Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

I wake with a jolt, nearly falling out of my bunk. "Everybody up! Get to the trains!" Four shouts.

There's no way it's the morning. I look around at everyone else and everyone looks just as disoriented. I lift my head up and see Andrea and Jake both in bed, together.

My eyebrows pop up in surprise.

"Oh?" They look over at me shyly. "That's new."

"Uh, yeah," Andrea starts.

"It uh, just kinda sorta happened," Jake finishes for her as he starts stumbling out of bed.

I shrug my shoulders and smile at them. "I'm happy if you guys are."

Andrea lets out a small sigh of relief and looks up at Jake. "We are."

"So, what the hell is going on?" Jake asks, changing the subject.

"I don't know but it doesn't feel like morning to me," Andrea replies.

We get dressed quickly and make our way to the trains. Both the Dauntless born and transfers grab ahold of the train and haul themselves up, some more gracefully than others. When I get onto the train, I spot Eric right away. Eric stares me down for a moment before his focus goes back to the gun in his hand. I haven't seen Eric since the roof. Another Dauntless member had stepped in for Eric, stating Eric was needed elsewhere for the time being. I wasn't sure if Four had something to do with it, or if it really was just leadership business.

Eric and Four move to the center of the train car and the initiates line themselves up against the walls. I find myself pressed between Dylan and another Dauntless born. "Alright everyone," Eric begins. "Tonight, you'll be participating in a Dauntless tradition. You will all be working together. The game is simple, it's like capture the flag. Weapon of choice."

He holds out a gun that looks odd. On the other side of the train car, I hear Gina scoff.

"You call that a real gun?"

Without a second thought Eric lifts the gun and shoots her in the leg. She falls to ground crying out in pain.

"Neuro-stim dart. Simulates the pain of a real gunshot wound; only lasts a few minutes. Now, two teams, Four and I are captains."

"You pick first," Four tells him.

"Okay." Eric's eyes stop on me for a moment. Would he actually pick me?

"John."

Of course, he picked the number one ranked initiate. Four proceeds to look around the train car, his eyes examining everyone before his eyes land on me.

"I'll take the Stiff."

I give Four a small smile and stand next to him and look up at him. However, Four's eyes are trained on Eric with Eric staring right back at him with rage in his eyes. It makes me wonder if Eric had planned on picking me. But too late now.

Eric scoffs and regains his composure. "Figures."

Eric and Four continue to pick out their teams. Once everything is settled our team gets off the train first, which included Dylan, Jake and Andrea and a mixture of other transfers and Dauntless born. We make our way through the abandoned amusement park and my eyes are darting around, looking for a place to hide our flag.

"Alright guys, gather round." Four instructs. "What's your strategy?"

Almost everyone starts throwing out suggestions about what we should do.

"Let's go and take them out!"

"We need to scout their location first!"

"We gotta make them come to us!"

Everyone was bickering with one another, wanting to be the one who gives the best strategy to ensure their points.

We wouldn't get anything done with everyone acting like this. I walk to the edge of the gravel towards the water and I look out and can see the bell tower that's currently housing Eric's teams flag. I can see most of their flag but what I need is height. I look around and see an abandoned ride that has swings attached it. Right away I go over and grab onto the ladder and start climbing it. I go up slowly, ensuring I don't miss a step. When I feel that I'm high enough I can see; I can see Eric's whole plan laid out.

An ambush.

He was thinking ahead, placing the flag where it is and believing that we would go straight for it and we would get ambushed right in the center of the amusement park. I grin, proud of myself for being able to work out what his plan was.

"How's it going up there?" I hear Four ask.

His voice startles me, and I grip onto the ladder. "I think I found something." I climb down and slowly. It was much easier going up then it is going down. As I travel down my grip slips off the ladder. I gasp as I feel myself fall back. Before I hit the ground, I feel Four wrap his arms around me to catch my fall. I nearly make us fall to the ground but Four has a firm grip on me.

"You good?" He asks me.

I let out a breath. "Y-yeah, I'm good." Four holds onto me for a beat longer then let's me go.
"Thanks. So, I think I have an idea."

Four nods for me to continue.

"How do you get into the bell tower?"

"There's a staircase at the front but also a back entrance that has a ladder that takes you up to the top."

"Perfect, the flag is at the top of it." I proceed to tell Four my idea and he agrees that it's a good plan. We go back to the group and then tell them what I've come up with. A Dauntless born tries to fight it, starting to say they shouldn't listen to me. But one look from Four has him shutting up.

We split up, one half staying to protect the flag the other going after Eric's team flag. Jake is staying behind to protect our flag and he gives Andrea a quick kiss as we go forward. I look over, giving her a wink and she rolls her eyes playfully.

It takes us a few minutes to get to other side of the park where Eric and his team are stationed. We duck down behind pallets and wait for some of the others we were with to begin the distraction. We don't have to wait long when the shouting begins. Members of Eric's team break away from the others to find out what's going on. There are still a few members standing in front of the tower.

