Opponent

Chapter One- Ray

Chapter One- Ray

My heart beats fast, my body performing the movements with practiced ease. I hear a loud smack and a groan. I look down at my oldest triplet, Uriah.

"Get up bro, you're acting weak." I say to him as he hops to his feet.

"God, Ray. You're so edgy today." He says, swinging a fist at my face and missing by less than an inch. I duck swiftly and kick his abdomen.

"Like I'm not always like this. I'm...", I wince as he kicks my side, "Dauntless, Uriah. Top of my class, and pretty dang bad. So don't underestimate my edginess." I say this last word with emphasis, smirking at my brother.

"Let's be done sparring." He says, "I'm exhausted. Besides, Mer is in the lab today and I need to check up on her research." Mer is our sister. She is the youngest triplet by three minutes, and Uriah is constantly playing the role of "scary big brother". I know she hates it, but it's kind of funny, so I let him do it. I nod to Uriah and head toward the control room. Four and I work together there, and I took time off today. Four will be waiting for me. Ever since the death of Beatrice Prior, Four has been fighting a constant battle in his mind. He hides it well, but I can see, that behind his level headed mask, he is mourning. I am the only one to whom he speaks in length. He is short to everyone else. Sometimes I wonder if there is something between us, but I quickly shake it off. He will never, ever get over Tris.

After Tris's death, the factions worked to rebuild our city's structure. There is still the five factions, but, for the sake of freedom, we are more flexible. If you fail initiation, there is an option to try another faction or go back to your family. Or, you can live in what's called the Abnegation Workforce for the rest of your life. The AW is a sector of Abnegation where people, who used to be called factionless, live. You can get a job as bus driver, or something recreational, in entertainment. Entertainment is also a part of our new Chicago. You can act, sing, or do something called dance, which I know little about. Leaving the city is also now an option. Dauntless go on missions outside the wall, testing soil samples and taking them to the new lab in the compound. Our plan is to send those who want to go, to build new establishments, and make our planet a better place. It would be a flawless plan, if not for the Erudite rebels. The few Erudite that sided with Jeanine Matthews didn't like the new setup. They got a group of Erudite together and hid underneath the buildings that soon got restored. We built them up before we knew they were there, and the entrance is well hidden. The whole of command center has been looking for months and months. We have found nothing. There are even missions that are sent out. They mostly end badly, because of the serums that are released when someone gets close to the entrance. All of them wipe memory, but they all have different effects, depending on the perceived threat. Giddiness, affection, hostility. It all depends on who we send.

I enter the control room and sit down. Four is pouring over a computer screen, reading some sort of message from the council, which contains members of all of the factions. This makes the government more fair for all.

"Hey, Four.", I say, turning on my personal computer. Four looks at me with his deep, stern eyes, which seem strewn with sadness.

"Hello, Ray".