Thank you to everyone who reveiwed the last chapter.
You can thank deetya11 for this update. Deetya11 is reading through The Blackest Sade of Gray right now, and left a review for George's POV, and since I can't PM it to her right now... you all get to enjoy the next chapter!
There has been a discussion with The Blackest Shade of Gray about me publishing my "read and review" POV chapters as their own story. This is the original version that was too long to be sent out in a PM and was cut DRASTICALLY DOWN in editing so that it would fit. As a chapter, I don't have to worry about the 8,000 character limitation in PMs, it has grown in length from where it started. If you received the POV, I still recommend reading this. In my humble opinion, it is MUCH better than what you actually received with Chapter 29 of Dauntless Gray, and will give you a taste of what it might be like if I do go on ahead and create the requested "Random Voices" for my Dauntless Gray series. If you read Dauntless Gray/ The Blackest Shade of Gray, let me know in your review if you would be interested in me reworking and publishing the "read and review POVs" or not. The more interest there is, the more likely I am to do them. And Guests, remember this is the time for you to have your voice heard, too!
(The * indicates where the original POV ended before I had to cut it down due to the PM limitation.)
I was trying to put this up quickly at work, and I missed one very important thing when I orginally posted it. Thank-you, thank-you to BK2U for bettaing this story. I couldn't have done it without her help.
Chapter 3 Rescue
I lie down on my stomach and try to find a comfortable position. I really should have thought about the fact that I prefer to sleep on my back before I let Tori talk me into a tattoo that would cover the whole thing. The large tattoo, along with the jacket I leave on a regular basis, creates a perfect cover that allows us to see each other every day. I sigh and squirm a little bit more in my bed, hoping that I can find a spot that will work and let me get some sleep.
It was a little intimidating to have Nate, one of the Dauntless leaders, watch my fear simulation today. There's something about knowing that I am expected to get out quickly that is stressful. Fortunately, my fear of public speaking was easily overcome by creating an exit for most of the people to use; when there were only about five people left, I made them look like Tori, Danika, Lance, Jazz, and Harrison. It wasn't hard at all to stand up there and give a speech at that point. As soon as I opened my mouth, everyone disappeared. Three and a half minutes, I think, as I start to drift off. Not bad at all, if I do say so myself.
There's a hand over my mouth, and a soft voice speaks to me as I wake up. "George, it's Hana." I recognize the name and soft voice as belonging to Tori's friend. I follow her directions and sit up and pull on my shoes. My heart is thudding. Why is she getting me up in the middle of the night? Panic starts to consume me. Has something happened to Tori? I follow her quietly towards the Pit. The closer we get to Tori's apartment and the tattoo parlor, the more apprehension gnaws at me. Why doesn't Hana just tell me what's going on? "Is Tori alright?" I whisper. I can't take the suspense any longer.
"Tori is fine." Her voice is confident, but at the same time I get the distinct impression that she's edgy about something.
"What's going…?"
Hana stops me by placing a finger over her lips. She told me to be quiet, but I didn't realize she meant I had to be quiet even after we safely got out of the dorms without waking anyone up. I follow her through the Pit, back towards the net where I made my initial jump into Dauntless. Right before we get there, she stops at a door I never noticed before and she opens it up. "Follow the steps down to the chasm. Natalie is at the bottom. She'll explain everything to you when you get down there."
"Who's Natalie? What's going on?" I can't keep myself from asking her.
"Natalie will introduce herself. I don't know everything. Just go to Natalie. She can explain it all to you." Hana checks her watch. "I have to get back to the control room." Suddenly, she pulls me into a quick hug. I'm so stunned by her action that I find myself hugging her back, wondering why she would hug me goodbye.
I'm not sure why I do it, but I look back at the light one more time, watching it disappear as she closes the door behind me, and then I turn around and head into the darkness. I hate the dark, and this isn't a simulation where I can make a flashlight appear in my hand or have lights suddenly turn on to illuminate the stairway. I trail my hand along the side of the wall as I slowly make my way down the steps, each foot cautiously searching for the edge of the current step before trying the next one. There is a dim blue light at the bottom of the stairs. I keep my eyes fixed on that to stop my growing panic.
When I reach the bottom, there is a woman standing there that I've never seen before. She looks Dauntless in the same way Hana looks Dauntless. She wears black, but her hair is a normal color and she has no tattoos or piercings. "Hi, George, I'm Natalie. Be careful on the rocks. I'd hate for you to go into the water for real."
