After Tobias gives me a quick, tender kiss, I watch him walk up on stage to where Lauren is seated in the single black leather armchair that sits center stage. Jack just handed her the alcohol swab and instructed her to wipe off the left side of her neck, which she is doing right now. I've witnessed countless interrogations since becoming a leader of Dauntless, and I've gotten pretty good at reading people who are about to be put under truth serum. I know without a doubt that Lauren is guilty of assisting Molly with Porter's plan but her demeanor right now isn't one of a guilty person. Most guilty people are defiant and resistant to the serum prep while the innocent ones are compliant and helpful. She definitely falls in the latter category, which is in direct contrast to what we know about her involvement with Molly and Drew. Jack takes a syringe out of the black box sitting on a small table next to her chair and the irrational anxiety I experienced yesterday returns. I avert my eyes and take some deep, calming breaths as Jack injects the serum into the left side of her neck. When I hear the box lid close, I look at Lauren and find her slumped in the chair ready for the interrogation.

"For those of you who don't know who I am, my name is Jack Kang. I'm the leader of Candor, and I will be conducting the interrogations today with the help of Four here, the leader of Dauntless."

"We'll have complete quiet during these proceedings," Tobias says. "If you disrupt us, you will be removed." I know that this speech is meant for the normally rowdy Dauntless crowd and not the remaining three factions. Understandably, there are no representatives from Amity here today. Summer made the long trip back to her faction last night and chose not to return. "The first interrogation will be of Lauren Jones, Dauntless. You may proceed, Jack."

"Please state your full name for the record," Jack says.

"Lauren Christine Jones." Typical confusion settles on her face as she states her name with no hesitation. At least we know the serum is working today.

"How old are you?" he asks.

"22," Lauren says.

"What are your parents' names?"

"Bill and Cindy Jones," she says, a bittersweet melancholy marking her voice.

"Do you have any siblings?" Jack asks.

"No, I'm an only child."

"What is your born faction?" he asks.

"Candor," Lauren says.

"What faction did you chose?"

"Dauntless," she proudly says.

"Which faction are you loyal to?" Jack asks. She pauses and confusion crosses her face. I expect some pain also with how long she is taking to answer but she's displaying none.

"I'd like to think that my loyalties lie with Dauntless," she finally says. A hushed scoff echoes throughout the cavernous room. Jack looks at Tobias then nods.

"If you are loyal to Dauntless, why would you conspire with a group of outsiders against one of its leaders?" Tobias asks.

"I didn't want to." Even from where I'm sitting, I see tears streaming down her face. "They made me."

"What do you mean they made you?" he asks. "You don't have a mind of your own?"

"Of course, I have a mind of my own, Four," Lauren says. "I love the life I've built for myself here at Dauntless but they knew, and they made me help them. I swear I didn't want to."

"They knew about what?" She fights as hard as she can against the serum before she gives in, pain contorting her face.

"About the baby," she says. Baby? What the hell is she talking about?

"What baby?" Tobias asks, looking just as confused as I'm feeling.

"When I was 15, I fell in love with a neighbor boy, Drake Mills. My parents didn't like him. They thought he wasn't good enough for me. I never understood why. I always envied his home life. His parents were so nice and welcoming. I loved it there. We planned on making the move to Dauntless together when we turned 16 but," she chokes back a sob, "he died. He had a severe peanut allergy and ate something he wasn't supposed to. I was heartbroken. Then I found out I was pregnant. I knew what my parents would say and what they would expect me to do so I hid the pregnancy from them. It wasn't that difficult. I didn't get very big so baggy clothes hid it well. I was so scared the night I went into labor. Thank God I read books on what to do. After I had the baby, I took the bus to the hospital and left her in front of the emergency department. I've never told this story out loud to another living soul before. I have absolutely no idea how Molly and Peter learned about her but they did, and they both had me do their bidding at one time or another since they jumped into Dauntless. Abandoning my child the way I did was the darkest time in my life. I made a lot of bad choices that I never wanted to come to life. That's why I did everything they asked me to do. I was scared and ashamed. I'm so sorry." That's quite a story. Now I understand why she did what he did. If I abandoned a child, I wouldn't want anyone to know about it either.

