Prologue

There were too many words to describe how Max felt. Sad. Angry. Betrayed. Vengeful. Sick. He looked around at his fellow Dauntless members and saw the same emotions on their faces. Erudite, along with Dauntless senior leader Lucius, had been hunting Divergent's. That had lead them to Abnegation where Jeanine Matthews learned that a family there held a secret. She always had assumed Divergent's were dangerous. When the book had been discovered she learned that Divergent's were more genetically evolved than others, she tried to destroy the evidence. Luckily some of the Dauntless soldiers had changed their minds when the truth was revealed. They executed Jeanine and Lucius on the spot. All of this was discovered too late to save lives of course. Jeanine had ordered all leaders of Abnegation to be shot, along with any found Divergent's. By the time the rest of Dauntless arrived, dead Abnegation members already lined the streets. Max and the soldiers had overpowered the small army of Erudite and traitorous Dauntless, but not without loss. Ten Dauntless soldiers were dead and forty-five Abnegation members.

"Sir?" a soldier came and addressed him.

"What is it Thom?"

"We found a small group of Abnegation, along with one of their Leaders, hiding in a warehouse."

Max followed Thom down an alley and came face to face with Marcus Eaton and his son.

"Marcus, this is an unfortunate day. On behalf of Dauntless, please let me assure you that the guilty parties were executed on site. I have also discussed with the other Leaders about having Candor administer truth serum as they see fit to absolve the rest of Dauntless," Max stated.

"Thank you Max."

"Can you tell me who harbored the book Jeanine found?" Max asked.

"Andrew and Nathalie Prior."

"Nath?" Maxed asked surprised. His heart sunk. They had been best friends growing up in Dauntless together. When they were six Max had caught a boy picking on her and had punched him in the gut. They were inseparable after that. It wasn't until she had fallen in love with Andrew and transferred that their connection had been severed. Every once and awhile Andrew would slip a letter to him from her. She would tell him about her life and how even though she loved her husband and family she missed Dauntless and the adrenaline. Andrew had always been nothing but genuinely friendly with him, and Max understood why she loved him and left to be with him.

"She and Andrew spoke very highly of you," Marcus told him.

"Can you please tell me which house is theirs?" Max asked, having to clear his throat after.

"Follow me," Marcus leads them back to the road. The other Abnegation are ushered to a warehouse until Marcus is back. "Do you know if they are alive or dead? Or the children?" Marcus asked.

"No," he said, bile raised. "How old are they kids again?"

"Caleb is seven and Beatrice is five."

They came to stop at a plain grey box. Marcus opened the door and Max told him to wait outside. He entered the house and instantly felt the tears. In the living room Nath and her husband were on the floor dead. Each had been shot in the head. Max walked towards them and knelt down. He gently closed her eyes as hot tears ran down in his face. He did the same to Andrew. He found two blankets on the back of the couch and draped them over their still bodies.

"Caleb, Beatrice," he yelled out.

He moved through each room searching for the kids. He walked up the stairs and entered a bedroom where his heart dropped to his stomach. There was a blonde haired boy lying face down on the floor with a gunshot to the skull. He exited the room and vomited in the hallway. He was afraid that he would go to the girl's bedroom and find the same. He searched the other two rooms and could not find her. He went back to the room where the boy was and saw a shadow of tiny feet in the closet door.

"Hi Beatrice. You don't need to be scared anymore. All the shooting is done," he said, in hopefully a soothing voice. "My name is Max and I'm…"

"Maximus?" she asked through the door. He was taken back at her words. How did she know his true name? It took him a moment to respond.

"Yes, Maximus," he answered. "Can I come to the door and crack it open?"

"Yes," she replied quietly.

He started to cross to the door and stopped. He went to the bed and grabbed the blanket, gently placing over Caleb's lifeless body. He then went to the door and knelt down while opening it about a foot wide.

"Hi Beatrice." He was struck by how much she looked like Nathalie. "I'm Max. Your mom and I were really good friends when we were little, like you," he smiled to reassure her.

"My mommy told me that you would find us," she whispered. "She told me and Caleb to hide. Someone came up the stairs and Caleb pushed me in the closet," she said her tiny lips quivering. "Caleb told me to be quiet and shut the door. I heard someone yell at him."

"It's gonna be okay now. Will you come with me?" he asked.

"To Dauntless?" she said curiously.

"Ummm…" he muttered dumbfounded.

"My mommy said you would find us and take us with you," she told him.

She reached in the pocket of her dress and took out a folded piece of paper. She handed it to him. When he opened it a lump formed in his throat. It was a photo of him and Nath taken the day they got their first tattoos.

"She said to give it you and you would take us to Dauntless," she whispered taking a step closer to him.

Max fought back the tears and stared into her eyes. Nath had told her kids that he would take them. He was honored and terrified at the same time.

"Beatrice, do you know why your mom gave you this?"

"She said that you would take care of us now. Where's Caleb?" she asked. "I want Caleb," she cried out. Max's heart was broken even more.

"Do you want to go with to Dauntless and we can talk about it on the way there? Then we can sit and have some cake and milk."

She shook her head yes. "What's cake?" she asked.

"Oh, you will love it. I promise," he told her. "I'm going to pick you up now and then we need to go talk to Marcus," he told her picking her up.

"Mommy said Marcus is a bad man, and for me and Caleb to never go with him. She said you would come."

