Disclaimer: I don't own Divergent.
The gates to the city open with a heavy groan, and all the Dauntless in the crowd cheer loudly.
Out of the Amity truck hops Max. He's in his usual black Dauntless uniform and his boots that clack loudly on the surface of the road when he walks. When he sees the crowd of Dauntless standing in the fields ready to welcome him, he smiles with appreciation and spreads out his hands as if to embrace the throng. The cheering only gets louder.
Then Max looks at Eric and Four, who are standing apart from the crowd, their eyes on him and their hands at their sides. "To these two very worthy Dauntless men, thank you," he says to both Four and Eric. "I'm glad to get to see you again."
"Thanks for your bravery in leaving us for a while," Eric and Four say in unison.
"You two are the ones I should thank," says Max proudly. "I hear from my subordinates that you've maintained our faction well. For this reason, I'll applaud you publicly. Come, stand next to me, and our supporters will let you know how they feel." He emphasizes the last word.
All the Dauntless standing in the Amity fields raise their fists in unison and yell.
When the noise fades, a figure pushes her way to the front of the crowd, distinguishing herself from the others. She has blond hair, a longer nose than average, and a shorter stature than most Dauntless women. It's Tris, and there's a defiant snarl on her lips.
"Sir," she shouts at Max, "I want justice. I want it now, and I want it from you. Don't look at those two men till you've heard me. Have some courage and give me justice, justice, justice, justice." With each utterance of the word, she takes another step forward, till she's standing several feet away from Max.
Max is quiet for a few seconds. He's staring curiously at Tris. Then he gestures toward an indignant-looking Eric. "What? What's your complaint?" Max asks Tris. "Speak loud, be brave. Here's Eric, he'll be the one to give you justice. Talk to him."
Tris lapses into silence for a moment before she speaks again. "Oh, sir," she says in a tremulous voice, "you expect bravery from one of the biggest cowards."
Eric's face goes completely slack. An audible gasp rises up from the crowd.
Max assures the group, quieting them with a gesture. "Explain," he orders Tris. "What's this you're saying?"
"Sir," Eric speaks up suddenly, "I'm afraid she's not able to think straight. It seems her judgment may be clouded by something else, something like her young age. Or perhaps she has some kind of hysteria, for her brother was just recently executed in the name of justice…"
"In the name of justice!" repeats Tris, her face reddening.
"And," Eric continues, unperturbed, "she'll tell you lies like a failed Candor initiate."
Tris stares daggers at Eric. She isn't focused on Max now, only her opponent, the youngest Dauntless leader. "Yeah, right, I'm telling lies," she says sarcastically. "That Eric was once engaged to a woman, is that a lie? That Eric once hung an initiate over the chasm, is that a lie? That Eric's a two-faced, dishonorable coward, would the Candor say that's a lie?"
"Jack Kang might say so," Max points out calmly.
"But it's still the truth," Tris replies, "for as they say, like a wild animal, it's too powerful to remain caged."
Max's lip curls slightly. He looks at Tris with mild disgust. "Somebody take this girl away," he calls out to the crowd of Dauntless. "She's clearly not stable. The Erudite can straighten her out."
Three Dauntless men, each with a large frame and a gun tucked into his belt, march forward. They surround Tris, who turns toward Max. "Sir," she pleads, "don't just think I've gone mad. Think about it, it's not only the small and weak ones who can be cowards. And it's not only the bigger, tougher guys who can have true bravery."
She motions to Eric as she speaks, and as she does, more discomfort starts to show on the young man's face. "Believe it when I say this," continues Tris. "You don't have to be Candor to know that the truth is, this man here's a bigger coward than I've ever been."
The crowd stares, perplexed. Max remains quiet, perhaps thinking the whole thing over. Finally he opens his mouth again. "Well," he says thoughtfully, "there've been many Dauntless initiates who've said much worse." He looks at Tris again. "But I still need you to explain yourself. What was your business with Eric?"
"Sir," says Tris, "I'm the sister of Caleb, the young man from Erudite who was arrested on charges of dodging child support. He impregnated Maria, and Eric got him thrown in jail for it, and was about to have him executed. Until another member of Dauntless, Peter, came to me and told me…"
"That's me," interrupts Peter, from somewhere in the crowd. He steps forward, a big dumb grin on his face. "It was me that helped Tris out, and now I'm gonna say that my rank was too low. I should've been at least second, not fifth."
