Chapter 8

I have successfully managed to avoid Eric for the entire week – outside of work stuff, at least. During work I tried to keep our conversations to a bare minimum. I am pretty sure he noticed that something is off. In fact, he asked to go for a coffee after a meeting with Amity – a thing we regularly did together after I became a leader in training but haven't done in a while now – but I knew that he was just going to try and get me to talk. So I told him I had plans.

I still cannot believe I actually forgot who Eric is. Who he is working for and what goals he wants to accomplish. That he would stop at nothing.

I don't think I have ever seen something as terrifying as Eric deciding to kill that guy without blinking, without remorse. He did not even say a word about it afterward. On the whole train ride back to Dauntless my heart was pounding like crazy, the image of the guy bleeding out replaying over and over in my head.

"Triiiissy," Uriah's voice breaks me out of my thoughts as he walks into my office. Across the hall, Eric lifts his head.

"Uri," I sigh, massaging my temples. "It's not a good time right now."

"I'll make it quick," he replies. "Chris's party is tonight and you still haven't told us whether you'll be coming."

Oh god. The party. I completely forgot about that.

"I know that Chris is going to kill me," I sigh. "But I'm not coming. I just want to spend my Friday evening on the couch doing nothing. I need some time for myself, to think."

"Are you okay?" Uriah asks, his face completely serious for a change. "You look more tired and stressed out than usual. Still got your hands full with factionless?"

"Among other things," I mutter before I can stop myself. Thankfully, Uriah doesn't push.

"I'll tell Chris you're not feeling well," he gives me a soft smile. "You know you can talk to me, right? If you need anything, I'm here for you. We all are."

"Thanks, Uri," I whisper, afraid I might start crying. I feel like my emotions are all over the place at the moment. What the hell is wrong with me?

Uriah waves me goodbye and I watch him leave. My gaze flies toward the other office and my eyes meet Eric's. He frowns and I immediately look down at the file on my desk again.

The file consists of images and names of more factionless that Zeke and Four found on the cameras. However, there is no video material whatsoever showing by whom or how the bomb was placed. Even though the guy at Erudite told us that he and Edward were the ones responsible for placing it we cannot not rely on his statement alone. All in all, we are still at square one.

I look up when Eric knocks on my open door.

"Max texted," he says. "He'll be here in about five minutes."

I nod and close the file before getting up and following Eric to the conference room for our weekly meeting. Since the attack on the leaders we have met up every Friday afternoon and discuss any new information regarding factionless before finally calling it a day.

The meeting is relatively short since there aren't any news regarding the bombing and otherwise nothing special happened this week. Eric keeps staring at me the entire time, his expression quizzical, like he is trying to figure me out.

The moment Max dismisses us I get up and almost sprint out of the room.

I make it around the corner and halfway down the next corridor when Eric catches up with me and grabs my upper arms, turning me around.

Before I can even blink he roughly pushes me against the wall, his face inches away from mine.

"What the hell, Stiff," he snaps angrily. "What's going on with you?"

"Nothing," I breathe, staring at him with wide eyes, my heart pounding in my chest. All I can focus on is the way his body almost touches mine, the way his eyes are boring into my own.

"Bullshit," he growls, the grip around my arms tightening. "You've been avoiding me."

"I haven't –"

"Stop lying to me!" he spits, moving forward. His upper body is now pressed against mine, pushing me further into the wall. I stiffen, my eyes widening even more.

"Eric," I whisper, staring up into his cold, piercing gray eyes. "You're scaring me."

"Fucking finally," he snaps before letting go of my arms and taking a step back.

"Come again?" I furrow my brows, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

"That's why you've been avoiding me, isn't it? Because of what happened at Erudite. You're afraid of me."

I consider denying it but I don't have the energy. I look down at the ground.

"You killed someone, Eric," I say quietly. "Without hesitating. You ended his life. Just like that."

Eric steps toward me again and places his hand on my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes again.

"You've seen me kill someone before, remember?"

"That was different! Last time, you did it to save me. But that guy at Erudite was on his knees and had no weapon and you promised him his freedom and then you killed him!"

"You do realize what he wanted to do to you, don't you?" he asks softly, yet his expression is still hard, his jaw still set. "I mean, besides blowing us up."

