Flower Child

Chapter Forty One

I let Tris be the one who chose who came with us, but they didn't really give her much of an option. The only one who did was Caleb, who was the only obvious choice since he had been Erudite and would know the most about the plan. Marcus insisted that he must go, despite my protests, and Andrew assumed he was chosen from the second we made the plan.
   The rest of the group runs towards Amity. I watch them for a long moment, I wonder if my mother is waiting for me, if she knows the war is even happening. I force myself to turn around, away from safety and towards danger like any good Dauntless would.
I settle for a light pace back and forth on the platform next to the railroad. We'll have to take the train to Dauntless, I can only hope it's done transporting soldiers.
"What time is it?" Tris asks her brother.
He turns the watches face upward, "Three twelve."
"It should be here any second now," I say.
I stop my pacing and bounce lightly on my toes. Caleb watches me with concern on his face.
"Will it stop?" he asks.
I understand his concern, the idea of jumping on a moving train, maybe even missing, is terrifying the first time, but it is also exhilarating.
"It moves slower through the city," I say, "We'll be able to run next to it and jump on. Just follow Tris, she knows what to do. I'll bring up the rear just in case anyone needs help."
Tris glances at me and we nod slightly to each other. This was natural to us, jumping on trains was something we just did, the rest would most likely have an issue with it. Her eyes move past me and I know it's time. I look over my shoulder at the silver object approaching. The golden head light shines on us, growing larger by the second. The front glides past us and Tris starts to jog next to it, we all copy her movements. She picks up her pace to run next to an open car and quickly pulls herself in. Caleb ungracefully jumps in, landing hard on his stomach. He recovers and helps Marcus into the compartment. Andrew then jumps in, like his son, landing on his stomach, having to shimmy the rest of the way in. Once they all move away from the door I pick up speed and grab the handle, jumping in the car in one fluid motion. While the others move away from the door, I stand on the very edge watching the city as we pass it by.
No doubt the Dauntless guarding the compound will be stationed at the main entrance, the one above the pit, so we'll have to use the back entrance, the one that requires jumping off a building.
"I assume you now regret choosing Dauntless," Marcus says behind me.
I watch as we pass by the Erudite compound, it's dark and inactive, which is strange considering it's always lit up throughout the night.
I know the question is more aimed at Tris but I answer anyway, "No."
"Not even after your faction's leaders decided to join in a plot to overthrow the government?" Marcus spits.
I shake my head, looking over my shoulder at him, "The corruption of one is not the corruption of many, Marcus."
Tris adds in now her own reasons, "There were some things I needed to learn."
"How to be brave?" Andrew asks her.
"How to be selfless," Tris answers, taking a small glance at me, "Often they're the same thing."
I don't know why but the comment, and the way she aims it at me, makes me smile. I'm glad Tris and I see the world similarly, and I'm also glad she knows I'd do anything for her. I told her that once, that whether she liked it or not I would always protect her, and I know she'd do the same for me.
   "Is that why you got Abnegation's symbol tattooed on your shoulder?" Caleb asks Tris.
   I turn back to the open doors as Tris says, "And Dauntless on the other."

   The glass building above the pit redirects the light towards me. We're almost there.
   "Get ready," I say over my shoulder, "When I tell you to jump, jump as far as you can."
   "Jump?" Caleb asks, "We're seven stories up."
   I glance at him, "We jump onto a roof, Caleb."
   "That's why they call it a test of bravery," Tris says as she examines her brother's shocked features.
   I understand the feeling. When I did this for the first time it was the most terrifying and exhilarating thing I'd ever done in my life. Now, it feels like nothing. Over the past few weeks I've been through, and done things, far scarier than this, so had Tris.
   "I'll jump last," I tell them, "and make sure everyone gets off all right."
   "Dad, you go," Tris says.
   I step away from the doors as he steps towards them. He stands near the edge but far enough back that he could bail if he got to scared. Tris watches ahead of us to give him the signal. The train turns a corner and the building lines up with the tracks.
   "Jump!"
   Andrew bends his knees and leaps from the car, I already have Marcus pushing towards the edge as soon as Andrew's feet have left the floor.
   "Jump!" I yell.
   He does, leaping from the car just like Andrew had. Caleb moves to the door without us telling him to do so, leaping after Marcus, leaving Tris and I alone in the car. We only take a small moment to nod to each other before we both take a running start. We leap from the car just before it passes the edge of the roof.
   I'm suspended in the air, a bird taking flight for the first time. No matter how many times you do this it still feels amazing, like you're weightless, until you're not, and you're hurtling towards the ground. I get my feet underneath me and they connect with the graveled roof, my knees bent to absorb the shock and my body leaned back to stop my momentum.
   Once I'm stable I look to my right, Tris is kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily, and, past her, Andrew and Caleb are at the edge of the roof pulling at Marcus's arms. He didn't make it, but he hasn't fallen yet.
   A sick side of my brain hopes he does, the side that wants vengeance on the man who abused Tobias, but my Amity heart quickly silences that thought.
   They pull him onto the roof and I walk over to help Tris to her feet. This is where I suspect to lose someone, because asking them to jump of a train is one thing, asking them to jump off a building is another. Tris and I walk towards the ledge.
   "This next part is why I asked about fear of heights," I say.
   I move past Tris and hear the shuffling footsteps of the three Abnegation behind me, god this is going to be interesting. I climb onto the edge effortlessly, the wind pushing at my body, lifting the front of my shirt to reveal the smallest sliver of skin. I turn around and see the confused look on the men's faces, they haven't figured out what's happening yet.
   "There's a net at the bottom," I say, "Don't think..."
   "Just jump," Tris finish's.
   I let my body fall backwards and into the darkness. The fall is shorter than last time, but not any less beautiful. The net engulf's my body but feels like hitting concrete. I roll to the edge and grab a support pole to help my hoist myself out. I climb effortlessly down to the platform and watch for the next person to come through. Tris comes into my vision and she hits the net hard, hissing in pain most likely due to her shoulder. I reach up and grab the net, pulling it down so that her body can easily roll to the side. She climbs from the net and falls to her knees on the platform.
   "Tris?"
   She shakes her head, "I'm fine, it just hurts."
   Caleb falls through next and hits the net with yelp. Tris stands next to me and grits her teeth.
   "Caleb," she hisses, "over here."
   His breaths are heavy as he climbs over the edge of the net, falling to the platform ungracefully. He straightens and looks at his sister with wide eyes.
   "How many times... have you... done that?" He asks between breaths.
   "Twice now," she answers.
   Andrew falls through next and Caleb helps him off. When he gets on the platform he leans over the edge and empties the contents of his stomach. I grimace and walk down the stairs of the platform, I hear Marcus hit the net as I do.
   The cavern is completely empty, which is not something I'm used to. Jeanine made it seem like there was no one left at Dauntless besides the ones guarding the computers. To find those computers, we'll just have to find those soldiers.
   I look back at the group and see Marcus standing on the platform. His face is pale, and his hands are slightly shaking, but he is unharmed.
   "So this is the Dauntless compound," he says.
   "Yes," Tris says, "And?"
   "And I never thought I would get to see it," he replies, his hand skimming a wall, "No need to be so defensive, Beatrice."
   I watch his eyes as they skim over everything. They are cold and calculating, not like the Abnegation leader he was supposed to be.
   "Do you have a plan, Morgana," Andrew asks.
   "Yes," I say.
   And I do, I don't exactly know how or when it formed but it had. I'm not certain it'll work, but I can only count on a few things: there aren't many Dauntless here, Dauntless is not know for subtlety, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to stop this.