*DISCONTINUED* Sacrifice - Eric/Divergent Fanfiction {SEQUEL to Enigmatic}

Chapter Twenty

My hands were clammy as I walked towards the training room, five simulation-controlled Dauntless soldiers behind me. My heart had been pounding in my chest since the moment I'd left Eric in the Pit, almost five minutes ago. I walked with my back straight, head held high, the transmitter clutched in my grasp. The serum had been activated, but all children were to remain where they were until the soldiers had left the building, which would be in precisely ten minutes.

My head was swimming, more like drowning, in thoughts about what was taking place. Max had ordered for me to kill any Divergent children that we came across, and the thought of it made me feel sick. I'd killed a man last week and it'd given me nightmares every night since... I couldn't kill children. I was certain that if I personally found any Divergent's, then I'd teach them how to act, to hide their abnormality, but Max had also ordered the five soldiers to eliminate anyone who did not appear to be under the influence of the serum. Children were going to die tonight, whether I liked it or not.

I pushed the training room door open, my eyes searching the darkness, before a command escaped my lips, my voice not sounding like my own. "Lights."

I walked forwards into the darkness as one of the soldiers moved towards the light switch, flicking it on. I moved to take a seat on the raised fighting-ring in the centre of the room, where I had once fought during my initiation, once fought Eric and had Four teach me to fight. I swallowed back the lump in my throat as I thought about how that would probably never happen again. Jeanine seemed to think that after tonight, the city would continue on how it had been, with herself in charge.. but everyone knew it wouldn't. I knew it wouldn't. Tonight would send the entire city into a panic, and I doubted anything would be the same again.

I coughed, to clear my throat, and looked at the soldiers, who were stood to attention at the side of the ring.

"In five minutes I'm going to order all Dauntless minors to gather here. I want you to search the corridors for them, ensure that they are all making their way here." I spoke.

"Yes ma'am." They all spoke in mono-tone, their voices bland, their eyes lifeless.

I turned away from them, letting out a shaky sigh. Being stuck here was going to do me no good, my nerves were building with each second. Not only was I worried about the children - the ones that I was supposed to protect as a leader of the faction, and the outcome of tonight's events, I was worried about those close to me. Eric was always a risk-taker, jumping at every opportunity to run his mouth and show who's in charge, ridiculously trigger happy... It scared me that he was out there without me. That I couldn't be there to reign him back in.
Talulah was out there too. Not with the rest of the soldiers at Abnegation, but being out there at all was still dangerous. And Freddie and Lu, Zeke, Mel, everyone. They were on the front line, and it made my heart skip a beat just thinking about all of the things that could go wrong.
Then finally there was Four, Tris and Uriah. They were Divergent. The serum wouldn't work on them, and I prayed for the love of god that they'd pretend to go along with it. The thought of Zeke and Hanna losing Uriah was petrifying, and the thought of losing Four was even scarier. I trusted him, and he'd done so much for me.. The thought that I could possibly never see him again almost brought me to tears. But he was a smart guy, he knew something was up... and I knew that he'd do everything he could to keep himself and Tris safe.

I took a deep breath before I glanced down at the transmitter, entering the codes that I had been given, before sending out the transmission that would lead all children to the training room.

"Go, now." I ordered the soldiers, getting to my feet and standing up straight, watching as they left.

I knew that I couldn't let myself think about this too much. I needed to concentrate on the task at hand, ensuring that the children were safe. If I was going to be a part of this, I wanted to make sure that I was doing my job properly.. protecting the people of my faction.