Ethan and the rest were stranded in the middle of the forest, with no seeds in their possession. The only civilisation, which was Amity, was still a long thirty mile walk away. The mission was a complete disaster, and he wouldn't be surprised if him along with all the initiates failed. Ethan gathered his thoughts as everyone stumbled out of the train, a few being sick. He looked forward, his eye following the train tracks. Kathryn's Amity train was long gone. It would be stupid to travel forward, they would only be met with exhaustion and then Dauntless at Amity. He turned behind, and looked about. There were long grass plains, it was hilly but it would lead directly back to the city.
"Not over there, recruit. That there is razorgrain. That tall grass will cut us from head to toe. A few years ago…" Red started an old war story, while packing his rucksack. "I led a team of initiates through there, little did we know mother nature had made quite the nasty concoction. The tall grass is razorgrain, it's a completely new species of plant, evolved to defend itself against humans who harvested 'her. If you cut yourself on the sharp edges of the grass like-crop, you'll become infected and die slow. We learned that the hard way."
Ethan now stared at the fields behind, he could even see parts of Chicago...But he could see what Red meant. It lived up to its name. The tall grass wasn't grass at all, it was wavy, golden crops that were thin and….he could see why it got its name. Each strand of razorgrain was sharp, like blades from the ground. Like a thornbush, the plains behind filled with the razorgrain was off the table, marching twenty miles through that would be worse than death.
Ethan only saw one other option, which was through the forest. Red was helping initiates calm down, giving them each a pat on the back and commending them for their strength.
Ethan didn't even notice how Harry was still sat in the train, looking alone and lost for the first time.
"She didn't even recognise me…"
Ethan stood next to Harry, barely trying. "I'm sure she just needs...time." Ethan was unsure himself.
"You too kid…" Harry pondered.
"What do you mean?..." Ethan noticed the concern on Harry's face.
"Jeanine's got Kat right under her thumb."
"No…" Ethan shook his head in denial. "She's with us on this…" Ethan then flashed back to Megan and Kathryn.
Ethan had his ear to the glass door, peering in at Megan and Kathryn. He heard some of their argument. He focused on something Megan had said. "At least I have a mind of my own!" Suddenly Ethan's head hurt. He felt a little bad about eavesdropping. He shook it off, Kathryn wouldn't betray Ethan...She had no reason to.
Harry's eyes veered off through the smashed window. Ethan brought him back around.
"Harry...Hey…" Harry looked at Ethan now. "We're need you here. Red is waiting. The initiates are waiting."
Ethan wasn't lying, Red was giving everyone a pep talk as they waited for Harry and Ethan to exit the train.
"How're you doin' Harry…?" Red gave Harry a hard pat on the back, seeing how affected Harry was by the encounter.
"Through the forest…It's our only route." Harry admitted. In response there were a few groans from the initiates.
"Quiet you maggots, the whole of Dauntless could be listening. We're probably being located right this second'."
Harry waltzed past Ethan to the front of the marching line. Ethan quietly said to Harry. "We'll talk about this later…" Harry nodded and began discussing the trip back up front as the initiates hiked, entering the dense forest and leaving the creaking corpse of a train.
Through the forest there was nothing but eery silence. It was all just plants, no animals whatsoever. Factionless never had trouble with the creatures of the outskirts, it was the heavy Dauntless patrols that expanded their search every day.
With weighted backpacks, the iniates struggled through the forest, stepping over creepvines and ducking forest colours. In a way it was the most beautiful sight the initiates had seen, pure, unaltered forest. They hit a section which smelled so sweet it almost hurt the lungs. Geranium plants filled the forest gaps, brushing pink in the stationary forest. It was far from bland, the forest was perfect for settling down. No wonder Amity chose to operate in these sectors. The forests were deciduous, they provided fruits and fertile soil.
One of the more tired looking initiates complained. "Can't we stop...pitch a tent or something?"
