Janus Megalos

President of Panem

Janus Megalos thought himself a hypocrite. Ever since he was a teenager he hated when the President got too involved with the games. Growing up that was his grandfather but he knew the stories of other Presidents getting involved with the games. Yet Janus was involved in this year's games at every corner.

He quite liked watching the private sessions though, but felt guilty about making some of the tributes even more nervous.

Selene was the one who came up with the idea to present the tributes with challenges before they could complete their private session. It was a brilliant idea and implemented a natural, fighting instinct into their responses. They just hoped it would manipulate their DNA in the same way so those instincts could be passed onto the artificial soldiers.

The young President was impressed at how quickly some of the tributes could come up with plans to overcome a challenge. Janus knew that it would be unfair to have the challenges influence the scores so made sure the gamemakers took no notice of the order the tributes came in. He also knew it would be unfair if he had any say in the scores so just sat back and observed the potential skills of his future soldiers.

Janus was sitting in his office with Selene reviewing all of the paperwork from the Irish Head of State – Aoife O'Keefe. He couldn't express how grateful and relieved he was to have the help of someone from the Outside. The information they've been given has been really useful and they would be completely lost without it.

The other countries had no clue that the Irish had allied with Panem and they planned to keep it that way. Aoife, as she had insisted she be called, had also managed to retrieve paperwork from Britain from years ago related to Panem.

However, none of the paperwork made sense as most of it seemed pointless. There was a whole 20 page document on grain being imported from Panem to France. Why did Britain have these documents? And why was there paperwork on an export that never happened?

"I don't understand." Janus whined, slumped in his chair.

When his friend didn't reply or even scold him for whining he knew she had found something, hopefully something useful.

Janus hadn't exactly known what to look for. He guessed he had hoped he could find something to blackmail other countries into withdrawing their declarations of war.

"Every document I've read has been signed by the same person. And it's not your grandfather." Selene said, just as confused as Janus.

"Who signed it?"

"Some guy called Wayne Mahoney."

"What? Say that name again."

"Wayne Mahoney?"

When Janus realised where he recognised that name he was livid. He wanted to throw anything and everything across the room.

"That son of a bitch. I'm gonna kill him."

"Janus, do you know who that is?"

"Yes. When I was little, whenever my father and I wanted to go on a holiday without being recognised we used aliases. I was Reuben Mahoney and my father, he was Wayne Mahoney."

Neither of them had a clue as to why his father would even try to organise an export of grain to France. But it suddenly it all clicked for the President and he was dragging Selene out of the door and towards a car.

"We're going to the prison. I'll explain on the way."

Selene kept her mouth shut for once and followed him, patiently waiting for an explanation to what the hell Janus had figured out.

Janus waited until they were in the car and the window to the driver was fully sealed until he started to explain. He didn't want anyone else knowing this information. It had to stay between them or else Janus could lose his position as President.

Janus' father, Fergus Megalos, had been imprisoned 8 years ago, charged with arson to a church. However, mass homicide charges were added because the church had been filled with around 50 people who he knew were in there.

It was one of the biggest scandal's Panem had faced and the Megalos line had nearly ended. However, his grandfather had assured the country that Fergus would never become President and would spend the rest of his days in prison. He also assured them that Janus would be an amazing President and was nothing like his father.

Words couldn't describe how much Janus despised his father. How could someone burn 50 people to death and not show any remorse? Every memory Janus had with his father was tainted, everything he was taught he was sceptical about – what if his father had been giving him lessons on how to be the perfect, murderous psycho?

But there was one memory that stood out to Janus when he heard the alias 'Wayne Mahoney' after all these years.

When Janus was 10, his father had taken him on a trip to the skirts of district 11. The cottage they had stayed in was beautiful and it was pretty deserted. He remembered that Fergus had spent a lot of time at a desk writing letters that Janus couldn't understand despite being one of the best at English in his school.

It was only now that Janus realised he had been writing in code. All those times his father had talked nonsense about different codes, little Janus hadn't paid attention. He wished he had or he wouldn't need to visit his father in prison to translate the code for them.

He hadn't seen his father since he had been imprisoned as there was no way Janus wanted to be associated with a man who repulsed him.

As the car pulled up to the prison, Janus began to shake. He wasn't sure whether it was from anger, nerves or both. Selene put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to calm him. It worked briefly but soon Janus was shaking again.

Selene had absorbed the information pretty well. She obviously knew about Fergus' imprisonment in the first place but she agreed that the letter must have been written in code.

She kept asking why he would do it and Janus had no answer for her. However, she also proposed that perhaps the homicides and communication with the outside countries were connected. He could have been working for them all those years ago. Has everyone been planning to attack Panem for that many years?

When they walked in, the receptionist and other officers were shocked to see them and bowed a little as they walked path.

"Good morning Mr President. I didn't expect to see you here on the morning of the interviews."

"Morning. We still have work to do before this evening. We'd like to see Fergus Megalos please."

The young receptionist's face paled and he looked like he'd seen a ghost. To begin with Janus assumed the reaction was to Fergus' crimes but then he said he needed to go and get his manager. Janus started to get annoyed – he's the President of Panem, he shouldn't have to get clearance to see a prisoner. Especially if that prisoner was his dad.

"Ah Mr Megalos. I'm Warden Walters, if you'd like to follow me."

