Finding The Courage

Part 22

I woke to the sound of movement around me and Tris shaking me lightly as she called out to the others. We noticed everyone was getting dressed in a uniform we had been given upon passing the final stage. Tris and I quickly got dressed in the same outfit, realizing that this had to do with the tracking devices we had been given. We lined up with the others as we left the dorms making our way to the pit. Once we got there we realized that we were right. The rest of the faction stood lined up and checked out. The only people who were up and moving were the leaders and some trusted guards. We moved rhythmically, following the pattern that had already been set. As we stood in line I heard Max's voice talking with Eric and some other men.

"They can see and hear us; they just don't process it the same way. Commands come in through the transmitter." Max explained as he and Eric walked through the room. I forced my eyes forward as I watched group after group pick up guns, arming themselves for the inevitable invasion of Abnegation. Out of the corner of my eye I caught movement, another faction member whose transmitter hadn't worked. He kept tapping people asking what we were doing and what was going on and got no response.

"Divergent." Max said slowly to Eric. Next thing I knew Eric had approached the man hand on his gun.

"Hey, everything is fine, nothing to worry about." He shot the guy point blank. I tried to hide the way I flinched at the sound of the gun shot, I knew that if I gave myself away that would be me. Tris and I received our guns and followed the crowd out to the train, we filed in row after row until each car was full. Once the train had been filled the doors were closed and we took off, everyone stood at attention and was silent. Tris moved slowly to stand next to me, she nudged my arm and pointed a few rows ahead of us. Four. Slowly we both moved towards him, every time we would bump someone else we would stop only looking forward. We took turns with who moved so we didn't bring more attention to ourselves. Finally we reached Four he didn't turn his head to acknowledge us as we stood on either side of him, Tris turned to look at him fully. I watched as he reached out his hand to touch hers. She grabbed his hand with hers and I watched his posture relax as he then turned slightly and bumped me with his shoulder. I lightly bumped his back and he let out the breath he had been holding once again.

"You're safe." I barely could hear him whisper over the sound of the train. We rode the train until it pulled up to a station, this time it had stopped unlike its usually continuous route. We filed off once again acting like the rest of the mindless faction members. We marched in lines towards Abnegation. The gray stone building soon came into view. As the Dauntless approach the houses we hear shots fired, people begin screaming as the zombie members open fire on the innocent. We watched as people were dragged out of their houses, heard things being smashed while we moved through the rows of buildings.

"I need to find my parents." Tris mutters out pausing in her steps as a man got shot right in front of us.

"Just keep moving. Where is your house?" Four questioned her. We moved as a group through the mess of people trying to run from us.

"I'll catch up to you guys, I need to get my parents out." I muttered as Tris opened the door to her parents house. I spit off before either of them could stop me, taking off towards home. I made it around the corner before I heard Eric's voice. I paused and peaked around the corner.

"The legendary Four." Eric says standing right in front of him. I watched Tris walk right past them acting as if she was still in a trance. "A mindless drone. First in your class now you're nothing." Eric continued to antagonize Four. Eric moved to walk away but quickly walked back to Four examining him closely.

"What?" Max barked out "Think he might be?"

"One way to find out." Eric responded. I tensed, I raised my gun ready to shoot at Eric if I had to stop him. Eric raised his gun to Four's head and held it there for a moment.

"Say goodbye." He said.

"Goodbye," Tris responded, putting her gun in the small of Eric's back.

"Move and you die." Four threatened Max as he pointed his gun at Tris.

"The stiff?" Max started laughing

"Two stiffs." Eric smirked and corrected him. "Two dead stiffs. But where's the third?"

"You can't let a single divergent slip through. This is what happens." Max responded

"She's not gonna shoot me." Eric bluffed.

"I think you might be overestimating my character." Tris responded, shooting Eric in the leg while Four took out Max. They took off running but Eric managed to hit Tris in the shoulder. Four paused to check her, allowing them to be surrounded and captured. I followed closely behind as they were dragged to a house. Once they stepped inside I managed to peek in the window to find Jeanine standing in the middle of the house which had obviously been ransacked.

"Tobias Eaton and you Beatrice, I thought it was intellect I was sensing in you."

"Maybe you're not as smart as you think you are." Four spit out at her.

"Why are you attacking all these innocent people?" Tris tried to keep her voice steady

"Innocent people? Abnegation if left unchecked will destroy the faction system. Same can be said of both of you. Somebody has to stop you." I could feel my heart beat faster at her words. "If we don't, peace will be lost."

" It's already been lost. You destroyed it." Four rebuked.

"Human nature destroyed it. Those of us with the vision to see that, are called upon to protect the rest. We will restore the peace and this time it will last."

"And what if you're wrong?" Tris asked. There was a moment of silence before Jeanine spoke again.

"Bring him with us." She said while someone injected Four with something. It took a moment but he lunged for Tris, attacking her and leaving her unconscious. 

"Where is the other one? The one that was with her when she came to visit?" I heard Jeanine ask but I had sprinted away before anyone could look for me.