Red shut him down as expected "If you want to be cannon-fodder for a battalion of Dauntless behind us, there's some pretty flowers you could snooze by." Red pointed towards the colourful shades, that didn't seem to impress him as much as everyone else. The initiate was elbowed by his marching partner, as the other initiates berated him under their breaths.
They had been hiking through the forest for a good hour or so, and it got quieter and quieter.
Harry spoke to Red again after a long silence. "Dauntless must surely be on our tail by now."
Red nodded, lowering his voice to a whisper. "We'll keep it quiet, the strongest will survive, I say they need some real face to face experience with danger." Red exposed his colder, more battle hardened nature. This is why Factionless were so revered, not only their numbers but their sheer brutality with selection. Every soldier would've had to train under Red one way or another and would never forget training.
Harry exclaimed. "It's too dangerous Red, we need to give them fair warning."
Red ignored this challenge. "They will run with their squad or they will die. Both you and I know the nature of war."
Harry put his hand on Red's shoulder, stopping the march in progress. All the initiates peered round to see what happened, including Ethan. "We should be running now. By marching all we're doing is wasting time and letting Dauntless catch up!" Harry was stressed out, his trust in Red faded for a moment. Harry let his anger leak out in front of all the initiates, embarrassing Red.
"Don't make me look like a fool Harry. Where were you when I lost 'me eye? You were off at Erudite every night, sleeping with the enemy!" Red and Harry stared at each-other.
Ethan cried out from the back of the line. "They're coming! Dauntless!
Red looked at Harry with rage, before diffusing it with a sigh.
Harry and Red regained control together.
"Let's go, let's go! Everyone behind us, let's run!"
Ethan looked behind, seeing more black blotches in between the bushes than he could count. There must've been at least thirty or so, Jeanine stepped up her recruiting.
Suddenly, the initiates sprinted through the forest, hopping over fallen logs and weaving between the whipping branches. The running sounds were like drums that beaten initiates to run faster and faster. Some initiates, like Ethan managed to slid their backpacks off, enabling them to catch up to Red and Harry up front. Red and Harry were still surprisingly quick for their age. Red was much older, in his fifties but still ran like a triathlete.
The trained Dauntless were catching the wannabe initiates quick, some even managing to pop a few shots off at the initiates. Luckily, Dauntless couldn't fire well while running, and used it as a scare tactic. The initiates panicked at the sound of nearby shots, being meer gazelles gunning away from gnawing lions. Ethan flew up past most of the initiates, still maintaining his lightning speed throughout his life. The thrill of the chase reminded him of his escape from Candor, except now if he failed he would be left with worse than a few bruises. The forest was getting lighter, but that didn't stop one initiate from failing to keep up. As the initiate was flew forwards after catching his foot on a branch, Ethan caught a glance. It was just another average initiate, the bigger opponent that Ethan fought during hand to hand combat. Red, Harry and the other initiates barely noticed the one missing as they ran for their lives. The initiate landed flat on his face, and scurried through the mud to try and get back up, before disappearing behind a wall of black-clad Dauntless. Ethan gulped.
They had only just cleared the forest, the initiates were beginning to lag behind. Whereas the Dauntless were only just beginning. Harry managed encouragement. "...Little further, on me let's go!"
With the forest cleared, they made it back into the city. Ethan had recognised the park, and the shooting range that laid just around the corner. Dauntless were nowhere to be seen at this time. A break perhaps...No, this wasn't the Dauntless way. The initiates caught their breath, Harry led them inside the shooting range quickly got rifles for the biggest of the initiates.
"We can't outrun them…" Harry stated. Everyone caught their breath, sweating and on the edge of collapsing. Harry cursed before looking to Red. "Our backup was meant to be here by now."
Red stood up, taking a rifle for himself. "Looks like we're on our own lads."
The initiates looked depressed, panting and ready to give up. Ethan wiped the sweat of his brow, neglecting the rifle in front of him.
Ethan never thought he would go out in a final stand fashion. None of them did. But the situation called for bravery, which Ethan was willing to provide.
