Welcome all to my first Divergent fanfiction (original novel by Veronica Roth.) This story is rated T for moderate violence, language, and sexual themes.

Ciao, Gabrielle.

Chapter 7: Torch

Nina crumpled the white note in her palm, her other hand holding up her towel.

"Your mattress is at the bottom of the chasm. Where you belong."

Hot tears of anger wetted her eyes. "What the fuck did I do to deserve this?" Alcohol sloshed about in her stomach, and she felt nauseous once again. "Does anyone in here want to tell me what the fuck is going on?!" Some of the sleeping initiates rolled about in their beds, their rest having been disrupted by her loud voice. 'Good,' she thought bitterly.

"I don't know, Marina," said Maddie seriously, placing her hand tenderly on her friend's arm. "But it's late, and we're drunk and tired. We have training in the morning. Let's just go to bed and deal with this in the morning."

Nina complied, too drunk to think of a better plan, and climbed to the top bunk after throwing on some clothes. She slid under the covers with Maddie, and tried to find a good sleeping position in the cramped space. Her friend's soft snores soon filled her ears, but she couldn't fall asleep. Her eyes darted around the room, taking in the sight of the sleeping initiates. 'Who could have done this?' Her eyes landed on the Tae, the raven-haired girl who whined more than anyone she'd ever met. 'Tae hates me, but she's far too small to carry a heavy mattress.'

Nina tried to remember if the mattress had been in her bed when Amir and Maddie had half-carried her back into the dormitory earlier in the evening. Surely the culprit hadn't dragged the mattress to the chasm while everyone was there drinking and socializing; that would have caused quite a commotion. The thief also could have acted earlier in the evening, while everyone was at dinner, or later, when most people were in bed. 'Oh, it's no use. I don't know if the bed was there or not when we got back, and I don't remember if anyone was missing at any point tonight.'

Maddie's body heat rolled over Nina, who broke out in a sweat. She turned over, trying to get comfortable, to no avail. The bed was too small for two. She gave up on sleep and jumped lightly to her feet. When she landed, a wave of dizziness temporarily blinded her, and she had to clutch the bunk frame to keep from falling.

As she marched angrily out of the dormitory, she paused by Clark's sleeping form. Even in his sleep, the boy's face held a hateful smirk. Nina suspected that he was responsible for stealing her shoes and mattress, and she briefly fantasized about spitting in his face. She thought of a chain then, the weapon Eric had made her promise she'd choose during weapon training, and imagined wrapping it around Clark's neck. She choked back the violent image, and instead leaned down to steal the laces from his shoes. 'Take that, asshole.'

Nina jogged as quietly as should could through the corridors, her bare feet slapping against the cool cavern floor. Her steps felt heavy and nausea rolled in her stomach. She stopped to catch her breath, and leaned her reeling head against the wall. 'Note to future self: don't attempt physical activity when drunk.'

She walked slowly to the Pit, focused on taking balanced steps. Just as she was about to enter, two quiet voices jarred her to a stop. Her eyes widened and she crouched down in the shadows. Her heart rate pulsed loudly in her ears, so loudly she worried it would be audible to the two men. She forced herself to take even, slow breaths in an attempt to stay silent.

"We strike in four weeks, after Initiation Day. We can't afford to wait any longer, and Jeanine's plan of action is ready." Max's voice was low and it sent a bolt of fear to the pit of Nina's stomach. Her mind instantly pulled up the memories of the conversation she'd heard a few day prior. About Jeanine, Abnegation, and an unknown terrorist group called Divergent. 'Oh my god,' she thought. 'This is it. They must be talking about attacking Abnegation.'

"How will we get all the Dauntless members to fight for us? And what about the Divergent?" The deep voice was unmistakable. It held undercurrents of authority, and, to Nina's surprise, confusion. She had never witnessed Eric be anything other than calm, cool, and collected.

"Don't worry about that. I have it under control. They'll fight for us. You trust me, right?" Max's voice pressed sternly.

"Of course, sir." Nina detected a hint of hesitation in Eric's voice.

