p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"The drive home felt longer than it normally did, tonight. It was still the first week of everyone getting adjusted to their new life. Families were allowed to visit until the end of the week and that meant parking spots were few and far between. Fathers and grandmothers would get there before their child had gotten out of training and taken the best parking spot in front of their building. Other's staying the whole week with them to help get them settled./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""God, damnit!" Eric punched the steering wheel as they rolled down the road, unable to find a parking spot. Victoria didn't even flinch. No matter how 'full-of-light' Victoria had made Eric, his first emotion was usually anger. Their car made it down a whole block and still they couldn't find a parking spot. Eric grumbled to himself while Victoria watched both sides of the road ahead ignoring him./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""There!" Victoria shouted leaping from her seat as the seatbelt held her back. Eric smashed on the brakes, making the car violently buck forward. The dog let out a yelp, stiffening his legs and sliding into the center console. There it sat in all its glory, a large parking spot. It was only, three blocks from their apartment. Eric perfectly parallel parked the cruiser and they climbed out. It was a particularly cold night and the wind was whipping through the streets and around the tall buildings./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Eric came around the car, taking his wife's hand as they made their way home. Victoria clung close to her husband's side, trying to protect herself from the chilling wind. They walked home in silence, listening to the sound of Chicago's nails em'click-clack'/em down the cement sidewalk. Eric listened around them, making sure no one was following. He had become much more paranoid recently./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"They finally made it to their building and climbed the stairs to their floor. Eric thought about how chilly it would be to climb the building tonight. Each floor they went up the stronger the wind became. They made it to their apartment and Eric looked around before unlocking the door./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""It's alright." Victoria whispered, squeezing his hand as they walked inside. Victoria knelt down to unclip Chicago from the leash while Eric scanned the apartment. Everything was as they had left it, down to the forgotten half gallon of milk on the counter. Since Jeanine's surprise visit, he didn't feel safe anywhere. Especially in his own home. Victoria didn't either. The two of them tiptoed around the apartment whispering to one another, hardly talking about anything real./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Chicago pulled free from his leash as he slid across the hardwood floors to his food and water bowl. He took big laps from the bowl, making a mess on the kitchen floor. After about twelve laps he licked his lips and let out a little burp. He turned around and made his way to the bedroom with water dripping from underneath his muzzle as he went. A small line of slobbery drool droplets trailed behind him on the hardwood floors. The dog pushed his muzzled against the partially cracked bedroom door and audibly flopped down in his bed on the floor./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Victoria sat on the floor, wrestling to get her combat boots off her feet. Once she got them off, she freely wiggled her toes and stretching them out. She stood up and made her way into the kitchen where Eric already was. He watched his wife rummage through the cabinets before pulling out a jar of peanut butter, a sleeve of cookies, a protein bar, and the entire bag of potato chips. She shut the cabinet and turned around to see Eric standing next to her./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What is this? Your dinner?" She shrugged. She just wanted to eat some junk food and be left alone. Lately she had been mentally drained and that left her feeling physically drained. Ever since she had learned she was pregnant she had noticed a million tiny changes in her body, things only she could feel and see./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What if I made grilled cheese and tomato soup?" Her face lit up at the sound of her favorite meal being made. He nodded while he took the chips, cookies and protein from her hands. He turned around to grab a spoon for her peanut butter. "Go lay down doll, I'll bring it to you." She smiled, kissing her husband and heading to the bedroom. She disappeared into the bedroom and dropped down in bed./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"While she worked to get out of her uniform and comfortable Eric came into the bedroom with twp crispy grilled cheeses cut into two perfect triangles, stacked on top of each other with a small cup of tomato soup on the side. He carefully handed the plate to her, getting in bed beside her to eat with her. Before Eric even started eating, Victoria was halfway through hers. Eric stared at her, watching her not take breaths in between each bite. She was starving now that she was burning more calories./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Doll… Slow down." She snorted at him purposefully, dramatically sucking down everything on her plate. She gulped down some water before taking the last bite, pushing her plate to the foot of the bed. She looked out one of the windows, watching traffic below. Others were still looking for parking spots before getting frustrated and peeling off down the street. She turned to look back at the tv before crawling out of bed and stretching her body out./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I'm going to shower." She walked into the bathroom shutting the door behind her and turning on the shower as hot as she liked. She unraveled her hair from its tight bun and plucked a couple eyebrow hairs from between her eyes. Steam crept up the sides of the mirror until she could no longer see herself and she had