All characters from Divergent belong to Veronica Roth as well as all characters from Twilight belong to Stephanie Meyer. I own nothing except my version of events.

A/N: I know, I know, I suck big balls lol I said I was going back to posting twice a week and I fucked it up already. But in my defense, things are about to start getting really crazy and editing has been a pain. So buckle in buttercups cuz shit's about to hit the fan! Oh and a bit of a Time Jump!

Chapter 20 A Whisper of Smoke

"You're a quick learner, Bella."

"Thank you." I said with a bright smile. You'd think I'd be used to Max's constant praise but it never failed to hit me with a surge pride every time I heard it. I've been working in leadership for almost four months now. So far, I'd only been training, but I was sure Max would soon give me the reins to cover for any one of the other leaders.

Today I was fortunate enough to work directly with Max, our head Dauntless leader. Days I have come to enjoy immensely. He was always open to teaching me everything he knew and answering any questions I had. The best part was that he treated me with respect and didn't shame me for making a mistake, not that it happened very often. The only downside of working with him was that Max was an extremely busy man, which meant I would go home exhausted seeking only my bed. Still, I loved it more than anything.

"Here, take this one, except this time write out the report yourself. I'll look it over to make sure it has no major errors and then you can send it."

I smiled brightly at him, "Really?" I asked, almost giddily. I felt like the teacher's pet or something. Who knew I would be so excited to do more work?

He chuckled at my expression and nodded before turning back to his computer. I did the same and shifted my focus back to my work.

It felt like half the day had gone by when I was finally done, though I'm sure it had been less than an hour. I attached the file to a draft and sent the email to Max's inbox. "Ok. I just sent it to you." I informed him.

His computer pinged with the new email and he looked up at me in surprise, his cup of coffee midway to his mouth. "Already?" He asked incredulously.

I nodded, suddenly nervous I hadn't spent enough time working on it, but I'd checked the report for mistakes three times before finally deciding to send it. I'd also seen Max file a similar report in a third of the time it took me so I knew I hadn't been too hasty.

I watched his face as he read over it. He nodded along on and off and didn't seem to edit the file at all so I was taking it as a good sign. Hopefully, I wasn't wrong. Once he was done he looked away from his screen and up to my expectant face. His face was expressionless at first, but I think he saw my shoulders droop in disappointment and decided to take pity on me, his face transforming into approval.

"It's good, Bella. You need to work a bit on the abbreviations to make it more discreet but that can easily be fixed with time. I didn't expect you to know this much already and I'm sure you'll soon learn the codes as we continue to work together."

I fist pumped the air while he laughed at me. I was slowly getting more comfortable around him. He was just such a nice person the more you got to know him. Behind closed doors, he was a completely different person to what he portrayed himself to be in front of our members. At first, I found it strange, but the more I thought about it the more it made complete sense. Max was our leader. He couldn't be friendly with just anyone. We weren't in Amity or Abnegation. We were in Dauntless, and that required the need to exert a certain amount of power and authority over your members. A need to display your strength and dominance to let everyone know you were a leader not to be trifled with. So he saved the real him for the people he trusted. It was a privilege to now be included in the select few.

"Don't get too cocky. There's still a lot to teach you." He reminded, jokingly reprimanding me.

"Of course, my fearless leader." I said playfully. The first time he'd heard my nickname for him he had let out a boisterous laugh, shaking his head at me like he usually did when I was being absurd. He understood my humor, though, and secretly I think he also took pride in my nickname for him too.

"Alright, I'll add my signature of approval at the bottom and send it back to you. Leave your name and send it to-" He was cut off by the ring coming from his desk phone. "Fiona." He finished before he picked up the receiver and answered.

I turned away, trying to give him a sense of privacy though we both knew I could hear his side of the conversation perfectly. Still, I tried not to comment or interfere in his conversations as much as possible. I knew if he wanted me involved he would've put it on speaker. I had just sent the email to the correct recipient when I noticed a sudden edge to his voice. I couldn't help but to turn to him in concern.

"Right now?" He was asking, "I have no doubt this can wait." He looked up at me then, looking both concerned and thoughtful. "Fine. I'll be there in thirty minutes." He acquiesced, putting the receiver down forcefully, practically slamming it back down to the stand.

