Finding The Courage

Part 29

I couldn't make out what they were saying but soon Four had drawn his gun and the Abnegation members took off. Tris grabbed me and we took off running, I managed to glance back and I saw Eric chasing us.

"Wren!" For the second time today someone was screaming my name as I ran away. We took off running as fast as we could, passing Abnegation members who had never run the way we had. Four caught up with us as well as Peter and Caleb. We made it to the corn fields, the train tracks were in the distance. I heard shouting as half the group split off, then gun fire. I felt a bullet fly past my head, nicking my ear lightly. I faltered, tripping as I tried to avoid getting shot again. I felt a heavy body slam into me stopping me from moving. I flipped us as I fought to get free. Finally I was able to see my attacker, Eric held my hands above my head pining me to the ground.

"Why are you running Wren?" I shivered at the tone of his voice, like I was prey and he was my hunter. I wiggled my body, feet kicking out trying to get free. Eric just chuckled over me as he got closer to my face. "I know Peter didn't have a choice but imagine my surprise when I watched you break into the compound with Tris. I erased the footage, and couldn't have anyone trying to kill what's mine." He whispered in my ear, sending a shiver down my body and a blush across my cheeks. I wiggled again to see if he had loosened his grip but this time a bullet lodged itself in the ground next to Eric. He bolted up in surprise gun drawn, giving me enough time to get out from under him and take off running again.

"You can run Wren but I will catch you." Eric called as he began chasing me again. Bullet after bullet whizzed past me, aimed at Eric. Four stood his ground near the tracks aiming at us. Four hit Eric in the shoulder and he dropped. We took off running to catch up to the others who were running up the tracks back into the city. We caught up to the group, Tris and Caleb were there along with an Amity transfer who Tris had been friends with. We kept running until a train came barreling towards us, we picked up speed and threw ourselves onto the train like we had so many times before. I lay on the ground trying to catch my breath when I noticed something moving out of the corner of my eye.

"Tris duck!" I screamed as a factionless member tried to grab her. As they began to fight, other factionless began to attack as well. I rolled out of the way when one tried to kick me. I quickly got back on my feet, someone grabbed me from behind and moved me out of the way. Edward was standing between me and my attacker.

"She's off limits." He growled and shuffled me into a corner as the others continued to fight. Edward took in my appearance but stopped when his eye caught sight of my ring.

"Where did you get this?" He held it up. I hurriedly stuffed it back into my shirt.

"My mother gave it to me before the choosing ceremony." I said not meeting his eye. Before he could open his mouth to ask me anything else Four had yelled out his full name and the fighting had stopped.

"We've been looking for you. You're coming with us." Someone growls at Four. The factionless herded us into the middle of the train car for the rest of the trip. When we hit a destroyed part of the city Edward nudged me with his foot.

"Get ready to jump." He whispered to me. I stood alongside him and got ready to tuck and roll onto the solid ground. We jumped with Tris, Four, Caleb, and Susan behind us. I got up and brushed myself off, offering Susan a hand up and brushing the dirt off Caleb back. We entered an old storehouse with the group, it was dark inside but there were a lot of people. Tris looked shocked to see how much of a community they had made for themselves but I was not surprised at all. People were social creatures, we needed to have a community, one could not survive on their own. We were led through the building and up to what looked like an office. Tris and Four were shoved inside and the rest of us made to wait outside, however Edward opened the door and shoved me in as well when he noticed me standing outside. He entered the room with me, I took notice of the way Four was standing he seemed uneasy about something. Tris was shocked and as I followed Edward to the front of the room I could tell why. Before us sat a woman, middle aged who struck an incredible resemblance to Four. They shared the same dark hair, strong jaw, and stern features. I could only assume this was his mother, who we had all assumed was dead.

"Oh I remember you, the Dristen's girl!" Her eyes met mine, taking me in, to gage if I was a threat to her. I nodded my head once to acknowledge that she was in fact correct. Her eyes scanned me again before turning to Edward. "Why is she here?" she asked.

"Show her your necklace." Edward turned to me. I pulled out the ring from under my shirt and The woman whose name I remember being Evelyn shot out of her seat.

"So it's true." She mused to herself "Well keep that safe Ms.Dristen, people would kill to have that." With a wave of her hand she dismissed us. We made our way out of the room. I heard Tris whisper to Four about not liking his mother and not trusting them. Four whispered back that it was better to have the factionless as friends instead of enemies right now. Edward led us to a fire, other people were sitting around it eating. We all sat down and Edward soon began to explain to us how things were the last few days.

"Dauntless is split in two, half are with Candor, the other half are with Erudite. What's left of Abnegation is here. Dauntless really destroyed them."

"You have no idea." I shot him a solemn look which was all he needed to understand I had seen it all play out.