Finding The Courage

Part 39

He grabbed Tris and took off down the hallway, Peter and I chasing after them. We both shoot as other guards join us but make sure none of our shots are aimed. We raced after them, Tris eventually had to stop and Four pulled her onto his back. I watched as they missed an exit and knew then that something else was going on. Four was looking for something. I slowed down as I watched Four's head swivel as he passed several rooms. Finally he entered one and locked them inside.

"What room is that?" I whispered to Peter

"One of the two control rooms."

Dauntless Erudites began surrounding the room pounding on the door finally they broke it open. Four stood tall surrendering his gun without a fight confirming to me that the whole thing had been a ploy. Days passed as the experiments on Tris continued. Each day I could see her slowly falling apart more and more. When I had asked her about it she had said she just wanted to be with her parents but Four had said help was on the way. During one of these experiments Caleb confirmed for both of us that he had never joined us to help Tris; he had always been Erudite. He stated that his betrayal was nothing compared to the grand scheme of things. I had touched my necklace at that, it was something bigger than any of us.

After another particularly important test to Jeanine, Tris forced herself out of a simulation. It was very satisfying to hear Jeanine screech in a rage. That action alone had sealed Tris's fate. Tris launched herself at Jeanine, all teeth and nails, punching and kicking her with as much power as she still had in her body. Screaming at her about how she would never be able to control her. As Peter dragged her out of the room I heard Jeanine ask if Four was also divergent. Tris was replaceable now. After depositing Tris in her cell Peter and I made our way back to Jeanine, I needed confirmation about what I thought I had heard. Jeanine revealed nothing to us, stating that she would have our orders in the morning. I paced restlessly that night until Peter finally pinned me under his arm in the bed forcing my body to relax.

The next morning I woke up and Peter was gone. When he returned I could tell he was visibly shaken. He sat down on the bed next to me and placed his head in his hands.

"What happened?"

"They moved up her execution date to tomorrow." My heart dropped.

"No."

"They have Four now and afterTris attacked Jeanine there is no way she was going to keep working with her when she has a better option."

"But that isn't the only reason you're upset is it?" Peter shook his head.

"She said she could have forgiven me for trying to kill her. But I had to throw up my walls and I was rude to her. I'm sorry we couldn't save your friend." Peter turned to me and hugged me. His body shaking in silent tears as mine became sobs. We spent the rest of the day like that, keeping each other company in the nursery that had settled onto our lives. He wasn't upset about Tris, he was upset about disappointing me.

The next morning brought a steady sense of impending doom. Peter and I took our time getting ready and heading to Tris's cell. Four's cell was empty as we collected her and we soon found out why. As we walked down the hallway we passed one of the lab rooms and there behind the glass was Four. Tris stopped and held her hand against the glass as Four did the same. Peter gave her a light nudge and Tris began the walk to her execution again. The hallway was crowded with the Dauntless traitors as we got closer to the room. I kept my head down as we made our way through the crowd. Once we got in the room Peter took over. He placed electrodes on her body and took a moment to whisper something to her. A look of confusion crossed her face and Jeanine approached her with a serum in hand. Jeanine injected her and we all waited, I held my breath until the heart monitor stopped beating. I held back my sniffles as I turned to Peter.

"What did you say to her?"

"I told her to be brave."

Peter and I stayed in the room long after everyone else had left. Caleb had shown no remorse in the loss of his sister. I flinched as Peter removed the electrodes from her body and shut off the machine.

"We've got to move and fast." I looked at Peter bewildered but followed after him as we made our way out of the room and back down the hall. The hall was now clear except for Four and his guards. When Four saw Tris's body he went into a blind rage, he attacked his guards and scooped Tris's body out of Peter's arms. It was at that moment that Tris began to stir.

"I replaced the serum, she was never dead, we have to move now." Peter shouted as Dauntless traitors began to fill the hall again. They began to fire on us as we ran down the hall, Peter and I returned fire as Four carried Tris. Peter led us to a trash chute and covered us as we all slid down it. Once at the bottom we booked it out of Erudite.

"Do the least logical thing." I yelled as we ran, they followed me as I took the least logical route out of Erudite.

"You said to do the least logical thing right?" Tris called from behind me. "We need to stop running." She passed me and ducked into a building. I followed close behind her ready to fire as I cleared the building with the boys.

"Why'd you do it?" Tris shoved Peter after we cleared the building. "Why save me?"

"I couldn't stand to be in your debt. You saved me from a bullet in Amity." Peter explained. "The only reason anyone does anything is for personal gain or to even out a debt." Tris decided that explanation was enough for her and we all got comfortable with our backs pressed against the wall, hidden from view of the entrance.

A few hours passed, Tris had fallen asleep and Four had taken one of the guns Peter had on him. There had been little to no activity outside the walls of the building and Four deemed it safe to leave.

"Where are we going to go?" Peter asked, looking at Four.

"Abnegation. What's left of it." Four shook Tris awake and we slowly made our way out of the building and towards Abnegation. The trip was tense, Peter was covering our backs while Four led us and served as a look out. It was my job to make sure Tris kept up and was kept out of harm's way. The further we got from Erudite the less tension there was in the air. Finally we made it to Abnegation. The first to spot us was Uriah, who was with Christina. They rushed towards us, Uriah sweeping me into his arms as Christina hugged Tris.

"Alright that's enough, Tris needs to rest." Four grumbled out after Christina and Uriah had switched to hug both of us. Four led us to his old house, memories flashing through my mind of all the nights I had snuck into his room or hidden away when his father had come home. We entered the gray building and Four led Tris up to the bathroom.