"Let's concentrate on Molly for right now," Tobias says. "We'll revisit what you did for Peter later. When did Molly first approach you with her plan?"

"Just after initiation started."

"How did she contact you?" he asks.

"She slid a sheet of paper under my door asking me to meet her," Lauren says. "I didn't want to go but the note had a friendly reminder of what she knew so I went."

"Where did you meet her?"

"The park in town," she says.

"What did she ask you to do?" Tobias asks.

"She told me that Tris killed Peter and that his father wanted to teach her a lesson. She then laid out Porter's plan and asked me to help her execute it. I told her no, that I didn't have a problem with Tris but she threatened me until I gave in. I never wanted my secret to come to light."

"What exactly did she ask you to do?" he asks.

"I was in charge of keeping up with the surveillance," Lauren says. "If footage needed to be erased, I erased it. If she wanted cameras turned off, I turned them off."

"Did she ever ask you to do anything that didn't have to do with surveillance?"

"Yeah," she says. "After Sam was killed, Molly had me give her regular updates on the investigation so she could stay one step ahead, and when she realized you were getting close to figuring things out, she had me try to frame Kirsten Reyes as being the mole."

"Why Kirsten?" Tobias asks. I look toward where Kirsten is sitting with Trevor, Ella, and Stefan. She's sitting on the edge of her seat with a nasty scowl on her face.

"Molly left it up to me who to try and set up. I watched security feed of all Tris' friends but Kirsten was the one who I thought I could get closest too. She has a routine that she never strays from." It's terrible to think that a routine is a bad thing.

"What about the remote access software on my computer?" he asks. Lauren looks surprised.

"Molly wanted certain files, although she didn't tell me which ones, so she broke into Harrison and Tori's offices and homes trying to access them from their computers but they didn't have high enough clearance so she had me put remote access software on your computer thinking that would get her what she wanted. I don't know if it did or not." Hhm. We know she accessed files from all three work computers. Maybe Molly didn't share that with Lauren.

"Did she ask you to do anything else?"

"Yeah, she asked me to make sure she could get outside the fence whenever she wanted to," she says, a shudder moving through her. "I knew a fence worker named Marty Turner had a crush on me so I agreed to date him in exchange for letting Molly have unfettered access to Amity. I would also erase any evidence of the unauthorized openings and closings in the fence logs."

"Was there anything else she asked you to do?" Tobias asks.

"No, she did not."

"Did you have a direct hand in the deaths of Samantha Lawrence, Harrison Cosgrove, or Frankie Dutka?" he asks.

"I did not," Lauren says.

"Do you feel remorse for what you did?"

"I do," she says. "I didn't want to participate in the first place. I wish I hadn't been so scared to let a secret come out that came to light anyway. I have so many regrets in life. I hate that this has become another one."

"Let's rewind for a moment," Tobias says. "You said that Peter Hayes blackmailed you into helping him also. What exactly did he have you do?"

"He had me alter the security camera footage in the garage the afternoon he kidnapped Tris."

"What do you mean?" he asks, his voice deadly quiet. I, too, sit up and take notice of this. I didn't know there was any alteration of the footage during my case. As a matter of fact, I don't remember Tobias ever saying anything to me about the security cameras.

"He had me run a loop of the garage that was recorded earlier at the time that she was kidnapped so that he couldn't be followed," Lauren says. Tobias turns his back on the crowd, takes a deep breath, and runs his hand through his hair. After a moment, he collects himself and turns back around.

"Did you do anything else to help Peter with Tris' kidnapping?"

"No, I didn't," she says.

"Did you think to come to me when she was missing and tell me where my wife was?" Tobias asks. I think he's angrier learning she helped with my kidnapping than the death of three Dauntless members.

"Yes but, like I've said before, I didn't want my secret coming out so I kept my mouth shut and went along with everything. I'm not proud of my actions."

