A/N: Hello there hope you enjoy, no money is being made. Thanks for reading and please review…
Today I stand next to Tris as we listen to Jack Kang.
"QUIET DOWN EVERYONE!"
Jack Kang lifts his hands and the crowd goes silent. That is a talent, I admire and wish to have it.
I stand among the crowd of Dauntless who got here late, there were no seats left. A flash of white light catches my eye—lightning. It's not the best time to be meeting in a room with holes in the walls instead of windows, but this is the biggest room they have.
"I know many of you are confused and shaken by what happened yesterday," Jack says. "But we are safe, none of us were hurt in the attack last night. I have heard many reports from a variety of perspectives, and have gotten a sense for what is straightforward and what requires more investigation." I tie my hair back from my face, maybe I should cut it.
Though I'm still exhausted, I feel more alert now.
"What seems to me to require more investigation," Jack says "is the Divergent."
He looks tired—he has dark circles under his eyes, and his short hair sticks out at random, like he's been pulling it all night. Despite the stifling heat of the room, he wears a long-sleeved shirt that buttons at the wrists—he must have been distracted when he dressed this morning.
"If you are one of the Divergent please step forward so that we can hear from you."
"Move it," I am the first to move forward they part for me "Excuse me," Tris is behind me with Tobias, Uriah doesn't move. He stays planted by Marlene and Lynn.
A few Candor step forward "You, Marcus?" says Jack when Marcus reaches the middle of the room and stands on top of the lower scale in the floor.
"Yes," Marcus says. "I understand that you are concerned—that you all are concerned. You had never heard of the Divergent a week ago, and now all that you know is that they are immune to something to which you are susceptible, and that is a frightening thing. But I can assure you that there is nothing to be afraid of, as far as we are concerned."
"It seems clear to me," says Jack, "that we were attacked so that the Erudite could find the Divergent. Do you know why that is?"
"They wanted to kill us. They've been killing us since before any of this happened." Tris says.
"That sounds very much like a conspiracy theory," Jack says. "What reason would the Erudite have to kill you?"
"Well not only kill, but to test on. Because our brains don't function as yours do, we process things differently then you. Our brains get pulled into hundreds of directions not a single one. I was told this by the Dauntless leader I stabbed after he killed that child, not only that but by Eric himself. The Erudite have over stepped their boundaries. In fact the device I removed from my back is long ranged, the stained blue dye tells me it is long lasting, which means it isn't like the other serums. I know we can't go storming Erudite, we don't have the numbers, but right now Candor owes Dauntless. And if you don't believe anything I have said I am willing to say it under your serum," Jack Kang was watching me the whole time.
We had to wait as I was injected, my words were repeated in more detail "I will contact Jeanine Matthews and see if we can negotiate a peace." he knew he couldn't fight Erudite.
He came up to us after "We have no hope of taking on Erudite even with Dauntless," then he was gone.
"You should have been an Erudite," Cara smiled, she was standing with Will. We help clean the glass from the ground floor, helping out as much as we can.
"Come on," Tris calls pulling me out. A traitor Dauntless man, propping up a woman with a bleeding leg. I see the gray streaks in the woman's hair and the end of the man's hooked nose and the blue armband of a Dauntless traitor just beneath their shoulders, I recognize them both. Tori and Zeke.
Tori is trying to walk, but one of her legs drags behind her, useless. A wet, dark patch covers most of her thigh. We reach them Zeke puts up one of his hands when he sees the row of Dauntless with guns. The other he keeps wrapped around Tori's waist.
"She needs medical attention," says Zeke. "Right now."
"Why should we give a traitor medical attention?" a Dauntless man with wispy blond hair and a double-pierced lip asks over his gun. A patch of blue dye marks his forearm.
Tori moans and we slip between two Dauntless to reach for her. She puts her hand, which is sticky with blood, in mine and Tris'.
Zeke lowers her to the ground with a grunt.
"Move it now, Christina, Will take Tori to the ward now," I call out, they rush forward. Will picking Tori up and walking away.
Zeke shrugs. "All right." He puts his wrists together in front of him dramatically. "Haul me away, if you're so desperate to."
Then his eyes focus on something over my shoulder, and he starts walking. I turn to see Uriah jogging from the elevator bank. He is grinning.
