Chapter 14

Even with the help of the outlanders, not much happened with regards to Trident and that situation. I didn't interact much with them, getting my information about them from some of the people lower in my department.

What I got told was not very nice.

After a long day of people coming into my office and several hundred complaints being filed, I stormed into Eric's office with my tablet in hand.

"If I get one more complaint about the outlanders misusing their power and going into someone's apartment to ransack it again," I warned, walking straight up to his desk as Eric looked up from the small stack of papers he was reading. "It will be your ass on the line."

"Well, hello, Alexis," He smiled, putting his pen down before he leaned back and interlocked his fingers on his stomach. "How was your day? Mine was great, thank you for asking."

"Eric," I said seriously. "Five different apartments, and three community halls. They don't have the right to be going through our people's homes even if they may suspect Trident. They don't even bother to report what they've done. Even if this is to keep us safe, this isn't the right thing for our people. They're scared enough already."

"Close the door," He said, sitting up properly as he activated his computer projection screen. It popped up just as I did as he asked, closing the door.

"What're you doing?" I asked before he gestured for me to come over to his side.

"I'm checking the security footage," Eric mumbled, looking at his screen. I went around the desk so I could see the screen too, leaning onto one hand on the desk to stabilise myself.

And there it was on camera.

Eric had assigned a small number of officers for the outlanders to have use of. They were now seen barging into people's apartments during pure daylight when no one would be in there. If anyone tried to stop them, they were stunned with stun darts and told to leave until the evening while they tore the places apart.

We didn't have shots of the inside because it was against our policies to have cameras inside apartments. The community halls were much like the Amity sleeping arrangement, with large numbers of beds, dressers and sleep mats. There were cameras in there because there were also minors sleeping with families and it was a safety precaution for everyone.

I ran both my hands down my face in frustration. "They're here to help but all they're fucking doing is terrorising them!"

Eric didn't look happy either, turning his head to look at me sincerely, "You can tell them to back off. Put it in a report, and gather all the complaints. You'll be able to make it so they can't do anything without someone's approval. I'd only do that if you had the time to let them bother you every minute of the day."

"That's the thing," I sighed. "I don't want to give them any access to our people without due cause. They go in on a whim and it's scaring everyone. I bet if I limit their access, I'm going to have a grumpy man at my office every hour of the day. What stops them from doing this without informing me?"

"If they don't tell you and it is without a very good reason," He stared at me. "You will be, legally, allowed to kick them out of the city."

"Out of the city?" I asked. "I have that power?"

"You're our ambassador and liaison," He smirked. "You're stuck with the wellbeing of this city on your shoulders, and that means kicking out troublemakers."

I knew I had power but I didn't realise how far it went.

I nodded, picking up the tablet, "Should I tell Max?"

"Inform him about what's happening and make your decision clear on the matter," He nodded too. "I'd put the report in myself but you heard how they think of Factioned. You'd get a better response than I would."

)()()(

It did not get a good response.

Elijah, the leader of the little group of outlanders, was not a happy camper, standing in my office as he paced the length and tried to chew me out about our practices and policies about safety.

"If I am not given the reins to conduct what is needed, we will not find Trident!" He stated, flaring his arms out in anger. "You cannot order me to stop these searches. We need them to find out anything about Trident."

"I can and I will," I stared at him. "You are an outlander. You are invading our people's privacy. You don't get to come into this city and start acting like you are in charge. There are rules and regulations that need to be met, most of which you've ignored in your pursuit of Trident."

"Erudite doesn't care that I'm invading privacy, as you say, they want results and that's what they're getting,"

"Are they?" I shook my head in disbelief, flipping through the paper document of all he had done in the last month on him being here. "I don't see a single accomplishment that happened from invading their privacy. Nothing about finding anything in their homes. You have no foot to stand on here. You will back down or you will be barred from the city."

He laughed coldly, looking at me like I was scum. I didn't react when he slammed his hands on the table, pointing a finger at me.

"How do you know what I've accomplished here?" He smirked. "You don't have the clearance to know. You're barely a leader. You're a social worker if that. You're here to make sure your people are happy and safe. I'm keeping them safe even if it means their privacy is invaded."

"I may be a social worker, as you say," I stood from my chair, hearing as Loki snapped his jaws in the bed next to the desk. "But I have a higher clearance level than you. You're only here because you have your own problem with a Trident branch. If our branch doesn't help you with your problem, there isn't a reason for you to be here."

