JAX [1]

•Chapter 18: Dauntless•

Jax's POV

(Time Skip)

I quickly limped to the door and opened it. I closed the door behind me, and I took a minute to catch my breath. I sighed and walked away into the boiler room. I stopped when I saw people hiding. They stood up when they saw me.

"Where's my brother?" I asked. "His name's Mateo Cruz."

"Jacquelyn?" I heard. I turned around and saw my brother. He ran over and hugged me. I hugged back and then we pulled away. "Where's mom?" I shook my head as my eyes started watering. His eyes started watering too.

"She was trying to save me." I said, crying. "She died for me."

"Then it wasn't in vain." I heard someone say. I looked behind Mateo to see a man standing with Tris and Caleb. I nodded to him. I looked at Tris and then noticed her mom was missing too. She just shook her head as her eyes started watering too. I guess her mom didn't make it either.

"We need to leave here." I heard Marcus Eaton say, causing me to look at him. "Are there soldiers outside?" I shook my head.

"No, I lost them a few miles back." I said. "We're in the clear."

"Why are Dauntless fighting for Erudite?" Caleb asked.

"They're not in their right minds right now." I said. "They're all in simulations."

"We need to wake 'em up." Tris said. I nodded.

"We need to get into Dauntless." I said and she nodded, agreeing with me.

"That's a fortress." Marcus said. "It's not gonna happen."

"I can get us in there." I said, causing everyone to look at me.

(Time Skip)

Me and Tris picked up all the guns from the dead guys and nodded at each other when we had enough. Tris' dad was helping us, Caleb, Marcus, and my brother.

(Time Skip)

We were on the train to Dauntless. Mateo, Caleb, Marcus, me, and Tris all had guns while Mr. Prior chose not to.

"Get ready." I said, seeing the jump coming. I started walking over to the door when my foot gave out. I hissed in pain as I stumbled but I caught myself.

"Jax, you okay?" Tris said, getting ready to help me.

"I'm fine." I said.

"Are you gonna be able to do this?" She asked. I nodded.

"What now?" Mr. Prior asked as he pushed Caleb's gun away from him.

"You're not gonna like it." Tris said as I hit the button and the door opened. Tris and I walked back away from the door. Tris grabbed my hand as we ran forward and jumped off the train onto a roof. I groaned in pain as I landed on the roof. "Jax, you okay?" I nodded. She helped me up and we all ran to the edge where we jump into Dauntless.

"I'll go first." I said. Tris nodded and helped me up onto the ledge.

"Are you crazy, hermana?!" Mateo asked me, looking at me shocked.

"There's a net at the bottom." I said.

"Still!" Mateo said.

"Don't think, Mateo." I said. "Just jump." I jumped off.

(Time Skip)

Mr. Prior was the last one to come down.

"Are you good?" Tris asked as the poor man tried to catch his breath. He nodded. She looked at the others. "Good?" They nodded.

"I'm so glad I didn't choose Dauntless." Mateo said to Caleb.

"Let's go." I said as we hurried away.

(Time Skip)

I looked around the wall and saw an asshole.

"Who is it?" Tris asked.

"It's Peter." I said. I looked at them. "Wait here." They nodded as I slowly limped out, sneaking up behind the asshole. I kicked the gun out of his hands, and he turned to me. "Get against the wall, Peter." He just stood there. "Tris, you wanna help me with this?" She walked out.

"Against the wall!" She said and pushed him up against it.

"Why are you awake?" I asked.

"Because I'm smarter than you." He said. "And they need me."

"Where is the control room?" I asked.

"Why would I tell you that?" He asked. "It's not like you're gonna shoot me, Princess."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" I asked Tris. She shrugged and I pulled the trigger. The bullet grazed Peter's side causing him to grunt and hold his side in pain. "Now, I'm gonna ask you this one more time. Where's the control room?" And the little asshole told us everything. Eventually everyone else with us came out.

"Did you really need to shoot him?" Marcus asked me.

"We don't have time for this, Marcus." I said, pissed off that he was judging me.

"Every minute we waste, another Abnegation dies and another Dauntless becomes a murderer." Tris defended me.

"Let's go, jerk face." I said, pushing Peter along.

(Time Skip)

We stopped behind a wall and saw several Dauntless soldiers standing there, guarding the room. I looked at Peter.

"That's it?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said.

"We saw Jeanine go in there." Tris said.

"That's where she's controlling them from." I said. "I gotta get in there."

"But how?" Tris asked me. Then, Mr. Prior took the gun from Tris.

"Like you two said, there isn't a second to waste." He said. Tris smiled at him. Mr. Prior suddenly walked out from behind the wall and into the view of the soldiers.

"Dad, no!" Tris said. I passed her my gun, my leg hurting. She looked at me.

"Go." I said. She nodded.

"Dad!" She said and walked out with Mateo, Caleb and Marcus following behind her. I heard a ton of gunshots as I tried to stand on one leg to relieve the pressure from it. "Jax, come on." I limped out and saw all the soldiers dead. I looked around and saw Mr. Prior was dead too.

"I'm so sorry, Tris." I said, knowing that she lost half her family in one day.

"Don't worry about me." She said, passing me back my gun. "Get in there and stop them." I nodded and limped over to the door. I pulled it open, grunting because it was heavy. I went in the entrance.