Divergent: Four's POV

Chapter 23

Today is initiation day. In Dauntless this is a day of parties, drinking, and chaos. Everyone in the compound has the day off, so there are people everywhere, most of which started drinking right after breakfast.

Today we will welcome a new group of initiates in to our Dauntless family as full members. After lunch, the initiates will make their way up to the fear landscape room to face their fears.

I remember this day two years ago when I walked into my fear landscape Tobias, and came out Four. The leaders couldn't believe that I only had four fears. They also couldn't believe what they saw about the Abnegation leader Marcus Eaton. Following the ranking announcement at the banquet, Amar and several of the leaders took me aside to ask me if what they saw was true. I wasn't sure why they were so interested in my abusive father, but the leaders tried to push me for details. Amar just stood aside and when the questions got too overwhelming, he led me out of the room. Now I wonder if their curiosity was so they could report Marcus' cruelty to Erudite. I also wonder if Amar's protectiveness toward me helped to lead to his death.

It is days like today when I miss him the most. I can't help but think about how much he would have liked Tris. He would have been fascinated by her curiosity, intelligence, selflessness, and bravery. He also would have been very interested in how quickly I became infatuated with her. I was never one to bother much with chasing girls; he used to tell me that I hadn't met the right kind of girl yet and when I did I'd know it. I guess he was right after all.

After his death, I mourned for a long time. He was like a father to me, much the same way Tori is like a mother. They both took to me in that parental way like no one before or since. To honor him, I decided to take over training initiates. He always said it was the most important job he could have. It took a while but I realized that was because he made it his personal mission to protect people who Divergent. So I took over because I wanted to continue his secret mission. He took care of me, and I'm sure there were others that he watched out for as well. So I decided it was my turn.

After I shower, shave, and dress, I am out the door to grab something to eat before the fear landscape simulations begin. I wonder if he would be proud of me.

XXX

I make my way to the fear landscape room to prepare for the day. The Dauntless-born initiates will be here soon followed by the transfers.

When the Dauntless-borns arrive, I explain that the order that they go into the fear landscape is based on their rank, last to first. Uriah looks petrified; he will be the last of them to go before the transfers.

I watch through the window as each initiate faces their fears. So far the most was eighteen and the least was twelve. Marlene steps in just as the transfers enter the room. They bustle into the room and take up the empty seats. Behind me I hear Uriah call to Tris. "Hey, Tris! You can sit on my lap if you want."

"Tempting," she snickers. "It's fine. I like to stand."

I feel a twinge of jealousy when I think about her sitting on someone else's lap. But I also know that she wouldn't do that. She has shown no interest in any other guy, except for friendship, since she got here, only me.

The lights come on and Marlene is done with her simulation. I finish watching the Dauntless-borns go through their landscapes, and then I step forward to address the transfers.

"Transfers, the order in which you go through the final test was taken from your rankings as they now stand. So Drew will go first, and Tris will go last."

My eyes meet hers from across the room and I try to give her courage. The transfers get called in one by one until Tris is the only one waiting to be called. So far the shortest amount of time spent in the simulation overall was Uriah at eight minutes and fifteen seconds and he had nine fears. The rest are between ten and twenty minutes. She just has to beat ten minutes in order to secure a top ranking of first or second.

The door opens and I beckon to her to enter.

"Tris."

She walks forward to where Eric stands in the front of the observation room waiting to inject her with the simulation serum.

"Ready?" he asks.