Chapter 14

Kazana has lived factionless her entire life, having been found by the rebels who strive to live without the faction system she becomes their new secret weapon. The plan is clear, choose dauntless, pass initiation, infiltrate the system, but what can she do when a certain leader sees through her façade? AU No War, One year after Tris' initiation.

I just want to start by saying that the response I have received over this story has been so overwhelming but truly fantastic. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favourited and please continue to leave your feedback as it means the world to me. I do take your opinions in to account, even if this story does already have a set structure.

This chapter may leave you all with mixed emotions as it gives different dimensions to all of the characters, but I hope the balance was right. Please let me know your thoughts.

Disclaimer: I do not own Divergent, hence why I am drinking tea and not liquefied gold.

Not a word passed Evelyn Johnson's mouth as she knelt on the unforgiving gravel, her hands trembling and bloodied as she cradled his head in her lap.

Cain stood frozen at the head of the crowd, clenching and unclenching his fists as he watched their leader silent and broken on the solid ground.

"Do you fucking get it now!" he hissed.

"Do you see what it is you're doing? He's dead Evelyn! He's fucking dead and it's all because of him! Shot him in cold blood, you saw it."

Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled deeply; a watery trickle ran sombrely down her cheek.

"What do you want me to say, Cain?" she whispered. The older man shook his head and ran a hand through his shaggy hair, unable to contain his venom.

"SAY THAT YOU'RE DONE! SAY THAT IT STOPS HERE! Enough people have died! There are other ways to make a change and this isn't it!"

The crowd remained fearful and quiet behind him, but there was pleading in their eyes as they looked down at their leader. Everyone had felt the loss.

Evelyn looked up to glare at him through watery eyes, holding her chin up at high as she regarded the timid gathering.

"Do you really think there is any other way?" she spat bitterly, fixing those pleading eyes with a stern look that had them shrinking back in to the crowd.

"Do you think I don't know how hard it's been? I'm trying the best I can! We all agreed when we first started speaking out that there would be casualties."

Evelyn sniffed as she looked down at the boy in her arms, cold and motionless. Her voice lowered to a murmur.

"It's too late to go back now. She's all we have. Everything relies on her." Evelyn came to a stand as she addressed the crowd with a commanding tone.

"You've all come this far. They're scared now don't you see? They know that there are too many of us to fight off and once we infiltrate the system it'll be only too late." She narrowed her eyes, fearful faces came alight with hope. "We'll be unstoppable."

The crowd broke out in to cries of agreement, a cacophony of voices all roaring with exultation, all driven by anger, hurt and a hungry desire for revenge.

Only Cain remained impassive as he came to mutter in her ear.

"Eric is prepared to kill with no incentive at all, imagine what he'll do when betrayed by the one thing he cares about."

He pulled away to push through the exuberant crowd, leaving Evelyn to torment over his words.

36 hours prior

"Who's did you say this was again?" Sophie queried as she threw the slaughtered jacket in to what Kazana had to imagine was a Dauntless washing device. Of course it would be black; she noted, both girls jolted back as it emitted a particularly torturous groan, churning with the current heavy load.

"I didn't" Kazana quirked an eyebrow, "It's weird, I never thought about how you guys clean here. I'm used to just having my clothes whipped away and then bam, they're back the next day smelling of roses."

"Yeah well, don't expect that when you got your own place, you'll be scrubbing rags like the rest of us," Sophie winked and slid out her tongue, brandishing her tongue bar which glimmered under the fluorescent lights. Kazana's sharp intake of breath went unnoticed as she was encouraged once more to consider a life that could not be, a Dauntless Soldier with a real job and a place to call her own.

"Any thoughts on what you're gonna do when you pass? I hear you're wicked fast with a gun."

"No guarantees that I will, remember?" Kaz frowned, today was the last day of stage one and then she was at the mercy of her own mind, and who knew what demons would arise at the mere prod of a needle.

"You will, I know you will." Sophie beamed at her, her smile faltered in an instant however as she backed in to the laundering agent with a strangled cry. Kaz stood frozen to the spot, unsure how to offer comfort to the older girl as she had never been tactful with such matters.

