Emergent

Chapter 17

Tobias' POV

After walking around for a while, Noah and I return to camp.

The red glow of an early sun begins to creep over the dark sky, and finally I lie down beside a sleeping Tris just moments before Lynn begins to stir. Her small fidgety yawns and movements wake up her sister, Emily, and soon everyone begins to wake.

"Just let me sleep for six more hours.", Uriah wails as the tiny hands of Lynn shake his shoulder, "Someone control this kid!". Finally, he sits up, eyes red, and the most annoyed look crossing his face.

I smirk, remembering how Natalia used to wake me up when she was a young child. Then, remembering Natalia, my smile becomes a hardened line.

"Let's go everyone!", I command, "The earlier we leave, the better chance we have of finding her.".

I feel a familiar hand on my back, and a mess of blond hair fall over my shoulder as Tris' head lays upon me.

"Good morning Tobias.", she whispers in my ear.

"Good morning Tris.", I whisper back.

She smiles and rubs the sleep from her brilliant light eyes.

"Where were you last night?", she questions quietly.

Looking over our group sleepily pack up, I lay my eyes upon the only still resting body, Noah.

"Just, taking your advice. Giving someone a chance."

"You mean to tell me that you admit I am right about something?", she plays.

"Maybe just this once.", I can feel my smile return as I sit with Tris on the edge of the truck bed, I pull her closer, and gently bring my warm lips down to hers.

Suddenly, she brakes off from our embrace. "Tobias.", she looks up at me with wide eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"I think the baby kicked."

I smirk and lay my hand upon Tris' bulging stomach.

"You can't let your mom and dad have a little fun, can you?"

Tris laughs, and I go into to kiss her again. Just as my lips begin to brush hers, a voice breaks us apart.

"Ummmm....,", Zeke starts, "sorry to, you know, interrupt, but we need to have a group discussion.".

"Why?", I ask, "We know which way we are headed.".

"Well, that's the thing,", Zeke shifts uncomfortably, his hand rubbing the back of his neck, "some of us, well, we think we should stop looking.".

My muscles tense up, and I can feel my tattoos pulse against my rough skin. Through gritted teeth I command Zeke to round up the group.
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Arms crossed, eyes glaring, I face the group.

Silently, they look at each other, as though daring one another to speak first.

After jumping off trains, facing near death on a constant basis, even taking down an entire government, they can't bare to face me, Four.

"We are tired.", Christina speaks up.

"We are hungry.", Zeke states.

"We can't keep going on like this.", Keri says.

Soon, others join in the uprising, complaining about their needs.

"Stop.", I command, and all at once the group silences.

"You don't think I knew that you are struggling?" My voice is calm, controlled, "You don't believe that I feel this way too?", my voice now shakes slightly, "Do you all honestly assume that I enjoy watching the hope of my daughter slip away, that I am happy to the pain in my wife's eyes?", my voice drops to a near whisper now, "Do you think I don't know that searching for her is hopeless?".

"Four?", I hear a disappointed voice say.

"Noah, wait!" I hear another voice, Christina, yell after her son, the only one left with some hope, run off into the woods.

"We will search for a camp, a permanent camp. Come on everyone, in the trucks.", Zeke claps his hands together.

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