- Caleb's pov -
It's ten years after Purity War that changed so much. I think faction system worked and it would still work, at least partly but now people of Chicago are so used in freedom of choosing themselves and new people coming in, people that haven't lived in faction system controlled city. I have been in city council now four years, running our city, making it a better place for all of us. I used to work in lab, creating new things and it was fun, being a member in city council is not fun but somehow I see it as o duty to do, my father was in city council before the Purity War. When they asked me to run for a job in government I was honored and felt that I have done pretty good job here in Chicago. Sometimes old background of Abnegation is almost too strong, I give much more than I should. I wish I could be much more of Erudite, like my father had been and no so much of Abnegation like I was raised
After the Purity War I worked long days in laboratory with Cara and other research team. Somehow we ended up chatting and became really close friends. I proposed her after 3 years and luckily she said yes. She is now staying at home but saying that when our kids are old enough she will be back in laboratories, working for better environment. Cara makes my life easy, she takes care of our home, makes good food, takes my suits to laundry. She keeps telling me that they need me also at home when my days get longer and longer at work. I try to be better dad but it's just a while, then I'm back working 10 to 12 hours per day. She doesn't understand why I couldn't work in laboratory anymore but I realized that if I really want some change the best way to do that lies in politics. Now laboratories have all refund they need, enough workforce. I can do much more to my society when I do it through city council.
It has been 4 months that Johanna came to Chicago and announced that she will retire after this season. Well that was expected, she had our representative in the Government 10 years. That is a really long time! She stand at Mercenary Square and spoke to people of Chicago. I was there, standing back, and then I saw a man that I thought first to be Marcus Eaton but it turned out to be Four. He had got old, sad man. First time after years I pitied him! I had Cara and our kids, he had nothing, just scars in his heart. On same event Johanna told that Tobias Eaton will be her candidate for election and it really wasn't a surprise. Four had worked many years as her assistant. In our elections it's always a member of city council vs a member of government or someone the council or government member had named. They called him Tobias Eaton but for me he was Four.
Four had moved away from Chicago years ago and it was kind of relief for me. Always when I saw him I remembered Beatrice and our parents. Last time I talked with him was last year and he had changed so much. Back in days of the Purity War I was scared of him, he was a soldier and I never understood what Beatrice saw in him. Beatrice that I knew was quiet, polite, nice, caring but he changed everything. After joining the Dauntless she became something else, a girl that I didn't know. After choosing the Dauntless she wasn't my sister anymore and that was the moment when I knew that "faction before blood" was true. Seeing her holding a gun, shooting, hurting and killing – well, she wasn't Beatrice. When she was killed I didn't know should I blame myself or Four. Why did I let her go? Why did I let her sacrifice herself? Then I blamed Four, why he hadn't done anything to prevent that, why he hadn't teach Beatrice better? Last I blamed Beatrice, but then I understood that it was the selflessness part of her, she set us all free by sacrificing herself. At her death she showed to us what her true self was, she was born to Abnegation, not to Dauntless. I think that was one thing that made it so hard for Four to understand; even when you are a Divergent the born faction is strongest.
After her death Bureau members came to see me and they took multiple tests from me and compared results to Beatrice's results. They had her DNA as well as mine, our parents and many many more. They still continued the research to get genetically pure humans. I got to know that I was also a Divergent, only 56% when Beatrice had been 100%, like our mother had been. It didn't matter anymore, there were no factions, no Divergents anymore, they exist only in our memories of past.
Monday mornings are always best days of week I think. Today is a day we start campaign for election on Choosing Day. City Council was unanimous in last vote that I will be candidate to election and hopefully in Government at next season. I was smiling all my way to work. Cara didn't like so much of idea us moving to Providence but I was sure we could work that out somehow. Thankfully our kids were still young, Allen was 3 and Beata just turned 5 months. They wouldn't mind moving, they had Cara with them.
Today I will meet my new intern also, she has studied politics and civil law and she will assist me during the campaign. We don't have a big budget but I think that we don't need one. Most of people know me already and I have lived my hole life here – that is one reason why I think it's time to move on. I walk to office, talk to people on my way to work. Everyone wishes all the best for me and I feel loved, I shake hands, smile, laugh. This is where I belong, these are my people. Then I saw her standing next my office door, smiling. "You must be Erica Matthews" I say and shake her hand. She nods "Yes I am, but please call me Alexa, so I will reply. No one calls me Erica!". I look her and I can say that she is pretty like all young girls are, jet black hair in tight bun, few curls escaping to curl behind her ear, athletic figure in pretty suit. "Lets start our work, I think we have a lot to do." I say and open office door for her.
Working with Alexa is really easy, she has good ideas and opinions and she is really talented, smart girl. Very soon we have a routine and everything works like well oiled machine. She is really a wizard making my campaign big. I go to hospitals, meet people and help all that need help; blankets, clothing, food. She asks donations from every source you could imagine and she has unlimited amount of contacts. When I see her she is always smiling and polite, when I talk to her I'm taken how smart she is. She is a true Erudite!
Late on Thursday evening we are getting back to office after a city council meeting, my collegue is driving his car and offers to take us also back. I don't own a car, it is luxury that I don't need, but I never say no if someone offers a ride in one. Alexa and I sit on the backseat, silent, looking around city at evening when her phone rings. She looks her phone, blushes and looks to me. "Sorry, I really have to answer to this". I nod. "Hi sweetie, whats up?... no honey, its getting late you know... yes honey, I'm coming soon home, the meeting was longer... yes sweetie, tomorrow we can do that, at evening, I don't have any meetings then... Love you too honey! Bye!". I smile to myself. Alexa haven't told a lot about herself and all I know that she is 24 years old and loves to run and swim. Now I got little more information, she must have a boyfriend that she loves a lot. "Sorry about that, I have asked not to be bothered with personal issues when I'm at work" she said and I looked to her "no worries, no harm done, I just get you to home and you are free tonight. Was that your boyfriend or?" I reply and she blushes and looks away. "it was the love of my life" she replies and some in her answer is weird. Not a reaction I was waiting and I sense that she is lying. But why?