"I won't be told my place by a kid,"

"No, you're being told your place by a leader of Dauntless." I stared at him, leaving my natural, cold glare to appear. "I've already reported your disregard for the privacy of our people and our laws. You've had your warning. If I get anymore more complaints about you or your men, I will do everything in my power, which is quite influential in this faction and the rest, to get you out of this city. Don't test this 'kid' because she's got more power in this city than you do."

My face must have shown him that I was being serious, and I doubt he would go against me when I threaten to disbar him from the city.

I was still on a probationary period and would be until September. It was precautionary and just meant that the other leaders would be keeping an eye on what I was doing.

I didn't mind. Wallace said I was doing well, and he was proud to leave me behind in Dauntless as he moved to the Erudite compound.

I was doing well as ambassador and liaison between the factions, especially during the unsettle that was Trident trying to shock the city.

It would be another week before we announced the Trident situation to the lower members of the other factions. The supreme council knew but not their slightly lower members. I was classed as a lower member of the leadership but since I was one of the few who figured out Trident, I was already in the know.

Wallace left at the end of April, he handed me a set of keys, more symbolic than anything else.

"You will do things that make even the devil quake to keep this city safe." He told me before he left in the armoured car to the Erudite compound. "Do it and do it without hesitation."

And I would.

I didn't know what I would have to do to keep this city safe but I had a feeling it wouldn't be easy. Nothing would be, not when it came for me to go against Trident or anyone who threatened my city.

You get a little possessive of a city when you became a leader, the newfound respect for the simple virtues it held would become a part of your life so quickly.

)()()(

I woke up the next day, half asleep as I walked around my apartment in only my thong. I was supposed to attend a meeting this morning, but I didn't sleep well last time. I didn't remember my dream but it still made my heart beat in my chest like a hummingbird.

Loki ran to the door, yapping at it before he went quiet. He looked back at me and then tapped the floor right against the door.

I opened the door an inch, letting Empress slink into my apartment without care.

No one could control that feline.

She jumped up onto the kitchen island, sitting up here and waited for some food. She and Loki were the only reasons I had meat in my apartment. I fed them both, making them go quiet with their whining and beginnings as I got dressed.

As it was getting slowly warmer, I didn't need to bundle up all the time. A tank top and dark jeans did it for me in this weather. All I needed to bring was my jacket and I'd be good.

A knocking at the door came and I yelled for them to come in, walking out of my room with my toothbrush in my mouth.

"Mornin'," I said through a mouthful of toothpaste froth. I pointed to the kitchen. "Cat is there. I'll be out in a min'."

I went into my bathroom to spit the toothpaste out and rinse the brush. I patted my mouth dry before turning to the door to find all three standing.

"We gonna grab coffee before we go?" I asked, going to my wardrobe to pick up a polished pair of combat boots.

He leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, looking at me, "Sure. The Ground House?"

"Where else?" I slipped on my boots before I ushered both animals into their respective places. "Don't kill each other."

"I'm more concerned about her killing him,"

I shrugged, "To be fair, yeah. Sounds about right."

"How'd she escape my apartment?" He asked as we left my place and started going down the hall.

"I have no clue," I said. "She will always find a way."

"That she does,"

)()()(

A city-wide meeting of the leaders took place.

Leslie and Icarus didn't go, mostly because we needed at least two people to stay back and look after the place. Dauntless was more likely to be attacked again, especially with what Dent Moore had said.

All of us went to the Hub, sitting around one of the large tables in a conference room. Each faction had about three people.

Amity had Johanna, Seth and Dante, my father.

Candor had Jack, Niles and Rose.

Abnegation with Marcus, Andrew, Elain and Tony.

Jeanine sat with Steven, Morgana, my mother, and Misha, my aunt.

Hmm. It did seem like leadership was in my blood. Both parents and an aunt being a leader or something similar couldn't just be a coincidence, my Erudite upbringing told me.

I didn't care though, I would earn my place regardless of how I was groomed for my position.

Sixteen people attended the meeting, all sitting around the round glass table so we could all see and hear each other.

I sat on Max's left side with Eric on his other side.

It went Abnegation, Amity, Candor, Dauntless, and Erudite, meaning I had Steven on my left while Eric had Tony on his right.

"Good to see everyone," Jeanine began. "I'm glad everyone was able to make it. First, I'd like to address the fact that this is Alexis' first meeting as a faction leader. She worked her way up quickly."

Everyone clapped politely. Eric snickered but stopped when Max gave him a pointed look.

"I was told you had something to address, Alexis," Jeanine said. "Please start with that."

