Chapter 10 The Muttation Complication
Cabel Ren, District 3 Female
There was no dawn after nightfall, only weak sunlight which continued to push through the haze of fog and provide a uniform gray light. Cabel yawned and glanced at her sleeping allies, both covered with Dexter's poncho.
They were snoring softly with identical wrinkled frowns on their troubled faces, a sight that made the corners of her mouth turn up just a bit. It was her turn to keep watch after her own sleep had been interrupted by nightmares of the Careers stumbling onto their hiding place and snapping their bodies in half like toothpicks. After about the third time she had woken up Cabel decided to just give up on sleep. Did anyone actually sleep soundly in the Games when they could die at any second? she wondered.
When she felt it was about dawn she made her way out of the alleyway and squinted at the LED clock in the distance.
Seven fifty-five and still foggy in the early morning darkness.
She decided to let Dexter and Tally sleep a bit more before waking them.
A soft hiss from behind made her turn around. Cabel's eyes widened as she saw a single feral cat approach, knocking the lid off a dented garbage can in the narrow alley. It was a dirty mutt, yellow tail bent, one ear bitten off, back arched and blinking its wide green eyes.
Several more in the pack appeared slowly from the shadows, equally feral, some baring their teeth and hissing. One, two, four, seven, so many that she couldn't keep track.
"Uh oh," she muttered. "Guys, wake up," she hissed, dropping to her knees and shaking her allies awake but not taking her eyes off the cats.
They groaned and she quickly pulled them to their feet. Still woozy and disoriented, they tried to blink the sleep out of their eyes.
"Is it morning already?" Dexter yawned.
"Yes, but not only that, but look!" she pointed to the advancing felines and backed out into the alleyway and into the streets.
Tally and Dexter followed her gaze and finally spotting the feral cats, snapped into action and took off after her. As soon as they started to run the cats followed like blurs, all agile limbs and rippling backs.
They broke out in a full-out sprint and managed to maintain it for a good ten minutes before their legs began to wobble and shake.
After turning one final corner and the three of them, unused to physical exercise fell over as their legs gave out from sheer exhaustion.
"Did we lose them?" Cabel panted.
Tally, clutching a stitch on her side looked back, seeing only the deserted streets behind them. "Yes, they're all gone."
They took the opportunity to catch their breath and re-assess.
Where are we?
The three of them looked around and studied their new surroundings. "If I was pressed to say, I would say we're in some kind of business district," Dexter said slowly.
To their front and back were towering gleaming office buildings which reached to the sky along a uniform grey sidewalk, a suspended platform with a window washer's squeegee and bucket hung mid-way along the reflective windows of a building which overshadowed a smaller one of austere grey. He half-expected to see well-dressed men and women clutching briefcases hurrying up and down the streets to get to their cubicles and settle into work.
From what he had seen this city was separated into large blocks punctuated with street signs, much like District Three was. It was the kind of arena that actually gave the tributes from the more urban districts a distinct advantage seeing as they were accustomed to the layout.
"I don't know about you guys," Tally began nervously, "but this place gives me the heebie jeebies. Something tells me that the mutts purposely led us into a trap."
Cabel cracked her knuckles and stretched her hands behind her back, looking around. She knew what she meant, there was something about this place, it was a sort of crackling static in the air, a tension and emptiness that made her uneasy. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was but the atmosphere reminded her of one of those black and white horror movies where the main character ended up walking straight into the ax-murderer's den.
The three of them turned to leave but after taking not even five steps the felines suddenly reappeared. Not moving towards them in an aggressive manner, but sitting sidewalk and watching them expectantly. They took another step forward and the mutts arched their backs and hissed. They slowly backed away and the cats relaxed.
Definitely a Gamemaker trap, Cabel thought. But what choice did they have? They were stuck here until the mutts left. Not knowing where else to go, they decided to head into the nearest building, an austere grey tower looming over the entire block.
The door slid open automatically before they touched it, and after hesitating at the entrance, they stepped inside. From the foyer they could see a red carpet edged with gold leading to a luxurious water fountain before a set of closed elevators. Right in front of them was an abandoned receptionist's desk with a gilded obsidian pen facedown in the middle of scrawling a note.
