How Allegiant Should Have Ended

Chapter 3

Tobias:

I burst into the doors of the Bureau, out of breath and panting. I tell my mother and the others to take cover.

"Why, Tobias?" she says. "What are you going to do?"

"I need to find Tris and make sure she's okay." My mother has been a little sceptic of Tris ever since I told her we never really broke up, but I think she's finally accepted that she can't control my life and that's it's okay for me to make my own decisions. "I'll be back soon."

"Okay, see you then." She wraps her arms around my neck, standing on her tiptoes, and squeezes tightly before letting go. She retreats to the rest of our group and leads them to safety.

I turn back to face the chaotic mess that is the Bureau hallway, and see Cara, frantically running to me. She has a bandage on her face and fresh tears on her cheeks. She runs closer to me, breathing, "Tobias."

"Cara, what is it?"

"It's Tris," she says. "She took Caleb's place in the Weapons Room. We can't find her."

"What?!" I stand still for a minute while she rambles on with Erudite knowledge and try to grasp the fact that Tris might be gone. It's like she hasn't changed at all.

"Tobias, are you listening?" she says.

I look up to her eyes, only to see a familiar face behind her in the crowd. Caleb. He would know where she is. "Gotta go, Cara. I'll talk to you later."

"Wait, Tobias!" She follows my gaze and sees Caleb. She stops talking after that.

I push my way through the hallways, trying to fight my way through the crowd that's scrambling in the other direction. I keep shuffling through until he gets in arm's reach.

I grab his shoulder and spin him around, so he's facing me. There's a look of shock in his eyes, but soon turns into nervousness.

"Where's Tris?" I ask firmly. He puts his hands up in front of him, probably thinking I pose some kind of threat to him. It's a good thing he chose Erudite.

"Four," he says, "I-I can explain."

"Well you better talk fast Caleb." I say.

"I tried to stop her, but Tris went into the Weapon's Lab instead of me," he says. "She did it, but then David came in and shot-"

"David did what?!" I say angrily. A million things run through my mind that I can't even begin to fathom, so I choose not to. I look on the bright side instead. She could have escaped. But that's not logical.

When in doubt, ask an Erudite.

"Where is she?" I ask.

"She's in the hospital right now," he says quickly. "If you want, I can-"

"No thanks," I say, harder than I mean to. "I know where I'm going."

I sprint through the hallways with Caleb slowing down behind me. I'm surprised at how much easier it is to navigate after only being here a week or two. I'm also surprised Tris would risk her life like that, again. Actually, I'm not. It's exactly the kind of thing she would do. I hope she's okay, though.

I turn the last corner and the entrance to the Bureau's hospital stands in front of me. I barge in the door, startling the woman at the front desk. "Tris Prior," I say. "Where is she?"

She nervously checks a list on her desk with a shaking finger and replies with, "Room 18A. Down this hallway and to the left."

"Thank you," I say. I walk through the double doors, leading to the rooms and leave scuff marks on the white, tile, floor. But I don't care.

I follow her directions and find Tris' room a little less than a minute away from where I came in. I turn around to see if Caleb has caught up yet. He's a couple paces away, but I don't bother to wait. I gently open the door and walk in.

The door creaks a little but I don't let it bother me. The silent hum of the small television comes from a corner, and across from it is a bed.

I exhale, not realizing I was holding my breath, as I see a thin, blond girl on the bed, alive.