Allegiant-Alternate Ending.

Chapter 1

TRIS
There is a nervous kind of quiet in the hallway, but there are people everywhere. One woman bumps me with her shoulder and then mutters an apology, and I move closer to Caleb so I don’t lose sight of him. Sometimes all I want is to be a few inches taller so the world does not look like a dense collection of torsos.

We move quickly, but not too quickly. The more security guards I see, the more pressure I feel building inside me. Caleb’s backpack, with the clean suit and explosives inside it, bounces against his lower back as we walk. People are moving in all different directions, but soon, we will reach a hallway that no one has any reason to walk down.

“I think something must have happened to Cara,” Matthew says. “the lights were supposed to be off by now.” I nod. I feel the gun digging into my back, disguised by my baggy shirt. I had hoped that I wouldn’t have to use it, but it seems that I will, and even then it might not be enough to get us to the weapons lab.

I touch Caleb’s arm, and Matthew’s, stopping all three of us in the middle of the hallway.

“I have an idea,” I say. “We can split up. Caleb and I can go to the Weapons lab, while you can cause some kind of diversion,” I say, speaking mainly to Matthew. “A diversion?” “You have a gun don’t you?” I say. “Do something… Like fire into the air.” He doesn’t reply. “Just do it” I say getting frustrated.

Matthew takes out his gun from under his waistband. I grab Caleb’s hand and practically drag him towards the Weapons Lab. I glance back at Matthew start to fire his gun, and I start to run. The security guards take no notice that we are running in the opposite direction to where we are supposed to go.

My mind feels sharper. I glance over at Caleb and see that his face is pale and he is gasping for air. We keep running. We turn the corner. We are so close, we can make it.

“Stop or we’ll shoot!”

Caleb almost immediately puts his hands up. And I slowly raise my hands too. I glance over at Caleb and I see the determination in his eyes, turning from a single flame to a blazing fire. He looks over at me and I nod and he nods back.

In one move I grab my gun from under my waistband and fire at the security guards.

“Go!”

I scream at Caleb. It takes him a moment to realise and then he turns and runs. He glances back for what seems to be the last time I will see him before he turns the corner to the Weapons Lab.

I shoot bullet after bullet until all of them are down. I lower my gun and run. I am going to find Cara before anyone gets their hands on her. Unless they already have.