It clicked for Max at that moment. The rumors of Marcus abusing his wife must be true. As a Leader, Marcus would be responsible for placing orphaned kids. If Nath had told her very young children to stay away from Marcus, then he would keep them far away.

"Beatrice, when we talk to Marcus you tell him your mommy said to go only with me and she gave you this picture. Can you do that for me?" he asked her

She shook her head yes and then nestled her head into the crook of his neck and hugged him.

"Okay close your eyes tight until I tell you to open them."

She nodded yes again and shut her eyes until they were squinted tight. He moved quickly down the stairs and to the front door where Marcus was waiting. Marcus saw them and looked behind Max, expected to see someone else following. Max just shook his head no.

"I will be taking Beatrice with me back to Dauntless, permanently," Max stated in a firm, strong voice. Marcus looked confused which then quickly turned to anger.

"Max, I know that you and Nathalie were friends long ago but the child is Abnegation," Marcus stated.

"Beatrice, will you please tell Mr. Eaton what your mother told you?" She moved her head slightly to look at Marcus.

"She said Maximus would find us and take us to live in Dauntless from now on," she whispered.

"I hardly think that a child…" Marcus started.

"She said you are a bad man," she whispered again.

Marcus' eyes widened and he looked scared. He looked at Max and pressed his lips into a tight line and nodded. Max turned and started to walk towards the nearest truck. He climbed into the back still holding Beatrice tightly. He told the soldier driving to take them home.

"Do you have a list of the losses?" Max asked.

"Yes sir," the soldier handed him a folder.

He looked it over and sighed at the names that were once his close friends. His heart sank even lower that he thought possible at the last two names on the list. Hana and Luke Pedrad. He had never had better friends than Nath and the two of them.

"Oh no, those poor boys," he sighed out.

"I've been informed that the Pedrad sons are awaiting your arrival. Someone told them about their parents already. The small one is confused but the older one understands," the soldier informs Max.

Max was a strong man, but all he wanted to do was crawl into bed with a bottle of scotch. He had lost a lot, all in one day. He let the tears fall from his eyes without shame. He felt a little hand on his cheek wiping the tears away, then she planted a kiss on his cheek and squeezed him hard. They sat quietly for a minute.

"Are my mommy and daddy dead?" she whispered.

"Do you know what that means?" he asked and she nodded yes in reply.

"It means that we can't see them anymore," she said sniffling. "Where's Caleb? Is he dead too?" Max's heard broke again.

"I'm sorry, but yes he is," Max choked out. Beatrice's lips quivered and she began to cry on his shoulder.

The ride to Dauntless was quick and Max got out of the truck still cradling Beatrice. He took the main entrance to get to the Pire faster where all the offices were. He stepped in the large room and saw Zeke and Uriah Pedrad sitting on the couch in his office. The two boys were holding hands and looking sad. He went and sat by them.

"Hello boys. I am so sorry about your parents," at the mention of others Beatrice lifted her head and looked at the boys.

"Zeke said that they aren't coming back?" Uriah asked Max.

"I'm sorry to say that he is right," and the boys both welled up. When their tears spilled over he heard Beatrice whimper along with them. He shifted her in his arms so she could see them properly.

"I know all you kids have lost a lot today, but we need to be brave for a little while longer. Zeke, you're the oldest. I need you to watch these two for a few minutes and I'll be back. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes sir," Zeke answered wiping away his tears. Max put Beatrice down on the seat he exited. He went to the hall to have a conversation with the other Leaders.

"I'm Zeke and this is my brother Uriah," Zeke said to Beatrice. "What's your name?"

She whispered so low that Zeke couldn't hear her answer.

"Bee? Like a wasp that stings?" Uriah asked confused.

"Beatrice," she said a little louder. Uriah considered her more a minute.

"I like Wasp better," he said smiling at her. The three of them sat there in silence while she studied their clothes and haircuts.

"Did your parents die today too?" Uriah asked her. She shook her head yes and tears fell down her face.

"My brother Caleb too," she said in between sobs. Uriah reached over and held her hand. Uriah looked up to Zeke for a minute and then back to Beatrice. Max reentered the room and saw the three on the couch.

"We can be your new brothers. Right Zeke?" Uriah told her while looking at his brother. She looked up and glanced between them. "Please Zeke?" Uriah begged his older brother.

"Yeah Wasp, we always wanted a sister," Zeke said. "Do you want to be our sister?" he asked her. She didn't say anything at first, she looked at them and then at Max.

"Yes," she told them. "Maximus, are we still all going to live with you?" she asked him.

Max had an 'oh shit' moment. He had been prepared to take Beatrice, but three kids. He didn't know if he could it. He looked at the kids on the couch. They all had red rimmed eyes and were holding hands tightly. No one else had come to take the boys or volunteered. He could not say no. He didn't care if he lived to regret it, he was taking all three home.

"Yes, we will. We'll all stay together from now on. Are you guy's hungry?" They all shook their heads yes. "Good. I promised little Beatrice here…"

"Wasp," Uriah said. "Her name is Wasp," he said with a smile.

"I promised little Wasp here her first piece of Dauntless cake," Max smiled at them.

"I love cake," Uriah said. "You will love it too."

They all stood up and started the walk to the Pit. The kids never let go of each other's hands. Max had a string of thoughts running through his head. The most important, he needed a much bigger apartment.