CHAPTER ONE:

I stare at Eric and Max's bodies, sprawled on the floor, bleeding even in death.

The crowd goes silent, then erupts into cheers all at once. I know I'm supposed to feel sad at their gruesome deaths, but all I feel is wild glee. They won't be bothering anyone, anymore.

The floor is the clearest it has ever been, all the rocks that used to take up space on the floor instead used to stone them both.

Although the result is still the same, their death, I wasn't sure what happened. Where was Christina?

I shot a glance at Tobias, who was still behind the pillar. He looks at me, asking with his eyes, What happened? I shrug back. I have no idea.

I make my way to him, kissing him lightly. His hands touch my back. I feel cold and thick, suddenly. I look down and realise his hands have blood on them.

"Your hands..."

"Its okay. We're together."

I grin at him again. Tentatively, I slip my hand through his.

We make our way past the muttering crowd and to the dining hall.

●war ғree: тнe ιnιтιaтeѕ●

I spot Christina's head bobbing up and down amongst the crowd that is already at the dining hall. Everyone is talking about Max and Eric's deaths, but no one is sad. They are all celebrating. That makes me wonder. What went wrong with the plan?

I push past the crowd.

"What happened to the plan?" I ask, confused. Tobias hangs back on the other side. I give him a nod. No one needs to know about us, yet.

Christina looks at me. "I have no idea," She says, laughing. "Will and I were caught by Zeke, Uriah, Lynn and the rest. They demanded to know what was going on, then.." She shrugged. "Besides, this way, we won't need to come up with an excuse why Max and Eric are dead. They killed them themselves."

I shake my head. Christina is right, though. This simplifies things.

"Did I miss anything?" I ask. Christina grins at me. "Yeah, you did, actually. Guess who's the next Dauntless leader?"

I shrug. "Dunno. Why don't you tell me?"

"Shauna! And Tori, and this guy called Harrison," She adds, as an afterthought. Shauna deserved it.

I smile at her and slip away, back to Tobias, to tell him the news.

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About one week later, when Dauntless is more or less settled, I am called into Tori's office. It used to be Max's.

I rise from the table, stuff one last pinch of Tobias' muffin into my mouth-he glares at me- and walk right up to the office.

I walk straight into the room. Not surprisingly, all the leaders are there. I shoot at look at Shauna, but she smiles at me. I think it's okay.

"What did you call me for?" I am still wary.

"Shauna told me that you want to change your job?" Tori says.

Job? So that is what this is about. I nod.

"I would like a position training initiates," I say, looking Tori in the eye, then Harrison, and finally Shauna. Like Tobias.

Tori nods. "Okay. The Choosing Ceremony's next week. But initiate instructor's work is part time. What would you want to do as a full time job?"

"Guarding the fence," I say. Like Will. I'd have something to do.

They all nod. "Thanks for your time, Tris." Harrison says. I nod and leave the room.

●war ғree: тнe ιnιтιaтeѕ●

After breakfast -scrambled eggs-, Christina and I stand up. Christina's in charge of the Dauntless-born, five of them. From the corner of my eye, I see Tobias leave as well.

As I leave, I hear Peter calling, "Hey, Stiff? You think there'll be another of you? Abnegation's so bad, huh?" I don't look back. "Shut up," I say.

Christina and I walk to the net. The last time I was here, I was scared and exhilarated. Now I'm the best of my year and the one doing the training. Tobias is already there. Christina looks at us. She already knows about both of us. And Will, as well. Other than that...Well, no one, and we're going to keep it that way.

I smile at Tobias. "Bet you it's one of mine!" Christina says cheerfully. I jab her in the ribs. "I accept the bet. You owe me dessert for three days!" I say. She grins. "You're on!"

I hear faint murmers coming from the top. Harrison must be explaining how they have to jump. I brace myself. Sure enough, a shape tumbles from the sky. I look up. The figure is clothed in grey- my old faction, that could have been mine. I feel a pang and look over at Tobias, reminding myself what I have gained instead.

I look at Christina, barely resisting the urge to yell, "HA!" aloud. She shrugs, then motions me forward. I set my hand on the Abnegation girl's back. "What's your name?" I ask. She looks familiar, her dark eyes and hair at odds with her pale complexion, like mine. She blinks. "Wing," She says, sure of it.

Wing? I don't recall a name like that, certainly not from the Abnegation...But she must have renamed herself, the way I did. I smile at her.

"First jumper: Wing!" Dauntless goes wild. Wing turns, her thick braid turning as well. She smoothly jumps off the net and moves to a side. I nod my head at her, discreetly.

●war ғree: тнe ιnιтιaтeѕ●

There are thirteen initiates this year. Eight transfers. On top of Wing, I have three Candor -Miles, Fey, and Shailene-, two Amity- Mia and Howard- and two Erudite, named Emily and Erin.

There are more girls than boys, I notice.

I watch the back of Wing's braid swinging back and forth as the initiates follow Tobias, no, Four, and I bring up the rear. I suddenly realise that I do know who she is. Her name is Bernice Marn. For a moment, I am afraid that she might know who I am. Who I was or might have been in Abnegation. But I couldn't possibly look anything like the Beatrice she knew. Besides, I'm not ashamed. I was Abnegation.

And I also know this: They are the strongest armour we can have.