"Is everything ok?" I asked, unable to hide my concern.

He sighed out and stared at me for a good minute before responding. "I don't think so… Are you willing to go to Erudite with me?" He asked, looking hopeful. I wasn't sure for what exactly. For me to agree to go or for me to refuse the offer.

I wasn't quite sure how to respond, so I left it open for him to decide. "If you need me, I am more than willing to go."

He stared at me for a long moment again trying to decide. Without another comment he picked up the receiver again and called his secretary. "David. Call down to ready a vehicle. Bella and I will be leaving the premises in fifteen minutes." He continued to stare at me as he answered to David over the phone. "Just two." He finished, placing the receiver back down.

I felt a prickling at the back of my neck. I think it was nerves or something, or maybe it was the way he kept looking at me as if he were still debating something crucial. "If it's sensitive information and you don't trust me yet, maybe it's best if I stay behind." I offered instead.His brows furrowed and he became silent again for a long moment before he decided to let me know my fate... at least for today. "You're coming, but..." He started, suddenly pausing before he finished what he needed to say. "There are certain matters I need you discuss with you first."

Ok, that sounded rather ominous.

But if it was concerning his feelings towards Jeanine I was already aware of his immense dislike for the woman. Not that I was supposed to have known that. He'd divulged that bit of information while I had been hiding underneath Eric's desk and hadn't been aware of my presence. I didn't say anything, though. Instead, I just nodded in understanding.

He breathed in deeply before starting. "I don't trust Jeanine or her intentions. Therefore, I don't trust Erudite as a whole. What they do in that tower is wrong and I-" He said, pausing again, closing his mouth and standing up suddenly. He pulled one of his visitor chairs closer, placing it close to my own. He leaned forward speaking in a much more hushed tone. "I don't believe Divergents pose a threat to our faction system." He finally admitted.

My eyes widened at his admittance. No one would dare to admit something like that unless they had complete trust in the other person. I was honored he had entrusted me with that secret because I was sure if anyone else was privy to his unspoken thoughts not many would continue to follow him. Possibly causing a revolt to remove him from leadership altogether.

He pushed on when he was certain I had recovered from the shock. "It's wrong for Erudite to hunt them down like criminals when we've never found proof of Divergents posing a danger to us before. But Jeanine is a megalomaniac, and I have no other choice but to pretend to agree… just like the other faction leaders do. I hate to admit this but, we need Erudite more than they need us. We need the serums they provide, their hospitals, their medicine… We wouldn't survive without them, which is why I cannot openly defy Jeanine."

"What do you mean? I think we could do it without them. What we really need is food and water, and that's what Amity provides. We don't necessarily need Erudite. Yes, we may need their medicine and doctors but we could still fare well without their help." I finally said.

Even as I spoke he shook his head at me, almost in frustration. "You don't understand, Bella. Dauntless is the city's 'protectors' but there isn't much for us to protect… is there?" He asked me.

What the fuck was going on here?!

When I didn't answer he continued. "Since our founders closed the borders of our city for protection from the war, we've never been needed. But Erudite uses us to keep their secrets. I'm sure you've never been there before but when you do go with me today, you will see some of our men standing guard. Especially around their labs. I've let it happen only because I want to know what's going on in there. Our people are faithful, and they report to me when they witness something important."

"Important like what?" I asked.

"Like when Erudite started building their own weapons."

"What?!" I whisper-shouted.

"Erudite needs our man power, sure, but we're just mindless soldiers to Jeanine. I haven't told her otherwise and I never will. Being on the inside grants me certain advantages, and as far as we accommodate her and her needs, she's not a danger to us. The rest of the factions can't say the same, except maybe for Amity for the same reasons you've already pointed out."

"Does anyone else know about this?" I asked, now wondering if the rest of the leaders were aware… if Eric knew and he hadn't told me.

"The rest of the leaders know I don't particularly like Jeanine… but they're not aware to what extent. They don't know about my feelings concerning Divergents either."

My eyes widened again. "But you trusted me with that information?" I asked in disbelief.

