Finding The Courage

Part 30

When everyone had finished eating we were led to small rooms fit for one or two people each. Tris jumped at the chance to share with Four and I volunteered to share with Susan. Caleb got his own room. Susan was asleep before her head hit the pillow but I wandered around the compound in search of a shower. The sound of hushed fighting drew my attention, around a corner I found Tris listening in on Four and his mother fighting.

"We have a list of who is divergent here. We have the highest percentage, many end up not being able to handle living in one faction and having to pretend to only be one thing." Evelyn was saying as Four snorted.

"If Jeanine ever got her hands on that list she would slaughter them."

"So help us! We plan to take over Erudite, we can make a life with no faction system."

"And how do you plan on taking over?" Four asked but I had already figured out the obvious. She wanted us to fight for her, the loyal Dauntless.

"Gather the other Dauntless members who are loyal to you, help us fight and you can create a new world with me." Evelyn whispered to Four. I shook my head at Tris and headed back to my room. I fell into bed and a restless sleep found me, without any familiar sounds I struggled to stay asleep, my body was still running on an adrenaline high. My fitful dreams were interrupted by a light hand on my arm several hours later. My eyes shot open, searching for a threat but all I found was Susan by my side, her hand still on my shoulder, this time in a comforting manner.

"Tris and I are going to wash up. I thought you might like to join us?" The blonde girl asked in a gentle voice. I nodded and shuffled out of the bed, My body betraying me as I stumbled on my feet. I followed Susan to where Tris was waiting, clean clothes in hand. Tris handed me a new pair of tight black pants, a grey shirt that looked like it had been sewn to be tighter fitting and shorter, and a black jacket. I grabbed the clothes out of her hands and we made our way to the bathroom. Tris and Susan decided to wash up quickly, neither of them were covered in dirt the way I was. I washed my hair and made sure there was no longer dirt caked to my skin from Eric and I's tussle in the dirt the day before.

"So what are you going to do?" I heard Tris ask, I knew she wasn't talking to me because her voice was too soft.

"I think I'm going to join the other Abnegation members here and help out as best I can." Susan was the one to reply. I had already assumed as much but it seemed that Tris thought she might join us when we left for Candor. The girls continued to chat as I finished up my shower, Susan left to find Caleb and the others while Tris waited for me. I dismissed Tris when she started to get fidgety, I had just finished braiding my hair flat against my head in case of a fight. I was headed to join the others when I came upon Tris and Evelyn.

"Your father and I knew each other in Erudite, you know."

"Well that clears up some things." I replied for Tris, I could see the wheels turning in her head and before Evelyn said anything else I guided Tris away from her. We found Caleb and the others standing around a fire talking in hushed whispers.

"Tris, I'm going to stay with Susan and join the Abnegation refugees, do you want to join us?" Caleb asked once we got close enough to the group. Tris shook her head and Caleb's eyes turned to me. "What about you Wren? Do you want to see if your parents are with them?" Everything was quiet for a second. Suddenly I had four pairs of eyes on me. I did want to see if my parents were alive but I needed to make sure my friends were okay. I couldn't risk Eric finding me here, too many divergent and Abnegation members. It would be a bloodbath, In Candor we had a fighting chance.

"If you find them will you tell them it wasn't me? I didn't kill anyone." I met Caleb's gaze and he nodded to me.

"I'll make sure they know you were never one of those Dauntless." I smiled gratefully at him.

"Then we should head to Candor now." Four cut in. Caleb and Tris hugged, as did Tris and Susan. I hugged Caleb and gave Susan a warm smile before following Tris and Four out the door. Four gave us that all clear as we left the building and we hopped up on the train tracks walking along them until we couldn't. The closer we got to Candor the more we had to hide from sight. I knew we were getting close because I could see the old building everyone teasingly had called Merciless Mart in school. As we approach we see Dauntless guards, standing heavily armed. We all had guns drawn as we approached ready for a fire fight if these were not our Dauntless. Before anyone could fire a shot Uriah came bursting through the guards, I dropped my gun and ran to meet him. He swept me up into his arms and spun me around.

"Where have you been!" He questioned as he put me back on the ground inspecting every inch of me for damage. He noticed the nick in my ear and started dragging me to the compound as Tris and Four followed. Once we were closer the other guards descended upon us, checking us for weapons and taking what we had. They asked Tris and Four several questions, none of which I could hear over the shouts of our friends as Uriah pulled me into the building. However one of the guards stopped us before we could enter the building.

"We have been instructed to arrest Four and Tris. No one knew where you were so I will have to arrest you too." He said as he took my arm from Uriah. Everyone began shouting as the three of us were led away. They placed us in a small room, containing only a bench and locked the door behind them. I slumped down to the floor, knees in my chest as I glared up at the ceiling. I closed my eyes to prevent tears of frustration from falling.

"What's on your mind Tris? I can sense that something is bothering you." Four says softly as Tris starts to pace in the room.

"I just can't stop thinking about my parents." Tris dismissed him and Four didn't say anything else but I knew better. It wasn't just her parents. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence; the only sounds were of Tris's shuffled footsteps and the tapping of my fingers against my knee. I didn't know how much time passed by but soon the door opened again, some of the faces I recognized from Dauntless others from Candor. The group allowed a handsome man to step into the room, black hair matched dark slanted eyes.

"My name is Jack Kang and I am the leader here in Candor." His voice was deep as he addressed Tris and Four. "You two have been accused of crimes against humanity, I have seen the footage of you running the simulation. However," He turned to me. "You were seen fighting against them, however with your disappearance and now returning with these two I can not absolve you of innocence." I let my head fall back onto my knees. "The truth will be revealed once you have been questioned while under the influence of the truth serum." Jack headed back out of the room and the door closed behind them. The more time passed in the room and no one spoke the more I was reminded of my fear from the simulation. This time however I wasn't alone.