to set the tweezers down. She stepped into the shower, standing under the burning water. It was instant relief and it felt so nice after a long day of kicking her own ass./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"When she was done she opened the rolling glass door and stepped onto the fuzzy bath mat. As the cold air touched her body it made her muscles stung with pain. She groaned, grabbing a towel off the wall rack and wrapping herself in it. She stood at the bathroom door, ready to open it and bolt to the bed./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"1… 2… 3…/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"She dropped the towel, threw open the door and charged towards the bed completely naked. Eric looked at her with this confused but excited look on his face, ready to take her into his arms. She leapt into the air and landed into the fluffy bedding beside him, crawling under the covers and into his reached towards the bedside table and grabbed the sleeve of cookies he brought with him. He handed them to her as she eagerly snatched them, ripping open the package and scarfing down two at once./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I'm going to shower." Eric softly grumbled to his wife as he stood up and walked into the still steamy bathroom. He shut the door and left Victoria in the bedroom with the tv running. She set down the cookies and turned off the bedside lamp leaving the blue light from the tv to cast a soft blue glow across everything. The white noise of the running water and the soft staticky hum of the television dancing different hues of blue across her face lulled her to sleep./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Eric stared down at his feet, watching the water run between them and spiraling down the drain. He was taking his time tonight. Partly because he knew how cold it would be up there and also because he had a lot on his mind. He washed his hair and body and then stood under the running water another ten minutes./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"He turned off the shower finally and wrapped in a towel before stepping out. He looked at his tired face in the partly steamed up mirror before slicking his hair back and stepping out. With all the stress he was under, life was kicking his ass. He walked into the bedroom to grab his clothes, seeing his wife asleep in bed. It would be easier getting out of the house now. He carefully sat on the edge of the bed to put on his socks when he felt her move behind him. He felt her hands slide up his back, resting against him./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Eric?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Hm?" He stopped, sitting up. She continued to run her hands up and down his body before she crawled behind him and rested her body on his back. Her head on his shoulder./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Are you going to tell me?" She whispered as softly as she could. He turned back and looked at her for a moment. He looked around before wrapping her into his arms and pulling her into his chest. He buried them under the thick sheets, trying to muffle their whispers into nothing./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Tell you, what?"br /br /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""From earlier."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Oh, that… A war is coming."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Why?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""To exterminate the Divergents."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""How?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Jeanine has a mind-controlling serum. Divergents are immune to its effects."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""How is it…injected?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Like a vaccine, but in your head."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Ow."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""It's actually not the worst pain I've experienced. Much less pain than getting shot by gun." Victoria sat in the darkness of the comforter, speechless. She didn't know what to say to that. She felt her eyes tear up and bit and she sniffled them back once. She couldn't stand the thought of someone hurting him. He squeezed her tighter, knowing that she was crying. He kissed the top of her head and they laid in the dark not saying anything for a moment./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""When do I need to be ready?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Victoria, listen to me. It is very important that you do exactly as I tell you. Do not ask questions. You will continue as if you know nothing. We will not talk about it anymore."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What about my brother?"/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What did I just say? Do not ask questions!" He hissed in her ear. She wouldn't leave if Four wasn't coming. Once she was gone, anyone she was close with was as good as dead. The only solution, in her mind, was to take the whole family. She realized that might also include Beatrice and Caleb Prior. She didn't give a fuck about what happened to their dad./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""He's my brother, Eric!" She raised her voice. His hand few up and covered her mouth. emShhhhh! /emHe hissed in her ear keeping them under the blankets. She was quiet and she realized he thought there might be a bug in their bedroom. She yanked his hand down from her lips and lied on his chest, thinking./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""He's coming." She perked up and pulled the covers off their heads, kissing him on the lips. She rolled over to her spot and snuggled under the fluffy covers of the bed. She fantasized about living in a big house with a big family in a big forest. Victoria opened her eyes and looked out the window at the dingy city. She secretly hated the way life was behind the walls. /p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You just have to trust me, Doll." Eric whispered into her ear. She