'Most people, in fact, will not take the trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear.'
~Thucydides
The Capitol
Gamemaker Office
Six weeks after the conclusion of the Twenty-seventh Hunger Games
Rumours circulate in the Capitol all the time. However, the current rumours that circulates back in the office is something Elbert Korando does not like. How that something big is coming, that at any second the whole face of the Hunger Games is about to change. Normally he scoffs at such rumours, but this time he wonders about it. Stirring some form of emotion within his heart as he sits at his desk, pencil in hand as he draws up plans for another arena.
He leans back to admire the work but scrunches it up again and throws it in the trash can beside his desk. He's out of ideas, it's been meadows and forests, lakes and cliffs for the last decade or so and it's honestly getting to him.
However, his friend and current Head Gamemaker, Rexton Price, is not one to stray from tradition and besides the Capitol still likes the scenery the arenas provide, especially now that the past ones have all been opened to the public to explore.
A sigh escapes his lips as he stares at his watch, speaking of, Rexton hasn't come into the building yet and it's nearly lunchtime. The man is normally in by now, even if he is late, he isn't this late. He decides to check in his office, maybe he's wandered in when he was out at the bathroom or something.
Once he exits his own office he bumps into a woman, confident as she looks, she stops and look at him. An eyebrow raises as she scans the man with her dark brown eyes, he does the same and smirk pops into her makeup covered face.
"You must be Mr. Korando." She says as she extends her hand. "Theodora Vidia."
"What are you doing here?" He says so abruptly. "I'm sorry, but this is a private office, only Gamemakers and their assistants are allowed here."
"What do you mean?" She says, a cock of her head. "I'm the new Head Gamemaker."
"Since when?" He says as he steps back to properly scan this intruder, his voice hostile.
"As of…" She looks at her watch, gold and brand new. "Four hours ago now. I can let you see the letter if you want?"
He didn't get a chance to say anything as she practically shoves the letter at his face. He scoffs, but his frown deepens as he sees the signature of the new President as well as his seal. "This isn't real."
"I'm afraid it is." She says as she snatches the letter back. "Now if you'll excuse me."
She barge past the man and walks directly into Rexton's office. He felt a bit of rage boil inside him as she completely disregards his best friend, he barges in after her and she's already sitting on his seat and staring out the window. This thirty-something year old, can't just come in to their office and sit down as if she owns the place. That's not how it works, Head Gamemaker or not.
"What a view." She says with a languid sigh, she turns around to see Elbert. "You still following me? Well as your new boss-"
"You're not the boss of me." He interrupts her, and she smirks, waving the piece of paper again.
"According to this letter, I am." She grins in a sing-songy fashing as she turns completely to face him.
"I need to see Rexton, clarify this whole thing out."
"Feel free," she says. "I'll still be here by the end of the day, planning out the next Hunger Games."
Elbert leaves without saying anything, he stops by his office to take his phone and jacket. He dials Rexton's number in hopes of getting through to him, but all attempts end up in his voicemail. He growls as he goes to the elevator presses the button, he'll have to drag him back.
He had never run so fast in his life to get to his friend's house. He passes by Capitolites going for lunch or coming back from their break; cutting through shortcuts and parks. His mind growing weary of what could have happened to him.
He hopes to whatever higher power that he is all good. He passes by another group of businessmen and as he reaches the apartment complex he stops completely. There's a lot of people, news, Peacekeepers and other services he couldn't remember. He watches them, and his worry grows as he barges past the black and yellow tape, but a Peacekeeper stops him.
"Sir, there has been a murder in this apartment complex, I will need you to stay behind the tape." He says extending his arm out.
"My friend could be in there! I need to find him." He says as he tries to push past but the Peacekeeper would not budge. "I need to make sure he's safe!"
"I won't repeat again, sir."
"Rexton! Rexton!" He shouts when he couldn't get through, his temper rising as he grows frustrated.
At that moment the Peacekeeper is gearing to arrest him until a hand touches the Peacekeeper on the shoulders and he stops to turn around. Elbert gets a look at the man that stops him, and he looks familiar, but he couldn't put a finger on it. The man whispers into the Peacekeeper's helmet, something that Elbert couldn't hear. At this point he could make a run for it to the building but there's too many white suits everywhere.
"Yes sir," he says, and he leaves, but not before looking at Elbert. "We'll be keeping an eye on you.
"Elbert Korando, a pleasure to finally meet you." The man that stayed says as he extends his hand. "Jacob Phob, President Nepos' assistant."
Elbert bats the hand away, he eyes him suspiciously and the man just shrugs his shoulders. He instead fixes the black tie he's wearing and then his blond hair. There's an air of mystery to him that Elbert can't pinpoint, but he doesn't care for that as he wants to see if his friend is okay.
"Well if you don't mind…"
"Actually." Jacob says. "There's something I need to tell you."
With that, the man walks towards a corner of the sealed grounds, a non-distinct place but well out of any earshot. Elbert follows him, eyeing the building, the floor that he knows his friend is in. He looks away to stare down the younger man, with his white shirt and black tie.
"What do you want from me?" He asks him.