"Should we explore?" Cabel asked timidly.
Her allies nodded, and they continued walking the hallway on the ground floor. They took small steps at a glacial pace, ready to bolt at the first sign of a trap but as each sequential step yielded no danger they slowly let down their guard and increased their pace.
"Wait!" Dexter blurted out. They stopped suddenly in front of a large meeting room.
He dashed inside past the sprawled swivelling chairs to the laptop connected to the projector screen in front of the room and flipped it open eagerly.
"It's a computer," he whispered in awe as he stroked the soft silver edges of screen and ran his hands over the keyboard reverently.
"So?" Tally asked. "Is it going to help us?"
"I told you I did programming back in my district right?" he said excitedly.
"Yeah?" Cabel had no idea where this was going. Dexter had told them that he had developed video games back in District Three but try as might she couldn't see the connection between video games and the Hunger Games.
He booted up the computer and tapped away on the keyboard, browsing the available programs. The Grid was obviously down and there was zero connectivity but he found the Ethernet cable underneath the desk and plugged it in.
"I can use the laptop to try to hack into the Capitol mainframe and access all the cameras in the arena. That way we would have the advantage of knowing where the other tributes are and what Gamemakers traps are coming," he said excitedly. He pushed his glasses back and raked his hands through his hair as if he couldn't believe their good luck. "If it works then we would have a massive advantage over everybody else, we actually have a real chance at this!"
Doubt flashed across Tally's face. "Are you serious? Can you actually do that?"
Cabel was glad that she asked. It wasn't that she doubted his ability, it was just...
Will the Gamemakers actually let you do that? The question went unasked but briefly flitted through everybody's mind. Nobody dared to say it out loud.
He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with one hand while typing away with the other. "Yeah. I didn't want to brag before, but I was sort of a big deal where I came from." He turned from the glow of the screen to give his allies a sheepish grin. "Not to scare you guys or anything, but back in my school, I was the best of the best when it came to coding."
Funny, cause I was the best of the best too.
As she watched her ally type away the gears in her head began to turn. She took a step back and looked out the large bay windows. Maybe the Gamemakers somehow knew they were crazy genius and the arena was built just for them.
Her heart beat faster when she realized that yes, that was it, because what could be more entertaining than watching tributes make real use of the resources in the arena? The Gamemakers weren't trying to lead them into a trap, they were trying to help.
The thought of that gave her a new perspective of the Games. She knew they had tough opponents left to face. But they were no longer merely prey that could only run and hide or take desperate measures. With the Gamemakers and video cameras on their side they had a chance, a real chance.
Marlin Rodriguez, District 4 Male/Nikolaos "Niko" Egret, District 2 Male
There was a loud screech as the car rounded a corner sharply. Marlin yanked the wheel frantically in the other direction in an attempt to straighten the vehicle.
"Ugh, we're too loud, we're scaring away all the tributes," Tori complained, red-eyed and irritable from staying up all night.
"Doesn't matter, we're just doing recon, getting a feel for the arena," Niko replied coolly. He rubbed his own eyes and tried to calm his shaking hands, something that always happened when he took soldier pills.
One pill meant one day without sleep and they could take a maximum of three pills in three consecutive days. So far they were all on pill number two.
Everybody responded to the drug differently, Shampoo was wide-eyed and frazzled, practically jumping up and down in her seat. "Well have you guys been even keeping track of everything? The arena's huge and we have no idea where everyone else can be, guys we're never going to find them with all these buildings," she blurted.
"We'll find them," her partner said almost calmly. He crossed his legs elegantly though his fingers drummed the armrest in a shaking staccato. "It's pretty fair though, if we all have guns it to would be too easy in the open outdoors, no?"
Everybody murmured an agreement.
"Turn left here," Niko commanded, "let's see what's across that bridge."
Marlin yanked the steering wheel sharply, slamming everyone to the left. Niko practically fell in Malin's lap, hitting the switches for the windshield wiper, air conditioning and horn simultaneously on the way down, causing them all to jump.
"Ay Caramba," Marlin muttered, keeping one eye on the road while rapidly pressing buttons and pulling switches on the dashboard. The windows rolled down and the radio turned on, greeting them with Claudius Templesmith's cheery narration of the Games.