Four gives me a nod. Our diversion is working, and I need to go and get the flag. When the coast is clearer Andrea and I run for the back entrance of the tower. We hear footsteps and see two Dauntless born charging after us. We bring our guns up and start shooting while they take cover.

"Go!" Andrea shouts at me. "I'll cover you." I run and hear Andrea shooting back at them.

I run to the tower and come across Gina who attempts to shoot at me but misses. I aim and hit her right in the chest, and she goes down like a sack of potatoes. I continue my trek and get to the back entrance and pull myself up the ladder. I open the hidden door and start shooting blindly, knowing that someone is up there protecting the flag. I hear a grunt and pull myself up the rest of the way when I see who had stumbled from my shot.

Eric.

Eric charges at me and I grunt loudly at that impact of him throwing his full weight at me. We both end up on the ground with him on top of me. I still have my gun and start shooting at his side and one manages to hit the side of his chest. I know he's in pain, but he fights through it, grabbing my gun and throwing it to the side. I'm starting to thrash out, trying to maneuver him off me but he's so damn heavy. I'm throwing punches at him but it's like he doesn't even feel them. A flash of blonde catches both me and Eric's eye.

Andrea made it.

Eric starts to get off me to go after her, but I trip his legs and he goes back down. When I look up, Andrea has the flag in her hands and is screaming out happily to our team down on the ground.

I'm breathing heavily as I get off the ground and Eric stands up as well.

He's pissed.

And it only makes me smile harder. Eric shoves his shoulder into me and leaves the tower. Andrea comes over and hugs me. "We did it!"

"Hell yeah we did!"

We go back down the way we came and meet our teammates on the ground and all of us celebrate.

Four comes over to me and gives me an approving look. "You did good tonight."

"Thanks." I'm beaming.

Everyone is now going back to the train, still hyped from the events of the night. I feel a nudge on my shoulder and look over to see Dylan grinning at me along with other Dauntless born that include John, Alex, Charlie, and Liz. "You kicked ass!"

"Thanks, you too!"

"How do you feel about taking a quick detour with us?" John asks me. "We're doing an old ritual tonight."

"Almost a right a passage," Liz speaks up.

"A ritual?"

"It's a fun one," Dylan reassures me. "Trust me."

This had me curious. "Usually, this is something only the Dauntless born do. But we figure after how you handled things tonight, you deserved it." Charlie tells me.

"Okay, let's do this."

"Follow us." Dylan tells me. They all start running the opposite way of the train and I run beside them, having no clue what I'm getting myself into tonight. But all the Dauntless born around me look excited and happy. We approach a large building that has seen better days.

What the hell are we doing here?

Dylan notices that I've hesitated and grabs my hand. "Really, trust me." Dylan pulls me along and we run up the steps that seem to never end. By the time we reach the top my legs are shaking. The door to the roof is propped open and other Dauntless born are up there, shouting enthusiastically.

"It's a zip line," Liz explains. "It goes straight to the compound. The views definitely beat the train."

"This is amazing!" I feel as excited as the others now. The run up to building killed some of my adrenaline but looking at what I'm about to do has it coming back full force.

"You won, Jo! You're up!" John tells me.

A shiver runs up my spine but I shake it off. I'm scared, but excited. An older Dauntless member starts strapping me into the harness and gives me directions on what to do. "You pull this when you have to stop. Okay?"

"Got it."

I ready myself and then his hands push me off and the drop comes fast, nearly knocking the wind out of me. The weight of my body shoots me forward and it's going fast. The wind is slapping my face and the air is so much colder up here, but it feels phenomenal. As I pass through the city, I lift my hands out to my sides and it's almost like I'm flying.

Sooner then I'm ready, Dauntless comes into view and I ready myself to pull the brakes. I pull the breaks as I get closer and the breaks squeal loudly until it comes to a stop above other Dauntless members. Everyone is cheering and I cheer along with them. I unlatch myself from my harness and group catches me on my way down.

Exhilarating, absolutely exhilarating. Do we get to do this ever again?

More members start coming and eventually everyone has come back to Dauntless and is now walking back and chatting happily. Dylan wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his side, grinning widely. "Tell me how much you loved it."

"It was the greatest thing I think I've ever done." I tell him truthfully. "Thank you for this, really. I had so much fun."

"You're welcome. Just remember, this is for Dauntless born only. We don't usually talk about this."

"I understand, don't worry."

"Thanks." We keep walking and I see Andrea and Jake waiting for me. When she spots me her eyebrow cocks up when she sees Dylan's arms wrapped around my shoulder. "I'll see you later," he tells me. "Another day of training here we come." He says with a roll of his eyes. I wave goodbye and Andrea looks at me.

"Do you have something to share as well?" She asks teasingly.

"Nope."

"Suuure," she gives me an exaggerated wink that makes me laugh.

"Where were you?" Jake asks me.

"Oh, I was just in the back of the train."

