AUTHOR'S NOTES: The games start picking up as we get into the final 5. There will be minimal intermission between now and the finale, and soon we'll have our victor of the 93rd Annual Hunger Games-even if it's not going to be Vincent. These games are full of surprises, and this chapter drops a good number of them throughout. We also get to learn what Vivian's profession was before the games.
Happy Reading!

CHAPTER 26: Elements of Surprise

It was almost like Zhao Takoda had been waiting around the next couple of bends in an attempt to ambush the next career tribute that crossed his path. A geeky boy and a one-armed girl didn't exactly seem too threatening, but he had gravely underestimated the power of Vivian Nelson.

Vivian's reflexes were still lightning-quick, and when she saw the throwing axe coming her way again, she did not make the same mistake she had made with Sheaf, and instead, hooked it with her own axe (which had formerly belonged to that District 11 boy), and then slung it back at its original wielder with such force that it struck him in the chest with the handle.

"Well crap," Vivian swore as she lunged with her own axe drawn, sinking it into the fallen boy's chest before he could get back up. "you know… I've always wondered why in the films and reruns of the Hunger Games, that they always make it seem like you can throw a weapon and it'll always land with the pointy end in the target. Really, that only happens about half the time."

"No offense, Zhao," Vivian shrugged as she sheathed her axe and glanced down at Zhao's lifeless body as a cannon went off, "it's just business."

"So what happens the other half of the time?" Koshu tilted his head as he followed the one-armed girl,

"What you just saw, really," Vivian shrugged again; "they get hit with the handle or the blunt end of the weapon. It's a good thing I've got a decent enough throwing arm. If I hadn't knocked him down, he probably would have gotten me. Really, what you want to do is throw your weapon like this."
Vivian pulled out a sword and lobbed it straightforward, instead of having it spin through the air like her axe had done.

"Or of course, just use throwing weapons to throw, and melee weapons for melee," Koshu suggested.

"yeah, there's this thing called being resourceful with what you have," Vivian retorted, "I can't exactly draw back a bowstring anymore unless I use my feet. Want me to show you?"
"Is that why you took your shoes off?"
"Of course; what; you think just because they dressed me up in hardly anything during the parade and my interview that my good looks were my selling point? Kid, I've been getting sponsor gifts all over lately, as you've surely noticed."

Koshu had to agree that she had a point. The shiny new weapons and the delicious cases of food that Vivian had received had been a boon to her, to put it lightly. The only times she had to put herself at risk was when she chose to, and given Vivian's erratic and fearless nature despite being an amputee, she was not exactly the fearful type.

"Not to say that you or your partner did too shabby either," she added, "that whole little 'Support District 3' marquee you had certainly got my attention."

"Well, we've got more than looks too." Koshu indicated.

"Well of course you do," Vivian shrugged, "everyone's got their talents, and not all of them revolve around combat or killing. If the only marketable skill in Panem was how well you could kill someone, we'd all be dead within a month."
"So what did you do before the games?" Koshu was suddenly more curious about this quirky career girl.

"I was a hair stylist," she shrugged, "hopefully if I win I can get a replacement prosthetic that works just as well as my old arm did."

"So what do you think about Korra?" Koshu had to ask, "I mean, you obviously would much rather kill me than her, right?"
"Well, I stand more of a chance against you," Vivian explained, "but really, I'm just not sure if I can bring myself to kill that kid. Panem needs more people like her. When she realizes who she is—she will understand. Do you get what I mean?"
"Aye," Koshu nodded, "I think I do." He was actually surprised that Vivian knew it, for it sounded like part of a rebellion—something that most of District 1 did not seem even slightly interested in.

"Do you know what else I just realized?" Vivian's eyes widened.
"What," Koshu tilted his head.

