Revelation | ✓

Chapter 10- Ryder

A/N: There will only be maybe one other chapter besides this in Ryde's POV. I just can't write about Dauntless in Vae's POV if she's not in Dauntless and I want you guys to get an idea of what's happening there.

I wake up at four in the morning and get a shower. I wonder if Vae's up for practicing in the training room. Probably, I think. When is she not?

Never. The answer to that is never.

I pull on a black T-shirt and my sneakers. If we're going to be training, I don't want to wear boots, since they're steel-toed. We both learned the hard way that it hurts.

I finish tying the laces and grab my keys off the counter. My mom smiles at me. "Going to train with Vae?" She keeps her hands wrapped around a mug of coffee.

I nod. "Yep. Most likely." I kiss her cheek. "Love you, Mom."

She smiles. "I love you too, Ryder."

I shove the keys in my pocket and start to leave. "Do you mind telling Dad where I'm at? I don't want him thinking I'm with Elissa...again."

Mom laughs. "Of course. Go."

I smile. "Thanks Mom." I leave our apartment and jog through the halls towards where Vae lives. I wonder if she cried at all yesterday after she disappeared. I wish I could've talked to her about it. Unfortunately, I didn't get the chance.

I want to see her again. I really don't care what we do today, I just need to see her. I barely slept last night, worrying about her. Maybe if she wasn't so stubborn and selfless and stupidly brave, I wouldn't worry.  But she is all of those things, and so I have no choice but to worry about her.

I knock on the door that I've been walking to for years. But instead of being greeted by Vae, the door is opened by Four, who looks almost frantic.

"Have you seen Vae at all this morning?"

My eyebrows pull together. Why would he ask that? "No. I came to see if she wanted to train or something. Why?"

Four mutters a curse.

"What happened?"

"She's gone." He says, running his hands through his hair. "Vae is gone."

"What do you mean, gone?" I wish I didn't already know the answer.

"I mean, she's not here. Gone. Missing." He drops onto the couch and sighs.

"I think I know where she went."

"So do I, but I'm positive." He rubs his eyes, pinches the bridge of his nose. "Damn it, I'm going to kill that girl."

"I'll hold her down." My weak attempt at a joke fails miserably. I can't disguise my worry. "Shit. What if they just killed her? What if-"

"Don't." Four snaps. "Don't go there. Just...go ask around. Search for her. We might just be overreacting."

"Alright." But I already know that it will be useless- Vae is gone, possibly dead.

I start to leave.

"Ryder." I freeze with my hand gripping the doorknob.

"Yeah?" 

"One last thing." I hear him load a gun. I know that he carries it everywhere- he's a bit paranoid after the war. Everyone is. That gun has saved Vae and I several times, so the paranoia isn't really paranoia. "Don't even consider going after her, you hear me? We're all going to come up with a plan together, and I'll make sure you're included. We can't have any more deaths."

I nod. "Thanks, Four." I twist the knob and walk out of the room.

Hours later, when my search turns up empty, my guess has been confirmed- Vae has gone and hunted down her mother and grandmother.