Inferno

Chapter 19: WCKD Is Good

To say that Bellamy felt uncomfortable with a one-on-one meeting with the leader of the Bureau would have been a gross understatement. Finding herself standing there and wishing that Four was with her, she stared down David.

David was a nice enough man, with graying hair and a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. The blonde teenager with dark eyes though, she unnerved him in a way that he couldn't quite describe.

"I can't imagine why you'd want to meet with me," Bellamy said, gaze narrowed. "I'm no hero. Not like Tris or Four."

David smiled wryly. "Bellamy, can I call you that?"

"Sure." She answered shortly.

"Bellamy, you're right. You're different than Tris or Four. Tris has already agreed to help me in whatever way she can. But you're special too."

"I've been told I'm special. In reference to my violent tendencies." Bellamy deadpanned. Her eyes flicked around at this pure white office. It was just as unnerving as her gaze sometimes was.

David gave a light laugh, although he sounded like it was forced. "Well the fact of the matter is that yes, you're a Divergent. 94%. You're also an Immune."

Bellamy's gaze flickered with confusion and curiosity. "Immune?"

"Yes, you are Immune. I take it that you paid attention during the orientation with your friends?" David questioned.

"More or less," Bellamy admitted, somewhat unabashedly. Her attention span had never been too good to begin with.

"The Flare is what we call the disease. Here in the Bureau, we are cut off from the outside world. Unable to contract it. But the world has been ravaged by it. Less than 1% of the population have immunity and it's usually found in younger bodies with enzymes that have evolved. You are in that population."

"Well that's nice, I guess." Bellamy deadpanned. "But what the hell does that mean?"

"It means, Miss Coin‚"

"Coin?" Bellamy asked, eyes wide.

"Oh yes. You were born here. Your mother, Alma Coin, is a member of the council for WCKD. She is part of an entirely separate experiment. You didn't know?" He asked, a sympathetic look mocking on his face.

"My mother—is alive?" Bellamy choked out, thoughts going a million miles a minute.

"Oh yes, very. One of our leading sources." David continued. "And your father too—"

Bellamy felt like she was being shoved underwater. "Father?" She managed to grit out.

"When you were born and it was discovered that you had Immunity, you were sent away from the other Immune Children. Rather than take place in the Maze Trials like the others, we wanted to see if being in Dauntless would cultivate those same enzymes under stress—"

"So what, I was put in Dauntless with that psychopath—"

"You misunderstand," David said in a soothing tone. "He was one of our agents and we sincerely apologize for the trauma he caused you. That particular point wasn't part of our experiment—"

Bellamy wanted to scream, cry, punch, throw up, and murder this man all at the same time. If that was possible. And not necessarily in that order.

"Do they—know—"

"Oh yes, they've watched our experiment for years. Always checking in on you. You're quite the resilient young lady." David stated, leaning back in his chair. "Which is where we need your help."

Bellamy stumbled backwards into a chair, almost completely unable to form a coherent thought. "My help?" She asked, eyes wide.

"I can tell that this is a lot for you to take in. But if you accept the invitation, you will be at the forefront of curing the world," David continued speaking quickly. "Thousands of people could be saved and humanity could be cured. Thanks to your help."

"What—what would I be doing?"

"Entering the Maze Trials of course—"

But Bellamy's mind was already ahead of him. If the enzyme created faster under stress, that meant that the Maze Trials had to be similar to what she'd already experienced. It couldn't be good for her.

Screw the world, it wasn't her responsibility. And she didn't want it.

But David wasn't slowing down. "Just think, Bellamy. You and Tris would be the saviors of the new world. And assuming you survive the trials, you'd finally be able to meet your parents and have a real family—"

"I'm not interested." Bellamy said in a firm tone.

All at once, David's easygoing demeanor seemed to slip. "I'm sorry?" He asked, confusion flitting onto his face.

"I don't care." Bellamy continued, face contorting. "The world—it's not my responsibility. I don't want to do it."

"Now Bellamy, I'm sure that we can—"

She was on her feet in seconds. "No, I mean it. I want to see Tris, I want to see Four—"

David gave a slow nod, getting to his feet. He stared at her for a moment. "Of course. I understand how distressing this all is. I'm very sorry in advance."

Bellamy should have seen it coming. Should have known about it in hindsight. But she didn't. Not until the needle was being jabbed into her neck and she was screaming bloody murder, sedation running through her veins.

Not until she was being loaded onto an aircraft and David was watching the unconscious girl. Turning to his Holopad, he found Ava Paige waiting for him onscreen. "That was faster than I thought," Ava remarked.

"She didn't exactly go willingly."

Ava Paige just let out a deep sigh. "Naturally, the little brat wouldn't. We watched the Chicago trials. She's the outlier."

"But I truly believe she can be of use. And so do her parents, I'm sure."

Ava scoffed. "And what will you tell your precious little saviors?"

David just shook his head. "She willingly went off to help the world. She's a bleeding heart anyway. Will you be conducting the memory wipe?"

"It's the first thing on our priority list here. I just hope that Alma was right about her. And that she can actually progress things." Ava Paige said. "And remember—"

"Wicked is good."

With that, David signed off.