nuzzled into his chest and quickly fell asleep as he softly ran his hand up and down her back. A few moments later he looked from the television to his wife. He smiled when he noticed she was asleep with her face pressed into his side. He very carefully lifted her head onto his pillow while also stepping out of the bed. He didn't want to risk waking her up later when it was time to leave. He leaned over to kiss her on the head, leaving his dog and wife in the room together. He pulled out a multitool from his back pocket, pulling out the screwdriver and managing to lock the bedroom door. It would at the very least give her ten seconds, if something crazy was to happen./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"He walked out to the living room and turned on the tv and watched an old movie while searching for bugs in the living room until it was time to leave. He found one in the fake plant on the coffee table and he crushed it in between his fingers. He was pretty sure that was last and tenth one he had found since Jeanine's unexpected visit./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"He took his time tonight to put on his climbing gloves and winter gear. He was wearing five layers and still he felt like he wouldn't be warm enough. He laced up his boots and was finally ready to go. He stepped out, locking the apartment tightly and walking down the dark hallway and up to the very last floor before he began climbing the side of the building. When he got to the top floor, he stepped up on the railing and reached out to grab the ledge of a window./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Eric paused on a wide window ledge, looking over the the rest of the city. He couldn't wait to leave this place. He looked to his right and grabbed onto a piece of the building that stuck out as he lifted his body up the wall. He jumped from one thin window ledge to the next, battling the wind the whole time. Even under his gloves his fingers were a little numb, but he couldn't focus on that. He was hundreds of feet above the sidewalk and he had a feeling Victoria would be pissed, if she had to scrape his remains off the concrete./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Finally, he reached the roof where he found Four had already been waiting. Four had been on a recent trend of showing up early to things. It made him seem suspicious. Four was dealing with a lot in his own head, since finding out his sister was married and pregnant. He was also falling in love with Beatrice Prior, and that was causing complications… considering she was Divergent./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You're early." Eric heaved, taking a seat beside Four near the edge. The freezing wind had taken his breath away at moments. They stared out at the city as most of the outside lights began to turn off at u2:00 AM/u. Once the lights turned off they could see tiny flames of light dancing around in the wind, but they were far away./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I had a lot on my mind. Plus, Tris is staying the night so…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You need to watch yourself with that girl."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Don't you think I know what I'm doing?!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I don't know, Four! Do you?"/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Four stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof. He dropped to his butt, making it look like he would fall over. He successfully scared the shit out of Eric, who lunged towards him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Four!" He gasped, grabbing at his shirt. Four looked up at him, smiling, He had also managed to piss him off when Eric realized he was faking it. He smacked the top of Four's head and sat down beside him. Both of their legs dangling over the edge of the building./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I'm taking her with us." Eric looked at Four, confused at first. When he realized what he was talking about he started to laugh and shake his head. He stood up and paced around, trying to contain his rage that was painted as laughter. He turned to Four and knelt beside him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Have you lost your mind?" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I won't let her die, because of me." Eric stared at him hard before agreeing with his logic. He remembered Victoria saying the same thing. Still, he needing him to know how serious this was. What they were doing would either work or get them killed. He hoped for the first result./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"We get one emfucking/em shot to do this, Four. If this fails You, Me, Victoria, Tris and Caleb are all dead." His words came out harsh. Four looked at him for a moment before looking back out at the dark city./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Why not try to save as many people as we can? This is a horrible life, Eric."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""We aren't leading a revolution! I'm trying to protect my family." He hissed pacing around the rooftop. He didn't understand where this sudden desire to save the entire village came from. It made him nervous. "Don't make me kill you, Four." Four spun his head towards Eric and stared at him with a cold look./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Excuse me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You are making me nervous! Don't make me regret my decision to bring you along. I'm going to have a family, Four! I want a different life for them. Don't you?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Only if it's with Tris."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""If we bring Tris, we'd have to bring Caleb." Four said nothing, blankly staring at him. "No." Eric rubbed his temples, trying to wrap his mind around what was happening right now. Getting him out will be too risky. Do you, at least, agree with that?