MUTTATION
By: Jamie Sommers
Rated: M/E for mature content, graphic violence, sexual content, language, blood, guts, gore, nakey people, hot sex… pretty much whatever you can think of, it's in here.
Synopsis: A Terminator/THG crossover fic. Written for the Everlarkianarchives Movies in the Month of May
Author's Notes: Thank you to my wonderful editors and friends for correcting my errors (and there are usually a lot of them), keeping me inspired, talking through plot lines, figuring out timelines, and keeping me sane. These ladies have been a blessing to me: Ab (my person and pretty much the most amazeballs human being I know), Broadway Baby (Ruler of the universe. The line forms here to kiss her ring), T$ (my sister in all things Italian and Puerto Rican cooking), L (Brain the Overlord. I bow down to you.), Racy-T (The 8th dwarf who always makes me smile), and PBJ (Coffee Queen with the biggest heart). Thank you so very much, my darling girls. Having you all in my life gives me a sense of stability when my men (and dogs) drive me to the brink of insanity. A special thank you to Any, for creating the awesome banner for this story.
MUTTATION
The piercing cries of lives lost and gunfire erupted in sickening harmony as the rebel leader secured the soldier inside of the time displacement chamber. Stepping over one of six dead bodies in the room, the leader punched in a series of letters and numbers and aimed the vocal modulator towards the computer. Although it was the rebel leader speaking, it was the president's second in command, Seneca Crane's, voice that said, "Let the games begin," bringing the time displacement chamber to life.
"Now!" The rebel leader cried, signaling the others to get to work.
Two soldiers held an unconscious Crane's palms flat against the computer panel while two others held his head upright and his eyelids open. A green light scanned Crane's pupils while the console glowed and read his palms.
"Come on. Come on," the rebel leader mumbled as the computer took precious seconds to confirm that Seneca's vital signs were normal.
Satisfied, the computer moved on to the second stage of identification and the soldier listened from his position inside of the chamber as the computer announced Crane's vitals aloud, "DNA scan, complete. Heart Rate: 74 beats per minute. Temperature: 37 degrees, Celsius. Respiratory: 16 breaths per minute. Blood pressure: 116 over 69." Three seconds passed as the computer came to its final conclusion, "Head Gamemaker, Seneca Crane, identity and life signs confirmed."
The soldier could hear the computer from his position inside of the time displacement chamber, and wondered what his own vitals would read if it checked his stats. The way his heart was racing in anticipation, he was sure the computer would have deemed him unfit for travel. Fortunately his life signs weren't the ones in question.
With his arms and knees digging painfully into his chest, the powerful current ripped through the soldier's veins; making him feel as though the marrow in his bones had been replaced with molten lava. The agonizing pressure in his chest had him gritting his teeth so tightly, he thought they'd shatter like broken glass. Just as he convinced himself this wasn't going to work – that he was being boiled from the inside out – cool, night air filled him with life, a bright, white light blinded him, and his naked body crashed violently down to the ground.
Albany, New York – Wednesday, September 27, 2186
The familiar squeak of rubber soles against marble echoed through the empty fourth-floor hallway of the New York State Capitol building. The end of her ten and a half hour workday had finally come, and not a moment too soon. Every muscle in Katniss Everdeen's body ached as she swiped her badge and unlocked the stairwell maintenance workers were required to use. How she wished this one night she could take the elevator to the basement where the employee lockers were. Glancing towards one of the security cameras that monitored the lift, Katniss remembered the whispers in the locker room when one of her pregnant co-workers, Lavinia, went into labor and used the elevator in lieu of the stairs. Not only was Lavinia fired for unauthorized use of government property, but it was done before she gave birth six hours later.
With her shoulders slumped in exhaustion, Katniss melted into the group of people trudging down the stairs, staring at their feet. Most nights when she made this trek, she held her spine ramrod straight and her head high, but she had yet to acclimate herself to her recently extended work schedule.
For a split second she entertained the idea of quitting her job and going back home to West Virginia, but that was all it took for her chin to jerk upright and her shoulders to square off. Granted, she didn't have the best job in the world, but at least she wasn't trapped underground in the same coalmine her father was killed in. Her only other employment alternative was to go into naturalistic healing like her mother and sister, Primrose, but the truth was, Katniss would rather clean the toilets of government officials than treat the wounded that showed up at her mother's door.
