Stronger Than She Looks (Divergent Eric)

{10} Capture the Flag

Loud insistent banging wakes me up. When I open my eyes the lights in the accommodation are on. What the hell? Squinting, I check my watch.

1.07am

The banging starts again and I turn towards the door and see Four hitting a metal tube repeatedly against a pipe on the wall.

"Get up Initiates," He calls. "You've got ten minutes to meet me at the train tracks. It's time to play a game!"

He disappears without another word. I sit up and rub the sleep from my eyes. Looking around me everyone else seems as confused and disorientated as I am. What kind of game does he want to play at this time of night?

Ten minutes to get to the train tracks doesn't leave us long to get ready. I slide my legs over the side of the bed and quickly dress in my standard skinny jeans and a vest top with boots. It's not like I have an extensive wardrobe to pick from. Four made it sound like we'll be outside so I grab my jacket, and seeing that Christina and Tris are also ready I head out the door with them.

No one really speaks as we make our way to the train tracks. I'm not sure if everyone is still half asleep or if we're all nervous at the prospect of what exactly this game entails.

Exiting the compound into the cold night air, we're met by the Dauntless born initiates who are practically bouncing off the walls. Seeing Uriah I walk over to him.

"Oh my god Star," He exclaims giving me a hug. Even for him this is over the top. "I'm so excited!"

"I have no idea what's going on." I yawn. Right now all I want to do is get back into my bed.

Before he can explain further, Four and Eric appear and order everyone to get on the train that's approaching.

Jumping on a moving train in the middle of the night when I should be asleep? Yeah, this is really my idea of a fun game.

No one argues though, and soon we're all on board and heading towards the city.

"Tonight, we're honouring a long running Dauntless tradition and playing a little game we like to call Capture The Flag," Four drops the bag he's carrying slung over his shoulder and bends down to open it. It's full of guns. "These are neuro-stim guns-"

"What the hell is a neuro-stim gun? It doesn't look like much." Molly interrupts and I cringe as I look over at her. Her face is still battered and bruised from the beating I gave her in the training ring.

Four just stares at her. Before he can say anything, Eric picks up a gun out of the bag and with no warning shoots her in her right thigh. She instantly falls heavily to the floor, clutching her right leg as she cries out in pain.

"Anyone else want to see how these guns work?" Eric challenges looking round the carriage, but everyone is quick to look away. "They fire darts that simulate the pain of a real gun shot wound for just a few minutes."

"We split into two teams," Four carries on, ignoring Molly who is still whimpering on the floor. "Each team gets a flag they need to hide and keep safe. Whoever captures the other team's flag first wins!"

"Me and Four will lead a team each," Eric smirks, leaning casually against the side of the carriage. "You pick first, you'll need all the luck you can get."

There's something different about Four tonight, a spark of defiance as he looks at Eric.

"I'll take Amity." He states simply, but he's not looking at me. Instead he's looking straight at Eric.

My gaze flickers from one to the other and I'm taken aback by the sheer loathing on Eric's face. Not only did I never expect to be picked first, but the animosity between the two of them escalated so quickly. A second ago they seemed to have found some form of truce.