"Truth carries with it confrontation"
~Frances Schaeffer

Theodora Vidia
Head Gamemaker
Gamemaker Center, The Capitol

She takes a long sip from the glass of wine watching the events in front of her unfold. She often likes to indulge herself when it comes to watching the Games, especially if the workday is ending. The end is near she thinks, a lot of things circulating her mind at the moment. Secrets, the Games, her family she shoves them all back down as to not overwhelm herself.

Three days. She thinks there will be three days left until the Games end and she crowns her first ever victor, this one is going to be symbolic not only for her but for the President. The first victor under the new regime which will surely pave the way Panem moves from here on. She knows that it's already shaping up to be very different than the previous leader.

Any of the twelve tributes remaining is worthy of her praise, the fact that they are all somewhat similar astounds her. She wouldn't mind any of them to come out a victor, the Games had been successful in weeding out those that were not worthy.

She takes another sip of the wine relishing in the success of these Games. The feeling of bliss at seeing her creation come to life and go exactly as she has planned. The last few times she felt like this were her wedding day and the birth of her children. She dares even say that the birth of her Games inches out all of those, but that secret she keeps herself.

Theodora Vidia doesn't mind all of the death surrounding her now, desensitised from watching the countless Games where she was apprehensive at first, the first blood drawn in the Bloodbath didn't scare her as much as she thought it would. It came with the job.

She is more fearful for her life than those of the district's children as morbid as that sounds. She values her life and her family's more than someone else's. It's a sad reality that comes with the job unfortunately, one that gets easier the more time passes. The roster for her top twelve flashes on the screen, a live show of Phineus Keenzest smiling at the camera as he talks about the twelve tributes remaining. She doesn't watch as she reads over the tributes once more.

Diana from Two had found the 'second cornucopia'. A concept that her Deputy Head Gamemaker, Elbert Korando, had suggested, and one of the two that she took seriously, the other is something more devious: hallucinogens.

Elbert Korando may not be as sweet as he appears to be at first glance. The ideas of using the butterflies and the scales they drop as hallucinogens to infect many of the tributes was devilish, even she would have never come up with anything like that. They didn't test it before releasing it into the arena, if it's successful then they would use it again.

Elbert is clever, she will admit that, but he has been missing the last few days and, in all honesty, she didn't mind that. She was never one to share the spotlight of her successes. She likes the attention all to herself, even if this is the only place she can really shine.

The small hallucinogens in the form of the butterfly scales affected the tributes in different ways. Some more severe than others, like Albin from Twelve who had gone berserk and had ran to his death, to Maggie's vision of the past, to Kenna's apparent schizophrenic episode. This have all been interesting indeed, she takes a note of the results, it could be used later down the line. She goes back to reviewing her tribute after writing down results.

Diana had certainly caught her eye, having initially faded to the background, her choice to leave her alliance piqued her interest and now that she stands a fighting chance again, she's looking at her with utmost curiosity. That is, of course, not to discount the other contenders.

Rye and Francesca are playing a boring game of hide and seek but she suspects they'll have to fight soon with the number of tributes now roaming the presidential manor. She thinks that will be sooner rather than later, if it didn't happen, she will have to force her hand so that they encounter someone, they don't bring viewers and the Games, and her job, depends on viewers.

Ander is all alone now, his alliance leaving him for dead, what little guilt this tiny boy possessed is now rage filled as she watches him closely wandering inside the manor as well. His ex-allies, however, are close to encountering the pair consisting of Kenna and Ashley. She can see where they all are in the map in front of her. That will surely be explosive.

Velvet and her allies are resting inside the greenhouse, waiting for something to happen, maybe she'll push them towards the manor, they are the only ones not inside after all. They seem to have had a rough time in the arena so far, Antonio dying and Diana leaving, they really didn't stand a chance of staying together.

Cyrus, the little boy from Six, still has that trap set up inside his own designated room. His anxiousness at the trap and seeing if it will work makes Theodora excited if it will happen or not. There are many smaller and younger tributes this time around. They're all capable fighters nonetheless impressing her slightly.