"He wanted to rape me," I say and I see a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He did not expect me to say it out loud. "But he didn't. You didn't let him."

Eric lets go of my chin and steps back. He gives me one last, angry glance before turning around and walking away from me. Three steps later he suddenly whirls around again, his face contorted with rage.

"You know, I did some research on the guy before we went to Erudite. I didn't want to go in there blindly. I wanted to know who we were talking to, what made the guy tick, what might have made him talk. You want to know why he was factionless?"

He doesn't give me time to answer.

"Rape and murder. He raped two women and murdered the first. The second got away hence the trial at Candor. I've read the entire statement, every single thing he did to those women. The medical report of the second woman states that her butt hole was irreversibly damaged. The psychological pain she suffered was too much so she killed herself after the trial was over."

I stare at him, completely shocked. I cannot and do not want to imagine what those women went through.

"So you killed him because of what he did to them?" I ask.

"No," Eric answers, walking toward me again. "I killed him because he deserved it. I didn't kill him for what he did to these women." He takes another step forward, crowding me into the wall again. "I killed him because he wanted to do those things to you."

This time, he presses his entire body against mine and my heartbeat speeds up again. Keeping my gaze on his, all I can concentrate on is the heat of his body, the feeling of his toned chest against mine, the feeling of something unmistakably hard against my lower belly. His right hand tangles itself in my hair and pulls slightly, forcing my head back. Suppressing a moan, I bite my lips.

I am so distracted and confused I almost miss his next words.

"I will kill anyone who tries to lay a finger on you."

A wave of sudden coldness washes through me when Eric once again steps back and walks away, leaving me standing alone in the corridor.

Breathing heavily and heart still beating like crazy I sink down onto the cool floor.

What the hell just happened?

Sighing, I snuggle deeper into the soft blanket on my sofa and turn the volume of the TV a bit louder. This is what I needed, some time for myself. Some time to relax and try not to think – about Eric being a murderer, about Eric pinning me to the wall like that, about feeling Eric's excitement down there, about Eric saying what he did. About Eric in general.

What the hell did he even mean by saying that he would kill anyone that tried to hurt me? Why would he even bother? It's not like he cares for me or something. He made that quite clear when I visited him in the infirmary.

And why the hell can't I stop thinking about everything that happened between the two of us in the last couple of weeks? Why the hell does it affect me at all? We are barely even friends – well, at least on his good days. But something has definitely changed between us.

And then his bodily reaction when he had me pinned – I have seen the women he invites into his bed. Why the fuck would he react like that with me?

I groan and bang my head against the pillow a couple of times. So much for not thinking about Eric.

I force myself to focus on the movie playing on TV and am successful for about five minutes when the image suddenly disappears and the screen is full of black and white flickering stripes.

Great. Just great. Of course this could not be the relaxing evening I so desperately need and looked forward to.

Throwing back the blanket I get up and walk toward the kitchen isle where my phone is charging. Or should be charging. I frown when I realize that the charging station is obviously out of order as well.

I grab my phone and scroll through the device, looking for Phil the janitor's number before pressing the call-button and putting the phone to my ear.

The line is dead.

In this instant I know that something is wrong. It is obviously not an electricity issue in my apartment or I would have been able to make a call.

Putting the phone back down on the counter I hurry toward my apartment door.

Apart from the dim light the moon provides through one of the windows at the end of the hall, the corridor is dark. I try the light switch but nothing happens.

Then, before I realize it, I am in front of Eric's door, my arm raised and poised to knock.

I pause and look down at the shorts and the thin top I am wearing and consider whether to go back and at least put on a bra but then dismiss the idea. By now Eric has seen me in only a towel while sitting in the shower so the thought of him seeing me without a bra – again – is not as uncomfortable as it once was.

So I knock on his door and then wait. And wait. And wait.

He obviously is not home.

I try the other leaders' apartments but they are all gone as well. I contemplate whether to go to Chris and Will's apartment or down to the pit but then decide for the latter. Besides, my friends will probably already be there.

