Captain nods his head and stares at her with the same unknown glint that puzzles her. "Good. Seek them out will you? We'll be needing a new member soon."

"Will we be getting a new truck?" Issy shouts after him as he walks into the crowd, before he can answer. Ominous fucker.

Issy found it incredibly useful having friends that were initiation trainers. It was like the control room all over again. Hardly any effort on Issy's part as she sent off a text to Flare.

Hey Flare, are you training the initiates now?

Issy wandered around for a bit, thinking back on what Captain said to her. Moments later a reply popped up.

Yeah, they all went through sims before lunch and so we're just letting them get shit outta their systems.

Are all of you in the usual training room?

Yup.

Turning on her heels, Issy made her way through the compound to the training rooms. Even with the door firmly shut, she could hear the sound of skin hitting the leather of the bags. It brought back memories.

Issy steeled herself. She set her shoulders back, lifting her head up, before opening the door and striding in. A few heads turn her way but quickly turn back around when they see the golden eyes taunting them. There's a snort behind her and Four appears on her left. He stands next to her, their stances wide as they look over the class.

"I thought scaring the initiates was Eric's job?" He doesn't glance at her but Issy can her the amused smirk in his voice.

"It is but he's in a meeting and I have business with one of them anyway."

Four turns to her then with an eyebrow raised. "You're here to recruit aren't you?" Issy nods silently her eyes finding the initiate she was looking for. "Luke was in here just the other day trying to get people interested in being an Ambassador."

"Yeah. Eric tells me that they want at least two for each faction." Issy looks around again. Flare seems to be helping a Dauntless born with furthering their knife skills, Lauren and Lynn and are towards one of the corners watching some of them spar. "Are they being scored for this?"

"No. It's just something for them to do where we can watch them. None of them are as close as your initiation class was so they haven't learnt to look out for each other yet."

"I'm starting to get the feeling that my class was a one off."

"In many ways." Four agrees. "If you want to talk to them then go ahead. They aren't really doing much."

"Cheers Four." Issy walks over to the targets where one initiate is practicing her knife throwing. Robyn glanced at Issy and then did a double take as she threw a knife. The knife clattered to the floor and Issy smiled. "Hey Robyn, how's initiation going?"

"Uh, it's okay." She's changed since CTF. Her longish hair is now cut into a short bob and she has tattoos of foxes crawling across her hands.

"Have you thought about what you want to do after?"

Robyn turns to look at her, frowning. "I think I want to do something where I'm constantly working or something? I dunno."

Issy's eyes light up. "What about patrols?" Robyn's frown deepens. "You're on a rota that changes shifts every two weeks. Night shift is six p.m. until one a.m.. Morning shifts are one a.m. until nine a.m. and Day shifts are nine a.m. until six p.m.. and then there's two weeks off." Issy picks up one of the knives from the side and gets into stance. "You won't be in the squad for definite. You will still have to train against other members that are looking to join a squad. It'll be like initiation all over again except with no sims. At the end of training with other members, you'll be ranked again if you're good enough."

"What happens if I'm not chosen?" Robyn asks as she analysis Issy's stance and makes sure her own matches.

"Then what you've achieved in your squad training will be passed onto Harrison and he'll decide whether to place you in a different squad or if he'll place you with his advisors or train you for a position like it." Issy throws the knife, pleased when it hits the centre.

"What's an advisor do?" Robyn throws too, her knife on the second ring out of the bullseye.

"I think they're like the people who plan the route that the squadrons do... They advise what route could be better to provide the best protection for the factions." Issy notices the unsure expression. "Hey! Having the chance at being an advisor is pretty cool. In this department it goes being a grunt in a squadron, being a captain, VAs – which are like grunts for the advisors who implement the new route plan, the big advisors themselves, and then its training to become one of Harrison's assistants. So in theory, if you actually became an Advisor, you'd rank higher than me." Robyn nods her head slowly. "Just think about it alright? You have your Landscape to concentrate on. Worry about that for now."

xXx

A few days later the crowds are roaring. Boots are stamping on the ground. The sound is echoing throughout the compound. It's different watching the final rankings from a members' perspective.

Issy stands watching the initiates standing around, eyes wide as they wait for the rank that will decide their fate. Her friends are all around her, some of them are waiting in the Pit reserving tables so the whole group can sit. Bree had been with Issy beforehand and they got ready together for the night ahead. When her sister had thrown a top, a pair of jeans at her, Issy didn't complain and pulled them on. The jeans had dark ribbon laced in a crisscross pattern up the sides of her legs and the top was loose and falling off one of her shoulders. Bree had changed into a dark emerald dress. Both of them a received a lot of flirty looks as they walked to where the final ceremony would be held. When Alec and Lilah spotted them, her twin rolled his eyes halfheartedly and Lilah giggled before leaving to join the other Leaders.

The shouts die down when Max walks to the edge of the overlook. Eric and Harrison flank him, with the other Leaders standing behind. There's no stress on the Head Leader's face, nor the others, as he leans forward, his hands gripping the bars. "Back to normal this year!" Max starts and some members laugh. The initiates share confused looks, obviously not understanding the jab at the previous class. Max goes through more or less the same speech as he did last year, and the rankings appear on the board filled with names that are familiar and not.

