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The expedition experience was meant to give the recruits a look at what was beyond the wall. Eric, Lukas, Four and Bella gathered at five in the morning to go over the details of the expedition.
"Why don't we take them North?" Four asked.
Eric shook his head. "North is too close for comfort." He said referring to the Divergent civilization living outside the wall. "There's the cliffsides headed East. There's a waterfall and some caves that way."
"Yeah, but we have ravagers that way too. That's a lot to handle with a group this size." Four said.
Bella shook her head. "Eric's right though. The expedition that way will be more fruitful, even with ravagers. I think a group this size will ward off the ravagers." Ravagers were beasts that had been altered by the toxic waste from the fallout of war. They were of higher intelligence than the other beasts and they posed a great risk to the wall since they could climb. That was part of manning the wall, protecting the faction and the people in it, from the raving beasts outside it.
Lukas thought about it. "East is going to be safer for the mission."
Four was quiet a moment. "Okay. You're right. I'll take up the rear, let you lead it. You're more familiar with that part of the territory."
"Alright. Sounds solid. Bella, hang around the middle, Lukas you watch her back." Eric instructed.
Bella nodded her understanding and Lukas did too, fistbumping Bella. "Alright, well, until then, I'm going to my meeting with Max at 6 and we'll meet back here at 7." She verified.
Eric looked at his palm pilot and then nodded. "Right." He said and they all separated, going off to handle their tasks.
Bella walked in Max's office and crossed her arms. "Alright, I'm here."
Max studied Bella. "The expedition today. Is it thought out?"
"Yes. Don't tell me you called me all the way to your office to ask me that." Bella said, arching a brow.
"Yes and no. We're needing to find a higher water source. Your expedition is part of that. The lake we have here is running lower than normal and we need a way to redirect water. I want you to scope out the area while you're outside the way."
"Again, this could have been a message Max."
Max smirked a little. "But then I wouldn't get to see your face."
Bella walked closer to his desk, leaning over and staring him in the face. "Anything else?" She asked, her tone dropping, inviting.
Max studied her. "No… not right now." He managed to say and he watched her lean back and hit something on the palm pilot.
Bella looked back at Max. "Alright. I'll take note of the surroundings, create a digital map. Next time, send a message." She said and left his office. She walked back down, cutting through the training area where she saw Al. He seemed to just be studying the training room. "Al?"
Al looked up at Bella and he offered a small smile. "Bella. I'm sorry. I didn't know she would react like that."
Bella blinked a couple times and then she just shook her head. "Tris is… Tris. You're staring off into space though. What's on your mind?"
Al was quiet a moment. "I've… I've been having vision problems. It comes and goes, but mostly it's just… off. I didn't want to admit it, but it really has affected me."
Bella frowned. "Have you gone to see Carlisle?"
"I have." Al said and sighed. "It's my depth perception and my near sighted range. He said that glasses would help with the nearsightedness, but the depth perception… he said that won't be helped. Either way, I'm just trying to figure out how to survive."
Bella felt bad for Al. He struggled a lot to get where he was. "Listen, you're a great asset to the team. You're going to be great. Don't sweat the small stuff."
Al smiled at her again. "Thanks. It means a lot hearing you say that."
Bella smiled back at Al, but it faltered when she saw Tris enter the training room. "Just keep your chin up Al." She said and Al nodded. She turned to walk away but Tris called out to her.
"Bella…"
Bella sighed and turned to look at her sister. "What?"
"I… I'm just sorry. I didn't… I didn't mean to get so upset. I understand…"Tris apologized.
Bella nodded, looking at her watch and the time. "Well, thank you. Be ready by 7, we're doing the expedition then. Hydrate." She said, before leaving the training room altogether.
Seven came faster than anyone anticipated. Everyone was gathered now in the training room. Lukas and Four got everyone geared up and ready for the expedition.
"Why do we need overnight packs?" Chris asked.
"The expedition is a long one. We expect to be away for a week or more." Bella explained and checked her palm pilot. She loaded up a map, studying it. "We're going to take the outbound train and bounce off right when it leaves the wall. We'll hike from there going East." She said and looked over at Eric, he nodded.