"It's just; I'm terrified for Lisa y'know?" Sophie sniffled, her hazel eyes reddened and rimmed with the smudged remains of her kohl linings. "She's all I have here. I know I'm supposed to be brave, but what do I do, she's my sister Kaz. Damn it! She's my sister!" Her voice broke as she choked out the words and though Kazana could offer no soothing words, no affectionate embrace, she felt the acute pain that vibrated in her every sob.

Kaz clutched Sophie's chin with her thumb and forefinger, beckoning the girl to look up, her expression marred with confusion and grief.

"She's not going to be Factionless, Sophie. I won't let that happen."

Kazana knew her words meant nothing, that it was a void promise until fulfilled. She just gave the older girl a firm nod, before stalking out. "I'll be back later to pick that up."

Wes was the first to see her as she joined the others for breakfast, his face a canvas which he painted with swirling caramels of maple syrup and clumps of waffle.

"M'lady" he bowed his head deeply, regal manners clashing with the state of his appearance. Kaz had no time for jokes as she placed fisted hands on the table and looked him dead in the eye.

"We have to keep Lisa here."

Wes nodded his head slowly with a wizened smile, "Ahh yes…I don't follow."

"Lisa! She's won one fight and catching the flag last night would have boosted her points but it's not enough. If she doesn't show drastic improvement today then that's it."

Wes grabbed his face and squeezed it in odd squishing motions that Kazana had come to recognize as his 'thoughtful look'.

"Well last time I checked, I'm still ranking first…if she is paired with me then I'll lose" Wes shrugged, entirely nonchalant about the matter. Kazana didn't think she'd ever seen someone so wholly good.

"Okay…" Kazana inhaled deeply and accepted this as the only offering he could make, "Okay, me too. If either one of us is paired with Lisa, we lose."

Wes grinned and slapped her heartily on the back, Kazana winced, this boy really didn't know his own strength. She made her way to the last training session of stage 2 with a great deal more ease, knowing that her friend still had a fighting chance.

Wes vs Mia

Bernie vs Fay

Jared vs Harry

Lisa vs Solomon

Eyes widened in horror and disbelief, Kazana looked over at Wes who appeared to be equally as stunned. Their friend didn't stand a chance, one glance over at Solomon's vermin like grin had Kaz digging her nails into her palms. Of course the fights which pre-empted Lisa's approaching doom went exactly as could be expected. Wes used clean, powerful punches to send Mia to the ground, and it occurred to Kaz that the girl had hardly tried, it was almost as though she had already accepted her fate.

Fay to her credit, fought valiantly for her place, but was ultimately no match for the filthy tactics and unforgiving brutality that Bernie unleashed. It was amazing really, that she was quite so amble with four shattered fingers.

Harry's size and speed had Jared nursing his snapped elbow on the ground as a final blow knocked him out cold. Kazana had never seen Harry so relentless, but then desperation was a masterful thing.

Peter snorted as he observed Lisa's trembling form tread softly towards the ring; Solomon was already hopping from one foot to the other, stretching his fingers with a sickening crack.

Kazana clenched her jaw and tried to calm her breaths, this was it. The first girl to offer her true kindness, to stick with her through the violent lows and triumphant highs, would be sent off to live in the desolate streets, forever a victim to her sorrow and hunger.

It was this thought that had Kaz grasping Lisa's wrist roughly in her own. She was at the girl's ear before anyone could prevent her and her words rang hot and hateful in that single moment.

"You will have nothing. To starve is like having an iron fist kneading your organs, to freeze is to have your entire body inflect as the cold seeps in to your bones."

Tris rushed forward to pry Kaz's bruising fingers from Lisa's arm but it was too late, she was already seeping through.

"You will be a nobody! He'll destroy you!" Kazana spat venomously. Even Solomon's jaw dropped slightly at the display, incredulous looks were shot in her direction, all but Lisa who continued to stare straight ahead.

The trembling stopped then, and it was almost as though a new being had stepped on to the platform. A dreamy sort of smile played at her mouth and it brought forth the smirk that Solomon had momentarily lost.

"Well it's good to know you have finally accepted the truth Amity, nobody bea-"

The unholiest of screams echoed against the walls as Lisa made her first attack, it was a painful blow to Kazana's eardrum but she could only grin at the display.