1 – Cameron

2 – Zed

3 – Zella

4 – Robyn

5 – Brooke

6 – Rose

7 – Louis

8 – Oliver

9 – Hannah

10 – Felix

Issy loses interest after the top ten. She's extremely surprised that Felix made it, only just. The shouting begins to increase and the noise is thundering again. Alec grabs her arm and pulls her out of the room and towards the rest of their friends.

The twins bump into Hector on the way and he has to grab their arms to steady them. Alec says thanks before walking off to find Lilah as Hec and Issy follow after him. Hector is smirking at Issy like he knows something she doesn't and it bugs her.

"What?" Issy snaps lightly.

Hector laughs and shakes his head. "Nothing."

Issy frowns after him even when they join everyone else. Quite literally everyone joins the table throughout the night and more or less sat in little groups but around several clustered tables that made one large one. First there was Zeke, Shauna, Lynn, Marlene and Uriah who were connected closely with Will, Christina, Tris and Four. Next to them were Cody, Sam, Hector, Luke, Blake and Hugo. Issy's eyes narrowed at how close Josh and Hugo seemed to be sitting. Next to Josh was Jason and Dec. In between her brother and the rest from her initiation class, Issy was pulled into Eric's side, his arm wrapped around her with his hand on her hip. His heat burned into Issy's skin, making her shiver and Eric's warm hand squeezed her hip once. The steady buzz of alcohol was beginning to kick in and Issy leaned into Eric's side more. Somehow the net came up into conversation from stories of people's initiation.

"Don't you find it funny that no matter how well balanced you are, no one can keep their cool while getting out of the net?" Alec asks and while there is few that try to argue, some start nodding their heads.

Eric scoffs quietly but Cody catches it and sends a pointed look in the Leader's direction. "At least I don't look like a new-born deer with a concussion climbing out of it."

Issy shuffles slightly, a stir of protectiveness flowing through her and she sets her golden gaze on Cody. "You do realise it's called a fawn?" Issy rose an eyebrow in his direction. "You were a motherfucking Erudite. You should know this shit."

"Well, maybe I didn't fawn over books like the rest of them."

Eric snorts before rubbing his cheek against the top of Issy's head subconsciously. "Maybe they kicked you out for your bad jokes instead."

Christina cocks her head to the side, stopping Cody's retort. "I wonder what it be like to have sex in the net."

The memory of lying against Eric floats up in the back of her mind and Issy glances to Eric to find his dark slate eyes already on her. A flush of embarrassment seeps into her and she looks away.

Tris grimaces. "Uncomfortable."

"Though verses the Fuck Table..." Alec trails off with a sly glance in Issy's direction.

Her chin juts out, taking the challenge. Eric squeezes her hip in warning but, of course, she doesn't listen. "The net's a flexible surface so I don't think it'll matter what position you're in, the net will move to accommodate you." There's a lot of laughs and flirty looks sent in Issy's direction and she grins slyly back. "The table, however, is just like any other table. Except that fixtures are a bit more loose so it'll shift with the thrusts easier." The grip on her hip is blindingly painful now and she can feel his glare burning into her. Eric's angry that she put such an image in his head, not specifically saying which one… That and the added fact that Issy's just reminded him that she fucked someone in public. Issy takes great delight in the fact that his possessive side is rearing up.

"Issy come help me get another round of drinks?" Bree asks with a wink in her direction.

Issy grins to her sister as she knocks Eric's hand away with her hip and saunters after Bree towards the bar. They can hear the growl that rips from Eric's throat. He's absolutely livid.

"So, you've had a chat have you?" Bree flags the bartender down.

"Not as such," Bree turns to Issy with a glare. "More of an understanding."

Bree sighs. "I swear –"

"You're gonna strangle us? Yeah, I know, I heard from Declan."

"I just want what's best for you."

Issy orders the tables drinks without a glance to Bree. Issy can already see the worried look. "I know." Issy sighs and looks back to the group who are laughing and pointing at Sam. "How about we take these drinks back and relax on the dance floor? Fuck knows, we both need it."

Bree glances back so and rolls her eyes. Sam is trying to balance two full pint glasses on his forehead and Dec is adding shot glasses to the rest of his face. "Amen sister."

Between Bree and Issy, it takes them a lot of back and forth trips between the table and the bar to carry all of the drinks. No one seems to take notice when the girls set the last drinks on the table and proceeded to walk back in the direction of the dance floor. They settle for a spot near the centre and start dancing. It takes a moment for Issy to fully relax before she's swaying her body to the beat of the music. Issy closes her eyes just as Bree laughs from somewhere beside her and time seems to slow down. It could have been hours later when hands, warm and familiar, slide across her waist. She doesn't stop dancing, even when he lowers his head and his nose brushes against her neck.

"Lost your way between the bar and the table?" Issy asked, a smirk on her lips as his body started to move in sync with hers.

"Too many guys were staring at you." Eric hissed against her skin and his grip tightened.

"How terrifying." She mocked but ended up gasping sharply as he bit the side of her neck.

"It's terrifying what I'd do to keep you safe."

Issy swallowed, she didn't know what to say so instead she pulled his arms further around her body until they were flushed against each other and Issy laced her fingers into his hair. They carried on dancing into the night with Issy in his arms, where Issy felt the safest.