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"Everybody up!" so the rings in his ears glint Eric Surrounding him are other Dauntless, some of whom I have seen in the Pit, so them

His eyes shift to et that all aroundout of bed

"Did you go deaf, Stiff?" demands Eric I snap out of lad I sleep fully clothed, because Christina stands next to our bunk wearing only a T-shirt, her long legs bare She folds her arms and stares at Eric I wish, suddenly, that I could stare so boldly at someone with hardly any clothes on, but I would never be able to do that

"You have five et dressed andon another field trip"

I shove , behind Christina on the way to the train A drop of sweat rolls down the back ofthe walls of the Pit, pushing past members on our way up They don’t see people they see on a weekly basis

We make it to the tracks just behind the Dauntless-born initiates Next to the tracks is a black pile I uards

"Are we going to shoot so?" Christina hisses in my ear

Next to the pile are boxes of what looks like ammunition I inch closer to read one of the boxes Written on it is "PAINTBALLS"

I’ve never heard of theh

"Everyone grab a gun!" shouts Eric

We rush toward the pile I aun I can find, which is heavy, but not too heavy for rab a box of paintballs I shove the box in un across my back so the strap crosses my chest

"Time estimate?" Eric asks Four

Four checks his watch "Anyto take you to memorize the train schedule?"

"Why should I, when I have you to re Four’s shoulder

A circle of light appears onagainst the side of Four’s face, creating a shadow in the faint hollow beneath his cheekbone

He is the first to get on the train, and I run after hi for Christina or Will or Al to follow me Four turns around as I fall into stride next to the car and holds out a hand I grab his arm, and he pulls me in Even the o quickly, without looking at him, and sit down on the other side of the car

Once everyone is in, Four speaks up

"We’ll be dividing into two tea Each team will have an even mix of members, Dauntless-born initiates, and transfers One tea Then the second tearabs the side of the doorway for balance "This is a Dauntless tradition, so I suggest you take it seriously"

"What do we get if in?" someone shouts

"Sounds like the kind of question so an eyebrow "You get to win, of course"

"Four and I will be your team captains," says Eric He looks at Four "Let’s divide up transfers first, shall we?"

I tiltus, I will be chosen last; I can feel it

"You go first," Four says

Eric shrugs "Edward"

Four leans against the door fraht He scans the group of transfer initiates briefly, without calculation, and says, "I want the Stiff"

A faint undercurrent of laughter fills the car Heat rushes into hing at me or flattered by the fact that he choseto prove?" asks Eric, with his trade the weak ones so that if you lose, you’ll have so like that"

Angry I should definitely be angry I scowl at y is, it’s based on the idea that I aives --I have to

"Your turn," says Four

"Peter"

"Christina"

That throrench in his strategy Christina is not one of the weak ones What exactly is he doing?

"Molly"

"Will," says Four, biting his thumbnail

"Al"

"Drew"

"Last one left is Myra So she’s with me," says Eric "Dauntless-born initiates next"

I stop listening once they’re finished with us If Four isn’t trying to prove so? I look at each person he chooses What do we have in coh the Dauntless-born initiates, I have an idea of what it is With the exception of Will and a couple of the others, we all share the same body type: narrow shoulders, small fra Just yesterday, Four told me I was fast We will all be faster than Eric’s tea--I haven’t played before, but I know it’s a game of speed rather than brute force I cover a smile with my hand Eric is more ruthless than Four, but Four is s teaet off second," says Eric

"Don’t do me any favors," Four replies He smiles a little "You know I don’t need them to win"

"No, I know that you’ll lose nodown briefly on one of the rings in his lip "Take your scrawny teaives me a forlorn look, and I s way If any of the four of us had to end up on the same team as Eric, Peter, and Molly, at least it was him They usually leave hiround I am determined to land on my feet

Just before I jump, someone shoves my shoulder, and I almost topple out of the train car I don’t look back to see who it is--Molly, Drew, or Peter, it doesn’t ain, I juives me, and I run a few steps to diffuse it but keep h me and I smile It’s a small accomplishment, but it makes me feel Dauntless