Bare Hands (Sequel To No Sympathy)

Negotiations

I wake with a start, the dream I just woke up from still squeezing at my heart and my brain, suffocating me.

I can't erase the look of horror on Tris's face as I stood there, frozen and unable to rescue her. I quickly pray that I'll never have to see that again.

Knowing that I won't be about to go back to sleep, I get out of bed ands search for Tris.

She's no where in sight.

My heart sinks as I think about the possibilities of where she could be, but I throw those thoughts away. Everything is fine, I tell myself, Tris is fine.

Realizing that mostly everyone is at breakfast, I make my way to the elevator and press the button for the floor the cafeteria is located on.

When I get there, I immediately start scanning the room for Tris. Eventually, I spot her blond head standing off to the side and away from everyone.

But just as I start making my way to her, someone yells, "Quiet down everyone!"

I turn my head to the front of the room just in time to see Jack Kang walking up to a raised stage I didn't notice before.

"I know that many of you are confused and stricken about what happened yesterday. But I can assure you that we are working on resolving whatever it is the took place. I have received reports from many different perspectives and I have been able to weed out what is straightforward and what needs more investigation."

I brace myself for what I'm pretty sure is to come.

"The thing that seems to need the most investigation are the Divergent." He scans the crowd. "So I ask, if you are Divergent, to please step forward."

No one moves an itch. Several people glance around the room, probably trying to guess how many people among them are Divergent, but still no one moves.

So I step forward.

I make my way through the crowd of people and up to the front. I can almost feel Tris's eyes on me.

When I get to the front and look around, I spot several other people stepping up.

I even spot Tris.

"You, Marcus?" I turn my head to where Jack is looking and sure enough, see my father walking up to the front. A scowl forms on my lips.

"Yes." My father says, "Now I know you all are concerned about this subject. You hadn't even heard of a Divergent until a week ago, and now you've been targeted because of them. But I can assure you that there is nothing threatening about us."

I scan the faces in the crowd, trying to determine whether or not they're actually believing all the shiz he's saying. There isn't a look of contempt among them, even despite the fact that I told them what he's done to me. I can't blame them though, he's an exceptional liar that has been brainwashing and deceiving people his entire life.

But it still makes me angry.

"It seems clear to me," Jack Kang starts, "that we were attacked so that Erudite could find, the Divergent. Do you know why that is?"

"No I don't, but it seems that they just wanted to identify us, which makes sense if they're planning to use their simulations again."

"That was not their intention." A girl's voice from the crowd says. Immediately I know who it is. Tris. "They've were trying to kill us. They've been trying to kill us since before this happened."

"That sounds like a conspiracy theory. What reason would Erudite have to kill you?"

Tris looks uncertain. "I..."

I step up to help her out. "Obviously we don't know, but there have been multiple disappearances among the Dauntless these last few years, and it matches up with the people with unusual aptitude test results."

"While that is unfortunate, we face no evidence that Erudite is the cause. We will not attack Erudite just because they were after a sixth of our population."

"But you still don't have the slightest idea why they came here in the first place." Tris contradicts.

"And you do?"

"Yes, in fact I do." She gestures to the people around her. "They shot you all with transmitters that were supposed to initially knock anyone that wasn't Divergent unconscious. But if you look at it closely, you'll see that there is still blue liquid inside of it, meaning the Erudite can put you under a simulation whenever they want. They can control you."

Jack takes a minute to consider it. I can practically hear the wheels turning in his brain.

"We know how simulations work." He says at last, doubt etched into his voice. "It is not a permanent transmitter, those are not logical. If they intended to control us, they should've done it right."

"But-" He cuts her off before she can say anymore.

"I know you've been under a lot of stress lately, Tris. And that you've done great things for your Faction and Abnegation, but I think that the stress is clouding your ability to think straight. I can't attack a Faction based off of a little girl's speculation."

I clench my fists. Tris is in no way a little anything. She has likely seen more death than he has and ever will.

"You don't make our desicions, Kang." I say, holding myself back from saying more.

The Dauntless in the crowd shout a warrior cry.

He gives me a look of mock disappointment. "You're right, I do not. Do free to go attack Erudite, but Candor will have no part in it. And in don't forget that you are far outnumbered."

As much as I don't want to, I know he's right. There aren't enough of us to attack Erudite, especially with most of us on the opposing side of things anyway.

"I thought so." He says with a snug smile on his face. "Very well, I will contact Jeanine Matthews and see if we can negotiate a peace treaty. Any objections?"

All is silent.

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OMG finally! XD This took an awful lot of time. =P I'm currently on my way to an Orchestra concert I'm in. =) I hope I do well!! Happy reading!!! =)