Contents
Chapter 53: Tris
Overview
Tris is used as leverage by Evelyn while Eric holds Natalie at gunpoint in Marcus’s apartment. Tris disarms Gretchen and escapes with Natalie, discovering councilor Abigail Baker murdered and Dauntless initiates acting under simulation. At the waterworks, Natalie gives Tris a locket leading to her journal, then is shot protecting Tris, who flees toward the meeting point.
Summary
Eric holds Natalie at gunpoint when Evelyn arrives with factionless, revealing she brought Tris as leverage and accusing Natalie of manipulating Tris to spy. With Sly searching Marcus’s rooms and Gretchen aiming at Tris, Natalie begins a covert countdown. As Eric moves to wound Tris, Tris lunges, disarms Gretchen, and bolts into the hall, with Natalie shielding her and steering her into the stairwell.
Natalie leads Tris through Abigail Baker’s apartment, where they find Abigail dead from a gunshot. Natalie explains Dauntless—likely initiates—are attacking the council under a simulation, information Caleb delivered as a warning. They flee into pre-dawn streets, narrowly avoid patrolling initiates, and are pursued by the light-brown-haired Dauntless boy from Marcus’s apartment.
Cornered, Tris is nearly executed before Natalie shoots and wounds the boy, and they sprint into the water-reclamation building. As the pursuer batters the door, Natalie gives Tris a locket that will lead to her journal, says it explains her choices, and instructs Tris to reach the meeting point—an old church—to find Andrew.
The door gives way; the boy fires, wounding Tris’s arm. Natalie steps out with a needle gun; both fire. Natalie is struck and falls. Obeying her mother’s command to run, Tris flees out the back, sobbing and numb, carrying the locket and the gun, intent on reaching Andrew as her mother lies unmoving behind her.
Who Appears
- Tris (Beatrice) PriorHeld at gunpoint, disarms Gretchen, flees with Natalie, is shot in the arm, escapes with a locket-key.
- Natalie PriorCalm under threat; orchestrates escape, reveals locket to her journal, sacrifices herself to protect Tris.
- EricDauntless leader with a glowing device; holds Natalie at gunpoint, orders Tris shot, pursues the pair.
- Evelyn JohnsonFactionless leader; uses Tris as leverage, confronts Natalie, directs her people during the standoff.
- GretchenFactionless associate who aims at Tris; is disarmed and loses her gun during Tris’s escape.
- Light-brown-haired Dauntless boyPursues Tris, nearly executes her; wounded by Natalie, then shoots Natalie inside the waterworks.
- SlyFactionless operative; searches Marcus’s apartment and stands guard during the confrontation.
- Abigail BakerAbnegation councilor found murdered in her apartment as Tris and Natalie flee.
- Uriah’s laughing friendDauntless initiate seen patrolling under simulation, indicating a coordinated attack on the council.