Solomon slumped to the ground as Lisa charged at him like an enraged bull and head-butted him with an impactful THWACK!

His eyes narrowed as he bared his teeth at her and made to rip in to the first area of flesh he saw first but her rampage had only just begun. Lisa jumped up with her knees tucked tightly to her chest and landed straight on to his abdomen, winding him instantly. She wasted no time in bending down to jab two fingers in to his eye sockets.

This time it was Solomon who wailed, body shaking violently at the intrusive attack. Then she was on him, her own lean form pressed firmly against his as she pushed past his hands. Lisa wrapped her fingers around his throat and squeezed, her ordinarily calm amber eyes wide and concentrated on the task completely.

Bernie screeched in outrage as Solomon's face began to purple, omitting the odd spluttering noise. There was no skill or prowess in the way Lisa unleashed herself on the boy, it was pure, unadulterated rage and Kaz could only gaze at the display in wonder.

"ENOUGH!" Peter roared as the fight reached its crescendo, Solomon completely merciless and approaching death at the hands of the lowest ranking initiate. The boy in question's face lit up with relief and then his eyes rolled back in to his head as he flopped on to the ground.

Silence was only momentary as Wes brought his hands together in slow loud claps, Kazana did not hesitate to join him and soon all but Bernie and Peter were applauding Lisa, thunderous echoes which united the group for the first time. Her face was tinged with red as Wes hauled her up and ran down the remaining platforms steps, the other initiates laughed as he spun her around dizzyingly fast. Upon her landing, Lisa's eyes met Kazana's own, and an unspoken alliance was forged between the two.

The jacket had been laundered and folded neatly when Kazana went to retrieve it later that day, it was in perfect condition and now all she had to do was give it back. Of course this had been an excellent idea when Kazana awoke that morning after barely a wink of sleep and an incredibly surreal night.

In the hours following her awakening she had tried talking herself out of the idea, 'It's not like he really needs it' and 'I don't even know where he lives, it's pointless!' Tris had looked unusually forlorn as she made her way out of the training room that evening, the same lost look that she had seen during their talk days before.

"You're fighting for a better life Kaz"

She sped past the benign trainer, trying to ignore the echo of her words.

"and it's only a matter of time before the cracks begin to show."

He'd know! He'd see right through her, she didn't stand a chance!

"if you have any way of finding out more…"

Kazana halted in her steps, the direction of the food hall. There was no denying that she still had a chance, a mere glimpse of one, he'd so much as affirmed it.

"I can't get you off my mind"

She felt a pleasant shiver as she remembered his groaned admission, it was an opening. This was a key opportunity, so before she could convince herself otherwise, she made a beeline for the oncoming Four.

"I need you to tell me where Eric lives."

His thick dark brows rose instantly as his mouth dropped opened in surprise.

"Erm…why?" he looked entirely uncomfortable.

Kazana simply held up the oversized jacket for his perusal, his eyes darted from the dark attire to her face, and then back to the coat.

"Do I want to know?" he sighed.

Kaz grinned at him and continued to listen intently to his direct instructions, before breezing past, her dark locks swaying with every brisk step.

Tris made her way over to Four in time to see the younger girl's retreat, she cocked a brow in question.

"She wanted to know where Eric lives."

"That is the single worst thing you could have said right now." Tris grimaced.

"The hamburgers are gone."

"Okay, now that's just sick."

Figures that he would live in a maze, Kazana thought bitterly as she weaved through heaving bodies. The further she got, the sparser they became and soon her feet were leading her past the control room.

The residential area which she had not dared to visit again since witnessing a woman's exile had been a snug formation of alcoves. They'd hinted at limited but practical space.

Kazana had little experience with luxury, it was only as she stood in the Dauntless leader's quarters that it began to dawn on her the benefits his roles afforded him.

Narrow halls led to a single stone archway, odd incisions in the rock allowed streams of lights to fall through and reflect on the marbled floors. Kazana found herself easily distracted as she noticed intricate engraving in the walls, creatures of which she had never seen, stood winged and majestic. She traced the patterns with a bony finger.

Kaz decided this had to be another route which led to the roof, a defence system perhaps. It made sense that Cain and Edward would be oblivious to the leader's section, it did however make her question just how many more secret passages existed within the compound.

