Disclaimer: I do not own the characters from Twilight or Divergent. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and Veronica Roth. I do own the characters created for the storyline. Please support the official release.
Writer's Notes: Thank you everyone for the reviews! I am mobile today so I hope the formating sticks lol. Don't forget to follow, favorite and review!
What didn't kill you, would always make you stronger. Dauntless made it harder to stay alive and while many would run from the challenge. The 20 left on the board were attempting to continue with their challenge. Bella was pissed at Tris, Chris and Will weren't understanding what was going on but in the very least they were keeping their mouths shut and doing what they were told. Tris was still on hold in the hospital bay. A week had gone by and the training for round two was becoming harder for the recruits. This week, they saw the wall again, manning it and seeing first hand how dangerous a ravager was. They did workforce duties around the city that pushed their physical limits.
Bella excelled at being a leader. The talk was, Bella was hard on them. She could be ruthless and she could be cold. People were starting to think that that's what leadership turned you into.
Bella didn't have a choice. The façade of not caring was her way of keeping her hold on Max. If she controlled Max, then she could control the outcome or whatever shit show Jeanine was planning.
"Bella." Jasper approached her after training. It was lunch chow. He was clearly sweating. Four had Bella and Eric take his group today while he went to Erudite for Max. Four was looking forward to the day when they took down Jeanine but for now he was playing his part.
Bella looked up at Jasper from her palm pilot. She was updating points. "Hmm?"
"So I've been to see Carlisle. He said that Tris seems to be doing better. He'll be releasing her sometime tonight." He relayed. He had been checking on her in the mornings. He hated that Tris had spiraled like that and said things that couldn't be taken back.
Bella nodded. "Its been a week. I assume she's rested since then. Either way, keep an eye on her when she gets released." She said and then looked at her watch. "Lunch chow. Then I want you to gear up for wall duty. I'm sending you, Will and Peter."
Jasper nodded. "Where's Eric?"
"Talking to Max." Bella said. "Its why he cut from training earlier."
"How are things with you two?" Jasper asked casually.
"Fine. I'm fine Jasper." Bella said and looked at her friend. "I promise I'm okay."
Jasper sighed. "I know you Bells. Don't shut us all out. Some of us care remember."
"I know." Bella offered a small smile. "Go on. Get some lunch before you're stuck for 6 hours with Peter."
Jasper smiled a bit and slapped her shoulder before he walked away leaving her there by herself.
Later that night Bella decided to work on her own training. She punched the bags and threw kicks. She was getting used to the hand. Having a bionic hand had its perks. She was just stronger with it. Which would work to her advantage. Her palm pilot beeped and she paused to pull it from her hip. It was Max. She sighed and clipped it back before leaving the training room to go see Max.
When she got to his office Eric and Four was there. "Must be something important to call me all the way here." She said as she entered.
Max smiled at her and stood, walking over to her. "It is. I have some news from Erudite on the details on the new device. You'll be able to use it to test everyone now. Jeanine has a few Divergents ready for pick up. You'll take care of them with Eric. Four, Marcus has a couple that I want you to go get from Abnegation. Things will pick up. Jeanine wants us to find Divergents over 40 % and bring them to her for some testing." He explained.
Bella nodded. "I'll make sure to add that to my schedule though Dauntless will come first." She said walking closer to Max. "We have 4 weeks left on training Max."
"Yes, but this takes precedent." Max relayed.
"Because Jeanine Matthews said so?" Bella's demeanor changed and it was like hitting a switch, Eric and Four watched in silence. "Come here Max." she ordered.
Max, intrigued by her tone and body language walked closer stopping right in front of her. His dark eyes looking down into hers. "You know what the mission is."
"You value Jeanine more than me." Bella said her hand coming up and stroking his face.
"Not at all." Max said, trapped in Bella's hold now.
Bella tilted her head. "Sounds like you're just taking orders from Jeanine and you don't care about Dauntless. An effective leader leads his people."
"I do lead. I know what I'm doing." Max said bringing his hand up and resting it on her hip.
Bella raised a brow. "Oh? Is that so?"
"I'm aware of what is important."
Bella studied Max and then motioned for him to lean down and he obliged. Her breath was hot in his ear. "What's important is you understand me Max. In which case you don't. I don't look up to no one. And I will tell you when you're allowed to touch me. You don't want to see me angry, do you Max."
Max leaned back taking his hand away. He understood.
"Prove to me that I mean more Max." Bella commanded him in her domineering tone.
Max didn't hesitate and went to his knees in front of Bella.
Eric was uncomfortable with Bella, her seducing Max but he forced himself to stay out and not make a move. Four was uncomfortable too, watching Bella act like this.