Now better equipped, with bulletproof armour, the initiates moved out under Harry's lead. They walked through familiar streets on the long road to Factionless. Utilising their new found knowledge of guerilla warfare, the initiates understood every instruction and manoeuvre. They ducked round corners, surveyed buildings and scouted ahead as they took it street corner by street corner. Dauntless could be hiding anywhere, ready to pounce.
Ethan gripped his handgun in his tight palms, Harry they moved very closely in a formation. Ethan peered round the corner of a store, Harry raised the palm of his hand and closed it into a fist. He outstretched his index and middle finger to make a signal. Harry, Red and the other initiates flew round the corner with guns draw, it was all clear as Ethan had advised.
Moving upwards, they were still fairly efficient, with only a few miles to Factionless headquarters.
The wall next to Ethan came apart and he lost his hearing. Piercing his eardrums were a deafening ringing sound. Gunshots whizzed past his ear into the shop window next to him. Dauntless had found them again and looked hungry for some action. The initiates exchanged brief fire, before continuing their path. They were forced to run once again, Harry utilised his knowledge of the street layout to steer the team through alleyways and collapsed buildings. But to no avail, Dauntless just kept coming, kept catching up with their shots getting closer and closer to Ethan's head. It was a game of cat and mouse, every time Ethan and the initiates made a move, the risk of being exposed increased. Every turn was either another encounter or a few meters freedom. Dauntless must have waited for them all this time, they surrounded every means to get back to Factionless. They had to run again, and were forced into a dilapidated coffee shop. Chicago was full of these, Ethan never understood the old world's fascination with coffee. Any drink that altered the mind was prohibited in Candor, including caffeine.
Dauntless were literally just a few feet outside, with a range of guns at their disposal. They had been trapped, and hid under the tables as Dauntless pranced about outside.
"We know you're in their Factionless…" The Dauntless soldier in charge stated.
They awaited an answer, but none came.
He made a cold proposition. "I would rather not waste my bullets on you, if you surrender yourselves to us now we might let you live."
When there was more silence. "All we request is to remove three of you. Red. Harry. Ethan. Give them to us, and we will give you your freedom."
A tempting offer, but none of the initiates budged. The initiates loyalty intrigued Ethan.
No one said a word.
"This is your decision? Prepare to perish."
"Hold on!" Ethan revealed himself. He slowly stepped out from the coffee shop, it was surrounded by two dozen or so Dauntless, guns poised at the shop. He thought that maybe he could prevent a bloodbath. Either way, he had no choice. It was die, or die along with his comrades.
More Dauntless revealed themselves and circled him like sharks.
"Where are the rest, Initiate?" The leader demanded.
Suddenly, Red and Harry revealed themselves too. They stepped out and stood next to Ethan.
Harry spoke. "Now let the initiates be. They're meer children."
"Drop your weapons first." Harry and Red reluctantly placed their weapons at their feet before standing to face the leader once again.
Red was taken aside, and placed at gunpoint.
Ethan was taken aside too and placed at gunpoint.
"Prepare to fire." The leader held his arm in the air and was ready to thrust it down for Ethan and Red to be executed. In a way Ethan got what he had wanted, peace. His sister was waiting for him in the distance, Ethan didn't care if it was a hallucination, he could finally rest.
"Sir. Withhold that order."
A large Dauntless man approached the leader.
"What is it Derek?" The leader rolled his eyes.
Following close behind Derek was a smaller, more fidgety and stupid looking Dauntless guard. Suddenly, Ethan recognised them both from inside Erudite. The two mismatched guards. When Kathryn helped Ethan escape, it was the two guards that they spoke with. Jeanine must have found out about their failure to escort Ethan.
The smaller one came across as if spilling a secret. "I recognise him sir...He's a divergent."
The bigger one, Derek, nodded in confirmation.
The leader relaxed his arm and put it to his side, calling the execution off. "You're sure of this?"
"Yes sir…" The smaller one was nervous and hardly spoke in flowing sentences. "We were posted with uhhh, escorting him. It's subject fourteen. I'm sure of this."
The leader nodded. "Two divergents, well spotted." The leader noted in his head. "Head back to Erudite while we finish here."