"But it wasn't your turn to talk, now was it?" challenges Max, crossing his arms and scowling at Peter.
Peter is silenced, much to the relief of everyone else standing there. With a gesture, Max indicates that Tris is to continue.
"I went," narrates Tris, pointing at Eric, "to this corrupt, cowardly Dauntless leader…"
"You sound like you've got anger issues," Max points out.
"Sorry," Tris says hotly. Her face is the color of a ripe tomato. "I'm speaking accurately, as the Erudite would say. Anyway, I went to Eric, and I tried to persuade him. I made demands, I negotiated, I used my words, but he wouldn't move one inch. He would not, unless I were to bribe him with my body, let my brother go. Eventually, I realized I had no choice but to give in. But this coward standing next to you wouldn't even honor his promise, so right after that, he went to go see Caleb get thrown into the chasm."
Shocked looks are exchanged within the gathering of Dauntless. "This all seems too outrageous to be true," Max comments.
"But it is true," Tris insists.
Max is already shaking his head. "This may not be Candor," he says, "but we expect honesty from all of you. It's how your honor and integrity are kept. As of now, Tris, we simply cannot believe what you said. First, Eric's place in our faction means he's held to a higher standard than most. He's been watched over for quite some time, and he's maintained his standing without blemish. Second, there's no reason he would've pursued the same type of crime that he jailed your brother for. If so, he would've weighed your brother with himself and not cut him down like a coward. Clearly, someone's set you on. A faction traitor, maybe. Perhaps one of the Divergent?"
The jeers and catcalls that follow are all aimed squarely at Tris. Her expression of resolve wavers, but she tries her best to keep herself together.
"Fine," she says grudgingly. "Guess you'll never believe me, then. I suppose this proves a point I was going to bring up, that corruption runs deep within Dauntless leadership."
The hissing and booing gets even louder after that. Only a few faces look worried. Two of them belong to Four and Nita. Despite this, Tris keeps her poker face on.
Max directs a look of rage at her. "Can some of our guards escort her away?" he demands. "As the protectors of the city, we can't let these traitors weaken us from the inside out. Our greatness as the Dauntless must be reinforced. Take her away!" He jabs a finger at Tris, and the three burly guards surrounding her close in.
Their fingers lock around her arms in a moment, and she's not strong enough to wriggle free. "Answer me. Who told you to come here and slander Eric's name?" Max demands.
Without flinching, Tris replies. "One I wish were here right now, Father Vincent," she says.
Max chuckles darkly. "Ooh, a mysterious member of our faction," he taunts. "Does anyone know this Dauntless man, who somehow goes by an Abnegation alias?" He laughs, and so do the people in the crowd.
Peter pipes up next. "Sir," he chimes in, "I know that dude. He says he's a Stiff, but he meddles more than the Candor. I heard him falsely accuse you of going to bed with a thousand Dauntless women. He said, if every other Dauntless man's got a sword, Max might have a machine gun that never runs out of ammo."
Sudden laughter arises from the people in the crowd. Others gasp out loud. Max looks positively incensed. "What's this? Who would dare tell these lies?"
"Someone like this… Father Vincent," Peter says slyly. His lips pucker in annoyance. "I don't like that guy. I know he and Tris have been meeting up in secret. I vote we bring him out here and make him answer for what he said." The crowd shouts their assent.
Looking pleased, Max nods and turns to Mr. Black, who stands close to Tris. "Could you summon this Father Vincent and bring him before us?" The Abnegation man does what's asked at once, and Tris is left alone with the pack of Dauntless. She stays indifferent to their rude and hostile gestures.
One Dauntless man does come to show her support. It's Four, and he shoots Peter an angry look as he steps forth to talk to Max. "Sir, I know the one called Father Vincent," he tells the older Dauntless man, "and I'll warn you, that Peter didn't say anything close to the truth. Father Vincent's a holy man, a selfless and righteous soul. He's nothing like the cowardly fool Peter wants him to be."
"He is. He did slander your name and Eric's, sir," argues Peter to Max.
"Well," says Four, "he'll soon come to clear his own name. Then we'll see who's a coward and a liar."
Both young men stare icily at each other. Near them, Tris remains imprisoned with the three Dauntless guards. The Abnegation priest called Father Vincent is taking an abnormally long time to appear.
