Those Five Words

12.

Chapter 12

MARCUS POV

I wake up and find myself still in the hospital room with this stupid hospital gown on. I need to find a way out of this place. I don't even know how long I have been here or why I am here. I press the call button next to my bed. I know I need to keep calm this time or they may try to sedate me again. I better start trying to act like the Abnegation leader that they all think I am.

"Ah Mr Eaton you're awake," says the all too cheery nurse. "I'll just go and get the doctor for you."

I sit here waiting for the doctor to arrive. They don't do anything in a hurry here I see. It has been a good ten minutes before the doctor finally pops his head in. And Jeanine is here again. What is she doing here? Better put my do gooder face on and pretend I am grateful for their help.

"Good morning Mr Eaton I'm Doctor Adams," he says. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"I am feeling well. How are you feeling?" I say. Trying to remember that I am supposed to try to deflect the attention from me. Which is just a load of crap. I just want to ask why I am here and when can I get out.

"Well your test results have come back clear. You gave everyone a bit of a scare at the Choosing Ceremony yesterday. Now it seems you have only had a fainting episode. Now this can be brought on by such things as an unpleasant sight, heat or even sudden pain. When this happens it can temporarily cause the autonomic nervous system to stop working properly. That can result in a fall in your blood pressure and I believe that is why you fainted."

"So your blood pressure seems to be back to normal now, so I will get the documents in order and you will be released within the hour," Doctor Adams tells me. "Now do you have anyone who can take you home?"

"I can see to that," Jeanine says.

"Okay then. If you have any further troubles Mr Eaton please make sure you come back in. It might be a good idea to see your own doctor in a few days time, just for a check up, especially your blood pressure," Doctor Adams says. Both the doctor and nurse leave the room and now I am just stuck with Jeanine.

"What do you want?" I ask Jeanine. I can't stand this woman and I'm not about to play nice with her. Especially when I am lying here half naked in this ridiculous gown.

"Now, now Marcus. You had a lot of people worried yesterday. I need to make sure that Abnegation can still run our government," Jeanine says.

"Rubbish you don't care about me. And you know the government will be fine without me there for a few days. So what do you really want?"

"I am interested in what caused you to faint yesterday Marcus. From where I was sitting you seemed rather distressed when that Dauntless boy was choosing," Jeanine says.

I can tell she knows a lot more than she is letting on. Do I let her know who I think he is? I know I can't trust her; I may as well be doing a deal with the devil. But I need answers. If that was my son then I need to know. Jeanine may well be the only person who can help me. She is more cunning than even the best lawyers they have over at Candor. Maybe she can help me to get to the truth.

"I am sure he is Tobias," I say. I know I am going to regret this but I have to find out the truth. I need to know the truth.

"Marcus, Tobias is dead. Why would you think that boy was him? I think you should have stayed home yesterday, I think that the fact it would have been his choosing day has clouded your judgement."

"You're wrong Jeanine. Did you see him? He has my eyes, Evelyn's facial features. I am telling you it is him. That boy is my Tobias," I say. I hate talking to this woman about this, but I don't have a choice. I am going to need help.

"Say it is him Marcus, what can you do about it anyway? He chose Dauntless. Faction before blood Marcus, have you forgotten this? He is gone there is nothing you can do about it."

"There has to be a way I can find out the truth, there has to be. I need to know. I need the chance to." I stop what I am saying I can't let her know what I am thinking. I can't let her know that I need the chance to beat the living shit out of him for leaving me. I need her to think that I love the boy and want a relationship with him. That I want to find his mother if she is still alive and wring her bloody neck.

"Well Marcus there may be a way in which you can help me and then I may be able to help you to find the truth," Jeanine says with a smirk on her face. I knew she would want something, she knew all along what I was thinking. She heard me mention his name just before I fainted yesterday. I have been stupid; I have played straight into her hands. I hate this woman.

"What do you want Jeanine?"

"What I would really like is for Abnegation to hand control over of the government over to Erudite," she says.

"That will never happen, I may be the leader but I don't have that kind of power," I say. Although I want that kind of power. I want to be able to rule this city, not with the Abnegation but just me as the leader of everyone. Have complete control. I can't let her know that it is the complete control that I want. But I also know I can't bargain with her over it either. I would never have someone like Jeanine running our city. That would be catastrophic for everyone.

"I didn't think so, but I had to put it out there. What I would like is to know which of your members are Divergent Marcus. I need information and I may need to borrow I few of them for testing," she says.

Is she kidding? "Why do you need this information Jeanine? What benefit is it? And what the hell do you mean by testing?"

"Marcus it is for the safety of our city. The divergent are dangerous. We need to study them and make sure that if there is ever any trouble we can control them," she says.

"I don't think so Jeanine," I say. I'm divergent, there is no way I am going to let her test me. There is no way I will ever let her know that I'm what she is looking for.

"Well Marcus you know where you can find me if you change your mind. I am sure I can find out what you are looking for. You do know we have tests that can give you the answers you are seeking," she says. Then she just walks out the door.

This has left me with a lot to think about. Can she really help me? Is it worth harming other people so that I get the answers that I am looking for? I need time to think all of this through. I need to try and get some answers myself. As leader of Abnegation I should be able to get the answers myself. I shouldn't have to use Jeanine. Although I think that if I can't get what I want I may just have to play along with Jeanine.