Note: I'm sorry that I haven't been updating regularly. A lot is going to happen in the next three chapters so, hopefully I'll get them out quickly so it doesn't disrupt the movement of the story!
It was a quiet, eerie twenty minutes on the train before it was time for me to jump off. I could hear the repetition of wheels meeting the track, feel power shaking through the iron rails, and became chill in the growing darkness. I was anxious to be moving, I almost considered jumping off and running to find the Factionless but I knew that the train was faster. I sat looking out of the train's car watching the city glide by. I felt like I was born to fill this role. Nothing seemed more natural or right than trying to protect others, to remind the city it's real purpose: to live in harmony, not immersed in power struggles.
Finally, it was time to jump, time for action, and time to see if my abilities can meet expectations. My feet hit the ground running and I didn't stop until I was at the door of a large, run down building that used to be an apartment complex before the city was divided into factions. The windows were either missing or boarded. The brick was covered in overgrown ivy and crumbling under age. Honestly, it was a beautiful building, you could see its story, its life.
I knocked on the door. It may seem like a silly thing, to knock on an abandoned building's door but this was one of the main homes for the Factionless. It is respectful to knock, it shows you understand this is theirs and you are a guest. Our society may have stripped them of a lot of rights but they are still humans.
I heard shuffling from behind the door. It cracked open and I could see a sliver of someone's face peaking through.
"Hello, I'm Anna and I would like to speak with Cassandra, please," I said kindly. I tried to eliminate all authority from my voice. The door shut once I finished speaking and I heard movement behind it. Cassandra was a woman I helped a lot when I was in Abnegation. She told me about their way of life, it wasn't scattered or disorganized but structured like a faction, an underground faction. They had homes all around the city, hidden in more areas than just the Factionless sector. They were smart, used what little resources they had to keep their population a live. In fact, I think they may have the most people out of any faction.
The door swung open wide this time. It shocked me, causing me to step back. A tall woman with dark penetrating eyes, greasy tied back black hair, light skin and pointed features, stood strong and boldly in the center of the door. Behind her I saw many people gathered around her, I was unsure whether for protection or curiosity, but I thought it was wonderful to see their commandership.
"Anna, dear, have you come to join us? I thought I heard on the streets that you were doing well at your transfer faction," Cassandra said without moving from the door.
"No, I've actually come to ask for help." I said humbly, glancing down at my hands. Cassandra was the strongest woman I have ever met and I felt small in her gaze, I always did, even when I was the one helping her. I looked back up at the group, they all have very puzzled looks. "May I come in? It is a long story and we do not have very much time." I glanced around on the streets to make sure no one was around. "It would be safest for all of us, if I wasn't seen, please."
She didn't even hesitate to step aside, making a path for me to enter. She knew me and knew I was trust worthy. The air was hotter, stuffier and smelt like human feces inside the building. I focused on keeping my face relaxed and not disgusted, I did not want these people to be offended. I took deep, purposeful breathes allowing myself to become immune to the aroma.
I was lead to a room with no furniture, no windows, and only one door. My heart quickened at the idea of only one exit, one of me and all these people who are bitter against the system but I reminded myself that I had bigger concerns than my own life.
They lit a few candles to illuminate the room. It caused some areas of the room to glow warmly and other areas to have dark, ominous shadows. I sat cross-legged on the ground. Cassandra sat in front of me and many others filled the room.
"Abnegation needs your help," I started. "Erudite is going to control Dauntless soldiers with a serum and force them to attack and kill Abnegation. We have had an idea that something was going on but had no idea the gravity of the situation until tonight. There is a small resistance of Dauntless members who have found out the plan and are trying to stop the attack before it happens. Some are going to the computers to try to deactivate the serum, others are hiding the weapons and more are stopping the trains. But I find it very unlikely that we are going to be successful. There are so few of us working on a last minute plan to derail a plan that has been slowly crafted by the smartest, most vile people in the city."
I paused, realizing I didn't ease them into this declaration of destruction and hopelessness. Cassandra seemed to be thinking hard but others in the room looked in disbelief.
