Foreword: The inspiration for this story came from a question I had before I read Allegiant and everything was ruined. I wondered, what if someone from outside the fence came into Chicago to bring down the government? To make a long story short, my mind went nuts and this story was born. The protagonist in this story is my OC, not Tris. Tris will only make a few appearances. Sorry for those of you who just want to read about Tris. Four/Tobias, however, will be a very predominant character. This story mainly follows the plot of Divergent, there will be some changes though to make it more interesting. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Own only my OCs and this idea.

Prologue

They say New York was once a loud and boisterous place to live. It was the city that never slept, the city that was always alive. But now, it was dead. So dead, that some people have begun to call it "Dead York". Not me. I have always thought of the city as sleeping, hibernating, never dead. The often eerie quiet of the city, reminded me of a calm before a storm. Some would say though, the storm had already been, and now there was damage and ruin. They say the war was the worst in history. It destroyed cities, ruined families and friendships. It killed 60% of the population. Everyone was involved in their own way. The corruption of human nature spanned from the golden coast of California to the busy lights of Tokyo. I didn't believe in that. Humans were corrupt, yes. But it was nothing new. Nothing we could fix and nothing that would go away. We humans, are truly the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The war was what created the Zones. Radioactive zones; that changed many lives. 75% of the people who got caught in radiation died a slow and painful death within hours, the lucky ones within minutes. Roughly 23% came home unscathed but then slowly lost their minds instead of their bodies. They became rabid. We'd nicknamed those the "Braindead". I honestly don't know who came up with these nicknames, but no one was in any hurry to change them. And it wasn't even on my radar. You see, me and my seven other friends who are more like my family, actually, are part of that other 2% that wondered into the Zones. We didn't die, obviously and we never lost our minds, which would have made me telling this story very different. But that doesn't mean we weren't affected. Some call what happened to our ancestors that led to us, a blessing. At times, I agree with them. But most of the time, I think of it as a curse. It was another thing to add onto the piling list of crap that separated us from normal.

But, hey, when has normal ever been anywhere on my radar.

I am Mackenzie Rose Ashe. This is how I left the only home I ever knew, harboring the only people I had ever called family. This is how I traveled to the one place, truly unscathed by the war, too bring down their seemingly perfect society. This is how I met Tobias Eaton. This is how I raised hell.

Chapter One: The Night

I don't need sleep. I never have. That sounds inhuman and unnatural, but in my mind, rest is for the weary and sleep is for the dead. I once told my youngest friend, Bryce, that and he looked at me like I had completely lost it. He would later learn that there was no such thing as a quiet moment when you were one of us. When you were a Catalyst. That is what people called us. We all thought it was intimidating, so none of us were eager to change it. My best friend, Ceece, said it sounded like catastrophe. I made the argument that we are one.

She'd laughed and said, "There is a difference between an insomnia suffering maniac and a catastrophe, Kenz."

So, it was a surprise to me and to everyone that I had to be shaken awake one night.

"Wake up!" someone yelled in my ear.

I could deduce by the fact that they were yelling, and yelling quite loud too, that I was the only one asleep that night.

Oh, the irony.

The only reason I didn't punch the one who had woken me up in the rudest way possible, was that I recognized his voice as the voice of Bryce Vasquez, my little brother.

Well, Bryce wasn't really my little brother. But I referred to him that way. He was 12 while I was 16 almost 17. He acted like he was 5 sometimes. Then again, I acted like I was 20 at times.

Bryce was the youngest Catalyst. At least from what we knew of. Which wasn't a lot. There used to be a whole lot more of us, so they say. There were eight of us living together now. Well, nine, if you count Salas. Salas was like my father. He took me in when I was a child wondering on the street after losing my parents. I was scarred, frightened, and probably on the edge of losing my sanity. But he took me in, healed me, and taught me how to fight so I would never be at the mercy of others again.

Scars do heal, but they never fade, I would always remember.

"What's happening?" I asked Bryce, as I pulled my black combat boots on and through my favorite leather jacket over my scarlet tank top.

"Braindead," he said simply. "All around the base. They are saying this could be the time, Mackenzie."

I shook my head. I didn't want to think about that. I didn't want to think about leaving.

"They said that about the five other times," I quipped. "Just because they say it, doesn't mean it will ever happen."

Bryce looked down seemingly ashamed. I felt sorry for kind of snapping at him, then again, he did yell in my ear.

"Look," I started, wanting to compensate for my earlier comment. "I am in no hurry to leave you guys. You guys would never survive attacks like this without me." I smiled at him to let him know I was partially kidding. In a way however, I wasn't. I didn't want to brag, but I was the best warrior this base had. I had a gift in battle to think with my head and heart in sink. A gift that was very rare among warriors in general. I didn't want to think about what would happen if I had to leave.

No. I was staying. There was no way that I would leave my family.

"Come on," I said to Bryce, putting on a brave face. "Let's go kick some Braindead ass."

As you can see, I combined the prologue and chapter one because they were kind of short. The rest won't be that short. I hope y'all enjoyed and if you liked it please review, because honestly, they make my day!

I like to put a verse from whatever song has been stuck in my head for the day at the end of the chapter and whoever gets it right first, I will mention at the beginning of the chapter. So here is the song that has been stuck in my head all day since my Theology class…

God knows what is hiding in that weak and drunken heart

I guess you kissed the girls and made them cry

Those hard faced Queens of misadventure

God knows what is hiding in those weak and sunken eyes

A Fiery throng of muted angels

Giving love and getting nothing back

And don't forget to…

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