DAUNTLESS (Divergent sequil, no war)

chapter 23

"Wake up Tris,"

"No. I'm asleep. Leave me alone." mumble into the pillow.

"Tris you have to get up, they found someone." I role onto my back and see Tobias standing over me.

"What do you mean?" I squint into the light.

"One of them fell behind or something, but we caught him, Caleb is bringing over some truth syrum and we are going to interview him here, we can't tell candoor about, they would tell everyone." I slowly sit up trying to understand what is going on.

"Okay, but what about training?" I rub my eyes.

"Zeke and Mel are going to take them all into training room one and let them train in there. They will manage. You coming then? He is on a train on his way here now, we're going up to the meeting room again. I think Caleb and his boys are already there."

I nod slowly and drag myself from the bed, once a source of terror and confusion, now the only place I want to be.

Tobias walks ahead, I know he is irritated by my slow pace even though he says nothing. When we eventually get up to the meeting room Caleb John and Chris are already there with Eric. I ignore them and walk over to the coffee trolley and pour myself a large cup and grab a chocolate muffin. I pick bits of and dip it into the steaming liquid before placing it in my mouth and swallowing the bits almost hole. It takes far too much energy to chew.

"You look like death." One of the Erudite say, I think it was John. I grumble in response and all three of them laugh. "Here," he places 3 small pink pills on the table. "We figured you would all be tired. One each. They should help to keep you awake for this interview." I pick one up and inspect it, holding it gingerly between my forth finger and thumb.

"Is it safe?" I ask, I'm still a little scared about trusting the Erudite.

"Yes it's safe, it's pretty much just caffeine, it's nothing to worry about." Caleb says, sounding a little offended that I would question it. To prevent adding to the insult I take the tablet without further delay. Eric and Tobias follow suit.

I continue eating the muffin and drain the last of the cup. I don't feel any better. "When should he be here?" I lean my head against the table and wrap my arms around it.

"The train is due in five minutes."

"And you don't think you could have let me sleep till then?" I ask, looking up at him a little. He smiles and shakes his head.

"Nope." I watch as he turns to face Caleb, "was she always like this when she was tired or have we broken her?" Caleb laughs but the other Erudite shift uncomfortably, you're not supposed to discuss your past. Faction before blood. But it doesn't effect Caleb.

"No, she has always been grouchy when she is tired, or when she is sad, or when she is wrong about something... to tell you the truth she was grouchy a fair bit."

"Hey!" I protest and throw the empty muffin case at him, flinging crumbs everywhere.

"I'm sorry to interrupt this, but surely we should be taking things more seriously around here." Chris says, brining everyone's mood down. He is an elderly man, with grey hair and deep wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. I can't decide what to make of him. He looks too stern, and I suppose I should be taking things a little more seriously but I'll blame the caffeine.

"I'm sorry." I say, looking down at the floor.

"Me too."

"Yeah and me."

Eric lets out a loud snort.

"What?" I demand.

"Just you three apologising like a bunch of scolded children. I don't know what you are brain box, but you two are leaders of dauntless and shouldn't be taking orders from some old guy." He waves his arm dismissively in Chris' direction.