"Back of the train you say," Andrea says skeptically.

"Yes," I tell her, still smiling. "With other people."

Andrea still looks like she doesn't believe me.

"Well, I need a shower and more sleep," Jake interjects.

"Ugh, same. I need to crash before training starts again," Andrea agrees.

We all head back to our dorms, getting our showers.

I'm still too wound up from tonight's events and I don't feel like I'll be able to lay still with my mind still going a mile a minute.

"Guys, I think I'm gonna just talk a walk first. Try and just calm my mind a little and get out some of my energy. I'll be back in a little bit."

They wave me off and I start walking around, no direction in mind. I'm still thinking about how much of a fun night it was. It was nice to work together as a group and although it was rocky at first, we all pulled together. I know I've trained on my own and everything has been made to make us feel like it's everyone for themselves; but it was a good feeling to work together to accomplish something. And we did really, really well.

And when we-

A hand gripping my arm breaks me from my thoughts. "Hey!" I shout. I look over and see it's Eric, with a look of anger on his face as he drags me. "What the hell, Eric?"

"Shut up."

He pushes us through a door and pushes me in, shutting it behind us. Quickly scanning the room, it looks like it's where maintenance keeps some cleaning supplies and a bunch of boxes.

Eric has a look of rage in his face when he turns to face me.

There are a million things for this man to get pissed about so I don't even bother to ask. Just waiting him out.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

That was definitely not where I thought he would be going with this.

"What?"

He comes towards me, his eyes full of wrath and looks down at me. "Is that Dauntless kid your boyfriend?"

"D-dauntless? Wait, you mean Dylan?" I ask confused. Eric doesn't bother to respond. "No, we're friends."

Eric's face eases up on the murder look.

"Good, and that's all he's gonna be."

"Excuse me?!"

"You heard me." His voice gets low, and he brings himself forward, and I find myself stepping back on instinct.

"You do not get to tell me who I can and cannot see." I tell him defiantly.

"That's exactly what I'm doing, initiate." He keeps stepping forward, and I keep stepping back until my back hits the wall opposite the door.

Don't poke the bear Jo, don't do it.

I'm gonna do it.

"You do not own me, Eric! We kissed once and now no one else can touch me?! I'm not something you can possess, Eric that's not how it works!"

Eric grabs my chin roughly and squeezes. "Yes, you are." I pull his hand off me and before I realize what I'm doing, I slap him in the face.

Eric growls and grabs my wrists, pulling them up and smacking them against the wall. I don't even have a chance to fight back when his lips press against mine forcefully. At first, I'm fighting him, at least I'm trying to. But he's stronger than me. Everything inside of me is telling me that he shouldn't be doing this, but I also can't help how much I like it.

I stop fighting against him and Eric can tell my resolve has crumbled away. He lets go of my wrists and I can't stop myself from kissing him back and wrapping my hands around the back of his neck, pulling him closer.

This is wrong.

So wrong.

Eric's hands are on my hips, squeezing and bringing them closer to his front. I let myself enjoy this feeling, knowing that this moment probably won't last long. Eric pulls away from my lips and brings them to my neck, kissing and sucking on the part he knows is my weakest point. As his lips work on the spot on my neck my soft gasps fill the room, I let my hands wander across his chest. Letting myself get a feel of the hard muscles underneath. Eric brings his lips back to mine and his hand goes under the back of my shirt. My skin feels hot against his hands on my lower back and my body enjoys the coolness of his. Eric pulls his lips away again and leaves large open mouth kisses and along my neck, down to my chest and he's getting dangerously close to the top of my breasts. At this point I don't care, I just know that my body wants his hands, his mouth, on me.

Eric takes it a step further and one of his hands comes down in between my legs. I don't stop him this time and he begins caressing me through my leggings.

The moan I let out at being touched like this for the first time is almost embarrassing. I can't stop the moans that are coming out of me now and he continues to rub his fingers against me. I'm gripping onto him like my body will fall to the ground without the support. Between his mouth on my neck and his fingers moving faster my breathing gets shallower and I'm gasping like I've forgotten how to breathe.

"You're almost there, baby."

Oh my God.

My orgasm rips through my body and I squeeze onto the back of his neck and shoulder, not trusting my legs to stay upright on their own. Eric brings his lips to mine, muffling my moan against him. I ride my orgasm out against his hand until I'm left panting, my legs feeling like jello. Eric pulls his lips away and rests his forehead against mine.

Eric's hands are resting on my hips now and he pulls his face away and looks down at me. My head is starting to clear, and I realize what I let happen. What I let Eric do.

A smirk spreads across his face and there's a dangerous look in his eye. Eric leans down and whispers into my ear. "I'll take you when I want, how I want, whenever I want."

I shove him away from me, but he was ready for that.

"I'll be seeing you soon, initiate."

I grab a bottle of cleaner from the shelf and throw it at him, but he's already out the door and it slams against it.

That asshole.