Chapter 10

We walk in an uncomfortable silence towards the pit. I can immediately tell he is keeping something from me.

The pit is swimming with masses of people as we enter. Everybody is stood shoulder to shoulder, exchanging the same worried glances that me and Tobias did just a few moments ago. I push my way through the crowds to stand next to the wall. I turn to look at Tobias and even though he is a head taller than most of the people in the room, he still looks uncomfortable and claustrophobic.

I scan the room quickly looking for anybody of familiarity, but everyone is crammed together so tightly, I can't see anyone. I just want to get away from the awkwardness that is between us. To find someone else to relay my worries to.

I have never seen this area of the compound so full, everybody's voices are raised to a deafening crescendo. Men, women and even children are shouting at each other. By their expressions, it's not with anger but just to be heard.

The sight of movement overhead moves our attention. The room quietens into a deathly silence.

Darius' large boots clang against the metal balcony as he moves towards the edge. His dark, callous hands wrap around the railing until his knuckles whiten. His face shows no sign of emotion, he wore the same mask during our first meeting about the control room.

He begins to examine the room, looking for someone or something. When his gaze fixes on mine, I know who he was searching for. He smiles sardonically in my direction. I am once again unclear about Darius' motives. Why did he use the newly formed serum on me when all he said he needed it for was an annual review of my fears? I was lead on by the thought of moving up the ranks.

I take a couple of steps forward into the crowd so it doesn't necessarily look as if I'm cowering from his look but getting swept away by people.

Darius clears his throat.

"I know you are all wondering why we have summoned you here for testing. So, let me get straight to the point. Dauntless, first and foremost is about protecting others. Therefore, everybody in this faction must be up to standard. There will be two rounds included in the testing. During the first round, each and every one of you will enter your fear landscape. The difference is, we will decide what fear to put you up against. Please do not discuss them with one another, because each individual will be tested differently" When he speaks, he sounds almost bored.

"Who's we?" Somebody shouts from the crowd. Everybody turns in the direction of a young sandy haired boy, who doesn't look much older than thirteen. Darius doesn't seem bothered about the interruption but instead turns to look behind him.

A middle aged woman with slicked back platinum blond hair and piercing blue eyes that contrasted her dark blue suit saunters her way onto the balcony. The new leader of Erudite, Imogen Yates.

At first, she doesn't make any direct eye contact with the crowd. There is a particularly interesting spot on the floor that she cannot take her attention away from. She gives a couple of sideways glances towards Darius. I'm no body language expert, but I would surmise she is extremely uncomfortable.

I wonder whether this is something she really wants to do.

The next person to emerge from the darkness is Jack Kang, the representative for Candor. He doesn't look as equally uncomfortable as Imogen, but he doesn't look exactly pleased to be here.

Three out of five faction leaders are now stood before us on the balcony above. The way in which this is going, I can imagine this whole testing idea was Darius'. But what has he had to do to enlist both Erudite and Candor to help him in this twisted experiment?

Darius continues, "The second stage of testing is a formal interview with one of us leaders. The testing will commence immediately and every single member of Dauntless will be tested without fail." Murmuring commences in the pit, the sound bouncing off the stone walls. It doesn't take long for it to become louder and louder.

"I forgot to mention" Darius voice booms loudly over everybody else's, he's resorted to raising his voice "Anybody that fails the testing will become factionless instantaneously. Also, during your interview truth serum is a mandatory requirement."

I am beginning to wonder whether I have gone deaf. Everybody is crashing against each other, unsure of what to do. The pit is in pandemonium.

I barely register the grip around my shoulders and I turn, expecting it to be Tobias.

I meet the brown eyes of Ava. Her emotions are a reflection of mine, but she has a purple and black bruise covering one cheek bone.

"What happen to you?" My voice seeps worry.

She grabs my wrist and pulls me towards a corner, pushing people out of the way as she does. Nobody will be angry today, everybody is pushing and shoving.

We move into a shadow in the corner and manage to find some sort of quiet so we can speak between ourselves.

"Tris, this isn't good." She begins.

"I know, why is this happening? What happened to your face?"

"We've got to make this quick honey, we haven't got a lot of time. Darius has lost his mind. I don't know a lot, but I think he is planning on building an army. This is going to mean stricter regimes, more fighting, more weapons. This isn't good." She repeats. "Try your best to stay alert. I've had the truth serum before and there is a possibility that it won't work on us Divergent."