He smiled slightly and grasped my hand. "Yes, there's just something about you, Bella. It's like I can see a bit of myself in you. I know I can trust you. I was only hesitant to let you in completely before because you have very little experience on how our faction system really works. The gears and bolts that not only keep our faction running but also keeps the city as a whole together, what keeps it running effectively. There is still so much you need to learn. I was hoping to have more time to prepare you for this but it seems like I've run out of time. I need you to be my right hand man, or woman in this case, a sort of advisor. You're an observer, I've seen it in you. I want you to go with me every time I go to Erudite and tell me what you see, both physically and symbolically. I've known these people for years and so I've grown accustomed to their ways, but because of our familiarity I know I could miss some things. I need new fresh eyes and that's where you come in."

Woah, I never thought Max would ever think of me in that way, or that he'd trust me with so many secrets. It was a lot of responsibility to know that the world I lived in was really more fucked up than I'd initially thought. Like there had been a curtain hiding the truth about our world and now it had been opened just enough for me to look through. It was daunting and a bit overwhelming. A part of me wasn't necessarily looking forward to it either. Maybe having remained oblivious would have been the better option… but it was obviously too late for that now. Not to mention I was honored to have my leader entrust me with the secrets of the world.

With that thought in mind, I finally answered. "Ok. I can do that."

He nodded at me, already knowing I would agree even before I did. He got up from his seat and tugged me along with him. He bent down and handed me my tablet.

Before he opened the door he turned back to look at me. "I know this goes without saying but, you can't tell anyone, Bella. This stays strictly between us."

I nodded quickly. I'd deal later with the repercussions of that promise later.

We walked through the halls of Dauntless, except this time going through the stairwell hidden in the leader's area. Initially when Max had pulled me to follow him, stopping in front of a small door that looked almost like a closet, I had been utterly confused, but then he opened it and a stairwell had been revealed behind it. Max then informed me it was used by all leaders and visiting leaders from other factions as well. At the floor directly underneath us were conference rooms for when it was necessary to hold large meetings with visitors. They were rarely used but handy to have. As we continued going down the stairs he pointed out other details I had not been aware of. It was like there was a hidden world just inside of Dauntless too. Max had said it was not necessarily a secret building, but also not every dauntless member needed to be aware of the formal gatherings and offices the leaders and our admins used to help run the ship as effectively as it did. Not everyone needed to be privy to that kind of information, not when it wasn't their job to know. Max also didn't like nosy bodies and held his privacy and that of our faction's higher than people thought he did. I understood and I agreed wholeheartedly.

"As soon as we reach the underground parking level I need you to take your role as simply an assistant, a leader in training. Ask me only questions relating to your training, in the car and in Erudite, but try to stay as quiet as possible. When we arrive to Erudite if Jeanine asks you anything directly, answer short and succinctly, don't give any extra information not asked."

I simply nodded as he spoke, already practicing.

One side of his lip lifted in amusement. "Oh and here." He said, pressing a small handgun into my palm. "Don't use it unless absolutely necessary."

I nodded again like a good little soldier and lifted the back of my top and jacket to secure the firearm into the waistband of my jeans. I continued to follow him through new territory until we entered the underground level. My eyes widened at the sight before me.

"Tanks." Max informed me without me having to ask. "Our founders were able to secure them under the city before they built the walls in case they needed to protect themselves from the remaining war around them. We keep them here for emergencies but have never used them before. There's also a select few chosen to train with them in case we ever do need to use them, though."

"Woah." I managed to say aloud as we got closer and I realized just how big they were up close. "Will you tell me more about them another day?"

"Sure." He agreed approaching the truck we would be taking to Erudite. It was already running with two soldiers waiting with the doors open for us to enter.

"Sir. Ma'am." The blond man greeted, nodding at Max and then at me. The darker skinned soldier next to him copying his movement.

Max nodded back and gestured with his hand to each soldier, "Meet Aaron and Tyler. They'll be joining us inside of Erudite." He informed me.

I nodded at them and introduced myself.

They smiled at me with slight humor. "We know who you are." The one named Tyler informed me.

"Oh, ok." I said, not knowing what else to say after that. Sometimes I forget I was well known around Dauntless, people regarding me as one of the leaders already.

They motioned for us to enter the vehicle and once we did one took the front seat next to the driver. From the side mirrors I could see the second soldier jumping up onto the back taking his position on the rear, standing on the bumper as the car started to move forward.