It had been three weeks since she had spoken to her family, and their next scheduled call wouldn't be for another few days. "I'll have to send them extra coal and food rations," she murmured to herself, then took her jacket from her locker and shoved her arms into the worn coat. For some, sending extra rations was easy. All they had to do was use the Capitol's National Ration Network, but the closest Automated Rationing Machine, or ARM, near her home town was thirty miles away from her family and too far to walk. She'd have to go to an ARM tonight and withdraw the vouchers in order to get them on the morning train. "Great," she grumbled to herself as she broke free from the group of coworkers headed for the evening transport.
September had been exceptionally warm this year, but tonight there was a chill and Katniss could smell the crisp scent of fall in the air. She missed this time of year back home.
When she was little, her father would take her to the small hut they built in the woods. They'd spend the last days of summer fishing in the lake, and storing up on the last of the greens they foraged for. Lord how she missed those carefree days. Sitting around the fire, roasting whatever edible roots they had dug up, and small game they had shot that day.
During those days, her father had taught her how to identify the plants around them, how to live off of the land, but most importantly he taught her the difference between hunting for sport and hunting for a purpose. "To take a life, simply because you have the ability to do so, is cowardly, Katniss. There are many people in this world that would give all they had for a piece of meat, or fresh berries. Don't take your ability to hunt, or the animals in these woods, for granted. One day we could be the ones dying of starvation like those left in Asia."
While Katniss stood in line at the ARM she took in the homeless men, women and children huddled beneath the elevated train tracks, and thought to herself, If you could see it now, dad. It's not as bad as Asia used to be before they were "cleansed," but it's pretty damn close.
There were only five people ahead of Katniss at the ARM, thank goodness. She didn't feel like having to wait an extra half an hour for a transport. If these people would hurry, she could make the one that would be stopping up the street in the next few minutes. Alternating between looking at her watch and the person in front of the Automated Ration Machine, Katniss counted down the minutes until she'd get home. She went through her mental checklist for the night: deduct rations for Mom and Prim from her account, catch the 1:40 a.m. transport, stop at the vending machine and hope there was still something left for a late… The hair on the back of her neck stood at alert before she could finish her thought. Her eyes darted from side to side in search of trouble, but nothing seemed out of order.
She was the next in line. In front of her was a guy she worked with. Jim? Brad? Behind her was… Trouble, she thought to herself. Though she couldn't put her finger on the reason her self-defense alarm went off, she could sense that the person behind her – most likely a man from the amount of wind he blocked – was standing just a little too close for comfort. She had a couple of choices. Forget about the ration vouchers and strike up a conversation with… "Thom," she said just loud enough to have the guy standing at the ARM glance up from the machine and look around for the person that called his name. She considered putting an elbow in the gut of the guy behind her and telling him to back off.
If the guy behind her got any closer, Katniss would forget her errand for the evening, and make a new friend in Thom, but the stranger didn't move a muscle when she took her place in front of the machine. Before she pressed her index finger on the identification pad, she glanced behind her at the guy that had made her feel crowded. He was of medium build and had dark blond hair, but she imagined with a good washing it would turn a shade or two lighter. His jaw was strong and dappled with even darker stubble, and his eyes were a piercing shade of blue. Their glances locked for a few seconds, and then Katniss told herself she was being ridiculous. He was just another Capitol worker trying to take care of his business.
It took her less than three minutes to withdraw the rations from her account, tuck the vouchers into a zippered pocket inside of her jacket, and head towards the transport stop. She glanced at the ARM then back at the two people in line, both of whom were women. "Where did he go?" She whispered as she looked all around her. The dirty haired blond had vanished into thin air. A sense of relief flowed through her at his sudden absence. Though he looked harmless enough, with a month's supply of food and coal vouchers in her pocket, Katniss didn't trust anyone, least of all strange men with brooding blue eyes who had no clue what personal space meant. She wouldn't feel truly at ease until she was safely seated on the transport. No one in their right mind would try anything on a government-owned piece of property.
She waited in yet another line for a few minutes before her ride arrived. Once seated, she blew out a sigh of relief, and rested her head against the darkened window. Ten more minutes and she'd be home. Maybe she'd forget about buying something from the vending machine she passed on her way home after all.
It wasn't until she had gotten off the transport and was twenty-five yards away from her housing unit that she noticed the sound of footsteps coming from behind. The unsettling feeling came back full force as she picked up momentum, but the footsteps behind her matched her pace, growing faster…louder. It would only be a matter of seconds before they'd catch up to her.
Deciding that she'd rather overreact and run for her unit than be robbed, Katniss pumped her legs and took off towards the gated entrance. Pressing the flat of her hand against the palm reader, the lock on the gate released.
