4.8 Torn
"I hope you are going to include me in this venture," says Cato.
"I thought you had responsibilities as a District Two mentor?" I reply.
"My services as mentor are unnecessary and unwanted," replies Cato. "Brutus has no interest in listening to any advice I may provide, and none of the mentors are able contact potential sponsors in the Capitol. The mentors are just being used as messengers between the gamemakers and the tributes. District Two can easily manage that with just one mentor."
"Well, I'd appreciate your help because I'm torn between two courses of action. I can't decide who poses the greatest threat to the people of District Twelve? I don't trust President Coin, but there's a long history of abuse and neglect by those from the Capitol."
"Then we first need to find the answer to some mysteries," says Cato. "For example. Why did a rebel force set up camp outside District Twelve a few months ago and pretend to be Panem soldiers? What connection does their arrival have to the new fence around District Twelve? And why were you kidnapped?"
"I don't know," I reply. "I don't even know how to find out the answer to those questions. And even if we found out why, I can't see how that helps us."
"Perhaps knowing won't help," admits Cato. "But if you are right in saying Catullus is among the rebel troops, then I suspect there's more to the rebel force in District Twelve than meets the eye."
"What do you mean?" I ask.
"I can't be sure, but I don't think the rebels holding District Twelve are really allied to District Thirteen at all. I think we'll find that they owe their loyalty to someone else entirely."
"But they transported Prim, Effie and Haymitch and I to District Thirteen quick enough."
"Yes, so you said last night. But did you recognise any of the soldiers who escorted you? Isn't it possible that they were District Thirteen soldiers stationed with the rebels, and who used the chaos in District Twelve to kidnap you while the peacekeepers and rebels were busy fighting each other?"
"But one of the soldiers knew your cousin. He even called him by his nickname, Tully."
"Tully might be the usual nickname for Catullus, but my cousin only ever goes under the nickname Cats," replies Cato. "I think my theory is going to be right."
"I still can't understand how you can be so sure," I reply.
"I'm not sure, but I know my cousin and I'm backing my hunches."
"And if you're right. What then?" I ask.
"Any large scale movement into Panem territory by District Thirteen's forces would be tantamount to a declaration of war. It's probably the reason why President Coin has wanted to use Panem rebels to guard her interests in District Twelve. As long as President Coin thinks there's a chance her negotiations with the Capitol will succeed, then I can't see her sending her army into District Twelve."
"I don't understand what's going on," says Gillian. "Are the rebels who have taken control of District Twelve protecting the people from the Capitol or from District Thirteen?"
"An excellent question," says Cato. "My guess is both. This isn't something which has suddenly come about in the last few days. This smells of months of serious plotting."
"Plotting by who?" I ask.
"Obviously I don't know," replies Cato. "But I'm guessing that the timing of the coup and the takeover of District Twelve by the rebels isn't a coincidence. Whoever planned to take power after the coup clearly wanted the rebel force to control District Twelve."
"But that means it would probably have been my father," says Gillian. "That doesn't make sense. The peacekeepers would have been loyal to him and they were already in control of District Twelve."
"Which probably means it wasn't Gillian's father behind the rebels in District Twelve," I add. "Could it have been one or more of his associates?"
"We don't know the identity of his associates," Cato replies. "If it was one of them, it means that they must have been planning to assassinate your father as well as President Snow. We don't know who killed them. It could easily have been one of your father's associates turned traitor."
"And what about the kidnapping of Prim, Haymitch, Effie and I?" I ask.
"President Coin obviously had the four of you kidnapped for a reason," says Cato. "But I can't see what she hoped to gain by holding you hostage. The coup in the Capitol was occurring at the time of your kidnap, so that can't be the reason. If anything, the coup has upset her plans, or she wouldn't have agreed to hand you over so soon."
"I think the coup could be connected to the kidnapping," says Gillian. "What if President Coin was aware a coup was about to take place? What if she expected my father to take over? Taking hostages could ensure his cooperation in rapidly concluding his negotiations with President Coin over the future of District Twelve."
"Or, the apparent miraculous rescue of the hostages from rebel hands could have given your father the extra support he would have needed in the Capitol," says Cato. "After all the build up, the success or failure of these Games will make or break many political careers. Your mother is taking a big gamble by not including District Twelve tributes in these Games."
"I think President Coin intends for these Games to be a disaster," I add. "From her point of view, the more political careers she destroys the better. It will create a vacuum into which her supporters can seize control of Panem. Her negotiations with President Snow over District Twelve could have given her an appetite for greater power."
"But how is President Coin going to disrupt the Hunger Games?" asks Cato. "All the tributes and support teams are here inside a heavily guarded arena complex."
"Plutarch Heavensbee helped design this arena," I say. "He told me a way to sabotage the computer systems but I'm not certain whether I should do so. If I do, then Heavensbee will follow whatever plan he has in mind. If I don't carry out the sabotage, then I risk allowing my sister to fight in the Hunger Games arena."
"But my mother said District Twelve isn't going to be represented in this year's Hunger Games," says Gillian."