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I do." Both men were quiet for a moment. "Just because we bring him doesn't mean we tell him…" Eric nodded. He still worried about bringing along someone like Caleb. Caleb was an office jockey, not an adventurer and absolutely not an escape-artist. Eric wondered if the kid had ever broken a rule in his life./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""She can come." Eric glared at Four whose smile quickly faded. "You better know what you're doing." They were quiet after that, each thinking to themselves. Eric hoped he could trust Four and Tris. If Jeanine caught him, she would drag his death out./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""So, what's your plan for getting us out of here?" Four asked suddenly breaking Eric from his trance. He looked over at Four before looking back out at the sleeping city. He thought very carefully about what he was going to say. He didn't want anyone to know too much, even Victoria. Aside from his wife, he was dealing with idiots./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Have you been in touch with her?" He asked, looking back at Four. Four quietly partially nodded, looking down at his scuffed boots. Four and Victoria were both quiet when it came to talking about their mom. Victoria didn't even know Four spoke to their mom. Their mother ran away when Victoria was very small and she didn't remember much about her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Four, on the other hand, clearly remembered his mom. When he was younger, still living with their father, he was very angry at her for leaving them. When he got a little older, he forgave her and they reconnected. They had been meeting for the last six months./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""When you see her next tell her to be ready the next full moon."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You want to wait that long?" Eric looked at him irritated. He wondered if Four expected this whole operation to be done on a whim. "I just meant, about Vic…"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""We get one chance, Four."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I know."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Don't question me." Eric stood up, acting like he was about to leave. Four stood there having hoped to have gotten more from their conversation, before turning around. He ran up to Eric and grabbed his coat, pulling him back. Eric spun around, offended he touched him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""That's it then?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Four, the less you know the better." Both men were quiet for a moment. Four thought about what Eric said to him, about knowing less. He didn't know if he could entirely trust Eric… He hadn't in the past./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""How do you know about this war, exactly?" Four asked, questioning everything, and Eric sighed. He sat down dangled his feet over the edge of the building, swinging his legs around. He thought about how to best answer his question without being too emotional./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Because I'm Jeanine's bitch! She injected my brain with the same shit she plans to put in you. It is supposed to help her find Divergents in the faction. A lot of people are going to die."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Four said nothing, staring at Eric in disbelief. He didn't know what to say. Either way he was grateful for the information. He still had a million questions he knew he couldn't ask. He wondered if Jeanine would make Victoria get the injection? Then he wondered what it would do to the baby?/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""How is she?" Four asked, staring out at the skyline. His voice shook a little as he held back his emotions. His sister was a sensitive topic for him, considering he raised her since she was two. Eric rubbed his face thinking about Victoria and how upset she still was./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""She has a lot on her mind, recently."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""My sister always has to prove she's a hard-ass. Aren't you worried about her out there?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Of course. It's not going to be easy out there. Having the car will help, but it will take us time to get there."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""It'll all be worth it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Alright. I can't take the wind anyone. I'm going to bed. Meet back here, Thursday." Eric stood up, making sure his shoes were laced tight. He shook Four's hand before leaping down the side of the building./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"He came up to his door and did a little prayer in his head, that Chicago didn't bark. He unlocked the door and came inside without setting a dog off. He unlocked the bedroom door and Chicago perked up from the foot of the /br /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"The apartment felt so warm and inviting as he peeled the climbing gloves from his chapped fingers. He slid off his coat and shed the rest of his clothes off across the house. He slowly climbed back into bed with his beautiful wife, the icy touch of his skin against hers startled her awake. She gasped, pushing away from him at first./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Sorry, Doll." He whispered as she crawled back towards him. She took his freezing hands and wrapped them in hers. She closed her eyes again, letting out a long breath. He kissed the top of her head, and smiled. She smelled like lavender./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What were you doing out there?" She mumbled, opening one eye. He was too tired to think of an elaborate lie, so he told a white one. He kissed her on the top of her head./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Business."