Chapter 20
When Cinna and Portia aren't designing clothing that smolders or catches on fire, they run their own fashion empire downtown. Peeta and I walk down the street, gripping the map we got from the lobby of our building, trying to find our way to this empire and to not laugh at the hats people were wearing that looked like sequined rubber ducks. Must be the new trend.
"Looking good, Katniss," Peeta said with a snicker. I glance up from the map and follow his finger to a giant billboard with a picture of me wearing that sombrero and eating fish tacos.
"Not so bad yourself," I counter as the image shifts to one of Peeta wearing one of the same rubber duck hats as practically everyone on the street.
"And here I thought that surely those would never catch on."
"You're a trendsetter!"
"You bet I am! I don't see anyone wandering around carrying fish tacos," he teases.
Walking around the Capitol almost makes me forget about all the horrible stuff that's going on. But we're on a mission.
After a few more minutes we find ourselves standing in front of Cinna and Portia's building. It's tall and shiny, with lots of windows. Some of the larger ones on the bottom floor display what I assume are some of the highlights from their latest fashion line. They featured bright, colorful, poofy gowns with feathers, quilted suits, and even clothing that seemed to be inspired by the outfits they designed for Rory and Kim.
We step inside and find ourselves in a vast lobby full of people who all seem to be in a hurry. They are all adorned in loud, intricately-designed clothing that ironically makes me feel like I stick out, and not in a good way. This morning when I just threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt in my worried state I had no idea that I would be heading this deep into the Capitol fashion industry. Oh well. At least I'm still super famous. Maybe I'll start a t-shirt and jeans trend. That would be a first for these people.
"How do we find them?" I ask.
"I'm going to try asking one of the people at that big desk over there," Peeta replies.
Oh yeah.
"Good thinking," I say as we head over to one lady who is typing something at her computer. She wears a long, flowing dress made of green velvet that has some of the biggest sleeves I've ever seen. Her dandelion yellow hair is tightly curled on one side of her head and stick straight on the other. As we approach, she glances up at us through wiry pink glasses.
"Hi," Peeta begins. "We're-"
"Oh yes, I know who you two are," the woman replies in her thick Capitol accent. "Cinna and Portia are expecting you. They instructed us to direct you to the elevators over there in the corner. You are to meet them up on the 57th floor."
We thank the woman and hop into one of the elevators. At first we're crowded in with a bunch of other people who have places around the building where they need to be, but eventually they all file out as we make our way up to floor 57.
The 57th floor is extremely quiet as we make our way out of the elevator. This is a big change from the other floors we passed on our way here. We find ourselves in a white hallway with no sign of people anywhere.
"Cinna?" I call to the emptiness. "Portia?" They both immediately pop their heads out of a nearby doorway. It looks like I said the magic words.
"Come inside! Quickly," Cinna calls. Peeta and I scramble through the open door which Portia closes and locks behind us.
"This is our private office suite. Nobody is allowed in here without our permission," she explains.
From the looks of things, the office suite takes up more or less the whole floor. That explains why we didn't see or hear anyone else up here. We're currently standing in a fancy sitting area with comfy-looking chairs and couches and a big TV with a full entertainment system. There's also a full kitchen, a game room, and a hallway that leads to who knows how many other rooms. Cinna and Portia have clearly done well for themselves.
Peeta and I exchange hugs with our former designers and are served drinks and snacks before we all sit down so that Peeta and I can finally get in the loop.
"So Haymitch said he's got some sort of secret sources giving him Capitol information?" I say, trying to get the conversation started.
"We're sorry we didn't tell you about any of this sooner, but we thought it would be best if you two could just continue on like you normally would while the rest of us took care of things. That way the Capitol wouldn't get suspicious," Cinna begins.
"The rest of you?" Peeta asks.
Portia nods. "A group of us have been making plans for over a month now. Us, Haymitch, several of the other past victors, and Plutarch Heavensbee."
I gasp. "The Head Gamemaker?"
"The Head Gamemaker and one of the leaders of the rebellion," Portia confirms.
"He must be the one giving you all secret Capitol information," Peeta reasons.
Cinna nods. "And he's part of the reason why Rory and Kim have lasted this long. He insisted that waiting until later in the games for the gamemakers to focus on taking them out would make more of a statement since their deaths wouldn't just get lost among ten others."
The statement is chilling and gives me goosebumps down my arms, but at least it's been keeping Rory and Kim safe. But it won't keep them safe for much longer.
"He's been risking his own life sharing secrets and trying to protect Rory and Kim, and I'm very grateful, don't get me wrong. But what's the point if the gamemakers are just going to end up killing them off eventually anyway?" I ask.
