Apples {A Divergent Series Fanfiction}

Chapter 4

Lunchtime. Peak time in the Mess Hall. The dauntless swap over for shifts halfway through the 24-hour periods. The night shift coming back from the fence, the control room, the factionless sector. Dauntless swarmed the open space like fish in a sea. Peter sat alone at a bench in the middle of the room, like he does most mornings. Sometimes some of his friends from the fence will come and join him. But today was Monday- his day off and their on-day shift. Most days he hates the loneliness, but today it felt nice. A chance to think of everything that's happened over the last few days. He smiled to himself as he took a bite out of his burger.

"Peter." His peace was interrupted. Four plonked himself next to him at the bench. His eyes had black bags hanging from underneath them, his hair ruffled into a sweaty mess and he was still wearing the clothes from the day before.

"You look gross. Spent the night with Tris did we?" He smirked a malicious grin.

"No, actually. I've been looking for Taura." He sighed. Peter's grin vanished and was replaced with an emotion he couldn't describe. "I thought she would be with you."

"I haven't seen her since around midnight. Has something happened to her?" He asked calmly, turning his green eyes back to his food. It took every bit of him not to panic. He didn't want to leave her last night. He knew he shouldn't have left her last night.

"We had an argument last night after you had done flirting with her," Four remarked sarcastically, "she stormed out and I haven't seen her since. I thought she might have spent the night with you."

"I know you think I'm a bad person Four, and your probably right-"

"Thank you."

"But I certainly wouldn't use someone like that." Peter told him matter of factly. Four remained silent. "I will help you find her. She can't have gone far." He sighed. Why was he doing this? Why was he doing a favour for someone he had sworn to neglect and belittle? He thought to himself. Is it because he regrets his previous malicious attacks against Tris and the gang? Or because of the unusual connection he shared with Taura? He couldn't decide.

"You don't know Taura. She could be anywhere in the city." Four shook his head from left to right slowly, denying the claim.

"Look, I will go speak to Eric see if he has seen her and we'll go from there." Peter stood up from the bench and clasped a hand on Fours shoulder. "I will tell you if I know anything." He smiled more menacingly than he hoped at his unlikely partner. Four looked at him with uncertainty, his eyes dotting around Peter's facial features, trying to find any hints of a liar. Four certainly wasn't a candour; but he knew far too well when Peter was bluffing. But he had developed a friendship with Taura; something he no longer had. He was willing to search for her; something he had failed at, again. It was this or having his best friend's life put into the path of plain danger.

Eric stared at the open folder infront of him inquisitively. The sparse words on the page weren't making any connection with him. He continued to stare.

Full name: Taura Jade Daniels

Age: 18

Date of Birth: N/A

Blood relatives: N/A

Spouse: Adam Daniels

Faction of origin: Amity

Chosen faction: Amity

Aptitude results: Dauntless

Eric's eyes scammed over the little information several times. Several things stood out to him. "No blood relatives? Deceased?" He muttered again. "No record of the birth?" Everyone in the city of Chicago were registered at first. Especially in Amity. Tracking every child's development since day one is crucial in the essential faction. In Dauntless it's common to have births to not be recorded; in fact, Eric could think of several he knows of. Erudite- very rare, having records of everyone is knowledge. Candor- highly unlikely, they are always truthful. Abnegation- almost never, it's seen as selfish to keep the baby a secret, besides everyone knows everyone there. Factionless- there's no point in recording them anyway. But Amity? This would be the first case for sure. Slowly, he closes the file and lazily drops it back in a drawer under his desk. He rubs his hands over his face and lets out a long-displeased groan.