"You shouldn't be," he hisses. "I'm done with her Jack." As Tobias walks off stage, Dad slides over to let him sit down next to me. He puts his arm around me and draws me near. I can feel nearly every eye in the auditorium on us but I don't care. I lean into him, resting my head against his shoulder, and he kisses my temple. I rest my injured hand on his thigh and look toward the stage. Jack is staring at Lauren, his brows furrowed.

"Did you conspire with anyone from inside Candor to hurt Tris Prior?" he says.

"Just Porter Hayes," Lauren says.

"Did you meet with Porter?"

"No, I only met with Molly and Drew," she says.

"The morning you were arrested in Candor, you were found in Niles Murphy's office after we were sent on a wild goose chase," Jack says. "How did you come to be in his office?"

"Molly told me he was helping her and his office would be a safe place to hide, that no one would ever look for me there." She scoffs at the notion, knowing that that is exactly where she was caught.

"Why were we first sent to another office looking for you?" he asks.

"Molly still wanted me to keep up on the investigation so I piggybacked my laptop on Stephanie Misner's office computer. Since she is Tris' best friend's mother, I thought they would drag her in for questioning and I would have time to escape. I was wrong. I'm not sure how you found me. You must have someone who's better with computers than me, although that's hard to believe." My eyes seek out Callen, and I see a sense of pride on his face. He's better than Lauren in every way.

"What do you think your punishment should be?" I've never heard this question asked of anyone before during all the interrogations. I wonder why he asked it while she sits staring straight ahead.

"I honestly don't know," she finally says. "Maybe Tris should pick my punishment." That's a novel idea, although after hearing her story I don't know what the appropriate punishment would be.

"I have one final question for you, Lauren," Jack says. "What's your biggest regret?" I think the whole room already knows her answer after her story at the beginning of the interrogation.

"Leaving my newborn daughter outside the hospital will always be my biggest regret," she says, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you for your Candor," echoes around the room after all the Candor members say it in unison.

"The next interrogation will begin in 10 minutes," Jack says then gives some instructions to Purple-Hair and Snake-Tattoo. They drag Lauren out of the chair and off the stage then through the rear door. I know they're taking her to our holding cells, which thankfully aren't too far away.

"Are you okay?" Tobias quietly asks me.

"I am," I say. "I could never understand what I did to make Lauren hate me and want to help Molly. The answer is nothing. She was helping her for her own reasons. Part of me doesn't blame her. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn't want that secret to come out."

"You are far too forgiving," Christina mutters from behind me. I turn in my wheelchair the best I can and look at my best friend. She's angry.

"I don't forgive her. Not at all."

"She tried to frame my mother for something she didn't do," she says. "She could have been killed."

"I'm sorry that any of you were put in danger because of me," I murmur.

"It's not your fault," Will says.

"Love, you know this isn't your fault," Tobias says.

"No, it's not," Will and Christina say at the same time.

"We've talked about this," he says, kissing my temple again. "Porter and Molly had an ax to grind. That's on them, not you."

"I know," I say. It does nothing to squash my guilt though but I might as well not say anything. Changing the subject I say, "Why do you think he asked her what her punishment should be?"

"I don't know," Tobias says.

"I'm surprised she didn't have an elaborate punishment worked out in her mind with as much guilt as she has," Christina says. "I don't see how someone could just give their baby away like that. It's one thing to put it up for adoption but to leave it outside the hospital like that. It's so dangerous."

"I know," I say. We're all quiet for a time, contemplating the baby's fate I imagine or that's what I'm doing at least. The door by the stage slams open and Purple-Hair and Snake-Tattoo drag Niles into the room then up on stage. They throw him into the leather armchair and each keep a hand on his shoulders, keeping him in place.

"Are you ready?" Jack asks Tobias as he approaches us.

"Yeah," he says. "Would you like to do the honors with him?"

"If you're asking if I want to stab him in the neck with a needle, yeah, I would," he says, glaring at the prisoner who glares right back at us.

"I was actually talking about the questions but I'm not going to stop you from stabbing him," Tobias says, a little humor in his voice. "Be my guest." A small smile lifts Jack's lips and a measure of calm seems to wash over him.

