9. Clove the Double 0

When the killing began, Bond stood still, helpless to do anything to stop the indiscriminate slaughter before his eyes. Much to his horror, Clove made the very first kill of the Games. She threw a knife at Katniss. It instead hit a little boy who was in front of her. Bond looked to see remorse in her eyes, but he saw none. Instead she looked thrilled. Cato and, much to his surprise, Glimmer seemed to be doing most of the killing. Bond guessed Cato and Enobaria must have rubbed off on her since she spent so much time in the District 2 room. She slashed away as kids screamed and cried. Soon, all that remained in the open field were the Careers and a pile of corpses. A lucky few including Katniss, Rue, and Thresh had escaped. After the moaning died down and all whom the Careers attacked were dead, Bond heard twelve cannon shots.

"Not bad for an hour," boasted Cato when the cannon fire ended.

"Yeah," said Glimmer, "not bad for me. I got one more than you did."

"Hey, I got the girl from 10," added Aquifer.

"Wow," said Clove sarcastically. "I got two: boy from 9, girl from 7."

Bond thought of his first two kills. That was the number required to become a double 0. By MI6 standards, his own relative could now qualify. Bond was disgusted. How could the Capitol create teens who relished in killing? How could they set up this killing field? This slaughterhouse?

"I don't seem to recall you two killing anyone," said Cato to Bond and Peeta. Bond hadn't even noticed that Peeta declined to take part in the butchery.

"I'll make the next kill," said Peeta.

Bond responded, "There's no honor in killing a bunch of kids. I'm saving my spear for the tough ones. I'm waiting for Thresh and Katniss."

"You can have Thresh," said Cato, "but I kill the girl. Everybody got that?" All including Clove nodded although Bond guessed she did for appearance sake only. Bond liked the idea that Cato was signing his own death warrant by insisting on going after Katniss.

"What do we do now?" asked Aquifer.

Bond looked over to the giant golden horn of plenty in the open field. The Careers and those who escaped had already gotten their weapons of choice out of it, but it still was jammed packed with supplies. Bond walked over to the Cornucopia and began chucking them out.

"I say we set up camp," said Bond. "We need to get all the supplies we can and safe guard them."

"Yes," said Cato, "and then the hunt is on."

It took three hours to get all the goods out of the horn. The six agreed to pile them as a giant pyramid in the center of an open field. Then, the six went by a lake, which was located near the horn, and drank much needed water. At one point, Bond noticed that Cato disappeared. He came back about five minutes later dragging a boy by his shirt collar.

"Look at who I spied by the tree line," said Cato.

"Let me kill him," shouted Glimmer excitedly. It disturbed Bond how easily she fell into a bloodlust.

"Not yet," said Cato. "This a 3. They're suppose to be good with stuff. At least that's what he tells me."

"Yes, yes," squeaked the boy who Bond remembered was named Minus, "I can protect your camp. I know how to use land mines."

"Our supplies need protecting," said Bond. "I say we let him work."

All agreed and the boy set about planting mines around the supplies. When he was done, he handed Cato a map which showed where all of them were. With the camp readied, the Careers light a fire and called it a day. Bond convinced them that they should get a quick rest before attempting a hunt. After all, they could be ambushed by Thresh, Katniss, or any number of horrors that the Capitol could have set up in the woods. All agreed, even Cato reluctantly. Around the camp, the Careers chatted as if it were just the end of a day of training. They were all smiles. All except Clove.

Bond had watched Clove all day wondering how she would react to killing two people in cold blood. Earlier, she seemed to behave no differently than the others. However, as night fell, Bond noticed her get much quieter than he had ever seen her before. After Cato, Glimmer, Aquifer, Peeta, and Minus went to bed, only Bond and Clove – who had been assigned guard duty – remained awake. Bond began a whispered conversation with her.

"How does it feel," he asked her, "your two kills?"