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Be careful." She mumbled before letting his hand go and rolling onto her other side. She snuggled her back into his chest and quickly fell asleep again. He lied there, watching the tv on low and thinking. He had made some bold moves and he hoped he could trust Four. He looked over at Victoria, before he laid down and tried his best to get a couple hours of sleep./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""God, damnit!" Eric punched the steering wheel as they rolled down the road, unable to find a parking spot. Victoria didn't even flinch. No matter how 'full-of-light' Victoria had made Eric, his first emotion was usually anger. Their car made it down a whole block and still they couldn't find a parking spot. Eric grumbled to himself while Victoria watched both sides of the road ahead ignoring him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""There!" Victoria shouted leaping from her seat as the seatbelt held her back. Eric smashed on the brakes, making the car violently buck forward. The dog let out a yelp, stiffening his legs and sliding into the center console. There it sat in all its glory, a large parking spot. It was only, three blocks from their apartment. Eric perfectly parallel parked the cruiser and they climbed out. It was a particularly cold night and the wind was whipping through the streets and around the tall buildings./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Eric came around the car, taking his wife's hand as they made their way home. Victoria clung close to her husband's side, trying to protect herself from the chilling wind. They walked home in silence, listening to the sound of Chicago's nails em'click-clack'/em down the cement sidewalk. Eric listened around them, making sure no one was following. He had become much more paranoid recently./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"They finally made it to their building and climbed the stairs to their floor. Eric thought about how chilly it would be to climb the building tonight. Each floor they went up the stronger the wind became. They made it to their apartment and Eric looked around before unlocking the door./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""It's alright." Victoria whispered, squeezing his hand as they walked inside. Victoria knelt down to unclip Chicago from the leash while Eric scanned the apartment. Everything was as they had left it, down to the forgotten half gallon of milk on the counter. Since Jeanine's surprise visit, he didn't feel safe anywhere. Especially in his own home. Victoria didn't either. The two of them tiptoed around the apartment whispering to one another, hardly talking about anything real./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Chicago pulled free from his leash as he slid across the hardwood floors to his food and water bowl. He took big laps from the bowl, making a mess on the kitchen floor. After about twelve laps he licked his lips and let out a little burp. He turned around and made his way to the bedroom with water dripping from underneath his muzzle as he went. A small line of slobbery drool droplets trailed behind him on the hardwood floors. The dog pushed his muzzled against the partially cracked bedroom door and audibly flopped down in his bed on the floor./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Victoria sat on the floor, wrestling to get her combat boots off her feet. Once she got them off, she freely wiggled her toes and stretching them out. She stood up and made her way into the kitchen where Eric already was. He watched his wife rummage through the cabinets before pulling out a jar of peanut butter, a sleeve of cookies, a protein bar, and the entire bag of potato chips. She shut the cabinet and turned around to see Eric standing next to her./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What is this? Your dinner?" She shrugged. She just wanted to eat some junk food and be left alone. Lately she had been mentally drained and that left her feeling physically drained. Ever since she had learned she was pregnant she had noticed a million tiny changes in her body, things only she could feel and see./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What if I made grilled cheese and tomato soup?" Her face lit up at the sound of her favorite meal being made. He nodded while he took the chips, cookies and protein from her hands. He turned around to grab a spoon for her peanut butter. "Go lay down doll, I'll bring it to you." She smiled, kissing her husband and heading to the bedroom. She disappeared into the bedroom and dropped down in bed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"While she worked to get out of her uniform and comfortable Eric came into the bedroom with twp crispy grilled cheeses cut into two perfect triangles, stacked on top of each other with a small cup of tomato soup on the side. He carefully handed the plate to her, getting in bed beside her to eat with her. Before Eric even started eating, Victoria was halfway through hers. Eric stared at her, watching her not take breaths in between each bite. She was starving now that she was burning more calories./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Doll… Slow down." She snorted at him purposefully, dramatically sucking down everything on her plate. She gulped down some water before taking the last bite, pushing her plate to the foot of the bed. She looked out one of the windows, watching traffic below. Others were still looking for parking spots before getting frustrated and peeling off down the street. She turned to look back at the tv before crawling out of bed and stretching her body out./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I'm going to shower." She walked into the bathroom shutting the door behind her and turning on the shower as hot as she liked. She unraveled her hair from its tight bun and plucked a couple eyebrow hairs from between her eyes. Steam crept up the sides of the mirror until she could no longer see herself and she had to set the tweezers down. She stepped into the shower, standing under the burning water. It was instant relief and it felt so nice after a long day of kicking her own ass./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"When she was done she opened the rolling glass door and stepped onto the fuzzy bath mat. As the cold air