"Good. That's why you're ranked as highly as you are, Eric. Just keep doing your part – I need you to uncover any Divergent members, including initiates. If you succeed, who knows, you might be up for promotion."

The men's steps crossed the Pit, away from her. She remained crouched in the darkness for a few moments longer. 'What the fuck is going on? I'm not fighting for them, and they can't make me.' Dread sent an aching spasm in her chest. 'They can't make me, right?' She fought off a wave of dizziness as an image of Max pressing a gun to her temple flashed in her mind. 'Four weeks. Four weeks. FUCK. Four weeks to figure this out. And if I don't play by the rules… What happens then? Will I become Factionless? Will I be thrown to the Outside? Will I be killed?'

Fear coiled tightly in her veins, spreading a chill through her body that instantly sobered Nina. The sound of rushing water from the Chasm matched the sound of blood rushing in her ears. The noise reminded her what she'd come here to do. She peeked her head around the corner to make sure she was alone, then darted to the edge of the Chasm. She pressed her body against the rails, which were slick with spray, and looked down into the darkness.

The drop to the bottom of the Chasm was far. She could just barely see dark, jagged rocks amongst the swiftly running water. And there, around a bend, a white block stood out from the black water. Her mattress.

There was a set of narrow steps, slippery with water, that lead down to the bottom of the Chasm. But she knew there was no point in trying to retrieve her mattress. Even if she miraculously made it to the bottom in her inebriated state without losing her footing, there was no way she was strong enough to carry the mattress back up alone. And by now, her mattress was likely soaked anyways.

Nina groaned and sat, slipping her legs under the wet rails. She contemplated going back to share Maddie's bed, but knew the cramped bed, her friend's body heat and snores would keep Nina awake regardless. 'This is just fucking fantastic. I might as well sleep right here.' She leaned her head against the cool railing and closed her eyes. The sound of the rushing waterfall soothed her agitated mind.

A cool hand pressed against her back and Nina jolted. "I could push you in right now," said a dark voice.

Nina jumped to her feet and spun around, her heart racing. Facing her was Eric, a smirk on his face. "Fuck, you almost gave me a heart attack!"

"Maybe you should learn to be more aware of your surroundings."

Nina scowled. She knew he was right – especially now that a mysterious enemy was after her.

"What are you doing here, Nina?" he continued.

Fear froze her. 'He knows what I know.'

"I – I just…" she stammered.

A look of confusion swept across Eric's face, and she realized that he didn't know she'd overheard his conversation with Max. Relief flooded her. 'Just play along, Nina. Don't lose your cool,' she thought. "I can't sleep."

He lifted his eyebrow. He approached her and stepped beside her at the rail, his muscular arm brushing her skin. Her arm felt hot where it was in contact with his. "Why, cause you're wasted?"

She scoffed and fidgeted with the shoelace in her hand. "I'm not drunk. "

He rolled his eyes. "Nina, you were all over the place tonight in the Pit. And you were loud, very loud," he emphasized with a cocky expression in his eyes.

A blush colored her cheeks as she realized what he was implying – that he'd heard her outburst about being horny. "Well, anyways, no, I mean that I literally can't sleep." She nodded to the Chasm, and Eric looked down, searching the darkness. When his eyes lit upon the mattress, he started to chuckle.

"It's not fucking funny," she snapped.

Eric only laughed more. "It's fucking hilarious."

Nina realized she had never heard him laugh, and that his laugh was a very nice one. Then she began to think about the absurdity of the fact that her mattress had been thrown into the chasm by some immature prick, and she too began to chuckle. "Fine, it's a little funny. But it still mostly sucks."

Eric nodded, the smile fading from his face. Nina instantly missed it, and cursed herself for feeling that way. Eric was dangerous, and she couldn't afford to get caught up in lust for him, or whatever it was that she felt. "Come with me," he said as he turned away.

She didn't question him as she followed him through winding corridors, heading to what she assumed was a storage room with extra mattresses. To her surprise, he stopped at the door of his apartment and unlocked it.

"Um, what are we doing here, Eric?"

He walked inside and held the door open for her. "You need a place to sleep, don't you?"

