Chapter 3: The Covers
They arrived at the Capitol a day later by train. With valid train tickets and ID passes forged by Hardison, the make-ups in Capitol style done by people in district 13 (the boys were reluctant to put on the rainbow-colored eyeliner, but, like Sophie said, they didn't have a choice), their arrival didn't draw any suspicion.
They found themselves a hotel close to the City Circle, where the opening ceremony would take place that very evening. Again, they didn't draw any attention since a lot of other Capitol people had booked themselves some rooms weeks ago in order to be near to the City Circle to watch the opening ceremony first-handed. All they needed to do was to alter the hotel computer record so that it looked like they'd booked a room for the next two weeks half a month ago.
It was a piece of cake for Hardison.
"Hi," Sophie and Nate walked towards the reception desk, posing as a couple, while the others waited upstairs. They all agreed to let Sophie did the talking, since she was the only one who could put on the perfect Capitol accent naturally (which actually wasn't much different from her original British accent).
"We've booked a room for two, a president suite, actually," she smiled politely at the receptionist.
"Your name, please?" the male receptionist, who couldn't quite resist that smile, was already clicking on the computer.
"Popodokolos," Sophie showed the man their IDs. "James and Charlotte Popodokolos."
Sophie suggested using this alias since it was the strangest name the team had ever come up with. ("It is a weird place," she'd said to Nate. "Weird places need weird names.")
It turned out that was a good idea. The receptionist didn't blink an eye at their names. He double-checked their flawless fake IDs and handed them the key card to their room.
"Nate," Eliot said once they'd settle down in the luxurious president suite. "You do realize that by choosing the Everdeen girl we'll need to let the other kids die right in front of our eyes, right?"
"Let's hope it will be the last Hunger Games ever happen, then," Nate answered, expressionless. "We can't save everyone."
"So, what's the plan?" asked Sophie.
"First step," Nate said. "We'll need a Gamemaker."
An hours later Sophie Devereaux showed up in the Gamemakers squad holding a credential so legit that no one in the squad dare question her.
"Charlotte Prentice-Popodokolos," she smiled to every one of the Gamemakers and said. "I'm new to this. Jeez, can you believe how many processes I have to go through just to successfully get transferred here? All the paperwork… Luckily I've made it in time to join you before the grand opening begins!"
Something in Sophie's smile always did the trick: She could easily gain the marks' trust. Of course, her fake Capitol accent and the abnormally high pitch also worked on them quite well.
Right now Sophie was in this ridiculous bright yellow dress and her wig in the same color, not to mention the heavy make-up on her face, but somehow all those allowed her to fit right in.
"What? Why me?" Sophie protested after she realized everyone's gaze was fixed on her. "I don't wanna wear those clown costumes ever again!"
"I think you look nice in them," Parker said whole-heartedly. Sophie just glared at her.
"Maybe Parker can do it," she was still fighting. "You don't mind the costumes, do you?" Parker shook his head. She found the dresses fun.
"No, no, no, it has to be you," Nate said. "You are the best grifter. You know how to manipulate those Gamemakers and stuff. Besides, we may need Parker for other things."
He paused for a while to think.
"Um… what else…" he had that calculating look on his face again. "Oh yes, we'll need an inside man that can get close to Katniss and her team. That way we can have a chance to communicate with her, and maybe some other interested parties as well."
"How?" Eliot asked the crucial question. "They've got guards in the place the tributes will be staying. All those Capitol people? They are the government's eyes and ears. If they see any sign of an intruder or disturbance, they will pull the alarm for sure."
"Yeah," Hardison added. "And don't forget that building will probably be stashed with cameras and microphones. They'd want to keep a close eye on their tributes."
"Hm…" That gave Nate a new idea. "Cameras and microphones, huh? Why don't you hack in and check out what kind of surveillance the building has, Hardison?"
"Hack in… Seriously?" Hardison looked at his boss in outrage. "Man, this is the Panem system you're talking about. Got it? The Panem! There computer technology is completely different to the outside. I'll first need to find the right type of linguistic program of their network and… and…" In spite of what he'd just said, he was already trying to do whatever it was he'd just said.
Finally, after five minutes of Hardison doing his magic, the monitors in the room now showed the different angles inside the Training Center, the place where all the tributes and their team would be staying in the next few days before the Games actually began. Right at this moment, they could see people rushing in and out of different rooms to make the beds, preparing the food and do some last minute checks before the tributes moved in.
"Good job, Hardison," Nate watched the screen and said indifferently, submerged into his own thought.
"'Good job, Hardison'?" he sighed. "If you were a geek you would be so impressed by what I've just done." The team simply ignored him.
"So how do we get inside the building right under their nose without them noticing at all?" Nate thought out loud. "We need to be invisible, to be someone that no one would take a second glance even if you're standing right in front of them…"
"How about them?" Parker, who hadn't spoke for quite a while suddenly pointed at the screen. She was pointing at two young men in white tunics who were moving a table to the center of the room. No one took notice of their presence. The only time they communicate with others was when they were given the order to move that table, and they answered only with a nod.
"The Avoxes? That's actually not a bad idea, Parker," said Eliot.
"Avoxes are the people who've broke the Capitol's law. Most of them are referred to as 'traitors' of the country. The Capitol cut off their tongue and have them to do all kind of works for them. People only talk to them when they are giving an order. My friend talked a lot about them because he particularly despises this kind of punishment."
He explained to the team.
"Look at them," said Sophie, pointing to another footage where a girl in the same white outfit was totally ignored by the passersby. "They really are invisible!"
"Yes," Nate decided. "They are perfect.
Two hours later Eliot sneaked into the laundry section in the basement of the Training Center while Hardison disabled the security cameras around the area. He took one of those white Avox outfits and put it on.
Now, he was invisible.
"Finally," Nate continued. "We need the blue print of the arena."
"Here," said Hardison while pulling out a little black transmitter and giving it to Sophie.
"Once you get access to their computers, stick this onto the mainframe. This will allow me to pull out whatever information about the games from their hard drives."
"Good," Nate said. "The rest of the con will play out once we've got their plan."
"Now we wait," said Eliot.
"Now we wait," agreed Nate.
They stayed in the hotel room for another hour to do the last-minute preparation. Sophie tried her best to look less comical in her all-yellow outfit, until Nate stopped her and reminded her "the weirder the better, remember?"
Eliot and Hardison observed the guards' patrol time around the Training Center while Parker tried on different Capitol clothes lent by District 13. She was exceptionally fond of a flame-red dress and the white wig.
When it was time to leave and everyone knew his role, Nate gestured to the rest of the team.
"Alright, guys," said Nate with a smug, and walked away without further explanation. "Let's go steal some Hunger Games."
"Oh I like that one! Sounds original. 'Steal the Hunger Games'," Parker smiled widely and hopped out of the hotel room. "Wonder why we didn't do that earlier."
Following her out was Eliot who rolled his eyes at her reaction.
"Something's wrong with her," he complained to the whole room, as if they didn't know about that. Sophie had to suppress a giggle when Hardison answered with a that's-Parker-what-do-you-expect look.
And so they had a plan.
.
.
A/N: So this is the new chapter. I should probably have mentioned earlier that English is not my first language, as you might have noticed from the way I write. I just jope I haven't made any serious mistakes (if I have, please tell me in the reviews), both in terns of grammars and contents. Thanks for reading my story :)