"Thank you, Four," he says. "I do think I would like to ask the questions but I'd like you on stage with me."

"You've got it," he says. He gives me a quick peck then follows Jack up on the stage. I find my heart rate accelerating with anticipation. This is the interrogation I'm most interested in. I now fully understand why each one of the other players did what they did but he's a mystery to me. He's always had a chip on his shoulder when it comes to me and my family. I want to know why. After refusing to wipe off his own neck, Tobias stands behind Niles and puts his strong hands on his head and exposes his neck to Jack who tears into an alcohol swab and quickly wipes the skin then with no pretense whatsoever, jabs the long needle into his neck and injects the serum. Within seconds, Tobias is able to let go of his head when he slumps in the chair under the effects of the serum and he moves just behind Jack.

"The next interrogation is of Niles Murphy, Candor," Jack loudly says to the crowd then he turns his attention to the prisoner. "Please state your full name for the record."

"Niles Alexander Murphy." Just like every interrogation except Drew's first, typical confusion fills his face.

"What are your parents' names?" he asks.

"Alexander and Melissa Murphy," Niles says.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"I do," he says. "A brother and a sister."

"What are their names?" Jack asks.

"Noah Murphy and Neva Hampton." I hear Will gasp when he hears the names. I turn to look at him, and I find that he's lost all his color. He mouths, I'll tell you later and I nod then I turn my attention back to the stage, wondering about his reaction.

"What faction were you born in?" he asks.

"Erudite," Niles says. I look at Dad, wondering if they had a past he hasn't shared.

"What faction did you choose?"

"Candor of course," he says, head held high. It's easy to tell which faction he views as superior.

"What faction are you loyal to?"

"Candor," he says.

"You are a high ranking member of Candor," Jack says. "How is it that you got messed up in Porter's plan?"

"He asked me." I realize now that the wording of the questions is going to have to be pretty specific to elicit the entire truth from the man who has done thousands of interrogations during his career.

"How did Porter Hayes contact you?" he asks.

"He called me," Niles says.

"Do you know how he got access to a phone?"

"No," he says. This is going to take a while I'm afraid.

"When he called you, what did he ask of you?" Jack asks.

"He wanted to see me immediately."

"You obviously went," he says.

"I did," Niles says, a smile on his face. It's obvious that he's enjoying himself.

"When you saw him for the first time in his cell, what did he ask you to do?" This time Niles frowns. I guess Jack is catching on.

"He asked me to get a note to his niece, Molly Atwood," he says. "He wanted her help getting revenge against Tris Prior for killing his son, Peter," he says. I wish these people would stop saying that. I didn't have anything to do with that creep's death, although I would have gladly reached down his throat and ripped his testicles out through his mouth.

"Why did you tell him you would help him knowing full well that Tris had absolutely nothing to do with Peter's death?" Jack asks. "That is a proven fact." Niles winces as he fights with the serum for the first time since being injected.

"I don't like Tris Prior at all, and I wanted to see her put in her place just once." That's it? He just doesn't like me. Well, screw him! At least I won't be factionless or worse after all this is all said and done.

"Let me see if I understand this right," he says rubbing his temple. Maybe he, too, realizes that his friend has thrown his entire life away because of a stupid grudge. "You don't like Tris so you decided to help a grieving father sic a deranged girl on her friends. You thought this was okay?"

"No," Niles quickly answers then looks confused. I think he's taken aback by his own answer.

"Why did you tell Porter yes then?"

"Because his argument made sense to me," he says but doesn't elaborate.

"Explain yourself," Jack says with an exasperated sigh.

"Porter and I have been friends since I came to Candor. When he asked me to meet, even though I knew it was against the rules and not a good idea, I went anyway. I wanted to hear what he had to say. He is beside himself with grief over Peter's death. He knows that Tris didn't physically kill his son but he holds her accountable for his death nonetheless and for every day he's been locked up in that cell heartbroken, he wants Tris to suffer twice as much. I didn't see anything wrong with that. She could use a little humility."