Max smirks as he looks over at Eric. "Don't you just want to laugh at them, Eric?" he asks, and the younger man nods, a smirk forming on his face as well. Max goes on. "Oh man, the cowardice of those idiots is showing. Come on, let's just wait, and they'll reveal to us what traitors they are." His arm loops around Eric's shoulder, and the younger man leans into him, looking reassured.
When at last Mr. Black makes a reappearance, the figure accompanying him is not Father Vincent. It's a woman in Dauntless black, and her face is concealed by a black veil. She's in the clothes of a Dauntless bride. Max squints a little at this curious choice of attire.
"Who's this?" he asks Mr. Black.
"A witness," the Abnegation man replies, "who wishes to speak on behalf of Father Vincent."
"Well," declares Max, "we'll have her remove her veil, then she can speak."
"No," the woman says suddenly. "Sorry, sir, but I won't show my face till my husband says so." She looks in Eric's direction, and the young man's discomfort returns. Max notices this.
"So you're a married woman?" he asks. "No," says the woman. "Oh, no one's proposed to you yet," Max says. The woman shakes her head. "Yes, someone has," she tells Max. "You're divorced, then? Widowed?" asks Max. Again the woman shakes her head. "Neither, sir."
Max looks absolutely befuddled. "So what are you, then? Married or not married? You have to choose." Something else occurs to him. "Perhaps you're a Divergent traitor, and that's why you seem unable to choose."
"Or," Peter throws in, "she chose Erudite, but she wasn't smart enough, so now she's with us." At this, the entire crowd bursts into laughter.
Max, though, looks less than amused. "Silence him," he says to the Dauntless guards, motioning to Peter. The guards march up to the latter, who throws up his hands apologetically.
"Sir," the veiled woman says to Max, "I can't show you a marriage certificate, or any proof that I was proposed to. But as you would say, a Dauntless man of honor should keep his vows, and so my husband should keep the vow he made to me."
"Unless he knocked up two other Dauntless girls!" Peter crows, to more laughter.
"Keep your mouth closed, sir," Max says through gritted teeth. One Dauntless guard clamps his hand over Peter's arm, making the latter flinch away. Max turns back to the woman with the veil. "You sound like less of a witness and more of a faction traitor," he says to her.
The woman's unfazed. She directs her gaze at Eric, and then at Tris. "Sir, I have been, as Peter said… knocked up. But by none other than the one I call my husband. And that's the same man accused by Tris of making unwanted advances."
"You say it's your husband," Max replies, sounding confused.
"Well, yes," says the woman with the veil. "And that's Eric, who transferred here from Erudite, yet couldn't tell that he was making love to me, and not to Tris."
Gasps from the crowd of Dauntless. Some of them are laughing, though not many. "This sounds like slander," Eric accuses. "That's cowardly behavior. Why won't you show your face?"
The woman puts a hand to her veil. "My husband said so," she declares. "Now I'll take it off." She rips the veil from her face, and Eric's so taken aback, he nearly stumbles where he stands.
It's Nita, of course. Her flowing black hair, expressive dark eyes, and light brown skin are familiar to Eric, judging by the recognition on his face, which he can't hide. "You cruel Dauntless man," Nita says to him, pointing at her own face. "This is the face which you once swore you'd kill a factionless man for. This is the hand you once held while you promised to marry the owner. And this is the body that got swapped in for Tris' and pleasured you in a simulation, while you imagined it was her."
"You know this woman?" asks Max, glancing Eric's way.
"Not like how an Erudite knows, but carnally," Peter says, snickering, and some of the Dauntless crack up. Max shoots Peter a furious glare.
"No more!" he thunders. Peter, blessedly, falls silent.
Max now turns to Eric, who looks as though he'd prefer to sink into the ground. "Sir," Eric says hesitantly, "I will admit that I know this woman. Part of a man's honor is in the ability to confess. But she did get details wrong, and I'll clear those up. I did talk about marriage with her, but later, I had to break it off. Circumstances change, you know, and sometimes, those make it so the arrangement won't work out. That's just what happened with us. Since that day, I never even spoke with her, or saw her, and I swear this on my honor, Max, sir."
Just as everyone's thinking Max might relent, Nita speaks once more. "Oh? Well then I'll say this. Father Vincent knows the truth, and he can vouch for me. I'm Eric's wife, and I'm carrying his child. I should already be married to him."
