Mother's Daughter - Divergent

Chapter Ten

Timelapse: Now Six is into the second stage of her Dauntless training and has been going through her fear landscape around 4-5 times already.

***

Here I sit outside the fear landscape room once again. Four and I got here earlier than everyone else I mean, not even Amar is here yet. 

My knee bobs up and down intentionally so I can shake off the nerves. If there is one thing I take away from my Dauntless training it is that you have to put on a front and you must not allow someone to make out that you're venerable.

"You guys are here early. We'll wait for the others and get started then." He says whilst entering the key code to get into the fear landscape room. Once he shuts the door, we are left in silence again.

As the time nears fifteen minutes past ten, Amar begins our session for today.

***

I look around me and realise that I'm standing in the midst of a Candor trial. Around me is everyone from Candor, staring at me. This is my fourth fear. 

Jack Kang stands on the small stage in front of me. A member of Candor walks over to me and injects me with a serum. One would assume this is the truth serum.

"May the truth set you free." Jack Kang announces whilst the rest of his faction repeats like mindless drones.

Soon enough the serum takes effect on me somehow this all feels too different and I feel my heart rate begin to increase slightly. Is my fear truth or the truth serum? I hope not.

"The trial is now in session. May you state your name." Jack Kang declares.

"Jen Matthews." I feel the words tumble right out of my mouth like it was effortless, to be honest. This is the truth serum after all.

"You Ms Matthews, are here on the accusation that you are the one that has been provoking the Abnegation. The question I ask you is, are any of the reports you have been accused of writing actually true?" Jack asks. 

I stand there with a puzzled yet powerless look on my face. My eyes shift to the left of Jack Kang and I see my mother, the one and only Jeanine Matthews, stood there with her arms folded and a manipulative smile spread on her face. 

I urge myself to say no but my mother's eyes start to look like those of a whimpering dog and are pleading me to cover up her mistakes for her. Tears fall down my face as I scream in pain. The serum won't let me admit my own truth. That is my fear, being framed for my mother's evil doings.

The pain coursing throughout my veins and body intensifies the longer I resist my mother's truth. 

"The more you resist the truth Ms Matthews, the more pain it will cause you," Jack says in a softer tone than before.

After long enough, I scream out loud and use all my power. "No! It was Jeanine Matthews."

Jeanine looks over to me as I wipe my tears away in pure terror.

Jack Kang looks over to her whilst the room falls into a look of horror yet shock.

"I see." Jack says with his head down.

"Jen Matthews you are absolved of guilt on powering the Abnegations downfall. However, Jeanine Matthews, you will stand trial as you are now accused of guilt on powering the Abnegations downfall instead." Jack Kang concludes my Candor trial.

Everything turns black. I find then myself back in the fear landscape room with the usual racing heart and labored breathing.

"Thought I recognized you from somewhere. You alright kid?" Amar asks after pressing save for my data.

"Yeah, I'm alright. How long was I in there for?" He looks at me and just glares.

"5 minutes. Not as fast as the other ones but I think that's because this fear was more personal for you." I can't help but notice he replied in a sorrowful tone.

It takes a few minutes to calm my breathing as well as my heart rate, just like any time I'm being put through the fear landscape.

"Can I leave now?" I ask. I need to escape this, it's all too much for me. My mind feels like a volcano has just erupted and that all I can see is the lie I'm trying to tell, here at Dauntless. Amar nods and opens the door for me. 

I make my way out of the fear landscape room and notice that all the initiates are dead silent. As I bring up my head just a little more I see Max and a few other members of Dauntless Leadership. There's an Erudite woman stood next to them, folder in hand. It's Jeanine. 

"You finished there Initiate?" Max questions. He seems like he's in a rush to go somewhere. But where is he wanting to go?

"Yes, sir." I choke out. My mother being here has made me feel extremely tense. Just like back in Erudite. 

Max furrows his eyebrows, giving me this questionable look. The Dauntless doesn't say, Ma'am and Sir. Oh no. That explains the look that he is carrying.

Jeanine gives a long glance at my face, with no emotion. She purses her lips harshly and then turns to glare at Four instead. Had she not told Max about me yet? Better yet, what on earth is she doing here at Dauntless?

"I recognize you. It's Tobias isn't it?" Jeanine says, a smile planted on her face. She seems intentionally sweet. 

"Actually, I prefer Four." Four says, a little on edge as his shoulders begin to tense up. 

"That's okay, Four. You made a bold choice at the choosing ceremony this year. You are the only transfer they have had. Did you know that?" Jeanine declares to him. By them, she means the Abnegation. They are similar to Amity in that not many people who are born in their factions transfer. From what I have read, it is mostly to do with their upbringings and how strong they are to maintain. 

"Well, after you then Four. I'm here to overwatch your fear simulation today." She says as a kind gesture. Why is she watching him?

"Why? Why are you watching me in the simulation?" Four questions her. He seems suspicious and I am too.

"Dauntless Leadership have contacted me. There have been a few odd results, coming from your fear landscapes in particular. It's my factions job to make sure they are working correctly. Do you understand?" Her tone becomes more serious. Four nods.

After negotiating with Amar, Four and Jeanine walk on into the fear landscape room. 

I take a slow walk back to the dormitory, unsure of what to do or feel. My mother is at Dauntless and not just to watch some fear landscape. She's here for something else. I know she wouldn't come here to fix a simulation. She normally has one of her colleges do that for her, then send the report to her afterward. Whatever this is, it's bad.