"Alright, listen up. You're still being graded. Where you fall on the board, determines where your job is going to be once this round is over. Keep one of your leaders in your sight at all times. If you do this, you won't get lost. It is dangerous, I don't want to hear whining and complaining. You're the ones that made it through the first round, so act like it." Eric said his tone clipped.
"Let's move." Lukas said, his voice carrying an air of authority.
They all filed along, working their way to the train system.
Sweat poured off Bella as they hiked through the radioactive terrain outside the wall. Her legs felt the sting of the harsh fall she took catching Chris from falling off the cliffside the third day in. Eric looked back at Bella and saw the fatigue. They had already spent a week in the terrain and so far, Al and Peter were having the hardest time in the heat and with the terrain. This round of tests was meant to push the recruits to their breaking point, physically and mentally.
Bella kept pushing ahead, not thinking about the thirst she felt or the fact that she was impaired at the moment.
"You know, I should have worn my other boots." Chris said as they hiked up farther into the cliffside.
Will snorted. "You'd complain about those too." He poked fun at her.
"You're probably right." Chris conceded.
Jasper smirked. "Hell, I wish our gear was like what Lukas is toting. Seems like the promotion gives perks. Where can I sign up for that?"
Lukas smiled, looking back at Jasper. "Stop being number seven on the board." He joked.
Four stayed in the back of the group like planned. Hiking outside the wall left them vulnerable and he didn't like this exercise at all. Only the strongest should be outside the wall and Al was definitely not one of the strongest, he hated to admit it, but neither was Tris.
Bella's leg continued to hurt, but she pushed through the pain until it was numb. She didn't want to show that she was struggling, especially to Eric since he looked back at her every so often to check on her wellbeing. The expedition was taking longer than expected, but they were plenty prepared for it. They hadn't encountered ravagers yet, but that didn't mean they lowered their guard.
Soon, the group came up on where the spring was supposed to be located. This was their goal. They were going to rest at the spring, enjoy some refreshing water and a break from the arduous hiking. The spring was inside the cliffside within a cave system. The water had previously been tested and cleared of the harmful minerals that used to leech into the water from the war fallout. It was a beautiful sight, the greenery that draped the cave walls and the waterfall that dripped down. Large vines hung down across the entrance to the cave and there was a large cavern that opened up below the vines. The only way across was using the vines to securely get across from one ledge to the other.
Eric pulled on the vine, testing it briefly before he crossed first. Jasper went second, showing no fear of the unknown below. Lukas and Will went right after then Christina. More of the group started across, each successfully making it. Bella hung back, watching Jake and Heather make it across before Tris started her journey across. Tris gets to the other ledge and smiles to herself on the small victory of overcoming an obstacle.
Al hesitated before he grabbed the vine, unsure of himself, but he quietly takes on the challenge. Al reached and grabs the other vine, carefully selecting where he's going, but his hand misses and he slips. His drop towards the bottomless cavern seems to nearly swallow Al. He yelped, catching the vines somehow but he's dangling and using a lot of his strength to keep from falling below.
Bella reacted, even with her leg slowing her down, she was faster than the others. She flung herself into the vines and grabbed Al's hand before he slips and falls. Bella held on tight, though the vines are tangled around their hands and Al is left free dangling, his entire weight pulling on Bella's hand.
She struggled with pulling that much weight up, her shoulder twisted up in the vines about her and everything was so twisted. Her shoulder feels like it's popping out of place, but she refuses to give up. The vines wrapped around her hand and Al's starts cutting off her circulation.
People are shouting, trying to get Bella to swing him over closer to the ledge. Eric panics and tries to get closer to Bella.
"Bella!" Eric called out and he starts gauging which vines are safest to use to get down to her.
"Al!" Tris yelled, upset clear on her face and she battles tears as she watches Al hang on for his life. Emotions are high throughout the group.
Al looks up at Bella. The damage she is enduring for his sake pains him. Her hand was losing it's color and it was clear that he was the problem here. He reaches for his knife with his free hand and manages to get it free.
"Al, don't you do it." Bella yelled at him. "I have you."
"You can't hold my weight." Al yelled back.
Bella strains, pulling with her hand with all her might to lift Al and she manages to pull him closer to her. "Al, grab the other vine. Drop the knife, you don't need it."
