Another day in March. Another day in the delivery of fear serum. Veronica and I oversee the delivery, making sure that the crates don't get accidentally dropped to the ground, which would result in the vials breaking.
The Erudite overseeing the delivery process is my brother Caleb. I wonder if Jeanine had him come on purpose. Why is she obsessed with testing me? Is she hoping that I might make a mistake? That I violate 'faction before blood'?
As of now, I can't answer those questions.
The two of us monitor the delivery as we hold our tablets, not talking to each other. However, it's like Caleb glances at me every three minutes.
Nine minutes have passed until I hear him ask. "Why the neck?"
He's asking about the ink running down the side of my neck. It reminds me of my own question when I asked Tori about her tattoo before taking the aptitude test. It also reminds me of Tori's statement before she drew the tattoo on me.
"I can never understand why they chose the neck," she said to me that day as she prepared the needle. "It's the most painful part of the body when it comes to tattoos."
In response to Caleb's question, I turn to look at him in the eye and say, "I could hardly fathom why either."
"During initiation, he read this book about Dauntless," he says, looking incredulous. "Apparently, whoever has that tattoo is a leader of that faction."
"Tattoos in Dauntless can represent anything," I say. I wish I could tell him about my three raven tattoos and what they represent. However, that's not something to share right now. Jeanine might ask him about what was said and she might coax him into spilling details that should keep quiet.
Whatever I want to say, I have to save for Visiting Day this year. Visiting Day. This year it will be different, as I'm no longer an initiate. I'll stay out of the way that day, as the Pit will be full of initiates and their visiting parents.
I look over at my tablet, to examine the progress of the delivery. Eighty-seven percent of the fear serums delivered so far.
"What might interest you is that tattoos became a trend for this faction two decades after the founding of the faction system," says Caleb. "They wanted to show that they can tolerate pain."
It does make sense coming to think of it. Things are done in Dauntless with a purpose after all.
"That's interesting," I say. I turn back to my tablet. Luckily, Caleb doesn't speak after that.
"Okay, that's it with the supplies," says Veronica as the tablet now reads one hundred percent. She looks at me and says, "We need to steer the boxes of serum into the supply room."
I turn off my tablet and approach the trolley so we can bring the cartons of fear serum into the compound. Just as I turn my back, I hear Caleb shout, "Beatrice!"
I abruptly turn to see him approach me, carrying an envelope. "Jeanine wanted me to hand this to one of the Dauntless leaders at the end of today's fear serum delivery. It's for your main leader to read."
He gives me the envelope and I look at the red words CONFIDENTIAL stamped on it. Whatever it is, Jeanine probably doesn't want the other four Dauntless leaders to know just yet, unless she wants to clue Eric in.
This leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Knowing Jeanine, whatever is written in that envelope can't be good.
I place the envelope in my jacket. "I'll give it to Max as soon as possible." Before I make a stupid decision, I exit behind the door. Hopefully Caleb understands. He's Erudite after all.
"Max, the Erudite member overseeing the delivery of fear serum wanted me to give this to you," I tell him, handing him the envelope. "It's from Jeanine."
"Thanks, Tris." Max puts the envelope face down on his desk.
"Your welcome." I exit his office and go into my own. No messages left for me on the phone. Nothing too important to get my immediate attention yet.
I sit behind computer desk and log into my account. Hopefully there is at least something to keep me occupied so I can put off the paperwork for an hour. Not that I hate the paperwork. In my inbox, there is no message for me as of yet.
However, I keep the screen up as I take out the paperwork which I need to fax to Erudite regarding the information about the fear serum after filling it out. This is going to be a long three hours before lunch.
As I start with the paperwork, the phone begins to ring. I put the pen down on the first sheet of paper and pick up the phone. "Tris Prior speaking," I say promptly.
"Hey, Tris," says Eric from the other line. "Could you spare a few seconds."
"Sure." I smile. "What is it?"
"I'm faxing you the initiation policies," he answers. "That way you can have a copy of it too."
