A/N: Thank you for all the support. As promised I am trying shorter more frequent updates. I promise I will resolve the cliffhanger, but I would like to show some of the events going on outside of the Games. My apologies if my interpretation of some of the other Victors is OOC. Someone mentioned the desire for Betty White to play Mags, so I cannot resist that!

Thanks to Betherdy Babe for the beta.

Haymitch entered the Mentor's breakfast with a quick stride. His usual drunken gate was nowhere to be seen this morning. Today the Games begin.

The Capitol always brings together all the mentors after they send their tributes off to the arena to hobnob with the highest bidders. They watched the opening bloodbath together and then headed off to secure sponsorship for their remaining charges.

"Oh, if only I were forty years younger," Mags' voice rang out as soon as Haymitch stepped through the doorway.

"You make that promise every time I see you, beautiful," Haymitch replied with a smile for the elderly Victor from District 4. Even though she was advanced in years she was still wily enough to train tributes. Her most famous was flirting and smiling on the other side of the room.

Haymitch's eyes continued to rake over the crowd for the one person he was looking for and spotted him surrounded by several wealthy sycophants of President Snow.

"Abernathy, did that little princess of yours really score an 8?" A hostile young woman with spiked black hair and a forest green dress on growled.

"Not now, Mason," he said to the often-angry mentor from District 7.

"What are you…"

"Watch and learn, sweet Johanna," he said in his most condescending tone as he patted her cheek. "Watch and learn."

"Touch me again and my foot will be up your ass," she threatened.

"Now where have I heard that before?" Haymitch smirked at his younger friend.

"Seriously, Haymitch, what's up with your tributes? I wanted to punch that bastard out for breaking that sweet girl's heart in front of the nation," Finnick said as he sauntered over with a drink in his hand. "Was it an act so she'd get sponsors?"

"Finnick, do you reveal your secrets?" Haymitch asked with a raised eye. He took the drink from the young mentor of District 4. "And thanks for the drink."

Haymitch nodded to Beetee on his way to Caesar Flickman. The famous broadcaster was surrounded by a multitude of fans.

When the male mentor from District 3 reached the gathering of Finnick, Mags and Johanna, he asked, "What is Haymitch up to?"

"Whatever it is, it can't be good for the rest of us," Finnick said, taking another glass off the tray of an avox. His sea green eyes saddened as the bright pink-haired woman walked off to the next person who wanted a drink.

"What do you mean?" Johanna asked. "That drunken fool can barely form complete sentences, yet alone plot."

"Don't underestimate him. He really likes these tributes," Mags added. "He's never been this involved before."

The Victors tried not to stare, but Johanna, Finnick and Beetee were not old enough to remember Haymitch's Game and the cocky, rebellious side of his personality. They watched as Caesar gasped and covered his open mouth with one hand. His other gripped Haymitch's shoulder tightly. A look of utter sadness covered the man's face, but when he turned away from Haymitch, he looked positively gleeful.

Flickman rushed up the stairs and they all heard him herald a Peacekeeper. "I must get in touch with the head of security at the training center. I need some footage from one of the cameras…" His voice drifted off as he rushed out the door with the Peacekeeper.

"Footage? What the hell are you playing at?" Johanna asked again.

"Must you always use such foul language?" Haymitch laughed, but then his face grew serious. "Hopefully, I'm going to repay a debt," he added silently.

The five Victors fell into silence as each thought of people they owed debts to –the other tributes that were sacrificed. When the pink-haired avox passed by, they all took a drink from the tray, a silent toast to all those about to be lost today to entertain the masses.

"Move, twelve!" Thresh screamed as he yanked Madge's arm.

The big tribute from 11 nearly pulled it out of the socket before Madge could find the strength to get up. The screams, the sobs and cries for help or a loved one's name overwhelmed her. After growing up with images of the murder of children by children every year, she should be desensitized. When you're in the middle of the battle it's a different story.

"Come on!" Thresh started dragging her with one hand while his other gripped a curved sword.

"Emi!" She snapped out of her shock when she realized the little girl from 3 wasn't with them. Madge's gaze met the lifeless one of Emi Cray. Her body was bent at an odd angle and her hazel eyes stared at the dirt. Blood was flowing from her neck into the grass. "No!"

"Son-of-a-bitch, twelve, get a move on," Thresh barked.

Madge's legs moved and her arms clutched the backpack she'd taken. Her mind was back with Emi, when she held the girl's hand in the infirmary. Tears leaked out of Madge's eyes when she was forced to look forward.

"Watch out," Thresh shouted as he pushed her down. He spun around and slashed at a boy who'd run at them with a short spear.