Into the water for real? What does she mean by that? She carefully picks her way over the rocks closest to the walls of the chasm. I try to watch where she places her feet and put mine in the same spots. She squeezes through a slim crevice and I follow her, overwhelmed by the opening full of light and space. I stop just inside and take it all in, eyeing the lockers that line one wall. Each locker has been painted with a different color to represent one of the factions. I cross my arms, deciding at this moment that I'm not going any further until this — whatever this is — is explained to my satisfaction. Either Natalie tells me what is going on, or I'm turning right around and heading back to the dorms. Actually, scratch that, I'll stop by Tori's place to see if she has any idea what is happening. "Why am I here?"
Natalie pauses with her hand on the doorknob. "Just a little bit farther and I'll answer all your questions," she smiles and gives a small laugh, "and create a million more."
I cross my arms and stand still. I'm through following blindly.
Her fingers turn the knob, and she waits patiently for me to follow her. I don't. "George, we have to keep moving."
"Not until I have an idea of what is going on," I respond stubbornly.
"I'm trying to save your life," she finally admits after we have stared at each other for several long moments.
I look at her incredulously. All I can think is, I'm a sixteen-year-old kid. I haven't even become an actual member of my chosen faction yet. "Who would want to kill me?"
"Come with me, and I'll explain it all to you."
There's an old saying, 'curiosity killed the cat'. I hope it is just the cat that it killed.
"In faction history," Natalie begins her story as she starts the small electric cart we are seated in, "they talk about the Dark Ages, the time before the factions were started. What do you remember about that?"
"Before the factions, men and women fought each other. Wars occurred over and over again. People blamed the wars on many things: religion, political ideology, nationalism, race. The founders of our city realized that it was the fault of our personalities. They created the faction system to help erase those faults, and we have been at peace ever since that time." I drone on in a fair imitation of my faction history teacher. I had faction history right after lunch, and he nearly put me to sleep every day.
I would say Natalie laughed as I finished, but it may have been a cough or a sneeze — I'm not really sure.
"The wars were worse than you realize, and the last war was much, much worse. You, along with everyone else in the city, have been sheltered from the truth. You haven't seen the devastation that still exists outside of our city's walls nearly two hundred years after the last war. That last war, the Purity War, was fought by people who believed that we could end all wars and make people nearly perfect through genetic engineering, and those who didn't."
"You mean, they tried to change the genetics of people, the way Erudite works with Amity to improve the genetics of plants and animals?" I ask, disbelieving her tale.
"Exactly. They found out that in trying to make things better, they made things worse. Those who had the genetic engineering done to them and those who did not fought each other until there was almost no one left. Your ancestors volunteered and were selected to move into this city to let their genes heal. You and a handful of others have reached the stage of having healed genes." Natalie pauses in her narrative, stops the cart, and turns to look at me. "The problem is that someone in the city has found out about this, and they are afraid of whatever world exists outside of the fence. Whenever they can, they kill those of you who are healed to prevent you from passing on your genes."
I'm quiet as she starts moving again, contemplating the full import of her words.
"Okay, here's our first stop." Natalie parks the cart we've been riding in and starts to climb up a ladder to a trap door. She slowly cracks open the trap door, looking around cautiously. She must decide that everything is clear because she suddenly shoves it open and finishes crawling up, then motions for me to follow.
We're inside one of the largest Amity greenhouses. I've been in them a couple of times with my father, when he brought new fertilizers that he had been working on for them to try. "Let's go." Natalie walks purposefully through the dim structure into the starlit darkness outside. "We have a little bit of a walk to get to the rendezvous point. I'll explain more as we head that way. It will help the time go faster and prepare you for the outside world. It's like nothing you can imagine."
My excitement turns to apprehension as Natalie explains to me about the Bureau of Genetic Welfare, where she is taking me. The fact that our city is part of something much larger, that it is watched and monitored by people from the outside, and that it exists to allow people's genes to heal is a bit unnerving to me. I remember one summer, Mom signed me up for an internship working in the research labs. They were experimenting with rats, trying to create a vaccine of some sort. The Bureau personnel are apparently watching us much like we watched the animals in the lab experiments. I realize with clarity that I am less like a person and more like one of those lab rats to them.