"I hope so, but Cato is right about the high expectations for this year's Hunger Games," I reply. "Your mother may be forced into changing her mind. I'm not certain I can take the risk."
"What sort of sabotage does Plutarch Heavensbee expect you to carry out?" asks Cato.
I explain what I've been told to do. Cato promptly suggests that we talk to Beetee, the male tribute for District Three. He's something of an electronics expert, and he might be able to tell us more about what Heavensbee is planning. A short phone call to the District Three suite has Beetee at my door in a matter of minutes. I explain the instructions I've been given, and Beetee asks a few questions.
"What you will be doing is enabling someone outside the arena complex to access the arena's computer system. Heavensbee has obviously built a backdoor into the system but it needs someone inside the complex to allow access through the security firewall. He obviously didn't want to risk his backdoor being detected during some routine systems check. Once he has access he could easily disrupt the Games."
"So what am I to do?" I ask Beetee.
"Heavensbee will be able to detect the hole in the security firewall within a matter of seconds. He will probably upload a set of programs to prevent the firewall from being closed, and to shield his activities from detection. Once that's done, he can really cause mischief. He would have enough control to kill everyone here."
"How is he going to kill everyone?" asks Cato, obviously thinking Beetee is being over dramatic.
"We are in a fortified underground complex. What if all the doors were locked and the power went down," suggests Beetee. "Do you think you'd survive long enough for someone to break through the steel doors and rescue you? Remember, this place is designed to keep unwelcome guests out."
"But surely the door locks would open if the power failed," says Cato. "Isn't that the usual procedure to prevent something like that happening. Besides, there must be back-up generators should the main power fail."
"Usually, yes. But don't forget that Heavensbee was involved in the design of this place."
"Is there anyway of checking if what you say is correct," I ask Beetee.
"We can try to access the building blueprints. Now we know Heavensbee's override passwords, I should be able to break into the complex's databases."
"Won't the gamemakers detect you doing that?" asks Cato.
"Not if I'm using Heavensbee's passwords."
I allow Beetee to use the console in my room. I'm taking a huge risk that Beetee's activity on my console isn't being traced. I don't know if I'm pleased or alarmed when Beetee confirms that his suspicions are not only correct, but that there are far more sinister twists to Heavensbee's tampering. I don't need Beetee's analysis to tell me that Heavensbee doesn't intend for any person to leave this arena complex alive.
"Well, that settles it," I say. "There's no way I'm carrying out Heavensbee's instructions."
"That may not be enough," replies Beetee. "Heavensbee couldn't be sure you'd carry out the sabotage, so he will have given himself a backup option. Have you used your card to access the computer system since you arrived."
"No," I reply. "I haven't had any reason to do so."
"Then don't," replies Beetee. "Heavensbee knew you would be attending these Games, so it's possible he's rigged the system to activate some hidden code linked to your identity. The code could be activated when you use your card at any computer console inside the complex."
"Then why did he ask me to carry our his sabotage if my simply accessing a console is all that he needs?" I ask. "And why me? Heavensbee must have known that Haymitch was going be a tribute."
"Heavensbee's being careful in case his code was detected during a routine system check. He's giving himself a secondary option," replies Beetee. "It's possible Haymitch accessing the system may also trigger the code, but it's 25 years since Haymitch was last a tribute, so his former identity record may have been archived."
"So what are we to do?" I ask.
"You do nothing," says Beetee. "I shall give Plutarch Heavensbee a little surprise when tries to access his backdoor into the system."
I've no idea what Beetee intends to do. I barely understand half of what he's been talking about. Cato is even more bemused by the technical jargon. Only Gillian seems to understand most of Beetee's ramblings. But if someone else is willing to take the responsibility off my shoulders, then I'm not complaining.
Beetee leaves us in peace as he goes off to prepare whatever it is he intends to do. Even though we are still in danger, I feel more confident than I did a few hours ago. Gillian senses that Cato and I would like a few moments alone and she goes to explore the plentiful entertainment options in her room. Cato doesn't stay long, though, and returns to his room with a promise to look in on me in the morning.
Prim and Haymitch return to the suite after their day's activities and I introduce them to Gillian. I'd assumed that Effie was with Prim and Haymitch, and I'm surprised to hear they've not seen her since breakfast. We don't know where Effie has gone since none of the gamemakers' instructions related to her.
"Should we be worried about her?" asks Prim, clearly worried already.
"I don't think so," I reply. "She can't have gone too far. This place is guarded like a prison."
I regret my comparison as soon as the words are out of my mouth. The last thing we need reminding about is our captivity. In District Twelve, we were kept behind an electrified fence; in District Thirteen, in rooms the size of a prison cell. Here we have more comfortable surroundings, but we are still the gamemakers' prisoners.
By the time we finish our evening meal, we are all becoming worried about Effie's continued absence. I warn Haymitch about not using the computer system, so it is Prim who accesses one of the consoles in our suite to try a search for any record of Effie's movements. Unfortunately, only mentors have access to the search application which allows a mentor to track members of his or her group. I would need to use my card to do that.
I'm just about to call one of the security guards, when Effie suddenly turns up. She obviously has some news which she's bursting to share with us.