I could tell them something. My stomach is already rumbling.
"Yeah," I say.
They sit on the bed across from mine, and I tell them about getting cornered in one of the Erudite laboratories the night before, about the pillowcase and the Allegiant and the meeting.
"I'm surprised all you did was punch one of them," Uriah says.
"Well, I was outnumbered," I say, feeling defensive. It wasn't very Dauntless of me to just trust them immediately, but these are strange times. And I'm not sure how Dauntless I really am, anyway, now that the factions are
gone.
I feel a strange little ache at the thought, right in the middle of my chest. Some things are hard to let go of.
"So what do you think they want?" Christina says. "Just to leave the city?"
"It sounds that way, but I don't know," I say.
"How do we know they're not Evelyn's people, trying to trick us into betraying her?"
"I don't know that, either," I say. "But it's going to be impossible to get out of the city without someone's help, and I'm not just going to stay here, learning how to drive buses and going to bed when I'm told to."
Christina gives Uriah a worried look.
"Hey," I say. "You don't have to come, but I need to get out of here. I need to know who Edith Prior was, and who's waiting for us outside the fence, if anyone. I don't know why, but I need to."
I take a deep breath. I'm not sure where that swell of desperation came from, but now that I've acknowledged it, it's impossible to ignore, like a living thing has awakened from a long sleep inside me. It writhes in my stomach and throat. I need to leave. I need the truth.
For once, the weak smile playing over Uriah's lips is gone. "So do I," he
says.
"Okay," Christina says. Her dark eyes are still troubled, but she shrugs. "So we go to the meeting."
"Good. Can one of you tell Tobias? I'm supposed to be keeping my distance, since we're 'broken up,'" I say. "Let's meet in the alley at eleven thirty."
"I'll tell him. I think I'm in his group today," Uriah says. "Learning about the factories. I can't wait." He smirks. "Can I tell Zeke, too? Or is he not trustworthy enough?"
"Go ahead. Just make sure he doesn't spread it around."
I check my watch again. Nine fifteen. Caleb's verdict has to be decided by now; it's almost time for everyone to go learn their factionless jobs. I feel like the slightest thing could make me jump right out of my skin. My knee bounces of its own volition.
Christina puts her hand on my shoulder, but she doesn't ask me about it, and I'm grateful. I don't know what I would say.
Christina and I weave a complicated path through Erudite headquarters on our way to the back staircase, avoiding patrolling factionless. I pull my sleeve down over my wrist. I drew a map on my arm before I left—I know how to get to Candor headquarters from here, but I don't know the side streets that will keep us away from prying factionless eyes.
Uriah waits for us just outside the door. He wears all black, but I can see a hint of Abnegation gray peeking over the collar of his sweatshirt. It's strange to see my Dauntless friends in Abnegation colors, as if they've been with me my entire life. Sometimes it feels that way anyway.
"I told Four and Zeke, but they're going to meet us there," Uriah says. "Let's go."
We run in a pack down the alley toward Monroe Street. I resist the urge to wince at each of our loud footsteps. It's more important to be quick than silent at this point, anyway. We turn onto Monroe, and I check behind us for factionless patrols. I see dark shapes moving closer to Michigan Avenue, but they disappear behind the row of buildings without stopping.
"Where's Cara?" I whisper to Christina, when we're on State Street and far enough away from Erudite headquarters that it's safe to talk.
"I don't know, I don't think she got an invitation," Christina says. "Which is really bizarre. I know she wants to—"
"Shh!" Uriah says. "Next turn?"
I use my watch light to see the words written on my arm. "Randolph Street!"
We settle into a rhythm, our shoes slapping on the pavement, our breaths pulsing almost in unison. Despite the burn in my muscles, it feels good to run.
My legs ache by the time we reach the bridge, but