touched her body it made her muscles stung with pain. She groaned, grabbing a towel off the wall rack and wrapping herself in it. She stood at the bathroom door, ready to open it and bolt to the bed./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"1… 2… 3…/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"She dropped the towel, threw open the door and charged towards the bed completely naked. Eric looked at her with this confused but excited look on his face, ready to take her into his arms. She leapt into the air and landed into the fluffy bedding beside him, crawling under the covers and into his reached towards the bedside table and grabbed the sleeve of cookies he brought with him. He handed them to her as she eagerly snatched them, ripping open the package and scarfing down two at once./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I'm going to shower." Eric softly grumbled to his wife as he stood up and walked into the still steamy bathroom. He shut the door and left Victoria in the bedroom with the tv running. She set down the cookies and turned off the bedside lamp leaving the blue light from the tv to cast a soft blue glow across everything. The white noise of the running water and the soft staticky hum of the television dancing different hues of blue across her face lulled her to sleep./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Eric stared down at his feet, watching the water run between them and spiraling down the drain. He was taking his time tonight. Partly because he knew how cold it would be up there and also because he had a lot on his mind. He washed his hair and body and then stood under the running water another ten minutes./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"He turned off the shower finally and wrapped in a towel before stepping out. He looked at his tired face in the partly steamed up mirror before slicking his hair back and stepping out. With all the stress he was under, life was kicking his ass. He walked into the bedroom to grab his clothes, seeing his wife asleep in bed. It would be easier getting out of the house now. He carefully sat on the edge of the bed to put on his socks when he felt her move behind him. He felt her hands slide up his back, resting against him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Eric?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Hm?" He stopped, sitting up. She continued to run her hands up and down his body before she crawled behind him and rested her body on his back. Her head on his shoulder./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Are you going to tell me?" She whispered as softly as she could. He turned back and looked at her for a moment. He looked around before wrapping her into his arms and pulling her into his chest. He buried them under the thick sheets, trying to muffle their whispers into nothing./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Tell you, what?"br /br /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""From earlier."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Oh, that… A war is coming."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Why?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""To exterminate the Divergents."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""How?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Jeanine has a mind-controlling serum. Divergents are immune to its effects."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""How is it…injected?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Like a vaccine, but in your head."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Ow."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""It's actually not the worst pain I've experienced. Much less pain than getting shot by gun." Victoria sat in the darkness of the comforter, speechless. She didn't know what to say to that. She felt her eyes tear up and bit and she sniffled them back once. She couldn't stand the thought of someone hurting him. He squeezed her tighter, knowing that she was crying. He kissed the top of her head and they laid in the dark not saying anything for a moment./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""When do I need to be ready?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Victoria, listen to me. It is very important that you do exactly as I tell you. Do not ask questions. You will continue as if you know nothing. We will not talk about it anymore."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What about my brother?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What did I just say? Do not ask questions!" He hissed in her ear. She wouldn't leave if Four wasn't coming. Once she was gone, anyone she was close with was as good as dead. The only solution, in her mind, was to take the whole family. She realized that might also include Beatrice and Caleb Prior. She didn't give a fuck about what happened to their dad./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""He's my brother, Eric!" She raised her voice. His hand few up and covered her mouth. emShhhhh! /emHe hissed in her ear keeping them under the blankets. She was quiet and she realized he thought there might be a bug in their bedroom. She yanked his hand down from her lips and lied on his chest, thinking./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""He's coming." She perked up and pulled the covers off their heads, kissing him on the lips. She rolled over to her spot and snuggled under the fluffy covers of the bed. She fantasized about living in a big house with a big family in a big forest. Victoria opened her eyes and looked out the window at the dingy city. She secretly hated the way life was behind the walls. /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You just have to trust me, Doll." Eric whispered into her ear. She nuzzled into his chest and quickly fell asleep as he softly ran his hand up and down her back. A few moments later he looked from the television to his wife. He smiled when he noticed she was asleep with her face pressed into his side. He very carefully lifted her head onto his pillow while also stepping out of the bed. He didn't