Life Without War (Divergent)

Chapter 24

*Tris' POV*

Later that night, the Erudite traitors were still trying to find the Divergent throughout the compound. They worked all through the night while we slept in the car. I was worried about the people outside because I figured it was freezing out there. I hopes they at least got pillows and blankets like we did. It must have been horrible. 

In the middle of the night, I woke up and wormed my way out of Tobias' arms. He snuggled into the pillow i laid in my place and I smile slightly. But the smile quickly fell when I realized what I was about to do. I knew I couldn't stay emotionally attached to anyone here because I would be gone soon enough. I knew what the Erudite would do when I went back to headquarters with them. They would use me for tests, try and get information out of me. Except they didn't know that I had no information. I barely understood what was going on with myself, let alone what the other factions may be planning. 

I looked back at Tobias one last time before knocking on the window of the car. They wouldn't leave the door unlocked, but they would have someone standing right outside. A couple seconds after I knocked, I heard a lock click and the door slowly opened. There was a head that peeked in and I quickly put a finger over my lips. I didn't want him to talk and wake up Tobias or any of the others. I didn't want to deal with them trying to change my mind and rethink my decision. 

The guard motioned for me to get out of the car and stand beside him. When the people lined outside saw my face, some started yelling about what was going on. The guards shushed them quickly, but all eyes were kept on me. The guard told me to talk.

"I'm the one. We chose that I will go to Erudite as long as everyone else is let go." I explained. "Oh, my name if Tris Prior."

He nodded and motioned for me to stand by another guard a few feet away. I walked over slowly and stood beside him. They told me that we would be leaving in 10 minutes after everybody was sent back inside. I saw the guard that I had first talked to open the door to the car I recently came out of. I got worried because I knew the other Divergents would see me standing here and know what I had done, especially Tobias. He would be heartbroken because I had promised not to do anything stupid and go with them. But I did exactly what he told me not to.

The guard I was with grabbed my wrists and held them behind my back. He told me that they had to be sure I would go running off and try to get lost in the crowd. I nodded in understanding and braced myself for the people I was about to encounter.

Tobias was the first out of the car, probably seeing that I was no longer in there with them. I figured he realized what I did the moment he woke up, and I was right. He came out with a worried look on his face and he was frantically looking for me. When he caught my eye, I tried to look away but I couldn't. He held my gaze for a few seconds before he disappeared behind a doorway leading inside.

"Okay, let's go." One of the guards said. I felt someone pushing me along and I started walking in that direction. They pushed me into yet another car and we started driving away towards the Erudite headquarters.

Around 20 minutes later, the black cars reached the bean located outside the headquarters. I felt strange being in this part of the city, as I was used to the seclusion of the compound. There were crowds lining the area because they had probably heard of what was happening around me. I was rushed inside the building and out of sight of the crowds of people.

And of course the first person I saw when I went inside was my brother Caleb.

He looked shocked as he saw my face for the first time in a while. I hadn't slept for a few days and you could clearly see it in my eyes along with the way I presented myself. My brother most likely noticed there was something wrong right away, even with how much I have changed in the time since I left my home faction, Abnegation. Sometimes I seem to forget that I wasn't always Dauntless and this wasn't always my lifestyle. I remembered how Caleb and I used to walk down the street with Susan and Robert and just enjoy the moment. Now I rarely ever see my brother anymore and when I do, it's no the same. Everything has changed since we got separated into our own factions.

I was pulled from my thoughts when the guard that was pushing me along opened a door to an empty room. He gave me a little shove and slammed the door shut behind me. I sat down in one of the corners and put my head in my hands and pulled my knees to my chest. I wasn't quite sure what was going to happen to me while I was here, but I was glad that Tobias and my friends were safe back in Dauntless. I would go through anything to keep the other safe and out of the hands of the Erudite.

But I was so very wrong when I thought what I did would keep them safe.

A few minutes later, I heard the door to the room I had been kept in open again. It was the same guard, and I was assuming he was coming to collect me for something. It could have been time for a meal or somebody wanted to start testing me or whatever I was here for. 

But in walked the rest of the Divergent that I had been put in the car with. 

"You said one! I was the one! They shouldn't be here, it was only supposed to be me!" I screamed at the guard when i realized what was happening. He just ignored me and slammed the door shut behind the last person. 

I looked around at the faces surrounding me and I felt a frown slide on to my face. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this. I had volunteered myself to be subjected to whatever Jeanine wanted from the Divergent. The others were meant to stay back in Dauntless and do whatever they could to keep themselves safe. But now they were all standing here in front of me and giving me expectant looks. I finally looked over at the one person's gaze I had been avoiding this whole time- Tobias. 

"What were you thinking?!" He said in a slightly angered voice. 

I took a deep breath and got ready to explain.

[A/N- im sorry this took so long, but its finally done. like ive said, there are only a few more chapters and then the end. i may possibly start a sequel that will be updated only once in a while but this will end in a proper way. please let me know if you liked this by voting. i cant thank you enough for staying with this story even when ive been gone for so long. its been amazing to write this and interact with all of you this whole time. i really do appreciate everything you guys have done for me and this story. i love you]