She places a hand on her belly. Eric scowls, his brow furrowed with suspicion. "All of this sounded funny before, but not now," he snaps. "It would seem these women think I'm a coward, and now they want to ruin my life. Max, sir, I believe they're acting on behalf of a powerful faction traitor. Let me find out who it is."
Max reassures Eric with a quick, brotherly embrace. He shakes his head at Tris and Nita. "We'll all find out," he tells Eric, "when that Father Vincent makes his appearance. Where is he, anyway? Is he sick, of some strange fever? I'll have him know that if he doesn't show up, we'll send a court order that he can't defy. Then he'll either be in prison or here, speaking on behalf of these women."
With a curt wave of his hand, Max calls Mr. Black over. "Stiff," he barks. "Get Father Vincent to come here at once. Tell him we mean business this time. In sickness or in health, he'll be here, answering our questions. Or we'll see to it that he's factionless! Go!"
Mr. Black scurries off. Max, too, makes a move to leave.
"Fellow members of Dauntless," he announces, "I'll have to leave you a little while longer. I just can't trust those Abnegation. I can't be completely sure he'll follow my orders. So I'll need to track him down. But you all can be certain that, whatever I do, I'll do it for us Dauntless and for Chicago."
Cheers follow his statement. He steps away from the crowd, in pursuit of Mr. Black.
Once he's out of sight, Peter twists away from the three guards surrounding him. His sights are set on Four. "Hey, Four," he calls. "How about I tell Max to interrogate you as well? You seemed very eager to defend Father Vincent and his treasonous acts."
Four doesn't look fazed. He levels a glare of his own at Peter. "I remember that he was an honest person, not one that ever said anything bad about Max. You on the other hand…"
"Will discover that you and Father Vincent are the most cowardly of men," finishes Peter, confidently.
"We'll just see about that, won't we," Four threatens him subtly. The two young men aim poisonous looks at each other, until the Dauntless guards have to separate them.
Finally, Mr. Black returns, and the priest from Abnegation accompanies him. Max, however, is nowhere to be seen. The Dauntless look around for him, but he's either running late or he's gone. Concerned murmurs break out in the audience, as everyone searches frantically for the oldest Dauntless leader.
Peter, though, wants to get this show on the road. He points at Tris, then at Father Vincent. "Hey Stiff, here's the guy that we know you've been working with. Wanna tell us the real story?"
"Already did, Peter," Tris responds coolly.
"You did, huh? Well then…" Peter narrows his eyes as his gaze locks on Father Vincent. He motions to Tris, then to Nita. "Did you send these two women to slander Eric's name? They implied you did."
"That's false. I know you're not from Candor," Father Vincent replies calmly.
"For the record, I am from Candor. That means that you're the liar," retorts Peter. "It seems to us you're also a Divergent-loving traitor. That's why you wanna usurp Max and Eric. Don't you, Mr. Stiff?"
The priest isn't provoked in the slightest. "Let me say no more until Max returns," he addresses the crowd.
"I'm gonna speak on his behalf," Peter tells him. "You see, I actually belong to the faction that he leads, and you don't. What've you got to say now, Mr. Stiff?" Father Vincent gives no answer, and Peter smiles viciously. "See? He can't defend himself. He's guilty. Of defying Dauntless law, and slandering the names of Max and Eric."
"If this is indeed true," another voice chimes in, "then I'm also guilty." The voice belongs to Harrison, Dauntless jailer. The Dauntless around him stare at him in disbelief.
Harrison explains. "I was tricked into disobeying a direct order from the one governing in place of Max. I went against my oaths as a member of Dauntless, and this makes me guilty." He looks at Peter. "If ever Max comes back, tell him I apologize. As for the unholy Father Vincent, I hope the council makes him factionless."
The priest from Abnegation moves to defend himself. "You know not what you speak of," he tells Harrison. "Your intentions are good, but you side with the villains over the victims. You'll see soon enough that the corruption in your faction's leadership is about to boil over. Your laws are mocked daily and the show of bravery your people put on is being exposed for what it really is."
"Slander to our faction!" screams Peter, his cheeks tomato red. He glances at several of the Dauntless guards. "Drag him to prison!"
Eric joins in the conversation. "So this is the man that's telling me off?" he asks Peter, and Peter nods. "What else did he say about us leaders?"
"I myself said nothing," says Father Vincent, "but that Peter you're speaking to said plenty about Max."