Her heart pounded furiously as she found his door on the furthest end of the extravagant passageway. It was nor or never, she tried in vain to steel her nerves but could not deny that she was in his territory now.

She raised a shaky fist to his door but was halted by the sound of boots stomping purposely along the smooth floors. Sloane.

Tori's residence was set far across from Eric's, he was whistling jovially as he came to rap an uneven beat on her door, leaning casually against it with hands rested cockily behind his head.

Kazana pressed herself tightly against the door, she peeked her head ever so slightly out of the niche in the wall to make sure she had not been spotted. The sound of a rustling lock and a gag worthy greeting alerted her to his disappearance.

She breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed in to the door, just as it was thrown open. Kazana gasped and flew backwards through the open entrance only to be steadied by two strong hands. They clasped tightly around her waist but she had no problem turning quick in his arms and stumbling away.

Eric stood towering over her, or so it felt in that moment, his face a cool mask but grey eyes burning in curiosity. Kaz still clutched the jacket tightly to her chest like it was her lifeline; she opened her mouth to speak but stopped when noticing the small black device hooked on to his ear.

"Expansion would only raise questions; increase the screens and strengthen the perimeter," he ordered, though his fixed stare remained on her. The merest whisper which omitted in a crackly hum from the miniature ear piece was all Kaz needed to realize he was talking to someone else.

Overcome by embarrassment she took a tentative step towards the exit but was stopped when he slammed the door shut. Before she even had a chance to question this he was moving in to another room and her attention was immediately drawn to the studio she currently stood in.

The basics of it were like any other living space, pure stone. There were additional elements however, which made everything seem all the more overwhelming.

In particular, a huge cavern in the wall to her far right was filled to the brim with unlit logs, though she knew that it had to make a spectacular fire.

The ceilings were ridiculously uneven, bowing down and raising up again to descend in to two different arches, of which Kazana assumed, must lead to the bedroom and kitchen.

With no indication as to his return, Kaz tread carefully in to the further depths of his quarters. It was here that she could breathe in the delicious aroma of oak smoked wood and something else, a sort of earthiness that fit perfectly with the rustic setting.

Everything had been kept in pristine order, a sizeable collection of steel iron bars and weights were tucked into an alcove between the archways.

Kazana's jaw dropped as she found herself at the far end of Eric's quarters, the entire wall was a book shelf. Rough, slabs of wood all stacked precisely one upon the other to create a miniature library as she perused the countless books that covered the shelves.

She ran her fingertips lightly over the bindings, scanning every title greedily. A majority of them were non-fiction, typical easy finds from the Erudite collection, books on science, history, mathematics, and then there were those that shocked Kazana the most.

Literature Classics, entire collections of them, she had only managed to find the odd one on her scarce trips to Erudite HQ, but this was incredible.

A familiar sensation of being watched came over her as she picked a familiar title from the shelf and closed her eyes to breathe in the heady scent of old parchment.

Kaz looked up to find Eric leaning against the immense fireplace, minus the earpiece, with crossed arms and a cautious look in his eye, she felt as though she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"I…ahh, I came to return your jacket."

He didn't say a word, just continued to watch her, it was unnerving to say the least. She had been so pleasantly surprised at the primitive comforts his quarters provided; Kazana had actually forgotten how intimidating it was, to have him zero in on her like a hawk with its prey.

The temptation to throw the jacket at him and run grew ever stronger but needless to say that approach would do her little in her favour. It occurred to her then, the key problem in their dynamic, they had never held a conversation. How had that fact managed to escape her? Surely that was a fundamental part of any…not relationship, of course not, acquaintance? Hmm.

She gestured behind her, book in hand. "This is…astonishing. Where did you…?" Kaz trailed off as he approached her and pried the jacket from her hands. White hot electricity ran up her fingertips as his warm skin brushed against her own.

Eric waited expectantly for her to finish but he was well aware of what it was she was referring to.

"It pays to have connections," he alluded. Kazana scanned his face for any hint of information but found nothing.

"Connections with Erudite you mean?" Nothing. He turned away with the coat and preceded through another arch, she followed him in to a decadently rich room. A large double bed acted as the centrepiece, impeccably made, and covered in black lustrous sheets.

