Variance [A Percy Jackson/Divergent Crossover]

Chapter 14

Jason's P.O.V.

Today is the day I'll be injected with truth serum and spill my secrets.

It's not like I can completely evade their questions. I have to answer them. But maybe I can only give them part of the truth.

The room is dark and silent. A spotlight is focused on a girl with tears streaming down her face. She's been forced to tell everyone that her mother had died of cancer and her father had never loved her. I can't imagine how that must feel.

"Thank you for your honesty," says Jack Kang, a representative of Candor. The assembled crowd repeats the line, and the girl walks to her seat, her sobs echoing throughout the room.

"Jason Grace," Jack says. "We are going to inject you with truth serum. Do we have your consent?"

"Yes," I reply, fighting to keep the fear out of my voice. They will probe me for questions. I will have to answer them.

But Romans don't lie, and they certainly don't back down. I square my shoulders and let him give me the shot. I barely register the pain. I'm too focused on my task.

I sit in the chair, the light overhead blinding me. Jack Kang circles around me, hands folded behind his back.

"What faction are you from?" Jack asks.

"Abnegation." The word slips out of my mouth as if on instinct. I shudder, and sweat breaks out on my forehead.

"Any siblings?"

"T-Thalia. Thalia Grace."

"Any parents?"

"I know of a mother. Beryl Grace." I tried to keep myself from blurting "Jupiter!" on accident.

"What of your father?"

"I barely know him," I say, which isn't a lie. "He left my mother."

"How does your mother feel about that?" These questions were too personal-too painful.

"She's...deceased."

"Ah. Any friends you knew in Abnegation?"

"Percy, Annabeth, Leo, Hazel, Frank, Piper, Nico."

"Do you have any regrets?"

"My-my girlfriend. Piper. She joined Amity."

Jack nods, and the interrogation seems to be over. "Thank you for your honesty," he says, and everyone echoes the phrase.

My heart patters. I'd narrowly avoided telling them my greatest secret.

Frank's P.O.V.

After five days of being in the dark, I finally have some answers.

Marcus' son, Tobias, broke away from Abnegation and joined Dauntless after tolerating abuse from his father. Other Abnegation claimed he just didn't like Abnegation, but I knew the truth. And I'd gotten it from a special source.

Last night, Hazel and I had been sent to the outskirts of the city to give the factionless a new batch of canned goods and supplies. Normally, the entire group would do this. But this time, it was just us. And I found out why.

The 'leader' of the factionless had wanted to see us in private. 

She told us her name was Evelyn Johnson, and that she knew Hazel and I had friends in Dauntless. She said that the Dauntless never stopped to talk to her factionless, as they didn't care much about them. The only faction that bothered was Abnegation. But she claimed that her group was twice the size of Dauntless, and that she was planning to take down Erudite. But first, she had personal matters to attend to.

Evelyn wanted us to contact our friends in Dauntless and tell them to spy on her son, Tobias, and, by communicating through us, report back to her. I questioned this, and she spilled her life story.

She was the former wife of Marcus Eaton, and once a member of Abnegation. But Marcus had abused her and her young son, Tobias. Evelyn couldn't take it any longer. She faked her death and fled her home, and became the leader of the factionless. 

I understood her problem. She cared about her son, and she wanted to see how he was doing. Hazel and I decided to trust her.

I hope we didn't make a huge mistake.

Annabeth's P.O.V.

I feel like one of the initiates is on to me.

Caleb Prior follows me everywhere, listens in on all of my conversations. At first I thought he was just stalking me because he liked me, but I'm having second thoughts now.

What if he's gathering information?

I store these thoughts deep inside my mind. I have bigger things to worry about.

Like why Jeanine Matthews requested my presence in her office.

I sit across from her, behind a large glass desk. Her eyes are as calculating as mine.

"Ms. Chase, do you know why I've asked you to come here?"

"I'm not sure," I respond, searching for any trace of emotion in her eyes. I find none.

"Your levels of intelligence are spectacular. You and I could discover every secret there is to find, my dear."

"You want me to become your personal assistant," I sum up.

"Yes, with your permission. We could remake the world, you and I. You could redesign the city, however you'd like. You could make Chicago something to be proud of."

I hesitate. "...No."

Her eyes twinkle dangerously. "Ah, you might want to reconsider. You don't get this offer everyday, Ms. Chase."

"No," I say firmly. "I'm sorry, Ms. Matthews. I can't. I'd rather remain your pupil."

She looks truly disappointed. "My offer still stands, regardless of your refusal. You are dismissed."

I leave the office, and my heart feels heavy.

I almost said yes.