Dauntless

Dauntless: I Can't Stop (Part 3)

"Jackson and Peter are still missing, lost somewhere in the factionless district."

"So?"

"We need to retrieve them, see what information we can gather."

"They're dead most likely. Why should we bother to go after them?" Melanie grouched unhappily, arms crossed and eyes narrowed. "Are we just going for the bodies or something?"

"According to the trackers we have on everyone's suits, one of them is still alive," Max replied calmly, just as he always did. He gestured at the wall behind him, all the eyes in the rooms following.

A red light blinked on the wall, whereas all the others were still. They all had numbers beneath them, everyone had one in their suit when they went out on missions far from Dauntless headquarters.

So one of those fuckers were alive.

"So what? They're toast at this point," Melanie said, face sour. "The factionless are ripping them a new asshole."

"Or they're hid out somewhere," Max disagreed. "Might be recoverable."

"Why risk it? We all know the chances of getting left behind on a mission like that." I didn't want to go back out in that damned mess. Camille would want to come this time, it being a recovery mission, and I didn't want that.

"It's something we're going to need to plan out. More then just a four man team this time." Max explained, ignoring my comment. "We need to retrieve them."

"When you say more then four..?" I frowned, disliking the idea already.

"I mean, I'm sending a rescue team out. I'm going to enlist some of our top members and send them with you and Melanie."

I groaned.

I didn't want to go back out!

"Don't worry, Eric, Camille isn't going to be allowed." Max added, looking vaguely amused. I was starting to get the impression everyone thought she had me by the balls. "I don't want you two distracting each other and jeopardizing the mission. I'm sending you all out tonight, at midnight."

"Well who else are you sending with us?" Melanie demanded, her tattooed fingers tugging on her blonde dreads. "Are we supposed to tell them we were out on a sweep? Just four of us?"

"It was just supposed to be recon, and the factionless attacked and killed one of you. Simple." Max didn't seem perturbed at all. "You're going back to recover one who was kidnapped. We can keep it under wraps this way. I'll send ten members, all top rank."

Wait.

All of top rank?

I knew my face soured immediately. Fucking great, I wasn't excited about this at all.

"Yes, I'm sending Four along, Eric. He was number one in his class, and he's top intelligence."

"He's a fucking prick is what he is."

"You're an asshole, it's not like you can say anything," Melanie countered with a smirk. "So shut the fuck up."

"Don't be a bitch to me, Mel, or next time I'll leave your ass out there." I bitched back at her, but I didn't take it personally, this is just what we did.

"Okay kids, break it up. Eric, you go find Four. Melanie, round up Ezekiel. I'll radio the rest."

We both groaned, sending him a resentful look; neither of us wanted to fuck with who we were going to have to find.

I knew where Four was, fucking around with that ballsy Abnegation bitch. They'd hooked up during initiation, which was probably the only reason she'd made it out with such high marks.