The stranger that had been behind her in the ARM line shoved his shoulder between the heavy bars on the gate and the doorway, and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"LET ME GO!" Katniss yelled as she tried to release herself from his grasp.
"I'm here to help you," his words quickly tumbled out. "I'm Peeta Mellark. Sargeant, Tech-Com. DN38415. I've been assigned to protect you. You've been targeted for termination, Katniss." The sound of her name coming from his lips had her wondering if they had crossed paths before that night.
"YOU'RE CRAZY!" Katniss thrust her knee into his gut and kicked at his crumpled form until she could slam the gate closed. "Get out of here before I call the police," her entire body was trembling as she backed away from him.
"You don't understand," Peeta gasped as he got to all fours and tried to catch the breath she knocked out of him. "It's coming for you, Katniss."
"And you don't understand," with her hand reaching towards the emergency alarm that signaled the police, Katniss felt a rush of courage. "If you don't get the hell out of here, and I mean right now, I'll pull this damn lever and watch as your ass gets dragged in for assault of a government worker."
"K. Everdeen," Peeta got to his feet but held his hands up in a defenseless gesture, "Maine. Murdered in her sleep forty-six hours ago. Katherine Everdeen, Rhode Island. Her throat slashed thirty-one hours ago."
"That's it," Katniss had heard enough. With one hard yank, she pulled on the alarm which should have caused a blaring horn and bright lights to flash on, but nothing happened.
"I'm not lying to you, Katniss," Peeta backed away before the authorities took him into custody. "If you don't believe me, ask the Peacekeepers when they get here. They'll tell you."
This lunatic must have thought Katniss pulled a silent alarm, because he was stumbling backwards and looking over his shoulder as he called out to her. "K. Everdeen. Maine. Katherine Everdeen. Rhode Island," and then he turned and ran.
Albany, New York – Thursday, September 28, 2186
It had been twenty-four hours since Peter, at least that's what Katniss thought he said his name was, had given her a warning. She should have gone to the police that night, but the fake alarm system told Katniss exactly where the people from her class ranked in the eyes of the authorities. Besides, inviting them into her housing unit could be asking for trouble. Once inside, they could take notice of all the contraband her neighbors had in their dwellings like homemade liquor, family heirlooms, or extra rations. Though none of those things were officially illegal, they were asking to be "confiscated until verified" by the authorities – which translated into, you'll never see it again – and Katniss didn't want to be the cause of a spontaneous raid no matter how life-threatening a situation she were thrust into. Instead she chose to strike up a conversation with Thom on her way to and from work the next day, just in case. Fortunately she entered her housing unit without once laying her eyes upon Peter.
The second she locked the door behind her in her one room unit, Katniss went for the locked box with the false bottom she used to send her mother and Prim rations, regretting that she hadn't sent them out that morning.
The creaking of the floor behind her had her turning on her heels and swinging the metal box in protection.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Peeta said while standing perfectly still. "I swear it. My job is to protect you."
"How the hell did you get in here?" Katniss fumbled through the closest drawer and pulled out the knife she kept for protection.
"These locks are easy to hack," Peeta sat on a threadbare chair against the wall.
"If you don't leave, I'll call the police again," Katniss hoped her warning would be enough.
"Considering the Peacekeepers didn't even show up last night, you go right ahead," Peeta said smugly. "Of course, I'd trust a Peacekeeper about as much as a Mutt."
"Peacekeeper?"
"Sorry." He corrected his terminology, "The police."
"Why don't we give them a call and then see whether or not they can be trusted?" She countered.
"Or, you could let me explain why I'm here, and then I'll leave."
"You'll leave?" That was the last thing she expected to hear. "I don't believe you."
He gave his head a shake, "She said you'd be hard to convince."
"Who?"
Peeta sat silent for a moment, then decided he may as well get it all out now. "Your daughter."
With a huff of crazed laughter, Katniss said, "You've got the wrong woman, Peter."
"Uh,' not 'er.'"
"What?"
"It's Peeta not Peter."
"Great, now I'll know what name to give the police," Katniss said snidely while holding the knife out in front of her. "Now get the hell out of my unit."
He had no clue how to get through to her. He was fairly certain she wasn't going to kill him with that knife, but then again she was the rebel leader's mother. "Listen," he stood slowly and held his hands up. "I'm not going to hurt you, I swear it. But you have to listen to me." His eye twitched when she stared at him with enough disdain to freeze his blood. "You're in terrible danger, Katniss."
