Variance [A Percy Jackson/Divergent Crossover]

Chapter 9

Thalia's P.O.V.

We wait in tense silence for Leo to give the signal.

It's nighttime, and everyone is sleeping by now. I hope it stays that way.

Leo managed to sneak into the control room, thankfully. The three of us stare at a camera across the Pit, a white light indicating that it's still on. We hear a sound like something shutting down, and the camera's light dims. I raise my eyebrows. I'd always doubted Leo's skills as a son of Hephaestus, but he just keeps on surprising me. 

And so, just like that, we walk out of Dauntless headquarters.

We take a train through the city, and after a thirty minute ride, we arrive at Erudite headquarters. 

I don't have time to admire the stunning glass buildings. We need to check on Annabeth and get the Hades out of here.

"This is a really bad idea," Nico murmurs aloud.

"I know, but she could be in really big trouble," Percy counters. "We can't just leave her with the enemy and expect her to be alright."

"I'm telling you, she's fine," I say, sighing. "Annabeth is tougher than all of us combined."

"But, then again," Percy says, smiling, "our ideas are always bad. Especially mine. Yet we do them anyway."

"That was almost an intelligent comment," I muse. 

Percy glares at me, and I laugh. Everyone else joins in, and our laughter fills the night sky.

We're standing right in front of the entrance now. 

Here was the problem: sneaking in and out of Erudite headquarters without being seen. Leo had hopefully left the Dauntless control room and proceeded to breach the Erudite one. 

But with our luck, we'll probably get spotted the moment we step foot in headquarters. I cast aside any negative thoughts and push through the doors.

I hurry through the building, not stopping to see the sights. Percy and Nico have to jog to catch up.

We come across a door labeled FACTION TRANSFERS, and I smile. "And I thought they were the smart faction," I say, rolling my eyes. "Who labels their rooms?"

We slowly turn the knob and sneak inside, one hand on our guns. I miss my bow. A gun isn't my first weapon of choice, but in this city, it's my only weapon of choice.

Beds line the walls, and the setup is a lot like Dauntless'. I immediately recognize Annabeth's sleeping form on one of them. She's the only person I know who sleeps with her hands clasped in front of her, which always struck me as odd. Now this makes it easier to find her.

"Annabeth," I hiss. She grits her teeth and rolls over. I punch her shoulder. "Annabeth!" 

She opens her storm gray eyes and looks up at me. Her drowsy expression changes to one of horror, and she sits upright in the bed.

"What the Hades are you guys doing here?"

"We came to check on you," Percy says, embarrassed. "We were worried about you."

"It was mostly him," I say, jerking my thumb at Percy. "He wouldn't stop talking about his Wise Girl."

Percy blushes beet red. "I thought you were in danger."

"I'm not-yet," Annabeth says. "Jeanine suspects nothing, but she's still a threat. She's very intelligent."

"Do you know anywhere we can talk about this without people possibly hearing?" Nico asks.

"Yeah. Erudite has a lab room that's almost always vacant. We can go there."

__________.__________

Caleb Prior, the Abnegation transfer, listens to the group's conversation, pretending to be asleep. He watches in silence as they leave the room, their voices receding into the distance. Caleb rises from his bed and follows them.