THE KNIVES ARE OUT

FOUR POV

I walk into the training room and take in the smell of dust, sweat and sharpened metal. I feel good today, tired from capture the flag last night but happy to have been able to steal a kiss with my girl. I still can't believe I followed her up the Ferris wheel but it was worth it. I can't wait for initiation to be over and then we can be together. Knife throwing today. I've requested we get it taken out of training but it has fallen on deaf ears. Maybe now that I am going to be a leader I will have a little more input. Hopefully Eric will be happy to stay out of the training room; I can't see Max wanting two leaders training initiates. I will just have to wait and see, we may not even have a faction if Jeanine gets her way.

The initiates are already in the room along with Eric. Looks like they are all waiting for me. Eric could have shown them how to throw a knife but he won't want to make a fool of himself. Knife throwing is not a strength of Eric's. Eric stands in the middle of the room. He looks like he hasn't slept. Best to avoid him if possible.

"Tomorrow will be the last day of stage one," Eric says. "You will resume fighting then. Today, you'll be learning how to aim. Everyone picks up three knives, and pay attention while Four demonstrates the correct technique for throwing them."

He isn't meeting my eyes today. He will not be happy that he has now lost capture the flag again. It wouldn't matter who you were Eric does not like to lose to anyone. Today could be a long day if I'm not careful.

"Now!" he screams.

This has the initiates scrambling to get to the knives quickly. They must be able to sense the urgency in Eric's voice. I turn toward the target, a knife in my right hand. I hold the knife by its blade so the balance is right. Whenever I show initiates how to throw knives it always reminds me of my instructor Amar. He taught me well. I inhale and stare at the target's centre. I exhale and throw. The knife hits the target and I hear a few of the initiates draw breath at the same time.

I find a rhythm in it; inhale and pass the next knife to my right hand, exhale and turn it with my fingertips, inhale and watch the target, exhale and throw.

"Line up!"Eric yells at the initiates.

Knives are flying but, most of the time, not spinning. Even Edward hasn't figured it out, though he's usually the quickest, his eyes alive with that Erudite knowledge-craving.

"I think the Stiff's taken too many hits to the head!" Peter says. He is talking to Tris, I think after last night he won't be teasing Suzy any time soon. "Hey, Stiff! Remember what a knife is?"

I don't usually hate people, but I hate Peter. I hate that he tries to shrink people, the same as Eric was in the past.

Tris doesn't answer, just picks up a knife and throws, still with that awkward arm, but it works—I hear metal slam against board, and I smile.

"Hey Peter," Tris says. "Remember what a target is?"

I watch each of them, trying not to catch Eric's eye as he paces like a caged animal behind them. I have to admit that Christina is good—though I don't like giving credit to Candor smart-mouths—and so is Peter—although I don't like giving credit to future psychopaths. Al, however, is just a walking, talking sledgehammer, all power and no finesse.

Unfortunately Eric has also noticed.

"How slow are you, Candor? Do you need glasses? Should I move the target closer to you?" Eric says, his voice is strained.

Al the Sledgehammer has unexpectedly soft insides. The taunting pierces them. When he throws again, the knife sails into a wall.

"What was that, initiate?" Eric says.

"It—it slipped."

"Well, I think you should go get it."

Everyone stops throwing.

"Did I tell you to stop?" Eric says, I can hear the agitation in his voice. This is not good.

"Go get it?" says Al. "But everyone's still throwing."

"And?"

"And I don't want to get hit."

"I think you can trust your fellow initiates to aim better than you. Go get your knife."

"No."

The Sledgehammer strikes again, I think. The response is stubborn but there is no strategy in it. Still, it takes more bravery for Al to say no than for Eric to force him to get a knife to the back of the head, which is something Eric will never understand.

"Why not? Are you afraid?"

"Of getting stabbed by an airborne knife?" says Al. "Yes, I am!"

"Everyone stop!" Eric says. "Clear out of the ring."

Then to Al; "All except you. Stand in front of the target."

Al, gulping, lumbers over to the target. I know what Eric will do. And it will probably end with a lost eye or a pierced throat.

Without looking at me, Eric says, "Hey Four. Give me a hand here, huh?"

Part of me feels relief. At least I know that if I am throwing the knives instead of Eric, Al is less likely to get injured. But I also can't be this cruel; unfortunately I am not going to have a choice either.

I try to act casual, scratching my eyebrow with a knife point, but I don't feel casual. I feel like someone is pressing me into a mold that does not fit my body, forcing me into the wrong shape.

Eric says, "You're going to stand there as he throws those knives until you learn not to flinch."

My chest feels tight. I want to save Al, but I can't. Eric needs to keep acting his usual cruel self and I have to keep pretending that we are enemies. I decide to pretend that I am bored by the whole thing.

"Is this really necessary?"