"And how the hell do you know my name?" This fact seemed to piss her off more than his warning did.
"Because your daughter told me."
"Right. My daughter," she said dryly.
"Katniss Everdeen born to Evelyn and Clay Everdeen in Panhandle coal mining community located in northern West Virginia. Sister Primrose—"
Hearing Prim's name pushed Katniss over the edge and she lunged for Peeta with her teeth bared and the knife firmly in her grip, but he was too fast and wrestled her to the ground. "How do you know my sister?" Katniss grunted while struggling beneath the weight of him.
"I told you," Peeta freed the knife from her grip and tossed it to the side. "Your daughter entrusted me with it."
"And I told you, I don't have a daughter."
"Not yet, but you will."
"I see. You're predicting the future."
"These aren't predictions. These are facts!"
"Is that so? Well how the hell do you know they're facts since it hasn't happened yet?"
"Because I was there!"
The room went quiet but for the sound of their breathing until Katniss said, "So you're from the future then?"
"One very possible future," his voice was grim. With his body holding her down, and her wrists pinned by the sides of her head, Peeta spoke with urgency in his voice. "I should have waited until the Mutt made a move on you, but I couldn't risk it." It was really the only way to know what the enemy looked like. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but you've got to hear me out." When Katniss remained silent, Peeta took it as a sign to continue. "President Snow of Panem has sent a Muttation to terminate all females, last name Everdeen, first initial K."
"Panem? Muttation? What the hell are you—"
"Listen to me," Peeta snapped, desperate to fill Katniss in on their bleak future . "In a few months this country as you know it will no longer exist. Canada, Mexico, and America will form one nation and it'll be called Panem. Shortly after, the country will be sectioned into thirteen districts, each one with their own product designation. Fishing – District Four. Lumber – District Seven. Agriculture – District Eleven." Peeta pierced her with his stare, "Coal – District Twelve, or as you know it now, West Virginia. The weak will be weeded out. Asian flu," Peeta said with disgust. "The breakout will take the lives of the elderly, handicapped...anyone that can't pull their own weight. That's when the government decides to ban all travel between districts. No one will be allowed to travel unless they're a government official or for occupational purposes."
"I don't understand," Katniss stopped fighting when he mentioned Asia. "You mean the flu that wiped out the last of Asia, will come here?" Hadn't she just been thinking about that? About the "cleansing" the leaders of the rest of the world had called it when they fired nuclear weapons at Asia and destroyed every life form?
"No. Not exactly," Peeta rolled off of her and sat back on his haunches. "That's what everyone thinks, but it's the government, Katniss. They're the ones that infect people with a chemically engineered strain." He let out a deep breath. "I'm not too good with the dates and all, but a year after Panem is formed, it's discovered that its leaders were responsible for the breakout. By then the citizens of the districts will be nothing more than overworked, underpaid slaves. There will be a food and coal shortage," Peeta said angrily, "but not for those that live in the Capitol." He turned to face her, "You see this entire country will work just to keep the rich well fed and entertained."
Too curious about the story Peeta was weaving, Katniss failed to notice that she was no longer being held in place. "So where do I come into play here? Why is the president trying to kill me? And his name isn't Snow."
"Not the one running the country now, but the man that eventually takes control, is Corianalous Snow. And the reason he's trying to kill you is because you give birth to the woman that takes the Capitol down and leads the rebels to victory."
That statement quickly reminded Katniss that this Peeta guy was insane. "I think you should leave," she inched towards the corner of the room where the knife lay.
"The districts lose the first war. We call that time period the Dark Days, and as a form of punishment, the Capitol creates the Hunger Games. One boy and one girl from each district have to fight till the death in a specially designed arena." Katniss froze in place. "They call them Tributes." Peeta's eyes flashed towards the knife, but he didn't move. Thoughts of the Games were going through his mind. "Your daughter is reaped at the age of sixteen, but she challenges the Capitol at every turn while in the arena, until eventually….she's the last one standing." His voice cracked a little. "The Victor."
With one quick lunge, Katniss grabbed hold of the knife Peeta had tossed aside and took a defensive position; jabbing and poking the air in front of her as a threat to him. "You're nuts! Now get the hell out!"
All Peeta could think was, I should have waited until the Muttation attacked. Then she'd have seen it with her own two eyes. "I'm going," he stood and turned towards the door. "There's just one more thing."
"No. There are no more things! GO!"
"Communications are still open with other districts—"
"States!" Katniss corrected vehemently.