"Liar!" Peter screams.
"I think very highly of Max, actually," declares Father Vincent. There's a little twinkle in his eyes as he speaks next. "I think he's every bit as brave as I am."
"So you say he's not brave, is that it?" Eric accuses. "Listen to how he talks. He's backtracking, and giving out backhanded compliments. Right after getting exposed for the traitor he is."
"Harrison!" shouts Peter. The Dauntless jailer steps forward, bewilderment on his face. Peter goes on. "Drag this so-called holy man to prison immediately. He doesn't belong here, and not in Abnegation, either. He's cowardly, self-indulgent, a Divergent lover, and a traitor to his faction."
Harrison reluctantly slinks forward, brandishing a pair of handcuffs.
"Sir, don't try that just yet," Father Vincent warns him. He begins repelling Harrison with one hand.
"Just take him!" shouts Eric, one finger pointed at Harrison's face. Peter shouts his agreement. The Dauntless in the crowd alternate between cheering Peter on and booing him. Confused, Harrison appears to freeze in place, which makes Peter lose his temper. He staggers forward till he's within reach of Harrison and Father Vincent. Then his hand locks onto Father Vincent's garment, as he tries to pull it off in a frenzy.
"Wouldn't do that if I were…" Father Vincent begins.
"Come on, man up, you traitor! Show your face to the world!" Peter shouts, and in one sweeping maneuver, he tears off the garment and the parts of the disguise concealing Father Vincent's true face.
The assorted pieces drop to the ground. Everyone stares in utter disbelief as Max stares back at them.
Peter in particular goes cold where he stands. His lips part and a weak, strangled sound escapes his mouth as he realizes the implications of what he did. He backs away from "Father Vincent" like a petty criminal caught in the act. Eric, meanwhile, looks infinitely more disturbed. He has to reach out and grip Four's shoulder to keep himself steady. His eyes keep dancing back and forth between "Father Vincent" and Nita, who's watching the scene unfold passively.
All the members of the council, whom Max invited to the gathering, exchange knowing glances. Now they're fully aware of what Max did. They know he really was this "priest from Abnegation" who went to collect information on the living conditions in Dauntless. If they'd known, no Dauntless member would've said such slanderous things about him to his face.
Peter tries to tiptoe back into relative anonymity in the crowd, but Max stops him. He gestures for Harrison to grab one of Peter's arms. A Dauntless guard takes Peter's other arm. "Don't try and sneak away, sir," warns Max. "I'll be dealing with you later."
Peter begins to quiver from head to foot. "This might be worse than being factionless," he gulps.
Harrison's looking nervous as well, but Max calms him with what he says next. "What you said about me, I forgive. You didn't know what you were saying. You're innocent and can rejoin our group." Relieved, Harrison lets all the tension leave his body.
Max turns very slowly to Eric, looking him straight in the eye. Eric tries to avoid his gaze, but in the end gives up. "So, Eric," says Max. "Can you be brave and fully admit to every last thing you've done? If you can, show me what it looks like to have true courage, and stop holding back."
Eric's completely silent for several long moments. "Sir," he finally chokes out, "I'll tell you that I'm guilty. But just because you ordered me to. I don't know why you ever thought of me as brave, if I'd really been brave, I would've come clean hours ago. So you can declare me a traitor to the Dauntless and execute me. In fact, you can make this my confession. The only mercy I need is a bullet to the head and a quick trip to the chasm." He hangs his head and doesn't look either Max or Tris in the eye.
"Come here, Nita." The young woman obeys Max's command. She comes forward, and all of a sudden, everyone's looking at her. Max keeps his gaze on Eric. "So were you ever engaged to this woman?"
"I was, sir," Eric admits.
"Well then be a man, and marry her instantly!" Max roars at him. Some of the Dauntless spectators jump several feet at the volume of his voice. Max makes a gesture at Harrison. "Get the marriage certificate ready, and when that's done, bring him here again. Go."
Eric and Nita are whisked away by Harrison and a couple Dauntless guards. Four stares after them, his eyes looking like they might pop out of his head.
"I knew he had no honor," Four manages to get out. "But, sir, this disguise you came up with… it's unlike anything the Dauntless have ever tried. Erudite smart, if you ask me."
The council members on the sidelines murmur their agreement. Most of them look impressed. So does Tris, though there's still a shadow of anxiety on her face.
