Determinant: One choice will change everything

Chapter 7: Tris - Outsiders

Chapter 7: Tris – Outsiders

The voice I hear most clearly is Tori's. It must be the pain in her tone that cuts through the other sounds.

"I killed Jeanine for you!" she shouts at George. "You made me into a murderer!"

Beside me, Tobias stands as rigid as the walls of the building, his eyes moving between his father and the man next to George.

"Who is that?" I ask, pulling on his arm, but he seems to be unaware I'm there. I've never seen Tobias so unresponsive, except when he was under the simulation. The sight sends a chill through me.

"I think it's Amar," Uriah says from behind me. "Our old initiation instructor. He's supposed to be dead, but it looks just like him."

A sinking feeling goes through me, and I lace my fingers into Tobias', trying to bring him back to me. He's had too many betrayals in his life already, and now his old instructor, the one who hid his Divergence to keep him alive, is adding to it. It feels like Amar has ripped something from inside my own chest in the process.

The third newcomer, a gray-haired woman who is not much taller than I am, stomps her feet loudly in a short pattern. The others near her stomp it back to her. She stomps it again, and a larger group responds. After the third time, the whole room stomps it in unison. She holds her arms up over her head and speaks in a voice that projects through the entire floor. "Eyes on me!" Every face in the room turns to her, even Tori's and Tobias'.

"Obviously, many of you recognize us," she says. "For those who don't, we used to live among you. We lived in the same factions you did. We shared your concerns and your lives. But we were recruited by the group Amanda Ritter told you about. We're here today because we need your help, and because you need ours!"

A burst of excitement goes through me. This is our chance to learn more about those outside the city. This is what my parents wanted. But it's also why Jeanine started a war, and I know many here will resist the message these people are bringing.

I shift from side to side, trying to get a closer look at the woman who's talking. Her voice is smooth and practiced, the voice of a leader, and I feel an instant desire to trust her. But I don't trust people easily, so in an odd way the impulse makes me warier.

"This city is in tremendous danger," she continues, her tone conveying a deep sense of urgency. "There is an entire country outside of here that is poised to attack. We have protected you from them for years, but we can no longer do that by ourselves. We need some of you to help us, and you all need to get ready to defend yourselves!"

"Why should we believe you?" someone yells, and a murmur of agreement goes through the crowd.

"Because I was a Dauntless leader for sixteen years. Many of you know what Dauntless was like under my guidance. I ask those of you who were there – did I ever steer you wrong?"

Again, mutters fill the room, but this time, shouts of support mix in with them. Older Dauntless members around the room pump their arms in the air, calling, "Anna! Anna! Anna!"

Behind me, Uriah says suddenly, "I remember her, from when I was a kid. My mom really liked her."

"Why did she leave?" Cara asks, but I already know the answer. The Dauntless aren't allowed to grow old. Once it gets hard to jump on and off trains, you're "encouraged" to leave – to die or become factionless. It seems that Anna found a third option.

Abruptly, I remember something Tobias said once, back when I only knew him as Four. He told me that Dauntless used to be different, but that the leadership changed six years ago, when Max was brought on board. Anna must represent the old Dauntless values, before they started working with Erudite, before they started killing the Divergent.