Hello fellow nerdlings, here is a chapter for yall now that I have a bit of down time. Thank you for being patient. As usual I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make absolutely no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Thank you for reading, hope yall enjoy it.
-Backtrack to factionless compound, Eric p.o.v
I waited with the small team that Avalon set aside, Peter, Uriah, his brother Zeke, and Marlene readied their guns. We walked in moments after Avalon's group, they needed time to make their way through and to Evelyn's meeting place; more than likely a boarded-up room with dauntless rejects as her guards.
None of the factionless looked surprised to see us, just angry or scared. "How many more of you are coming through?" a man only a few years older than myself grunted, his eyebrows so bushy they nearly covered his eyes. He looked to be dressed in every factions' color.
"Just us." Marlene spoke first, "Our job is to escort out factionless who believe in a better life and are willing to change. We know Evelyn has been your leader, we know you trust her, but she has filled you with lies and false hope. Her own son claims she is delusional, she's willing to wipe out whole factions so she can rule over all." Her words seemed to affect some of the factionless while others stopped paying attention.
"Get out of here." Another woman spoke, she was missing a leg and lacked both hair and emotion. "None of us will leave her." Still there were no emotions held in her words, as if she was reciting this line from memory.
"You tried to leave before, didn't you?" Marlene kneeled beside her, "She punished you." The woman turned away, her lips pursed. "Our team is going to stop her, we can give you safety. You can be carried, life can be good again." Everyone watched with baited breath.
"Why should I trust you?" a quiver of sadness then nothing again.
"Because we're the ones fighting against genocide, from both Evelyn and Jeanine Matthews." Uriah spoke up, looking grim as he did so.
I watched them, letting them talk knowing that wasn't my strong suit.
"It's true." A woman spoke, a man stood close to her with two young children huddled against him. "We've ventured out, the leader of Erudite is planning something similar to Evelyn."
All hell broke loose the second the woman on the ground nodded and went to take Marlene's outstretched hand.
Men and woman alike coming at us with both real and makeshift weapons. Many dropped dead, the ones who believed us hid with children. Unfortunately, the ones who grew crazed even killed their own, the ones who hadn't hid and looked like they were going to go with us. Some of those people were children, one of those was the woman Marlene was now holding.
Peter held a child as blood bubbled from the slit in her neck, tears cascading down both of their faces. He was in shock, he couldn't help the little girl and I knew he couldn't bring himself to bring her peace. I did what he couldn't.
"I'm sorry." Peter muttered between shaky breaths. "Their own children…"
"Under Evelyn's rule they were driven crazy, lies and bullshit crammed into their heads day in and day out. They probably thought they were protecting them in their own fucked way." I shook my head, "Nothing can excuse it or make it better but know there was nothing we could do once they decided on it."
Marlene escorted those who were alive out, took them to the tracks while Uriah and Zeke got rid of the bodies. Peter and I moved forward, first we found Deidra. Her clothes were torn, cuts and bruises visible on her pale skin. She gave us a weak smile, knowing to stay quiet. She was tied to a board, daggers stuck to it around her.
Peter untied her, and I carried her out, leaving her with Marlene and the others to care for while we finished what we set out to do. Peter scouted the compound for any remaining factionless. Once he circled back and confirmed there were none left we knocked over a metal crate, creating a loud bang for Avalon and the others to hear.
As I had thought, Evelyn had two reject dauntless initiates guarding her. One was Edward, the other was someone I didn't recognize. Peter froze seeing Edward, he was the reason Edward was wearing an eyepatch and the reason he was factionless. To make it easier on him that was who I went after, thankfully Peter took the hint and went after the other one who was already trying to head back to warn Evelyn. He didn't make it far, Peter threw a dagger. It protruded from the back of the unknown rejects skull.
We took their bodies to Uriah and Zeke, they had just finished burying the factionless. They scowled as we laid out two more. By the time they were finished, and we made it back to the tracks I could see my lovely, fierce fiancé walking in the distance. The others close by.
-Alessa p.o.v
We made our way to the first large building, it had few walls. It was where the members of Amity ate. They had made long bench tables, only pillars separating them from the outside. I guess it made sense, they were peaceful and in touch with the nature around them I doubt any of them liked to be closed in.
Johanna was waiting for us with three other older members of her faction. A sad smile formed as she saw the scared and dirty children. She escorted us into another building, each person showered and changed their clothes. The children were assigned rooms, two to each. The adults with children were given a unit where they would live. Myra and the other teenage boy were placed with initiates.
Before Johanna let them sleep she gave them all food, took their names, and gave them a job here.