Slowly making my way through the empty, almost dark corridor I once again get the feeling that something is not right. I pass the elevators and see that they are out of power as well. Turning toward the camera in the corner I recognize that the same applies for our camera system, apparently.

I keep walking, moving toward the staircases, not meeting a single soul on the way. The whole compound is eerily quiet.

When I reach the level leading to the pit I pause for a moment. Considering what happened during the last couple of weeks I have to assume that we are under attack. And wouldn't the attackers expect us to all come together at the pit? If factionless is indeed behind this, they would have a lot of insight on how Dauntless works, thanks to Edward and who knows how many other ex-Dauntless. Maybe the safest place to go would be the weapons room and arm up to defend myself. Unlike Eric, I do not carry around a handgun, least of all in my sleeping clothes.

The weapons room it is, then. I would feel a lot safer with a weapon in my hand right now. I can find the others later. Knowing Four and Zeke, they might have had the same idea as me and I will run into them downstairs.

I descend the next couple of staircases, my feet fast but light so as to not get noticed.

When I enter the corridor to the basement I slow down. First, because there is no more moonlight down here. Second because I can hear voices in the distance.

Pressing myself flat against the wall I slowly edge forward to the end of the corridor. The voices get louder, none of them familiar. I can feel the hairs rise on my arms, my body going into soldier mode.

Carefully, I peek around the corner.

There are flashlights and I recognize five people, all wearing some kind of mask. Two of them are holding machetes in their hands, the third is in possession of some kind of baseball bat with spikes at the top.

"Edward said it was this way," one of them, a male voice, says. My heart starts pounding when I realize that their destination is the same as mine.

I have to stop them. I cannot let them get their hands on our weapons, it could end in a bloodbath. And since the power seems to be out in the entire compound I can only assume that the same applies for the security panel for the weapons room.

I have no idea how to take out five people but I am determined to give it my best shot. Squaring my shoulders I am about to turn around the corner when a hand suddenly clamps down on my mouth from behind me. Simultaneously, an arm slings itself around my waist and I am lifted.

I scream but the sound is muffled against the hand. I thrash and try to break free but the hold around my midst only tightens and I am dragged away from the corner. My heart pounding wildly in my chest, I try to kick out again.

"Sshhhh, it's me," is whispered into my ear and I immediately still.

Eric.

He does not let go of me yet, obviously waiting for me to calm down first. So I close my eyes and try to slow my heart down that is painfully slamming against my ribs.

"I'll let go now," he says quietly before removing his hand from my mouth and then turning my around by my waist.

My hands land on his chest. Though there is still a small light from the flashlights around the corner, it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dimness around us. When I stare up into his face, I see that his dark, gray eyes are once again boring into mine.

"What are you doing down here?" is the first thing that comes to my mind.

He snorts, a small smirk playing around his lips. "I was looking for you. I was in my office when the power went out. After all the shit that went down the last couple of weeks it could only be factionless attacking us and what could they possibly want besides killing the leaders or getting their hands on weapons. I remembered that you were spending the evening home alone so I came down to the apartment to make sure you were safe. You were already gone when I got there, though. Since I know you pretty well by now, I figured you'd try to get your hands on a weapon and since you attract trouble like a magnet I just knew I'd find you at the heart of it."

"Thank you, I guess," I murmur, not sure what else to say. He was really coming for me? "So what now? We can't let them breach the weapons room."

"I know," he sighs. "Uriah and his team were patrolling close to the compound. They are already on their way and they are armed. They'll take care of the situation."

I furrow my brows. "How could you reach them? When I tried to call Phil the line was dead."

"Emergency frequency," he explains. "On the radios. Can't be interfered with."

I nod. "So what, we just wait here for Uriah and the rest to show up?"

"No," he says, the smirk gone now. "You are going back to your apartment and lock your door until I come up and tell you the situation has been handled. I am going to stop them until Uriah arrives since I have a gun and you don't."

"I will not hide away while you all fight," I protest angrily. "I am Dauntless. And a leader."

Eric rolls his eyes. "You just can't fucking follow orders, can you?"

I just raise an eyebrow at him and he groans.

"Fine," he snaps before letting go of my waist – I haven't even realized that we were practically still in each other's arms – and grabbing the hem of his hoody. I let my arms fall from his chest and take a step back.