"Heard a rumor you were a dirty traitor," Uriah says.
"Yeah, whatever," says Zeke.
They collide in an embrace that looks almost painful to me, slapping each other's backs and laughing with their fists clasped between them.
"Ava, a word please," Kang asks me "I will be back in a few moments," I say to Uriah before walking away.
"Thank you, I am most impressed with you. I would like for you to join me for my meeting it will be at seven in the morning. I feel a Dauntless member should be there, and I am choosing you, if you are so inclined,"
"I will be there Kang, thank you for your consideration of Dauntless. I rather not have us as enemies. I rather enjoy Candor,"
"I can tell, you seem in your element here," then he walked away.
"Oh," says Zeke. "How do you know that?"
"Well, all the faction transfers have a secret club," I say, leaning back in my chair. "We meet every third Thursday." I smiled at Tris this is what I hear when I enter our dorm area in Candor.
"Is true,' I say as Zeke gives me a bear hug "You handled those guards," he smiled.
"Where's Four?" I say, checking my watch. "Should we start without him?" Uriah asks.
"We can't," says Zeke. "He's getting The Info."
"The info about Kang's little peacemaking meeting with Jeanine," says Zeke.
"We just have to wait for him," Will says his arm slung over Christiana's shoulder as conversations broke out. Tobias emerges from a door hidden behind a length of white cloth. He flicks the cloth out of the way irritably before coming toward us and sitting beside me at the table in the Gathering Place.
"Kang is going to meet with a representative of Jeanine Matthews at seven in the morning. He also was kind enough to ask for a Dauntless to be a representative," he says.
"That was considerate of him, he didn't have to," Christina said as everyone agreed "So Tobias, you agreed right?" Zeke said.
"I wasn't asked, Kang said he saw leader ship and will power in Ava, she will be representing Dauntless in the meeting," all eyes turned towards me.
"Yes, Jack sought me out personally after I had the guards lay down their guns for Tori and Zeke. He said he was impressed with me, asked if I would join him in the morning for the meeting that it is only fair a Dauntless reprehensive be in attendance,"
"Well good, you are just like Tobias," Christina grinned as Tris put her arm over my shoulder.
Tobias smiled at me "I have to go talk to some of the older Dauntless, I will be back. I am proud of you Ava," then he was gone.
"Now that he is gone," Lynn smiled.
"I think," I say, "that Jeanine Matthews will manipulate him. And that he will do anything to protect his faction, even if it means sacrificing the Divergent." I pause for a moment. "Or sacrificing the Dauntless. So we need to hear what they say in that meeting. That's why I am happy I was asked,"
Uriah and Zeke exchange a look. Lynn smiles, but it isn't her usual smile. It doesn't spread to her eyes, which look more like gold than ever, with that coldness in them.
"So let's listen in," she says "Good, Lynn. I want Matthews to know we mean business."
"I will take out her representative, or the one you signal to," Lynn says as we walk "Good, she has killed enough of us. Had us turn on each other," I said as she gave me a firm nod.
We all sit together with Will, Christina, and Tobias across from us when I hear Tris "Don't tell me you're going to eat a mashed-potato sandwich," I look up seeing Lynn piling mashed-potatoes onto a roll.
"So what if I am?" she retorted.
A group of Dauntless walk between our table and the one next to us. They are older than Tobias, but not by much. One of the girls has five different colors in her hair, and her arms are covered with tattoos so that I can't see even an inch of bare skin.
One of the boys leans close to Tobias, whose back is to them, and whispers, "Coward," as he passes. I stand ready to defend my brother even though I'm still pretty angry with him "Thank you Ava, even though I understand your anger at me. I will take care of this," Tris pulled me down, I sat but this was out of control.
He puts down his knife and the piece of bread, and pushes back from the table. "This needs to stop," he says distantly, and starts toward whatever it is he's looking at before I figure out what it is.
He slips between the tables and the people like he's more liquid than solid, Tris walks after him, as I watch. He is sitting with a few of the older Candor.
Tobias reaches him and grabs him by the back of the neck, wrestling him from his seat. Marcus opens his mouth to say something, and that is a mistake, because Tobias punches him hard in the teeth. Someone shouts, but no one rushes to Marcus's aid.