Nina felt heat in her cheeks as a naughty vision came to mind. "I am not sleeping with you." 'Not now anyways,' she added in her head, before mentally correcting herself. 'Not ever, if I'm smart.'

He raised an eyebrow and walked into his small kitchen to get a glass of water. "Yea, I'm aware. I have a couch."

She looked away, embarrassed for having assumed he wanted to share a bed, and surveyed his studio. She was pleasantly surprised to see that he'd managed to keep the place tidy since she'd cleaned it. "So, does this mean I owe you again, or something?"

"No, it means I'm doing you a favor. As a friend." Eric shot her a sly grin. "Unless you want to owe me. I'm sure I can come up with something."

Nina ignored his sarcastic remark, her thoughts focused on the word 'friend.' She turned her head to hide the hesitant grin that bloomed on her face. 'Does he mean that, really?' She exhaled and focused. 'Nina, stop it. You're acting like an idiot.'

She settled down on his couch. "Pretty comfy. Have a spare blanket?"

"No, but that doesn't matter. You're sleeping on my bed. Get up."

Nina complied, uncertainty spreading across her face. Eric instantly lay across the couch, tucking a pillow beneath his head.

"You sure? I don't want to inconvenience you."

"You're not an inconvenience," he replied, his answer muffled by the cushion under his head.

"Well, thanks, Eric." She bit her bottom lip as she looked longingly at his bed. Nina felt bad for sleeping in it, especially with her dirty bare feet, but exhaustion won over. She crawled under the covers, cursing the fact that she would have to wake up in just a few hours. Her last thought before drifting off to sleep was that Eric's pillows smelled like pine needles, and that this wasn't how she'd fantasized being in his bed.

Icy water filled Nina's mouth and nose. She flailed her arms, searching desperately for the surface. All around her was darkness. Her muscles were in agony as she swam, desperate for oxygen.

The sound of rushing water lured Nina in its direction. She emerged beneath a waterfall, gasping for air. The water beat down on her bare head and shoulders, and she was paralyzed under its force.

Metal pressed to her temple and the sound of a gun being cocked struck fear in her chest. "Get up." A shadowy figure spoke harshly.

"No."

"Get up!"

"No!"

The gun fired.

Nina awoke with a jolt, gasping, sweat running down her back.

"You are fucking hard to get up. We have to go, now." Eric was standing at the foot of the bed, a familiar stern expression on his face.

She pressed her palm against her chest, trying to catch her breath. She tried not to stare at Eric's body as he pulled a fresh shirt over his head. She jumped out of the bed. "Damn, I don't have sneakers or anything." At least she was wearing clothing suitable for training.

"That's too fucking bad. We're late. Let's go."

When they sauntered into the training room, only a couple of minutes late, the entire group of initiates and Four turned to stare at them. Nina realized immediately what it looked like, coming in with Eric after not having slept in the dormitory the night before. She tried to ignore the looks as she stopped beside her friends, who had kindly brought her shoes for her. Amir smirked and cocked his eyebrow at her, and Maddie had a 'told-ya-so' grin on her face. "Guys, it's not what you think," said Nina, rolling her eyes. "I'll explain later."

Eric, calm and collected as usual, addressed the group. "This morning we'll be visiting the Fence. Those of you currently in the lowest rankings will be getting a taste today of your future as a guard." His eyes were cold steel. "If you pass initiation, that is."

Eric and Four led the way out of the compound, the transfers marching behind them. When they reached the roof, Nina stopped to take a deep breathe of air. She'd become accustomed to the cool, damp air of the cavern. Outside, the air felt hot and heavy.

"We're taking the train to the Fence, then later we're stopping at Amity to exchange packages," said Eric. The trains were approaching, and he had to raise his voice to be heard above the noise. "Those of you with family in Amity are advised not to speak with anyone. You'll get a chance for that on Visitation Day." His face turned to Nina and she read the meaning in his eyes: to be Dauntless meant to be fiercely loyal. Faction before blood. She nodded to show that she understood. Then Eric turned and pulled himself gracefully onto moving train cart.

