A/N: This is just something I thought of, I hope you guys enjoy it. Please review!

10/4/16 : This was posted back in April or May. I've gone and re-edited some things here and there to fix up the story.

Disclaimer: I don't anything from the Divergent Trilogy. All rights go to Veronica Roth.


Contaminated

"Dauntless sim-failed." A woman's computerized voice echoed throughout the room.

Jeanine Matthews knew her intentions were honorable. If her predecessor could see her today, she knew he'd be proud. She couldn't fathom as to why people were so against her motives. Those who were Divergent had no place in their society. They didn't fit into one faction like everyone else did. They fit into one too many. That was why they had to be eliminated. How could their city function harmoniously if there was no like-mindedness? There was a system that needed to be followed, and Divergents went against that system. That was why she had to, no, she needed to open the box the founders had left behind. She knew it something to do with Divergents.

Furrowing her brows together, Jeanine stared at the dead girl through a glass wall. Hanging from a ceiling were multiple wires that attached to one's body like piercing vines. She was so sure the girl would succeed in her endeavor to finish the sim, but no.

"Another failure," she said aloud. Her displeasure radiated off of her, making everyone in the room shift uncomfortably. Knowing the comment was more rhetorical, no one bothered to respond. Taking a few steps forward, her heels clicked against the tiled floors, filling in the silence. Tilting her head, she pursed her lips as a few Dauntless men came to take the dead girl out of the simulation room, the door sliding shut with their departure. So many Divergents, yet they still could not open the box.

"We're wasting our time here." She already felt the beginnings of a migraine. For once, things were not going as smoothly as planned. Whatever was in the box was the key to everything. She knew it was the key to many questions she had, and she would stop at nothing to achieve her goal. She wanted, no she needed, those answers.

"Hmm, maybe we've been assuming the wrong thing..." Her voice trailed off, thinking harder on a thought that crossed her mind. Some Divergents made it farther than others. It was almost as if they had better aptitudes in certain factions. Jeanine's eyes widened when it hit her. They needed to be a perfect Divergent to open the box; they needed to belong in all five factions.

"Some Divergents are stronger than others," she paused before continuing, "We just need to find that special someone." With renewed vigor, she ordered her soldiers to find that perfect subject. The box must be opened.

She knew that some of her "allies" didn't agree with the methods she was using, but it was a necessity. If someone wasn't forceful, how could the Divergent infestation be solved? Besides, it didn't matter whether they agreed or not. They were still doing her bidding. She would just have to eliminate the sympathizers after they discovered what the founder's message had to say. Those who agreed with Divergents were just as bad. Just as unclean and tainted.

By some stroke of luck, the special someone was found within the next couple of days. Of course, one of her best soldiers was murdered in the process; Eric. It was a shame, but he died for a noble cause, even if he didn't think so. The irony was too great though. Of course the perfect subject was Tris Prior, daughter to Andrew and Natalie Prior. The two people she disliked the most provided a daughter who would be the perfect subject. It was a good thing her execution failed, or she would have unknowingly messed up her plans.

Behind her the entrance door slid open. Turning to face who entered, she found Max walking towards her.

"Do you have the proof?" Jeanine asked. Smirking, Max held out the device to seek out Divergents.

"One-hundred percent Divergent," the voice from the device said. Tris Prior's picture was surrounded by all five faction symbols. She handed it back to Max, smiling. Jeanine felt her lingering migraine dissipate as she felt relief wash over her.

"We also found something else," Max said. With a motion of his hand, the door in front of them opened, and a boy walked in. She remembered him from his files. One of the Dauntless traitors, Peter Hayes.

With some talk, the boy told her they were on the same side. She wasn't stupid. She knew he was only proclaiming loyalty for survival, however, it was nice to know that he knew they were the winning side.

"I want a place in your regime," the boy said. Tilting her head to the side, she scrutinized him. If she recalled correctly, the boy was born in Candor. He was clever, but not too smart. Boldly asking for a place in her regime when he had yet to prove himself was, well, idiotic. He was traitor, and while he may have chosen the winning side, Jeanine knew he'd double cross her the minute he thought he was in danger. Smiling coolly at the boy, she decided to provide him with a task. It would be his own fault if he failed the test.

"How do you propose we obtain Tris Prior?" Jeanine asked.

"With some persuasion, she will come willingly," before adding, "She has a bleeding heart." Peter gave her a grin. The boy should have stayed in Candor where he belonged.

"Thank you for your help. You may go," she didn't bother to watch him leave with the guards. He looked like he had been rolling around in the mud with the factionless. Disgusting.

True to Peter Hayes' assumption, Tris Prior did come to Erudite headquarters, willingly. Of course, Jeanine had to get creative with the persuasion. Those who were formerly in Dauntless had a serum injected into them. The serum that allowed her to take control of their bodies when she eliminated those filthy Abnegation people. They could have their own beliefs, or even betray her, but Jeanine had control over them. All of them. The more Tris Prior stayed "safe," the more her comrades would die. They wouldn't even know what hit them.

