Bullet Proof (A Divergent Fanfic)

First Impressions

Chapter 2

After dinner Eric and I rounded up the transfers and led them to the dormitory they would be staying in, Eric in front and me in the back to make sure we didn't lose anyone.

When we got to the door Eric stopped. "For those of you who don't know, I'm Eric one of the Dauntless leaders. We take initiation very seriously here so I've volunteered to oversee your training."

"Yes because why would you not trust the trainer that has three years of experience to not do her job correctly?" I muttered.

Christina heard me and laughed.

Eric shut her up with a glare before continuing. "Some ground rules. Be in the training room by eight every morning. Training is every day from eight to six. We break for lunch at noon. After six you can do whatever. There are also breaks between each stage of initiation. You can only leave the compound if a Dauntless is with you. This is where you'll be sleeping for the next few weeks. You'll notice that there's ten beds and nine of you. We anticipated a higher number of you making it this far.

Christina spoke up. "But we started with twelve."

Eric casually picked at his nails. "There is always at least one who doesn't make it to the compound. Anyway, the first stage of training we keep transfers separate from Dauntless borns, but you will be ranked together."

An Erudite girl piped up. "Why are we ranked?"

I answered. "Ranking determines the order you pick jobs."

Eric broke in. "And it determines who gets cut. Only the top ten intiates will become full members."

"What?" Christina.

"What do we do if we're cut?" A Candor boy asked?

"You live factionless." Eric answered as if he was just commenting on the weather.

This time the Candor girl to speak out wasn't Christina. I really do need to shut Eric up so I can introduce myself and learn their names. "But that's not fair. If we had known-"

Eric interrupted her. "Are you saying that if you had known you would have chosen differently? Because if that's the case you might as well leave now. If you really are one of us it won't matter to you that you might not make it. And if it does then you're a coward."

He finally moved to leave. "You chose us. Now we have to choose you."

And at last the evil one left us.

Everyone's attention now turned to me. "I'm Kevlar. I'm your other instructor."

The Candor boy from earlier scoffed.

"What's your name?"

"Peter."

"Is there a problem, Peter?"

"If you're an instructor, why weren't you at the net earlier?"

"I was having a very important discussion with the leaders that ran longer than expected. "

"What could be more important than meeting the initiates you're going to be training? Seems like you don't really care."

Great. Another Eric. "Actually lots of things. You seem a little confused, so let me clear things up for you. I don't really need you. I would be here with or without you. You on the other hand need my help to make sure you even have a glimmer of a chance to stay. You need me. And I do care, until you give me a reason not to. Which is what you're working on right now."

I heard he mumbling something, but I didn't engage.

"Eric laid down the main rules. I have some other ones to go with them. In Dauntless we honor courage and bravery. If you exhibit that you'll move right along. If you cross the line into plain stupidity you lose rank. If you prey on the weak you lose rank. Any questions?"

Christina raised her hand. "Why did you pick Kevlar?"

I smiled. "Someone called me it and it stuck. They thought I was tough. Bullet resistant. And it's been proven more than once."

I walked to the door. "Get some sleep."

When I left the dorm I immediately headed to my brother's room. He opened the door on the first knock and let me in without saying anything.

I immediately plopped down on the floor, There was furniture in the room, I just prefer the floor. "So what do you think of the rookies?"

He joined me. "Unlike you or Eric I haven't spent my entire Dauntless career training initiates. So I have no idea."

"Eric doesn't train. He stands by and undermines me. I think its revenge for that time I got tired of him running his mouth and challenged him to a one on one in the ring, and then proceeded to kick his ass."

Four laughed. "Or the time you shot him in capture the flag."

I smirked. "Which time of which round? In the first round I shot him five times, in the second it was three."

I let me head rest against the wall. "Sometimes I really wish you had taken the job."

"You know why I didn't. The same reason you didn't back when Max offered it to you."

"Correction. Half of the reason. I also simply do not like the politics that comes with the position. And I know. He's just going to be the end of Dauntless as we know it if he keeps going. With every new class he oversees it will become meaner, more vicious, and more ruthless."

"Kev, you have enough influence that you can override quite a bit of what he does."

"Only as long as Max is a leader. And if Eric finds out I'm behind any of those decisions against him, he'll find a way to force Max out."

"You're getting paranoid Kev. Now go back to your own room and get some sleep. I know the only thing you hate more than Eric is not getting enough sleep. And the last thing those kids need is to see you on the warpath."

I rolled my eyes and stood up. "Good night bro."