"So, what is life like at this place you are taking me?" I ask to get my mind off that disconcerting thought.
"In some ways it will be a lot like the city. Nice, neat, clean, and orderly, as long as you stay at the Bureau. If you leave it, it's like the factionless sector, only worse — a thousand times worse. There are no abandoned buildings for them to use for shelter. They create their own shelter out of anything they can find. There is no Abnegation faction trying their best to help them. They are filled with people whose genetics are imperfect, and thus to some people, they are considered disposable."
I stop walking. She can't be serious. "People aren't disposable." I know some people in Erudite seem to think the factionless are, but they aren't, not really.
Natalie looks at me sadly. "I lived there, once upon a time. Trust me, they treat those people as if they are. You won't be, because they will consider you, like me, to be pure. Because of that, you will have a good job. You can stay here near Chicago, that's the name of our city, or you can go to another city if you don't want to be that close."
"Why would I want to leave?" I'm puzzled by the idea.
"Some people find it hard to be so close to their family and friends and yet not be able to communicate with them." This time it is Natalie that stops. She turns and faces me, her eyes boring into mine. "You will be able to see Tori on the monitors, but you won't be able to communicate with her. You won't be able to tell her you are alive. If you watch the city on those monitors, you will see what your death does to your sister. Most people find it too hard to see their friends and family mourn and eventually go on with their own lives, but they also find it too tempting not to watch it on the screens. So sometimes they leave to go somewhere else, anyplace where the temptation is gone, so they can start a new life."
She starts walking again, silent this time as she lets me absorb what she just said. I think about what it would be like for me if it was Tori who was suddenly dead, Tori who jumped into the chasm. I quickly turn my attention to the landscape we are passing through, unable to dwell on the thought of my sister being dead. "What is Co-ca Co-la?" I sound out the unfamiliar word.
Natalie groans softly. "The only thing I miss about the Bureau. It's like that fizzy drink you have in Erudite, but it has a different taste to it. I don't know how to explain it, but I like it much better than the lemon-lime flavor they gave Erudite. You'll have to have a glass for me when you get there."
"You aren't going with me?" I start to panic. I may not know Natalie, but at least she's become familiar over the hours we've spent fleeing the city.
"I'm sorry, I have to return soon. My husband can only cover for me for so long. But I won't leave you until whoever is coming from the Bureau meets us. We're almost to the rendezvous point. In fact," she stretches out her hand and points to a light in the distance that grows steadily larger as it draws nearer to us, "that should be your ride now."
"My ride?"
"Yes, trucks have to stay a certain distance from the city so no one sees them. We're just about at the border of where they are allowed to come. I'll head back once I get you situated."
"Is there anything else I should know?"
Natalie keeps walking, a thoughtful look on her face. "You know the people in the city," she says softly. "Don't buy into the talk that they are damaged. Don't buy into the idea that anyone is damaged. People are people. No one is perfect." The truck is closer now; I can see it dimly illuminated by its headlights. She seems to focus on whoever is in the driver's seat. "Even if they think they are."
We stop walking and wait for the truck to rumble to a stop. A man jumps out of the cab and practically bounds up to Natalie. "Natalie! So good to see you!" He hugs her enthusiastically. She hugs him back, but I think it is only because his arms are around her.
"David, this is George Wu."
"George." He extends his hand, and I shake it. "I trust Natalie at least gave you the outline of what we have going on here. I'm so glad she got you out in time. It would have been such a waste if anything had happened to you. Climb on in; we'll finish briefing you when you get to the Bureau. I'll be there in just a minute."
As I move towards the truck, I hear David talking to Natalie in a low, soft voice, and I strain to hear him. "Come back with me, Natalie. You don't have to go back. We can find someone else to send."
"There's no one else, David, and besides, this is my life now. My husband is still in the city."
I miss his response when I open the door.
"I will not leave my husband. I made my choice to go, David, and you made your choice to send me in. Like I told you when I brought Lucas out, this is my home now. Until the day I die, Chicago is my city."*
David is quiet and seems somewhat upset as he drives us over the rutted path that passes for a road to the Bureau of Genetic Welfare.
He stops; a man I assume to be a guard sees David and gives him a quick salute. David acknowledges it with a nod of his head. The guard turns and shouts to the next one, and the doors swing open to us.