Nina pulled herself onto a cart with her friends. She stood tensely at the open compartment door, the rushing wind whipping her hair in her face. Beside her was Q, his dark hands clasped tightly before him. As they traveled through the outer banks of the city, approaching the Fence, they passed an area filled with grey, orderly buildings. Abnegation. Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest with anxiety. She looked over at Q, who was staring longingly at the compound, an expression of nostalgia in his black eyes.

"Are you from there?" she asked him quietly.

Q looked into her eyes for a moment, studying her pensively, then nodded. He opened his mouth, and hesitated, before speaking softly. "My 11 year old sister is there. She wants to go to Amity. I think she's too shy." He shot Nina a warm, genuine smile that she gladly returned. It was the most he'd spoken in days. Nina understood that Q was not wasteful with words, and when he spoke, it was worth listening.

For the rest of the train ride, Nina thought of Q's little sister. She imagined Q with her, picking her up, playing with her, teasing her. She thought of Q's family, imagined them sitting quietly together at dinner. She thought about all the families in Abnegation, and their devotion to selflessness and humility. And then she thought of their leader, Marcus Eaton, and of the horrible things she'd heard about him. The rumors of his abuse. The rumors of his betrayals. She closed her eyes tightly, willing her tears away.

She realized then that the political system that she'd put her faith into, that everyone had trusted, was nothing more than a corrupt hive of wasps. The leaders at the top, people like Max, Jeanine, and Eaton vied for power – and they'd do whatever they had to do to get it. Be it lie to their people. Be it construct a mutiny. Be it violence. They were monsters. When she opened her eyes again, she'd made up her mind. She wouldn't be a pawn in their game. And she wouldn't go down without a fight.

After visiting the Fence, the transfers spent an hour at the entrance of the Amity compound, unloading packages from the train and reloading the carts with boxes. Nina did her best to keep her head down, but every few minutes she found herself subconsciously searching for her parents, for her old friends and classmates.

The noon sun was beating down on the initiates, and Nina's arms were trembling with the exertion of lifting heavy boxes repeatedly. She was envious of the male transfers, who were able to take their shirts off to beat the heat. Her tank top was sticky with sweat, and she couldn't wait to get a shower later. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Eric working shirtless, his tattooed skin glistening with sweat.

A familiar whistle caught Nina's attention, and she snapped up, looking for the source of the sound. The gate to Amity was being opened, and a pick up truck was returning to the compound, the bed loaded with crates filled with fruit. She smiled widely, recognizing the driver of the truck as her father, and the woman in the passenger seat as her mother. As they passed by the working transfers, her mother Helen whistled again, and the tune of Nina's favorite sing about a phoenix carried in the wind. Then the truck passed into the compound, and the gates were shut.

The Glock was sleek and cool in Nina's hand. She relaxed her outstretched arms, letting the weight of the gun settle. Her feet were a shoulder width apart, and her form was steady. She fired, and her bullet hit the center of the red bullseye.

"Damn, Nina, you're good at this," Amir commented with a competitive grin. "Remind me to never get in a gun fight with you."

The initiates had spent the afternoon after the trip to Amity learning about gun safety and shooting techniques. It was now the following morning, and the group was practicing shooting in the weapon training facility. Nina had been glad to find a new mattress waiting for her in the dormitory the previous evening. She assumed Eric had ordered it for her. She also was surprised and pleased to learn that she was a natural with a gun.

She winked at Amir and shot again, this time hitting the outer edge of the bullseye. Her target was marked with several bullet points, all near the bullseye. She turned to check out the weapons rack, and traded her pistol for a rifle.

She stood for a moment to watch the progress of her friends. Q, who'd shined the previous week in physical combat, was struggling now with guns training. His target had no marks in the center of the ring, but Four was working with him. Maddie and Amir were doing fairly well, though both had yet to progress to different guns. Clark had a mediocre shot, which Nina was happy to see. The cocky boy could use a few shots to his ego.

She turned to watch Tae. The pale girl struggled to hold up the shotgun in her hand. Her arms tensed as she lifted the gun up and aimed at the target. The force of the recoil caused Tae to flinch and jump away. She dropped the gun, which slid several feet away from her.

"Go get it," barked Eric.