I kept my eyes out the window, eager to see our city when I so rarely had the opportunity to. I had to admit, gaining my current position in Dauntless came with some perks. It was a lot of responsibility but I had a feeling it would be more than worth it in the end... even if I had to risk my neck by being Max's spy. Without needing more than our faces, the gates protecting Dauntless opened immediately as our car neared. We continued forward driving through the bumpy roads of the city. Our streets were still somewhat paved but they weren't smooth, and so our driver was forced to swerve around giant potholes on the streets while not lowering his speed. It was thrilling and exciting, even while Max and I were forced to hold on to the hand rails at the sides to remain somewhat steady inside. We passed by the factionless sector, our soldiers waving at the other soldiers we passed. I recognized a few from my initiation class and they didn't look particularly happy to be there. I bet they weren't. I remembered the last time I had left Dauntless during our initiation when our instructors had taken us on a tour of the city. I had promised myself I wouldn't score low enough to end up a guard here. I also remember that same day I'd almost been killed by one of the other initiates… it seemed like ages ago now.

Ten minutes or so later, I could see the top half of the Erudite building. It looked so out of place. The glass walls catching the sun's rays making it look large and imposing, especially in comparison to the dilapidated buildings surrounding it. Erudite was flashy, too flashy. It made sense as to why they tended to believe they were above all the rest. Our vehicle stopped just outside the double glass doors of Erudite. Aaron and Tyler jumping out and opening our doors for us to exit. I waited just outside of the truck while Max walked around to meet me at the front. I walked next to him as he headed towards the entrance and I was not at all surprised when our soldiers jogged ahead of us to open the doors for us to enter the building too.

As soon as we walked in, there was a young woman waiting for us besides the reception desk. We walked towards her but I took the time to take in my surroundings. No wonder Erudite members were so stuck up. The space was clean and shiny, ornate decorations made of glass and other fine materials adorning the walls and used to needlessly fill the large empty space. It was all so unnecessary.

"Welcome, Dauntless Leader Max. Our leader Jeanine is so glad you could make it on such short notice. She wanted me to apologize on her behalf. She understands how busy you must be and if it were not so important she would have never asked for your presence here today." She informed us with a pleasant smile plastered onto her face.

Weird that this girl was the one apologizing when Jeanine was the one who had imposed her will on my leaders schedule. We didn't need to hear the apology coming from her members but apparently that's how much of a stuck-up bitch she was. I looked above her assistant's head and almost laughed out loud when I realized there was a giant portrait of Jeanine at the center of the wall. That woman really had an ego on her.

"It wasn't a problem at all, but I do have to get back to my faction as soon as possible." Max said just as pleasantly, though I could tell he was annoyed, but that was only because I was getting to know him so well. I also took notice of him mentioning his time constraint, letting her know to get the show on the road.

"Of course, please follow me and I will guide you straight to Jeanine's office." She said, turning on her heel.

It was then that I noticed four of our soldiers standing around, guarding near the entrance and the two others at the back where the woman was currently guiding us to. As we passed, our soldiers nodded in respect and resumed their immobile positions soon after. It looked like a really boring job. I doubted any unwelcome guests just waltzed in here snooping around. It begged the question as to why Jeanine felt the need to have so many of our soldiers guarding her building.

We reached the back and entered one of the six elevators. Why did they need so many elevators? We were all quiet as we rode up floor by floor. The elevator ran up smoothly until we reached the last floor and the elevator doors slid open. As soon as we walked out I could see a reception desk right outside. There was a man sitting behind it and he stood up from his seat to nod at Max in greeting but didn't speak a single word. I was slightly startled when I realized it was Edward. He looked so much different from the last time I'd seen him on choosing day. His hair was cut much shorter and he was wearing a pair of glasses, which I found particularly weird because I knew he didn't previously have problems with his sight. I could tell he wanted to say more to me but knew it would would not be a good look for either of us.

Max nodded in response but continued walking forward after our guide. I nodded too as we passed him, hoping he could see I was glad to see him too. There were two more of our guards just outside Jeanine's office doors who also nodded in respect to our leader, quietly opening the office doors for us to enter.

