freely from my nose. "Why did Four just hit you?"
"That wasn't Four, Christina," I say, irritation clear in my voice. "That was Cameron. Zoe told Dru what Four would be wearing tonight and sold her a matching outfit." Christina first looks bashful for thinking the worse about Tobias and then incredulous that her boss helped with Cameron's plan. They help me over to our table, and Christina sends Ciara to the refreshments table to get one of the cloth napkin full of ice. When she gets back Christina tilts my head back and holds the makeshift icepack against my throbbing nose trying to get the bleeding to stop.
"I'm sorry, Tris," Christina says, bashful once again. Then she adds, "I should have known Four wouldn't hurt you like that but Cameron looked just like Four, and he was all over you." Heat rushes into my face and tears of embarrassment and disgust fill my eyes at the thought of his hands on me.
"I know," I say, tears flowing from my eyes as blood flows from my nose, hating myself. "I thought he was Four until I turned around and looked into his eyes. I can't stand that he had his hands on me. Christina, Ciara, he said he gave me something called death serum. Have you ever heard of that?" They both shake their heads at me.
"Are you sure that's what he called it?" Dr. Parrish asks, rushing to my side. This is the first time I've seen him out of scrubs. He looks really good in a tuxedo. I nod my head at him. "How did he administer it?"
"He put it in my sparkling cider," I say, starting to worry. I really thought he was just messing with my mind, trying to freak me out. I still feel fine with the exception of the pain in my nose and eyes. "He said the person he stole it from at Erudite told him it takes longer to work that way. He wants me to suffer."
"I've actually never heard of it being used in that way," he says. "We need to get you to the infirmary right away. I need to do some blood work and make a few phone calls." A commotion by the double doors catches our attention, and I turn my head to see Uriah, Zeke, Will, and James dragging an unconscious-appearing Cameron minus his mask into the room. Now everyone can see it wasn't Tobias who assaulted me minutes ago.
"Does he need medical attention?" Dr. Parrish asks.
"It wouldn't hurt but I think you need to take care of Tris first," Will says, eyeing the blood that's all down the front of me. Damn, he ruined my dress.
"Let's get both our patients to the infirmary then." I get to my feet with Christina on one side of me and Ciara on the other and follow Dr. Parrish.
Tori walks up on the stage and says into the microphone, "Parties over people. We have business to take care of. Everyone needs to clear out and go to your apartments. There'll be an announcement tomorrow as to what happened here tonight. GO!" People listen and start leaving.
"Where's Four?" I ask.
"He's taking care of the fire in the kitchen with Peter and a few others," Zeke says.
"There really was a fire?" I ask. I thought that had been Peter's ploy to get Tobias away from me. I guess he did say he wasn't kidding but I thought he was just being extremely thorough with his part.
I'm slowly walking toward the infirmary when something changes inside me. I almost feel exactly like I did when I went under the truth serum earlier today. My blood feels like it turned to molasses running slowly through my veins, I'm lightheaded and dizzy, and my bones feel like they turned to stone. I can no longer walk and stumble into Dr. Parrish but he catches me. He looks into my face, and I see worry in his eyes.
"One of you needs to go get Four," he says. "NOW!" I see someone running off in the direction of the cafeteria but I'm too tired to turn my head to see who it is. He sweeps me up into his arms and rushes me toward the infirmary. He goes past all his questioning staff members into the procedure rooms after he yells for someone to handcuff Cameron to a bed so he doesn't get away.
He takes me into a large sterile room crawling with nurses I've never seen before and lies me down on the gurney. He barks out a lot of orders for different tests. I can see several people rushing around me but I don't care. I'm extremely tired now. If I could just rest my eyes for a minute I know I would feel so much better. I feel a sharp pain on my cheek and open my eyes, which I didn't know had closed.
"Stay awake, Tris," Dr. Parrish says staring down into my face, rhythmically hitting my cheek to get my attention. "It's imperative you stay away. Death serum kills after the victim falls asleep."
