Finding The Courage

Part 44

As they began to move Lynn's body away Tori and Harrison made their way down the stairs with Jeanine's body in tow. Johanna entered the building at the same time, Tori and Johanna go back and forth about Amity's actions during the conflict but I was too stuck on Lynn's death to follow along with their argument.

"Due to Amit's inability to choose a side, they will have no part in the new political system that is formed." I heard Tori announce. I gasped, how was this any better than what Erduite had been doing by wedging Abnegation out.

"Be careful, Sometimes the people you oppress become mightier than you would like." Johanna warned as she left. A lightbulb went off in my head at her words. The factionless had been oppressed and left unchecked but had become a force to be reckoned with. Evelyn caught my attention next much to my disgust.

"I would like to take this time to announce that we will be disbanding the faction system. Immediately." Evelyn announced. I watched as Tori's face contorted into anger as she registered the words being said. No one had told her the plan in full detail. The factionless cheered raising the guns they had, quickly the Dauntless noticed that they had none of their own, no one knew I had several guns still on me. I began looking for an escape route as Evelyn started ranting about punishing the people who had resisted her. Before I had found a decent way out Four came back with Caleb and Marcus. He made his way over to Tris and I heard him confirm that she had been right. I watched as she threw her arms around him and kissed him. I turned away but my attention was drawn to a nearby screen as they all turned on at once. A woman had appeared on the screens all around us.

"Hello my name is Amanda Ritter and I come from outside the wall where we have all but destroyed each other. We designed your city as an experiment. We believe it is the only way to recover the humanity we have lost. We created factions to ensure peace but we believe that there will be those among you who will transcend these factions. These will be the Divergent. They are the true purpose of this experiment. They are vital to humanity's survival. If you are watching this now then at least one of you is proof that our experiment has succeeded. The time has come for you to emerge from your isolation and rejoin us. We've allowed you to believe that you are the last of us but you're not, mankind waits for you with hope beyond the wall. I have joined those of you inside the wall, with false memories and a different name. That name will be Edith Prior."

Once the woman had finished talking I turned to face Tris, along with everyone else. As people rushed to exit the building everyone made way for Tris and Four. I followed slowly behind them with Peter and Christina. Cara joined us as we moved through Erudite and back towards the wall with the rest of Dauntless behind us. Before we got very far however Evelyn turned on us. The factionless swarmed us, guns raised and trained on us, I was about to pull my gun from my waist band when Four stopped me.

"What is the meaning of this?" Four shouted over the commotion.

"Those who have opposed me are to be punished and I'm sorry but Tris, Wren and their friends are among those who have gone against me." Evenly announced. Factionless began to grab at us in an effort to separate us from those who Evelyn had deemed loyal. As someone grabbed my arm I decided if they were going to punish me I was not going down without a fight. I swung my arm back hard and threw my capture off balance. I righted myself and punched the next person to try and apprehend me. I took a few hits but I kept fighting. Tris had decided that if we were going down then it would be together. The fight didn't last long as Four and Peter were held back. Christina had already been captured along with Cara. Tris had been dog piled while the factionless struggled to pin me down. I managed to give them the slip and took off running towards the wall. I thought I had lost them when Edward tackled me to the ground.

"Get off of me." I shouted at him.

"I can't do that and you know it." Edward shouted back.

We fought but I knew I was no match for him. Even in initiation I could never get the upper hand on him. He had been number one for a reason. Edward subdued me with a swift punch to the head, leaving me disoriented and weak on my feet. I fought weakly as he dragged me back to Erudite. I tried everything to stop him but all too soon I was back within the walls of the Erudite headquarters. I groaned as he dropped me next to Tris who was looking just as beat up as I assumed I looked. I wiped some blood off my lip and snarled at the factionless guarding us.

"I would have thought that a divergent would have known better than to go against someone they knew wanted control. Yet here you are." Evelyn tutted at Tris. I lunged for her but Edward pushed me back. "Such a loyal girl aren't you. Shame you chose the wrong person to be loyal to." Evelyn chose that moment to kick me in the stomach. Four and Tris both reacted, both lunging for her only to be held back. "It's time to put our new justice system to work. We will be holding a trial for every individual who has opposed me. Those who are found guilty will be executed." She said the last part as she shot me a look. As if she believed that I would be found guilty. I growled at her again. I was over words and anything I said now would be used against me when she finally got me in front of a "Jury". The factionless guards began to drag us away from Evelyn and her new found power. I kicked and punched the entire way through the compound, finally the guards had had enough and knocked me out before we got to our final destination. As my vision started to fade to black I saw Tris fighting to get to me and then nothing.