Because I've walked through the fire

I've crossed the flames

Choked on the smoke, and played the game

But even when I walked through the desert I still had hope

Because when you're holding on to something, you don't want to let go


Pine Heart

Victor of the 25th Games

Kieran is taking forever to get here. I understand that escaping the Capitol is a lot to handle, but if I can get a wife and seven months old to the spot and ready on time, I'm sure a single man in his 40s can make it.

He's a very mysterious figure, and a lot of us were surprised that Cassadee had taken such a liking to him. She had always liked trouble though, and he was nothing but. Kieran had won the last Hunger Games that the United States ever held, I didn't know that that was a thing until a little bit ago, but it's interesting to learn. I wouldn't have gone into the Hunger Games had America not failed so long ago.

"Pine, I know he's a little bit of a sensitive situation right now, with his fiance dying and all," begins Elena, "But Ava is a bit temperamental when she gets woken up from her nap, and I'd like to know that it isn't for nothing. "

"I understand," I reply slowly. "But Cassadee's instructions were clear. We wait for Kieran-"

"Sorry I'm late," says Kieran as he walks up to the little cafe we were all sitting at and pulls up a chair. There has been a lot of eyes on me lately. I'm sure you can imagine why." he says gloomily as he seems a bit dazed. "We should get going. The first safe house is a few miles outside the Capitol."

We get up from the cafe table and begin our walk. Elena wanted to get some sort of car, but I didn't know how we were going to smuggle one of those out of the Capitol unseen, as everyone walks around here.

"Oh, and Elena, I have a surprise for you," says Kieran as he motions for him to follow us.

He leads us down a dirt road trail, and then behind a bunch of bushes. When we round the corner Elena squeals in delight. "A CAR!" she screams gleefully as she runs to it. "Do you know how to drive this thing?!" she asks looking at Kieran and me.

It's a silver SUV with a roofed trailer attached to it. There are several large canisters inside of the trailer, and when I take the backpacks we packed for ourselves off and go to put them in the back trunk, there are even more canisters. I reach forward and place the bags on the seat in between Elena and Ava.

"Back when America was around, I had a hardship license," he says. "So short answer, yes."

We get in the car, and I reach into my pocket and pull out the flash drive that Cassadee had given to me the day of her execution. Kieran looks over at me with a shocked expression when he sees the device in my hand, and I instantly get curious. As Elena puts Ava in this seat for babies, I clear my throat and look at Kieran.

"Kieran, do you know what this is?" I ask him as he composes himself and then starts the car. He puts it into gear and then pulls out from behind the bushes as he starts down the dirt road.

"Being a senator has its perks," he says as he runs his hands along the steering wheel. "I only had to ask the head of transportation for this thing, and he gave me several canisters of gasoline in the trailer, and in the trunk of the SUV."

"That doesn't answer my question, Kieran," I respond skeptically as he continues to drive.

"There are so many canisters that I'm surprised he was generous," says Kieran. "The Capitol has a way of reaching people, don't you think, Pine? Touching," says Kieran with an urgent, but very quick, look.

"Kieran, I need to pee," I say as I signal for him to pull over.

He nods as he drives to the side of the dirt road and pulls over. I get out of the front seat, and Elena looks concerned as Kieran exits as well. She rolls down the window. "Everything okay, boys?"

"Yes," we say in unison, which I can tell is causing her to be nervous. "We just needed a pee break!" I say.

We walk into the woods, and I pull out the flash drive and look at him. "What is this, Kieran?"

"That's Operation Crash Landing, Pine," he says. "There is a lot on that flash drive. A lot that can incriminate a lot of people."

"What's the goal, what is the objective of this operation?"

"Pine, do you remember the arena of last year's Hunger Games?"

"Hard to forget outer space," I reply slowly. "What's that have to do with it?"

"The flash drive holds the code to bring that spaceship back to earth, but there is also a way to hack into the computer of the space shuttle, and control it from the outside. The flash drive's objective is to allow us to use those codes to our benefits."

"To do what?" I ask slowly.

"We're going to send the shuttle crashing into the Capitol," says Kieran as he turns around and walks back to the car. I stand there frozen in shock and begin to hyperventilate as I realize what I just got my family into.

"Oh my gosh," I say under my breath. "I'm officially part of the rebellion."

This update is INSANELY short. However, I needed to address a few things and still wanted to take a nap before class. Also, I wrote those lyrics at the beginning. So report happy leave.

The deadline for submissions is now July 6th OR July 7th. If I don't have the submissions that I like I will extend the deadline by a day. I'll already have the chapter ready to go; I'll just need to edit the author's note as needed.

Now that you know what the plan of this story is, or at least what you think it is, what do you make of the plot so far? Too much? Not enough?

Thank you for the love and support, and as always

Keep it classy,

Caleb