Kazana considered his silence as he moved in to a further alcove to fold away the jacket.

"Hang on, were you in Erudite?" her voice was tinged with excitement at the breakthrough. He stiffened slightly but remained otherwise stoic at the exclamation.

"That doesn't concern you." She continued to gaze at him from the entrance, Eric rolled his eyes.

"Yes. I was in Erudite." Kazana grinned slightly but sensibly said nothing, instead opting to trace yet another engraving which played in to the stone.

"Will you be overseeing stage 2?"

"Do you always ask this many questions?"

"Yes." She smirked.

"Possibly." He raised a brow in challenge and observed her with one thumb running contemplatively over his full lower lip.

"What will we be doing?"

"Eating chillies," he replied in a heartbeat and Kazana actually let out a small surprised laugh.

"Rubbish," she smiled.

Eric's eyes narrowed as he brushed past her once more to enter the semblance of a kitchenette, it was cold and basic, very unlike the rest of the studio. Kazana got the impression it was rarely used.

"If you don't think you're Dauntless enough," he muttered, Kaz wanted to laugh again at the ridiculous notion but found herself instead considering the dare.

The next thing she knew she was sat on the black marbled sideboard, chilli in hand, glaring at Eric who just stared back amusedly. Kazana drew in a heavy breath and tried to muster a dignified expression as she popped the vivacious red chilli in to her mouth whole and bit down.

She swallowed instantly and triumphant in her success, Kaz opened her mouth to gloat but was stopped by the burning hot sensation running up her throat. An excruciating pulse of heat singed her nose and ears as she tried and failed to keep her face blank.

"No one concedes," she choked out through pained gasps.

He actually chuckled at this and flicked on a tap of water, Kazana practically salivated at the sight of the icy cold stream. She grabbled desperately for the glass he held out to her and downed it in seconds, relishing in the cool relief it provided.

It took a considerable amount of time for Kazana to collect herself again, a glance down alerted her to how haphazard she'd been in consuming the water. Her simple black vest now clung damply to her torso and she did not miss the wicked gleam in Eric's eye as he drank in the sight.

"Well," she cleared her throat and straightened up, trying to behave as though the last three minutes of choking and spluttering had never occurred. "That was pleasant."

"Stage two is all about pushing your boundaries mentally, peppers excluded," he smirked.

"Sounds fun, 'who can read 'Factions: An Antiquity' before they shoot themselves in the face." Kazana mocked, remembering a particular title from his extensive collection.

"That book is a valuable part of our history," Eric scolded, though his lips twitched with the hint of smile. "How would you have heard about that anyway?"

"Amity are kind not illiterate," Kazana snorted. Eric looked as though he wanted to make a scathing remark but was stopped by a high pitched beep omitting from his wrist.

He huffed out an impatient breath and stormed out of the room, shrugging on a coat when he returned. Kaz frowned at the odd pang of disappointment she felt at his approaching departure, she slid off the counter and retrieved his book. She steeled herself for her next question, wondering whether it was all too soon to ask.

"Can I borrow this?" Kazana held it out for his inspection; his cold grey eyes scanned the title momentarily before returning to her.

"No."

Kazana's hopeful expression fell under his impassive stare.

"If you want to read, you're going to have to come back."

Unable to form a coherent reply, Kazana opted instead to meet his ashen eyes and give the most imperceptible of nods.

He took the book from her hands and moved away, Kaz swept over to the door and opened it before another word could be exchanged. Shutting it behind her, her face broke in to an elated smile.

1 Wes

2 Kazana

3 Vesper

4 Solomon

5 Lara

6 Turf

7 Marty

8 Harry

9 Tanya

10 Bernie

11 Cam

12 Paul

13 Reggie

14 Lisa

Mia

Ashton

Haley

Shia

Jared

Fay

The atmosphere amongst the initiates had been tense as they made their way to the training room that morning. Peter, Tris and Four stood before the board which listed their final rankings for stage 1. Kazana was stunned to see the level at which she'd elevated, but that soon gave way to pity as she saw Mia's broken expression.

Those who had made it were lost in their own ecstasy as the cut initiates made their way out, only Kaz watched their tragic departure. Absurd guilt gnawed at her as she watched the former Erudite disappear through the exit, a need to do something plagued her but the seconds seemed to pass achingly slow and she found it impossible to join the merriment of the others.

