Chapter 26

"So what time should we wake up the initiates?"

"What?" Banks frowned as he continued to rifle through his papers. "What are you talking about?"

"Tonight, what time should we wake them up?" I repeated. "We're scheduled to play capture the flag."

Banks paused, cursed quietly under his breath, and then pinched the bridge of his nose with obvious frustration. He'd instructed me to come directly to his office after the day's training was over, and I'd complied without even the slightest bit of argument because he'd seemed more on edge than usual. You could practically feel the waves of exasperation that emanated from him.

Quite out of character, Banks had also acted distracted and preoccupied. His mind was obviously on other things. When I'd first arrived, I'd even seen him just sitting stoically; staring straight ahead at nothing in particular as he absently ran his fingers along the odd circular scars along his arms. Whatever had him so out of sorts must've been important, because he rarely allowed any of his real emotions to drift so close to the surface; easily available for all to see.

Even now, I could tell that he was irritated with the fact that I'd brought up the topic of tonight's game. I stayed quiet, but watched him closely as he thought through what I'd asked. He furrowed his brows, staring first at his computer, then back to the papers in his hand. It took him so long to respond that, for an instant, I thought he'd forgotten I'd even asked him a question.

"Midnight," Banks finally said as he reached for a different folder in on his desk. "Wake them at midnight."

"Okay," I answered, and when I saw that he was again lost in his notes, I cautiously added, "so are we done here?"

"For today, yes," he said as he waved a hand at me. "Be careful when you take those sensors off, they're delicate."

I nodded, and then began the painstakingly long process of peeling the multiple electrodes off of my forehead and unclamping the sensors from my fingers. Today's tests had been odd, really odd, even for Banks. I was so used to all of them involving pain, that I'd been more than shocked when it never came.

As soon as I'd sat in his testing chair, he'd hooked me up to his computer and then simply asked me a series of random questions; ones that I couldn't imagine being important whatsoever. He'd held up cards with strange ink splats and asked me what I thought they looked like, he'd given me simple math problems to solve, shown me a series of shapes and numbers and asked that I find the pattern they made, and he'd even made me spell long words aloud. It was all suspiciously easy, and had admittedly unnerved me more than if he'd simply chased me around the room with a needle and syringe.

"Sage, wait," Banks said just as I'd been about to stand. "I'm occupied at the moment, so here, take this and go to the transfer's dorm, then write down the names in order for me," he said as he handed me a slip of paper.

"Names?" I asked as I took the slip and unfolded it.

Reading silently, I saw that the names on the paper were actually the ranks of the transfer-initiates. I frowned when I saw that there were only seven names on it, and I actually turned it over twice to see if there were maybe more on the back of it. Only seven, how could it be? There'd been so many transfers in the beginning, was it possible he'd already cut more than half of the group?

"You seem alarmed," Banks noted in amusement.

With the shock of just how many people he'd kicked out fresh in my mind, I hadn't been careful to disguise my facial expressions. I swallowed, and knew that if I tried to lie it would be pointless, so I nodded instead.

"Why did you cut so many already?" I asked. "I mean, stage two would've been understandable, but during stage one? Really? Why so many?"

"They were unworthy, I did our faction a favor," Banks said dismissively. "We have a standard here, and I had to cull the weak from the group to maintain our level of superiority."

I couldn't help myself; I glowered fiercely at him and reflexively tightened my hands into fists. The note crumpled in my palm, and as if on autopilot, I mechanically took a single step towards Banks. I thought of the young initiates whose lives he'd ruined, and it was all I could do not to leap over his desk to tackle him to the ground.

Upon seeing my reaction, Banks actually appeared to brighten from his previously sour mood. I knew why. He reveled in the fact that he could get under my skin so easily; not by hurting me, but by hurting the innocent. It burned me up to feel so incompetent, and he took great pleasure in this knowledge. I hated it more than anything; having to see such injustices go unpunished.

"Did you have something to add Sage?" Banks asked me in a mockingly fretful tone. "Do you have concerns you'd like to express? Do tell, I'd love to hear them."

"No," I grated through clenched teeth; I would not give into his goading. "I have nothing to add."

He chuckled dryly, and then shook his head at me as if he were disappointed.

"So predictable," he muttered, then after heaving a quiet sigh, he continued reading over his printouts.

Without adding more, I turned and left his office; nearly sprinting away to create some distance between us. I'd just run a few steps when the reality of what I'd almost done hit me. The last time I'd defied him, even in the slightest, had been months and months ago. Yet just then, I'd had to use an incredible amount of self-control to simply stay in one place.

It was as if all the barriers I'd built to keep myself numb were crumbing away, and in their wake the remnants of who I'd used to be commanded that I lash out. I was regressing. My conscience demanded retribution for all the wrong Banks had done, and my body had very nearly followed through with the thought.

Careful, I have to be more careful; I thought as I made my way towards the transfer-initiates room.

Trying to forget about my previous slip-up, I instead chose to distract myself with another concern that had plagued me since I'd woken this morning; Ava and Ally. Since I'd left the clinic without running any sort interference, I'd found myself tossing and turning in bed as I worried over what rumors Ava might've made Ally aware of.

Could she have just mentioned my past as a merciless fighter in the Cage, or would she have also added her misgivings about my involvement in Randi's death? Had she told Ally about her suspicions that I'd played with Randi's heart, or had she decided to be strictly factual and tell her about how -up until a few days ago- there'd rarely been a time when I'd been completely sober?

