From Four's perspective.
I have a problem with kindness. It's not surprising given the childhood I had. Still, this may be a new low, even for me. I didn't really get a good look at her before, but now that I'm on top of her, with my knife to her throat, I can see she can't be more than sixteen. What am I doing? It doesn't matter, I tell myself. The way things are going lately, I know my survival might depend on figuring out what she's up to. I can't figure out much else about her except her blue clothing tells me she is Erudite. Why would they send an initiate to spy on me?
I try to make my voice sound as threatening as possible. It isn't difficult. "Name."
She glares back at me. I push the dull edge of my blade a few millimeters closer.
"I'm not telling you anything until you put that knife away."
She's brave. I'd be impressed if I weren't so scared of her.
"I could kill you right now. Tell me who you are."
"If you kill me, you'll never know." An Erudite answer. I have no reply, and I'm quickly losing both my patience and my will. I pull the knife back, but I keep it out, in view.
"I'm going to ask you one more time. Name."
"Natalie Prior." I pull back as if stung. I haven't heard that name in a long time. She was my mother's closest friend. How could she know that, and why would she give that name? I search her face, but all I see is defiance.
"I don't think so." I spit the words out and motion as if I'm about to put the knife back.
"Okay, Okay, it's Beatrice Prior." Now the pieces fall in place. I had thought she looked vaguely familiar. I can see the outline of the woman I had known in this girl's face. She is beautiful, but not in a conventional way.
"You were Abnegation?" I ask.
"How do you know that?" she counters.
"I'm asking the questions here." Her eyes flash with anger, and she moves to sit up. I let her.
"You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet, Four." I freeze. She is triumphant, knowing she's unnerved me.
"How do you know my name?"
"Put the knife away and I'll tell you."
"No."
"You're armed and could easily outrun me."
"Fine." I holster my knife. We're both sitting on the ground now, our arms around our knees, mirroring each other. It's a clear night and it occurs to me, bizarrely, that this is the first time I've been out at night alone with a girl. It's a ridiculous thought and I brush it away quickly.
"So, Beatrice Prior, why did you defect from Abnegation?"
"I didn't belong there." I can hear the regret in her voice. She's smart, but I get the sense there's a lot more to her.
"You belong in Erudite?" I ask.
"No." This time it's almost a whisper.
"You're an initiate?" She nods.
"Why did you choose them?"
"I had other plans, but when my brother chose Erudite, I realized I couldn't bear to leave him, too."
I search her face, and I see the truth in it. Perhaps she is not a spy?
"What plans?"
"Dauntless. But I'm too skinny and small. I wouldn't have lasted a day."
"I was skinny, too. And terrified." I've never talked like this to anyone before. I can see her eyes moving over me, but it doesn't bother me.
"I can't imagine that."
I allow myself a small smile. "You've managed to disarm me."
She grins. "I suppose so."
"I have a feeling you'd have been just fine."
She shrugs. "I'll never know." I can tell the thought makes her sad, and I have the urge to comfort her. I have no idea how to, though, and I pull myself out of that thought. She is still the enemy, I remind myself.
"There is still the matter of what you were doing here."
"I told you, I wanted to watch the game."
"So you snuck out at night, and climbed to the top of the Ferris wheel?" Unbelievable.
"I was curious."
"About..?"
Her voice is serious now. "Something is coming. Something bad. They say Dauntless is going to overthrow Abnegation." The words tumble out of her as if they have long been pent in.
My voice is harsher than I intend. "And you think that would be a bad thing?"
"Yes, I do. Is it true?"
Something tells me I can trust her, but I hold back. Instead, I probe. "Who do you think would benefit the most if it happened?" I can tell she's already figured that one out.
"Erudite."
I nod. "I think they're actively working to make it happen."
She looks surprised. "Jeanine says she's trying to prevent it."
"Jeanine is a liar." I hadn't meant to be that forthcoming, but I can tell she knows I might be right.
Before she has a chance to respond though, I hear the sounds of my initiates approaching. I've left them completely on their own. Unforgivable. It seems they did not need me, though. Christina is marching, no, skipping, and waving the other team's flag as high in the air as she can reach. Eric is with them, looking none too pleased. They must have decided to capture him as well. They'll pay for this.