"My tracker's gone." Vivian clarified, "I think the only way they know where I am is because I've been with you, Vincent, or Korra ever since losing my arm…."
But of course, the Gamemakers were listening in on every word.
"Do you suppose she poses a threat to the system?" one of the Gamemakers asked Head Gamemaker Zurok, who seemed to be concocting another trap for Sacajawea. The winged woman shook her head with that confident smirk she always wore. "She won't go far," she reassured the other Gamemakers, glancing briefly at the holographic arena in front of them, where a number 1 was still pointing at the spot where Vivian's arm had been cut off. It was colored red, signaling that the tracker was reading that the tribute was dead, but the Gamemakers did not fire the cannon because they knew Vivian was alive.

"It just means we have to watch closely for when she dies so that we set off the cannon at the right time." She chortled, only to pause a moment later as some of the Gamemakers gasped. Coriolanus Snow had just entered the control room.

"Ms. Takamatzu," he called out in a soft yet commanding tone, "A moment of your time, if you please."

With a nod, Zurok followed Snow out of the control room and into a nearby room that had various screens focused on the remaining tributes.

"How are the games?" Zurok smiled, seeming very proud of herself so far.

"The performance you and your Gamemakers have given us is spectacular, as one might expect." Snow gave a rare smirk, "but I am here for one reason, and you likely already know what it is. I need Ms. Sacajawea Kwan dead—and she currently still lives. Would you mind explaining this to me?"
"But of course," Zurok grinned, "These two…" she pointed at a screen depicting Garrett and little Alayna huddled by a little campfire, "are about to go out and meet our friends from districts 2 and 12. You know how I operate, President. If at all possible, I enjoy watching the tributes slay each other rather than allow myself to have all the fun."
"And if they fail…" Snow took plenty of cautions in his life, and this was one of them.

"then I have multiple backup plans to ensure that she does not escape alive." Zurok reassured him,

"Perfect," Snow nodded approvingly, "I would not expect anything less than that."

"Is there anything else you would like, President?" Zurok asked.

"I merely wished to ensure that you still remembered the plan." Snow stood back up, "you have surprised me yet again, Zurok Takamatzu. I will await your next move as I watch the remainder of the 93rd Annual Hunger Games."

As Korra and Saki camped for the remainder of day 9, Saki couldn't help but wonder where the traps and mutations were. The first 6 days had had these hazards presenting themselves plainly, and so not seeing any of them up there was discomforting. As they settled down for the night, they waited for the anthem to play to see who had gotten killed.

Zhao Takoda, District 8…

"I wonder if Vivian got him or if Koshu did…" Korra mused aloud,

"It might have been District 6," Saki pointed out, "but something tells me Vivian isn't going to go down without a fight. Really, what I'm most impressed about is that she hasn't said anything about her tracker yet. If my arm got lopped off… I could be out of the Capitol's eye…"
Out of the Capitol's watchful range—that was a thought that intrigued Korra more and more. Saki's words were getting to her, and it forced her to think. It was thoughts like these that flowed through Korra's mind as she tumbled off to sleep.

The next morning Korra and Saki were back on the prowl. Korra figured there were probably only three or four days left of the games, since most of the recent Hunger Games had lasted exactly 14 days. She wondered if there was a trend or if that was just a coincidence. Either way, the two girls were back on the move, and their new targets were hopefully going to be District 6.

Despite how elusive the pair had been for the last 9 days of the arena, Korra was baffled when she all but stumbled into a little clearing where it seemed that a large camp had been set up between a few rocks. The increasing humidity had added greenery to the situation, but otherwise, there was Alayna, alone and minding her own business. She turned to Korra, and did not even flinch when Korra drew her swords. Slowly, Korra stepped towards the girl, wondering what she was doing. She appeared unarmed.

Korra and Saki were in for a shock a moment later. When Korra got within about 4 feet of the little girl, she suddenly screamed a name at the top of her lungs.

"GARRETT!"

Startled by this, Korra thrust her sword-arm forward, impaling the smaller girl, silencing and killing her immediately. A cannon fired, and instead of silence, there was a smashing noise growing louder in the distance. Neither of the two girls needed to know who it was.

"I think if we don't get the hell out of here right about now…" Saki warned, "we're going to cross paths with a very angry Garrett Locke."