"Okay," I say. Pain starts moving through my stomach and out toward my arms and legs. It feels like a million needles are pricking me over and over. I hear someone moaning and realize it's me. I don't like this. This is so much worse than the fire this afternoon. "My stomach hurts."
"I'm going to pump your stomach, Tris, to get as much of the poison out of your stomach as possible before too much can be absorbed into your system. I usually administer light sedation to a person before this procedure but since you can't fall asleep, I'm afraid you're going to be awake. I need you to be brave for me. Okay?" I nod at him. He sprays something up the right side of my sore nose making it numb. "I'm going to insert this tube up your nose and into your stomach and suction out the poison. Breathe through your mouth." He inserts the tube up my nose, and I breathe through the uncomfortable sensation.
I feel my brain disconnect from my body, and I seem to go somewhere else. I can still see all the commotion going on around me, and I hear everyone talking at once but I no longer feel any pain. The fatigue is once again trying to pull me under. It would feel so good to let myself surrender to the darkness but I remember what Dr. Parrish told me, and I manage to keep my eyes open. I need to stay alive, I want to stay alive. I realize if I give in to the weight that's dragging me down, I'm going to die and leave Tobias alone, and I don't want to leave him.
"Okay, Tris," Dr. Parrish says. "That procedure's done. I'm going to test your stomach contents to confirm what Cameron gave you and make some calls. My nurses are going to draw some blood and administer some fluids. I'll be right back. You hang in there."
"Four," I say just above a whisper. It takes a lot of energy to talk.
"I'll bring him right in," he says. "He's been waiting very impatiently to see you." I try to smile. That's my Tobias, always worrying about me.
I try to concentrate on fighting the fatigue. I think of all the reasons I want to live. I think about Christina and Will and the new life they're bringing into the world. I want to be around for that. I want to be Aunt Tris to their children. Then my mind drifts to Mom, Dad, and Caleb. I'm not ready to leave any of them even though we're in different factions and living totally different kinds of lives. They all are still a huge part of who I am. An image pops into my mind of a perfect little girl with dark curls and light blue eyes sitting on my living room floor playing, my daughter. I can't leave my baby before she's even born. What kind of mother would that make me? I can't wait until the day I can hold her in my arms. But I think the hardest about Tobias and what our life together will be like. We're young but I'm confident we'll make it. Our love is the strongest I've ever seen. I can't leave him when our life has just begun. I won't.
"Tris," Tobias says in my ear. I turn my head and look into his worried eyes and sigh. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you." I shake my head at him trying to communicate that this isn't his fault.
"I'm going ... to be ... fine, Four," I get out. I'm going to make it. I know I am. I just have to fight.
"Cameron's in custody. He's handcuffed to a bed somewhere here in the infirmary but they won't tell me where he is. I think they're afraid I'll try to kill him for what he did to you, and if you leave me, there isn't anyone here who could stop me. I wouldn't have anything to lose."
"The baby," I say, suddenly worried that we'll both abandon our daughter.
"I can't raise her without you," he says, a tear escaping down his cheek. "I won't do it." I slowly move my hand to cover his, comforting him. If he were to kill Cameron because Cameron killed me, the council would have no alternative but to execute him, and I can't stand the thought of the world without Tobias in it. He has to stay alive no matter what.
"Listen to me," I say, a new kind of fire running through my veins. This fire is the desire to stay with the ones I love. "I can do this. I'll prove it to you. Just keep me awake." Dr. Parrish comes into the room and has an unusual look on his face.
"I need everyone to step out of the room," he says. "I need a moment alone with my patient." Tobias turns toward him with a murderous look on his handsome face. "Not you, Four." That seems to calm him slightly. Once the three of us are alone in the procedure room he continues. "I just got some test results back. I have to say, I'm baffled. Tris, you should be dead already. I'm glad you're not but I don't get it."
"Serums don't work the same on me as they do other people," I say, my voice getting stronger.
