Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent, any of the characters or any of the dialogue that comes directly from the text.
Chapter 34
Erudite and Dauntless forces are focused on the Abnegation sector of the city, so if we run away from Abnegation, it's doubtful that anyone will bother us until we've reached our destination.
Tris and I didn't decide who was coming with us. Caleb volunteered himself, I think he feels guilty for knowing some of Erudite's plan and not being able to do anything to stop it. Marcus insisted that he go, despite Tris' protests, because he is good with computers. Neither of us brought up the fact that his son is already tasked with the computer work even if Four isn't currently himself. And Andrew acted like his place was assumed from the beginning, most likely to try to keep the rest of his family safe.
Our group watches as the rest of the Abnegation members run in the opposite direction—toward amity—for a few seconds, and then we turn away, toward the city, toward the war. We stand next to the railroad tracks.
"What time is it?" Tris asks.
Caleb checks his watch before responding. "Ten twelve."
"Should be here any second," I say.
"Will it stop?" Caleb asks.
Tris shakes her head. "It goes slowly through the city. We'll run next to the car for a few feet and then climb inside."
The headlights of the train burn gold against the buildings behind us and suddenly the train is gliding by. Tris and I immediately start jogging. When I see an open car, I pick up my pace to keep stride with it and grab the handle on my left swinging myself inside. I turn to face Tris with my arm outstretched but she grins and shakes her head before ignoring my arm and pulling herself inside.
I grin back at her and she surprises me by standing on her toes and kissing me hard. The kiss is brief, but it brings me back to our last kiss and how oddly final it had felt. Has it really been less than 24 hours since we first split up?
"I've been wanting to do that for hours," she says.
"Same," I reply. "I guess we should make sure everyone else gets on the train."
Caleb jumps next, landing hard on his side. Caleb and I help Marcus and Andrew manages but lands on his stomach and has to pull his legs in behind him.
They move away from the doorway and walk towards the solid wall of the front of the car. I stay near the edge and Tris stands next to me.
"Do you have any idea what we are walking into?" Tris whispers wearily next to me, the noise from the wind masking her words from our companions.
"You mean jumping into?" I respond playfully in a weak attempt to lighten the mood.
She gives me a small smile in response.
I sigh. "Honestly, no. I don't. I wasn't meant to be back at Dauntless so soon and I didn't think to ask."
"Do you think this is stupid? Do you think…is this a suicide mission?"
The likelihood of all of us getting out of this alive is low. Extremely low. We both know that.
"Do we have any other options?"
Tris sighs and shakes her head. "Do you think Four is okay?"
"As long as he's under the simulation and this war is still going on I don't think we have to worry about him. What we need to worry about is how we're going to get him out of the simulation because I don't trust that Marcus can shut this thing down no matter what he says."
She stands silently but I can tell from her expression that her mind is racing.
"Jeanine said this simulation makes him confuse enemy with friend, right?"
I nod.
"I wonder…which do you think you would fall under? I mean, I know you guys are technically on the same side right now but to everyone else, to Jeanine, you are Four's enemy…"
She makes a good point. When he looks at me, does he see me, Eric? Or does he simply see Dauntless Leadership?
"Because if, in the simulation, he sees you as an ally then…maybe you could order him to shut down the program?"
It's an interesting idea.
"It's a longshot…" I say, apprehensively. "But he didn't try to attack me when I was with Khloe before they left for Dauntless. Maybe it's possible?"
Her face brightens slightly before quickly returning to its worried state.
"I know you left Four with her to come and get me and I'm so grateful, but do you think he's safe with her?"
Her concern for him shouldn't bother me. I know he's her friend and he's integral to our plan but knowing that's why she is asking doesn't negate my feelings of jealousy.
I open my mouth to tell her he's safe, that Khloe is on our side, but a voice from the other end of the train car interrupts me.
"I assume you now regret choosing Dauntless," Marcus says loudly.
The train passes by the Erudite compound and Tris and I both turn to face him.
I presume the question is directed at Tris as Marcus has no reason to think I'm a transfer.
Tris shakes her head.
"Not even after your faction's leaders decided to join in a plot to overthrow the government?" Marcus spits, turning his gaze on me.
I step towards him but Tris puts her arm out in front of me and I stop.
"As you already know, not all of my leaders feel the same way about this plot," she replies, her voice harsh. "But regardless of that, there are some things I needed to learn."
"How to be brave?" Andrew says quietly, stepping out from behind Marcus.