Max can't help but notice this. "Tris," he calls out. The younger woman looks up, stunned. Max continues. "The priest who helped you is now your leader. Your supervisor, actually, in the very near future. As you already know, you're on your way to officially becoming a member of the Dauntless leadership. You'll replace Eric after his loss of honor, and you'll do a stellar job, this I know."
Applause breaks out among the spectators. Tris lets herself smile, and soon, Four and the council members are smiling, too.
Tris
On most days, victory tastes sweet. It usually fills me with joy to know that I've achieved something, and through my own bravery at that. I felt like that when I realized I'd finished initiation at the top of the ranks. And when I chose to pursue leadership for the first time.
Today, though, my victory's tainted. It's been spoiled with the knowledge that Caleb died for it. I'd probably choose to trade Eric's defeat for Caleb's life, if I could. How selfish would I be if I agreed to let my brother suffer, just so I could be the one to bring about an enemy's downfall?
Max is getting ready to tell me something about Caleb. Plans to return his body to Erudite, maybe? But just then, Harrison reappears. Eric and Nita are with him.
Max points at Eric, and the latter actually flinches. "On the subject of this just-married man… and former leader of Dauntless…" He turns to me. "You ought to pardon him for Nita's sake. But we have found him guilty of two cowardly acts, not one. First, he tried to take your honor by taking your chastity. Second, he failed to keep his promise to you and your brother. Thus, Dauntless law demands that he be brave enough to take the same cruel treatment. An Eric for Caleb, death for death! The measure he gives will be the measure he gets."
With a gesture, Max has Harrison cuff Eric's hands behind his back. He continues with his rant. "Now you've been exposed, Eric, and your cowardice is out in the open. We therefore find it appropriate to condemn you just like you did Caleb, and to send you on a one-way trip to the chasm." To Harrison, "Take him away."
Harrison snatches Eric by the arm, tugging him away. Nita looks distressed. "Max, please," she pleads. "Don't make a coward out of my husband."
"Your husband made a coward out of your husband," Max replies without missing a beat. "I had you marry him for your child's sake. But in our faction, reputations tend to stick, and being with a bad man could tie you down in the days to come. So, a compromise was reached. We've decided to widow you with all his possessions, to buy you a braver man."
"I don't want any man," protests Nita, "except the one who saved me from that street gang."
My lips part and the muscles in my face tense up. I'm beyond surprised. I've seen some Dauntless who would put up with mistreatment just to prove their bravery, but still, this is unexpected.
"You needn't defend him," Max replies. "Harrison, you can take him away."
"But sir…" Nita looks on the verge of tears.
"You're wasting your words." Max turns away from Nita and focuses on Harrison, who still has Eric in his grip. "Take him to his death."
"Please, sir!" cries Nita. She lets her tears flow freely, and I imagine she's just as full of distress as when Max first spoke to her, disguised as the priest from Abnegation. Nita turns to me now. "Tris, you're a good woman. I know you understand. Talk to Max, and put in a good word for Eric and me, please."
Max's brow furrows. "Such a request makes no sense at all. You're asking for help from someone wronged by the man you love. If her brother were standing here right now, he'd call you both cowards."
"Tris, please," Nita begs. "You don't have to say much. Just tell Max you support me, and don't let my life be ruined." I don't move at first, and this makes Nita more upset. "Oh Tris, can you not be so cruel?"
"He was more cruel to Caleb," Max declares, unmoved.
I stand still for several more seconds. It's true I have no desire to save Eric, or placate Nita. In fact, my brain's telling me it would be wrong, that I'd offend Caleb's memory if I rescued his murderer. But what's my heart telling me? No, wait… what's God telling me?
I think of Al, and how I'll forever regret not forgiving him. I think of the boundless mercy God has heaped upon me, and how I hardly felt worthy of it, because I'd previously refused to be merciful myself. I think of my goal to improve, and to become more selfless, not less. Because I don't have to be cruel to strive to be the best Dauntless I can be.
This is something I absolutely have to do, not because I think Eric deserves it, because I don't. I have to do it because I want to live as God Himself would.
I take my place next to Nita, and I start speaking to Max. "Look, sir…" The words come out slowly at first, because I'm just not sure what to say. I gesture to Eric. "You condemned this man, and on paper, it sounds correct. I do believe he lived up to his own ruthless standards, until he looked at me. Since that's the case… you could let him live. My brother got justice, since he did the thing they killed him for. With Eric, he never committed the cowardly act he intended to commit. His intents were simply thoughts, but here in Dauntless, we punish actions."