"Fine. States. If you have a way to find out about the other K Everdeens, do it. You'll see, I'm not lying, Katniss."
"Considering you said my daughter sent you here, I'm going to have to disagree."
"I did this all wrong," he mumbled to himself. "If I had waited until it attacked, you'd see it for yourself. You'd know I wasn't lying."
"GET THE HELL OUT!" She jumped closer to him, wielding the knife towards him, but not hitting him. She only wanted to scare him, but she was the one that grew even more frightened when he grabbed her by the wrists and held her in place.
"It is coming for you, Katniss. The only reason it hasn't killed you yet is because someone erased your files from the system. Your prints, your DNA, your full name…all of it… gone before Panem came to be. All the Capitol knew was your last name and your first initial, but believe me, that won't stop a Mutt. It will find you," Peeta's voice dropped down to a low menacing warning. "And it will kill you." He dropped her hands just hard enough to have the knife fall from her grip and then he was gone.
Albany, New York – Friday, September 29, 2186
Katniss entered her job still thinking about Peeta's visit. Was there a way to find out about these other women he claimed were murdered? There had to be. She could stop by police headquarters, but would they give her information? Would they even know what was going on in a different part of the country? As Katniss waved her badge to grant her access to her job, she stopped short and thought, You're losing your mind, Katniss. You're actually giving this Peeta guy's story credence? Shaking her head and wiping Peeta from her mind she went to pick up her day's work assignment.
As she looked around the room she noticed the uneasy expression on her supervisor's face and the white uniformed man and woman standing at attention next to her.
The procedure was the same every day. Enter the room, listen for your ID number to be called, and leave as soon as you're given your designation, but today Katniss' supervisor started by calling out, "67135, to the front."
Without glancing at the two official looking people dressed in white, Katniss stood with her shoulders squared in front of her supervisor waiting for instructions.
"This is employee 67135. These two have some questions for you," her supervisor stated. "Head to the basement offices when you're through."
Katniss followed the two officials wishing the nerves in her stomach would calm down.
"Just to confirm," the man asked when they were in a room full of desks and computers. "You are Katniss Everdeen?"
"Why do you want to know?" Katniss was automatically on the defense.
"Just answer the question," the female snapped in a chirpy voice before adding, "please, Miss Everdeen."
With narrowed eyes Katniss answered, "Yes. That's me." But she refused to be bullied for no reason, so she countered, "Now, who are you, and why do you want to know who I am?"
"We are a new division in the government that handles…certain sensitive situations," the woman answered.
"Like?" Katniss asked.
"Like," the woman spoke sharply, "serial killers."
It had been more than a decade since Katniss had heard of a serial killer being on the loose. According to the news reports, crime of any kind was at an all-time low. Though Katniss knew for a fact that was a load of crap. She had overheard many stories in the locker-room about thefts in the government housing units. The reason crime was at an all-time low was because no one reported them. Nothing would get done anyway unless you were rich or a government official.
"Do you know either of these women?" The man slid two photos in front of Katniss. One of a teenage girl with red hair and freckles, the other a middle aged woman with gray streaked hair pulled sharply back into a bun.
"Never seen them before," Katniss answered.
"How about her?" The man slid a picture of a young girl with soft blond hair, dark brown eyes, and a perfectly sculpted nose, in front of Katniss. It was easy to see the girl came from money just by the way she held herself. Unlike the other two, the third girl lacked that look of defeat in her eyes.
"No. Never," Katniss answered.
"Are you certain?" The woman held the photos out to her with a perfectly manicured hand. "Maybe you should take a closer look."
"I don't need to take a closer look. I don't know any of them," Katniss eyed up the woman in white, noticing how heavily made up she was. She was wearing a crisp uniform and Katniss was fairly certain her hair had either been shellacked into place or the lady was wearing a wig. "Who are they?" Katniss asked. The two officials exchanged an unreadable glance, which Katniss chose to ignore. Whatever was going on here, she wanted no part of it. "Look, if there isn't anything else, I really need to get to work."
The officials seemed to be having a private conversation with their expressions until finally the woman said, "This is Katherine Everdeen," she slid the picture of the middle age woman closer to Katniss. "This is Karen Everdeen," again she pushed the picture closer to Katniss only this time it was of the teenage red head. "Both of these women have been violently murdered."
"Aren't all murders violent?" Katniss said to the woman sarcastically and noticed the way she pursed her lips in displeasure.
