A/N: Ayo, I own nothing except new characters and ideas and stuff like that. This means I make no money from writing and that all rights go to the rightful owners. Outfits and pics are on Polyvore (Noellamonster is the user)
"Take your scrawny team and get off first, then." Eric says smugly, Four motions for his team to stand. Al looks at us, forlorn and upset. It was easy to tell why he was picked for Eric's team, they were all very strong. Some of the top initiates, other than me. I didn't want to be on this team, not because I thought we'd lose or anything like that but because of Four. I didn't want to follow him into anything. I pout at him, he shakes his head with a smile. Tris offered a reassuring smile to him.
The train is dipping to the ground, Tris has already jumped. I was surprised when she landed on her feet and kept running. A huge grin crossed her face. Lynn had pushed her as she walked by, not quite pushing her out though. I jump, landing easily on the ground in a crouched position. I stand and brush off my knee since only one touched the ground. I feel accomplished, I didn't tumble or hurt myself. I smile, Chris and Lynn jump at the same time but not together. Lynn stumbles but runs, she meets the usual group she's with once they've jumped. I watch as they walk away, she motions for me to follow but Chris grabs my wrist so I'm now running beside her.
One of the Dauntless-born initiates touches Four's shoulder and asks, "When your team won, where did you put the flag?"
"Telling you wouldn't really be in the spirit of the exercise, Marlene," he says coolly.
"Come on, Four," she whines and flashes a flirtatious smile, I want him to flirt back but instead he brushes her off and Tris grins. Does she mean to make it so obvious?
"Navy Pier," another Dauntless-born initiate calls out. He is tall with brown skin and dark eyes, he's in Lynn's group of friends and so is the girl. "My brother was on the winning team. They kept the flag at the carousel." What's his name?
"Let's go there, then," Will suggests.
No one objects, so we walk east, toward the marsh that was once a lake. My brother and his lackeys liked to mess around here, it became common that once a week we would come. Well, I would come to make sure my brother wouldn't get in trouble. I sat back and watched them, I didn't like Molly and Drew so I tried not to associate myself with them.
"We're close to erudite headquarters, right?" asks Christina, bumping Will's shoulder with her own.
"Yeah. It's just south of here," he says. He looks over his shoulder, and for a second his expression is full of longing. I can imagine why, things must have been so much easier there and his family was there.
I looked between Four's and Eric's team, it was easy to spot the huge difference. It was also easy to tell why they both chose who they did, Eric shot for the strongest while Four shot for the fastest. Both would come in handy but I think Four was right about this, the fastest group would be able to overtake and win.
Our team files across the bridge that goes over the dried lake. The mud is still wet, no one can walk on it without sinking in. Once we cross the bridge, the city changes. Behind us, most of the buildings were in use, and even if they weren't, they looked well-tended. In front of us is a sea of crumbling concrete and broken glass. The silence of this part of the city is eerie; it feels like a scene from a nightmare, it incases me and peaks these new feelings.
I watch the ground, taking cautious steps since the only light to guide us was the stars and moon. Marlene takes out a flashlight and shines it at the street in front of us, Chris takes my hand. "Scared of the dark, Mar?" the dark-eyed Dauntless-born initiate teases.
"If you want to step on broken g lass, Uriah, be my guest," she snaps as she turns off the light. I have realized that part of being Dauntless is being willing to make things more difficult for yourself in order to be self-sufficient. There's nothing especially brave about wandering dark streets with no flashlight, but we are not supposed to need help, even from light. We are supposed to be capable of anything. I like this, I like that dauntless teaches this because any form of help will night always be here. Help can't be called upon whenever it is needed.
The buildings end just before the marsh. A strip of land juts out into the marsh and rising from it is a giant white wheel with dozens of red passenger cars dangling from it at regular intervals. The Ferris wheel, something I've always wanted to get working or climb up it and gaze out on all that is here. "Think about it. People use d to ride that thing. For fun," Will shakes his head in disbelief.
"They must have been Dauntless," Tris quips.
"Yeah, but a lame version of Dauntless." Christina laughs.
"A Dauntless Ferris wheel wouldn't have cars. You would just hang on tight with your hands, and good luck to you." I add.
We walk down the side of the pier. All the buildings on my left are empty, their signs torn down and their windows closed, but it is a clean kind of emptiness. Whoever left these places must have left them by choice and at their leisure. Some places in the city are not like that, I think I like those best. "Dare you to jump into the marsh" Chris nudges Will and waggles her brows.
"You first." He nudges her back as we reach the carousel. Some of the horses are scratched and weathered, their tails broken off or their saddles chipped. How would they have looked back in their prime? Maybe they were pretty, I can imagine children loving them. Four takes the flag out of his pocket.
"In ten minutes, the other team will pick their location," he says. "I suggest you take this time to formulate a strategy. We may not be Erudite, but mental preparedness is one aspect of your dauntless training. Arguably, it is the most important aspect." He is right about that. What good is a prepared body if you have a scattered mind? It leads to death, especially in dauntless. Will takes the flag from Four.
"Some people should stay here and guard, and some people should go out and scout the other team's location," Will says.
"Yeah? You think?" Marlene plucks the flag from Will's fingers. "Who put you in charge, transfer?"
"No one," says Will. "But someone's got to do it."
"Maybe we should develop a more defensive strategy. Wait for them to come to us, then take them out," suggests Christina.
"That's the sissy way out," Uriah says. "I vote we go all out. Hide the flag well enough that they can't find it." Everyone bursts into the conversation at once, their voices louder with each passing second. Christina defends Will's plan; the Dauntless-born initiates vote for offense; everyone argues about who should make the decision, I shake my head and walk away. They're going to ruin everything if they continue acting like this. I notice Tris stands apart from the arguing crowd as well but instead of thinking of a way to win she's caught up in her pretty little boy. I roll my eyes and walk away.
I walk around, looking for a sign of where the other team could have gone. I can't see far. That's when it hits me, I need to go high. Higher than I've ever been. I look back to the Ferris wheel and see Tris walking toward it, she must have had the same idea. I jog over, I'm at the ladder before her but once she sees me she starts running.
"I'm guessing you had the same idea, climb high and use it as a vantage point?" I say, she nods.
"Yeah, we're getting nowhere with our team arguing so I thought this would be a good way to start us off." She puffs her chest, she seems proud to have thought of it.
"Time to climb, if you're up to it" I tease, she smiles and we start climbing. I go first then Tris follows. The rungs are weak, too much pressure and they would give way. They were rusted and rough.
"Tris, Alessa?" I hear his horribly familiar voice, I look down and as I suspected Four is standing there.