Aaaaand welcome to the second day of the Forty Sixth annual Hunger Games!
"Wait, everybody shut up!" someone hollared.
The Careers stopped talking and froze.
After yesterday's bloodbath claiming the lives of eight tributes the Games continues!
The inner-District alliance has stumbled upon a vintage Chery V5 and has been combing the arena in vain day and night without sleep for two days now. After fruitlessly driving through the business and red light districts, how long until their next kill?
Meanwhile, the boy from Nine has found shelter in the high-rise glass condo. Watching from the rooftop, he tries to gain Intel from his superior vantage point. Is he a dark horse contender in these Games? Find out more after this commercial break!
A catchy jingle for mascara came on and Niko squinted into the distance.
"There! Across the bridge." He pointed to the high-rise building the radio had described.
The Careers cheered and Marlin stepped on the gas, the car roaring as it sped up across the suspension bridge.
Very soon they emerged on the other side, cruising into an elegant-looking area with white sands and palm trees lining the road, not at all out of place in a Capitol vacation resort photo.
Marlin pulled up to the entrance and yanked the handbrake up, the car screeching to a halt. The six Careers hustled out and the doors of the building slid open automatically for them. They stepped into the foyer of the condo cautiously and did a quick sweep with their eyes.
Marlin looked the room up and down and couldn't help but think of the similarity between the Justice Building back home. Cool tiled floors, paintings of the beach on the walls, elegant red chairs in the waiting area with a few magazines sprawled invitingly on the coffee table. He clutched his unfamiliar gun tighter in the familiar setting and licked his lips nervously. Trust the Gamemakers to lull them into a sense of security, then pull the trawl nets from under their feet.
A small ding rang from the right.
Together, they slowly turned their heads towards the sound. The right of the room was a wall of elevators, shiny metal boxes against the blue marbled walls. When the doors began to open from the centre the Careers blinked in puzzlement as to who it could be.
The doors slowly opened wider and all they could see was their confused faces reflected in the mirrored interior, until they looked down.
It was mutts. Scaly lizard mutts walking on two legs, a mottled greenish-grey with spiked backs and fanned necks hissing menacingly.
"Uh oh," Shampoo muttered, taking a few steps backwards.
The lizard mutts stepped out and blinked, as if unsure of their surroundings and the armed Careers wasted no time springing into action and shooting them down.
Hsssss!
Evidently they didn't take too well at being shot at and began to charge at their attackers.
"Back in the car, it's a trap!" Niko shouted.
"Shoulda seen it coming," Tori grunted as she ran out the door, her allies close behind.
They clamoured back inside the car and Marlin pulled out with a squeal.
"Ay dios mio they're fucking chasing us!" Tiki exclaimed.
They looked behind them to see that the mutts were indeed chasing after them, their strange lizard legs pumping frighteningly fast, almost catching up with the car.
"Window's still open aren't they?" Niko snapped from beside the driver's seat.
The Careers turned around and aimed out the window. They unleashed a barrage of bullets shooting them down, the mutts giving a cry of rage when they were blasted away by the impact of the attack.
Marlin, the driver kept his eyes on the road and had no idea how many were left but after a few minutes he was aware of four cannons sounding in quick succession.
As if on instinct he glanced quickly in the rearview mirror. His eyes widened and he almost let go of the steering wheel when he saw what the scene in the reflection.
His four allies, Tiki, Tori, Shampoo and Cologne were all slumped lifelessly in their seats, bullet holes through their necks while their blood began to pool and stain the leather upholstery.
He turned to Niko in the passenger seat and was greeted with a queer smile on his ally's calm face. A cold feeling washed over him as he realized what had just happened.
"Niko, y-you bastard!" he sputtered. "How could you?! What happened to death before dishonor?!"
"We don't need them, not when there's guns in the arena," was Niko's cool reply as he twirled the revolver in his hand casually. "Now stop the car."
Marlin turned to stare him in disbelief, clutching the steering wheel tighter. "How stupid do you think I am? The only reason I don't have a hole through my head too is because I'm fucking driving!" he spat.