Ignoring Katniss' comment the official continued, "As of an hour ago, Kristen Everdeen of Danbury, Conneticut, has also been found dead." She tapped her perfectly manicured nail against the pretty blonde's photo, and Katniss' heart began to pulsate in her throat. "We have no idea who's doing this, but according to our records, whoever it is, is going in order."
"In order?" Katniss asked, her voice trembling.
After a brusque nod from the woman, the man sat at one of the computer consoles in the room and pulled up a screen. Katniss watched as his fingers moved rapidly across the letters and numbers taking notice of a few of them. Within seconds they were all staring at a map of the United States with a list of names below it.
"See this here," the man pointed to a black line across the country with several green dots and three red ones. "This is the path we think he or she is taking."
The first thing that popped into Katniss' mind was "It." Peeta had referred to the killer as, "It" and "Mutt."
"As near as we can figure, right now this person is going from east to west killing off women with the last name Everdeen."
"First initial K," Katniss said under her breath; paying no attention to the private looks the duo was sharing.
Was it possible the reason Peeta knew about these women was because he was the serial killer they were looking for? But he only knew about the first two. There was one way to find out. Katniss' chest felt tight when she asked, "When were they killed?"
She listened intently as the man held up the photo of the young red haired girl, "Karen Everdeen, just about three days ago. "Katherine," he held up the picture of the middle aged woman, "day before yesterday. And this one," he held up the picture of the third woman, "last night between midnight and 3am."
Katniss felt a sigh of relief when she heard him say that. It's not that she believed Peeta's story, but the idea of him being a serial killer didn't sit right with her. He seemed hell bent on protecting her for some odd reason. In fact, he had every opportunity to kill her, yet he hadn't.
"Miss Everdeen?" The woman was speaking in a crisp, concise tone. "Miss Everdeen!"
"I'm sorry," Katniss cleared her exceptionally dry throat. "I…I didn't hear what you said."
"I said," the woman held her head up; "I am here to escort you to protective custody."
"No," Katniss said quickly. "I'll be fine. Thank you," she added on at the last second.
"Miss Everdeen, I do not think you realize the danger you could be in."
"I said, I'll be fine." Katniss stood tall, squared her shoulders and said, "I can take care of myself. Now, if you don't mind. I need to get to work."
"Surely you don't want to risk your life?" The woman said, aghast.
"I told you, I can take care of myself," Katniss stood firm in her decision. Right now she wasn't sure who she could trust.
Though it seemed as though Katniss personally offended the woman in white, she reluctantly agreed. "As you wish." The woman pulled out a small phone and pushed a series of buttons. In an instant a tiny slip of paper came out with a name and number printed on it. "However, if you notice anyone suspicious lurking about, feel as though you're in peril, or simply change your mind, I can be reached at this number from any phone. Day or night." She gave it a beat before adding, "No charge to your communication rations."
"Thanks," Katniss slipped it into her front pocket and watched as the man shut the window on the computer terminal down and the map of possible victims disappeared.
Though the woman was hesitant about leaving Katniss alone, she felt as though she must issue a warning. "Please. Be careful, Miss Everdeen," she spoke with enough concern in her tone that Katniss almost changed her mind.
The instant the door closed, and Katniss was alone in the room, she sunk down into a chair and let out a shaky breath. "Oh my God," her voice was reedy and thin. "This can't be happening." Pressing her trembling fingers to her forehead she looked to the door then towards the computer.
It had been at least three years since she had touched a computer and the ones at her high school were nowhere near as advanced as the ones in the Capitol. She was desperate to look at that map and the list of names that appeared below it again. Were they all K Everdeen? Before Katniss could change her mind, she swiped her finger across the screen and opened the drop down menu. "History…history…" she mumbled to herself as she scanned it as quickly as possible. "There," she spoke to herself when she found what she was looking for, but when she pulled up the page it asked her for a password.
Though she noticed a few of the letters the male officer had entered, there were plenty of others that she had missed. P-K-R-3-1-6, she typed in the numbers and letters she took notice of, but the words, "Invalid Password," popped up. "What the hell can it be?" she ran both of her hands up the back of her now sweaty neck. "P…pk…pkr…Pecker 316?" She tried it and swallowed the lump in her throat when the words, "Invalid Password. One more attempt before account is locked." She paced back and forth trying to fill in the missing letters when it hit her. Peeta hadn't called them police; he called them something else entirely. With her heart in her throat and the echo of her pulse pounding in her ears, she carefully typed out each letter, P-E-A-C-E-K-E-E-P-E-R-3-1-6. She held her breath when the screen came to life and the map the officer pulled up was displayed before her.