"Thank you for taking them in." Avalon smiled as she spoke to Johanna.
"It's the least I could do, you are keeping us safe. You gave us new ideas on how to increase food production 10-fold. You have helped me improve their way of life here. I am glad to return the favor and make their lives better. I will assign someone the job of caring for the children with no family."
"I'm glad everything is working then; our society needs to improve in so many ways. Thank you for being on my side, Jeanine has over stepped. Your presence on the council will give me confidence and add a gentler approach than any other could offer."
Johanna smiled, "You flatter me, child. But for now, you must go, you and your team need rest and so do the new members of Amity."
"Of course, be safe Johanna." With that we departed.
As soon as we got back to the compound Avalon, Eric, and Four gave each of the initiates a room where they would reside. We were full-fledged members now.
I sat by the pit, watching the waters slosh against the stone walls. Everyone was in bed by now, or so I thought.
Lynn sat beside me, her arm snaking around my waist and pulling me closer. I let her, laying my head on her shoulder. "Hey there." My voice heavy with exhaustion. "Why aren't you in bed?"
"I could ask you the same question." She shrugged, "But I'm sure we have the same answer. It feels weird to sleep alone, it feels weird to sleep with so much to do." I nodded in response to her words.
"I'm so tired, it should be easy to sleep but no how dare I try to sleep." I grumbled.
"Let's try again, come on, lead me to your apartment." Lynn stood and pulled me up with her. We stumbled tiredly through the dimly lit halls, eventually we arrived at my apartment. I pulled out my keys, dropped them, and kicked them as I tried to pick them up. Lynn laughed as she picked them up and unlocked my door with ease.
"I hate everything." I groaned and walked into my apartment, fumbling to take off my day clothes and put on pajamas; completely forgetting Lynn was behind me. I stiffened and turned to her, her face was as red as a tomato. "I'm sorry." I felt my cheeks tingle as embarrassment washed over me.
"It's…it's all good." She stammered. She was already in sweats and a tank top, I was now in an oversized shirt and shorts.
I crawled into bed with her following close behind, it was no longer awkward or embarrassing. It was easy, natural, as if we've been doing this for our whole years. We cuddled close together under the blankets, it was always chilly in the compound.
It wasn't long before we fell asleep.
Blood curdling screams woke us only two hours later, I threw myself from the bed. I grabbed my keys and bolted to my brothers' room two doors down. I fumbled but managed to unlock it, I threw myself onto Peters bed and did my best to gently wake him up. His face was blood red, his knuckles powder white from the grip he had on the sheets.
"Peter, Peter!" I begged, he shot up nearly hitting his head against mine. "Peter, what happened?" I stroked his cheek as he leaned into me, his eyes wide, sweat dripped off him onto the blanket.
"Nightmare…" his breathing labored, "Red." He had told me he had been having nightmares from when he was under the influence of the serum. I knew he had a form of ptsd, I knew he was depressed, I knew he was burying himself under a mountain of pain and self-hatred.
He was crying, silently, as if I wouldn't be able to tell. I wrapped my arms around him, running my hands through his hair until he calmed. Lynn stood at the doorway watching, a hopeless look crossing her face.
"Everything will be okay, we'll get you help. Just hold on until we're able to get the resources for it." I saw Lynn perk up, she dashed down the hall.
It wasn't long before Peter fell asleep again, I told him not to hesitate to come into my room or page me. On the walls of our room there was a set of buttons with a speaker, we were able to page someone in a different room. We could either page them to come into the others room or talk to the by holding down their button and talking close to the speaker.
I covered my brother and left his room, locking the door behind me.
"I talked to Will and Avalon." Lynn ushered me into our room, both stood in their pajamas looking tired but worried. "Tell them what's going on with your brother."
"I can't tell you everything, obviously, I'm not in his head and I didn't experience it to the extreme extent he did. But it's had lasting effects on him, he has nightmares every night, sleep paralysis, insomnia, he is traumatized, and so hopeless and sad, he blames himself for everything that happened. I read in a book once, while in school, in the Erudite library. It sounds like he has something called ptsd and depression, plus the two other things I mentioned by name already. It's things we thought were eradicated."
"They are." Will rubbed his eyes, "Was. But that doesn't mean they can't resurface, the mind is a very complicated organ."
"I'll contact Cara, Wills sister, have her go over old works and studies. See if she can find a way to either cure or help him, we're in the dark right now but we'll do what we can to help him. Get some rest, the both of you." Avalon walked out with Will leaving moments later.
"Thank you, Lynn." I hugged her, she waddled to bed with me still attached her. We plopped into bed, silently laying together until sleep overtook us.