Stoupající

5

"I'm coming!" I snap angrily in response to the insistent knocking on my door. It is in the middle of the night and I have barely slept for more than two hours – thanks to Eric's newest conquest – before whoever is out there so rudely woke me up.

I throw my door open with more force than necessary and glare at my visitor.

It's Eric. He wears sweatpants and a T-shirt, his hair is sleep-mussed and his face is serious, mouth set in a grim line.

"What's wrong?" I ask, suddenly afraid.

"Don't know yet," he answers, his voice husky. He obviously has just woken up as well. "Max told me to get you and come to the conference room immediately."

I look down at the shorts and top I wear.

"Do I have time to change?" I ask, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the thought of going to a meeting dressed in almost nothing.

"Nobody cares what you're wearing, Stiff, let's just go and get this over with."

"I'm not even wearing a bra, Eric!" I yell and instantly flush after my outburst.

Eric lets his gaze travel down my body and smirks. "Yeah, I can see that."

I immediately cross my arms in front of my chest to cover myself.

He rolls his eyes. "Go grab a jacket or something. But hurry."

I nod and then literally run back into my bedroom and grab the first hoody my hands can find before walking back to Eric. I toss him my key and pull the hoody over my head while he locks my door.

"Can you hold on to that?" I ask him on our way to the elevator. "I don't have any pockets."

"Sure," he replies and puts my key into the pocket of his sweatpants.

On the elevator ride up I lean my head against the wall and almost fall asleep again. I startle when Eric nudges my elbow when the elevator doors open.

Arriving at the conference room we find Max, Harrison and Veronika already sitting at the table. Veronika is still in her pajamas and looks like she is having a hard time keeping her eyes open while Harrison drums his fingers nervously against the surface of the table.

"Tris, Eric," Max motions for us to sit down. He is the only one looking even remotely awake.

"What's going on?" Eric asks when we have taken our respective seats.

"Our soldiers at Erudite captured a group of factionless trying to sneak into Erudite's headquarters," Max informs us.

Harrison's fingers stop moving and Veronika's eyes widen.

Eric and I exchange a confused look.

"What could they possibly want in there?" I finally dare to ask.

"Serums, maybe?" Veronika suggests.

"For what?" Max replies.

"Isn't it obvious?" Harrison says. "First guns, now this? They're preparing themselves for a war."

"Against the factions?" Eric asks in disbelief, his pierced eyebrow raised. "They wouldn't stand a chance, they don't have the numbers."

"I have to agree with Eric, it seems rather unlikely," Max says. "But we will mention it tomorrow at the emergency meeting with the other factions."

"What are we going to do about the weapon deliveries?" Harrison asks. "They'll probably try again."

"We outsmart them," I pipe up. Eric turns toward me, his brows furrowed.