"I have the authority here, remember?" Eric says. He makes sure it is loud enough for everyone to hear.

"Not for much longer," I say so only Eric can hear. I see a small smirk on his face.

Hopefully once we have stopped this Erudite attack we can start to change Dauntless. I hope that Eric's behaviour will calm down. Maybe if Suzy has feelings for him than she may be able to keep him under some sort of control or at least bring a softer side out of him. Not sure if that will be possible but I need to believe everyone can change. I need the hope.

And then she says, "Stop it."

I don't want Eric to turn on her instead. I glare at her as if that will make her think twice. I know it won't. I'm not stupid. Tris is always going to stand up for the underdog. It is one of the things I love most about her. But I also know that Eric isn't going to be able to back down either.

"Then it should be easy for you," Eric says. "If you're willing to take his place."

Eric glances at me. I give a small nod. I know he had no other choice than to do this. Doesn't mean I'm not angry about it.

"There goes your pretty face," Peter says, across the room. "Oh, wait. You don't have one."

Eric walks over to Peter and stands chest to chest with him. "What did you say?" he asks Peter in a very quiet low voice. I would not want to be Peter right now.

"Nothing," he says. "I didn't say anything."

"Well I think everyone in the room heard what you said Peter. I think that if you can keep making these sly comments toward others than it shouldn't be too hard for you to stand in front of the target."

"What?" Peter squeals. His voice has gone up a few octaves and I can see fear in his eyes.

"You can take Tris's place in front of the target," Eric says.

Peter doesn't move. I don't think he can. "Move!" Eric shouts into Peter's face.

Tris walks out of the way and Peter drags his feet as he stands before the target.

Eric walks over to where I am standing. "Make sure you scare the shit out of him," he says. "I don't care if you hit him. It would be better if you did."

I nod with a smile on my face. I turn the knife in my hand and I look over to Peter. His eyes are almost popping out of his head. He can't seem to be able to hide the fear, Peter is a true coward.

I throw the first knife and it goes through the fabric of his pants next to his knee. Peter lets out a sigh. Don't get to comfortable Peter I am only going to get closer I think to myself.

I move the knife from my left hand to my right and start the process all over again. The next knife is thrown and it lands in his T-shirt next to his waist. He lets out a small yelp, more from fear because I know I haven't hit him.

"Come on Four," Eric says. "You can get closer than that."

I give Eric a wide smile. Neither one of us likes Peter and I may as well enjoy this. I decide on the spot of where I am going to land the knife next and start my routine again. I hope Peter doesn't move or we may have a problem.

I let the knife go and the knife goes exactly where I wanted it too. Peter lets out an ear piercing scream and tries to jump away from the target but his clothes are stuck to the wall with the first two knives that were thrown. I don't understand why Peter has screamed, it's not like I stabbed him. I have only grazed his neck. It has taken the skin off but he isn't gushing blood. Lucky he didn't move or there could have been a lot worse outcome for him.

The other initiates are all laughing at Peter and he has gone bright red knowing that he has been put in his place. "I hope this teaches you to keep your mouth shut now Peter," Eric says. "If not I am sure Four would love to shoot some bullets at you."

"I think that's enough for today, you are all dismissed," Eric says.

Peter is the first to run from the room while the other initiates slowly walk from the room. The only people to stay are Suzy and Tris.

"Thank you Eric," Tris says.

"You need to learn to keep your mouth shut Tris. It is not a good time to be so bold," Eric says. "I can't just let it slide if you are going to open your mouth."

"Four I have something to show you. I think we can have Suzy and Tris come with us."

I have no idea what he wants to show me but it means I get to spend more time with Tris and I can't let the opportunity go. Eric starts to walk out of the training room and Tris, Suzy and I are looking at each other.

"Come on," Eric says. I shrug my shoulders to Tris and we start to follow.

We stopped at the housing allocation centre and then walked to an area of Dauntless that is only used by Dauntless leaders. We stop at a door with a number on it. Eric must be taking us to his apartment. Eric gives me the key and says, "Open it up."

I take the key from Eric's hand and I open the door. Eric walks into the room and motions for us to follow. The room we have walked into is fully furnished as a lounge room. I can see a dining room and kitchen further into the room and a staircase. There is nothing personal in the room and I wonder if we are in the right apartment. I would have expected Eric to have left his mark somewhere in the apartment.

"This is your new home Four," Eric says.

"What?" I say.

"Once the announcement is made tomorrow night this will be yours," he says.

"What announcement?" Tris asks.

"Haven't you told her yet?" Eric asks.

"I haven't said anything to anyone," I say.

"Well Tris your boyfriend is going to be announced as a leader tomorrow night," Eric says. "We need to keep it quiet until then. I thought this was a good time to show you your new apartment and then Suzy and Tris can join us for lunch at my place," Eric says.