"What do you mean?" he asks. I look toward Tobias, wanting him to explain for me. I'm still fighting the death serum, and even though my voice is getting stronger, it takes a lot for me to talk.
"Today when she was placed under the truth serum, she was able to lie," Tobias says. I see disbelief on Dr. Parrish's face. "They asked her if she was Divergent, and she said no. As a matter of fact she told them three times she wasn't Divergent."
"You're an anomaly," Dr. Parrish says. "According to Erudite, you should have been dead within 10 minutes of the ingestion of the death serum, and it should have been excruciating for you. All other administrations kill within seconds. It's been over an hour and you're still with us. I think you're going to make it, Tris. Keep doing whatever it is you're doing."
"Fighting the fatigue," I say. "Trying to stay alive." I do manage a smile this time.
"Well, I have some test results to alter," Dr. Parrish says. Tobias and I both give him a questioning look. "What do you think Erudite would do if they found out there was a person in the city who could withstand serums, especially the death serum. You would be turned into a lab rat. You wouldn't be allowed to live a normal life." I never thought of that. This is a much more dangerous secret than being Divergent, especially since not all Divergents can fight serums the way I can.
Dr. Parrish moves me into a private room once he feels the danger has passed. The nurses help me out of my bloody ball gown and into a stupid hospital gown that I really don't want to wear and manage to get my mask off over my mass of curls without breaking it. They have me sitting up in bed because Dr. Parrish doesn't want me to go to sleep. I've now been up for over 24 hours except for the 10 minutes or so Tobias let me sleep in between interrogations today at Candor, and I'm exhausted. Also I feel like a pincushion since his nurses have been drawing blood every 10 minutes for the last two hours like he ordered. He told me the last three blood draws have come back clean for the main toxin in the death serum, which tells him I am going to make it but he's still being cautious. He really doesn't know how to treat me. He's in awe over the fact I'm immune to the death serum.
"Why don't you go home," I say to Tobias after looking into his tired eyes. He's been sitting on the edge of my bed holding my hand since Dr. Parrish let him in the room. "You need to get some sleep. I'm worried about you."
"You're worried about me?" he says, shaking his head. "This coming from the woman who just fought off death serum and lived."
"It wasn't death serum, remember," I say with a warning look. My door is open so anyone walking by can hear what we're talking about. He looks at me sheepishly. Dr. Parrish told us not to tell anyone I was given death serum tonight or I could become a test subject for Erudite. He told me to say Cameron lied about giving me death serum because he wanted to scare me, it was a nonlethal poison designed to make a person sick, and having my stomach pumped erased the effects earlier than it would have if I let it pass through my system naturally.
"I know," he says. "And I'm not going anywhere. If you don't sleep, I don't sleep."
"Why don't you bring in our friends then," I say. "They can help us both stay awake." I know they're still in the waiting room. Tobias tried to get them to go home hours ago but they wouldn't budge. Even Kirsten and Ella came down to see how I was doing.
"Are you sure?" Tobias asks, concern on his face. I nod my head at him. He looks at me for a while before a smile crosses his face. "I just can't tell you no." He lets go of my hand and gets up off the bed and heads toward the hallway.
"I'm glad you can't tell me no," I say. "I love you."
"I love you, too," he says. "So very much. I'll be right back." He walks out of the room and almost immediately Peter appears in the open doorway. I stare at him for a moment.
"Tell me you didn't know what he was planning, Peter," I say. I know what Cameron said but I need to hear it from him. I don't know why, but I do.
"I swear I didn't, Tris," he says.
"I believe you," I say, "but it doesn't change anything. I hope you realize why."
"I do," he mumbles. "I'm sorry." Sorry can never erase what he did to me.
"You get away from her," Tobias says walking into the room followed by all our friends, "or I will break your neck."
"Four, it's okay," I say. "Peter was a part of Cameron's plan. He used him. He knew he liked me and would warn me. That's why he set the fire in the kitchen. He needed a real distraction to take you away from the plan. He knew you wouldn't let Dauntless burn. So it isn't Peter's fault just like it isn't yours."