Cinna and Portia grin at each other. "We're going to rescue them both!" Cinna announces.
Peeta and I's jaws drop. I don't even know what to say. My head is flooding with questions. "What?" is all I can muster. And that isn't even one of the more prominent questions currently on my mind.
"That's what we've been planning this whole time!" Portia adds.
"Wow! This is great. I mean… wow," Peeta stammers. Even he's speechless for a change. "How are you going to pull that off?"
"Well, we're still working out a few of the details. That's why Plutarch has had to stall for us," Portia admits.
"But basically, we're just going to fly a hover craft right into the arena and get them," Cinna explains.
"As Head Gamemaker, Plutarch has easy access to the hover crafts," Portia continues.
"But there are a lot of variables. We have to do it very quickly because it won't take long before somebody realizes that something is up."
"Everything must be timed perfectly, and it's hard to predict exactly where in the arena Rory and Kim will be."
"What we really need is a way to get them both to the top of the cornucopia mountain for fast and easy pickup, but how do we get a secret message to them to tell them to go there?"
"And not to mention that faking a reason for a specific hovercraft to be in the arena at a specific time will have to be handled carefully, or we'll arouse suspicion from the start."
"Plus we don't have much time left because Plutarch isn't going to be able to keep them safe for much longer."
"This isn't going to be easy, and there's a ton of risk, but I think we can pull this off. Everyone involved has agreed to take the risk, but we know we haven't asked you two yet."
"If we do this, whether or not you both are actually involved, your lives, and your families' lives, will be in horrible danger. There is no passing this off as anything other than an act of pure rebellion. If you're not with us when we escape, the Capitol will capture you and make an example of you."
"And even if you are with us, if we fail, we all go down."
"So we realize the position we are putting you in, and we won't do anything without your support."
Once again, I find myself speechless. This is so much information so fast. My head is spinning as I try to process everything. Rory and Kim could both make it out alive. But if we do this, there is no turning back. There is no hope of me ever having a quiet life living in peace from the Capitol. But was that ever really a possibility?
"What about our families?" I ask after a few moments. "They won't be here to escape with us."
"We're going to send a second hover craft out to pick up your families. Rory's and Kim's as well," Portia replies.
"Where will we escape to?" Peeta asks.
Cinna and Portia grin at each other again.
"District 13," Cinna says simply.
"But District 13 is in ruins. The Capitol wiped it out," I point out.
"That's what they want you to think," Portia says.
"The Capitol never took them down. They were so afraid that the rebellion would spread if they didn't squish it out quickly, so they made a deal. District 13 could break away from Panem and the rule of the Capitol if they went into hiding and called off the rebellion. There's a whole underground city beneath the ruins," Cinna explains.
"And the rebellion lives on, it's just quieter and more strategic. They've been watching and are building a campaign to spark rebellion all over Panem. We need all the help we can get if we're going to take down the Capitol."
"Take down the Capitol," I repeat. Could that even be possible?
"We plan to join them there, and aid in the campaign,"Cinna continues. "And they want you both, Kim and Rory too. They see the hope that District 12 has brought to people and they know you can help get everyone on board."
"I can't believe that District 13 is still there," Peeta mutters.
"This is a lot to take in," Portia says sympathetically. "Why don't you take a couple of days to think about it?"
"We could really use both of yours help to pull this off, but we understand completely if you'd rather we call the whole thing off. This is a lot to ask," Cinna agrees.
"I want to help," I say, almost without thinking. "Saving Kim and Rory, getting my family away from the Capitol, bringing the Capitol down… It all seems too good to be true. Of course, I won't act without Peeta."
I look into Peeta's eyes. He's grinning back at me.
"You know I'm with you no matter what," he says before turning back to Cinna and Portia. "I'm in too. Just let me know what I can do to help."
Cinna and Portia seem overjoyed.
"For now, just keep doing what you're doing," Cinna says.
"Kim and Rory will be safe for a little while longer. Plutarch will keep the gamemakers away from them for as long as he can, and he rigged it to that they're currently each others' targets. We know they won't kill each other, so they're okay for now," Portia explains.
I let out a sigh of relief. "Hurry up with those plans. I can't wait to see them again."
"We'll do the best we can," Cinna promises. And I know he means it.
As Peeta and I get up to leave, my head is still spinning. My whole world had changed over the course of a conversation. I should be used to my life changing quickly and without warning by now, but maybe that's something you just don't get used to. We walk back to our building in silence so that we can process everything we just learned, but we hold tight to each other's hands. No matter what happens, we're in this together.