"How to be selfless," she responds. "Often they're the same thing."
"Is that why you got Abnegation's symbol tattooed on your shoulder?" Caleb asks.
Tris smiles. "And Dauntless on the other."
We all sit silently on the floor of the train car as our destination grows nearer.
Andrew's words from earlier play over in my mind.
Even without the Dauntless helping them, the Erudite will find another way.
He gives more credit to the Dauntless than I think is deserved.
I love my faction, and I agree that many of our members will turn against our leaders once they find out what has been done to them but, if that last meeting is any indication, I am sure there are members who will side with Max. Even those who oppose him may choose to stay because walking away means becoming faction traitors and subsequently factionless.
Once this is done, once the simulation is stopped, what do we do next? How will we stop the second wave, whatever it may be? Will we be considered public enemy number one?
They will assume Tris and Four are involved and, when I disappear with them, Max will figure out my involvement quickly. Will they come after us?
My thoughts are interrupted by the reflection of the glass building above the Pit glowing in the train. Tris and I stand in unison.
"When I tell you to jump," Tris says, "you jump, as far as you can."
"Jump?" Caleb asks. "We're seven stories up!"
"Onto a roof." Tris says. The men across from her look stunned. I can't help but smirk.
"Dad, you go." She says, stepping back so he can stand by the edge.
The train tracks curve, and when they line up with the edge of the roof, Tris shouts, "Jump!"
Without hesitation, Andrew bends his knees and launches himself forward. I shove Marcus forward and Tris shouts, "Jump!"
As I watch Andrew narrowly manage the jump, Tris pushes Caleb in front of her. He stands at the edge of the train car and jumps without instruction.
Tris and I take a few steps back and look at each other briefly before both running and leaping out of the car just as the train reaches the end of the roof.
We make the jump quite easily but Tris immediately sits down and grips her shoulder. I almost forgot she had been shot.
I kneel in front of her. "Are you okay?"
She looks past me, ignoring my question. I turn to see what she is looking at and watch as Caleb and Andrew hoist Marcus up and over the edge of the building.
"Should have just let him drop," I mutter under my breath as I help Tris to her feet.
She tilts her head and looks at me curiously before nodding in agreement. For a split second, her reaction surprises me but I quickly remember we share that side of us. The side that finds pleasure in people getting what they deserve, no matter how violently the justice is served.
"This next part is why I asked about fear of heights," Tris says, walking to the edge of the roof. As I follow her, I hear the shuffling of footsteps behind me.
Tris steps onto the ledge and I fight the urge to pull her down and tell her that I want to jump first. That I want to be at the bottom to help her when she lands. This day has shown me that Tris can take care of herself. Even through grief, she has stood up to the men in her family, stood up to Marcus the leader of her former faction, come up with our route into the Dauntless compound and has had no reservations about giving our party orders. Her actions fill me with a sense of pride. So, I keep my mouth shut and let her take charge.
She would do well in leadership...if our leaders hadn't turned out to be corrupt.
Tris stares down the hole in the ground then looks over her shoulder.
"There's a net at the bottom," she says.
The Abnegation look confused, they haven't figured out what she is asking of them.
"Don't think," she adds. "Just jump."
And with that, Tris turns, leans back and lets herself fall into the hole.
My stomach drops at the abruptness of her fall even though I know she is perfectly fine.
I take Tris' place on the ledge and turn towards my terrified looking companions.
"Who's next?" I ask.
Surprisingly, it's Caleb who steps forward. He's practically shaking, and my instinct is to yell at him to get on with it, but I remember that he didn't choose this. He never claimed to be brave. He didn't ask to take this test.
I put out my hand to help him onto the ledge and, despite the glare he gives me, he accepts it.
"How many times have you done this?" he asks me, looking down the hole.
"Only once," I answer honestly. "And it sucked. But I lived through it and so will you."
He nods his head, takes a deep breath and leaps into the air.
Before I can turn around, Andrew is next to me on the ledge. When we are sure Caleb is out of harms way, Andrew jumps without a word.
I turn to Marcus who hasn't moved.
"Are you waiting for a written invitation?" I ask sarcastically.
Caleb I can sympathize with, but this asshole doesn't deserve my kindness.
He glares at me silently but doesn't budge.
"Fine," I say, before taking a step back and freefalling down that hole.
He can follow me or not, I couldn't care less.
Hello Lovelies! Sorry these chapters aren't exactly action packed but they are getting us where we need to go. Thanks for reading! See you next week.