"President Snow! Sir! We've done it!" The dainty man stumbled up the stairs of the lab towards the man dressed in white.
"And you know what to do with it?" The man in white asked, his pale eyes perpetually glazed over.
"Yes sir, the syringes are ready, and so are the hijackers." The small man's soft blue hands wrung together.
"Well then what are we waiting for Hanecarch? Make me soldiers." The man's blue skin turned a sickly turquoise out of nervousness.
"Oh yes, of course sir, right away sir." He was still frozen on the spot.
"GO!" The white man yelled, then fell into a fit of coughing, spitting up blood onto his crisp suit, then stumbled out of the lab to change.
The small blue man stood up; high and walked to wear the president had stood moments before. "People!" he screeched, then cleared his throat and clapped his hands together twice. "Prepare the tributes!" 200 shrouded figures were rolled out onto the vast floor. The cloths were all removed and underneath lay 200 dead tributes, all from Districts 1 and 2. Careers. Once these tributes had been lifted out of the arena, their bodies had been restored to their former glory, the magic of this science was that their brains were left unchanged, their original killer instinct untouched. The blue man smirked to himself, this had been his life's work, and at last he had the medicine to bring these killing machines back to life. The timing of this discovery was impeccable, what with the revolution and the need for peacekeepers. The reason to use these tributes instead of just enhance current inhabitants of the career districts was that these men and women had a personal vendetta with the victors that had killed them, the victors that had joined the resistance in particular. Just in case the tributes got any ideas we had hijackers ready to morph their minds into capital loving, District 13 hating, machines. However by the President's orders we must refrain from using this because of the dangerous side effects.
"On my count, inject the syringe straight in to the heart, it will jumpstart, and send the fluid throughout the body, when they awake tell them about what we discussed will be significant information, no more, that is vital." The blue man paused for dramatic flare. "1, 2, go."
A few moments later a chorus of gasps echoed through the lab, a mixture of the tributes taking their first breath and the scientists shocked at the success. Soon after this a low murmur was evident, each man or woman explaining the situation to a tribute.
It was discussed prior to this moment what information would be relayed to the tributes in the case of success, it was generally agreed upon that we would mention the rebellion and the need for powerful soldiers, that was of course where each of them would come in. Now of course we had prepared floors in a special building for these tributes. Each floor was for a different year, there were 74 floors in all. A steady squeaking could be heard as the tributes were rolled to the elevators to lift them out of the lab basement to their home, where they will stay while they trained for combat.
Cato's POV
I opened my eyes, wait what? The last thing I remember was that slut Katniss shooting me in the head out of pity. I tried to sit up but I was restrained. Then a soft voice began talking next to me.
"Hello Cato, you've been asleep for 13 months, actually you've been dead for 13 months, we, the capitol, have just revived you. There has been a rebellion, and we need powerful soldiers such as yourself to help us restrain the districts again. I am now going to take you to your temporary home while you get used to your body again." I stared at him with an icy look then gave him a curt nod and rested my head down on the cold metal. I was wheeled to an elevator where three other tributes joined me, I turned my head to see my companions, and a smirk lit up my face, right next to me was Glimmer, and next to her was Marvel, and on the far side of him was… Oh god, next to Marvel was Clove, I had let her die, well not quite like that. I was poisoned badly and by the Tracker Jackers, I didn't take the stinger and the venom had spread, leaving me half blind. Clove went out to get my cure at the feast. I heard her scream my name, and I stumbled out of the forest to see Thresh standing over her limp body. I remembered the promise I had made to Clove before she went out, I had promised that we would get out safe. Worst of all I remembered me confessing my love, and the kiss we had shared in that forest. Dear god I hoped she didn't remember that, it would really distract from my goal of crushing the rebels.
"Cato, do you remember me?" Not that voice again, the voice I had used, used her love to pull her close so I could kill her easy later, sadly the tracker jackers got there before me, would have been nicer to add another dead tribute to my list.
"Glimmer, yes, vaguely" She smiled and gave me a little wink, aw hell, I'm gonna need to shake her off. Especially with all this Clove non-sense. Of course I can't hurt her, that would be one less useful soldier to crush people with. Let her off easy, hope Clove doesn't remember, right. As we got up to the penthouse of the high rise they let us off our stretchers and start walking around, of course us four were in the best shape due to our recent demise. I stood up and immediately fell over, and Glimmer promptly fell over on top of me. Her high pitched giggling filled my ears, so I instinctively flipped over so I was on top of her, making her giggle harder, I rolled my eyes and got up, surveying the room and lastly Clove. She was giving me a death stare, and gave a small nod over to Glimmer. She remembered, my love confession, my promise to keep her safe, and the kiss, I didn't have to ask, I knew she remembered. I gave a small shrug and sat down on the couch. Glimmer tripped over herself to come sit next to me. I can't deny it, the girl was hot, but she had no particular talent, not like Clove's knives. She was smart though, which I couldn't stand, in the Games I thought she was playing me the same way I played her, but obviously not. This girl was seriously like, all over me. Back at home I would go for girls like Glimmer, the pretty ones that got me more popular, but once Clove and I went to the games there was no going back. Clove was sharp and witty, and could kill anything or anyone without thinking twice. I watched her for hours on the train throwing knives. I was supposed to be asleep, I think she knew I was there but never said anything.
