Chapter 7

Haymitch had never been subtle. His annoyance was plain to see in the way he clenched his jaws, the slight downturn of his lips and the crinkles on the corners of his eyes. He wasted no time in going straight to the subject either.

"So what's this about?"

Omana Grimm crossed her legs and studied him. Haymitch stared, unblinking.

"There are certain rules and policies governing this facility. They are nothing to be worried about. They are there to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The health of our surrogates and the babies they deliver are of utmost important to us, hence the rules. I would just need to ask you a few questions."

"Get on with it," Haymitch said.

"Very well – what is the nature of your relationship with Effie Trinket?"

Haymitch did not immediately answer that question. He tilted his head, eyebrows raised. Omana waited but it wasn't an answer that Haymitch gave.

"How's that any of your concern?"

"Please answer the question."

If only it was that easy, Haymitch mused. Who was Effie Trinket to him? There were years between them, years when their relationship shifted and changed.

"She's a… friend," Haymitch answered, settling for the safest. After all, wasn't that what Effie had told the officer earlier?

"And are you having sexual intercourse with her and if so, are you suffering from any sexually transmitted disease?"

That question came out of the blue that Haymitch started. He drummed his fingers against the arm rest. "What?" he asked, keeping his voice low.

"Sexually transmitted diseases, Haymitch," Omana glanced up at him briefly to see if he was paying attention to her. "HIV, Herpes, Gonorrhoea – "

"I know what they are," he spat. "What I want to know is why are you asking me these questions?"

"It is important."

"Important for what? You ain't a doctor. You shouldn't be asking people that sort of question."

"Are you refusing to answer the question because there is something you want to hide?

"Listen here," Haymitch leaned forward in his seat. "I'm not answering any more of your fucking questions until you tell me what is going on. Why is that woman out there," he jabbed his finger towards the door, "acting afraid. That's not the Effie I know and if I find out there's something not right going on here… Well, let's just say, I know people."

Something flickered in Omana's eyes. She wasn't the director of this facility which meant that there was someone higher up that she answered to. It would be easier to get answers from her than someone else for now.

"I've told you earlier. Our main concern is the health of our surrogates and the babies they're carrying. We have a holistic approached to it. We not only ensure their physical well-being, we also strive to seek a balance to their emotional, psychological and social well-being. For that to happen, we keep track of everyone's social circle here. If they have guests, that is fine, but their guests have to be registered and submitted for questioning. From there, we would be able to determine if the guests are fit to continue the social relation with our surrogates."

"That's a fuckin' joke, yeah?"

"I will have you know that that sort of language will not gain you any favours. I suggest you cease immediately. Now, as I was saying, if they are sexually active, we would need to know that too, especially if they are sexually active."

"And why's that?" Haymitch challenged. "All these holistic health concern is bullshit. It's none of your business what they're up to."

"Is it precisely our business – this is a business enterprise. Our clients came to us seeking a solution to their problems. They came to us for a dose of happiness in the form of a child, they came to us seeking to complete their family. We aim to provide it to them and we aim to only give the best service."

"Only the best service?" Haymitch snorted. "What happens then if you find out the child has birth defect or health problems? You terminate the pregnancy? You commit infanticide?"

"Exactly, Haymitch. We want to prevent that. For the baby to be healthy, strict measures have to be put in place. Our agents' duties are simple really; carry the baby to term and give birth to a healthy baby."

"Agents… They're people not just a breeding machine."

"As compared to other companies, we have a very high success rate and we would like to keep it as such. Effie Trinket, especially, is very valuable to us."

He had been thinking about the companies she was talking about, wondering how many companies there were until he heard Effie's name.

"Valuable?" he narrowed his eyes. "Valuable? Why's that? And I suggest you choose your words very carefully."

He thought he knew why. Effie Trinket, former escort and ally to the Mockingjay. That would make for a good campaign and advertisement. Effie had said something about their identities being confidential but confidentiality agreements could be breached at any given time and this company had no reason to hide Effie's identity if it meant they could benefit from it. Wouldn't that be quite a topic at parties - having Effie Trinket carrying their child?

Haymitch saw exactly the moment when Omana realized she might have said too much, that she had let slipped something because her eyes widened slightly, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"We are getting out of topic," she told him sternly, an attempt at gaining control of the conversation. "Diseases can be transmitted sexually and you have to bear in mind that these agents – these surrogates – are carrying babies that belonged to someone else, to a paying client. It will be highly irresponsible of them to infect the baby with diseases just because they cannot control their sexual urges or because they lapse judgment in choosing the right friends."

"Unbelievable," Haymitch chuckled in disbelief. "What happens if they break the rules?"

"There are severe consequences in place."

"Yeah? Like not getting paid when there's a miscarriage?"

"Yes."

"That's something out of their control, don't you think?" he asked. "You mentioned weekly allowances earlier with Effie. What's that about?"

Omana sighed impatiently.

"I am giving more information than I am getting from you. I don't have to tell you how things work here. Those are internal and you, unfortunately, are an outsider."

"Do you remember me telling you that I know people? You know who I can get with a single, simple phone call?" Haymitch asked. "The President – the Rebellion's given us a chance to get to know each other quite well."

"We cut off weekly allowances for any transgression," Omana answered, clearly unhappy by his threats. "Failing to report your visit and presence in the facility amounts to one of them. Back to my question earlier, why would she not register you unless she has something to hide from us? Again, please answer the question. Are you having sexual intercourse with her?"

"No."

"Have you had sexual intercourse with her?"

Haymitch frowned.

"I will take that as a yes," Omana smirked at him. "Are you planning or intending to start any sexual relation with her?"

"No," he gritted his teeth.

