Divergent: An Untold Love Story

Chapter 19: The Result

*third person*

"Ah, how I love the aptitude test. There's so much beauty in others' minds," Jeanine told Xavier.

"Yes, well, there may be difficulties with her results, because she's the First Rogue," Xavier explained with doubt in his voice.

Jeanine simply shrugged and took out her tablet. It was made by Erudite, of course. "Let's begin." Jeanine entered numerical codes into her tablet and watched the aptitude test unfold. . .

<•>

"Choose," the mirror image of me said. A knife, a piece of meat, and a rubber ball laid on pedestals in front of me. The aptitude test. I wasn't sure how I knew that, though. Being honest with myself, I can't remember the aptitude test. But I knew that I was in it.

I picked up the knife. But the other items were still there. Strange. I picked up the meat. Then the rubber ball. The other me smiled and she disappeared. But in her place was a Bull Mastiff.

Grrrr! The dog began to walk toward me. I laid the piece of meat at my feet, hoping the dog would take it. And sure enough, he did. But the delicious breast didn't seem to suffice him. He bared his teeth at me and got into a pouncing position. I thought quickly and threw the rubber ball. The dog ran after it, all viciousness gone. He picked the ball up in his mouth and ran back toward me. The Mastiff dropped the ball into my hands. As soon as I felt the moist dog slobber, a piercing scream sounded through the air. I snapped around to see where the scream came from. About twenty feet away from me, a war between people in black and blue was waging.

"Will you choose to fight, or keep the peace?" An Erudite woman asked me. I looked to the dog, who was now whimpering. I could see a frightened look in his eyes, and I made up my mind.

I grabbed the dog in both of my arms and ran from the war. Never once looking back. Then up ahead, stood a man. The closer I got, the more features I could make out.

He called, "Sierra, help me!" The man was Eric. My heart started beating at least a million times a second. His hands were bound by chains in front of him, and Jeanine Matthews stood by his side, smirking.

"He's better off without you, Sierra. Take this moment to reflect on how he feels. Eric is a Dauntless leader, a strong one at that. He has more potential than most Dauntless. If he had to die right now, would you save him, or lie to keep the factions together?" Jeanine's words were a blow to my heart, and I couldn't breathe. I turned around and the war was now spotted with yellow, red, and grey clothes. The factions were fighting.

"Make it stop!" I looked to Jeanine, who had a knife to Eric's throat. Please don't kill him. He means so much more to me than you will ever know.

"Make your choice, Sierra. Will you save his life, or let our world turn to ashes?" Jeanine spoke softly. I swallowed hard. My breaths became uneven and I finally realized that the dog was dead at my feet. Suddenly, an idea came to me.

"You're wrong, Jeanine. I don't care for Eric," I looked her directly in the eyes. Such a lie.

Jeanine looked puzzled. "Yes you do."

"No, no I don't. I used him," I began, "to earn a spot next to Max. I knew that if became closer to Eric, I would be closer to Max. I wanted to have a say on the Abnegation attack. I hate the Abnegation and I want the memory of it turned to ashes." Lies upon lies upon lies.

Then I seen something horrible. Behind me, the grey-clothed men and women dropped to the ground. I flinched away in horror. Blood covered the ground and tears stained their clothes.

"Foolish girl," Jeanine said. And then at her feet, lay Eric, pale and lifeless. I sank to my knees as the walls around me came tumbling down. My heart dropped and my pace slowed. Tears ran down my face with great speed.

"You couldn't save them both, Sierra," a voice said. I looked toward the cloudy sky. A familiar face was etched into the clouds. Her smile faded as my tears ran down my cheeks faster. "I'm sorry." And that was all she said before it all turned black. . .

<•>

"She has four aptitude results," Jeanine managed out of her mouth. "Dauntless, Abnegation, Erudite, and Amity. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?" Jeanine screamed at Xavier, who stood open-mouthed at the glass.

"I, I, I don't know. Four results has never been heard of before," Xavier stammered.

"Fix it! It won't be long before the other Rogues find out! They'll always follow their leader," Jeanine reconciled.

Xavier looked to Sierra's pale body. Her fingers twitched and her eyes moved rapidly under her eyelids. "I'll prepare the extraction vehicle."

Jeanine stopped him. "No, send her back to the Dauntless compound. But we must give her Nero."

""But, Ms. Matthews! It's dangerous to give a person Nero after the aptitude test," Xavier pleaded. But it was no use. Jeanine's hard stare was enough to convince him. Xavier opened the door to the test lab where Sierra lay.

Xavier was ordered to give her 20 mg of Nero, but he couldn't find it in his heart to do that to a completely unaware young woman.

Before he injected her with the black liquid, he whispered in her ear, "Try to fight it. You have the heart of a champion and the strength of a soldier. Try to remember." Then he pressed the needle into her skin.