Tae winced. She timidly stepped forward, but darted back when she realized that everybody was still shooting. The distance between each shooting initiate was several feet, but she still feared getting hit. Nina rolled her eyes. 'This girl again. When is she gonna grow a backbone?'

"What the fuck are you waiting for," bellowed Eric.

The girl whispered meekly and Eric yelled at her to speak louder.

"I'm scared to get hit," she repeated, her lips trembling.

Eric cracked his knuckles maliciously and a silence enveloped the room as the initiates stopped to see what would happen. "Go stand in front of your target."

Tae hesitated and an expression of pure fear hooded her eyes. A look of loathing from Eric caused the girl to scamper to the target. She stood in front of it quivering. She was short in statute, so her head was just one inch below the bullseye.

"Four, get me a BS-60 Hart," said Eric gruffly. Four complied and emerged from the locked weapon cabinet with a large, sleek gun unlike the ones the initiates had been practicing with. It looked futuristic, and absolutely terrifying. Eric motioned for Nina to approach him. She did, unsure what he wanted with her, and was surprised when he dropped the heavy metallic gun in her hand.

Eric turned to face Tae, who was cowering under the target. "You've been scared to be here since day one. Fear has no place in Dauntless. Your cowardice makes you weak and vulnerable. I'll give you a choice now. Either you let Nina shoot three bullets into the bullseye, or you're out of Dauntless."

There was an immediate uproar from the initiates. "No fucking way," shouted Nina. "This isn't a fucking game, Eric, I could kill her."

"Yes," cried Tae, "I'll do it. Fine, I'll do it!" The raven-haired girl had a weak fire in her eyes that Nina had never seen.

Eric looked coldly at Nina and she trembled. She pleaded with him. "No, Eric. I can't do it."

"You'll do it or you'll be kicked out of Dauntless," he said frigidly.

Nina contemplated shooting Eric in the foot to wipe that smug expression off his face. Instead, she turned to look at Tae. The pale girl nodded at her, urging her to do this task.

Nina's arms quivered as she lifted the weapon. The gun was thick, sturdy, and much heavier than the other guns she'd been practicing with. 'Breath easy, girl. You can do this. You've been hitting that bullseye all day.' She tried to calm herself down, but she knew Tae's life was on the line.

Tae closed her eyes tightly and Nina fired. The bullet hit the top corner of the target. A worthless shot.

"That was bullshit, Nina. I've seen you do better," said Eric.

"You're such an asshole," she muttered under her breath. She lifted the gun again and aimed at the bullseye. 'Just pretend Tae's head isn't there. Just pretend Tae's head isn't one inch below your target…'

Nina fired again, this time hitting the top-right corner of the bullseye. Tae whimpered but nodded at Nina to continue.

"Two more," Eric spoke gruffly.

"I fucking know that," she snapped. She lifted the gun and fired again. The bullet sank into the bottom of the bullseye. Tae cried out, and Nina knew she had just barely missed the girl's scalp.

Nina's arms trembled as she raised the gun, and she blinked away tears that she hadn't realized were there. She fired, but this time her bullet was way off mark. It hit the outermost ring.

"You've been hitting the damn bullseye all day," said Eric lazily.

"Seriously, shut the fuck up. I hate you," she retorted sharply.

Eric's eyes were steely and calm. "No, you don't. Just hit the bullseye. You know you can."

Nina blinked away more tears as she leveled the gun up. Her muscles were tense and her chest was tight with anxiety. She took a deep breath as she aimed the gun at the bullseye. She fired.

The bullet hit the center of the bullseye cleanly. It was the best shot she'd fired all day. Tae collapsed to her knees, relieved that the task was over and that she had another chance to stay in Dauntless.

"You see," Eric faced Nina with an arrogant smile, "that wasn't so bad, was it?"

Nina dropped the gun, which clashed to the floor. Then she reared her hand up, and smacked Eric with full force.

I'm sorry I didn't update sooner! I've been quite busy. I wrote a longer-than-usual chapter to compensate :) I genuinely take your reviews to heart and use your feedback to improve my writing. So if there's something you loved or hated about this chapter, please don't hesitate to let me know!