I walk to the fax machine. Seconds later, a sheet of paper was printed out of the fax machine followed by another. I pick up the sheets of paper and say, "Okay, I got them."
"I updated the policies to add your additions," he says on the other line. "It will take very careful reading for any other person to understand the initiation policies."
"Okay," I say, setting the papers on my desk. "Thanks."
"I'll let you go," he says. "I don't want to take up your time unless they need you for something."
I shake my head as I put the phone on the receiver. Looking at the papers, they consist of what the initiation instructor is supposed to do, like following the training methods, what the training methods are and on the second page, is a list of violations that are punishable. The ones that stand out are:
Vandalizing the property of another initiate (i.e shredding the bedspreads) is punishable by docking of initiation points. Even if it's to prank a friend, it's still punishable by docking points. I understand the need to prank fellow initiates, like short-sheeting the bed, but that doesn't include vandalizing.
When it's obvious someone is down, don't keep beating them. This faction trains soldiers, not brutes who don't know when to stop or who don't know how to throw their weight around. It's punishable by being written up, docking of points, and possible limitation of job opportunities.
Dauntless initiation is competitive, and I'm sure it's disappointing to not get a certain score. However, one must not achieve that score by attacking/maiming/attempting to murderer that initiate when unprovoked. It is a direct violation of the manifesto. If one attacks/maims/attempts to murder a fellow initiate unprovoked, the punishment is immediate expulsion. No second chances.
For the last one, I recognize that one since I made it that when a initiate is attacked by another initiate, that they immediately get cut from initiation. We can't have someone around if they pose a threat to the other initiate's safety.
I scan the documents so that they are saved electronically on my account before I place the papers in a manila folder. I place the manila folder in the filing cabinet before getting back to work with the paperwork I got started on before Eric called.
"How is that initiation is months away and the instructors are already getting memos regarding it?" Christina asks me as we move through the food line getting our lunch.
"According to Eric, we're better off if we prepare early." I put some potato salad on my plate.
Christina rolls her eyes. "What is it with the Erudite wanting to plan things months ahead of time? It's only March and initiation doesn't start until the first week of September."
"Must be something about avoiding errors," I say. "Those born from Erudite still want to avoid errors even after they transfer."
"Why do we have to be with the guys originating from the intelligent faction?" asks Christina as she picks up a banana walnut muffin from the platter at the end of the food line. "Only your guy is a pretentious piece of work."
"I won't tell him you said that," I tell him. Yeah, there is no denying that Eric is arrogant. He hasn't changed since I first met him.
Tobias, Lynn, Marlene, Shauna, and Zeke are already sitting down when we get to our usual table.
"…then these kids started fighting over it," says Shauna as Christina and I sit down with them. "Fortunately a factionless adult broke up the fight just after it started."
"What was the altercation about?" I ask, grabbing a bottle of ketchup for my steak.
"Over a can of sweet peas," Shauna says.
"Did they act like they were going to cause serious harm to the other?" I ask curiously.
"It was more childish in nature, since they were around ten," says Shauna. "I don't understand why children live in those conditions."
It's something that the founders never took into account. Two people who are factionless will get together and conceive a child. In fact, there are children are born factionless. If it's proven that the child lost his or her parents at some point, an Abnegation couple unable to conceive a child will adopt the child. If a factionless child still has his and her parents, they are considered unadoptable, as the city council, solely consisting of Abnegation, believes that it's selfish to remove them from their parents. Children who are born factionless and who are unadoptable can't choose a faction when they are of age. Those who are factionless by default, remain factionless if they have living parents.
"Why doesn't your faction of origin do anything about children born factionless?" Lynn demands, snapping me out of thoughts. "They run the city."
"Well, if a factionless child lost his or her parents, a couple from Abnegation who can't have children adopt the child," I answer truthfully. "If the child still has his and her parents, they are considered unadoptable. They see it as selfish to rip the child from their parents if they are still living."
I say the last sentence in a tone that indicated that I didn't want the issue further discussed. Fortunately, Lynn doesn't say anything.
