AN: It's midnight on the West Coast. Happy Divergent Eve! Thanks for all the reviews, follows and favourites :) I hope you enjoy this chapter, I enjoyed writing it!
Chapter 20
On Monday morning at nine thirty, Tris was in Harrison's office, ready to discuss her future in Dauntless.
"I'd like to congratulate you, personally, on your results," Harrison began with a warm smile. "You have shown us that you were an excellent recruitment choice, and you have excelled at everything you have tried. Do you have any idea at what role you would like to pursue, now that you have completed the recruitment training process?"
"Thank you," Tris said a little uncomfortably. She'd been congratulated a score of times over the weekend, and she had felt a little awkward each time, and she certainly hadn't got use to it. She felt particularly strained under the weight of the praise from a senior agent. "I have been thinking that I would like to be a field agent, but I would particularly like to specialise in governmental missions. When possible, I'd also like to play a part in training recruits here."
"That's quite a substantial and comprehensive role, but I know you're more than capable of it. I also know from your test scores, that these are areas in which you will excel," Harrison told her. "I suppose you know that such a full on role within Dauntless won't be conducive to living at home, or having a home outside of the compound. We will continue to maintain a realistic cover story for you, and arrange it so that you are able to visit your home and family, and soon."
"I had assumed I would need to live here, and visiting my family is something I will look forward to, when it fits in to my job here," Tris replied seriously. "What's next for me now, training and living arrangement wise?"
"Well, we'll be assigning you a room in our permanent living section, just as soon as I have met with the other nine new agents. You may have an apartment to yourself, or you may have an appropriate roommate. Along those lines, I understand that you and Four are involved, he has discussed this with me, and you two have just managed to stay within the lines of Dauntless protocol, as far as I can see. You will not be able to live with each other here, for the time being, but later down the line, should that become something you both want, you will have to pursue that with the appropriate authority," Harrison told her firmly.
Tris quashed the desire to gulp, and just nodded.
"As for your training, a program will be designed specifically for you, and the role you want, as soon as I have spoken with the relevant agents who work in the area that you will," Harrison explained. "That should be taken care of by the end of today, and you should receive an email explaining your schedule for the next month or so. Your training will encompass pure teaching, as well as on the job learning. To give you a rough idea, you will probably start sitting in on meetings with various government officials we work with, as well as being brought up to speed on most of our current government related missions."
In the beginning, this quantity of detailed information would have made Tris's head swim, but now she absorbed it all, and looked forward to what was to come.
"Thank you, Harrison," she said evenly. "I'm looking forward to making a difference."
"Glad to hear," Harrison said warmly. "That should be all for now. You may send Uriah in."
Tris stood to leave, but Harrison spoke again almost immediately.
"Oh, you will also get an email some time this afternoon about your living arrangements. Make sure you pack up your dorm today, you'll be able to, and should, move straight into your new room this afternoon before dinner," he added.
Tris nodded, smiled a small smile, and left.
In Harrison's office, she had tried her best to be professional, formal, and contained. Her job was a serious one. But outside of his office, she revelled in the excitement she felt toward things to come.
"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary," Uriah told her. "Good meeting?"
"When you leave there, you will probably think things are looking good for you, but I can pretty much guarantee they're looking better for me!" Tris told him happily. "You can go in now, by the way."
"I'm happy for you," Uriah said sincerely. "See you later."
Tris headed down the corridor, and pulled out her cell to call Four.
"Hey," he said distractedly, picking up after a few rings. "Is everything okay?"
"It's great, I've just finished with Harrison," Tris said cheerfully. "But you sound busy."
"I'm just in the middle of going over some paperwork, I've got to get back into my post-training work. This morning is pretty full on. I'll see you at lunch?"
"Count on it," Tris said quietly. "I've got things I can do until then."
Four could sense that she was disappointed and said, "I'm sorry I can't talk now. I'm all yours at lunch, promise."
"Thanks," Tris said. "See you then."
Tris headed for her dorm, preparing to back her things up for her move that afternoon.
She had had a fruitful weekend, buying and ordering some new things, including clothes, that Christina had had quite a hand in choosing, as well as a new bedspread, and some new books. Most of what she had bought was being mailed in, but she packed up her personals, and clothing, and before she knew it, it was lunch.
Tris waited impatiently for Four in the dining hall when lunch finally came around, toying with her pasta.
"Don't look so glum, I'm here," Four said, sitting down beside her, and giving her a light kiss. "Why are you all alone? You didn't want to sit with your friends?"
"We've had the morning to talk about our new plans, I just wanted to talk with you," Tris replied.
"Or do you feel weird having me sit with you, and them?" Four asked. "I noticed I only sat with them for one meal over the weekend. You sat with me and my friends the rest of the time."
"I really hadn't put that much thought into my eating seating arrangements," Tris said dryly. "I'll sit wherever, so long as you're there. I don't think where I sit is a big deal, I like your friends, and my friends. Plus, the lines kind of blur, what with Zeke and Uriah, and Shauna and Lynn. Now can we talk about my meeting with Harrison?"
Four chuckled and said, "I think I was the girl in our relationship for a few minutes there."
"You just might have been," Tris agreed. "But thank you so much for whatever you said to Harrison about our relationship. I feel so much better now that it's out in the open, and that we aren't going to be in any trouble."
"I thought it was my responsibility, and what was best for us," Four replied. "I spoke to Harrison, and to Max, the Dauntless Director for our region. You'll probably meet Max some time in the coming weeks. He's never involved in training, but after that, you'll come across him for some mission or another."
