District 2 Justice Building & Train Ride

(Alexis Corvus and Jett Kowalski)

Alexis Corvus (18) - D2

I stand, waiting for my family. This goodbye will be short and sweet. I'll be back soon anyway. Mama and Titus come in the door and fold me into their arms. I let them hug me until I can't endure it anymore.

"Goodbye, Mama," I say and kiss her on the cheek. "I'll be back before you know it."

Mama nods, teary-eyed. She understands though. I will be back. I have to be. I will not let Titus go to the Hunger Games. I will win and force Papa to leave him alone.

Titus grabs my hand and squeezes it. "Please come home, Alex." He says softly.

"Of course I'll be home." I wink and kiss his forehead. "Then we can escape with Mama and leave Papa to his mob."

Titus nods with a smile, hope filling his eyes. I will not let him down.

They hug me one last time and leave. Venetta, my friend comes in next.

We've been friends and training partners for so long, I'm not surprised that she showed up.

"You'll be home. Make it quick." She says with a wink.

We don't hug or any of that mushy stuff.

"You know it," I say and smile.

She leaves me alone to sit. I still have some time left so I circle the room and try to focus on the games. I will win.

I hear a noise in the hallway and jump up. My heart flutters for a second. Could it be Luciano? I know I'm crazy for thinking it, but it could be. The door opens and Titus comes in breathless. Disappointment floods my stomach, but I quickly wonder why Titus is back. He hands me a silver ring.

"Your token." He pants breathlessly.

I take it from him and roll it around in my fingers. It's solid silver, heavy and shiny.

"Thanks, bud." I ruffle his hair just as the peacekeeper calls for me.

I am led down to the train platform where our escort waits with Jett. I still get weird vibes from him. Killer vibes. I know that I will stop at nothing to win, but he looks like he wants to kill.

He glances at me sideways and looks me up and down. Assessing me. I return the gaze, looking him over. He's not tall, but he looks strong. I turn my eyes forward. I need to focus on the games. With my family and Luciano behind me, that should be easy now.

Jett Kowalski (15) - D2

I stand for a while, blankly staring at the door. No one comes. After 5 minutes, the peacekeeper asks me if I want to leave. I nod and am led down some stairs to the train platform. I wait, ignoring the escort who tries to make conversation. I don't want to talk. I want to come off to everyone as powerful and indifferent. No one can take control over you if you don't pay attention to them.

Finally, Alexis comes down. I quickly side eye her and take mental notes. She looks strong, independent, and focused. I don't care at all. She may as well have been a weak 12-year-old. She'll die either way. I don't want to attach myself to anyone. Not only is it a sign of weakness, but it gives them power over me. I don't even want to ally with the careers, but I must if I want to win. I have to play this game carefully.

Our escort leads us onto the train. I don't look around but keep my eyes straight ahead. I can feel the girl's eyes fall on the back of my head every so often. I have no care for her and ignore her curiosity.

The young escort turns around and gives a polite nod. "Your mentor is ready for you now. Will you train together or-"

"Separate," I interrupt before Alexis can say anything.

The escort nods and takes my shoulder. I recoil at his touch, but his grip is surprisingly strong for how slim he is. He leads me into a room where the mentor sits. She's tall, young, and ripped. Her muscles ripple under her skin and she wears a black crop top that shows off her tight abs. She's also wearing leggings that are sheer enough that I can see every muscle in her leg. Her eyes bore into mine, dark and narrow.

I sit across from her and hold her gaze for a second before I look away. Anger floods my body. How she's managing to control me, I have no idea. But she holds some sort of spell over me with her eyes and her strength.

"Jett Kowalski." She says curtly, "I am Amanda Slinger."

I nod with gritted teeth. I try to look back at her, but her eyes are still on me like a hawk on a mouse.

"What can you do and what can't you do?" She asks, finally taking her eyes off of me to inspect her perfectly manicured nails.

"I'm ruthless. I can kill anything. There's nothing I can't do and I don't need you. I can win without your stupid advice."

Amanda looks unperturbed. "Well, you're going to get a lot of conflicting feelings with that attitude." She shrugs. "If you don't need me, then leave. Don't expect any pity or help from me."

"I never would ask any pity of you." I snarl, spitting the word pity like it tasted disgusting.

Amanda doesn't say anything so I march to my room and slam the door behind me. I hate Amanda. Somehow, she controlled me. I wanted to escape the control. I was in control of myself. I was my own master. I leaned against the door and dug my nails into my scalp. I felt so helpless. What was wrong with me? The pain of my nails helped me to exhale a bit and let the pain flow through my head. I felt better after that and sat in a hard, wooden chair. I had to stay in control of my emotions. No more would I let anyone control me the way Amanda or my parents did. There was a reason I got kicked out of school.

Alexis Corvus (18) - D2

I step out of the bedroom after hearing a door slam. I assume that that means that Jett is done. I walk out into the sitting area with my chin lifted high. The mentor is sitting on the couch, glaring at me.

I sit down on a soft armchair and look the woman up and down. She's tall and very muscular, with eyes of steel and jet black hair. She sweeps her long tresses of hair behind her shoulder.

"I am Amanda Slinger. You are Alexis Corvus, correct?"

"Correct," I say softly. She's very off-putting. She makes my insides squirm and my hands involuntarily tremble.

"What can and can't you do?" She asks curtly. She looks as if she'd rather be doing anything other than talking to me on the train.

I ignore Amanda's sharp and pointed gaze and list of my strengths and weaknesses. After all, she's supposed to help me win the games. "I'm strong, skilled with weapons, deceptive, and cunning. I suppose that I'm not too worried about natural survival stuff and I am very distrustful."

Amanda humphs. "All well and good. You could make it."

"Could?" I ask incredulously. "I will."

"Well, there you go." Amanda points to the hallway with a sharp, black nail. "You are dismissed, Alexis."

I leave quickly without a word. What was wrong with her? I couldn't put my finger on it, but something was most definitely wrong with her.

The escort came walking back and smiled at me. "How'd it go?" He asks, seeming genuinely concerned.

"What's wrong with her?" I point over my shoulder at the room where Amanda is.

The escort shrugs. "It's almost as if she's been poisoned. She's so paranoid about everything, never stops working out, and is always grumpy." He shrugs. "I think it's because her family hates her."

"Why does her family hate her?"

Again, the escort shrugs his shoulders. "No one really knows." He sighs heavily. "You should get some rest Alexis, we'll arrive in the capital soon."

"Thanks," I say and go into my room.

I lay on the bed with my eyes closed, envisioning me as the victor of the Hunger Games. I could hardly wait for the games to begin so I could finally prove to my father that I was the strongest of his children, strong enough to do what he'd been too scared to do in the past.