A Hard Life

A Hard Life: Ch. 30

How could that even make sense?! Kane and Jeanine are nothing alike!

Kane is brave, selfless, intelligent, honest, and kind. He's Divergent.

Jeanine is a cold hearted machine! She doesn't care about anyone else! She just wants to gain control of those in this city, not on my watch. Though it feels like my limbs have turned into led.

"Yeah, right, mother. Like you were ever a mom to me!" Kane shouts at her.

"Now Kane, we aren't going to have a problem here. Are we?" Almost everyone behind her hold their guns up.

"Oh I get it. It's not ok for a son to shoot their mother. But their mom can shoot them?! Yeah, that makes sense!"

Jeanine makes the soldiers drop their guns to their sides and she strides toward us. My body immediately becomes stiff. "Kane, I just want to talk to you. Ok?"

He considers his options. "Only if Kenzie can come with me, and no soldiers can listen."

"Agreed. Shall we go somewhere private?" Kane nods, and we walk to the empty cafeteria. I sit next to him, while Jeanine sits across from us.

I'm getting really nervous, since all the other times her and I were in the same room, I was put in a simulation. I feel a hand close around mine and I see that it's Kane's. I can always count on him to be there for me.

"What did you want to talk to us about?"

"I just have a simple plan that can fix this government. That's all really," she replies. A simple plan? Yeah, sure.

"And your plan is?"

Then it seems she goes into lecture mode to explain what it is. "Well, as you know, the Abnegation run the government at the moment. I believe that, though they say they're selfless, they're hogging food for themselves." Jeanine moves some stray strands of hair away from her face and continues. "I, and many others, believe that Abnegation shouldn't be in charge. But, the only way we can get them to give up the government, is to 'convince' them."

I know what she means by convince. She's going to kill them. She can't do that! Jasmin's family is there, and could she kill Jasmin for being from Abnegation?

"Of course, I need some help with that. Do you think you're willing to help us?"

There is no way Kane would say yes. He sighs and answers, "Ok..." Wait, what?! My eyes widen at his answer, I can't believe this. Please tell me this is a simulation. I bite my tongue, nope. This is real.

"Excellent! I will be on my way then." She stands up and leaves.

Now it's my turn to talk. "How could you say yes?!" I shout at him. "Jasmin's family is there, and they're innocent people! You know that!" By now, I'm standing and I'm about to leave.

"Hey!" Kane spins me around and holds me by my arms. I'm actually a little scared, but I try not to show it. "You know the saying, 'Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer'?" I nod still not understanding. "That sorry excuse for a mother is the enemy. If I get close to her, I can expose her plans and stop her."

"That's why you said yes?" I ask guiltily.

Kane nods and strokes my cheek with one of his hands to comfort me. "It's ok. You didn't know." I hug him, he understands me so well. He knows me, better than I know myself. I love that about him.

We walk back out hand in hand as people run up to us. Kane said that he will explain in the morning at breakfast. For now, we head back to my room, and I fall asleep with luckily, no nightmares.