We are in a room full of Dauntless, after all.
Tobias shoves Marcus toward the middle of the room where there is a space between the tables to reveal the symbol of Candor. Marcus stumbles over one of the scales, his hands covering his face so I can't see the damage Tobias did, but how can I really care, after all he has done to Tobias.
Tobias shoves Marcus to the ground and presses the heel of his shoe to his throat. Marcus smacks at Tobias's leg, blood streaming past his lips, but even if he was at his strongest, he still wouldn't be as strong as his son. Tobias undoes his belt buckle and slides it from its loops.
He lifts his foot from Marcus's throat and draws the belt back.
"This is for your own good," he says.
Then the belt flies through the air and hits Marcus in the arm. Marcus's face is bright red, and he covers his head as the next blow falls, this one hitting his back. All around me is laughter, coming from the Dauntless tables.
"Stop!" Tris screams. "Tobias, stop right now!"
I am up from the table "The Dauntless, don't prey on weak old men, we don't laugh at the weakness in others either," only the ones at my table heard me and fell silent.
He drops the belt and reaches into his pocket. From it he takes a silver chain with a ring dangling from it. "Our mother says hello,"
Tobias walks away his eyes on mine, before he sighed walking out of the room with Tris running after him.
I walk out a few minutes later it looks as if they are done with their argument "Ava,"
"What Four?" I ask him.
"I was only making it clear to Dauntless,"
"And running an errand for Evelynn," I say his eyes look into mine "You will have to choose one day Four, I will not be on her side and that will place you against me. I am going to sleep I have to be up early, I am trying to help Dauntless, not save my reputation since my ego is fragile," I turned from him walking away.
But soon I figured I couldn't sleep "You are so much like Four," Chris said from her bunk "I know," I say.
"He loves you Ava, he is just rotten at showing it," Tris put in "I know,"
"Is that all you got?" Lynn said her face appeared from the bunk above mine "No, I am just tired," she retorts, I yawn.
"I have your clothes for tomorrow picked out Ava," Marlene says from her bunk "Girls go to bed, now," an older Dauntless women said "What? I can wear what I normally do," I whisper.
"Like hell," I hear before we all pass out but I wake at five seeing Tobias cuddled around Tris, amazing they could fit on that bed.
"Here," I turned seeing Marlene clothes in here hands "Wear this," I groaned as the team who was going to spy was being woke up. I was gathering my things seeing Tris wake up my brother looking unhappy "Tris lets shower fast," I say as she gives me a nod.
It felt good the warm water, but I was in and out drying off "He isn't going to be happy Tris,"
"He never is," she smiled as we walked back to the dorm room my clothes out as Tris changed into her gear "Ava, I want to talk to you when you are done changing, please. Tris can we talk?" he took her hand as they walked out.
"Tris be safe," I kissed her cheek as she hugged me tight "You be safe,"
"Come on, I am guarding the door today with Will." Christina said as I smiled at her she lined my eyes with black then did my lashes, it was her thing. I pulled on my underwear not caring who saw me, I knew Will was in here.
A strapless bra was next "Damn Marlene," I snarled under my breath. I pulled on the black leather pants with push button, zip pockets, cool stretch inserts. Christina helped me with the halter lace crop top it had a black fabric under to cover my breast. My midriff showing. I sat putting on my boots as Will came in "Here," it was a gun. "Thanks," I stood. My hair down it had a curly but wavy look to it, my dagger was on my thigh. We walked out together.
"Good morning, I would like you to escort them to my office. You have been to it, I take it you will have no problem. Jules and Danios will be with you the entire time as well Ava. You look stunning this morning, they will be here soon," then Kang was gone.
"Let's head to the doors, so when our guest arrive, there will be no time wasted." But Tobias stops me "I am going with them, just be safe Ava," he kissed my head, before hugging me so tight it was like he thought he might not see me again.
"Be safe, keep Tris safe," I say he smiled walking away. "He is human," Christina smirks as I bump her into Will.
Now we wait as Christina and Will guard the door, looking as Dauntless as they can. I stand flanked by two Candor men Jules and Danios, my hands held behind my back my feet apart. "Time," I call.
"6:58" Jules said as we see a long silvery car pull up "On your toes," I say seeing Christina and Will stand straighter, holding their guns firmly, mine clasped to my belt. I watched as two men exited the car Eric and Max "Damn it," I whispered.
