Becoming Determinant - Tobias' Story

Divergent Chapter 31 - Tobias' Room

A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! Thank you also to Rosalie and BarbaraK2U, who both proof-read this chapter at different points in its lifecycle. This was a difficult chapter for me, for whatever reasons. It took me a while to get inside Tobias' head and understand why he said some of what he did. Hopefully, my final take on it works.

"Divergent" Chapter 31 – Tobias' Room

I follow behind the leaders as they enter the landscape room. Tris was the last initiate to be tested, so it won't look strange if I come in with them.

She stands, facing us as we form a line to congratulate her on finishing the exam. Her eyes flit briefly to me, and I give her a reassuring smile.

"Congratulations, Tris," Eric says. "You have successfully completed your final evaluation."

"Thanks," she responds, her voice only a bit shaky. Most people are a mess at this point, but it doesn't surprise me that she's so calm.

"There is one more thing before you can go and get ready for the welcoming banquet," Eric continues, and I can't help glancing at him. There isn't usually anything else now. But he gestures to Sierra, who steps forward and hands him the case Max had earlier, and I understand. They're injecting their new members as they've been doing with the rest of us all day.

"At least you aren't afraid of needles," Eric comments as he pulls a syringe out of the box and holds it up. "This will inject you with a tracking device that will be activated only if you are reported missing. Just a precaution."

It's obvious from Tris' expression that she's as suspicious as I was. Am, really. "How often do people go missing?" she asks with a frown.

"Not often," Eric replies with his trademark smirk, and I know he's itching to say that this is all because she ran off the other day. But instead he shrugs a little. "This is a new development, courtesy of the Erudite. We have been injecting every Dauntless throughout the day, and I assume all other factions will comply as soon as possible."

His explanation is different than Max's. That might or might not mean anything, but it bothers me. Still, it's not like there's any real choice – either Tris goes along with him, or she won't be joining this faction.

She clearly comes to that same conclusion, because she reluctantly says, "All right."

I don't watch as Eric injects her. It's too likely that I would show an inappropriate reaction. So, instead I look away, pretending to be bored with this part of the proceedings.

"The banquet is in two hours," Eric states after a moment. "Your ranking among the other initiates, Dauntless-born included, will be announced then. Good luck."

The leaders begin filing out, and I wait, acting as if I'm deferring to them by letting them go first when I really want to be the last one with Tris. When it's just the two of us left, I gesture to her to follow me and head into the corner of the observation room. It's not completely private, but it's the best spot we'll find for now.

"I heard a rumor that you only had seven obstacles to face," I tell her with a smile. "Practically unheard of."

She looks uncomfortable. That's hardly surprising given she just finished her fear landscape. "You…you weren't watching the simulation?" she asks a bit nervously.

"Only on the screens. The Dauntless leaders are the only ones who see the whole thing." She still looks upset, so I add, "They seemed impressed."

"Well, seven fears isn't as impressive as four," she comments, seeming a bit steadier now, "but it will suffice."