"Yes, that's true," Nita chimes in, a beseeching look on her face.
Max doesn't answer for a while. The murmurs from within the crowd grow in volume as the spectators wait for his decision. Finally, he speaks. "You say your brother died," he reminds me. "But the Dauntless jailer says something else. Harrison, how is it that Caleb's body was unrecognizable when it was thrown into the chasm?"
Harrison answers without loosening his grip on Eric. "The body belonged to another man, sir."
"And who would that be?"
"Someone named Edgar," Harrison replies. "A factionless man."
"And why did you make the switch?" Max is looking at Harrison, but without an edge of suspicion. He seems merely curious. "You did say that the priest from Abnegation told you so, is that right?"
Harrison nods.
"Then there should be one other prisoner you spared, right? What would his name be?" Max waits for Harrison's answer, and so do all the others in the audience.
"Edward, sir," Harrison tells Max.
"Go, bring him here immediately. In fact, you can bring all the prisoners the priest from Abnegation told you to spare. And make sure you do it fast." Harrison doesn't wait one moment after that. He hurries away, the keys to the prison in his hand. Eric's released, but his hands remain cuffed behind his back.
Tobias studies Eric closely, and for a second, I think I see a hint of glee behind his eyes. "Can't believe a Dauntless man ranked second in his class would resort to such cowardice," he says. "I'm sorry, Eric. I know you were jealous of me, but then I figured you'd strive to be better, and not do something despicable like this."
These words affect Eric more than I thought they would. He can hardly even look Tobias in the eye as he speaks. "Sorry, Four," he chokes out. "You're right, I was jealous. I never cared before, because I got everything I wanted regardless. But now I'm reaping what I sowed, and it makes me realize what a disgraceful coward I am."
Tears are shed by both him and Nita, and I actually feel sorry for him. It doesn't take long for Harrison to return with a pair of prisoners. One is easily recognizable as Edward, who left initiation after Peter stabbed him with a butter knife. The other's anonymous, a black hood covering his head. I wonder who it is.
Max smiles at the sight of these two. I have a feeling he's about to do a dramatic reveal.
"Edward," says Max, "I've heard about you and your conduct in the prison. As leader of the Dauntless, I have the power to issue a pardon. I'm going to grant you one now, simply because there are other criminals I'd rather see locked up." I think his eyes settle on Peter as he says that, but his gaze soon moves on.
Edward stands in place for several seconds, then he asks, "Really?"
Max nods.
After a few moments of silent staring, Edward starts to giggle. It's an odd sound, filled with more mania than joy. It turns into a cackle, then a full-on belly laugh. Finally, Edward's laughing so much he can barely stand up straight. His feet start to move, and soon he's running out of the crowd of Dauntless and away from the gathering, on a path headed straight for the factionless sector.
In less than thirty seconds, he's completely gone. Max just shrugs and takes no more notice of him.
"Who's that wearing the hood?" he grills Harrison.
Harrison's hand closes around the garment covering the prisoner's head. "This is the other guy the priest told me to save. Someone who goes by the name of Caleb." And with that, the hood's ripped off.
It's my brother. For a second, I have trouble believing he's real.
But he is. Here he's standing, in the flesh, with his tousled dark hair, wide green eyes, and ill-fitting glasses. Yes, he's still wearing the baggy uniform of a Dauntless prisoner, but he's alive! Alive and here, and unhurt, and that's really all I care about right now. Before I can think about Dauntless customs and social etiquette, I rush forward, collide with my brother, and practically crush him in my arms.
He hugs me back just as tightly. I feel a stream of salty tears on his cheek.
"Well, if this isn't a happy family reunion." I hear the smile in Max's voice, and I feel grateful to him, but more so to God, for working yet another miracle in my life.
When at last I release Caleb from my hug, I look back at Max. He's still talking, but struggling to be heard over the cheers of the Dauntless. "If Caleb's life is indeed spared," he says loudly, "then it's only right that Eric and his new wife are spared, too. Well, Eric, your cowardice is forgiven. Make sure you love your wife, as any honorable man should." Out of the corner of my eye, I see Nita throw her arms around Eric's waist. He embraces her as well, and on his face are tears of either gratitude or remorse.
