The tactical gear was uncomfortable as I sat squeezed into the back of a truck with the others.
The ache in my heart still existed as well. I have to focus on Chicago first before I can deal with Aries. I can't think about him during this mission or I will lose it. Who am I kidding? I'm already losing it.
The truck stops thirty minutes later as the back door opens to reveal the back of the Erudite building. They want me to lead. I debate if I should just go rogue, but know Aries will wipe my memory the second she finds me.
"Evelyn will be in the control room. I'll get in there to talk to her. The rest of you take control of the building. Any objections?" I command waiting to see Four and Tris disagree, but they surprisingly don't so I command forward. If only Eric could see me now taking control of a squadron like this, I need to stop and focus damn it!
I take out two guards as Amar follows me to where I'm heading straight for Evelyn. George commands the rest of the group and Four gives me a strange look as the elevator doors close.
"We're going to have to stall the elevators for time." Amar states and I nod my head in agreement before putting my gun in its holster to open the elevator panel.
"The control room is the forty seventh floor. We will have to stall it in between to make it non-operational." This building is making the Erudite come out in me.
"I'm proud of you. You've come so far." He pats me on the shoulder, as we get closer to the floor. I grab my knife and cut off the two wires by time we hit forty-five. It stops us perfectly. I bust out to climb up the top of the elevator and over to the ladder on the wall. "What the fuck?" Amar says as he follows me. "I told you I knew this building better then anyone."
Forty-seven is written on the wall as I put my hand on the lever. "Cover me," I say as I open the secret door into the hallway. It's empty which probably isn't a good sign.
We both walk with our guns drawn until I swiftly walk straight into the room at Evelyn who looked surprised that I got up here so quickly. She's surprisingly alone.
"Lauren Dyer. It's a pleasure. I didn't expect your entrance to be so soon." She's calm, which probably means she thinks we didn't come to kill her, and she couldn't be more wrong.
Amar steps out behind me as Evelyn stares smugly at me.
She laughs, "Aries sent her henchman and daughter for me. How adorable."
I raise my gun at her, "Under orders of The Resistance the experiment of Chicago is to be handed back over for them to lead. As of now Evelyn, you have no power here."
She pulls a gun on me as Amar aims at her now too.
"You can't take this city from me!" She exclaims. This is my chance to kill her and I hesitate with my finger on the trigger, as the voice in my head who sounds a lot like Eric screams at me "Do it! Do it!" I'm pressing the gun with the bullet releasing as Evelyn drops with a perfect headshot. She's dead.
I stand frozen in time as Amar calls Aries to confirm she's dead and then commands George to run the message that The Resistance now controls Chicago.
My hand feels heavy with the gun still pressed into it. Amar shakes me but I don't move. He speaks but I don't hear the words. This is all too much.
"Lauren, we need to move! I need to get you out of here!" The words reach me and I'm clutching my gun as he leads me down a hallway.
"Stop!" I recognize the voice to be Uriah's and know that Amity must've decided to raid too. Sure enough Johanna appears from behind him realizing Amar is alive by the look on her face.
"My, my Amar they rose the dead to win their battles. We need to see Evelyn." She says in her uppity Amity way that rubs me the wrong way. I step out from behind Amar and Johanna looks at me with wide eyes.
"That's not necessary. Chicago has been reclaimed by The Resistance." I say strongly. As if on cue, our heads turn to Aries speaking about what has just happened.
"People of Chicago. You were an experiment created by The Resistance. The time has come where one of you has proved that our experiment was successful thus concluding the faction system. From this point on Chicago is a city in The Resistance. Division is not needed as you all our one whole community. You may create your own sectors of the city with approval. This is a lot to process and myself with other leaders in Resistance will be coming to discuss your future. Evelyn is dead, Jeanine is dead, the conspirers against the Divergents are dead, there is no need to live in fear anymore."
Johanna stands deadpanned as most of the others are as well. Its enough for Amar to get me out of the building safely. We take one of the trucks as I catch a glimpse of myself in the side mirror, blood all over my face, Evelyn's blood. Johanna knows Amar and I killed Evelyn, well particularly me.
The ride back to The Resistance is quiet for the most part as I think back on my very minimal part tonight.
"He would be proud of you." Amar suddenly says and I look at him like he's gone crazy. "Eric would've been proud."
"Don't talk to me about him like you didn't have a fucking part in his death." I snap.
"She didn't want to kill him. She was left with no choice."
"One shot would've had him down, not three Amar."
Nita thankfully let's me sleep in her place until I'm awoken by commotion in the early morning.
"Get off Four. You need to get out of here!"
"She killed my mother!"
"Oh please she wasn't your mother until five hours ago when she died!"
So Four has come for his revenge. That didn't take long for him to find out and come back here for me.
I step out near the entryway to see that Nita has a gun on Four and roll my eyes at the rivalry between them.
"Stop." I simply say and Four is at me faster then Nita can move out of his way as he pushes her down in the process.
He's trying to go for my neck kindly wanting to strangle the life out of me. I get the upper hand when I knee him in the stomach making him hesitate for a second due to the pain as I grab his arm and pull it painfully behind him to pin him up against the wall. I look to Nita and motion for her to toss me her gun as I point it straight at Four's head.
"No!" I hear Tris scream as Nita tries to keep her back.
"I didn't hesitate when I shot your mother and I won't with you." I say causing Tris to scream more.
"You're becoming him." Four's eyes meet mine but I don't care.
"That's not going to get the reaction out of me that you want." I warn as I toss the gun down and now pin him with his back to the wall. He head butts me to the ground and is grabbing at my throat within seconds. He's stronger then me and I can't pry him off.
"Tobias stop! Tobias!" Tris screams but it doesn't get through to him. "Caleb is dead too and you don't see me trying to strangle the person who did it!" That makes Four loosen his grip but not enough as I'm starting to lose air. Panic sets in but I try and force it out of my mind.
"Tobias Eaton get your hands off my daughters throat now." Aries speaks with a deadly enough tone that Four is getting off of me and brushing past her with Tris following as I choke for breath on the floor.
"Nita, Lauren, the message will be broadcasting soon. Those who are well enough will be seeking shelter here. We are opening the fence. I want you both in uniform to meet anyone who comes through and decide if they are able to come here."
She looks at me directly before she leaves as Nita and I simply nodded at the order.
I feel uneasy walking to Aries' new office. Still staring at the ground for the body that doesn't exist anymore. I'm still haunted.
I'm snapped out of my thoughts once I'm ushered inside the office.
"We're standing behind her." Tris says to me, the nerve of her to talk to me after her boyfriend tried to kill me.
"Lovely," I remark as I am placed in an appropriate spot.
They countdown to the broadcast and Aries begins speaking.
"People of Chicago. I lived in your city for many years and I know that change is something that you all fear. The time has come to embrace that change as we; The Resistance has completed our experiment in your city. The factions system is over. It is nonexistent. It is time to reclaim the rest of the earth that we can still save from The Fringes. The wall will open for those that wish to join this uprising. We will save what is out there and turn it into it's own cities where you can all live freely among them. We will welcome you with open arms, not guns. People of Chicago, you are free!"
The feed stops as we are rushed to the fence to not truly welcome everyone with open arms. This is a selection and Aries is just another false commander.
A/N: This story will be ending at Chapter 50. :(