Allegiant (Continuation)

Chapter 27

(Tris's POV)

I pack only the essentials. If I am to find Tobias and rescue him, I can't waist time on carrying around a heavy bag.

Natalia is silent as she packs. Her eyes look so much like Tobias's that it is almost to hard to bear, I wonder if the baby will have his eyes.

I told Natalia that her father was alive only an hour ago, it still seems to be sinking in, because she hasn't said a word since then.

I sling my backpack over my shoulder, and Natalia does the same.

In silence, we walk out to the car. It is only 4 am, and the sky is just beginning to grow a bright pink. Brown leaves crunch under our boots. Christina, a half asleep Uriah and Zeke, Shauna, Noah, Emily, and Leo are all waiting for us.

"Do we remember the plan?" I set my bag down in the trunk and everyone else follows my example. I am responded to with an exhausted murmur, and a few grunts.

I pull a tarp over all our belongings, and we each get into our respected vehicles. Noah, Natalia, and I will be riding together.

I slide into the drivers seat, Natalia and Noah sit next to each other in the back row. I notice that they are sitting very close to one another.

We ride along, mostly in dead quiet. To break the silence I ask, "So how long have you two been dating?"

Natalia and Noah exchange a nervous glance. "How, how did you know?" Natalia looks incredibly worried, Noah is staring down at the floor, his leg bounces up and down.

"You don't exactly hide it well. Why didn't you tell me? Or for that matter, your parents Noah?" Natalia begins to bite her lip.

Noah looks up and says, "Please don't break us up, please, you know what it's like to be in love. Please, we didn't tell you guys because we were scared that you wouldn't approve of the relationship." I actually laugh. "Break you up, I'm happy for you guys! I just wish that you had told me. Promise you will tell me next time Natalia." Both Noah's and Natalia's faces relax. "I hope that there won't be a next time."

I realized that they were together, but I can now see how involved they are within each other. It's like watching Tobias and I meet all over again.

The rest of our ride is silent, Noah and Natalia hold hands.
__________________________

My hands shake as I turn off the engine and open the car door. "Don't leave the car." I say.

I walk out and up to the house. I don't even know if he lives here anymore, but if anyone would know anything about my husbands disappearance, Marcus would.

Sure enough, he answers the door. Time has not been kind to him. His eyes look sunken and blank in his pale, wrinkled skull. His grey hair is closely clipped to head, only adding to his hideous appearance.

"Beatrice, what an unlikely surprise. How may I help you?" His ugly face curls into a rather sinister snarl. I am repulsed and terrified at the same time, if there is one thing that I have learned from Marcus though, it is that looks can be deceiving.

He is not a kind old man. He is an evil, manipulating pig, but for now, I need him to find Tobias.

I push past him and into the standard grey home. Nothing seems moved or touched since the last time I was here, as if this piece of Earth were perfectly preserved.

"So this is where you have been hiding out all of these years." I sit on the rugged old couch, clouds of dust fill the air.

"I prefer the term, trying to get away from it all." I snort, is he serious? This sorry excuse for a man has not been seen or heard from in over sixteen years, and he doesn't call that hiding?

"Enough with the idle chit-chat, I know that you didn't come here just to say hello Beatrice." I sit in silence, thinking of a way to word this. I twiddle with the hidden butt of my gun in my waist band.

"I think that you know why." He steps closer and I press tighter into my concealed weapon. "It wouldn't have anything to do with my darling granddaughter, would it?"

My face and thoughts go blank, how does he know about Natalia? "Things don't stay secret for long here, with the Bureaus cameras and all."

"Those cameras are supposed to be private." Anger builds up in my voice. "Not all of them." Marcus pours himself a dark amber drink.

I knock it out of his hand and pin him to ground, my knee lies pressed up against his chest. "Cut the crap, where is Tobias." I whisper it menacingly into his ear, I must fight fire with fire, and to beat Marcus I will need all of the heat that I can muster.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I may not have been Candor, but his expression indicates that he is telling the truth.

I release him, and watch him scramble to his feet.

I walk out of the house, further away from finding Tobias then ever.

I wordlessly start the engine to the car and set out for my next stop.

---------------------------------------------
Please comment and vote. I want honesty! If you disagree with something, or don't like how I wrote something please let me know. I grow as a writer off of feedback, both negative and positive. ❤️