Rebels

Chapter 33: Faction Before Blood

I lay silently in my bed looking up at my ceiling. The moments of yesterday replaying in my head over and over and over again. Finding Al dead, discovering that Four is Tobias, and the kiss we shared.

A radiant smile tug at my lips at the memory of his lips pressed against mine. My skin tingles and small bumps form at the memory of the electricity that shot through my body during the moment of passion.

And with that memory, I close my eyes and fall into the deep trance of sleep.

***

Tension is high in the ward as Susan, Robert, and I scurry along after Evelyn helping her stitch up a group of Amity who were in a farming accident.

Truthfully the three of us have been at a cross since this morning. Susan had managed to get Robert to talk to her and I'm sure he told her about the humiliating rejection.

But my focus isn't on the hard stares they pass at me whenever they have the chance, I am looking at Evelyn.

I long to go over to her, take her hands in mine, and tell her that her son is alive and safe.

Every day for the past two years I have watched as she slowly broke down becoming more and more of a shell. Back then there was nothing I could have done to help her because I knew nothing. But as time ticked by things have changed. I have spent weeks with her son, I know he is alive and safe but I can't tell her anything. I would be putting the underground city and all of its inhabitants at risk of exposure and possible death by those who wish them harm.

So I sit at my assigned station drowning under the weight of my knowledge and continue with the work ahead of me.

"Have you heard anything new?" I hear my mother ask Evelyn.

I watch as Evelyn sighs and shakes her head. Tears well up in her eyes and my mother gently pats her back.

"I think Marcus is right I think he is dead." She says the last word in a hushed tone as if she is too scared to say it aloud.

No, he is alive he is okay!

"You can't think that way Evelyn you have to keep up hope." My mother said.

She sounds sincere but I know my mother all too well. I can see by the way her brow furrows and the slight twitch with her lips that not even she believes the words she is saying.

"I just can't anymore Nat. I just can't."

Please don't give up he will come back to you. One day. One day.

Words I wish I could say but can't. Not because of the risk but because deep down I know a small part of me doesn't believe it. 

***

As soon as the day came to a close I dressed in my Dauntless black and raced to the train. Not to see Tobias or my friends back in Dauntless. The thought of missing family turned my thoughts to Caleb and I know I need to see him.

So I am riding the train to Erudite headquarters where I can only hope that the brother I knew is still there.

As the train rattles near the headquarters, I jump off and jog into the building.

I get a few odd looks from passers but I block them from my mind and continue on my mission.

I stop when I see the familiar mop of brown hair. He turns around and stops in shock when he sees me.

Slowly he approaches me his eyes looking me up and down trying to figure out why I am wearing Dauntless black instead of Abnegation grey.

I look up at him. He looks like my brother but his long grey slacks have been replaced by a neat blue suit and his hair is cut neatly. He looks so formal.

"Beatrice." He whispers only loud enough for me to hear.

"Hey, Caleb." I nervously smile.

He grabs my upper arm and drags me to a more private area away from prying eyes.

"What are you doing here Beatrice and why are you wearing those clothes?" He hisses at me.

I stand back shocked at how he spoke to me. As much as I want to hit him for his tone I hold myself back.

"I missed you and wanted to see how you were. I heard that Erudite isn't allowing Abnegation members into their headquarters so I got these clothes and just came here."

He looks down at me in silence for a few seconds. Trying to wrap his head around what I have just done.

He shakes his head.

"Beatrice you have to leave now."

"I miss you Caleb, mom, dad, Robert and Susan we all miss you and I just wanted you to know that."

"I'm serious Beatrice leave now before security comes and drags you out."

"You know the least you can say is you miss us too." I scoff.

"Beatrice I do miss you guys and I appreciate you coming here to see me. I just have very important work to get back to and I just don't have time to talk with you."

I can't believe that the person standing in front of me is real. The old Caleb would stop whatever he was doing for his family but this new Caleb is so different.

"What work could be more important than talking to your sister who you haven't seen in nearly a month?" I hiss at him.

"Jeanine herself has asked me to help her gather support to help Erudite take over Abnagtion's leadership position in the government." A small twinkle of excitement is shining in his eyes as he told me this. He is excited about this.

"Take over the government. Caleb, do you hear how insane that sounds?"

"Beatrice it's all for the best. Abnegation has broken so many rules and this city is failing under their rule. They need to be stopped."

Tears well up in my eyes as I look up at the young man who looks like my brother but most certainly isn't the brother I knew.

"Caleb these people here are brainwashing you. Do you even hear how you are speaking about the faction where your family lives? Where you came from?"

He looks at me in total silence.

"Faction before blood." He said.

The saying we are all taught from a young age. I knew it could do damage but never like this.

I wiped a lone tear that broke out of my eyes and is rolling down my cheek.

"Well, then I hope this faction is worth letting go of your family."

I didn't want to hear anything this brainwashed done had to say. So I turn on my heels and leave.