"Holy shit. Holy shit," she glanced around the room to make certain no one was watching. With a tentative finger she touched the first red dot and watched as one of the names from the list below moved to the top of the screen. In the blink of an eye, everything on Karen Everdeen's life was staring Katniss in the face. "Oh my God," she whispered harshly when she saw, not only a picture of the young girl, but her address, weight, eye color, blood type, DNA… The information and photos of the young girl's life seemed endless. "This is crazy. Why on earth do they need all of this information on a kid?" Katniss said as she pounded repeatedly on the X in the corner of the screen.
The words "Are you sure you want to permanently delete Karen Everdeen from the system?" popped up.
"No! No. No," Katniss sucked a breath in between her teeth and tried to minimize the late Karen Everdeen's life and pull up the map again. "Back. Back-back-back-back," she chanted until she found the correct button.
She stared at the screen for less than ten seconds before the thought hit her, If they know all of that about a sixteen year old girl, then what do they know about me? If her throat had been dry before, it was sandpaper now. Clicking on her name, she watched as her life filled the screen. Photos of her, ranging from kindergarten through the most recent photo ID she wore for work, were compiled in a file. Every medical treatment she had performed by a doctor, not her mother, was notated. All of her grades from school, a letter from her friend Madge's father recommending her for employment at the New York State Capitol, and all of her ARMs information. The moment she saw her blood type, palm, retinal and DNA scans, she knew without a doubt that they had to go. She hit the X with great force several times and when the words, "Are you sure you want to permanently delete Katniss Everdeen from the system?" came up, she typed in YES without hesitation.
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as fear swept through her. She watched as page upon page of her life was deleted from the government's system. For the briefest moment she felt as though she was prey being hunted, but unlike the animals she used to hunt with her father, Katniss knew how to cover her tracks.
She looked at the map and list of names once more, and when she was satisfied she was wiped out of the system, she logged out of the screen and wiped the history. With a cloth from her uniform pocket, she removed all traces of her fingerprints from the computer, the chair she sat on, and the desk she rested her palms against. There was no way this was getting traced back to her.
She waved her employee ID to gain access to the stairwell, but the only thing that happened was a loud buzz. When she did it a second time, she realized, not only had she wiped out who she was on that computer, but her place of employment would no longer recognize her. No one here really knew her. With the exception of that guy Thom she talked to, she never bothered to strike up conversations with her coworkers. Hell, even her supervisor called Katniss by her ID number. There was only one way out. Through the front door.
Katniss walked into the closest ladies room as though she were scheduled to clean it and tried her best to change her appearance. She tugged off her work top, and thanked God she wore a plain black shirt beneath it. She took her hair out of her braid, and fluffed it up around her face, then shoved her employee ID into her pocket. Though she didn't look like she was one of the office workers at the Capitol, she no longer looked like a cleaning lady either.
Reminding herself to keep her head down and her hair in front of her face so the cameras in the elevator and at the entrance couldn't recognize her, Katniss slipped out of the building and past the two white uniformed officers that had wanted to take her in for safety. For the briefest moment she considered their offer, but then she heard Peeta's warning in the back of her mind, "Of course, I'd trust a Peacekeeper about as much as a mutt."
Her mind seemed to be going into overdrive as she mentally went through the past day. Peeta called them Peacekeepers. He knew about them. He knew about the dead women. It could have been him. But no. No. He was with her when the last girl was killed. Does he have a partner? Think about what he said to you. Think! He said someone was killing women with the first initial K and the last name Everdeen. Okay, maybe he had a friend that was a cop and shared the information with Peeta. She had no clue why her subconscious was creating excuses for a complete stranger. But he also referred to the police as Peacekeepers, and isn't that what the guy's password was?
Katniss paused in her walking and pulled out the slip of paper the woman gave her that read, Effie Trinket, National Bureau of Investigation, Peacekeeper Division. "Holy shit!" Katniss dropped the slip of paper as though it singed her fingertips. Okay, so Peeta knew about the Peacekeepers. What else did he say? He said he was from the future. That her daughter sent him back in time. It was this thought that had Katniss shaking her head in regret. She screwed up royally. Not only by leaving her job without saying a word to anyone, but by deleting herself from the system. Now how the hell was she going to survive? That's when the next thought struck her like a blow; He said someone wiped you from the system. "Oh my God. It was me."
"Excuse me?" a man asked as he walked by her.
