5:3 Something odd.

The group of refugees following Gale are the only survivors we see. It is nightfall when we enter my former home town … at least what is left of it. It has been bombed into ruins. I try not to look at the bodies lying in the street. Fearing more air raids, the refugees didn't dare to stop and bury the dead.

"Why?" asks Cato. "Why did they do this?"

"I suspect I'm the cause," I say trying to stifle my tears. "It's President Snow's revenge for my escape from the Hunger Games arena. The man is insane. He's venting his anger at not having me executed before we entered the arena."

"Don't go blaming yourself for the insanity of others," says Elena. "If President Snow has ordered bombing here then he is likely to have done the same to District Eight. We must find a way to get back there quickly."

There will be no trains, and the local peacekeepers and their vehicles have long gone. Our only hope of transport is the mayor's car, which is normally stored in a building next to the town hall. Our luck holds. While the town hall is damaged, the adjacent building housing the car has escaped destruction. In the confusion nobody thought to use the car to escape, although few people would know how to drive it. The first time we met Elena she was driving a vehicle, so getting the mayor's car going is no problem for her. Ten minutes after we find the car we have left the town and are driving west. It is well into the night by now but the moonlight enables us to see. Elena doesn't risk switching on the car headlights.

"Do you know the way to District Eight?" I ask Elena.

"No. Other than it is about two hundred and fifty kilometres to the west of us. See if you can find a map somewhere in the car."

Cato locates several maps in a pocket in the side of the door. He quickly hands them to me to make sense of them. I scan the maps using the small torch from the raft's emergency kit. It takes me a while to find the right map and our location, but once I do I feel my confidence rise. In normal circumstances this road is regularly used so we are able to make good time. At this speed we should reach District Eight before dawn. But we will need to avoid any large towns in case peacekeepers or soldiers loyal to President Snow have set up roadblocks.

I plot a route that keeps us clear of any potential trouble spots, but we can't avoid going through some small towns. The noise of the car engine attracts the attention of a few local residents who are up and about during the night. Most of the people we see must be lookouts stationed to keep an eye out for peacekeepers or military. Our solitary car attracts interest but not alarm.

We reach Beacon Hill about 4 am. Our approach from the east means we don't need to travel through the town to reach Beacon Hill. However, we can smell smoke, and the glow of fires in the town confirms Elena's fear that the peacekeepers' bombers have attacked the town. Being some distance from the town, Beacon Hill seems to have escaped damage. The sentries at the gate are heavily armed and very cautious towards the unknown approaching vehicle. Fortunately they hold their fire until we stop. They recognise Cato, Elena and I, and we are admitted into the camp without any trouble.

While Cato and I had managed to grab some sleep in the car, Elena is in need of a rest. She hasn't had a full night's sleep for several nights. Nevertheless she makes a full report to the Colonel at an impromptu 5 am meeting. Afterwards the Colonel orders Elena to rest for today and resume her duties tomorrow. Everything she and the Colonel have been preparing for the next phase of their plan is ready, but an extra day or so will help, particularly if it means everyone is rested.

Cato, Kaycee and I go to our room in Hut Ten. It's just as we left it before the Hunger Games' reaping. Kaycee is fast asleep and doesn't stir when we put her in her cot. She will probably wake for her morning feed in an hour or so. Neither Cato nor I feel ready for sleep despite being nearly exhausted. Instead we make the most of our private time. For the first time in days I feel Cato's naked body against mine in real life. While we both enjoyed our virtual sex in the Hunger Games arena, knowing that what we are doing is real makes the experience so much better.

Kaycee's demands for her morning feed ends Cato and my frolics. I dress and go to Kaycee's room. I sit in my usual chair as Kaycee suckles. Cato comes to sit with us.

"You look very thoughtful, darling," says Cato.

"Hmmm … I was remembering some of the things that struck me as odd about the Hunger Games arena."

"Odd? Such as … ?"

"Well, firstly, the layout of your house in the city. It was just like the main house here at Beacon Hill."

"Yes. I noticed that, but I assumed it was so Jane and I would know our way around the house. Ariadne was probably using her memories to create the environment. Why do you think it was odd?"

"Because Ariadne has never been to Beacon Hill. How would she know about the layout of the house here at Beacon Hill? Of the three ARIEs, only Nadia has been to Beacon Hill."

"Perhaps she was borrowing some of Nadia's memories. We don't know how easy or hard it is for the three of them to communicate with each other."

"But the military secret service is hunting for Nadia. She would hardly expose herself to Ariadne while Ariadne is being controlled by the army technicians through that collar. Ariadne could have been forced into betraying Nadia."

"Hmm … yes, I suppose so. What are getting at?" asks Cato.

"I don't know for certain. I'm just beginning to wonder whether Nadia has really been the loyal friend she has led us to believe. I'm wondering whether both Ariadne and Nadia … and possibly Pandora … are really controlled by someone else. Someone with their own agenda."

"That sounds a bit fanciful. Who would have the ability to control all three ARIEs?" asks Cato.

"The only person I know who could do that is Sarah. Remember how she betrayed us for her own ends when we escaped from the 74th Hunger Games arena."

"But Sarah had to hand over control of the ARIEs to the army. That's why Nadia fled the Capitol in the first place."

"But who has told us all this? … Nadia. Who told us that the military secret service is hunting for Nadia? … Nadia. How was Nadia able to openly help us in the Capitol without the secret service ever coming close to finding her? Either Panem's secret service is extremely inept … or they haven't been looking for Nadia at all."

Cato is stunned by my theory.

"If you are still uncertain," I continue. "Then explain why Stefan appeared inside the Hunger Games arena. He is my daemon who interacts with Nadia … not Ariadne. I didn't think about it at the time, but inside a virtual world a daemon can only appear if it can interact with the ARIE controlling the simulation. Both my daemons appeared … which means both Ariadne and Nadia controlled the Hunger Games arena."

"Then she could betray us all," says Cato. "As the Colonel's assistant she is ideally placed to learn everything about what is planned. We must find out for sure and stop her if she's a traitor."

"It is whoever controls Nadia who is our real enemy. Nadia once asked me to destroy her sigma keys to prevent her being used for evil purposes. Perhaps that was a plea for help to free her from the control Sarah … or whoever … has over her."

"You can't destroy her sigma keys on your own. I know Kaycee has the ability to help you, but she's too young to be taught such a complex task. At least, that's what you said only a few days ago."

"Kaycee and I managed to corrupt one of Ariadne's sigma keys during Caesar Flickerman's interview. It gave Ariadne enough free will to resist some of the control exerted on her through the collar. We may not be able to destroy Nadia's sigma keys but we may be able to weaken the control others hold over her."

"There's no time to lose," says Cato. "We must tell Elena and the Colonel at once."

"Hey! I'm breast feeding Kaycee at the moment, and Elena is getting some well earned sleep. We can wait a short while before telling the Colonel. Why don't you telephone him and make an appointment to meet him after breakfast."