Ordinary Acts of Bravery [A Divergent Fanfic]

Chapter 41 - Unrevealed truths

I scoffed, anger quickly boiling in me. This was much bigger than I had ever expected. Max was plotting with Janine. "Octavia—you didn't know." Four's words were said in a whisper, almost low enough to only be mouthed. My eyes snapped to him. He had sounded surprised. "They've been doing this for weeks now. Always bringing in crates—I haven't been able to figure out what it is."

My eyes widened. Max had been doing this without the other leader's knowledge. I mistrusted Max even more for each second that passed. "I didn't know—none of the leaders—" I cut off when remembering how much Eric had been around Max and Janine. Four noticed my change and sighed.

"Eric does." The words had barely left his lips when angry tears swelled in my eyes, and I dug my nails into the rough surface of the ledge. I wanted to scream right there and then but knew if I did, we would be discovered and that would not bode well for either of us. "Octavia—look at me!" Four grasped one of my hands. I jolted and my hand recoiled from his touch.

"What?" I hissed and blinked the tears away. "What can you possibly have to say to me? Now you know that Eric is in on it—well now you have another reason to hate him." I moved away from Four and stood up. I kicked a few stones away, they rolled over the ground before I halted. Four had followed me, making little noise. The only sound he made was when the rubble shifted beneath his feet.

"Octavia, I understand that you're upset." Four began and placed a hand on my shoulder. Once again, I recoiled and moved out of his reach. I narrowed my eyes warningly at the man. Four blew out a breath and crossed his arms around his chest. "We need to understand what it is that erudite is doing in dauntless and I cannot do it on my own. I know they're setting up equipment in intelligence. But not why."

"I know why." I sighed and turned around to face the dauntless again. "Erudite is pushing for control, trying to overtake the government. The first move has already been played. What you're talking about. It will be a tracking device—for precaution." I indulged. Four looked more mistrusting for every word that left me. "That's what we've been told." I shrugged and turned back to the ledge Four and I had been crouched behind.

"Max is clearly lying." Four stated. I nodded and turned to him again. The courtyard had been empty. Only two empty vehicles stood down there. The erudite men had finished unloading. "Come, we need to get down." Four instructed after he had looked over the edge as well. He was right. Now was the time to get down unnoticed before we would be in serious trouble.

Four dropped to the net first. I allowed him a few seconds to get off the net before I followed. The jump didn't provide me with the same feeling it had the first time I jumped. There was no rush of adrenaline this time. I was instantly swallowed by the net, then bounced back up a few times. I chuckled when Four pulled the net down. I rolled a few times before coming to lie on my stomach in front of him. He helped me down just like he had done during initiation.

I contained my shriek this time. Four retracted his arms and released me again the moment my feet touched the floor. Then he turned towards a door on our right. I followed out of pure curiosity. When the door opened, I realized it led out into the small courtyard where the two abandoned vehicles still was.

Four moved with precision and started investigating the ground before he quickly moved on to one of the vehicles. I did the same with the other one, hauling myself up rather ungracefully. The broken hand made it quite hard. The ladder was empty except from two shiny vials. I picked them up from the ground with my uninjured hand. But I was only allowed to look at them for a second before voices alarmed me of the arrival of others.

I leaped off the truck, cowering behind it as Four skidded to a halt next to me, sliding over the ground on his knees. A hand found my lips again. I was getting annoyed with this behavior. I knew I had to be quiet. I bit into the soft skin of his palm, not too hard but hard enough for him to release me. Four's hand jerked back, and he narrowed his eyes at me, visibly annoyed. But I didn't care. It served him right for doing that again. I was not a child.