I double-tapped the glass table in front of me, bringing up the video I had prepared. I swiped my hand towards the middle of the table, letting the video be brought up as a hologram.

"I've had so many complaints about the outlanders," I started as the video started, showing off security videos of the outlanders. Several different clips came on, scrolling through each quickly before the video stopped and the hologram disappeared. "I've warned Elijah but he didn't believe me. He does not believe that I have authority over him or his group, nor does he believe Eric. I, frankly, have had enough of my people being scared and fearful of what they will do next. I've had reports of assault and verbal harassment by many people and that doesn't even include the shops they've ransacked in pursuit of who they claim could be Trident."

I paused to let it sink in, "I petition to ban them from the city, or at least the ones who keep making trouble."

"I'll give each faction a moment to discuss," Jeanine said, turning to her own people.

I could feel the eyes of my family members, staring at me as if they didn't realise how much I had changed in so little time. Just about eight months had passed since they last properly saw me in September, and now it was early May.

A person could change a lot within that time, and I did.

My probation year would be over by December.

My plans for this year's new recruits would be implicated, helping the initiates thrive instead of fail.

I couldn't wait.

)()()(

I tried to take my dinners at the canteen, mostly because that would be the only time I would see my friends. I usually saw most of them at the table, finding them in the crowd with ease.

Only after becoming a leader, did I see the colours that the Dauntless wore on their jackets and realised what they meant.

Grey were Max's people, the leaders, us.

We all wore a band of grey around the bicep of our sleeved jackets. Another band was just under it, coloured with our individual departments. Mine was purple, not for any particular reason but I didn't mind the colour. It was the same one that Wallace and every single person before him had.

Eric had a strip of blue on his jackets and liked to wear dark navy shirts. Icarus had a stripe of red on the hems of his trousers, or he wore a dark maroon shirt. Leslie wore orange t-shirts and tank tops.

All of us had our colours alongside the grey strip but our people also wore our colours too. The inside of their jackets was usually the expected colour but they had other options too.

Hawk, my assistant, liked to wear plum purple trousers. Some of the Swat people like Zeke wore Eric's colour of blue since they were part of the security department. Druid was working his way up from the bottom of Icarius' department, wearing a bright red shirt under his jacket all the time.

Then there were people like Rori and Nickels, who were in nursing and tattooing respectively. They didn't wear any bright versions of the colours but they were allowed to have muted tones.

It really did help identify people at a moment's glance.

I sat down at a table, placing the semi-filled tray of food down as I greeted everyone.

"Exhausted?" Druid asked as I took a relief sigh.

"Exhausted as always," I said, picking up my fork and looking at the pasta salad I chose for dinner. It was creamy with small pieces of assorted vegetables to add texture and flavour. "And ravenous. Rori still doing her rotation in Erudite?"

"Yep," Nickels smacked his lips. "I've got a shift in Amity tomorrow. A nice and early start for me. Lovely." He grimaced at that.

"Lovely," I made a face. "Really don't like early mornings but I can never escape them."

Selene laughed, "You and mornings don't get along unless there are inhumane amounts of caffeine involved."

I pointed my fork at her, "You bet your ass on that. If I didn't have coffee, I don't think I'd even be sitting here. I'd still be in bed!"

"Now that's just lazy," Elijah's voice came from behind me, making me turn around with a questioning look on my face. He stood with an armful of files and I noticed his green armband was not on.

"Excuse me?" I didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me even a little confused. "As you can see, I'm eating here. Whatever this is can wait."

He gritted his teeth, "No, it can't. Since you decided to tell Erudite what I've been overseeing, I have been forced to do so much paperwork that I cannot even do half the things I need to. I went by your office but you weren't there. These are for you."

He threw the files onto the table, making them spray out and go into the trays.

My friends saw this coming, picking up their trays and drinks before they could be toppled over.

"Dude," Druid sneered, "What the fuck?"

Elijah barely glanced at him, staring at me and my reaction instead.

My poker face was good, hiding my slowly growing rage as I plainly stared at him. I glanced at one of the files, seeing a picture had slid out and I picked it up.

It was a picture of three people, of a woman wearing only her underwear and a bra with fresh bruises all along her arms and torso. She was shielding two children behind her as the background showed the darkness of the sleeping community halls and her sleeping area completely messed up.

The time stamp was from only a few days ago and the back explained.

The outlanders had suspected the woman had links to the Trident and would have some sort of recording device on her.

She didn't.

