Ordinary Acts of Bravery [A Divergent Fanfic]

Chapter 41 - Unrevealed truths

It took us but a moment to understand that the erudite was leaving. Four grabbed my arm and pulled me with him towards a row of blue barrel's. They were large enough to hide us both. Four encircled me with his body, hands resting on either side of me as he peaked over the barrels. The vehicles started not long after and backed away, shifting around to leave the courtyard.

The new proximity of Four was not something I enjoyed. I had barely spoken with the man other than during my initiation, and then a few times more afterwards. I barely knew him. His scent was also different, less musky and less prominent compared to Eric's. When Four were certain that there were no one left, he pushed away from the barrels, reached a hand to me which I took as he got us both back onto our feet.

"Thank you." I mumbled while brushing some dirt off my clothes, momentarily forgetting the two small vials still in my hand. I grasped them tighter before showing them to four, holding my hand palm up. "I found these." I informed and Four took one of the vials from me. He held it up against the sun, examining the golden-brown liquid within it.

"I will get this looked into—Octavia its best we keep this to ourselves." Four lowered the vial again. "It will not bode well for either of us if Max finds out we've discovered these." Four held the vial up again before he sidestepped me.

"Four!" I called after him. He halted and twisted around to face me in the open door. "I will try and figure something out. There must be more than what Max is telling us. Erudite is overstepping their jurisdiction." I hissed the last part before moving inside the building but when I passed Four, he grabbed my arm and yanked me back to him. I twisted around to face him, ready to yell at him, but I didn't when seeing his serious expression.

"Just be careful—Octavia, Max is already on edge about you. He was not shy in voicing his concerns about you during the initiation. He still strongly believes you're divergent." Four's words resonated within me, and I yanked my arm out of his grasp. "Yes, I know what you are." Four sighed at my horrified expression. Eric had told me not to tell anyone. This was not good.

"How—I barely knew." I pointed at myself. Four smiled wider and I relaxed a bit in his presence. It suited Four to smile. Even I knew it was something he rarely did. "Please don't tell anyone." I quickly added when he opened his mouth to speak.

"Octavia, I won't tell. I supervised your fear landscape, that was how I knew." Four explained making me relax even more. I nodded and took a step away from him. "Just try not to overstep around Max." Four warned as much as told. "He is very secretive." Four continued.

I nodded once more before turning away from the man completely. Others had begun entering the training room and I wasn't much for sticking around. Four's warning remained in my very core. I understood his warning perfectly. In the short amount of time, I had gotten to know Max, I was able to recognize that trait in him. I rarely spoke with the leader, and he rarely spoke to me. It wasn't something that I wanted to change.

I hurried through the halls, avoiding the people the best I could but when I turned another corner, I wasn't quick enough and ran directly into a familiar golden-skinned man. "Octavia!" Ezekiel caught me, a wide grin on his lips as he grabbed onto my shoulders. "Shit, you scared me." He spun us both around, making me face the way I had just come from.

"Sorry." I smiled awkwardly as he released me again. He was not in his usually guard uniform. He was properly back for a few days. Ezekiel's responsibility as head guard forced him to spend much of his time on the fence. What I had gathered from Eric, Ezekiel was at least ten years older than him, but he still only had himself. He didn't have much free time. I pitied him sometimes because he seemed lonely.

"It's okay." He chuckled before we went our separate way. Or I tried to step away, but Ezekiel lingered. I raised an eyebrow and turned back to him, ready to ask if something was wrong. "I was wondering—Eric do you know where he is?" Ezekiel asked and caught me off guard.

"I haven't seen him since I left my apartment this morning." I spoke truthfully and turned towards the dining hall not much further down. "Have you checked in the dining hall?" I pointed and Ezekiel nodded. He had. Then I was not really sure where else to send him because Eric hadn't been in the training room. The initiates had the day off because they had been out playing capture the flag.

"If you find him, will you send him my way?" Ezekiel asked and pointed at himself. I nodded and we went our separate way. I hurried to the dining room. Taking one peak inside, I knew Ezekiel had been right. Eric wasn't there. I stepped out again and turned towards the hallway, quickly running back towards my apartment. If he wasn't there, there were only one option left. He had to be in intelligence with Janine.

This could not be happening. Was he finally slipping away from me? This damn conflict would not bring us any closer together, we had steered down different paths. Something his mother had sought to that. Anger boiled within me again and I really hoped he wasn't in the apartment. I had no control over myself anymore and would definitely not be able to control my words.

I burst into the apartment and moved towards the bedroom. Empty. I blew out a breath and rested my back against the now open door. Tears swelled in my eyes, and I slid to the ground. I bit into my lip and kept the sobs from leaving me. I grasped strands of my hair and tugged before resting my forehead against my knees.

All my fears came to be in that very moment. This would not bode well for either of us. Our paths were no longer connected. Was this why Eric had been so sentimental last night? His words had surprised me last night but now they made much more sense. Eric had come to the same conclusion I had.

This war would tear us apart.

I screamed as loudly as I could, not caring who could hear me. Then someone burst into my apartment. A frenzied Abby scanned the apartment before her eyes settled on me. She looked utterly horrified but when I began sobbing, she threw herself down in front of me on her knees before brining me closer. She took me in a tight embrace, forcing me to shift towards her.

I wrapped my arm around the woman, returning the embrace while sobbing. "Sweetie—what is wrong?" Abby asked, still sounding horrified with my scream earlier. I must've surprised her dearly. She released me and brought her hands up to cup my cheeks instead, our eyes locking as she dried tears away from my cheeks with her thumbs. "Talk to me, please—is it brains? What's happened to make you like this?"

Abby was trembling, eyes searching my face for any kind of clue. I grasped her wrists, trying weakly to get her to release my face but relented my struggles moments after when understanding that I couldn't fight her. "No—yes—I don't know." I cried and she relaxed before drawing me closer to another tight hug.

I retuned the embrace and melted against the woman. She drew reassuring circles on my back while I sobbed it out. Once calmed down, I showed her the vial and told her everything—except the fact I was divergent. Abby listened to everything I said, asking no questions along the way, allowing me to finish before she asked her questions.

It took hours before I had explained everything. Abby was horrified to learn about what erudite was planning to do. She definitely didn't approve of the serum, or tracking device, or whatever it was.  Abby had taken the vial from my hand, held it up like Four, examining it against the light. She blew out a breath and returned the vial to me. "This is not good."