Surviving

Prologue

A blessing in disguise, they told him. They weren't the ones trapped in another time, a time way before his. The whole plan fell, just an inch and they would have succeeded. He was sent to assassinate a very powerful man, but not even time could kill him. Everything was ready, every detail and loop hole was covered, the time machine built and solid. A one way machine built to go to one time and the present, so they would have to turn it to the precise moment. It felt too easy, he doubted and look where it got him.
A few days after he contacted, they replied, they rebuilt. A new mission fell on his hands. At first he thought it was stupid and immature but they seemed desperate. It would take months to reroute the machine and the reaping would take place in a month. Almost a hundred years into the future and they still haven't got the right technology.
So he got started on his new mission, which was kidnapping. The next day, he set out to deploy.

Kidnapping four highly trained vigilantes wasn't going to be easy. The first one had traps all over his front door, the other two were hard to locate, and the last had a sword under his bed. Even in the past, they were advanced and armored, dangerous even for the peacekeepers.
As soon as he had each of them pressed to the ground and tied up (which took most of his scheduled time), he immediately brought them to the future where they will be in a comatose state in the next month.

After an hour viciously trying to avoid security cameras and alarms, he walked up to the master bedroom. He took a small container from his belt and sprayed the room, making sure to cover his nose before he inhales the noxious gas.

"Ah, the caped crusader awakens," he felt like he was addressing himself. He needed confidence, he wasn't much of a talker. He continued his walk around the cave, at times glancing at the monitor where a video feed on his prisoners will be held.

"Nice place you got here, Bruce" he spoke even louder and held back. Was it too loud? His prisoner probably didn't even care, being strapped to a chair by a highly advanced lock mechanism from the future.

"What… do… you want?" The man asked, his words slurred and weak. This gave him a little confidence.

"All I want is peace, Bruce" he winced at the thought of his time. "There is a revolution going on where I come from, a war that might be resolved with the help of your sons."

"Why… not take… me instead?"

"You know for a dark knight, you're pretty obvious" he commented, he stole another glance at the monitor. This time it viewed the four Robins, unconscious, and being tested on. Fortunately they were all brought there without a glitch. Lucky for them, they were transported to his home and him to theirs. They will carry on the mission while he stays in the past and guards the biggest prisoner he has ever faced.

"Don't worry, Mr. Wayne I'll bring your sons back once they finish the job" he said as he started typing on the keyboard. "But for now, why don't we sit back, relax and enjoy the show."

"Tell me Seneca, why do the people revolt against us?" A gentle yet despising voice asked. Seneca tried his best not to inhale so much. The roses' odor was starting to get to his brain.

The answer was pretty simple, forcing two teenagers to fight to the death was not something you ignore. Yet Seneca had to be very careful for his words, one slip can cause death sometimes.

"Because they think it is wrong for us to take things from them," Seneca mentally slapped himself. A small scent of blood ran through his nose. Across the table sat a straight faced old man sat with his hands on his lap. He had an expression of disappointment. Then again, he always looked down on everyone, being the most powerful man in Panem after all.

"No, because we force them to fight to the death every year while we take what was theirs and kill anyone who stands in our way. That is how you earn discipline" President Snow said it like Seneca failed his history test. "But they decide to revolt and how do you stop a revolution?"

Seneca's thoughts were to kill them all, if that was an answer to his liking. The president was a very practical man, he knew they couldn't kill the rest of Panem because they were too great in number. Then another thought came to him, equality. And he thought Snow would even appreciate the massacre than becoming one with the squatters. How do you stop a revolution? Try to make peace with them and promise them riches and that should keep them quiet. The capitol has achieved that, but in a more brutal and bloody way, which resulted to them revolting, not a great reply.

"Make peace with them?" Seneca replied while holding a breath.

Snow pretended to ponder about his answer for a few seconds, but Seneca knew he had an alternative solution already thought out. It could even be the death of many. But what he said next surprised Seneca in many levels.

"Yes but it is so hard to achieve peace when we have already waged war" the president sighed, like the next line was too painful to even pronounce. "There is an old saying 'if you can't beat them, join them' and we are going to do just that."

Seneca pained to hear what happens next "How, sir?"

"For the Quarter Quell… I want the Capitol to be reaped."

Seneca imagined how the capitol would react, but he knew they couldn't do anything about it. It can result in the capitol revolting as well against… the capitol. No it wouldn't make sense, Seneca was starting to get a headache. Slowly though it was also starting to sink in.

"A little reverse psychology won't hurt, it definitely won't hurt the citizens on this city" President Snow proposed. He smiled as he saw Seneca finally realizing the reason for this odd plan. If you can't beat them, join them, literally. It was only for a year, a year that could change all years, a small sacrifice that could change the tides of war.

"I'll start the preparations" Seneca said.

"Good, it shall soon be announced to the rest of the world. Prepare for an outrage" The old man's eyes flared a sinister look that could scare off any creature, it gave Seneca chills.

"What about the intruders?" he asked and the man's smile only lengthened.

"Keep an eye on them and after the games, kill them. Make sure they get reaped and make sure they are slain in the arena. Do not disappoint me, Seneca."

The hardest task in all of Panem was in his hands, he tried not to let that thought corrupt his brain, "yes, sir."