The Chasm

Chapter Twenty Seven

Even though Jeanine shut the program down and nobody is killing anyone anymore, we are still searching for the box. That is our new mission.

We are given new jackets; they look similar to the original dauntless jackets but we now have a blue band around one of the sleeves signifying our allegiance to Erudite.

"We are we at now?" Eric asks. He got pain meds for his wound and he walks with a slight limp.

"This is the last house, it has to be here," I say. The smoke from the burning of the other houses stings my nose.

"Andrew and Natalie Prior's house." The name makes me sick. Tris Prior was the one that got away from destroying the sim. She could be anywhere.

Max is already in the house searching. He comes out with an object in his hands.

"Tell Jeanine we got it," Max says. He hands the object over to Eric, who turns it over in his hands carefully, like it's a baby.

"You got it."

We head up the stairs to Erudite headquarters. A scanner reads our faces, alerting Jeanine. When we reach the room that she tells us to come to; a man opens the door, revealing two rooms.

The first room that we now stand in contains panels of glass on one side, revealing another room. I look at both of them.

Pure black and pure white. There is a stand and a circle. I don't know what it does.

"Hello. I've see that you have found it." Eric hands the box over to Jeanine, who inspects it carefully. "Just what I've been looking for."

"I'm glad that we can give it to you." I say a little too proudly. She gives me a look.

"This," she starts. "Will be the key to the message inside. Only someone who is divergent is able to open it."

"So you've covered up your hatred for divergents just to use them to figure out what is in the box?" I ask.

"Yes. I also have a feeling that Beatrice Prior is over at Amity. So I want you to round up your people and have them meet us over there."

"Don't forget Tobias Eaton as well." Max cuts through Eric and I, blocking our view.

"Yes of course. He is important as well. But I am more interested in Beatrice Prior."

"Yes ma'am. Anything else?"

Jeanine beckons one of her students to come forward.

"When you do get to Amity, I want you to not only look for Beatrice and Tobias, but to scan every single one. If this machine says divergence, then bring them to me. I will be waiting here."

"Yes ma'am." Max takes one of the machines, while Eric and I take one as well. We get into the trucks and swiftly make our way over to Amity.

Eric grabs my hand and interlocks our fingers. We stay there, not saying a word.

"Where is your ring?" He asks. My hand is bare, no sign of jewellery on it.

"It's in my pocket." I let go of his hand and take it out. It shimmers in the light.

"May I?" Eric asks. I give him the ring and he slides it over my ring finger and quickly kisses my hand.

Reaching for him, I pull in for a kiss. His hands travel down my waist, settling on my hips.

"Bleh. How I hate that." Max says. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see that he is smirking in the rearview mirror.

"Don't you have kids and a wife?" I ask, teasing him.

"Yes, why do you ask?"

"Well if you do, then quit saying bleh about Eric and I," I say.

"Whatever."

I turn to Eric. "He is such an old man."

"Yeah. Party pooper."

"Oh shut up."

I giggle, a little too high for my attention. The smooth ground turns into rocky terrain as we veer off path and enter into Amity. We barge through gates and trees as we park in front of the main compound.

We hop to the ground. The Amity and milling around, wondering why the Dauntless are barging into their space.

"Gentlemen, Ladies, Amity welcomes you. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"This isn't really a social call Johanna." Max says.

"We're looking for Divergents." Eric adds.

"I see. Course anything we can do to help?"

"We need you to volunteer your faction to be tested." Eric says. He holds up his device to scan Johanna's face.

"Amity."

"New screening technology from Erudite. Now that Jeanine is heading up the console, the approval process just got a little easier."

"You're exceeding your jurisdiction," Johanna huffs.

"Johanna. What happened to that... Amity politeness?" Max says. He towers over johanna, making sure that she doesn't go nowhere. "The easy way or the hard way?It's up to you."

"Alright. But under protest," Johanna says, looking between the three of us. Max steps away from her and tells the rest of the group that we are good to go.

"All amity report to the dome for mandatory testing."

I follow Max, herding the amity into lines and testing them. One by one they take their turn, being relived that it doesn't say 'divergent'

"Amity"

"Amity"

"Amity"

"Divergent. 31 percent." A young man who looks to be my age tries to jerk away. I wrench his arm back and yell, "Got one!" The nearest Dauntless grabs him and takes him to the truck.

"Amity."

"Amity."

"Amity."

The next person in line is a familiar face.

"Lily."

"Delilah," She says my name like it's sour. I don't blame her.

"Amity."

"You're good to go," I say. She scurries out of the way, where all the rest of the amity who have been tested.

"I've got three on foot heading toward the dome!" Eric voice goes through all of our speakers.

"Over there!"

I raise my gun up, ready to shoot.

"I demand amnesty. I am the leader of Abnegation!" Marcus shouts. He falls down to the ground.

We fire, and the glass falls. Eric runs after one of the trucks that pursue them and jumps on. Max is probably in the trucks as well. The gunshots echo through the woods.

It is only when they stop, I already know that they might've gotten them.

Or not. The trucks return after a while and Eric runs his hand through his hair.

"We didn't get them, dammit. They got on the other side of the cargo trains. Probably headed to faction less."

"Oh." I knew that there would be a chance that we wouldn't get them.

"How many do we have at Amity?"

I look over at the rows of Amity at their knees. I quickly add up the number of rows that they are in. 

"Looks like 30 so far."

"Alright let's keep on it." He walks away, and for a moment I watch him. His stride, the way he holds himself. But I don't have time for that.

I have a job to do.

Hey guys happy new year! My posting schedule is going to be changing. Instead of just fridays, it will now be Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As always, leave your comments and questions that you may have!!