"Bella your hand!" Al yells at her again.
Blood pours around her hand and slips over the vines, her hand is purple at this point, the loss of blood flow slowly killing her hand. She pulls anyways, trying to pull him up, but the vines wrap tighter when she does this. She tries to swing him, but she feels the tear in her arm, her hand ripping at this point and then Al takes his knife and slashes at the vines.
"Al don't!" Tris screamed.
Eric managed to find vines and he climbs down. "Bella, don't move." He states quickly. He couldn't lose her. Not now, now after everything they had been through. He knew that climbing down to her was a risk and that he was putting his life in danger, but that didn't matter to him right now. What mattered to him was getting Al and Bella to safety.
Bella looked up at Eric. "Eric! Don't! Your weight will rip the vines. Stay there!"
"I have to get to you!" Eric called down to her.
Al swiped at the vines again, determined to save Bella from his incompetence.
"Al stop!" Bella begged. The vines start fraying above Bella when she swings him again and Al takes one last swipe across the vines and he dropped. He didn't scream. There was no impact. He was there and then now he wasn't.
"AL!!!!!" Bella cried out. "Fuck!" She cursed and tears blinded her but she shook it off. The vines still had her hand trapped and she couldn't get it free, but she swung her legs, trying to get to the cliff side, but Eric managed to get to a spot where he could get to her. When she swung over again, he caught her, his arms strong around her.
"Hold on." Eric said, rushed. He assessed the situation and looked back at the cliff. He had longer legs and so he swung over, his feet getting a footing and then he pulled her to him, her feet getting solid under her. He rushed to cut the vines away from her arm and her hand, but the damage was too severe to her hand. It had completely separated at this point. He swooped her up into his arms and carried her over a little ways and Four came to his side.
Bella slammed her good hand into the ground as she screamed in anguish that she couldn't save Al.
Tris was sobbing at the other ledge, on the edge looking over into the darkness that just swallowed Al. Lukas had a hold on her so she wouldn't slip and fall into the abyss, Bella was pissed that she couldn't save Al.
Eric looked at her hand. "Bella, this is bad." He wasn't going to sugar coat it.
Bella looked over at her hand. "Fuck it." She said then pulled a longer machete from her waist and she swung it around, making Eric jump back and it hit her hand that was already close to being completely severed anyways.
"Fuck." Eric pulled his shirt up over his head and was instantly wrapping it around her arm. "Four, your belt. Now!"
Four pulled his belt off fast giving it to Eric and watched him fasten it on her arm to stop the bleeding. His hands were covered in her blood now. "Bella, that was stupid." He scolded.
"Stupid, not stupid. I don't care. You need to cauterize it Eric."
Eric knew that would stop the bleeding better, but it could start an infection. They were a week out from Chicago in this terrain since it was a hike into the cliffside. "Bella, this is serious. We only have some medicines. We didn't prepare for an injury this substantial. Baby… I can't… I can't lose you, you know that."
Bella looked up into Eric's steel eyes. She saw the fear there. The real fear that she could die out here. "It's okay. I'm going to be fine. Listen to me. We need the blow torch that Lukas packed."
"You can't be serious." Eric said, shaking his head.
Bella reached up and touched his face with her only hand. "Eric, I love you. Trust me please."
Eric closed his eyes and then nodded. He opened his eyes and looked at Four. "I need the blow torch from Lukas."
Four nodded and went to the ledge. "Lukas. Toss me the blow torch." He yelled over Tris's sobs.
Jasper grabbed Lukas's pack quickly and pulled the blow torch out of it and he crossed with the vines quickly, handing it off to Four and then going to Bella's other side. "You are so stupid." He scolded her.
Bella's dark eyes met Jasper's. "He's dead because I couldn't save him. We'll talk about what's stupid later. Now shut the fuck up and give me your belt."
Jasper pulled his belt off through the loops then gave it to her and she put it in her mouth. Sweat was pouring off her, he could see she was in pain, but she wasn't trying to let anyone see it.
Eric flicked the blow torch on. He couldn't believe he was going to do this and he hesitated, looking down at her face. His heart felt like it was going to explode out of his chest.