I watched every move they made as the Candor men before the door scanned them, they passed "We are here for a meeting with Jack Kang" Max said to Will.
"We know why you are here. To be allowed entrance into Candor you will leave all weapons here, you can collect them once you leave. There is no leeway on this issue," I step forward both men eye me.
"Of course," Max smiled handing over his weapon "Will check them for more," I say I hardly believe all they brought was two guns. "Clean," I raised my brow stepping forward.
"Hands up," I checked Max myself he was clean "Now you, hands up," I say.
"If I refuse?"
"You won't like what I do," I say, he does raise his hands. I hold my breath as I touch his body, it has been to long my hands skimming every inch of his body, in his pants hard metal can be felt. I pull up the back of his shirt my fingers skimming his warm flesh, taking the dagger "Will be a little more careful, we are protecting Candor," I say with it in my hand as Christina hit Will.
"Nice," I flipped it in my hands before handing it over to the guards "Be sure they receive their personal items when they leave."
"Yes ma'am" Will smiled.
"Please follow me to Mr. Kang's office for our meeting," I talk hearing their footsteps behind me. "We are meeting with Kang, not Dauntless," Max said.
"Well things have changed Max. There will be a representative of Dauntless in there and I was chosen by Kang himself."
"So Max, how is the hand healing?' I smile as they walk behind me "It is healing well, sadly a child was able to do so much damage." I frowned that doesn't sound like Max. "You haven't seen the half of it,"
"Eric, how's the bullet wound. Sadly I missed your head," I said putting an undercurrent of hate in my tone, my heart breaking.
"It is healed. But soon all Divergent trash will be taken care of," his voice was cold it was something I was used to concerning Eric.
We arrived.
"Mr. Kang. We have two traitor Dauntless leaders. Max and my ex-boyfriend Eric. Jeanine must have been busy not to come herself," I say taking my place at his side, he placed his hand on my shoulder and the look Eric gives is priceless.
"Hello, Jack," Max says "Kang," the deep cold voice of Eric comes next.
"Where's Jeanine? I thought she would at least have the courtesy to show up herself."
"Jeanine and I divide our responsibilities according to our strengths," he says. "That means I make all military decisions. I believe that includes what we are doing today." Max says, I frown I have spoken to Max more than once, this wasn't him.
"Fine," says Jack. "I came to—"
"I should inform you that this will not be a negotiation," Eric says. "In order to negotiate, you have to be on even footing, and you, Jack, are not."
"While you are in Candor, you will show Jack Kang respect." I say.
"What do you mean?" Kang says.
"I mean that you are the only disposable faction. Candor does not provide us with protection, sustenance, or technological innovation. Therefore you are expendable to us. And you have not done much to win the favor of your Dauntless guests," says Eric, "So you are completely vulnerable and completely useless. I recommend, therefore, that you do exactly as I say." my own Erudite in Dauntless clothes.
"You piece of scum," says Jack through gritted teeth. "How dare—"
"Now let's not get testy," Max says, I raise my hand to my ear, just a motion to Tris our own code, Lynn had a different signal.
"I have three requirements," says Max. "First, that you return the Dauntless leader you currently hold in captivity unharmed. Second, that you allow your compound to be searched by our soldiers so that we can extract the Divergent; and third, that you provide us with the names of those who were not injected with the simulation serum."
"I was correct Jack," Jack gives me a sad nod "For someone so young, you are very smart, too smart," he smiled.
"Why?" Jack says bitterly. "What are you searching for? And why do you need those names? What do you intend to do with them?"
"The purpose of our search would be to locate and remove any of the Divergent from the premises. And as for the names, that is none of your concern." Eric says with a smile.
Jack moves but I stop him "A wise choice Avalon," I turned to Max my eyes wide "Jack, he would kill you," I smile walking forward.
I stand in front of Max "It is what I thought," I removed the ear piece stepping back placing it in my ear "Hello Jeanine, glad you could make it. You must be so upset your plan has failed," I smile.
"Excuse me child?"
"Let's not play games,"
"You were better prepared than we anticipated, but next time it won't be as such." he voice grated on my nerves.