Bringing her in was a different story. She was particularly difficult, especially when she had easily beaten Peter in a fight. She had threatened to kill him. Banging his head against the glass that separated herself from Tris and Peter. She had sullied the perfectly clean glass with Peter's blood.

"Go ahead and kill him," she said calmly. She didn't have to see his face to know that he was gaping. Honestly, if he was weak enough to get hurt by an unarmed individual, what made him think he deserved a spot in her regime? Only the best were allowed lead, and Peter Hayes wasn't one of them. Even if his betrayal towards her was brief, a traitor was a traitor, and she could not have one in her midst. He was disposable, and she ignored his pleas and protests.

The most amusing thing was that Caleb Prior was the opposite of his sister. He wasn't Divergent, and he didn't want to be on their side either. Caleb was smart, but it seemed as if his sister was a bit smarter. Her downfall was her, as Peter put it, "bleeding heart." She had threatened to kill herself with Peter's gun, when Jeanine decided to send in Caleb. That automatically made her falter. Taking the chance, Caleb took the gun away and walked out of the simulation room to stand beside Jeanine. It was good that one of the Prior's knew their place. Beatrice glared at her brother.

"You'll stop the killings when I do the simulation, right?" Jeanine shook her head.

"No. I'll stop the suicides when you're successful opening that box." There was a moment of silence, and Jeanine patiently waited to Tris to cave; she did. As soon as she stood on the platform, Jeanine activated the simulation. Cables fell from the ceiling and attached themselves to the girl's body.

"Good luck," Jeanine said. But she could care less about the girl. No, the only use she had was to open that box. Afterward, Tris Prior could be disposed of. She was a Divergent. None would be allowed to live.

It had taken a couple of tries, but the box had finally been opened. A hologram of a stern looking woman stood before them. She spoke of how the city had been a social experiment to create something that could stop the wars, regain humanity, and that was Divergents. The woman spoke of how Divergents were vital to humanity, but it made no sense. It was all wrong. Divergents only created problems. They didn't fit into the factions, and they didn't fit into their city's mindset. They must be destroyed.

However, despite Jeanine's beliefs, one thing stuck out to her the most; there were people beyond the walls. Beyond the safety of their home. If anyone found out about that, there would be chaos. Everyone would want out, and they'd be blindly roaming around trying to find any sign of humanity out there. If there were people, why were they in this place? Behind walls? There was more to the reason behind this place, and Jeanine liked none of it. No, she had to do what was right.

When the message ended, a silence that fell over them. Tris spoke of how Jeanine was wrong about Divergents, but maybe she was considering the message, but she wouldn't stop. There were people beyond the walls, but this was still their home, and the factions were still in place.

"Bury the box. No one sees it, ever. Kill them both," she turned around. No one could ever know that their whole lives had been a fraud. Why couldn't they see she was only doing what was best for everyone?

By the time she knew it, Evelyn Eaton had broken into her headquarters, along with the factionless and Dauntless traitors. They were making a mistake, a big mistake. The only thing that was going to come out of that message was more war. Evelyn didn't care about the safety of others, she only wanted power. Jeanine felt the color drain from her face. The whole city was about to break out in pandemonium.

"Get her out of here," Evelyn said with a smirk.

"When that message gets out, it'll be the end! You'll all regret it!" They all looked victorious, not heading Jeanine's warning. They thought she was pleading for her life, but she wasn't. It wasn't about Divergents anymore, it was on a whole bigger scale than that. It was about them and the world.

After walking for some time, the guards threw Jeanine into a room. It didn't take Evelyn long to follow after her. She already knew what was going to happen. This wasn't a social call. Not bothering too look at Evelyn, Jeanine stared out of the window at the large expanse of the city.

For her whole life she lived here in a calm peace. Most of everyone knew their place. Those that didn't, ended up factionless. But even so, there was a system in place. Now that the word had gotten out, after the excitement of life beyond the walls, people would be angry; their whole lives they thought they were all that was left. They thought the walls had protected them from whatever was on the outside, when in reality, it was what kept them in.

"It's been two-hundred years, who knows what's out there?" Jeanine looked out of a small window, observing the city as people walked towards the gates. They could kill her, but it wouldn't solve their problems. Someone just like her would take her place, someone more ruthless, someone like...Evelyn. They had already shown the message to everyone in the city, it was too late. They didn't even think before showing it and it would lead them all to the end.

"You'll never find out," Evelyn said. Hearing the click of a gun, Jeanine knew it wouldn't matter to her anymore. The last thing she saw was that peaceful city she had desperately wanted to protect. The last thought was that she wouldn't have to worry about that any longer.