"Firstly," Jacob starts. "The Peacekeeper presence was phoned in by me."
"Why?" He says rather too loudly until he quietens down. "What happened?"
"His door was open, Mr. Price's." He said, then his voice got quiet and dark. "I had a letter from the President to deliver to him, but when I found that his door was opened I walked in, and there I saw his body, lifeless, dead."
"No." Elbert's usual strong voice wavers slightly. "You're lying."
"I wish I could say that I was." He says with a sympathetic tone.
"I don't believe you." Elbert tells him. "He wouldn't just up and die on us now. Not after working so hard to make these Games so successful."
"I guess he couldn't handle the pressure." He said, Elbert noticing the tone shift.
"What pressure?"
"Why, the pressure I put on him I suppose."
"You?"
"You see, Mr. Price wouldn't abide by the rules." He says fixing the sleeves of his white shirt and then his tie again. "I gave him a choice too."
"A choice? Rules? What the fuck are you talking about?" He said, his voice rising with anger. "What did you really do to Rexton?"
"I'm afraid he had to go. He wasn't part of the whole plan. He had a whole month to decide and he clearly took my warning as nothing." He says with a shrug of his shoulders.
"It was you…" He points an accusatory finger at him. "You…killed him, didn't you?"
"Now it's time for you, Mr. Korando, to decide." He ignores the angry man opposite him. "Will you join your friend? Or will you comply?"
"Fuck you." He spits, venom spilling out from his mouth. "What good will it do me following this fucked up game of yours?"
"Your life, for one, maybe your family?" He says wondering out loud. "It's not that hard, comply or there will be consequences."
Jacob leaves him before he could reply to his statement. He's seething in his own anger, someone is changing the scene too fast for him to follow. Now this little shit of an 'assistant' is threatening his, and his family's, lives like it's nothing.
He'll play along, oh he will, just so he can look that smug asshole in the eye as he drives something down his chest. He'll do whatever that new bitch of a Gamemaker wants him to do. His usual calm demeanour gone. He discards it to play the game, if they want to play, he'll do it.
It's time for him to play the waiting game.
Penelope Deim
President's Mansion
Six weeks after the conclusion of the Twenty-seventh Hunger Games
The door opens and a smug looking Jacob walks in. His brown, leather shoes stomping at the velvet red carpet of the hallway. His hands deep inside his grey suit trousers. He looks at Penelope with light brown eyes and stops opposite her.
"Is it done?" She asks him without hesitating.
"Not even a 'How did it go, Jacob?'" He asks, and she rolls her eyes.
"Is. It. Done?" She asks him one more time, each word growing louder and scarier, but it didn't faze the man at all.
"Yes, it is." This time it is him that's rolling his eyes. "You suck out all the fun."
"One of us has to." She sighs to herself as she walks away. "What about Elbert Korando?"
"I gave him the same warning," Jacob shrugs. "Up to him if he follows it, I think he will."
"It's a shame that Mr. Price didn't just step down like we had asked him."
"Yeah, the man was a visionary."
"Truly." Penelope agrees as she walks away, black heels thud on the carpet.
"What next?" He asks after her, his voice echo the empty hallway.
"Damage control." She shouts back before disappearing around the corner.
Jacob takes his hands out of his pockets, his hand still visibly shaking from the encounter he had with Elbert. There's something about the way the man's passion and camaraderie for his friend that makes him slight envious or is it jealousy? He never could tell the difference.
He has yet to experience something like that, and after someone finds out that he has blood on his hands, he doesn't think anyone will actually be that close with him anymore. He frowns before he turns around, leaving the hallway and going to his room.
He needs a long, cold shower.
Hello!
The next tentative Prologue of these Games, I have to admit that I have received some good tributes! I'm happy, you warm this boy's heart. Thank you all for the reviews too! That's made me really happy. This chapter is focused more on Elbert than anything, but also I've introduced Ms. Vidia too. She's going to be playing a role in these Games. Stay tuned for her. (Her last name is taken from Invidia which is Envy in Latin.) So, that's all I'm hinting about her.
So what do you think? Is Jacob secretly a sociopath if he felt something about it? What do you think of Elbert and Theodora?
The next two prologues will focus on Victors, and their reaction to the new President, and hopefully by then I'll have a full roster? Wishful thinking on my part I suppose.
Couple of things before I sign off:
- Next week I might start selecting tributes to be in the final roster of the Games. I'll post their names on my profile if they have been selected, so stay tuned there. (Please don't get offended if I chose someone over your tribute, I have to match each one with everyone's personality and how I want the story to flow! )
- Faceclaims! Those damn faceclaims always ruin our applications eh? Sadly I do need them, I like keeping a blog of victors, it helps me keep track of them all.
- The Strengths and Weaknesses thing. I want mental attributes, like the example I gave in my profile. Anything physical you can add to background/history! So sorry, I think I have told most of those that submitted to redo some, and thank you all for cooperating! Remember you can have a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6. Also keep it balanced!
Well that's that, there won't be much of an update on this story until I get submissions, plus I kinda need to finish the Lazy Lamentations up to the 27th Hunger Games anyway!
Have a good day/night!
~ Alec