I am shocked. I didn't expect a new apartment and I think I'm even more shocked that Eric is asking us all to have lunch together. He must really like Suzy.

"So Four you and Tris can stay and have a look around and Suzy and I can go and get us some lunch from the dining hall and bring it back up here. We can have lunch in my apartment, it's right next door," Eric says.

I just nod my head, I'm still trying to process what has happened.

"I will shout out once we are back," Eric says as he and Suzy leave.

"Are you okay?" Tris asks.

"Um, yeah. I think so. I didn't expect all this. Compared to my old apartment this is like . . . wow."

I can see Tris has a lot of questions to ask me, but I don't know if I'm ready to answer them so I take her in my arms and just hug her. Hold her as close as I can, this is where I feel my strongest, when I have my arms wrapped around Tris. I have so much that I am going to have to tell her and I know she is going to worry when she finds out what could happen to Abnegation. She will make herself sick with worry for her parents.

"Should we check out upstairs?" She asks.

"Why not. I'm going to be moving in here tomorrow. I suppose I should have a look at what I've got myself into."

We walk up the stairs hand in hand. We reach the top of the stairs and I can see four doors. We walk into the first room and it is a bedroom. There is a double bed with side tables and lamps. There is a chest of drawers and a wardrobe. On the wall next to the wall we just walked through is another door. I walk over and open the door to find a bathroom. There is a bath, shower, toilet and vanity in the room and across from where we have walked in there is another door.

We walk across the room and through the next door and find another room. The room is bare. So I suppose I could make it into anything I want. Maybe an office I am thinking. We walk out the door and into a hall way and across the hall into the last door. I open the door and both Tris and I say, "Wow." At the same time.

This room is massive. Tris walks over and opens another door and finds a bathroom. It is a lot larger than the other bathroom. There is a bath that I'm sure could fit four people in it. A shower with double shower heads in it. A toilet and twin vanities.

I walk back out of the bathroom and see I have a walk in robe. It would take me ten lifetimes to even imagine thinking of filling it. But I suppose when Tris and I get married she will find a way to fill it, probably Christina would help her with that. But that is a little way off. Tris is only sixteen and I'm only eighteen I think we can wait a few years before we do that.

I walk out of the wardrobe and find Tris jumping on my new bed. She is laughing and I can't help but start to laugh with her. We could never do anything like this when we were in Abnegation and I can't help myself I jump up on the bed and start jumping with her. I don't think anyone would believe her if she told them we were jumping up and down on a bed if she told them.

I stop jumping and I reach out and grab her. She stops jumping and I lean down and kiss her. Every moment I can steal with Tris I will at the moment. I love the feel of her lips on mine. I have hold of her and I sweep her legs out from under her so that we are now lying on the bed.

We start kissing again and it is starting to get really hot in here. I know where I want this to go but my Abnegation background is starting to creep into my head. I have to respect how Tris feels and the only other time we have really had a chance to be this close was in my apartment after the field trip. We haven't had sex but we were close that day. I'm a teenage boy and ever since Tris arrived in Dauntless it is the only thing I can think about.

Clothing is starting to be removed when I hear Eric yell out, "I've got lunch."

I groan and Tris giggles. Next thing I know Eric is in the room and I am trying to cover Tris with my body because she doesn't have a shirt on.

"Are you two serious?" Eric asks. "What happened to being from Abnegation?"

"We aren't in Abnegation Eric," I say.

"Obviously, I can see that Four," he says.

"Well can you get out so we can get dressed," I say.

"Yeah, sorry."

"We will be down in a second," I say.

Eric leaves the room and I look at Tris and she is trying not to laugh. "It is really funny Tobias," Tris says.

"That's not what I was expecting you to say Tris," I say.

I give her a peck on the cheek and I lift myself off the bed and put my shirt back on. Tris puts her shirt back on and we start to walk out of the room.

"Did Eric say you are moving in here tomorrow night?" Tris asks.

"Yeah he did. Why?"

"Well then we can officially christen the bed," she whispers to me. She is blushing as she says it.

"Tris," I say. I look into her eyes and I say, "We don't have to do anything until you are ready."

"I know Tobias. You have told me this before. Maybe I am ready," Tris says with a smile on her face.

"Well you just tell me when and I will be there, that is for sure," I say.

Tris lets out a small giggle and I really wish we could stay here in this moment forever.

"Hurry up you two. Lunch is going to be cold soon," Eric calls from downstairs.

"We better get down there, he seems in a good mood compared to this morning. I would hate to wreck it," I say.

We make our way down the stairs and follow Eric to his apartment. It feels strange knowing that I am going to have Eric as a neighbour. This whole situation with Eric feels strange. I have had to deal with him hating me for the last two years and now he is acting like we are best friends. I wonder how long it will last. Will it only last until this situation with Jeanine is over or is he really changing for the better? Only time will tell.