The pair wandered off with haste, the larger one verbally abusing the other again as they fell into the distance. "'he's a divergent'...what's the matter with you?" Derek mocked and shoved the smaller one.
Once they were gone the leader resumed. "What's your name boy?"
Ethan swallowed, and answered. "Ethan Kang."
"So you're Ethan...Given your reputation I imagined you'd be more…." He searched for the words. "Fearsome."
The leader continued, no real sympathy on his face. "I do feel sorry for you boy, Red and the initiates are getting off lucky, Jeanine is going to burn you from the inside out…" The leader mocked.
Harry caught on. "What do you mean...The initiates are to be left out of this."
"I'm afraid not my old chum, Jeanine gave me explicit orders to gather divergents and dispose of the rest."
"You liar!" Harry made a lunge for the leader, who just smacked him back down with the butt of his rifle. Nose bloodied, Harry stood still and gave Red one last look.
The leader raised his arm once again, the Dauntless tensed and aimed at the coffee shop, ready to riddle it full of bullets. Red's temple was poked with the barrel of a gun, giving Ethan and Harry a final, respectable glance at him.
"Fire." The leader threw his arm down and a maelstrom of bullets hailed from every direction. Ethan and Harry ducked, staring at the floor, unable to bear witness at the destruction. But when they did look up, Red held in his hand a gun, his shooter dead. The leader was face down and unmoving. A wound sprayed across his back. Dauntless traded fire with a hoard of Factionless. Factionless swooped in from every direction, taking out every Dauntless in sight. Every crack of a gunshot, another Dauntless soldier fell to the floor. The initiates opened fire from inside the coffee shop too. Ethan and Harry scurried into the Coffee shop with the other initiates. Suddenly, a skirmish had erupted between large numbers of ambushing Factionless and the dwindling remains of Dauntless. One after another, Dauntless were just cut down by the sheer storm of Factionless. Factionless had arrived, and just in time.
The three or four Dauntless remaining didn't know whether to look left or right, as they were slaughtered quickly. The skirmish lasted mere minutes.
And when the last Dauntless thumped down on the concrete, Factionless entered the coffee shop and delivered aid to the shocked initiates. Factionless greeted Red, Harry and Ethan.
"We saw you was being followed, Evelyn insisted on conducting the ambush."
Red looked to the Factionless captain. "Where did you get all the men?..."
"Evelyn is building an army, we're recruiting everyone and anyone who can hold a weapon."
Ethan and Harry had took hold of each-other, sharing a hearty embrace. Harry wiped the water from under his eye, trying to hide it. He was happy that he can see his daughter again, there was still hope. After getting a few awkward looks from Factionless, Ethan and Harry disguised their closeness with a manly pat on the back.
Ethan spoke to the group. "What now? Our mission didn't go to plan…"
Red interrupted. "You're right. But as head recruiter, I think you've all done a fine job…."
Harry also took a turn to speak. "...And if Evelyn has a problem with that, I'll speak to her myself." Red nodded, understanding Harry's influence with Evelyn. If anyone could get to Evelyn, it'd be Harry.
In their large group, they made their way back to Factionless. The Dauntless in the area were nowhere to be seen. The battle was hardly a battle at all, it was a massacre. Evelyn would be pleased to have dented Dauntless' numbers even if the mission was lost. They had arrived just in time, it was getting very dark. The group had amounted to about thirty or so, every face in Factionless looked towards them. Ethan felt like a knight riding back from battle, his loyal brothers at his side. Kathryn had to officially join Factionless soon, Ethan was excited for once to write Kathryn back. Ethan felt bad for doubting Kathryn, she wouldn't betray Ethan.
Ethan shared a drink of water with his initiates. Red finished with a speech outside a fire one of the more cosy areas of Factionless. "...And now we are stronger than ever. You have displayed courage, you have displayed cunning, and most of all, you have displayed loyalty."
Loyalty.
Ethan thought…
Kathryn was courageous, she was cunning, but most of all, she was loyal.