"Max." Jeanine greeted, standing up from her seat behind her desk and primly running her hands down her suit to smooth out the wrinkles. She moved forward to meet us halfway and extended her hand for Max to take. He held out his own hand and shook hers before she turned her attention to me, who was standing mutely next to Max. It was then she hesitated in slight surprise but recovered quickly. "Oh, hello." She said, nodding slightly at me in greeting and turning her attention to Max. "I was not aware you were bringing someone with you." She said sounding displeased over the fact.

Max smiled pleasantly and gestured to me. "This is my protégé, Bella. I'm currently training her to join the rest of Dauntless leadership."

"Oh how nice." She said in pretend approval and pointed a finger at me as if in thought. "I do think I remember you… She was one of your recent initiate's, correct?"

Max nodded. "Yes. Bella ranked first place in her initiation class. In fact, she holds the highest record over past initiation classes."

She smiled tightly. "An admirable feat." But I knew she was only saying that to appease us both. I could see her calculating eyes quietly analyzing me further.

"Thank you." I said in response. I knew she had recognized me as soon as we'd entered her office, I don't know why she was pretending ignorance now. I was sure she was still cautious of me because of my scores. I could see the clear suspicion in her eyes even now.

"Well, I suppose we should get on with the meeting. Why doesn't your protégé wait outside in the lobby along with your guard and we can get to business." She said, politely asking me to remove myself from her presence, yet again.

But Max only shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't be necessary. Bella is being trained in all things, including my dealings with Erudite. She will remain here and take notes for me." He corrected her politely.

Jeanine's eyes slightly narrowed at the declaration but remained pleasant as she spoke. "Oh I'm sure you do not need her here for the kind of business we need to discuss today. Missing out on one little meeting will not ruin her training, I am sure."

She was really trying to get me out of here. I knew whatever they had to discuss must be big. Information that was too valuable to share with a simple leader in training. But Max shook his head again. I could tell he was pushing his luck by insisting for my presence here, but he was choosing to stand his ground. "I can assure you Bella is one hundred percent trustworthy. She understands that any meeting she is asked to listen in on will contain sensitive information that should not be repeated." Jeanine looked like she still didn't approve. I bet she was trying to find a way to insist but Max beat her to it by looking down at his watch. "We should start now. I was preparing for another meeting when you called."

"Of course." She nodded tightly, gesturing for him to take the single seat in front of her desk.

Max turned to me and tilted his head towards the other chair sitting to the side of Jeanine's office and I quickly took my place, opening my tablet to take notes.

Jeanine glanced in my direction quickly from her seat but focused her eyes back onto Max. "I have spoken to Amity and they continue to refuse to take sides. Johanna was unhappy during our last serum tests and refuses to make any forward movement, deciding to take a passive stance instead."

Max leaned back in his seat, lifting his leg over his other knee casually. "Are you surprised?" He asked, arching a brow at her.

"Yes. Though Amity dedicates itself to keeping the peace, I can be very persuasive."

"If you threatened her you should've expected this outcome." He said almost in a chastising manner, assuming what her reaction to Johanna's refusal had been.

She harrumphed in response. "They are mediocre at best. We do not need them in the grand scheme of things."

"And Candor?"

"I would prefer to leave them out of it. You saw Jack Kang's reaction to my new serum as well. He was not pleased."

"Can you blame them?" Max asked, almost incredulously.

Jeanine scoffed at the question. "Please, it is ridiculous to think of Divergents as humans like us… Or are you telling me you have suddenly grown a heart for them?" She asked with an arched brow.

Max looked annoyed at the accusation. "That's not what I'm saying at all, but you must know that in the history of our faction system this has never been a problem before. Many people still think it's only a story, a legend. There is no real proof of their existence unless you're using their reactions to serums as proof."

"It's proof enough." She said angrily this time.

"Not for the rest of the factions."

"Whose side are you on?" She asked with narrowed eyes, looking at Max suspiciously.

"Yours, of course, but as your colleague I am simply reasoning with you. You are too focused on the end goal to be able to see what the others might think."

"Of course not, I am obviously intellectually above the rest. The other leaders would have never accomplished what I have in the short time since I've taken over Erudite leadership." She said imperiously, turning her nose up.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, and from my view of Max I could tell he was too.

"We'll need more time." Max finally said.

"Unnecessary."