"Sadly, the pedestal you have placed yourself on is about to burn with you on it,"
"You knew it was a serum?"
"From the minute I saw it, I removed it and tested it. You wanted a war, you have it, you just aren't smart enough, we don't need Candor, and we have something else. So I guess you will see who lives when they walk out of here," I smashed the ear piece into small pieces.
"In terms with Dauntless rules, you are a traitor. You conspired with Erudite. You are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Abnegation. You are a ridiculous plaything of Jeanine Matthews."
"I am sorry Kang, his fate is not up to Candor. He is Dauntless, and his fate is determined by us. Max your fate is death," I gave the motion to Lynn.
Max gasps, his hand clapping over his chest, and stumbles back. When he pulls his hand away it is dark with blood.
"You will allow him to walk out correct?" Kang said "Yes, I will not bring more down on Candor. We will leave soon," I say "You don't have to," he smiles.
"I will escort Eric out," I walk out with him behind me once in the elevator he hits the button for it to stop "You had it set up, Ava," he gave me that wicked smile.
"Are you bugged?"
"No, my mother trusts me above anyone," I stopped dead, my world crashing. "Your mother?" my mouth was dry, I heard the blood rushing in my ears.
"Yes, my mother Jeanine. I know I should have told you Ava, I knew you would crack my codes." He came at me his lips pressing against mine my back against the cool wall of the elevator. His hands moving up my thighs to my waist as he deepened the kiss, I wanted more my hands roaming over his chest moving up his bare neck. It was painful relief feeling his skin on mine "I missed you so much Eric," I choked on my tears.
"Please don't cry Ava. I miss you, I can't sleep, eat, and all I do is think of you. How you are, if you're okay. Now I see you, and it's painful I want to stay with you." His lips came back down on mine for a few moments.
"But I have to go back, mother is planning something," he hit the button "Check every morning for codes, I assume you'll head back to our compound." I give a nod.
"One thing Eric, do you remember Edward?"
"Yes got a knife in the eye." He was confused but his cold, dark eyes are on me. "He is in a faction safe house. Well he confessed his feelings towards me, well he kissed me," his eyes held fire but still so, so cold his face looked like it had been carved with a knife.
"Eric, I don't like him. I told him that." I say.
"I love you, Ava. More than even I understood, I won't live without you and vise versa," he whispered as the doors opened and I ushered him out Tris and Tobias there "I will lead him out," Tobias said "He is to collect his things then make sure he leaves," I say before turning away.
"Shauna was hurt but she'll be okay," Tris said as Eric was getting his gun and Dagger, I watched him walk out like it was nothing.
"You were amazing in there," Uriah smiled, his arm over my shoulder.
"Good shooting Lynn,"
"Thanks," she smiled.
"Tris what's wrong?" she pulled me aside telling me about her and Four his ultimatum, she is worried because she's afraid he's right about her becoming nothing more than a Dauntless adrenaline junkie looking for a hit.
"Hey calm down," I say.
"We need to call a meeting now," I say to Tobias, as he walks off I just pull Tris with me, Christina with us as we walked. "I wish I could have heard, or seen it," she grumbled.
The Dauntless are gathered in the space between the rows of bunk beds and the doors, which are held shut by a tightly wrapped bedsheet, the best lock the Dauntless could muster. I have no doubt that Jack Kang will agree to Jeanine's demands. We aren't safe here anymore.
"What were the terms?" Tori says. She sits in a chair between a few of the bunks, her wounded leg stuck out in front of her.
"There were three. Return the Dauntless leader to the Erudite. Report the names of all people who did not get shot with needles last time. And deliver the Divergent to Erudite headquarters. Kang doesn't want to make this deal but it looks as if he doesn't have a real choice in the matter," I say.
"If Jack Kang is making deals with the Erudite, we can't stay here," says Tori. "So where can we go?"
"We go home, we should take back what's ours" I say.
"We can break the security cameras in Dauntless headquarters so the Erudite can't see us. We should go home." Tobias agrees.
Someone assents with a shout, and someone else joins in. That is how things in Dauntless are decided: with nods and yells. In these moments we don't seem like individuals anymore. We are all a part of the same mind.
"But before we do that," says Bud, who once worked with Tori in the tattoo parlor and who now stands with his hand on the back of Tori's chair, "we need to decide what to do about Kyle. To let him stay here with the Erudite or to execute him."
