Cold Hard Courage

[2] - Peter

EDIT: WATCH THE TRAILER!!!

[Zeke]

I sit at my desk, printing off posters to hang around town with Shauna and Uriah's help later today. They're pictures of Four. They're missing posters. Not only has Four gone missing, but he's gone missing twice. My best friend is missing. Because of how he went missing in the past, his whereabouts are now a major concern. The front door opens and I spot Michael walking in. He hasn't been to work in two days.

" Any news on Four? " He asks, looking down at the papers on his desk.

I shake my head, sighing.

" No. Have you heard anything? " I ask.

He shakes his head.

" No. I went off the grid to try and clear my head. Went camping up in Canada. " He says. " Kayaked through Crystal Clear waters and swam in below freezing temperatures. "

I nod. Sounds nice. Actually relaxing when one of your co-workers is missing. The door opens and this time, it's Peter. Suddenly, I remember how Four attacked Peter that day when Peter wouldn't shut the Hell up. Now I know that feeling of wanting to punch Peter. I want to see the blood from his nose cover my knuckles as I punch him endlessly. I want to see him hurt. He has done something to my best friend. I want to know what. I run forward, slamming Peter into the wall.

" Shit, man. What's your problem? " He asks.

I am shaking with anger. He's been MIA since Four disappeared. And now he has the audacity to show his face here. I know he did something. He's always Hated Four. Maybe he just found something to finally set him off and do something.

" Where is Four? " I ask.

He cocks an eyebrow.

" What? What are you talking about? " He asks.

I start to breathe quickly. He's lying. He's trying to lie to me.

" Bullshit, Peter! You left with Four a couple of nights ago, and now Four is missing. Even his own wife doesn't know where he is. I know you know where he is. And you're gonna tell me. " I say. " Or I'm gonna blow a fucking casket. "

I didn't realize just how many people are in here. But all of them have surrounded us.

" Hey, let's calm down now. We don't want to do something we may regret. " Will says.

I laugh.

" Regret? Do you think I'd actually regret hurting Peter? I wouldn't regret it one bit. In fact, let's start now. " I say.

I punch Peter with my right fist, holding him against the wall with my left. Blood trickles from his nose, dripping down his lips. His blood decorates my knuckles. I smile.

" Now, " I say. " Start talking. "

Peter shakes his head.

" I... I don't know where Four is, okay? " He says.

I can feel the rage bubbling up inside of me as I look at him. He's lying. I reach down and grab him by the t-shirt, balling it up in my fist. I drag him down the hall, into a questioning room where I intend to beat the living shit out of him.

" Zeke, you need to calm down. " Will says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I laugh out at the retort.

" Calm down? Calm down? " I ask. " Peter has done something to one of our friends and refuses to tell us and you want me to 'Calm down'? "

Will looks at me with concern. I have to shake the look. I need to stay certain. I have a gut feeling and that gut feeling is giving me an intuition that Peter has done something to Four. I look down at Peter.

" Tris is at her Mother's house, all alone, with a sick baby boy. God so help me, if I find out that you did something to him, I will kill you. " I say.

I go to my desk, grabbing my gun and jacket.

" Where are you going? " Michael asks.

I spin around on my heel, staring at him.

" To find my friend. " I say. " Maybe you guys don't care what happens to him, but I do. "

I leave without further incident, a stack of papers in hand as well as my stapler. I approach a pole outside of the station, stapling the missing poster to it. I staple it three more times, once in each corner, each stapling becoming more and more aggressive as I go. I'm angry. Four is missing. And I can't find him. I had a night terror last night that Tris blamed me for letting Four die. That her son grew up fatherless and blaming me for his crappy childhood. I can't let that happen. I won't.

"Hey."

I spin around, spotting a baseball bat swinging in my direction. I duck, trying to avoid it. I do so, spotting the man holding it. He wears a mask. But he has a familiar physique.

" What are you doing? " I ask.

He doesn't answer. He swings again. This time, it hits me in the ribs, forcing a gasp from my mouth. I groan, crying out in pain. The papers fall from my hands, crashing with the concrete, lifting in the wind. I can't fall now, though. The bat swings at me again. This time, I catch it. I rip it from their hands. I swing it back, causing them to stumble back, falling over a parking barrier. I reach down, grabbing the mask off of his face. I pull it off, holding it in my hand. I'm shaking as I look down at the man. Michael. Michael Coulter. I drop the bat in shock.

"Michael?"

My voice escapes my throat and at first, it sounds like a growl. Why would Michael be trying to hurt me? Suddenly, the bat that I dropped next to my right foot, is moved. It's pulled behind me.

" I'm sorry, Zeke. " Michael says. " We can't have any witnesses. "

I spin on my heel, turning around.

" We? " I ask.

Suddenly, white searing heat spreads through the left side of my head. I collapse onto the ground, staring up at the swinger of the bat. Michael stands next to another masked man. The second man removes his mask, looking down at me. All I can see are green eyes. Unforgiving emerald eyes. They would look innocent to me if I didn't know who he was. It's Peter. The boy I didn't trust. My intuition was correct. Peter is a bad man.

" Knock him. " Michael says.

Peter swings the batt, hitting me again.

Zeke? Zeke, is that you?
Four?
What are you doing here?
I was nailing up missing posters of you and then ended up here.
It's Michael. And Peter.
I noticed. Tried to knock me out in the parking lot.
Is Tris okay? And Graham?
I'm sorry.
What? Why?
Michael said he wanted to go speak to Tris. I gave him her address not knowing he was involved.
Shit. We've gotta find a way to warn her to get out of there.