"Ass," I mutter under my breath, then I sigh and shake my head. I'm tired of lunatics. I just want to gather up my family and move to the Amity farm and leave all this shit behind.

"What exactly did Porter ask you to do for him?" he asks.

"He asked me to be the go between for him and Molly, which is exactly what I did," Niles says. "He knew she would do anything to avenge Peter's death."

"Did he ask you to do anything else?"

"No," he says.

"Did Molly ask you to do anything for her?" Jack asks.

"She asked me to let her friend, Lauren, hide in my office. I had no problem with it so I gave her a spare key so her friend could come and go as she pleased. I also called the guards off the Abnegation holding room when Ethan Black was a prisoner. I didn't know she was going to kill anyone though."

"Did anyone else ask you to do anything that had to do with Porter's plan or their own plan against either Four or Tris Prior?" he asks.

"No," Niles says. Jack turns and looks at Tobias then must ask a question because I see him shake his head.

"Niles, what's your greatest regret?"

"Picking up the phone the day Porter called. I knew better than to do anything he asked but I let my hatred for one insignificant girl ruin my life." It amazes me how he views me. If I didn't have better self-esteem, I would probably curl up in a ball and sob right here in the middle of the auditorium. The thanks of the Candor crowd echoes throughout the chamber, and I watch Tobias make his way to me.

"That really was anticlimactic," I say. "He doesn't like me so he helps kill three people. That is absurd."

"Yeah, it is, love," he says. "Some people are idiots." I turn in my seat, remembering Will's gasp earlier and find his color has returned.

"Why did you react that way to his sibling's names?" I ask.

"His sister is my mother's best friend," he says.

"Jack," I yell and he comes over to us. "You need to ask Niles if his sister has anything to do with serums before he's led out of here."

"Hold up," he shouts, stopping Purple-Hair and Snake-Tattoo in their tracks. "Niles, what does your sister do at Erudite?"

"She's a research scientist," he says.

"In what department?"

"In medical and serum research."

"Does Porter know this?" Tobias asks.

"Yes." I can tell he doesn't want to answer.

"Did Porter give your sister's name to Molly to get her into Erudite?" I ask. When he hears my voice he literally growls, which causes a gasp to echo throughout the room.

"We'll have quiet," Tobias shouts. "Answer the question."

After struggling in vain against the serum for more than two minutes, sweat beading on his forehead and upper lip from the exertion, he says, "Yes."

"Caleb," I say. He already has his phone out.

"I read your mind, sis," he says then steps away to make the call.

"Take him away," I say.

"How did you know about the sister?" Jack asks.

"She's my mother's best friend," Will says.

"Can we take a bit of a break?" I ask. "I need to use the facilities."

"I'll take you," Christina says.

"I can go with you," Tobias says, sitting down beside me.

"I doubt Four would be welcome in the ladies' restroom," I say. I lean over to him, and he gives me a tender kiss. "Christina and I will be right back."

"Take your time," Jack says. "We'll start when you get back." Christina pushes my wheelchair past the stage and out the stage exit, down the dimly lit hallway, and into the ladies room.

"Thank you," I say as I hobble out of the chair and into the stall.

"That was one hell of a story Lauren told, wasn't it?" Christina asks from her own stall. "It's hard to imagine."

"I know. I can't even fathom abandoning a child the way she did." I hear her toilet flush then seconds later the faucet turn on. "I'd never be able to live with myself. I don't condone her helping Molly but I think I understand it more. I would never want a secret like that coming out either." A muffled thud draws my attention just as I flush my toilet. "Hey, are you okay out there?"

"Mm-hm."

"I think I'm disappointed in Niles explanation of why he did what he did," I say as I pull my pants up achingly slowly, being careful of my hip wound. "Hating someone shouldn't be an excuse for murder. Do you think we have time to go to the infirmary and get some pain medicine? What Isobel gave me earlier wore off." I open the stall door and shuffle out into the bathroom, watching where I'm walking. I would hate to trip. I look up expecting a friendly face but instead all the air goes out of my chest. "Molly."