Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent. Most of this chapter is an excerpt from it, though. But Divergent still belongs to Veronica Roth
One by one, the Dauntless soldiers in front of me step away to perform one task or another. Soon, the leaders will notice that whatever signals everyone else is getting, I'm not getting them. What will I do when that happens?
"This is insane," coos a male voice on my right. I see a lock of long, greasy hair, and a silver earring. Eric. He pokes my cheek with his index finger, and I struggle against the impulse to slap his hand away.
"They really can't see us? Or hear us?" a female voice asks.
"Oh, they can see and hear. They just aren't processing what they see and hear the same way," says Eric. "They receive commands from our computers in the transmitters we injected them with…" At this, he presses his fingers to the injection site to show the woman where it is. Stay still, I tell myself. Still, still, still. "…and carry them out seamlessly."
Eric shifts a step to the side and leans close to Tobias's face, grinning.
"Now, this is a happy sight," he says. "The legendary Four. No one's going to remember that I came in second now, are they? No one's going to ask me, 'What was it like to train with the guy who has only four fears?'" He draws his gun and points it at Tobias's right temple. My heart pounds so hard I feel it in my skull. He can't shoot; he wouldn't. Eric tilts his head. "Think anyone would notice if he accidentally got shot?"
"Go ahead," the woman says, sounding bored. She must be a Dauntless leader if she can give Eric permission. "He's nothing now."
"Too bad you didn't just take Max up on his offer, Four. Well, too bad for you, anyway," says Eric quietly, as he clicks the bullet into its chamber.
My lungs burn; I haven't breathed in almost a minute. I see Tobias's hand twitch in the corner of my eye, but my hand is already on my gun. I press the barrel to Eric's forehead. His eyes widen, and his face goes slack, and for a second he looks like another sleeping Dauntless soldier.
My index finger hovers over the trigger.
"Get your gun away from his head," I say.
"You won't shoot me," Eric replies.
"Interesting theory," I say. But I can't murder him; I can't. I grit my teeth and shift my arm down, firing at Eric's foot. He screams and grabs his foot with both hands. The moment his gun is no longer pointed at Tobias's head, Tobias draws his gun and fires at Eric's friend's leg. I don't wait to see if the bullet hits her. I grab Tobias's arm and sprint.
If we can make it to the alley, we can disappear into the buildings and they won't find us. There are two hundred yards to go. I hear footsteps behind us, but I don't look back. Tobias grabs my hand and squeezes, pulling me forward, faster than I have ever run, faster than I can run. I stumble behind him. I hear a gunshot.
Darkness blooms across the back of Tobias's shoulder, beginning at his shoulder and spreading outward. I hear a scream stop in his throat, and he falls, his cheek scraping the pavement. I drop to my knees next to him. He lifts his head to meet my eyes, and yells, "Run!"
My voice is calm and quiet as I reply, "No."
In seconds we are surrounded. I help Tobias up, supporting his weight. I have trouble holding him up, as he is bigger than me. Dauntless soldiers surround us and point their guns.
"Divergent rebels," Eric says, standing on one foot. His face is a sickly white. "Surrender your weapons."