I held the picture between the tips of my pointer and middle fingers, gesturing with it towards Elijah before letting it slip from my grip. It fell to the ground as I stood, opening up a few more files to see a few more similar files, of men and women, and sometimes even teens and children in similar states of undress and bruises and cuts.

I had to take a slow, calming breath through my nose, before I looked at Elijah's eyes, hooded in his understanding of what he thought was his triumph over my power.

What he forget, and what he should have as one himself, a leader had different types of power and used them when necessary.

Like now, I knew a diplomatic approach wouldn't work anymore.

I tried that route and it failed.

The next type was my favourite and most effective in getting short-term goals.

I stood and faced him.

If I could face Wyatt, even after he tried to strangle me, even after I hung for five minutes on a close-to dislocated shoulder.

If I could face Dent Moore, even watching him being bloodied by Eric's hands and still bleed out from his neck wound.

If I could face Leon, even with his trigger-happy finger while he pointed a gun at my forehead, even when he tried to shoot me.

If I could face a man, even when he thought he was better than me, thought he could use his power to get his way, thought he was better than everyone else.

I could face Elijah with my eyes closed.

It didn't take much to grab the back of his head and slam his face into the table where all of the files were. I held him there, using a foot to kick his feet from under him until all that was holding him up was my hand and his knees.

The hall went quiet, not silent enough to drop a pin but many people looked over to see what was happening.

I leaned over him, making sure he could feel my breath on his face as I hissed my words out.

"You don't get to disrespect my faction," My hand tightened in his hair, making his gasp in pain as his glasses were skewed over his nose when I pushed him harder against the table. I grinned, seeing fear come over his face, "I'll show you what happens when it, rarely, does occur."

I pulled him off the table, letting him stand on unsure feet before I began to shove him towards the door.

"Move your ass," I took a moment to pause as he got back to his feet, fixing his skewed glasses before I jutted my chin out. I glanced around the canteen, finding Hawk only a couple of tables over. I gestured with two fingers and he came over.

"Get me Eric and have him round up the rest of the outlanders," I said to him.

Hawk winked and took off, picking up his phone to start the process.

Elijah didn't walk when I went past him, only staring at me. So I grabbed the back of his neck and led him through the halls, making sure to drag him a little too much for comfort as I saw several of his men be dragged in by security members and some by other members of the faction.

They followed me into Community Hall 1, it even said it on the expansion of the double doors before the room.

The room was huge with plenty of space for the selection of beds, mattresses and cots. Anyone and everyone could take a cot here. Every member was entitled to an apartment but not everyone wanted one, some decided to stay in halls such as these to sleep with friends and family and other members.

It was mainly empty right now, but as I dragged Elijah and had his men behind me, it filled up quickly with so many members of Dauntless, I almost didn't expect it.

I found the woman whose picture I saw first and she still had bruises on her arms as she tended to her children.

Kicking Elijah's legs, I made him fall in front of her. He kneeled as he tried to stand up but I stopped him with a kick to the stomach.

"Right," I said loudly, turning to the rest of his group. "This is unacceptable. I let you be guests in this city, and I can make you trespassers just as easily. If you think I will stand for this tyrannical act that your leader has started, you are greatly wrong. If you think I won't punish each and every one of you, with a Dauntless execution, you are wrong."

"You don't have the right to—"

I kicked him again, making him slump and gasp in pain.

"I've had enough of you," I gripped his hair, quickly slamming his head into the ground before keeping it in my hand. "Now shut up while I talk."

Some of the outlanders looked shocked at what I did. I didn't know if they were surprised by what I did or what I was capable of, or if they were surprised I was allowed to do it.

"I will be the bad guy if you continue to question what I will do for this faction," I stared at each and every set of outlanders' eyes, glaring before I allowed the feral smile that threatened them to appear. "If you go against me again, go against this faction and harm its members, or members of any faction in this city, the only way you'll leave the city walls is in a body bag. Got it?"

I let go of Elijah's hair.

I didn't care for his state, nor did I care for the scene I started and finished.

Eric appeared as soon as I got to the double doors, leaving along side me. I didn't see him in the crowd but he had been there, watching.

"Quite a scene," He said.

"I did what I needed to,"

He smirked, slinging an arm over my shoulders before pulling me close to his side, "Good job. You're coming along well."

"Fuck off!" I laughed, swatting his hands away when he tried to go for my hair. "Don't make me do what I did to Elijah to you."

He grimaced before snickering, "Nah, I prefer my nose intact."

I rolled my eyes at him.