I needed control of this situation, I needed to be in charge, I was not going to be a victim. I threw my arm over Glimmer's shoulder, leaned over and kissed her right on the mouth. I didn't feel a thing, not like kissing Clove in the forest, and not to mention it was nothing like kissing her cold body before the hovercar came and took her away. Glimmer giggled and sighed into my grasp, much better, in control again. I looked up to see Clove staring at Glimmer, with that look that I saw when she was so accurately piercing every single dummy in the room through the heart. Good, vicious Clove was more useful to the Capitol than love struck Clove. I smirked as I threw my feet up onto the ottoman.
Clove's POV
Fucking bastard, I remembered everything, what kind of guy says I love you, I will protect you, then lets me die and starts kissing Glimmer when he get me back. I glanced awkwardly at Marvel who was looking through the inventory of the reincarnated tributes on a projected screen. I sat down next to him on the stool, letting my short legs dangle. We flipped through every tribute from the 1st games, all the way to the 50th, where Marvel stopped flipping, I looked over expectantly, waiting to go past it. Marvel was entranced, good lord, I swear if another one of us gets all doe eyed over another career I was going to have to get out my knives. Soldiers in love are no soldiers at all. I then noticed who he was staring at, the girl who almost won in the second quarter quell. There were two tributes from 12 left, they had just cut off their alliance when Poppy, I think that was her name, knifed the girl through the throat. She went for the boy next, she had an ax, and threw it as hard as she could at the boy. The force field at the end of the arena bounced it back and the ax went straight through her head, she was legendary, well almost. She was from 2, and we learned about her in the academy. Marvel must have learned about her too, because otherwise he wouldn't have paused on her.
"She's beautiful" he murmured, I guess he was right, she had long blond hair and steely blue eyes.
"One problem Marvel, she's 25 years older than you." I said pretty sarcastically, I turned around to steal a glance at Cato, but he had locked lips with Glimmer again. I clenched my jaw shut, and turned my attention back to Marvel.
"Not really, she's 18 like me, she was just 18 before me, it's not like she's emotionally older or anything either, she's been dead for 26 years. It's like time froze for her." he said all this a little dreamily.
"Whatever Marvel" I said, then hopped up and turned so that I was facing everyone, including the avoxes who we had been left with. "Well I hope all you lovebirds enjoy yourself, I'm going for a walk on the roof." I storm out of the room and up the stairs. I take a whiff of the fresh air. Honestly they should have taken us up here first, this was the first breath of real air I had had in over a year. I felt around the tool belt I had been given, sure enough there were my knives, I mean not just any knives, my knives, the ones with almost no handle so the entire thing is pretty much one blade. I notice a butterfly pausing just above the concrete, not a real one, but some kind of singing mutt. It starts humming a soft tune. I take out a knife and pierce it straight through the abdomen cutting off its tune short. Around it a couple other mutterflies gather and I pierce all of them as well, leaving with a dead mass of mutts. I collect my knives and head back to the room, having released some steam. Standing in the doorway is none other than Cato.
"The last time you and I were here, we had that interview, remember?" What was he saying, of course I remembered. "All I remember is you with your hair done up, and wearing the prettiest orange and red dress, almost like you were on fire. Far more stunning than the whore from 12." My jaw is tense as I look at him. He takes a step closer to me, putting one hand on my cheek. I feel his heartbeat against my neck. He leans down. That's when I take action. I knee him in the groin, hard. "Dammit Clove! I was trying to kiss you!"
"Yeah? Just like you kissed Glimmer? I'm not falling for you again asshole!" I yell.
"That kiss with Glimmer, that's nothing, that's me using her again to keep her from being heartbroken, she'll be of more use to the Capitol that way. C'mon Clove, I know you remember what I tell you in the forest, I feel the same." I pause for a minute, wanting to believe him.
"I'm sorry Cato, that's not how I work, I don't go back, I only move forward, and right now you are part of my past." I walk down the stairs and to the bedroom that Glimmer and I will have to share. They've designed it to fit our interest the most. I have targets all around on my side, and Glimmer has a bow and arrows, I sigh, she has no idea how to use them, or really any weapon. They also add some personal touches, my bed is a gradual change from red to yellow, almost like fire. Cato was right, I am the girl on fire.