Bella smiled a cat like smile. "Good." He said and bent her lips touching Max's forehead. Max closed his eyes inhaling her scent as she bent over. She leaned back. "I'll test for Divergents in my free time. Understood?"
Max nodded opening his eyes to look up at the goddess that was Bella. "Of course. I understand."
"You can stand now." Bella said with a small smile. Her palm pilot dinged. "Get me that new device, Max. I'll see you tomorrow." She said then she turned and brushed past Eric, her shoulder brushing his arm.
Eric had to mentally compose himself before he spoke. "Was that all sir?" he asked.
Max snapped back to himself. "Yes. If they give you problems going, sedate them first." He said his voice firm. "Dismissed. "
Eric and Four turned and left. Not saying a word until they were down in the training room.
"Its like she had him trapped in a trance." Four finally spoke.
Eric hated seeing Bella like that. "She's got a tight hold on him. I hate to admit it, but this is a good thing. I just… don't like seeing someone else touch her no matter what it is. "
Four shook his head. "She's dangerously seductive. I admit. It made me uncomfortable."
Eric blew out a breath. "Yeah. It's how I got trapped. I couldn't stop."
Four slapped Eric on the back. "Yeah. What she's doing with Max isn't the same as you and her. Just know that she loves you. She's doing this for the better good."
"She… she won't sleep with him right?" Eric asked. It was a concern of his. Bella would push the boundaries if it meant it helped the cause.
"No. She wouldn't go that far Eric. She loves you too much for that. Don't think about it. If you do, you'll drive yourself mad."
Eric knew that Four was right. He just sighed. "You're right."
"Of course I am." Four said with a smile.
Bella walked to the hospital bay and Tris walked out. She stopped, looking at her sister. She looked rested at least. No more dark circles. "Are you coherent now?" she asked.
Tris stared at Bella, hatred welling up in her but she nodded, hiding her anger. "I got some rest."
"Good. Training in the morning. 7."
"I just want to know something." Tris said.
Bella raised a brow. "What do you want to know?"
"How you can sleep at night. You let Al die and you locked your sister up for mental issues. Has it occurred to you that maybe you're the unstable one?"
Bella knew that a week was not long enough. "You lied to get out of psych hold."
"I'm not stupid Bella. You think your stunt is going to save you. It's not. I have Al's stuff. He wrote about what everyone was. What he was. He has details of everything. Including plans for your little hidden city."
Bella felt anger well inside her. "You would jeopardize the lives of children for your anger towards me?"
"They're the reason why he's dead." Tris spat. "Just like you. You think you're better than everyone else. Al wouldn't have been out there on those vines if it wasn't for you pushing him." She chided.
"So what? You're going to expose the whole thing?"
"Of course I am. You're an abomination." Tris scoffed.
Bella attacked Tris then, slamming her against the wall holding her there. "You don't get what you're doing. How dare you threaten me."
"Its not a threat. I will expose you all and your filth." Tris growled back angrily.
Bella growled and slammed her bionic hand into her face and got Tris on the ground. Tris fought back but Bella overpowered her. Tris stuck something into Bella's side and she realized it was the knife from her own belt. But that didn't stop her. She slammed her fist down into her face again.
"62 people. That is how many people I will protect at all costs. You don't get to threaten me." Bella yelled at her and slammed her fist into her face again.
Arms came around her from behind and she threw her elbow catching Eric in the face and she went back to Tris. "You're pathetic!" she cried out and hit Tris again.
Eric grabbed her again, this time getting a good hold on her. "Bella, it's me. Stop. She's dead Bella." He said quickly in her ear.
Bella cried in anguish as her legs gave from under her and she sank to the ground, Eric with her.
Four ran a hand through his hair as he surveyed the damage. "God damn."
Bella looked over at Tris's lifeless body through tears. She saw her sister and flashes of memories went through her. Tris's laugh and the way they played as girls. The times that Bella helped Tris off the ground after falling off some rubble and hurt her knee. When they jumped off the train here at Dauntless. She thought about Caleb and then her parents. She felt her side throbbing and she moved a shaky hand over it. She felt the blood around the knife and she pulled it out, blood gushed out over her hand.
"Shit. Four she was stabbed." Eric said then he lay Bella out and pulled at his shirt to stop the bleeding. It was worse than the time she got shot.
"I'll get Carlisle." Four said and rushed away.
Bella put her hand over Eric's that was holding his shirt to her wound. "Let me go Eric."
"No. Don't you talk like that damnit."
"I'm not worth it." Bella said feeling a bit lightheaded. She closed her eyes.
"Bella, open your eyes. Look at me! You don't get to die!"
Bella didn't open her eyes. She relived memories of Tris and she relived the moment with Al in her head. It was like it was on repeat now. Her consciousness waivered and soon darkness overcame her.