Jasper sighed and took the blow torch. "Move." He ordered Eric and he shifted places with Eric and Eric stood running a hand through his hair. Jasper moved the blow torch to her stub where her hand had been. Bella clamped down on the belt and screamed involuntarily as the fire blistered the stub, closing over the wound. Jasper turned the blow torch off and then undid Four's belt and watched for any bleeding. When she didn't start bleeding he relaxed a little, but not for long before he leaned back, pulling his shirt off and started ripping it. "Gauze, Eric from your pack."
Eric went to his pack and grabbed the first aid supplies. His chest was hurting so bad seeing Bella in that much pain. The others were stunned, shocked that Bella was going through something like this. The only thing that could be heard was Tris's sobs and heavy breathing from Bella at this point. He handed Jasper everything he had.
Four went to Eric and laid a hand on his shoulder. "You need to compose yourself. They don't know what's going on and right now you're looking like someone in love with Bella and not her co-leader." He murmured low in Eric's ear.
Eric realized that. Of course he did. It was hard to not stay calm when it was the woman he loves in imminent danger. "I got it. Go. Handle the others. Get them to the spring. We'll follow."
Four nodded and then he went to the vines and he swung across effortlessly. "Alright, let's keep moving. Lukas, carry Tris. We don't have time to stay stopped. We need to get to that spring." He ordered.
Lukas hesitated a moment not really wanting to leave Bella behind but he nodded, grabbing at Tris, who was still losing it and he swung her up into his strong arms.
Chris and Will looked at each other, obviously shook up about Al dying and Bella losing her hand, but she was being taken care of. They had no choice but to keep moving. The rest of the group was silent as they followed Four and Lukas.
Jasper wrapped Bella's stump after he applied every antibiotic ointment they had over the stump and then he took his shirt and wrapped it around the gauze to hold it in place. "I know it still hurts. Take this Tylenol. It's what we have." He said, giving her four pills. It was twice the dosage in one sitting but right now he was more worried about her going into shock from pain.
Bella took the pills and dry swallowed them. "Eric, reset my shoulder."
"You dislocated your shoulder?" Eric asked, incredulously.
"Yes, it just needs to be reset." Bella said and sat up more. Eric knelt down, putting his hands on her shoulder from the front and the back, he felt where it was popped out of place and he snapped it back into place and Bella groaned. "Thanks." She muttered and then Jasper helped her get to her feet.
Jasper grabbed Lukas pack and put it on then looked at Eric. "You okay to carry her across?"
Bella waved a hand. "I can do it."
"Absolutely fucking not." Eric cursed. He grabbed her and pulled her to him. "You are going to be the death of me. I need you to just slow the fuck down and listen to me for once. I want you to wrap your legs around me the best you can.
Bella sighed and she complied and Eric hoisted her. She weighed about 110 pounds, so she was easy to carry. Jasper grabbed Eric's pack and put it on, carrying it from the front.
"Okay, I'll go across first and set the packs down then I'll help get her across." Jasper said, Eric nodded and watched Jasper swing across and set the packs down. He swung back across and he helped loop a vine where Eric could step into and he used a second vine to swing across safely. Jasper crossed behind him, swinging wide because of the lack of vines. He got his footing and let the vine go.
Eric didn't want to let Bella down, his arms just came around her and he held her for a moment, his face in her hair as he tried to compose himself. He leaned back and she tilted her face up to look at him and he leaned down and kissed her softly. "I love you. Please… please listen to me the rest of this trip. I have to get you back to get checked out. We're looking at probably five more days."
Bella nodded, giving in. She saw the fear in Eric's eyes and Eric hardly had fear. "I love you too. Now put me down and act like you're not in love with me in front of the others."
Eric kissed her again before he let her down to her feet. "How's your leg?"
"Doesn't hurt as bad as my missing hand." Bella said and shifted her own pack she had on. Eric took it from her and put it on. "I'm not completely disabled."
"Darlin' you're missing your hand, you dislocated your shoulder and you have a fucked up leg. I'd say you've taken enough beating this trip. Let us help." Jasper said and then leaned in and kissed her forehead. "We want you to make it out of this alive. Listen to your boyfriend. Please." He said, his honey eyes showing his concern.
Bella sighed and nodded. "Fine." She muttered and they continued on to the spring.