Dauntless- A fanfic of Divergent

Chapter 17- The Final Say

The announcement comes at dinner. Eric, the newest Dauntless leader, goes up to the podium in front of the giant screen with the leaderboard on it. I glance over my shoulder at him at first, not thinking much of it. Zeke smirks a bit "You might want to listen." I raise an eyebrow "What do you mean?" He shakes his head, smiling. "When someone goes up there, everyone better be freaking listening." This is apparently some Dauntless custom or something. Shauna nudges me as Eric starts to look annoyed. I turn around. This must be an old habit of mine. In Erudite, unless Jeanine got up to talk, everyone pretty much kept to themselves and their book. Eric stands there with his arms crossed, waiting for everyone to stop yelling and throwing food at each other. When they don't, he pulls out a megaphone from beneath the podium "Everybody SHUT UP!" he yells into it. Ok, I see what Zeke meant. The Dauntless are rowdy enough that we have to keep a megaphone under our podium. It's kind of funny. A sudden hush falls over the room, and he raises a pierced eyebrow. "If everyone is about done, I have some important news to tell." No one says anything, which is probably a good idea. "As you are all aware of, one of our initiates was murdered not too long ago." I go cold, a familiar numbness spreading through my muscles as I remember what I have been trying so hard to forget. "We have investigated this, and have received plentiful information to convict Alex's killer. Killing is not acceptable in Dauntless. And that must be known." He says, glancing over the crowd "Tyson Grey. Please come forward." He says, looking deadly angry, yet slightly smug. My heart leaps. They did it. They caught him. Murmurs run through the crowd, and Zeke glances at me, smiling a bit. Tyson walks toward the front, shrinking back under the harsh stares of everyone in the room. Everyone was attached to Alex in one way or another. At least, it was a sad story. He is pale as he looks out at us, but he keeps his composure. "We have multiple eyewitness and indirect witness accounts, as well as a direct confession from you to another initiate." I know he is talking about me. "Tyson, will you accept your fate from your chosen faction?" Eric says, glancing at him, and then back out at the crowd. He speaks smoothly, easily. It's no surprise that he's leader. Tyson blinks once, and I see him snap. His voice is deadly as he speaks "I did it. I loved her. I really did." He says. Eric cocks his head to the side. "Love can be folly. Consider this your trial." He says. Tyson tilts his head up a bit, accepting it. A strange respect arises because of this. He's taking it, that's for sure. "Dauntless!" Eric yells, spreading his arms. The crowd stirs, anger flaring up like a candle being blown on. "How will we bring justice to Alex!?" he yells, punching the air. Cries rise from the room "Kill him!" "He should die!" People start to stand up, a rumbling tide of revenge sweeping through each person. Eric holds up a hand, and everyone quiets. He must feel so powerful, at the command of such power. "I think we should let someone who has seen just how destructive Tyson can be decide." I flush red. He's talking about me. My thoughts are confirmed when he locks eyes with me, and smirks. "Cal, follow initiate of Tyson, what is your sentence for this boy?" He doesn't call him a man. Tyson isn't worthy of that. I stand up, slightly nervous all of a sudden. But then I think of Alex, and everything vanishes but Tyson. I see what he did to her again. I remember what he did to me. "I'd let you live with the scars." Echoes in my head. Maybe he deserves the same fate. I look straight at him, courage from my memories fueling my words. "Tyson should be expelled from the faction. So he has to live with his decisions, seeing the Dauntless go on without him. For the rest of his life." I say strongly, spitting out the last word. Cheers boom through the room from the Dauntless, and pride spreads in my chest. This is my faction. And we stand together. Fury molds onto Tyson's face, and I swear his eyes bore a hole in me. Eric raises his fist, but no one goes silent. Our cheers and yells resound on the black walls. "Tyson! You are no longer Dauntless!" Eric yells over the noise. Tyson turns a bright shade of red, but you can see the fear and panic under his eyes. "Leave our faction! You are not one of us!" Eric yells again. Tyson turns, storming out of the room. I'm glad to see him go. He will never look at me with those cold, evil eyes again. The roar of the faction fills my ears, and I hardly notice that I am screaming too. He is gone. And he will never hurt me again.

Or so I thought.

Shauna and I head toward the clothing hub after dinner. She's forcing me, I swear. She smirks, and hold up a black blouse. "Is this too fancy for our fear landscape?" I raise an eyebrow. "Good luck moving in that thing." She rolls her eyes "So no then. What are you wearing?" I shrug "Something bad ass." She laughs. "Ok then. Always Cal." She sets down the shirt "You know, you're right. Style is over-rated." I nod "Finally she sees the light!" She grins widely "Oh come on. Let's get out of here." We step out of the store, and get about 20 steps into the empty hallway before Tyson wraps his fingers around my throat.

My eyes widen in shock as I try to gasp for air. Shauna punches him in the side of the head, and I twist violently to one side, ripping him off. I take in air rapidly, rubbing the red marks on my throat. Shauna takes advantage of his imbalance, roundhouse kicking him in the back. He stumbles forward, and I'm right there, punching a clean shot in the nose. His head snaps back, blood spurting from his nose. It feels good, surprisingly good, to finally dominate him. To redeem myself. A few older Dauntless come running down the hallway, one with a gun in his right hand. In that moment, I wish I was holding that gun, so I could shoot him. Clean in the chest. I am almost shocked at my own thoughts, but I like them better than the constant depression he put me in. They grab his arms from behind, pulling him backwards "How the hell did you get out here?!" one yells. He must have escaped from where ever they were holding him before they kicked him out tomorrow. He struggles to get back at me, like a rabid dog. "This is your fault!" he growls, staring directly at me. My eyes flare, and I stand up straighter. "You brought this on yourself. Now get out of my faction!" I yell right in his face. This surprises him a bit. It surprises me also. I'm not the timid girl from Erudite any more. I'm a Dauntless girl now. One of the guards nods at me, and they start to drag him away. He glares at me, with pure, bitter hatred. "You will see me again. Even if it kills me." He spits, eyes wild. Then they've pulled him around the corner. And he's gone for good.

A/N: So Tyson is FINALLY gone! Well, probably. For a while, at least. Lol, thanks for reading, slap dat vote button, and stay Dauntless:)