Suddenly Kazana was running, sprinting to get to the train tracks where the train had already arrived. The now factionless initiates jumped on, one last act of perseverance before their lives took a dramatic turn. Kaz threw herself at the last rung, clinging desperately on to the bars. Mia stuck her head out of the open door in bafflement.

"Are you crazy!? Get off! It's too late for me!"

"The boy with the eye patch! You must find the boy with the eye patch!" Kazana cried out desperately, her voice barely audible over the heavy wind. Mia gaped at her confusedly but nodded as Kaz finally lost her grip and fell from the moving cart. She tumbled to the ground, her back jarred at the fierce impact but there was no serious damage.

Looking up from the gravely tracks, she was just able to catch a glimpse of platinum blonde hair, before the train rode in to obscurity.

Eric felt a mixture of irritation and satisfaction as he led a group of six soldiers through the Factionless district.

He hadn't been sure as to whether Kazana would return, the jacket hadn't meant a damn thing to him but he'd never been more grateful for a piece of clothing as she stood wide eyed and curious in his quarters.

His initial impulse was to remain cold with her, it was familiar territory and he knew little else but there was something about her that demanded his attention. It had felt natural to relent to her curiosity; he wanted her to see more.

Of course then she'd had to go and taunt him with the delicious sight of her soaking wet shirt, clinging tantalizingly tight to marble white skin. Slow drops of water running slowly down her neck and in to the dip of her breasts. It had taken all of his control not to throw her on to his bed there and then.

But she'd be back.

They were coming to the end of their patrol, and the streets had been uncommonly quiet. That said, it was becoming a frequent occurrence as the word rebellion hung imminent on everyone's lips.

The odd scuffle of feet and crashing of glass alerted him to their presence but it was not his job to hunt them down, he was on the lookout for those who got in his way.

"We've got one!" a young voice cried, a more recent addition to his team. The boy's eyes glittered with excitement as he held a young man in a fumbling arm lock, gun held firmly at his head.

Various other soldiers leapt in to action as they raised their guns and pointed them at the struggling culprit. His clothes were a torn, dirtied array of black and grey, which meant he had most likely belonged to Dauntless at some time or another.

"We found him with a load of explosives, fuck knows where he found 'em!" another soldier added as he kicked the boy's back, sending him on to his hand and knees.

Eric's eyes barely glanced over the boy's face as he nodded and continued on away from the group, listing orders over his shoulder.

"I want it all gathered and on the train in 10, check the surrounding area for more evidence and take care of the kid."

The soldiers all mumbled in compliance and the familiar sound of clicks sounded behind him as they held their guns at the ready.

"You don't deserve her," a bitter voice broke through the tense silence.

Eric Froze, and turned slowly on his heel to face the kneeling boy.

"Hold your fire."

The young man's body trembled violently but his murderous glare held true.

"What the hell d-"

The thunderous tenor of lead against flesh resonated off the surrounding buildings as the young man's body slumped to the ground in an instant. His blood became a dirtied canal as it flowed in to the street.

Eric gritted his teeth he looked up at the young guard, wisps of smoke still crept from the tip of his gun.

"I said hold your fire," Eric spat. He ripped the gun from the teenage soldier's hands and looked down at the boy with a dangerous sneer.

"Ignore my orders again and it'll be your head cracked against the cement, Am I clear?"

The young boy gulped and nodded, his body quaked in fear under the Dauntless Leader's glare.

Snapping his fingers to signal they move on, he glanced back at the lifeless figure. Eric bent down and felt recognition wash over him as he observed the young man's face. A former initiate. A faded black patch covered one eye as the other stared up unblinkingly.

Caught in a moment of indecision, Eric reached down to shut the boy's eye just as a mass of furious bodies turned the corner further down the street. No one face was distinguishable from the distance, but the air was thick with tension as he came to a stand and scanned the group coldly.

Shifting the second gun to rest firmly under one arm, he fixed them with a warning glare and stalked off in the other direction. It was only as he turned the corner and joined the rest of his patrol team to head back to the compound, that he heard their tortured cries.

"EDWARD!"