"What is the purpose of your meetings with her?"

"Can't meet a friend to catch up?" Haymitch mocked.

"Not if it places undue stress on her."

"This whole place is fucking insane. Your company is making her crazy and every one of those women, I bet."

"Yet here they are…"

"They're desperate that's what's makin' them stay."

"You are too volatile, too brash, too… angry," Omana observed. "I would have to ask you to end these meetings with her immediately. She will not be allowed to see you any further. We don't need the baby to pick up such language. The parents would not appreciate it and I don't need complains."

"Do you take me for an idiot? I may not know much about lookin' after a kid but I sure as hell know that the upbringing plays a part. Doesn't matter if you lock Effie up in a sterile room and she only listens to some fucking lullaby all day long. That baby's gonna go to school one day and she's gonna pick up words, some pleasant and some not. Are you sure you're certified to run this business 'cause it looks like you know nothing 'bout children."

Omana folded her hands and smiled at him.

"We have several happy clients. I can assure you, whatever methods we employ, it guarantees success and I will not have you tarnishing our reputation. You are free to leave. I will inform the security of your status and you will not be in into this building in the future. Should Effie need a stroll, she will have company."

"You're not locking her in – "

"I said nothing about locking her in. We have never – "

"You're controlling everything. This isn't a prison. I'm taking her away. I can take her back here for her check-up or whatever, and she can deliver the baby when the time comes but that's it, she's not staying here."

"And where will you be taking her?"

"District Twelve."

"Preposterous," Omana objected. "The parents of the child she's carrying would want to monitor her like they have been doing – "

"What?"

"It doesn't matter. If you ask her, she'll tell you she's not going to leave."

"You want to bet?"

His only answer was her unwavering smile. It unnerved him.

XxX

Effie was curled on her sofa, the music still playing softly in the background when he entered. She released a breath in relief when she saw him.

"You're back. They let you back," she wound her arms around his neck and hugged him close. "I was so worried I wouldn't see you again."

"We're going. I'm takin' you with me," Haymitch said.

"What? Why?"

"I don't like this place. Something's going on and while I figure that out, I ain't having you stay here any longer. Pack your things."

"I can't leave, Haymitch."

"Sure you can," he told her earnestly as he moved towards her bedroom. At seven months, Effie was slower. By the time she entered the bedroom Haymitch was already pulling maternity dresses from the hangers and dumping them on the bed. "Pack those. Put it in a bag and anything else you want to bring with you."

"Haymitch, stop," she tugged on his arm. "Stop this! I don't want to leave."

He dropped the dress he was holding and it pooled on the floor. Effie glanced down at it and glared at him but that was the least of his worries.

"What's the matter with you?" he asked. "Fine, if you don't want to go to Twelve with me then that's fine. You don't want the kids to see you like this, right?" his eyes shifted to the swell of her stomach. "I'll find us a place to stay 'round here. Plutarch's got an apartment I'm sure he wouldn't mind me renting or you can stay with Annie and her kid. They'd love to have you. Anything's better than here."

"I want to stay here."

"Why?" he demanded. He could feel his patience slowly abandoning him. There was a sense of urgency for him to get her away. "This whole place is crazy. You have to know that Effie."

"I'm sorry," she whispered, raising her eyes to meet him. "I think you should go."

"You're – You want me to go? If I leave, they wouldn't let you see me again, you understand? They wouldn't let me here. I can't do that, sweetheart, I won't. I've got to make sure you're okay. I've got to… I just got you back," he said, desperate for her to understand.

"Oh, Haymitch," she sighed. Effie slid her hand against his cheek. She was standing in front of him. "I can't leave," she whispered.

Her breath was warm against his cheek and she was so close. He didn't know what he was doing, leaning forward as she tilted her chin up. Her free hand was on his chest, fingers curling around his shirt and her lips brushed lightly against his.

"Don't," he warned, jerking his head back. "Don't kiss me when you're going to push me away."

She blinked before she let her hands fall. Effie stepped away from him. "I will miss you when you're gone but perhaps after I have delivered, we can see each other again?" she asked hopefully. "We can, can't we?"

"Why do you want to stay here so much? You answer me that, sweetheart. If it's a good answer then I'll leave but you tell me why."

He had to know. He needed to know why she was so adamant on staying. There were still a few more months before she delivered and he didn't want to leave her behind again.

"It's safe here," she told him. "I have a bed to sleep in. I have clothes and food. They told me it's not safe outside of here. They told me it's dangerous. People hate me, I know they do. It's not safe for me. If I go out on my own, I never go far. The furthest I went was with you to the diner."

It was at that moment that it occurred to Haymitch that something was seriously wrong, that it could be worse than he thought.

Still, he tried to reason with her and reached out to her.

"You told me once this was temporary. You can't stay here forever. What happened to finding your footing? Because that's what you told me this surrogacy was for? Did you lie to me?"

"No!" she cried, appalled at the accusation. "It's the truth. I didn't lie to you."

"So what happen to getting the money from this pregnancy and getting yourself a house or finding yourself another job? You wanted a better life."

"Yes, yes. They will find me a house," she nodded at him, so earnest and so adamant in what the company had told her. "They will help me get a house with the money that they will pay me. My life will be better, Haymitch. They assured me but for now, I'll stay here where it is safe, where they can protect me."

I can protect you, he wanted to say. Instead what came out of his mouth was a horrified, "What did they do to you, Effie?"


Well, this chapter was a struggle. I had written it weeks before each time I tried to edit it, it felt so 'ugh, i hate this chapter' so i rewrote the portions that i didn't like. My only wish is that you don't hate this chapter like I did earlier :l

Tell me what you think is going on or you think will happen now. Leave a review :)