"We need one more faction with us. I think you should work on Candor, convince them and the rest will come easily."

"You are on my side and that is all I need."

"What you're planning is big, Jeannine. We have the forces, but when the chips fall there will still be two factions standing against us."

She arched a brow at that. "You think Amity will stand against us? When they are so stubbornly remaining peaceful?" She asked condescendingly and in clear disgust.

"When it involves the destruction of an entire faction, then yes."

What?!

But at his words Janine's eyes shifted to me, looking as if her plans had just been foiled. Lucky for me I had been able to keep my composure. "Max." She said in a warning tone.

He didn't even bother to glance at me. "Faction before blood. We all know that." He said, as if that would assure my fidelity.

"Do we?" She asked, still looking at me.

I didn't say anything, but I connected eyes with her and slightly nodded.

Her eyes narrowed, as if she were trying to decide whether to believe me or not. Finally after what felt like forever she nodded and turned her attention back to Max. "Talk to Jack. I find him quite unbearable to be around."

He snorted at her comment. "I wonder why."

She smiled slightly, her lips barely widening into a semblance of a smile. I bet she didn't smile often, someone as vile as her wouldn't know what true happiness felt like. She was a monster.

Max took the opportunity to look down at his watch again, "Anything else?" He asked, trying to find a way to leave as soon as possible. I shared the same sentiment.

"No. Go on with your duties." She said, almost threateningly, reminding him he had a job to do for her.

"Of course." He said, standing up and shaking her hand in departure.

I stood up too, walking briskly to his side but turned when I heard Janine clearing her throat.

"Bella," She said with a calculating smile on her face "I look forward to working with you in the future."

I leaned forward slightly, nodding in agreement. "It will be an honor." I said.

She attempted another happy smile on her face and nodded as well.

I turned back around, following after my leader. I really wanted to get the hell out of this place.

Our guards joined us just outside of her office doors and guided us to the elevators this time. We all silently entered the elevator once again and remained silent during its descent.

It was dark outside by the time we left Erudite. The ride back to Dauntless was quiet, and I was not at all surprised when Aaron and Tyler followed us back to Max's office.

"What did you see?" He asked them as soon as they shut the door.

"Vials, and lots of them." Aaron said seriously.

Tyler spoke up too, "There were more than the normal amount of scientists up there as well."

Max steepled his fingers in thought, "That's not good."

They both shook their heads in agreement but Aaron spoke up again, "I made an excuse to use the restroom. I overheard two of their scientists speaking."

"What did they say?"

"They're nervous. Working long hours. They know something is going to happen soon but don't know what exactly. One of them had heard rumors."

"Did he say what rumors?" Max asked for clarification.

"That it's relating to Divergents. He said level 25 was full of them. He mentioned… experimentation."

Max didn't look at all surprised. "I had a suspicion, but I wasn't aware of where they were located. I've never been to that floor before."

"He said one of his colleague's had been called to pick up something from level 25. He'd only taken a few steps in and had heard screams. He said his colleague hadn't seen anything but had been horrified by just what he'd heard. I don't think they all agree with Jeanine's views."

"That's disturbing, but also good to hear. It means some members still have hearts."

Aaron nodded in agreement, "Both scientists made it sound as though they were forced to do their work. They're geniuses but I don't think they have brains, at least not enough common sense to defy their superiors when something is glaringly wrong."

"We're all taught not to question our superiors." I defended, finally butting in. "Isn't that what we are all taught in school and then again during initiation? We choose our faction and then do as we're told. Following orders blindly without questioning whether it's right or wrong."

All eyes shifted to me, Max looked thoughtful at my words but cleared his throat, shifting his attention back to the guards. "Anything else?" Both soldiers shook their heads. "Alright, you are free to go. If you remember anything else make sure to contact me."

They both nodded and moved to leave. Once I was left alone with Max again I burst open, "You didn't tell me she's planning on destroying Abnegation." I accused, practically screaming it.

He sighed and stood up, trying to get closer to me. "I didn't have the time. I was planning on telling you when we returned but Jeanine brought it up during the meeting. I'm sorry you were caught unaware."

"Are you going to help her?"

"No, of course not." He said, looking incredibly offended by the accusation.