More than those questions though, my biggest worries had been over whether Ally had believed Ava or not. Could it be that she now thought of me as a demented sociopath? If she saw me now, would she run away screaming? Would she think that I had the same lack of ethics and moralities as someone like Zane?

A part of me wanted her to vehemently agree with Ava, and thus never come near me again, but another part hated the thought of her seeing me in that light. I wanted to keep her safe and far away, but I also selfishly knew that I craved her presence. It was like a horrible game of tug-of-war between my brain and heart.

I was still contemplating my inner worries when I made it to the transfer's dorm. To my relief, I found it empty. I was so anxious about how Ally's perception of me might've changed, that I figured the best thing to do would be to avoid her. I just didn't think I'd be able to handle seeing the look of horror or disgust on her face every time she saw me.

I'd already posted my own initiates ranks this morning, so when I walked into the room I was easily able to spot the chalkboard beside the door. Picking it up, I quickly began to scrawl the names down in a hurry, wanting to be out and long gone before anyone might think to come back in.

Thomas

Dylan

Jade

Vera

Ally

Mel

Edmund

I'd just finished writing the last name and was heading towards the wall where I was supposed to hang the sign, when I heard it; the sound of a doorknob turning. For an instant, I completely drew a blank as I contemplated what the wisest move could be at a time like this. Oddly enough, I felt jittery, like a kid caught doing something that was obviously against the rules.

Get it together, you're an instructor. You have every right to be here, and you have to demand respect; I thought to myself. Besides, what are the chances that the person coming in is going to be Ally?

Feeling suddenly relaxed, I ignored my previous worries and settled my features into a look of mild indifference. Chalkboard still in hand, I turned around and lifted it towards the nail on the wall. I had a job to do, and I didn't have to answer to anyone, much less some unknown transfer-initiate.

Behind me I heard the door hinges squeak as someone entered the room, and then a mere second later I heard the sound of a suppressed gasp. That gesture threw me off, because honestly what could be so very shocking about someone hanging up a sign? For an instant, I almost turned around, but then I rolled my eyes instead and continued along with my chore; adjusting the board until I thought it was level enough.

When I'd deemed it suitable, I stepped back a few steps to look at my handiwork. Though my handwriting was a bit scraggly, it was still readable in my opinion. With a small shrug, I was about to turn to leave when the slightest scent caught my attention; something fresh, with the slightest hint of an earthy undertone.

"Sage?"

I turned slowly and then swallowed nervously when I saw Ally only a few steps before me. Immediately, I fixed my ever-alert eyes on her features, looking for even the slightest hint of anger, fear, or even revulsion. I found nothing, but even then I couldn't make myself relax. After what she'd heard last night, it was only logical that she'd shy away from me with the new knowledge of my tainted reputation.

"Ally," I acknowledged, slightly cautious as I awaited the inevitable backlash of Ava's actions. "How are you feeling?"

"Feeling? Oh, good actually," Ally answered. She flexed her hands slightly, and then picked a little at the scabs on her palms. "Healing quite well. My nurse, Grace, was really nice."

"She's the best," I nodded.

"So, what are you up to in here?" She asked, and as I watched in quiet surprise, she smiled at me with genuine warmth.

Still in awe, I only just managed to jerk my head in the board's direction. How could she be acting so pleasant and friendly towards me after the things she'd heard? Had she thought Ava was lying? Did she not care about her own life? Was she not afraid of me in the slightest?

"Oh, the ranks," she said as she peered at the list. Her brow puckered slightly in dismay, and I could see she wasn't happy with where her name stood. "I thought we weren't being graded just yet."

"You're not," I said quickly. "This is just sort of a progress report so you know where you stand. You still have time to change your rank if you put in the work."

She nodded, attempting to appear calm, but I could see she was still bothered. Walking closer to the board, I noted her scent again as she passed by me. It was distinct, not floral the way Grace had smelled during her first weeks here, but crisp, like the moments after a cleansing rain had just fallen.

"You look worried," I said after a moment of silence.

"I'm not," she lied poorly, to which I sighed and then gave her a bemused look. "Okay, I am," she admitted reluctantly. "While I'm not as bad of a fighter as I was when I first got here, I'm still not the best. Actually, before Zane decided to attack me, he'd been teaching me a few tricks which were the reason I'd managed to raise my rank."

"Zane was teaching you?"

"Yeah," she sighed. "I needed the extra help, but now that leverage is gone."

"Not necessarily," I said slowly.

"Sage, I would never, and I mean ever, ask Zane for help again. I can't stand him, and if you think I'm desperate enough to go back and–" Ally began to rant before I cut her off.

"No, I don't mean Zane," I amended, suddenly feeling enthusiastic with the idea that I'd be able to help her. "If you want, I could teach you a few moves of my own. That is, only if you want to though. There's no pressure, I'll understand if you'd rather not. And even if you agree now, you could always say no at any time if you feel that it's not working out for you."

"Really?" She blinked up at me. "You'd do that? But you're already teaching the dauntless-born, would it even be allowed?"

"There's no written rule against it," I grinned. "So, what do you think?"

Without hesitation, her face broke out into the most breathtaking smile I'd ever seen.

"Let's do it then. Teach me how to fight."