The Love and The Lie

Chapter 9

Karen's POV

I lean against the white cell wall. My stomach screams with grumbles. It has probably been hours since my last meal and I long for food.

Out of nowhere the metallic door opens revealing the guard who took me here. Tomas grabs my tired arms and hauls me out through the doorway. Once in the hallway, he stops abruptly and closes the door with a bang following. Tomas continues to drag me to oblivion.

We finally arrive at a door that looks like it would lead to another cell, but I know that the room serves anything but that purpose. The guard leads me inside. Along with a metallic chair with straps, Jeanine stands there filling a syringe with a faint green substance. As I stare, Tomas pushes me forward and sits me into the chair. He binds the black straps of leather around my thin wrists and ankles.

I try to stay calm even though I want to scream. If I keep my formality Jeanine might release me. Lies- Jeanine will never let me go easily. If she happens to, then I might as well be factionless. I sigh and look though greasy hair at my unless specified ex. She hides the serum in a small black case, with padding fit for a syringe. Jeanine turns and looks down upon me with some boredom and superiority. Holding both her hands and the case behind her back, she circles me.

Jeanine observes me for what seems for a while until the door opens and Tomas brings a modern metal chair for Jeanine to settle into. She doesn't settle in at first- Jeanine only continues to walk around me. She clears her throat," I have few questions for you," Jeanine says. I stay silent and look up at her with the most pleading face that I can do. A second long, small smile erupts from her scarlet lips, but she quickly conceals it. Finally, she settles into the other chair and folds one leg over the other.

Suddenly, I feel as if I'm not her prisoner, but instead like we are having a meeting for work. Except Jeanine doesn't have any papers and neither do I. She confidently looks straight at me while I hang my head low. We silently sit still for what seems like forever before Jeanine finally talks. She clears her throat, "What where your aptitude results?"

"Can't you just administrate the aptitude test to me?" I ask.

Jeanine shoots a dangerous look at me. "I will be asking the questions today, Karen," She warns. "Answer the question..." Jeanine says after I don't respond for five seconds.

I sigh. When you are not on Jeanine's level, there is no such thing as negotiation. "Dauntless, Amity, and Erudite," I mutter. Jeanine keeps her gaze on me while deep in thought.

"How have you managed to hide up until now?" Jeanine finally asks after some time.

I decide to not talk back. I just want to get through the interrogation as fast as possible. "I just didn't tell anyone, and tried to act Erudite. I've also managed to just control myself." Jeanine nods.

Jeanine's POV

Karen's answers so far have been genuine. I can tell from how quickly she answers every one of my questions.

I know the answer, but I ask her anyway. "Why did you hide your divergence from me?"

Karen was...calm in her seat but as I ask this, her answer is full of sudden spite.  "Well what do you think?!" She asks angrily at first. Karen's burst of anger soon loses its heat and her eyes water. "When I saw you experimenting and killing all of those Divergents Jeanine, I just couldn't tell you. I was afraid to lose you, our love, and my life." Karen says in her raspy voice, now crying.

My heart aches, but I can't show any sign of sympathy to Karen. In my straight poise, I look down on her to make me look more menacing. "Stop crying," I order. Karen soon muffles her sobs. I look down at the ground. What other questions did I want to ask?

Karen's POV

I look at Jeanine who is deep in thought, and then remember the green serum. My gaze moves to the black case that sits beside Jeanine, and a question suddenly pecks at me. "What does the serum do?" I ask, listening to my scratchy voice.

Hearing the question, Jeanine looks up at me with contempt. "Who in this discussion  asks the questions, Karen?"

I gulp. "You do." Jeanine nods with a small smile.

"Good. Now, are you involved in any anti-Erudite organizations by any chance?"

I spend nearly all of my time with Jeanine. Why would she ask this? "No."

The Erudite leader cocks her head to the side. "Have you known of your divergence since your aptitude test?"

"Yes."

"So you've...kept it from me all this time?"

"Yes."

Jeanine nods and finally gets up from her seat to circle me again. My binds make  my arms ache by now. She doesn't hold her case and keeps her hands locked professionally behind her back.

"Do you still love me? Or do you hate me?" I ask again. It feels like it has been a few days. Maybe by now she has gotten her emotions sorted out. Jeanine stops behind me. I suddenly feel uncomfortable and chills go down my spine. What will she do now? I flinch as Jeanine puts her hands on my shoulders. She squeezes them tight and leans into my face. I can sense her lips next to my cheeks, and for a split second I think that she will kiss me, but she doesn't.

"I do love you Karen. But you have broken too many rules," She whispers into my ear.

"What rules?" I ask.

Jeanine leans away from my face and I soon feel the pressure on my shoulder lift. They hurt now. Jeanine walks away and around me. She doesn't pick up the black case. "I will give you the pleasure of not knowing."

My head spins with possibilities. Why is she torturing me? She knows that I don't like it when I don't know something. Such an Erudite.

"Tomas!" The door opens and he appears. "Take her back to her designated cell," Jeanine says, glancing over at me. Soon the leather straps on me are loosened and I am dragged out of my chair. Jeanine leaves first and my heart throbs as I see her back face me. My life is oblivion; I never know my future or can predict it, and I will never know when the last time I see Jeanine will be.