want to risk waking her up later when it was time to leave. He leaned over to kiss her on the head, leaving his dog and wife in the room together. He pulled out a multitool from his back pocket, pulling out the screwdriver and managing to lock the bedroom door. It would at the very least give her ten seconds, if something crazy was to happen./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"He walked out to the living room and turned on the tv and watched an old movie while searching for bugs in the living room until it was time to leave. He found one in the fake plant on the coffee table and he crushed it in between his fingers. He was pretty sure that was last and tenth one he had found since Jeanine's unexpected visit./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"He took his time tonight to put on his climbing gloves and winter gear. He was wearing five layers and still he felt like he wouldn't be warm enough. He laced up his boots and was finally ready to go. He stepped out, locking the apartment tightly and walking down the dark hallway and up to the very last floor before he began climbing the side of the building. When he got to the top floor, he stepped up on the railing and reached out to grab the ledge of a window./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Eric paused on a wide window ledge, looking over the the rest of the city. He couldn't wait to leave this place. He looked to his right and grabbed onto a piece of the building that stuck out as he lifted his body up the wall. He jumped from one thin window ledge to the next, battling the wind the whole time. Even under his gloves his fingers were a little numb, but he couldn't focus on that. He was hundreds of feet above the sidewalk and he had a feeling Victoria would be pissed, if she had to scrape his remains off the concrete./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Finally, he reached the roof where he found Four had already been waiting. Four had been on a recent trend of showing up early to things. It made him seem suspicious. Four was dealing with a lot in his own head, since finding out his sister was married and pregnant. He was also falling in love with Beatrice Prior, and that was causing complications… considering she was Divergent./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You're early." Eric heaved, taking a seat beside Four near the edge. The freezing wind had taken his breath away at moments. They stared out at the city as most of the outside lights began to turn off at u2:00 AM/u. Once the lights turned off they could see tiny flames of light dancing around in the wind, but they were far away./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I had a lot on my mind. Plus, Tris is staying the night so…"/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You need to watch yourself with that girl."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Don't you think I know what I'm doing?!"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I don't know, Four! Do you?"/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Four stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof. He dropped to his butt, making it look like he would fall over. He successfully scared the shit out of Eric, who lunged towards him./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Four!" He gasped, grabbing at his shirt. Four looked up at him, smiling, He had also managed to piss him off when Eric realized he was faking it. He smacked the top of Four's head and sat down beside him. Both of their legs dangling over the edge of the building./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I'm taking her with us." Eric looked at Four, confused at first. When he realized what he was talking about he started to laugh and shake his head. He stood up and paced around, trying to contain his rage that was painted as laughter. He turned to Four and knelt beside him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Have you lost your mind?" /p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I won't let her die, because of me." Eric stared at him hard before agreeing with his logic. He remembered Victoria saying the same thing. Still, he needing him to know how serious this was. What they were doing would either work or get them killed. He hoped for the first result./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"We get one emfucking/em shot to do this, Four. If this fails You, Me, Victoria, Tris and Caleb are all dead." His words came out harsh. Four looked at him for a moment before looking back out at the dark city./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Why not try to save as many people as we can? This is a horrible life, Eric."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""We aren't leading a revolution! I'm trying to protect my family." He hissed pacing around the rooftop. He didn't understand where this sudden desire to save the entire village came from. It made him nervous. "Don't make me kill you, Four." Four spun his head towards Eric and stared at him with a cold look./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Excuse me?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You are making me nervous! Don't make me regret my decision to bring you along. I'm going to have a family, Four! I want a different life for them. Don't you?"/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Only if it's with Tris."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""If we bring Tris, we'd have to bring Caleb." Four said nothing, blankly staring at him. "No." Eric rubbed his temples, trying to wrap his mind around what was happening right now. Getting him out will be too risky. Do you, at least, agree with that?"