"What do the Erudite do if a couple can't have a child?" Christina asks Will, who just joins us.
"They conceive a baby via in-vitro fertilization in an artificial incubator," Will explains, taking a waffle fry from Christina's plate. "Using the couple's egg and sperm."
Marlene makes a face. "Ew. That's something one wants to hear while we're eating."
"If you like, I could name the phases of meiosis for you," says Eric as he sits down next to me.
"Okay, apparently someone made a blunder involving camera transmissions in the room that we work in," says Will, obviously changing the subject.
Everyone else sitting at the table was paying attention to the story Will was telling, not bothering to look at our direction.
"Any misdemeanors at the factionless sector yet?" Eric asks me.
"Fortunately so far, no," I tell him. "I hope there isn't a message from Max or Veronica about another guard trying to steal food from the factionless."
Hopefully, I didn't jinx it by saying those words.
Fortunately, I didn't get a message from the other leaders involving violations at the factionless sector. My shift passed without incident and when I return to the apartment, I see a note left by the coat hooks by the door:
Max and I had to go to Erudite headquarters on business. I left at fifty after five and I'll most likely be home by eight. Don't worry about making dinner twice. I can reheat whatever you made.
Yours, Eric
I wonder if it had to do with whatever Caleb wanted me to pass over to Max. Whatever it is, they don't want me to know yet or ever. I remove the note from the wall and proceed to the kitchen. Perhaps brown rice, baked chicken, salmon, and assorted vegetables will do.
Erudite food and Abnegation food combined. I'll brew him tea shortly before he comes back. When I turn on the burners, I think about what the note possibly contained. Max is the head leader of the five of us, so it made sense why Jeanine might have just wanted him to read it.
But Eric went with him, the suspicious part of me thinks.
Shut up, scolds the logical part of me, it could be anything.
Besides, it was rather selfish of you to think that they would purposely exclude you, scolds the former Abnegation girl I once was.
It's correct; it could mean anything and it's not always about me. Though, it is rather odd, considering that if it is about that envelope, that Max took Eric with him.
I'll ask Eric when he comes back. Just in case.
I fixed the meal and served myself a serving of it before I stick the food in the fridge. I take a quick, warm shower and I brew tea before curly myself on the couch with a book.
Just as the kettle blows steam, I heard the door unlock and Eric comes in. I set my book aside and stand up to embrace him. he places a hand on the small of my back as I peck him on the lips.
"How was your day?" I ask him as I pull away.
"The usual." He smirks. "People getting on my nerves that I had to put them in their place."
That doesn't surprise me.
"I just brewed tea for you," I tell him. "Dinner is in the refrigerator."
"What did you make?" Eric steps into the kitchen and approaches the refrigerator.
"Salmon, baked chicken, assorted vegetables, and brown rice," I answer, following him into the kitchen.
"I'll take the salmon," he replies. He opens the refrigerator and takes out the plates and bowls with the food before getting a plate from the cupboard.
"How did that trip to Erudite go?" I ask him.
"Not too bad." Eric placed a piece of salmon next to the brown rice. "We had a meeting with Jeanine. She gave us the exact details as usual."
"What did you talk about exactly?" I ask.
Eric turns to look at me. He presses his lips, as if he's deciding whether to tell me or not. Finally, he says, "Whatever I say doesn't leave this room? Understand?"
I nod, crossing my arms.
"Jeanine has invented some new brand of simulation serum," says Eric. "She wants us to bring over Dauntless test subjects every two weeks to test it out."
A new brand of simulation serum. If it's invented by Jeanine, I should be suspicious. But what do I know. I'm not Erudite and I don't work directly under her. I doubt Caleb knows either, since he was an Erudite member for just a few months.
"A new simulation serum?" I ask. "Is that for the fear landscapes?"
Eric lifts a shoulder. "She wouldn't tell us the exact details, since she said it was in the beginning stages."
If she doesn't want them to know what she's making now, it sends a big alarm bell in my head.
"She didn't tell you the details?" I ask.
"She won't tell us the details until the serum is no longer in the testing stage," he answers.