Emergent

17. The Answer

It's dark. It's raining. I'm wet.

Only one thing repeats itself in my mind over and over again

What does 3542 mean?

How is it my clue? 3 and 4 were written in bold letters. How am I supposed to find Sam in this huge city when it's raining and it's night time. But these factors will not keep me back. I will find him.

3542

Numbers. Maths. Erudite.

The possibility of my clue meaning Erudite is fair enough. I jump onto the train soaking wet. I feel guilty for not telling anyone, especially Tobias. But here's the fact: If I tell him, either he's going to come with me, leading to Sam's death or he won't let me go, making me lose my only chance to find him.

I observe the landscape— the sky is dark along with constantly striking lightning and thunder. Rain pours down in such force, as if it's in a battle against the surface. Trees fly by as the train moves forward, slowly the dense coverage of the trees reduce to a tree or two and is soon replaced with concrete buildings, some damaged some repaired.

I spot a building. Tallest off all. The glass windows shining the brightest of all. Erudite compound. I jump off and stare at it. Lightning strikes followed by thunder. I stand there and listen to the rhyme of the falling rain. I find peace in the rain, peace in the smell of it.

I take a deep breath and walk towards it. I walk with my foot making water splash out of puddles. I'm close enough to see every single detail inside the compound— people walking around all dressed in blue, each with a book. Everyone busy.

No. He can't be here.

Why would someone hide Sam in such a busy area. Erudite's may be nerds, always into their books, but they're not stupid. They would've definitely noticed. That's when it hits me, Christina told me that this is the new Erudite compound. The old one was destroyed when Jeanine Matthews was killed. Not a single painting not ruptured. Furniture burned and destroyed.

The place is abandoned and from what I've heard Jeanine was a great admirer of Mathematics. Yes, he must be there. The old Erudite compound is a few blocks away from here. I don't waste a minute, I start making my way through the rain, towards my destination.

+++

The old compound is dark from the inside, the windows are broken and pictures shattered. My next step produces a sound, I look down to see I've stepped on a big enough chart paper. I pick it up and stare at the picture. Jeanine Matthews. I know her name. I know her relation with me, but still, I don't know her.

I don't know the feeling of detest against her, I don't know sound of her voice. I don't remember. It's frustrating to see a person and have a burning feeling inside you that you know him/her. It's like the flicker of something at the back of my mind, my mind ready to grab it, but when I'm about to reach it, it slips away.

+++

After searching the whole compound and almost puking at the sight of a serum that looked like blood, I found nothing. Great. My only hope shattered.

The train goes through Amity and it has stopped raining. Candor is definitely not a place for criminals to hide. You're surrounded by lie detectors. Already searched Erudite. Amity is to close to the fence, wouldn't be safe especially with that bread stuff. Already scanned through Abnegation. And Dauntless with me and Four around. . .

Maybe this is a joke.

If it is a joke, it's a sick one. I just sit on the floor with my eyes closed.

3542
3542
3542

I open my eyes and take out the note.

If you're looking for Sam, today's
night is the only night you'll him.
You'll pay with is death if you bring
your party along. Search alone.
Your clue: 3 5 4 2

I hear the sound of music.

Oh my God.

How could I be so stupid! The answer was in front of my eyes all this time!

3 5 4 2
The answer.

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