"Hey, there's Alara," a worker shouts.
"Back to work," someone orders, but no one pays him any attention. As Alara wonders the woods something feels oddly familiar about this scene. Alara seems to sense it also and screams to give her a little more energy to run. Just as the clock strikes ten, a massive wave overtakes the slope taking her with it and slamming her into the trees.
Just like Finch.
I collapse to the ground, leaning against a panel. Quietly my coworkers take over Pips and my work to let us grieve. But it is short lived.
"Peacekeepers," someone whispers.
Aron and I quickly get up and move back to our positions.
"Welkin. You're wanted."
Both of us start for the door.
"The oldest only," the Peacekeeper amends.
I'm brought into an office and once the door closes I come face to face with Marcus Panthra.
"What are you doing here?" I say a little more harsh than I intended.
"Manners, boy.
I start shaking a bit, "Alara is not dead ten minutes and you want to have a chat?"
Rook stares at me and sighs. "When it starts, many precious to you will die. You need to learn to get past that quickly or you won't survive. Now, what do you notice?"
Angrily I stare at the screen. "Rotor said the traps only lasted an hour each and they started at midnight. First was lightning, then blood rain, followed by an acid fog."
"Go on," he encourages.
"There are monkeys that come out after that and then nothing was triggered until ten and that was the wave just like the one that killed Finch."
Rook raises his eyebrows letting me know I'm on to something. But what? One hour each, a circular arena, starts at twelve. "The arena is a clock," I get out. "But why is that important?"
"It's not," he replies. "But your anger just got refocused."
He's right. I'm calm again. But something else comes into my head, "Why did Drite go after Katniss? Everyone seems to be protecting Peeta and Katniss. But why did Drite target Katniss? Wouldn't that be the careers' job?"
"You knew him better than I did… you tell me."
"He said he was going to stay at the cornucopia. I didn't expect him to try and kill anyone, especially not her," I get out.
Rook stares at me, "Drite and Alara wouldn't risk your family or Thora and Kolb by protecting the star-crossed lovers. They understand the game better than most victors because of your mother. But they knew who did agree.
"District Five is still one of the holdouts for the rebellion. By attacking Katniss, Drite has thrown Snow off the scent. He's not looking to District Five now. Your victors will be returned in a few days. But wait until the games end before doing anything. Then check the resolve of your district. If rebellion is still on the mind, then by all means, go crazy."
He leans back in his chair and presses his hands together. "Now, you're going to leave this room rather upset that I have insulted the memory of everyone you hold dear." He stares at me for a moment knowing I'm having a problem working up the anger. "Let me rephrase, isn't it ironic how your aunt just got taken out the same way as your niece?"
That did it. The way he said it so casually as if this was intentional makes me want to leap across the desk and strangle him.
"That's better."
Shakily I return to the control room. "Boron?"
"Not now, Pips," I say trying to refocus my anger again. I turn to the only distraction in the room, the games. The Odd Ducks are with the Stars but aren't fighting. "When did that happen?"
"A few minutes ago," says Pips. "Johanna is unhinged from being in the blood rain and hit Katniss pretty hard. Johanna said she got them out of the jungle for Katniss."
"She looked a bit confused though," says Clara. "Like someone else is making the decisions and she's just going with them."
Katniss and probably Peeta know nothing of the rebellion. It's quite a risk for the victors that decided to sacrifice their lives for the lovers. They better hope the careers stay alive otherwise the next logical decision for Peeta and Katniss would be to turn on the others.
"So, why is it on mute?" I ask.
"Johanna's language is quite colorful," says Jon.
Up on screen, Katniss is washing out Wiress and Beetee's clothing while Finnick appears to be washing out Johanna. In the end it is clear the alliance just got bigger and I see who is part of the rebellion.
Focusing on work is nearly impossible, but Rook is right, I have to learn to get past this. My eyes dart up to the screen repeatedly now that the new alliance has appeared on the beach. They seem to be the most interesting as the camera almost always stays on them. They have figured out the clock bit and are dividing up the sections and labeling them.
"Aren't they close to the cornucopia?" someone asks.
Sure enough the careers see the other alliance and are forming a plan that Brutus seems to be in charge of. Gloss is to go for Wiress, and then Katniss. Cashmere gets Johanna, Enorbaria gets Finnick, and Brutus will take Peeta.
Gloss holds Cashmere back, "Once we're done with the alliance expect them to turn on us."
"Then let's not give them the opportunity," says Cashmere. "Take on whoever is closest to you."
"Agreed."
Gloss slips down to Wiress and slits her throat. "Sorry Wiress."
Not a second goes by before Katniss whips around and shoots him in the temple. Cashmere is distracted by her brother's death that Johanna is able to send an ax into her chest taking her down. Finnick blocks a spear about to hit Peeta with his trident, but Enorbaria's knife goes in his thigh.
Brutus and Enorbaria make a run for it, but Katniss is hot on their heels. As soon as District Two's feet hit the jungle floor the cornucopia begins to spin. So, there is a Gamemaker that's on the rebellion's side. Why would they interrupt the fight unless they wanted to stall breaking up the alliance?