I released the breath I hadn't been aware I was holding, hearing him say that was such a relief. "Wait, there's still something I don't understand. Why is she attacking Abnegation like that? I thought she was just after Divergents, so what does Abnegation have to do with it?"

"She suspects Abnegation is knowingly harboring Divergents. I'm sure you've heard rumors of suspected Divergents being sent to Erudite. Most of those 'Divergents' are said to have come from Abnegation."

"Abnegation isn't harboring Divergent's, there's no way. My dad is a leader there. He would've told me if that were true."

He looked at me with a frown now, confused over how sure I sounded. "I thought Abnegation parents had a more… formal relationship with their children."

Well, wasn't I in a pickle now. If I told him my relationship with my parents then I would probably have to tell him all about myself, or at least the parts he needed to know that would explain my confidence in my faction. I owed him the truth though. Max had let me into his thoughts and beliefs, trusted me enough to include me in some seriously secret information and so I had to trust him back.

"I'm Divergent." I stated bluntly. His eyes widened slightly but he didn't say a word. "Because of that, my parents let me know about anything that could potentially pose a threat to me. My parents were originally from Dauntless, but my mother was too soft and sensitive to belong here so they both decided to go to Abnegation during their choosing ceremony. They didn't raise me like the typical Abnegation parents."

"Oh." He said, looking at me in surprise.

I knew he wasn't sure of what else to say, so I continued for him. "Inside of our home we didn't adhere to Abnegation rules. My dad shared everything with me. So if that were true, he would've told me. Not to mention that Marcus, the head leader of Abnegation, is a total piece of shit but he adheres to every single rule. He would have never allowed for that to happen. Trust me."

He nodded in understanding, bypassing my 'piece of shit' comment. I was kinda surprised and wondered if he knew Marcus like I knew him… probably not. "Well Jeanine thinks otherwise. It's why she hates Abnegation so much, not to mention that she thinks they're too stupid to be in charge of our city's laws. Getting rid of Abnegation would be like killing two birds with one stone. She would be getting rid of all Divergents by destroying an entire faction and therefore using that advantage to gain control over the entire city."

"That's highly hypocritical, isn't it?" I asked.

He chuckled at my question. "It most definitely is. She fears the potential damage Divergents could cause to our faction system while also planning an attack that will basically dismantle the same system she's protecting."

"So what's your plan? I assume you have one, right?"

He smiled at me and nodded in reassurance. "Of course, that's why I was asking for more time and using Candor as an excuse. I know Jack Kang much more personally than she thinks and he will never agree to her plans. I also know how much she hates talking to Jack. He's always trying to get the truth out of her and she loathes it. I knew that if I insisted on including them in our plans she would pass the task onto me in order to avoid him. It gives me the opportunity to speak to Jack privately without her suspicion. I've only been pretending to be on Jeanine's side to gather intel and attain proof of her transgressions. I can show Jack what we have found so far. Proof that Jeanine is going against our faction system and its people. He will help me bring all factions together to bring her down."

"That's actually pretty smart." I complimented.

"Thank you." He said with a roll of his eyes.

"So what are her plans exactly?"

He frowned then, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back into his desk. "Jeanine made a new serum. She found a way to take over one's mind. The serum installs a chip inside the recipients' brain, taking over their thoughts and bodily movements as a form of… mind control."

"What!" I exclaimed this time "So who will be these recipients?" I asked.

He looked at me with a serious expression now, tilting his head at me as if it were obvious. "Who else has the manpower for a full frontal attack against another faction, Bella?"

"Us?!" I asked in shock.

He nodded solemnly. "But of course I'm not going to let that happen."

"So if you've been planning this all along, why haven't you told the other Dauntless leaders?" I asked in confusion. Wouldn't it make sense to include them all?

"Everything I'm telling you is dangerous information to know, Bella. I can't afford to trust anyone."

My eyes widened at that. "You don't trust the other leaders?" If that were true, then it meant he didn't trust Eric.

"Yes and no. There's just too much at stake. If any of the leaders agreed with Jeanine's views and they found out of my plans to betray her, I could be removed from my position, or even assassinated for knowing the details of her plan. They could easily take my place and join forces with Jeanine. It's too dangerous to let them know now, not when I'm so close to resolving everything."