/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I do." Both men were quiet for a moment. "Just because we bring him doesn't mean we tell him…" Eric nodded. He still worried about bringing along someone like Caleb. Caleb was an office jockey, not an adventurer and absolutely not an escape-artist. Eric wondered if the kid had ever broken a rule in his life./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""She can come." Eric glared at Four whose smile quickly faded. "You better know what you're doing." They were quiet after that, each thinking to themselves. Eric hoped he could trust Four and Tris. If Jeanine caught him, she would drag his death out./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""So, what's your plan for getting us out of here?" Four asked suddenly breaking Eric from his trance. He looked over at Four before looking back out at the sleeping city. He thought very carefully about what he was going to say. He didn't want anyone to know too much, even Victoria. Aside from his wife, he was dealing with idiots./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Have you been in touch with her?" He asked, looking back at Four. Four quietly partially nodded, looking down at his scuffed boots. Four and Victoria were both quiet when it came to talking about their mom. Victoria didn't even know Four spoke to their mom. Their mother ran away when Victoria was very small and she didn't remember much about her./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Four, on the other hand, clearly remembered his mom. When he was younger, still living with their father, he was very angry at her for leaving them. When he got a little older, he forgave her and they reconnected. They had been meeting for the last six months./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""When you see her next tell her to be ready the next full moon."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""You want to wait that long?" Eric looked at him irritated. He wondered if Four expected this whole operation to be done on a whim. "I just meant, about Vic…"/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""We get one chance, Four."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""I know."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Don't question me." Eric stood up, acting like he was about to leave. Four stood there having hoped to have gotten more from their conversation, before turning around. He ran up to Eric and grabbed his coat, pulling him back. Eric spun around, offended he touched him./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""That's it then?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Four, the less you know the better." Both men were quiet for a moment. Four thought about what Eric said to him, about knowing less. He didn't know if he could entirely trust Eric… He hadn't in the past./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""How do you know about this war, exactly?" Four asked, questioning everything, and Eric sighed. He sat down dangled his feet over the edge of the building, swinging his legs around. He thought about how to best answer his question without being too emotional./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Because I'm Jeanine's bitch! She injected my brain with the same shit she plans to put in you. It is supposed to help her find Divergents in the faction. A lot of people are going to die."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"Four said nothing, staring at Eric in disbelief. He didn't know what to say. Either way he was grateful for the information. He still had a million questions he knew he couldn't ask. He wondered if Jeanine would make Victoria get the injection? Then he wondered what it would do to the baby?/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""How is she?" Four asked, staring out at the skyline. His voice shook a little as he held back his emotions. His sister was a sensitive topic for him, considering he raised her since she was two. Eric rubbed his face thinking about Victoria and how upset she still was./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""She has a lot on her mind, recently."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""My sister always has to prove she's a hard-ass. Aren't you worried about her out there?"/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Of course. It's not going to be easy out there. Having the car will help, but it will take us time to get there."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""It'll all be worth it."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Alright. I can't take the wind anyone. I'm going to bed. Meet back here, Thursday." Eric stood up, making sure his shoes were laced tight. He shook Four's hand before leaping down the side of the building./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"He came up to his door and did a little prayer in his head, that Chicago didn't bark. He unlocked the door and came inside without setting a dog off. He unlocked the bedroom door and Chicago perked up from the foot of the /br /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"The apartment felt so warm and inviting as he peeled the climbing gloves from his chapped fingers. He slid off his coat and shed the rest of his clothes off across the house. He slowly climbed back into bed with his beautiful wife, the icy touch of his skin against hers startled her awake. She gasped, pushing away from him at first./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Sorry, Doll." He whispered as she crawled back towards him. She took his freezing hands and wrapped them in hers. She closed her eyes again, letting out a long breath. He kissed the top of her head, and smiled. She smelled like lavender./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""What were you doing out there?" She mumbled, opening one eye. He was too tired to think of an elaborate lie, so he told a white one. He kissed her on the top of her head./p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Business."/p
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p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;""Be careful." She mumbled before letting his hand go and rolling onto her other side. She snuggled her back into his chest and quickly fell asleep again. He lied there, watching the tv on low and thinking. He had made some bold moves and he hoped he could trust Four. He looked over at Victoria, before he laid down and tried his best to get a couple hours of sleep./p
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