Pieces immediately begin to fall together. When he was saying he wanted me to move higher up the ranks, he was enticing me so he could test the new serum. His gentle advice about people only showing you exactly what they want you to see. I see now that the comment was about his plans, only showing me which fears he wanted me to see. I can't help but wonder, so I have to ask, "Does Darius know you're Divergent Ava?"

"Yes." She replies simply.

"Does he suspect I am too?"

"Yes."

Shit. How am I supposed to go into this blind, with no idea on how to perform? I can no longer rely on the help of others. I had Tobias during the simulation for initiation. I was able to copy others and act as everyone else did, this was my best tactic.

"And what happened to your face?" I ask, knowing in the back of my mind but needing confirmation.

"He struck me this morning after I found out about the testing and tried to leave." She looks down towards her feet. Slowly, she lifts her shirt up to the top of her waist. Calling it a bruise would be an understatement. It covers nearly all of her rib cage, but upon further inspection I can see an outline. A foot.

I can't help the anger building inside of me. I can hear pulsing in my ears and it has nothing to do with the noise. I know I haven't exactly known Ava for a long period of time, but I trust my mother. She has been watching over me the entire time I've been in Dauntless, known me since I was born. Even though I knew nothing of her, I feel protectiveness towards her more than I have anybody else before.

I want to hurt Darius.

I'm feel glad once I've said these words in my mind, I feel much better for at least coming out with it. I pull Ava into an embrace. It feels like a completely natural thing to do.

"Look after yourself Tris, I'll be keeping an eye on you. I promise." She smiles shyly at me and traces a finger across my face and departs.

I'm left to stand alone in the shadowed corner of the pit.

The intercom crackles and the woman's monotone voice returns.

"There are fifteen commanders positioned around the room. When your name is called, please join them and they will escort you to your designated testing area. Please remain patient during this process. Thank you."

I can't see any commanders initially, but I soon spot a box that will give me at least some height. I stand on top and can see numbers four, seven and eight from my vantage point. I decide to stay on the box so I can watch when I hear the names of my friends get called out. That's obviously counting on me not being the first to be called.

We have been informed by intercom lady that there is to be twelve persons to each testing group. The first group is complete, and there is nobody I know.

During the second round, Ava's name gets called and she is escorted towards the pire.

The third calling goes by once again without anybody of familiarity in the group.

During the fourth, Tobias' name gets called. How ironic, I think. He doesn't spot me immediately, his eyes find mine and he mouths to me "I love you."

Both Christina and Will are called to group four. I get a stab of disappointment when my name isn't there along with them, but I am quite glad to see at least they have each other. I'm happy in the thought they will all look out for one another.

Only then after I see Tobias, Christina and Will lined up behind the commander, I recognise who she is. Bright pink hair, tons of facial piercings. She is from the Control Room. I urgently look towards the two other commanders and recognise that both of them work in the Control Room too.

Why wasn't I asked to be a commander as well? I bet each and every one of them is from the Control Room. Not that I would want to be a commander, but why has he left me out? This raises my suspicions to another level.

I hear more names I recognise as the process draws on. Tori, Zeke, Shauna and Marlene.

I've become so complacent and nearly bored by the time the thirteenth calling arrives I don't register my name.

"Tris" she reads.

There are not as many Dauntless members in the pit now and finding my commander is not as hard as it would have been if I'd of been called first.

I can't quite believe it when I see him.

Uriah is my commander. I walk straight up to him, but there is no care-free attitude today. He must be under something, he's definitely not acting himself.

I smile at him, but it is only returned with a stone cold look. It's a stifling feeling not seeing him smiling.

"Follow me." He orders.

We follow him down the corridors that lead towards the training room.

Upon entering, there is an exact replica of the chair in the simulation room placed in the centre of the fighting ring. To the right, there is a table and chair.

Sitting in the black leather chair is none other than Darius himself. His hands are steepled under his chin and he is wearing his sardonic smile. Next to him stands a board which is numbered from one to twelve. After each number is our names. I scan through and see my name is last.

"After your test, you may leave the room but you must go immediately back to your living quarters." With one last glance at me, "Let's begin."

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