I can't let them find me with Beatrice. I leap to my feet and pull her with me, into the small compartment at the base of the Ferris wheel that would have housed the operator. I push her down into a crouch. She opens her mouth to question me, but I put my finger up to it, to quiet her. She complies. The Dauntless are perfectly comfortable touching others, but I was not born Dauntless, and even handshakes are still awkward for me. It's strange to me how easy it is to touch her, though. Our hiding place is cramped, but I am with her and I am not afraid.
"If Eric finds you, he will kill you." Her eyes widen at the sound of his name, but she remains silent. I hear Will shout to Christina, "Maybe he's planning to meet us at the zipline?"
Eric snorts. "No way is he at the zipline. He must have gone back to Dauntless. He probably though you were a lost cause."
"Well he was wrong about that, huh?" Christina laughs. She's always too bold for her own good.
"Uncuff me now, and maybe I'll let you live."
"Nah, I think we'll take you back to Dauntless just like this." Not smart, Christina.
I can't hear what Eric says next, but it's enough to make her reconsider.
"Alright, fine." She pouts.
She must have uncuffed him because next I hear her yelp in pain. Knowing Eric, he probably punched her the first chance he got. Gradually I hear them move off, but I don't dare show myself, despite the claustrophobia that is beginning to seep into my consciousness.
I turn back to Beatrice, and she is calm. Studying me. Her closeness distracts me from my growing panic. She breaks the silence.
"Why do they call you Four?" she whispers.
"We go through simulations tailored to each of our deepest fears during our initiation. Turns out, I only have four fears."
"Four fears? I thought the Dauntless weren't afraid of anything."
I laugh, almost out loud. I don't know why I'm telling her these things.
"Would you believe that two of them are heights and small, enclosed spaces?"
It's her turn to laugh now, but she stifles it with both hands.
"Sorry. Isn't it strange that five minutes ago you had a knife to my throat, and now you're telling me all your secrets?"
Not all of them. A sliver of moonlight silhouettes her face.
"I have no idea why." I swallow nervously, waiting for her reaction.
She takes a deep breath, as if she's just made a decision. "I'm going to tell you a secret." She reaches out and puts her hand on top of mine. I know she is Abnegation and I understand the significance of the gesture. The Abnegation don't touch people casually.
"They are watching you. All of Dauntless, and you. You in particular. That's how I knew your name."
I try to process this news. I've suspected it for some time, but hearing it confirmed is still terrifying.
"How?"
"Cameras. Everywhere. Even in your control room."
"Why me?" I think I know the answer, but I don't dare say it out loud, even to her.
"Arnold says you could be reasoned with, if an attack happens."
"Who is Arnold?"
"He's in charge of the Watchers. The ones for Dauntless, anyways. I'm his trainee."
"Watchers. That's an interesting word for …"
"Spies?" She finishes my sentence for me. "I get the sense there is something else, though."
"What?" I ask.
"They won't say." I can tell she is waiting for me to fill it in. Despite our strange connection, though, there are some things I'm not ready to tell her. I've been planning on leaving Dauntless and joining the factionless. I realize now that day may need to come sooner, rather than later. My mind spins.
"I should get back to Erudite, I was never supposed to be gone this long." I can tell she dreads going.
"I'll take you back." What? It's far too dangerous.
"I'll be fine."
I leave her no room to argue. I stand and hold out my hand to pull her up. She doesn't need it, though. "Let's go." Why am I doing this? I realize that I want her closeness. It's a long forgotten feeling, packed away for years.
We make our way to the tracks and soon I hear the train coming. "C'mon, we need to run." I get up first and offer my hand, she takes it this time and I pull her into the car. She is light in my arms. The car is lit and she is sitting across from me now. For some reason, it's harder to talk in the light, and we both ride in silence. I search for something to say. I know I can't let this be the last time we talk. An idea comes to me.
"I could teach you to fight."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"I don't know if I could get out again. How would I meet you?"
"I'll be on this train every night at 10 for the next week."
"If I can be there, I will."
I am exhilarated, but I can't think of anything more to say. We approach Erudite, and it's time to get off. She stands and so do I. I open the door and we both take a deep breath. I turn to her and she is grinning. She speaks the words to me, even as I am saying them to her.
Don't think, just jump.
A/N Much better, no? I was able to get to this much sooner than I planned. These are the chapters I've really been wanting to write since I started. Thank you so much for reading and please let me know what you think. I am open to suggestions.
Standard Disclaimer: All rights to Divergent and its characters belong to Veronica Roth.