Max isn't done, though. "I, too, feel a need to forgive," he says. He then turns to Peter. "Yet here's one who's done things I can't let slide." His stare turns into a scowl. "You, the transfer from Candor, I believe. You called me lazy and inept, cowardly and ungentleman-like. What'd I ever do to you to deserve such slander?"
Peter gulps. He's resumed trembling from head to toe, now that Max's attention is on him. I doubt he's ever felt so scared in his life, except for when Tobias held a gun against his head. He speaks slowly, almost stuttering. "Sir, I just… I was just playing. If you wanna execute me for it, you can… but I'd rather you just kick me out."
"So," says Max, "you love your life more than your honor? You'd rather take the coward's way out, than face death for the death of a man's character? Fine, that makes you double the coward. We'll make you factionless first, then you'll be pitched into the chasm."
At this, Peter's face is drained of all its color. "No, no!" he pleads. He literally gets on his knees and tries kissing Max's feet.
"Oh, now you wish to take it all back. Well, I might've heard you confess to a lesser crime. Say, wasn't there a lady by the name of… Nicole, who got pregnant by this Peter?" The loud jeers from the crowd answer his question. Soon enough, a pale redhead comes forward, a squealing little boy in her arms.
Peter's eyes bug out of his head and he frantically shakes his head over and over. "Max, please, I beg you, don't make me get married to her."
"Then you'll pay child support for as long as she needs." Peter gasps upon hearing this, as if he just got hit by lightning. Max glances at Harrison. "Make sure he does as the law commands, or you can take him to prison and make plans for his execution."
"Paying child support to her is worse than being factionless!" Peter pleads, and to my amusement, I actually see tears in his eyes.
Max doesn't budge. "Slandering your leader deserves it," he says with finality.
Harrison escorts Peter away. He walks stiffly, his expression blank, as if he's in a trance. Like he can't fathom that this is happening to him. Still, I can't call to mind much sympathy for him. Nicole will get the support she needs soon enough.
Max takes his place before the crowd to make one last announcement. "Caleb, our Erudite friend…" I hug my brother tightly, afraid he'll slip away from me once more. Max continues. "We forgive your reckless acts, and give you safe passage back to your faction. Happy days ahead for you, Nita! You better treat her right, Eric. I've talked to her, she's a brave one. Thank you, Four, for taking charge and standing up to Eric. You'll have others answering to you in the near future. Thank you, Harrison, for your help in sparing the prisoners' lives. I'll make sure you're employed in a worthier place. And now, fellow members of Dauntless, I've got news regarding the future of this faction. I'm going to make a lot of changes, and those will involve new laws and statutes. Someone will need to help me with this. Tris?"
I accept his outstretched hand, grinning. I'm already anticipating my swearing-in as leader.
"So," says Max, to much applause from the crowd, "we'll all go home and start over. These changes need to be made soon, but they'll only make us braver."
I walk hand in hand with Tobias as we march back home. I feel more triumphant than I have in ages, and I know my career in leadership's just getting started.
God, I think, I thank You for all You've done for us. For me, and Tobias, and Caleb, and Nita, and even Eric and Peter. I promise to serve You well as I serve my faction. I promise to stay true to my values as a member of Dauntless, and as someone who still believes what the Abnegation believe. I promise to be selfless. I promise to have courage. Most of all, I promise to never stray from what I know is the right path.
Even as a Dauntless leader, I will do right. I will be brave. I already have.
AN: And that's it, folks! Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story! And now that it's all wrapped up, I can finally reveal which of Shakespeare's plays it's based on. It is basically Measure for Measure with only Divergent characters. The full cast list can be found below.
Max as Duke Vincentio
Eric as Angelo
Tris as Isabella
Four/Tobias as Escalus
Caleb as Claudio
Peter as Lucio
Nita as Mariana
Uriah as Pompey
Zeke as Froth
Harrison as Provost
Tori as Mistress Overdone
Gus as Elbow
Bud as Abhorson
Edward as Barnardine
Edgar as Ragozine
Matthew as Frederick
Christina as Angelo's Servant
Maria as Juliet
Nicole as Kate Keepdown
Lauren as Francisca
Sean as First Gentleman
Gabe as Second Gentleman
Mr. Black as Friar Thomas
If anyone thinks that ending is weird, well, that's exactly how the original play ended. Blame it on the Bard, not me! Lol.