"I felt nothing," said Clove, "nothing at all at first. But, I've been getting this sensation. This horrible tug in my stomach.

"I'm a District 2. I was told to relish killing. Behind my house, I used to practice fighting as kid. Killing for fun and games. We all use to. Now, it's real. I was told it was glorious to kill. To win the Games. To be like my father. That's why I volunteered. Enobaria told me I had to kill. She said they'd never send me anything if I didn't rack up a good day one total.

"I don't like this feeling. Not one bit."

"If it makes you feel any better," said Bond, "I felt similar with my first two. Especially the first. I drowned the man in a sink. At least I thought I did. He got up, and I shot him and then he was still. And I thought, 'I did this. He's never gonna move again because of me. What gives me the right to do this? Love of country, honor?'"

"But you killed again."

"I tried to get out of it, but I was too far gone. I was stuck. But you aren't. I can get you out of here. Promise me you won't kill anymore unless you have to. And this time keep it."

"I promise. I will." And this time Bond believed her.

"The sickness will pass, but you will never be the same again," said Bond. "Just regain control of your emotions and stay alert. Never close your eyes. Keep them open all the time until you win."

Before dawn the Careers set out to hunt tributes. There was a wheat field and a forest near the Career camp, and all agreed that the other tributes would be far more likely to hide in the woods. Peeta, for one, claimed Katniss always hunted in the woods back at home and would likely be hiding in the tree tops. Cato left Minus behind. He told him to guard the goods and if anything was missing when they came back he'd be dead. The boy promised everything would be fine. Before the sun even rose, a smell caught Aquifer's attention.

"Smoke," she yelled. "I smell smoke. Someone's made a fire."

"Whoever lit it is toast," replied Cato.

They followed the smell and soon saw a camp fire. The girl from District 8 was sitting by it. She begged for her life, but it fell on deaf ears. Cato and Glimmer laughed at her pleas for mercy, then Cato stabbed her. She didn't die right away, so he forced Peeta to finish her off. Now, Bond was the only one without any kills. He knew Cato would make him kill the next victim they stumbled upon and dreaded the prospect. As the group left the deceased girl's campsite, Bond saw something up in a tree: a girl desperately trying to hide, Katniss Everdeen. He decided against letting anyone know that he saw her. Bond knew now was not the time to attempt to take her out, not while she was defenseless.

The remainder of the second day and the daylight hours of the third were completely uneventful. Marching, marching, eating lizards, marching. Bond and the others were beginning to think that the others must be hiding in the wheat after all. But then late that night, Aquifer once again smelled smoke. This time, however, the smell was much greater. Soon everyone noticed it and smoke began to appear in the distance.

"I think the Gamemakers want something to happen," said Clove. "They probably started a fire. Someone should be heading our way."

"Everybody ready your weapons," said Cato.

All did as told and marched on. Bond gulped. He knew likely he would have to make this kill himself. Soon a pond appeared and a girl was cleaning a burn wound in it. Bond recognized her instantly – Katniss Everdeen, unarmed and still covered in soot. Before Bond could blink, Cato charged at her like a bull at a matador. The girl took off in a bolt with Cato in pursuit. Both disappeared. Bond and the others tried to follow. After a short sprint, all caught up with Cato at the foot of a tall tree.

"She's up it," said Cato. "I'm getting her."

Bond knew he'd be far too bulky to climb the feeble branches at the bottom of the tree, and he was right. Nearly as soon as he began climbing, Cato came crashing down. Peeta suggested they set up camp beneath the tree. All agreed. Bond was glad nobody suggested he climb up after her. He was fairly confident he could have reached her if he tried, but he did not want to kill her in cold blood. Bond was also glad nobody suggested setting fire to the tree. That would be awful and completely dishonorable. Everyone settled into an uneasy sleep. Glimmer, Cato, and Aquifer slept closest to the tree. Bond and Clove were a short distance away as was Peeta. Little did Bond know this would save his life.