Madge recognized him as the boy from District 7 and hoped that Flora wasn't his friend. Thresh was obviously not afraid to kill. Is that why he is dragging me toward the forest?

Shrieks of horror echoed from her left, so she twisted around to see Lacey sitting on the ground with blood all over her face. There was a body not far from her. Did she kill someone? Madge scampered off and heard Thresh shouting something at her.

"Lacey!" she shouted. Madge pulled her backpack on while she staggered over to her friend. "Lacey, it's Madge."

The girl from 8 was staring at the body not too far away and rocking. A constant moan was issuing from her mouth and Madge knew she was in a panic attack. Her mother often fell into such situations when Madge's resemblance to Maysilee overwhelmed her. Madge knelt down, glancing over her back to make sure no one was going to stab her from behind. She saw Thresh engaged with another kid and no one else seemed to be near.

"We've gotta go!" Flora suddenly appeared in front of her. When Madge looked forward, she saw that the woods were close by.

"She's in shock," Madge replied to the girl from 7.

"They'll be here soon. The bloodbath is almost over and it'll be time for the hunt," Flora said rapidly. She knelt down and hooked an arm under Lacey's arm. "Come on, Lacey!"

Lacey didn't respond. She only continued to whimper, allowing Madge and Flora to drag her toward the forest.

"Move faster!" Levi yelled. The little boy was suddenly on Madge's right side with a large yellow bag clutched in his hands. "Madge, we've got to go."

Rue was there as well, yelling for them to get into the forest quickly. The little girl was looking back at something, which sent fear through her brown eyes.

Madge finally got Lacey into the bushes and let go of her arm for a moment. She turned to look back at the field of blood behind her. Her eyes darted around the Cornucopia where a few battles were still being fought. No sign of Gale. "You better not break your promise, Hawthorne," Madge said softly.

After running for what had to be a few hours, Madge finally halted her friends. All of them except her and Rue were out of breath, but no one complained. They took turns leading Lacey, who still hadn't snapped out of her stupor.

"We should see what we have in our packs," Madge said as she sat down next to Lacey. The girl from 8 still had blood stuck on her face and in her hair. Madge hoped there was something she could use to remove it in one of the packs. "We'll need to put Levi's stuff in all our bags. We have to get rid of the yellow bag."

"Why?" Levi asked. "I ran into the Cornucopia to get it."

"What!" Madge and the others all shouted simultaneously.

"I was next to that big idiot from your district." Levi's bright blue eyes twinkled and a smile split his elfin face. "I hid behind him since he was the one that the Careers wanted."

"Gale is not an idiot," Madge spat before she remembered the last time any of her friends saw Gale. He'd broken her heart on national television.

"But, Madge…" Levi whined.

"We need to get moving," she cut him off. "Let's sort the supplies and go."

"The sun is in front of us," Rue stated as she opened her pack. "We must be going West."

"The sun can be placed wherever the Gamemakers want to put it," Flora said as she took Lacey's pack and opened it. "She's got an empty water bottle, sleeping bag, extra socks and matches."

"Mine has a tarp, slingshot and some dried meat," Rue said.

"You really got a slingshot?" Madge couldn't believe Rue's luck, as that was her perfect weapon.

"Yes, but it's not as good as the one I had at home," Rue replied as she pulled back on the elastic band.

"That won't do anything against swords," Levi said.

"Remind me to tell you a story that I once read about a boy named David and a giant named Goliath," Madge said as she pulled out a long length of rope, some wire, matches, an empty water bottle and a sleeping bag.

Flora had another sleeping bag, some dried fruit and more wire. Levi's bright yellow bag was the jackpot as it was filled with two bottles of water, many packets of dried meat and fruit as well as a knife.

"The Cornucopia always has the best stuff," he beamed.

Madge looked at the boy who was almost as small as Rue and shook her head. "Don't risk your life like that again."

When Madge started handing out the supplies, Levi had a smirk on his face. His blue eyes never left the blonde as the smirk spread into a grin.

Cannons began sounding so they all froze. One, two, three… Nine. Silence filled the forest once the cannons stopped. Tears clouded Madge's eyes. Was Gale one of them? She knew they'd list the dead later that night in the night sky, so she couldn't dwell on it now. "Let's go. We should get as far away from here as possible. Levi, stuff your bag inside Lacey's backpack and take it."

"What are we going to do when they find us?" Flora asked. Everyone knew who she was referring to.

Take as many of your friends with you as you can. Just run. I'll find you. Gale's voice rang through her head. "We'll think of something." She echoed Gale's sentiments last night.

TBC

A/N: What is Haymitch up to? I hope you don't mind some scenes outside the Games as well.