Sorry it's been over a month since I posted anything. I'm working on SN Chapter 42 after a month of stressful life stuff. So, soon. In the mean time, some omitted scenes.
A peek back in time to when Four was helping with the factionless. I couldn't get this to really mesh into the scenes I ended up using, so I cut it. But all of this together was referenced in his first session with Melissa.
"We're over loaded." Ivan grumbled, leaning on the table while he stretched his legs.
"We don't turn anyone away." Therese reminded him.
"We don't turn away faction rejects." He corrected.
"Who's turning who away?" Four asked, slipping the card into his pocket and taking his seat at the small round table.
"The fringe-people." Ivan sighed, flopping into his chair, "They're coming by the dozen now. They just show up and move in. They took over the rec-center last week."
"Were you using the rec-center?" Four absently flipped through the collated reports.
"No."
"Well then, no harm no foul." Four confirmed. "Where's the central west report? They asked for matches and I didn't see any on the other reports. Did they get any?"
"Four, listen," Ivan implored. "The ones that end up in their own camps, fine, what ever. But they're showing up at the safe houses and demanding rations."
"So, up your rations." He shrugged, "See, Central East got matches, but not West." He showed Therese.
"Don't you get it? They don't belong with us."
Four cocked his head and arched an eyebrow. "The faction of the factionless and you don't want the fringe? Suck it up, order more food."
"They're causing problems."
"Like what?" Four barked, willing him into silence.
There were stacks of reports and orders to be collated together, calculated, compared to the projected provisions available to them. Lists had to be constructed and delivered by noon. There wasn't time to dawdle with paranoia.
"Drunk. High on drugs. They start fights and steal materials. They're like insects swarming. They assaulted members at the west house yesterday."
"I'll inform Dauntless, they'll increase the patrols." He waited to see if the matter was settled, Ivan stewed.
Therese was uncharacteristically quiet. She flipped one page then another. She hummed to herself softly and ignored the strain between Ivan and Four. The obvious disinterest interesting Four more than the grumpy huffs from Ivan.
"You have an opinion?" He asked.
"No." She said shortly.
"You sure?" Four offered her another chance.
"For once, you and I agree." She smiled smugly. "Now, the report for central west." She thumbed out a misplaced sheet. He should have seen it for what it was, the calm before the storm.
Four flipped a book against the wall with a vicious swipe that stunned the clamoring house leaders into silence.
"Shut. The. Fuck. Up. You're all saying exactly the same God damned thing! You need blankets and you need water filters, and you both agree to swap your rations after the delivery. You are literally arguing just to argue."
They looked down bashfully, biting their tongues with each point of his finger.
"I will be there to make sure Charlie gets what's due his house, so we're not going to rearrange the whole damn thing just because he's going to be late." He closed the ledger with a snap. "I'll see you at the delivery."
His foot steps and a hushed cough are the only sounds for the three seconds it takes him to cross the room. When the door shut behind him in the stairwell, the room quietly started to mill and move.
He took an uneasy breath to get his shoulders to drop and started up the stairs to the lobby. He was certain he wasn't being compensated enough for dealing with the hoard, but he finally agreed that keeping them as far away from the other faction leaders was the best policy.
He was half way up to the third floor when Ivan caught up with him.
"Four, I don't think you're taking the fringe threat seriously."
"I said, I would inform Dauntless and we'll increase patrols."
"But the assaults, the drunkenness, they don't belong here."
"They are here, and they're here for good, so get use to it."
"But—"
Four's shoved Ivan against the wall and punched just next to his ear. "Discussion is over!"
Just like magic, one of Johanna's aids was on the way down the stairs and meekly excused herself past him, eying him wearily. He knew this would get reported.
"Fuck, Ivan. Go home, take care of people, give Dauntless a chance to help." He released him, and continued to stomp up the stairs to his next meeting.
"It was just a wall." He admitted, showing her the fresh bruises.
"This time. Before this, it was just yelling. It seems to be escalating. I need you to be more in control than the group you're helping." Johanna's brow knitted and her arms crossed.
"I know, I just… It won't happen again." He decided against an excuse.