"I guess talking to him about us wasn't a walk in the park then, seeing as he's so senior," Tris said, a little concerned.
"It wasn't so bad, I guess he respected that we waited, sort of, until you were a full agent, and he appreciated that I was being candid with him," Four said. "Besides, I'll always do what needs to be done, to make sure we're alright. Talking to Max was something I thought important for us, so I was happy to do it."
Tris smiled affectionately at him, and then proceeded to tell him all about her meeting with Harrison.
"So, does any of your wish to work with the government have anything to do with Senator Eaton, or finding out who Eric was speaking to?" Four asked seriously.
Tris thought about brushing his thoughts off, but decided to be completely honest.
"Well, I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope that I would come across a lead, or a way to make Eaton pay," Tris said truthfully. "But they're just bonuses. I guess maybe Senator Eaton epitomises most of the reasons why I want to work in government related missions. I hate corruption, I hate powerful people who don't have the best interest of the people as a priority. I guess Eric comes under that banner too."
"Well, okay," Four said, accepting her reasoning. "I'll be keeping an eye on you though, as a senior agent, and as your boyfriend."
"I'd rather that you work with me, rather than keep an eye on me," Tris said, a little irritated.
"Well, I hope I will get to work with you, but I'll always be looking out for you. I have rather well developed protective instincts, when it comes to you," Four told her, brushing a loose strand of hair off her face.
"That I can cope with," Tris said, momentarily mesmerised by the intensity of his eyes.
"Ah, are you two still with us?" Lauren asked, setting her tray down across from them.
Tris blushed and Four looked evenly at her and said, "Well, we were alone, before."
Lauren laughed, unabashed, and started to talk to them about the upcoming plans for post-training.
Lunch ended, Four returned to work and Tris headed back to her dorm to wait for an email to let her know where she was to move to.
"Are you seriously just going to sit there and read until we get told where we'll be moving to?" Christina asked Tris, joining her after lunch.
"Yep," Tris said succinctly. "This will probably be the last quiet moment I'll enjoy for a while. Things are going to be pretty full on from tomorrow."
"Lucky thing," Christina said, not exactly jealous, but definitely a little envious of Tris's new role.
"You won't always be in profiling, you can work your way up," Tris told her, reading her mood easily. "Sure, it's not glamorous, but you're still doing something important, something that can make a difference."
"Yeah, but you will be meeting all sorts of important people, and doing all sorts of exciting things," Christina said with a little grumble.
"I will," Tris agreed. "It's going to be a lot of hard work, but I'm glad I'll be able to spend my time off here, and hopefully, some of it, with you?"
"Of course! I'm sorry I sound so grouchy, I don't want to lose you because your job is cooler than mine," Christina said warmly, contrite.
"And you'll be living here full time?" Tris asked.
"For the time being, but later down the line I'll probably try and live 'in the outside world'," Christina told her. "Will will be based out of here for the time being too, in weapons technology. He's going to have some intense training before he's completely informed in the area. It's a pretty brainy job, it's very scientific."
"Are you two allowed to live together?" Tris asked curiously.
"I don't know, Harrison didn't bring it up, and we didn't ask to," Christina answered. "Why? Did he say something to you about you and Four?"
"Yeah, he kind of scolded me, or at least came me a rough moment or two," Tris replied. "He knows about us, and he told me we only just got away without breaking any protocols. We're allowed to date now, but we'll have to be on our best behaviour, I guess. We're not allowed to live together yet, and we certainly won't be letting our personal lives affect our work."
"I guess that makes sense, and he probably didn't mention any of that to me, seeing as Will isn't my superior, and wasn't my instructor, so we're probably not really on his radar," Christina concluded accurately.
Tris's cell vibrated, as did Christina's.
"Emails!" Christina exclaimed, diving for her cell.
Tris grabbed her cell as well and went straight to her new email.
"I have a room on level 19, a single room," Tris said, digesting the information. "What about you?"
"I'm on level 19 too, but I've got a double room, I'm sharing with Lynn," Christina replied. "Maybe she'll let me make her over."
"I really doubt that," Tris said with a chuckle.
"Maybe they'd let me room with Marlene instead?" Christina mused.
"That probably would be safest for everyone. That way you could drive each other made with your love of makeup and clothing," Tris teased.
"Well, shall we move?" Christina said, grabbed a packed bag in one hand.
"Yes, let's," Tris agreed. "We're moving up in the world."
"Yes, right up to the 19th level," Christina deadpanned.
"Oh I wish I had a pillow to throw at you!" Tris exclaimed.
"I'm going to miss rooming with you," Christina said, as they boarded the elevator.
"At least we'll still be on the same floor," Tris pointed out optimistically.
"I wonder where the others will be," Christina mused.
"Well, I'm guess most will be on the 19th floor, it looks like most younger agents, who live in permanently, seem to be there, or on level 20," Tris suggested.
"I think the more senior ones are further up," Christina added.
"I suppose that's why Four is on level 20, instead of with Zeke, because he's more senior," Tris deduced.
"I hope Peter isn't on our floor. I can't believe that fink gets to be a field agent. It's such a cool role, and that thug hardly deserves it," Christina griped.
"Well, at least he's only a very low level field agent, and he has a lot of training to do before he will get any really important cases," Tris pointed out. "And I hope they make him sleep in the basement, with rats and bats."
Christina giggled, and the elevator dinged as they reached the 19th floor.
"And so, a new era begins," Tris said, as they stood there, belongings in tow.
AN: Thanks for reading :) I hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's another transition one, but with plenty of important information about what's to come!
Please review :) I'll update after 10 or so reviews!