He was right. It would be a major risk to include anyone with enough power to take his place, but that left me in a tough spot. I wanted to tell Eric everything. I trusted him. Since we've started a real relationship everything had changed. He was a different person now. He knew I was Divergent and had promised to do anything to protect me. In such a short amount of time we had grown incredibly close. My feelings for him had intensified immensely, but now my leader was asking me to lie to my boyfriend. The person who had vowed to protect me above all else, and it felt so wrong...

"I know it's a lot to ask, Bella, and I'm sorry I've just sprung it all on you in a single day. I know you must be in shock about everything you have learned. It's a lot to handle, but it is imperative you do not tell anyone about this. Not your friends, not anyone." He said seriously.

I ended up nodding in acceptance, at least until I had enough time to think about what I should do. "Of course."

He released a large sigh in relief. "I'm glad I trusted you, Bella. I feel so much better knowing I have someone close watching my back." He smiled brightly at me and then nodded towards the door. "Now go on and get out of here. I'm sure not only your mind is exhausted but your body is too, it's been a long day. Go on home and I'll see you tomorrow."

I smiled back. "Thanks, I'll see you tomorrow."

I left his office and made my way back to my apartment. I'd messaged Eric earlier to let him know I was going to be late and wouldn't see him tonight. I was glad I had. I wasn't sure if I would be able to face him and not spill my guts. Sometimes walking through the empty halls of Dauntless late at night was very unsettling. It was just so dark, barely there lights at every 20 feet intervals. It almost felt like I was being watched, but I knew it was only my imagination playing tricks on me after everything that's happened today.

When I finally made it to the elevators for the apartments I released a breath of relief. I wasn't home yet but it was close enough. I tapped my foot impatiently as it slowly moved up each floor. I couldn't help but to compare it to the elevators in Erudite. They had so much electricity running through the place, every nook and cranny lit up brightly, their elevators moving at almost lighting speed. Every Erudite member I'd seen on my way to Jeanine's office had been using a tablet. There were screens everywhere, the whole space had an abundance of electronic devices. It didn't seem fair for one faction to have so much while others had so little. I knew Erudite held our most important scientific minds but the glaring inequality didn't seem right. Abnegation didn't have much electricity, just enough for it to function properly during the day and that was all. From what I'd heard from Jared, Amity was much the same way, living a simple life. I couldn't be sure about Candor because I'd never been there before, but Dauntless seemed to be lacking the kind of technology that seemed more than abundant in Erudite too.

It was all so fucked up.

Opening the door to my apartment and stepping through the threshold I could automatically feel the tension sliding off my shoulders. I was tempted to take a shower but I was too exhausted to perform such a time consuming activity this late at night. I just wanted to take my clothes off and sleep. Hopefully I would still be able to with all this new information bouncing around in my head.

I turned on the light to my bedroom but shut it off quickly realizing Eric was currently sleeping in my bed. Unfortunately I hadn't been quick enough as I heard him groan and shift. Shit!

"Bella?" He asked groggily.

"Yeah, sorry I woke you." I whispered apologetically, moving forward and starting to take my clothes off in the dark to slide into bed.

"What time is it?" He groaned, pulling me to him and enveloping me in his arms.

"Late." I said softly. He groaned deep in his throat and nuzzled my neck, breathing me in and releasing a sleepy sigh. I smiled into the night. He was always so damned sweet and gentle, reminding me of how much I have come to need him and his love. His hand moved up from my waist, sliding up to squeeze my breasts. I giggled lightly, rolling my eyes in the dark. "Go back to sleep naughty boy."

He chuckled, lightly nuzzling me one more time before placing a soft kiss against my neck. "Goodnight, Beautiful." He whispered in a rough sleepy voice, settling himself back into bed without releasing me… or the twins.

"Goodnight." I said softly, thankful he hadn't asked for more. I wasn't sure I would be able to talk to him without alerting him something was wrong.

I felt guilty, really guilty. I should tell him… but right now clearly wasn't a good time. I would tell him tomorrow morning or after work, whenever I got the chance. I had told Max I wouldn't tell anyone but I trusted Eric. I knew he would never betray me let alone Max.

With that in mind, I settled back against him, now fully relaxing my body and letting Eric's soft breathing lull me to sleep.