Rediscovered Love

Chapter 10

Karen's POV

"You're back?" I ask. Jeanine was only gone for an hour or two, or at least it seemed that way. She grins at me. I know that look. It says she found something out, but information comes at a price. "Please don't tell me you didn't—"

"Then I won't tell you that, but he is divergent. We can use him for our research. Karen, this is wonderful! Now, I can use him as a primary subject, and do menial studies on you." The white box I'm in suddenly twists into a white sphere. The corners collapse into one another and my head feels light. No. This can't be happening to Jake. Except it is. Nothing I do will change that, unless I can get ahead of Jeanine. She continues. "I also interrogated him," She starts with excitement. I know what it's like to be questioned by Jeanine. I can't imagine it could have been any better in Jake's case. "Karen, he was in a relationship with Elizabeth! But she was in Candor and he was in Amity. So, Elizabeth chose Erudite to avoid confrontation in her birth-faction. He stayed in Amity." I nod to confirm that he was in Amity.

Jeanine goes on, too engrossed in the spur of her moment. "I would imagine he stayed in Amity, knowing she chose Erudite in an effort to be together as our faction works with Amity." Her eyes twinkle. This information will mull around in her mind and be taken apart and put back together and be taken apart. It will be digested until it can't be anymore. At the end of it, Jeanine's computer mindset will use everything it can about that information to use it to her advantage. That's how Jeanine works. That's why I adore her.

"We can use this to flush Elizabeth out." I only want to state the obvious, so it won't come back at me later.

"Precisely!" Jeanine breathes. "However, we still need to plan ahead. This cannot fall apart."

"You should manipulate him." Jeanine furrows her eyebrows as she leans against the wall. After some time, the whole of her brightens. I love being the circuit to lighting the bulb in her head. She looks down, taking apart everything that makes me too. The steel in her eyes is so warm though, I don't care that it could still burn me. It has built me up to where I am now, and where I will be in the future.

We gaze into each other for a long time before my love snaps into attention. She checks the gleaming silver watch I gave her for our anniversary years ago. Her eyes dart between me and the door. The steel slowly hardens again. "I have to go, but Karen," She looks into my eyes one last time, "I will fix this." With that, she swings my cell door open. I forgot it was there in my anxiety. I blink and all I see is blue flash left in my window.

Jeanine's POV

I know what I must to do to eradicate Elizabeth.

When I reach my office, she sits by her desk. It's piled with paperwork. I gave it all to distract her. Elizabeth glances up at me, fixes her glasses, and asks, "Is there anything you need, Jeanine?"

"I actually do need something Elizabeth." She opens a file containing notes, failing to recognize the sarcasm in my tone. "I need to you learn that you cannot be on a first-name basis with me. She bites her lip, but I could care less. I start towards my office door to make an important phone call. Flushing her out will be quick and easy now.

Perched on my desk, I look at clock ticking away as it hangs on my wall. I want to see how long it will be before Elizabeth will react to what will happen. In five minutes, a desperate scramble sounds outside my door. Shrieks and threats rise above the scuffling of boots and quick taps of heels.

"Je- Ms. Matthews!" A desperate voice says. "Ms. Matthews, please!" Now's my cue. I slide off the table and make my way to the door, opening it to see Elizabeth in a swamp of guards. She stares at me with the same pleading eyes as her lover. It's a shame she won't join him in my study. Perhaps I should give her that opportunity. Then again, it's not like she would ever see him to the least.

"You are under arrest, for the violation of faction law!" The guard on the far right tells her. Elizabeth's face contorts into surprise.

"What?" She breathes to fake disbelief to the guard who made the announcement. She turns to me. "Ms. Matthews!" She cries, emphasizing the title. "Jeanine. Jeanine. Please, I'm sorry!" She begs quicker and faster with each second, proving desperation. Tears that have been hidden for years pour out of her eyes like released river water that's been held back by a dam. Her arms fling, hitting the two guards holding her. She breaks free from them, and lunges at me. Her arms wrap themselves around my waist, and she kneels on the floor like a desperate, spoiled child who didn't get their way. How dare she! Not even Karen got this out of hand. The two guards quickly pull her off, and carry her to the cell I assigned.

I look down at my clothes. Elizabeth smeared her tears on my lap. I'll have to change my skirt. I glance up again to see if everyone has left. One guard stays behind. He looks young and might have just initiated this year. His eyes are wide with concern.

I turn to him. "Make sure no one enters this office or disturbs me," I order before swiftly rushing away like water down a mountain.

Inside the apartment I solely occupy, I slip my dress off. It falls to the floor and I gaze into my bedroom mirror. I imagine a red-faced Karen, seeing by body exposed after so long. She is like a nun and was very sheepish whenever we, as Shakespeare would have said, did the "beast with two backs". Picking out a clean blue suit, I change into it in a hurry. I need to return to the situation I created only twenty minutes ago. Hurrying to the cell I assigned Elizabeth to, I pass by Karen's cell. I peek into the window, the only source of knowledge of the rest of the world from Karen's perspective. Her eyes catch mine. Her incarceration has dulled them. "I will get you out", I mouth to her. The ends of Karen's lips only rise slightly. I don't notice the pressure of pressing my lips together until I've turned to head towards Elizabeth's cell.

~~~~~

Elizabeth sits on the floor in defeat, staring at the wall in front of her with apathy. I can't say I feel anything for her. Like many others, her eyes meet mine as I open the door and step inside. I cross my arms, observing the irrational fear radiating from her. Elizabeth rubs her hands on her lap. Her breaths are shudders, and her eyes are red. I lean against the wall. "Will I get a trial?" She asks. Her voice is suddenly as soft as a light wind. I have seen many people lose their confidence with a sudden change in environment like this.

"It will not be a Candor trial."

"I know." Elizabeth can't handle looking into my eyes, and hers shift to the floor. "Thank you, Jea—Ms. Matthews," She says with exhaustion evident in her tone. I turn away to open the door, and she comes at me again. Her hands fly at my waist, but I move aside and they fall to the floor. She backs away and recomposes herself. "What am I being tried for?"

"All in good time." I turn to the door and her voice blows towards me again.

"Please don't kill me," She begs, once again like so many others.

I turn to her. "You should have considered that before you made your decision."