"Oh. Um…nothing." Katniss glanced at her surroundings noticing she was still about two miles from home. She had to form a plan, but right now all she could concentrate on was how the hell she was going to feed herself, as well as her mother and sister, through the winter. Home. She had to go home. She could hunt; help her mother and sister with their healing. Winter always provided a steady flow of ill patients. The only question was how did she get back to West Virginia? She still had the vouchers she was going to send to her mother and Prim. She could get them, sell them off and make enough money to buy a ride back home.
Plans continued to form as she made her way back to her housing unit. Things could actually work out for the best if she went back home. She missed her family, and her best friend, Gale. Though he worked in the mines now, they could still go hunting on his time off and share their booty like when they were younger.
The gate on her housing unit refused to read her palm. Twice she had tried it, and she knew if she did it a third time an alarm would sound. Though the police alarm was disabled, the entry system was a completely different story. Katniss was locked out. Now what?
"Having trouble?"
Katniss wasn't sure if she was terrified or relieved when she looked over her shoulder and saw Peeta standing there. "What do you want? Why can't you leave me alone?" Angry, she decided, was her best option.
"I told you. I'm here to pro—"
"Protect me," she interrupted. "Yeah. So you keep saying."
"You're home a little early, don't you think? Did something happen at work?" He had been following her since the first night he got to Albany, so he knew that Peacekeepers had shown up at her job, and chuckled as he watched her slip by them with ease.
"No. Nothing happened," she lied. "I just…didn't feel well."
"Hmmm," he gave her an understanding nod and stepped up to her door. He was surprised when she didn't jump away from him or threaten his life for getting too near. After hitting a few buttons on the palm scanner, the gate popped open. "There you go."
"Thanks," her appreciation came out as more of a grumble. What did she do now? Did she allow him back upstairs, or did she grab her personal belongings and high tail it out of there? She kept thinking of the warning those officers gave her. Was someone really after her? No. Not her. Just women with her last name and first initial. It was quite possible that Peeta was part of a team. Maybe his partner killed that other girl last night? Maybe this is what they did. Get close to their victims and then gut them. "I've got it from here," Katniss closed the gate on him – not that it mattered since he could easily get past it – and headed upstairs.
Peeta would give her a couple of minutes to get to her unit before following her. He'd knock on her door and try another way of getting through to Katniss. Obviously the direct approach wasn't working. He could try being friendly and ask her to accompany him, but he didn't think that would go over too well. There was only one option; he'd have to stick close to her until the Mutt attacked. Though the idea of putting her in such danger turned his stomach, Peeta knew there was no way to determine what the Mutt looked like until it revealed its identity. The one thing he did know was that they were running out of time. By Peeta's calculations, the mutt could have gotten to Albany early that morning.
Peeta glanced from side to side as he opened the lock on the gate. Checking over his shoulder one final time, he felt a tightening in his chest when he saw the man with a familiar face striding down the sidewalk with purpose. "It can't be," Peeta's hands began to tremble. Taking two steps at a time, he pounded on Katniss' door and began calling out to her. "Katniss! We have to go! Now!"
Katniss shoved the last bits of her personal belongings inside of her bag and took one last look around the room. She had spent the past year there and yet she had no problems fitting her life inside of her father's old game bag. She didn't even have anyone to say goodbye to. When she heard Peeta banging on her door and screaming at her, she knew she'd have to find a way to deal with him. Maybe she would call the police and let them handle him. What did she care if he got in trouble for those murders? It probably was him and someone… Her thoughts came to a halt when Peeta busted through her door. "Are you crazy?!" Katniss shouted. "Oh wait. You are crazy! You think you're from the future!"
"Damn it, Katniss! We don't have time for this. He's coming!" Peeta dashed to the window to see how far away the Mutt was. "We have to go now!"
"I'm not going anywhere with—" The shrill of the alarm went off, telling Katniss that someone had broken through the security gate.
"We're too late," Peeta opened the hallway door and quickly scanned the passageway. "Is there another way out of here?"
Screams and shouts came from the stairway, warning the intruder that he was trespassing, but it was the sound of gunfire that had the hair on the back of Katniss' neck standing on edge. "There's a fire escape down the…" her voice trailed off as more shots were fired and a high pitched squeal of pain quickly followed.
"We have to go, Katniss," Peeta urged her, but she was frozen in place. "Katniss!" Another shot cried out, only closer this time. "Please, Katniss." He held his hand out to her and pleaded, "Come with me if you want to live."
She smacked her hand into Peeta's palm and prayed that she wasn't making a mistake.
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