"Kyle is Dauntless," Lauren says, turning the ring in her lip with her fingertips. "That means we decide what happens to him. Not Candor."
"According to Dauntless law, only Dauntless leaders can perform an execution. All five of our former leaders are Dauntless traitors," says Tori. "So I think it's time we pick new ones. The law says we need more than one, and we need an odd number. If you've got suggestions, you should yell them out now, and we'll vote if we need to."
You!" someone calls out.
"Okay," says Tori. "Anyone else?"
"Obvious choice is Ava, she has shown more leadership than most here," Christina said I heard yells and the sounds of hands being pounded on beds. I'm going to nominate Four," I say.
Apart from a few angry murmurs in the back of the room, no one disagrees. No one is calling him a coward anymore, not after he beat up Marcus in the cafeteria. I wonder how they would react if they knew how calculated that move was.
Not ten seconds after we choose our new leaders, something rings—one long pulse, two short ones. I move toward the sound, my right ear toward the wall, and find a speaker suspended from the ceiling. There is another one across the room.
Then Jack Kang's voice speaks all around us.
"Attention all occupants of Candor headquarters. A few hours ago I met with two representatives of Jeanine Matthews. They reminded me that we Candor are in a weak position, dependent on Erudite for our survival, and told me that if I intend to keep my faction free, I will have to meet a few demands."
I stare up at the speaker, stunned. I shouldn't be surprised that the leader of Candor is this forthright, but I wasn't expecting a public announcement.
"In order to comply with these demands, I ask that everyone make their way to the Gathering Place, he says. "The Erudite have also ordered all Divergent to be turned over to Erudite. I do not know for what purpose."
He sounds listless. Defeated.
Time to go.
The Dauntless stand in a semicircle around the interrogation chair, where Kyle now sits. He looks more dead than alive. He is slumped in the chair, sweat shining on his pale forehead.
"Would you like me to tell you your crimes?" says Tori. "Or would you like to list them yourself?" Rain sprays against the side of the building and streams down the walls. We stand in the interrogation room, on the top floor of the Merciless Mart. The afternoon storm is louder here. Every crack of thunder and flash of lightning makes the back of my neck prickle, as if electricity is dancing over my skin. I love the smell of rain, and the grass after a storm, I can imagine now kissing Eric in a heavy downpour.
Kyle scans the crowd for a few seconds, and then his eyes settle on me. He laces his fingers and sets them—gingerly—on his stomach. "I'd like her to list them. Since she's the one who stabbed me, clearly she is familiar with them,"
"I, Ava Eaton, a Dauntless leader sentence you to death Kyle. Your crimes are as follows: You conspired with Erudite. You are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Abnegation." As I go on, I can't keep my voice steady anymore; I start to spit out the words like venom. "You betrayed Dauntless. You shot a child in the head, in cold blood. You killed your fellow faction members."
His smile fades.
"Do I deserve to die?" he says.
"Without question, you have been found guilty by your peers. Yes, you deserve to die," I say.
"Fair enough." "But do you have the right to decide that Ava Eaton? If I heard you were with Eric, who also betrayed Dauntless," he smiled.
"You have committed every crime that warrants execution among the Dauntless. We have the right to execute you, under the laws of Dauntless." I say with a smile.
Tobias crouches by the three guns on the floor near Kyle's feet. One by one, he empties the chambers of bullets. They almost jingle as they hit the floor, and then roll, coming to rest against the toes of Tobias's shoes. He picks up the middle gun and puts a bullet into the first slot.
"Wait," he says. "I have a request."
"We don't take requests from criminals," says Tori. She's standing on one leg, and has been for the past few minutes. She sounds tired—she probably wants to get this over with so she can sit down again. To her this execution is just an inconvenience.
"I am a leader of Dauntless," he says. "And all I want is for Tris to be the one who fires that bullet."
"There is three leaders of Dauntless, you are no longer one of them," Christina says from next to Tris.
"So you can live with the guilt," Tris gave Tobias a look "There won't be any guilt," she says in a brave voice, I told her about the little boy he killed.
"Then you'll have no problem doing it," he smiles again.
"Kyle," Tris says "Be brave," she fires the gun.