Eric lifts the hoody above his head, revealing a matching black tank top underneath, and then holds it out to me.

"Here," he says. "Put it on. Maybe you are more careful and focused when you're not worried about them seeing your nipples through your top."

I flush, grabbing the hoody and putting it on. Even though his words were biting I know that he actually gives me the hoody because he knows how uncomfortable I feel wearing no bra around other people.

Looking down, I see that the hoody goes down to my knees; it feels quite comfortable.

"Take my gun," Eric says and I look up at him in surprise.

"No –"

"I can fight them hand-to-hand," he interrupts. "You can't. You're behind on physical training and stand no chance if more than one of them attack you at the same time. I may be awesome but even I can't protect you against all of them at once. So take my gun and for god's sake, use it if necessary."

He takes the gun from its holster at his waist and hands it to me. It feels heavy in my hand.

I am about to turn around and walk back toward the corner when his hand shoots out and wraps around my upper arm. He pulls me close again, our noses almost touching.

"Don't do anything stupid," he says, his gaze moving from my left eye to my right. "We just want to hold them off until back-up arrives, alright?"

"Yeah," I answer breathlessly and for a moment my gaze travels down to his lips.

I blink in confusion and Eric abruptly pushes me away from him, his face suddenly angry.

I stumble and almost fall before catching myself.

"A simple 'let's go' would have sufficed," I mutter, walking straight ahead and turning around the corner before Eric is able to stop me.

"Stiff!" I hear him hiss behind me. "Stop! What the – oh for fuck's sake!"

I completely ignore him and instead head straight toward the group of factionless.

"Hey!" I yell and they all jump and whirl around. "Back off!"

"Come and make us," the voice from earlier replies. It's the guy closest to me and he is wielding his machete like a sword.

"Okay," I shrug my shoulders and train my gun on him. He freezes.

"By the time you've shot me the others will be on you, sweetheart," he says, pretending to be unfazed, but I can hear the slight waver in his voice.

"Oh yeah?" I hear Eric say before he comes to a stop next me. "They'd have to go through me first."

"Let's just kill them and move forward with the plan," someone else says. "She can't shoot us all. Greg, take care of the girl. Jeff, Kevin, handle him."

I hear Eric crack his knuckles.

"You shoot him as soon as he's in range," he says to me, clenching his jaw, before stepping forward in order to meet the two guys sent to kill him.

I watch as the first one swings his spiked baseball bat at Eric and react instantly. I pull the trigger and shoot and hit the guy in the head. He falls down immediately and no longer moves.

Eric spins around and I can see that he is about to yell at me but I am too focused on the guy advancing on me. I put my finger on the trigger again when 'Greg' suddenly freezes and looks at something behind my shoulder.

"Drop your weapons!" Uriah's voice rings out. "Now!"

Slowly, the two guys without weapons raise their hands while the other two drop their machetes. Uriah and his group of soldiers move forward and within seconds the factionless are arrested.

"I told you to kill the one attacking you," Eric snaps at me.

"I'm sorry for trying to save your life," I snap back at him.

"Saving my –", Eric stares at me like I have lost my mind. Then, he suddenly shakes his head. "You know what, Stiff, you're infuriating, that's what you are!"

"I'm infuriating?" I exclaim in disbelief. "Have you met yourself?"

He looks at me like he wants to say something else, but then shakes his head again and simply turns around and walks through the soldiers and out of sight.

"Huh," Uriah steps next to me. "That was … intense."

I roll my eyes and turn toward my friend. He is looking me up and down with a strange look on his face.

"So, first his shirt, now his hoody."

Again, I roll my eyes and am about to follow Eric through the crowd when Uriah grabs my hand and stops me.

"Tris," he says, still so unusually serious. "You do realize what's happening, don't you?"

I raise my eyebrows in confusion and now surprise flickers across his face.

"You really have no idea, have you?" he says in wonder.

"What are you talking about?" I ask because I really don't know what he is getting at.

"Eric's in love with you," Uriah answers and I swear my jaw drops down to the floor but he leaves me no time to protest. "And you may not have realized it yet but I think you are falling for him as well. It's going to get you killed."