The Warden greeted them with a handshake and began to lead them down a corridor. However, Selene soon informed Janus that they were being led away from the cells and towards some empty rooms.

"What's going on?" Janus demanded as Warden Walters opened a door to an office.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news." He said. And when Janus only offered a small nod of a head in response, the Warden continued.

"Your father escaped this prison some while ago."

"I'm sorry, what?" Janus' voice echoed throughout the room. He'd never known his voice to be this loud.

"When did he escape and how did he do it?" Selene demanded, trying to think rationally.

"We don't know how, we think he had help. But he escaped a few hours after you were announced President."

Janus couldn't believe what he was hearing. He felt himself start to shake even more with anger and felt his face heating up. He felt like a bull who was rearing to fight.

"That was over 6 years ago, you moron!"

"Sir, please understand. We tried looking for him for weeks but there was no trace of him. It was like he vanished into thin air."

"So why didn't you inform me?"

"We didn't want to worry you since you had so recently become President. Plus we didn't ever think you'd come to see him so it wouldn't matter whether he was there or not."

"I should have been informed. There will be a full investigation into this and it's your job on the line." Janus stormed out of the building, quickly followed by Selene.

He paced up and down outside of the prison while they waited for their car to reappear again. The car was nowhere to be seen and Janus didn't want any members of the public seeing him stressed or worried.

Finally the car arrived and the pair got in and were on their way back to the President's mansion to prepare for the interviews that evening.

Selene noted that the driver had been awfully quiet, that he didn't even greet them as they entered the car. Janus checked the doors only to find that they were locked. Neither of them could open the blacked out window to the driver either. He really didn't have the time to be kidnapped or threatened.

"Driver, could you drop us out here please." Janus said. He knew that it was a stupid question to ask a kidnapper and walking around the streets of the Capitol was even more stupid but it was worth a try.

However, the window to the driver abruptly opened and a young woman with pale skin and ginger hair poked her head through.

"Awww, I thought we were going to the President's mansion." She spoke with a weird accent.

Janus screamed. He hadn't expected it whatsoever and it had made him jump. Selene looked shocked but not in the same way Janus had. She was shocked by the recognition she had of the woman.

"Miss O'Keefe. It's a pleasure to meet you." Selene said pleasantly and elbowed Janus in the side.

Janus was momentarily confused until he realised that he had heard the voice before during phone calls with the Irish head of state. The same head of state who was in his car in Panem. Janus realised he had just screamed in front of the woman and went a deep shade of red.

"Sorry about that ma'am."

"Like I've said before, please call me Aoife."

"Sorry, Aoife. What are you doing here? And how the hell did you get into the country? We have the some of the best security at the border."

"I have some people stationed her. A lot of countries do. We have for years."

Great. Another problem to add to Janus' never ending list. The enemies were right under their noses all along and they had had no clue. Panem had been falling apart long before Janus yet he was the one who had to fix it all. It was definitely going to be harder than he first thought but he believed in his team and in himself.

It didn't take long for them to arrive back at the President's mansion and they slipped in through the back of the building as if they'd never left. When they got to Janus' office, Aoife started to explain why she was in Panem.

"I thought it would be easier to discuss matters in person; without time zones getting in the way and a lower chance of our calls being intercepted by Britain or Russia or any other enemy. Plus I could help you with the Games and the soldiers."

However, as she mentioned the games her face made a sort of pained and disapproving expression. She obviously didn't like the idea of the games. But neither did Janus.

"Selene and I don't like the game either by the way. But we found a contract from 172 years ago stating we couldn't end the games."

Aoife looked shocked at this statement and she seemed to pity Panem and the situation it was in.

"Won't the other countries notice you're gone?" Selene asked. Janus thought he noticed a hint of suspicion in her voice but that was Selene for you.

"Not really. The Northern Irish leader goes to all the important meetings for both ends of the country. But just in case, my twin sister is posing as me."

Janus was surprised to learn that she had a twin but then thought what person can tell when someone has a twin?

"That was a smart plan." Selene commented.

"We're really grateful for your help Aoife." Janus said, genuinely.

"It's nothing. I admire the fact that you aren't willing to use your own civilians to fight. It shows you really care about them. The same can't be said for everyone else."

Janus and Selene had hours of torture to go through to get ready for the interviews. He felt rude leaving Aoife alone and that she had to watch the interviews alone at the mansion. But they couldn't risk her being seen by any enemy spies in the Capitol. More importantly, Aoife had mentioned that everyone outside of Panem watched the games so she would definitely be recognised by the British and Irish leaders on the Outside.

However, Janus made sure to personally show Aoife to her own room with an en suite. He intended to look after his guest properly. Her room was on the same floor as Selene's, just a few doors down.

It was only 1pm and Janus' day had already been a rollercoaster. He just hoped the interviews would go smoothly. He didn't need any more problems.

But Janus couldn't seem to shake off an eerie feeling that his father would present himself as a bigger problem than Janus had originally thought.

A.N: Just a little subplot chapter before the interviews! I've made a discord so if you're interesting in joining just send me a PM for the link :D

What do think of Janus' father? Any idea where he escaped to and how? And do you trust Aoife? If you're wondering how to pronounce her name it's 'ee-fa'.

I don't have much to say today so I hope you guys enjoy your week!

QOTC: What is the name of the Hunger Games prequel by Suzanne Collins?