In less than a second he felt the slam of the cold barrel against his temple, then Niko's colder voice. "I guess you're not as stupid as I thought. Not that it matters, what are you going to do when the car runs out of gas?"
He glanced down at the arrow on the fuel gauge and noticed with horror that it was indeed slowly moving from F to E. Anybody who steered a boat knew what it meant, pretty soon the tank would be empty and-
His heart thudded against his chest when he realized that he was trapped inside a car with a cold-blooded traitor.
With the deafening thumping of his heart drowning out whatever Niko was saying to him, Marlin pushed through his paralyzing shock and anger to look out the window, desperately looking for something, anything that would give him a way out.
Despite the thousands of emotions clamouring through his head screaming for attention he saw it, it was so obvious too. His only chance at saving himself stretched out from coast to coast like a glimmering blue sheet waving at him invitingly.
Snapping back to the present he wrenched the steering wheel violently to the right, causing Niko to fall on the ground and drop his gun, cursing profanities as his hands fumbled under the seats in search of his weapon.
The car lurched to the side and Niko's fingers had just closed around his revolver when he raised his head to glance out the window. No grey expanse of road greeted him, only puzzling blue.
He was aware of a tilting sensation, and only when the railing of the bridge came into view and disappeared did he realize that Marlin had driven the car right off the bridge and they were falling straight down into the ocean.
Fuck! Niko took a deep breath and braced himself for the impact.
The car hit the surface with a resounding splash!
In less than an instant water rushed in through the open windows, pulling the car underneath the tides until it sank to the ocean floor.
Underwater, Marlin yanked the door open and tumbled out. Niko followed and paddled after him, pulling the trigger at his rapidly receding back.
Blllllt!
The bullet blasted out of his gun, water tunnelling in a long burst but Marlin was off like a shot. Luckily for him the water resistance slowed the bullet like a wall and by the time the bullet had left the revolver Marlin's back was too far away to reach.
Niko tried to paddle after him but it was no use when Marlin was the stronger swimmer. Eventually his lungs felt like they were about to burst and he dove upwards, breaking the surface and looked around. Marlin was nowhere to be seen, meaning he was still underwater. Stupid fish-boy, he thought bitterly as he swam towards the shore. The grim youth climbed out, staggered to his feet soaking wet, still clutching his gun panting.
He pushed clump of dark hair out of his eyes and gazed out to the water. Eventually Marlin popped out, just a speck in the distance. In his attempt to escape from Niko he must have chanced the opposite shore to the other side of the city. Too bad.
His golden eyes narrowed at Marlin's receding head and he fingered his gun as he contemplated how close he was to killing him too.
"Tch."
.
An hour later the boy from District Four made it to the other side. Marlin clasped the rocky ledge and pulled himself up with trembling arms. He rested his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.
How could he? How could he betray the alliance on the second day? How could he have no honour!
His breath came out in shuddering gasps as his anger and disbelief rose. It was an unwritten rule amoung the Careers that death came before dishonour because no true victory came from dirty underhanded tactics.
Only cowards lie and cheat and kill their allies in their sleep, the truly courageous rise to the challenge to volunteer and bring honour to their District.
He clenched his hands into fists and choked back a sob as thousands of memories from the past threatened to overflow into the future. "Niko, you bastard I will hunt you down and make you pay!"
A/N Yeah Oxenstierna D. Yuki-Rin got it right, it's hipster clothing! After reading good writing from others my own seems... really icky XD. I've reached the level where I'm good enough to see things that are bad in my writing but I'm not good enough to fix them. I dunno this is my first book-length story, maybe I'll get better with practice and come back in a year to edit.
Announcement: Anticipate a short 15k word story of Mr. And Mrs Everdeen getting together, interactions with Mr. And Mrs. Mellark, and young Katniss in around March. I'll also be posting the first chapter of my Hunger Games Origins story (the first chapter is titled 'Erik', please be excited) around then because it does have a (very small ironic) parallel to the Mr. Everdeen story.
Anyway stay tuned for next week's chapter: Bird of Prey! I've had predictions that Blight will ally himself with Raven or Marlin, let's just see what happens ',:)
Still in play:
Niko
Dexter
Cabel
Marlin
Tally
Sabine
Blight
D8F
D9M
D10F
D10M
Raven