Chapter 55

Christina filled Riley in on the plan. Tobias would use the memory serum on one of their parents to help stop the war. Riley had no idea who he would pick but supported his choice. Romit was going to take them into the city. Christina planned to slash the tires and allow the group to separate in order for Tobias to complete the plan. The second part of their plan involved people staying behind at the Bureau. They needed to get the memory serum, which was locked in a vault.

That was what Nita had said she wanted to take from the vault. She really wanted the death serum. However, the vault would release the death serum the moment it was broken into. It was impossible to survive.

"Who is going in?" Riley asked as they walked down the hall.

"Caleb volunteered, sort of," Christina explained. "He's doing it for Tris." Riley nodded. That made sense. He had betrayed her trust. "Eric did volunteer as well, but Four told him it wouldn't happen."

Riley immediately stopped walking. "What?"

"Yeah." Christina shrugged. To her, it wasn't a big deal. "I guess he also wants to clear his conscious." The idea of Eric going into the vault made her sick. It was a suicide mission. Selfishly she wanted it to be Caleb. "Come on. I told them I would be in the training room twenty minutes ago."

"Hey," Riley laughed as they walked down the hall. "I'm doing my best." Her body was weaker. It would regain some of its strength, but it would never be the same. There was a tremor in her hands. That would most likely be permanent.

Christina opens the door to the GD training room. Inside is Tobias, Caleb, Eric, and Tris. They look over at the sight of her. "No," Tobias says. "What the hell are you doing out of bed?"

Riley smiles at him. "Helping."

Tris looks at Christina. "What? She was very persuasive."

"You're not coming into the city with us. You're too hurt."

"I don't take orders from you," Riley spoke lowly.

Tobias raised an eyebrow. "I'm your brother."

"I don't care," she responds. "I don't take orders from you."

"Okay." Tris stepped between them. "Riley, are you sure about this?"

"Yes." This was what she wanted to do. "I am."

"Okay." Tris handed her a gun. "I hope you still remember how to use it."

Riley grabs the gun. She knows her hands are forever damaged, but she needs to relearn how to shoot. Her plan to join her friends was idiotic, but she needed to do it. She needed to prove to herself she was capable.

Ignoring the look on Tobias's face, she walks towards the other side of the gym. Riley doesn't want to be anywhere near her brother. He would only comment about how useless she would be because her hands shake too bad to point a gun at a potential threat.

Riley took the safety off and lifted the weapon. Her hands trembled just enough to make pointing the gun next to impossible. "Volunteering to go into the city is stupid." The voice belongs to Eric. "Even for you."

"Yeah?" Riley glances at him. "So is volunteering to go against the death serum."

He stares at her. His expression never wavers. "I'm twice the size of Caleb. I could survive longer."

"You'd still die." Riley lowers the gun. "Why would you even want to do that?"

"After all of the horrible things I've done, at least I would be able to go out doing one good thing." Riley stares at him. She's angry at him. He would leave her behind. He would die and leave her here alone. "Doesn't matter anyway."

"It does to me," she lifted her gun. "You'd rather die than be here. Says a lot about you." Eric remains silent. "Shows how little you care about the people around you."

"Like who?"

"Like me." Riley's hands are shaking more. "I can't concentrate with you here. Go away."

Eric stares at her trembling hands. He isn't sure if it's her emotions getting the better of her or a side effect of the head injury. Deep down, he already knows the answer. "You're going to get yourself killed if you go with them. You do know that, right?"

Riley knows it's a possibility. She's injured and can't run as fast. She also can't properly hold a gun. "Yeah."

"And that shows a lot about you."

She fires the gun three times, but it misses the board entirely. Eric scoffs. "Don't." Riley was doing the best she could. "It's been a while." Eric takes the gun from her. He lifts it and fires three shots. Each one hits the target in the center. "Show off."

There's the hint of a smile on his face. "Go again." Riley takes the gun from him and holds it. The tremble of her hands is what's holding her back. "Is it permanent?"

She sighs, "probably." He stares at her. The right side of her face is covered in bruises. They're in the early stages of healing. Eric doesn't think it's fair. In every situation, she paid the price. Riley always paid the price for others' actions. It seemed, to him, it would always be that way, and that was why he feared her going into the city.

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Tris was pulled into a meeting with David. The rest began to finalize the plan. They were going to release the memory serum on the compound. Riley wasn't sure of the full extent of the plan. She was going into the city with the others. Eric was staying behind with Tris and Caleb. He was responsible for slipping peace serum into the control room officers' drinks and helping Caleb get into the vault.

Matthew spends the day giving the serum to people in the compound. Anyone who doesn't get the serum will lose their memory. The plan is not ideal, but it's what they need to do. This is the only way to save their home.

Riley has a few vials. She's hoping to find Maddie and Johanna. If the plan fails and they can't stop the memory serum from being released in the city, then at least they will remember.

Tobias wants to find Uriah's family. Riley assumes it's the guilt eating away at him. Whatever it is, she can't worry about it. Tonight they are releasing the serum, and it could get ugly if things don't go according to plan.

Riley has less than twenty minutes before she departs for the city. In that time, she finds herself looking for Eric. It's stupid. She knows that, but she doesn't care. Six days ago, an explosion nearly killed her, but she was still breathing. She survived. It made everything clearer.

Riley stands in the doorway. The only person in the room is Eric. He's tying his shoes. "I think you're selfish." Her voice catches him by surprise. He doesn't say anything. "You can't die to escape your guilt."

"And you can't die to prove your worth."

The edge of her lip curls the slightest amount. "I don't know what's going to happen tonight. Tomorrow we could be in an entirely new world. Maybe it'll be better. Maybe it won't." He stands up. "But what I do know is that you're a total ass." He raises his eyebrows. "And your attitude sucks." Riley steps further into the room. "And you're the most negative person I have ever met." She feels confident in herself. "And most of the time, I can't figure out why I love you. I just know that I do." Eric smiles faintly at her words. "So, I would appreciate it if you didn't get yourself killed."

There's a silence between them. Whatever confidence she has vanishes all at once. She starts to doubt if this was a good idea or not. "Well," he says. "I think you're too selfless for your own good." Riley smiles. "You're naive." That was true. "You are always trying to prove yourself when you don't have to." Eric approaches her. "And I wonder half the time how you scored Erudite when you were dumb enough to fall for someone like me." Now, he's standing right in front of her. "And I can't figure out why I love you. I just know that I do." Riley stares at him. "So, I would appreciate it if you didn't get yourself killed."

Before she can do anything, his lips are on hers. Riley wraps her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. She has no idea what will happen next, but she's okay with that.

Suddenly, there's a knock on the door. "Hey." It's Peter. "Come on, Red. It's time to go." Riley pulls away from Eric. She offers him one last smile before turning away. She passes by Peter, who follows after her. "You know. I think you owe me emotional compensation for witnessing that."

Riley rolls her eyes. "You're such an idiot, Peter."

He shrugs, slinging an arm over her shoulder. "And don't forget it." He pauses. "Please." The last part is faint. So faint she barely heard him, but she did.