"I know I haven't produced any proof, just my word but you have to believe me. Erudite are tired of Abnegation being in control. They want to eliminate them. After Abnegation is gone, I think it will be easier for them to complete their real plan, the eradication of all Divergent." After my last declaration there was some uproar in the room. It had always been my assumption that many Divergents ran away from the faction system for their personal safety. That would mean, that Eurdites mission to kill all Divergents was personal for the Factionless.
A woman next to Cassandra, one who I didn't know personally but looked familiar raised her hand to silence the group. The room immediately was silent. This woman had power. She must be the leader or a high-ranking member of the Factionless. Her eyes were a warm brown, her hair matched her eyes, she wasn't as tall or thin as Cassandra, and she was softer, reminding me of a mother. But when her eyes looked into mine, I had a shiver run down my spin, she may look like a mother but she was all business.
"My name is Evelyn," the woman said to me. "I know who you are, no need to fill me in. What exactly did you come here for?"
"After I leave here," I said, "I am going to warn Abnegation about the attack. I came to ask you to help me hide them."
"When?"
"The attack happens tonight, so immediately."
"Why should we?" she asked but it did not seem like a cruel question, she was just very straightforward.
"Abnegation has always helped the Factionless and you know that if they could, they would have given you so much more. They would not have had you isolated from city life or kept you starving. They need your help; you are their biggest chance for survival. Is helping because they are the most genuine, good, kind individuals in the city, not enough?" I asked. When I came on this mission I was almost certain that it was going to work, but now I wasn't positive.
"If you will leave us for just a moment, I need to speak with my associates," She said to me.
I nodded and walked out the door, closing it behind me. She wants something out of this. She wasn't naturally good-natured like Cassandra. She wasn't going to do this just to help those who dedicated their lives to helping her. I know Cassandra would have helped in a heartbeat, no questions but this Evelyn woman wanted something. I was worried, we didn't need another power greedy person in the mix. But then again, we did need them.
It was only minutes later when the door opened again. Evelyn walked out.
"We will help them," she said. "I suggest you hurry to Abnegation, tell them what you have told us. We will gather ourselves, send word out and discretely move them. We will not come as a large group because it would attract attention. Expect one or two of our members to go to each home to collect each family. We will disperse them to our safe houses around the city. We will meet tomorrow afternoon, here, to decide what is next. I expect you to appear whether or not tonight is successful."
"Thank you," was all I said before I turned to run out of the building. I didn't know what she was going to ask for in return for her attempt to save a faction of lives but I was apprehensive. I was also apprehensive that I wasn't going to know where every member of Abnegation was, but splitting them up was definitely the smartest plan to keep the greatest amount of them safe.
I ran along side the buildings, slowing at each corner to make sure no one was coming. It was only a five-minute run to Abnegation. When I reached the outskirts of the sector, I stopped. It looked so quaint and peaceful; they were so blissfully ignorant of what was going to happen next. I didn't need to be sneaky when I walked along the streets of Abnegation; they were all in their homes, probably sleeping.
I found the Prior's home. I knocked on their door. The sound seemed to echo through the entire city. I knocked again, even though I heard movement inside, I wanted them to know they didn't imagine the sound. The door swung open, they were not afraid of who would be knocking on their door in the middle of the night. It caused a lump in the throat. We had to save these people.
Mr. Prior and Mrs. Prior were both at the door. They looked at me with shocked looks on their faces.
"Anna?" Mr. Prior said quizzically.
"You remember me," I said with a small smile.
"Of course," responded Mrs. Prior. "What's going on? Are you all right? Would you like to come in? I can make you some tea."
"No," I said shaking my head. "I have come to see if you two will accompany me to Marcus' home. There is something very important that I need to tell all of you." I was looking quickly back and forth between both of their faces. Looking at their faces made me want to cry, it made me miss my parents and miss Abnegation. "Please, its life or death," I added quickly.
They quickly changed, and followed me down the street to Marcus' home. Being so close to the home where I had the worst, most traumatic years of my life took a toll on my. I started to shake. I knew the Priors could see it but they didn't say anything. So much for being over my fear of Marcus, I thought to myself, I thought that standing up for myself on family day set me free but it looks like it's always going to be a battle. It made me feel ashamed.
I knocked on the door; again, it was too loud for the quiet, sleeping city. Marcus opened the door after a few moments. His eyes met mine, they were round with shock but there was an expression of pleasure in his irises.
"Anna, you came back to me," he said.