The buildings are low: two, maybe three stories high. They look like they are made of glass and metal, and they stretch out in all directions. There are a couple of tall towers with larger circular tops that stick up like glass flowers from squat stems.
David parks the truck and turns to me, finally remembering that I am here. "Sorry, my mind was a little preoccupied. I'm sure Natalie told you the beginnings of what you need to know. I'll have Alan continue telling you about it in the morning. Let's go." With that, he opens his door and leads me out into the new world.
I am coming off of my adrenaline high that has carried me this far, and a wave of fatigue overwhelms me. I don't even bother noting the signs showing the directions to various areas of what can only be a compound.
"Once upon a time," David suddenly starts speaking to me as if he is telling me a bedtime story, "the Bureau of Genetic Welfare was an airport."
"An airport?" I parrot the unfamiliar word back.
David gives a curt nod. "Air travel. People can travel through the air, although the area within view of your city is a very strict no-fly zone now. The old terminals were perfect for us to be able to set up to monitor not only your city, but some of the other experimental cities."
"There are more cities like mine?" I ask, amazed.
"There are no cities like yours," David says proudly. "The rest of them are weak imitations. Not nearly as successful."
We reach a security checkpoint unlike anything I have ever seen before. There are armed guards standing around, and a tunnel that I will need to walk through. I take a deep breath, praying that although it seems to be small, it will not be dark.
David hands them a small gun that he draws out from the back of his pants. He motions for me to follow him.
We enter the tunnel one at a time. It is small but not dark; for that I am grateful. I stand there for a few moments while there is a whirling sound followed by a high-pitched beep. The guard motions me through and it is done.
A man five or six years older than me pops up from his seat when he sees us. "Is this George?" he asks David.
"Yes, this is George Wu. He can bunk with you for the next couple of days while he gets situated, then we'll find him his own place. Tomorrow, take him around and answer his questions. He started out as Erudite, so I'm sure he'll have quite a few. The next day, bring him to me."
"Sure thing." Alan waits for me to follow him. "Don't try to memorize your way around tonight." I look around, certain that as tired as I am, I wouldn't be able to if I tried. "I'll help you start figuring it out tomorrow."
I wake up the next morning with sunlight on my face. At first, I wonder how there can be sunlight underground. Then I remember I'm not underground anymore because I'm not Dauntless anymore; but if I'm not Erudite and I'm not Dauntless, then what am I?
"Good morning." Alan's voice is cheerful as he peeks his head into the room. "I thought I heard you up. Hurry up and get dressed. I think we can still get breakfast, although it may be lunch by the time we get there. I think this uniform should be about your size. If it doesn't fit, we'll take care of it after we eat."
Alan leaves me to change. My black clothes are wrinkled from traveling in them half the night and then sleeping in them the rest. I hold up the navy blue garments that are stacked on the chair. They are going to be too small, I can already tell. I hold up the pants first. They are a good four inches short. The shirt probably won't even button. I drape them over my shoulder and take them to Alan. My own clothes will have to do for now.
"Once we get to the main building, the signs will lead you to the cafeteria," Alan tells me as we wend our way through the housing area.
We follow the signs that say "Compound Main" until we get to that area. Then Alan leads me through the maze; all the signs I see mention cafeteria. I don't really care if they're serving breakfast or lunch, I just hope the food is good because I am starving.
I pick up on the sound of someone rushing towards us from behind, their steps echoing in a quick rhythm. "Alan!" A voice I think I've heard somewhere before, as familiar as a distant memory or dream, calls out. "Alan! Wait up!"
"She's going to be disappointed," Alan says quietly in a singsong voice, and turns around.
"I heard Natalie brought out someone from Dauntless last night." The voice is a little breathless and just outside of my ability to place. "Who is it?" A hand touches my arm and I turn around to face her.
She wears a navy uniform, like Alan, but she looks familiar. "Oh," her voice is disappointed. "You're a transfer."
I suddenly realize I'm looking at a ghost. "Ava?" It can't be. Ava was the head leader of Dauntless up until her death about a year ago. I remember Mom introducing me to her when Ava came to Erudite for a meeting with Norton and the Top Ten. Suddenly all of Natalie's talk about Tori thinking I'm dead makes perfect sense. My knees buckle just a little under me as I realize what my being here must mean to her: Tori thinks I am dead, just like everyone thinks Ava is dead.
I'm sure she knows by now that I am gone. How is Tori taking that?
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