"I'll leave you with your friends," Peter says, heading toward the door.
"Peter," I say. He turns at the sound of his name, expectation on his face. "Thank you for warning us. Four and I appreciate it." His face falls but he still manages a smile.
"You're welcome," he says and turns and leaves the room.
"Will someone please close the door?" I ask. I don't want the noise to disturb any other patients.
"How many of you want to hear the story of what went on today?" Tobias says to our friends. All their hands go up. Knowing it's going to be a long story, people start sitting anywhere they can, on the unoccupied bed next to mine, at the foot of my bed, and even on the floor. Tobias takes his seat next to me and takes my hand in his. He starts at the beginning and gives every single detail starting with finding the lists created by Eric to Cameron's capture tonight. Listening to Tobias tell the story makes me relive every detail, and I realize just how much we have gone through. He could have died Christmas night if Jason or Jared had gotten the drop on us. Tobias and I both could have been found out as Divergents if I'd been wrong about the truth serum. Then there was the death serum. I technically shouldn't be alive right now. I'm incredibly lucky. No, we are incredibly lucky.
"Why do you think they did it?" Zeke asks talking about Dante and Samuel.
"They were fools," Ella says, a scowl on her face. "I went to see Sam. He couldn't give me a good reason as to why he didn't say no to Jeannine Matthews or why he didn't stop after her execution. I think he was brainwashed into thinking Erudite is the master faction instead of all factions being equal. The man I talked to today is not the man I fell in love with and certainly not the man I was getting ready to marry."
"Dante told me he lived for Erudite and would die for Erudite," Kirsten says, scoffing. "I didn't know him at all. I swear I've been married to a stranger for two years. Can I get an annulment?" I can tell by the look on her face that she is not kidding. Everyone is silent for a while. My eyes start to flutter.
"Tris," Tobias says. "You need to stay awake."
"I know," I say. "I'm just so damn tired."
"Why do you think Cameron targeted you?" Marlene asks.
"I really don't know," I say. "Asher and Dru were angry my family and I stopped the war on Abnegation, and I think they passed that anger on to Cameron. He'll be asked that question when he goes under truth serum." The door opens and Dr. Parrish stops in his tracks, mainly because if he were to take another step he would fall over Lynn.
"Wow," he says, taking in all my visitors. "Normally I only allow one or two visitors, Tris."
"They're helping me stay awake," I say with a yawn. He smiles at me.
"Well, that is what I came to tell you, if you would like to get some rest I think you'll be fine. The last blood test was clean also. So maybe all your friends would like to get some rest too." Everyone gets up and gives me hugs and says goodbye and leaves me alone with Tobias. I push the button on the bed to lower the head down into a more natural sleeping position as he turns the light off. He slides into bed beside me and holds me. I start to drift off when the events of tonight come rushing back and emotion threatens to drown me.
"I let him touch me," I say through the thick emotion in my throat.
"What do you mean?" Tobias asks.
"I thought Cameron was you," I say, tears streaming down my face. "He kissed my neck and he ... touched me. I let him touch me." He pulls me closer, kissing my head, and shushing me. He holds me while I cry.
"It's not your fault, Tris," he says, love clear in his voice. I thought he would hate me after he heard what I did. "He disguised himself as me for a reason. What were you to think?"
"I should have known the difference, Tobias," I say through the tears. "I should know your touch. I should know your kiss. What does that say about me?" I sob again as he holds me.
"It's not your fault," he says, emotion thick in his voice. "None of this is your fault. I'm going to kill him."
"Why don't you hate me?" I ask. "Why aren't you disgusted with me?"
"Beatrice Grace Prior, you listen to me right now," he says, angry now. "I love you more than anything in this world, and there's nothing you can do that will ever make me hate you or be disgusted with you." He moves his lips to mine and kisses me gently. He pulls away too soon for me but I know we both need sleep right now so I let myself surrender to the darkness that's been threatening to pull me under all evening while I'm wrapped in the safe circle of his loving arms.