Cold Hard Courage

[8] - Faithful

[Zeke Pedrad]

I think back to what Four asked. If he's scared that Tris will be unfaithful, what about Shauna? Will she be unfaithful? In all honesty, if they never find us, I hope that she finds someone who can marry her and love her and make a family with her like she's always wanted. I hope that she doesn't stay hung up over me, mourning me until she dies of a broken heart. But am i giving myself too much credit even saying that? I don't think so. I hope not.

" What about Graham? What am I going to do if I never get to watch my son grow up? " Four asks. " What if he joins small fry football and I don't get to go to his first game where he sucks but has the most fun he's ever had? What if I miss that kind of stuff? "

I shake my head.

" I will make sure that you get out of here alive, Four. You have a family out there who needs you. I will make sure that you get out of here. I promise. " I say.

He shakes his head.

" Don't do that. " He says. " I can't do that to you. If I'm leaving, you're leaving too. That's the way it goes. "

I sigh.

" Sorry. I guess I'm just kinda sad about being stuck in a warehouse without my Fiancée and brother. I always thought about coming here and just seeing what this place was like... This is definitely not how I planned on doing that. " I say.

Four chuckles.

" Well, did it live up to your expectations? " Four asks.

I shrug.

" You know... Not really. I imagined it more like one of those crazy evil layers from Batman or some dumb shit like that. "  say.

He laughs.

[Nita Rogers]

I drive to Shauna's office, eager to show her the findings from last weeks work. It was extremely difficult to get this information but with Matthew's help, I got it. I park and climb. I hold the folder regarding the information on Peter's shirt. The blood on that shirt wasn't his. In fact, the most suspicious thing was that it was Tobias Eaton's. A man whose supposedly been dead for nearly a month now if we include the findings from the car. Yet, this blood, if I did my math correctly, is only a week old. It was two days old when I got to the shirt. I enter the precinct, holding the folder tightly to my body. I start to walk towards Shauna's desk but someone stops me.

" Woah there, Miss. I'm gonna need some identification before I can let you through. " He says.

I spin around, looking at him. Peter. Shit. Keep calm. He can't do anything to you.

" I'm Crime Scene Investor Nita Rogers. I'm here to see Shauna Wilks. " I say.

He shakes his head.

" Ah, I'm afraid she just left for lunch. " He says. " You'll have to come back later. "

I shake my head.

" Actually, I just confirmed that she's here. " I say, tightening my grip on the document.

If he gets this document and finds out what's going on, my life could be on the line.

" I really must speak to her. " I say. " It's extremely important. "

He looks at my hand.

" What's that folder? " He asks. " You seem to be very fond of it. "

I shrug.

" It's nothing. Just some important notes I've been carrying with me. " I say.

He cocks an eyebrow.

" May I see them? " He asks. " I'm very interested in them. "

Holy shit. This is bad. I shake my head.

" No. " I state. " They're classified. "

He crosses his arms.

" Then why do you carry them around so nonchalantly? " He asks.

I glare, straightening up. I can't fear him like he wants me to. It'd only give him the power he desires.

" Look, Jackass, I didn't come to talk to you about my personal belongings. I came to speak with Shauna Wilks. So let me through before I curb stomp your ass. " I say.

He steps out of the way and I walk past him without further incident. I approach Shauna's desk, spotting her. He lied. Why was he lying to me?

" Shauna, I've got those records you requested. " I say, trying to remain calm.

She smiles.

" Awesome, thanks! " She says.

I look at my watch.

" I really should head home now. But we can discuss them on the way to my car. " I say, giving her the signal that Peter's nearby.

She nods.

" I'm gonna head home too. " She says, receiving the signal.

She stands, turning off her computer. We walk side by side leaving. We get to her car and climb in. She locks the door and starts the car. She cocks an eyebrow.

" What's going on? " She asks.

I sigh out a shaky breath.

" Peter stopped me on my way into the Precinct. He wanted to see my documents. " I say.

She cocks an eyebrow.

" What? " She asks, sounding panicked.

I shake my head.

" It's like he knows what we're doing. " I say.

She groans.

" What's the news on that shirt? " She asks as we drive to Tris.

I open the file.

" Your suspicions were true. " I say. " The blood on his shirt wasn't from a bloody nose. In fact, it wasn't even his. "

She cocks an eyebrow.

" Then whose was it? " She asks.

I look over at her.

" Four's. " I say. " But it's only week-old blood. "

Her eyes grow wide.

" What? " She asks. " His funeral was over a week ago meaning that he was dead for almost a week before the funeral at least! "

I nod.

" Exactly. That means two things. Tobias is alive and Peter knows where he is. " I say.

I've got a plan for tonight, Four. I don't think you're gonna like it.
What does your plan entail, Peter?
Well, I think you'll figure that out later tonight.
What are you gonna do?
Ah, ah, ah. That'll ruin the fun of the game.