Inextricable: A Divergent FanFiction (Book Three) ©

Chapter 17

"Drink this."

I eyed the vial of clear liquid Banks had just handed me, giving it a cautious sniff. Had Dan still been with me, instead of off finding Jade per Banks' request, I might've just gone ahead and done what he'd asked without hesitation. Might've been able to quell the stirrings of suspicion I felt.

But he wasn't here, and I couldn't seem to shake off the premonition of danger I felt in the room. Sitting atop Bank's metal desk, which doubled as a sort of examination table, I tried to tell myself that I was over reacting; being paranoid since the confines of his office were rather small.

"What is this?" I held the glass up to the light and gave the contents a swirl, as if that might somehow give me a clue as to what it held.

Untangling a series of wires, Banks began to press various electrodes onto my forehead and then to his own. Working quickly, he then connected them to the dials of a machine behind him.

"A serum," he answered, not once pausing as he continued to type away at his computer.

"What's it for?" I asked when it seemed he wouldn't say more. "What'll it do?"

With a final click of a few keys, he pushed himself away from his desk and came to stand by me. His forehead was furrowed in thought, and I had a sense that he could somehow perceive my feelings of quiet rebelliousness even though I was working hard to subdue them. After a second it seemed that he'd come to a decision.

"Once you drink that, I am going to re-administer your aptitude test. Not the same one you took before, but this years' most current program."

I was speechless as his words sank in, but once I was really able to wrap my head around what I'd heard, I found myself wanting nothing more than to leave the room. More and more, I kept getting the feeling that I was at risk.

But why? I tried to rationalize. Banks saved me, I shouldn't fear him. Get a grip, Stronghold!

"Why would you want to do that? Wouldn't the results just end up being the same?" I asked when I finally found my voice. "Seems pointless. If I got dauntless results before, won't I just get them again?"

He nodded, accepting the logic in my words, but I could see he had more to say. Stroking his chin thoughtfully, he eventually let out a breath and spoke.

"I will be frank with you. I am someone who values knowledge above all else. With the injuries you sustained, and the bout of amnesia you have yet to overcome, I must admit that I am doing this to satisfy my own intellectual curiosity. I want to see if your results would, not only be the same, but if the actions used to attain such an outcome would also remain unchanged."

There were no signs of deception in his voice, his mannerisms, anything. It was that which had me relaxing ever so slightly. I knew, from what Dan had told me, that Banks had indeed transferred from erudite. Perhaps, much like me, he still had the lingering drive of his old faction guiding him in his everyday decisions.

"Okay, I can accept that. But what if–" I began to say before trailing off, an imperceptible shudder running along my spine. Why am I hesitating? I cleared my throat. "What if, for some weird reason, I do happen to get different results? What would happen?"

"I would not worry if I were you." A slow, calculated smile –just as chilling as his unnaturally cold eyes– spread across his lips. "I am certain the results will be the same. This is merely for... confirmation."

I thought about asking more questions, doing anything to buy time, but instead found myself nodding. In a single movement, I tipped the contents of the vial into my mouth. I only just managed to lay my head down on the table before the world went dark, my eyes shutting involuntarily.