"Theodora." She snaps from her position of watching the screen to the sound of the voice from behind.

Elbert Korando is standing there, alone, hands in his pocket. He runs a hand through his dark hair, he looks at her smugly and she raises an eyebrow at that. He may have been in the job longer than her, but she is a few years older than him at least. Her lips are tight as she begins to talk.

"Mr Korando, how lovely of you to finally join us." She says monotonously placing the glass on the table as she stands up folding her arms. "I thought you had quit, I had to hire an intern to fill in the gaps, she does a better job than you and for half the pay by the way."

"You and I both know I'm still part of these Hunger Games, you took my ideas."

She scoffs turning away from the man only for him to come closer and she rolls her eyes as he stands beside her. She does not need him to be bothering her at such a critical time. He doesn't say anything, and she sighs. "What can I help you with?"

"Rexton." He says to her with conviction as he places files on her table, he had magically procured out of nowhere from his suit jacket, she glances at them and she laughs, the files that she had placed for him to find lay on her desk.

"Where did you get this?" She feigns surprise as she goes to grab the glass of and takes another swig from it before she takes the files on her desk and drags Elbert into a spare room, the onlookers were all paying attention to them now. "Do you think I'm that stupid that I didn't know you were snooping around my office?"

"I don't care, he's alive and you knew about it the whole time!" He says louder this time, and she wishes he would quieten down just a bit from his overreaction.

"Yes, he's alive." She says with a sigh and she walks towards the window looking at the unsuspecting public still celebrating another kill in the Hunger Games. "I can have you arrested for knowing confidential information like this, did you know that?"

"And you? We're practically the same rank."

"Don't make me laugh." She says looking at him now with narrowed eyes. "I outrank you in every way."

"What do you mean?" He says looking at her with a confused look.

"You and Mr. Price were part of the old regime, the Augustus regime, and President Nepos does not like that, any lasting memory of that man he wants buried and since Rexton, and by extension yourself, were part of that regime he wanted you both gone." She says brushing past him looking at the other Gamemakers working away no longer interested in their little tiff. "I told the President that I can swing you to his regime, that you wouldn't have a problem, and for a while I thought so too but I'm afraid I was wrong."

"So, what were your plans for Rexton then? Why keep him alive in that cell?"

She sighs, looking away from Elbert. "They wanted to put him in the arena…You know where the silver boxes were?"

Elbert shifts his gaze from the floor to her face a surprise on his face; stunned as he takes a step back and closer to the window of the room, grasping at the small ledge for support. Theodora reckons that Elbert doesn't completely know the power Julius Nepos possess.

"Are we that expendable to him?" He asks her a sadness in his eyes. "We're just pawns on his chessboard?"

"You have to understand, the man holds deep contempt over the former President." She sighs sitting down on one of the chairs looking up at Elbert inviting him over, he takes a seat beside her. "For whatever reason anyone or anything associated to the former president is already on his 'list'."

"I suppose that includes me?" He asks and she can only nod at that. She looks at him apologetically and she watches Elbert become solemn as he nods at the agreement.

"That makes my decision easy then." He says standing up making for the exit.

"What are you going to do?" She asks turning to look at him.

"I'm leaving the Capitol."

Penelope Deim
President's Assistant
Presidential Manor

He stumbles in late at night, darkness enveloping the outside world. The grand door of the mansion opens with a creak loud enough for her to notice. Penelope Deim watches as her supposed partner in crime walks in as if he hadn't been away for several days.

It is no surprise that Penelope is still awake, she likes to keep busy, and she knows that there is never enough time in the day to do everything she has set out to do. She tends to work until the early hours of the day, getting a two-hour sleep, three if she is lucky, before repeating herself over once more, tending to the needs of her President.

Jacob has been given leniency far too long ever since he was hired. He needs to be accountable for leaving Penelope to pick up the pieces of what is supposed to be a two-man job. She narrows her eyes as she stands at the grand staircase of the mansion, her arms folded, and Jacob looks at her with a shrug.

Now, her co-partner has been missing for days and now he just decides to saunter inside the mansion as if nothing was wrong. His clothes dishevelled and his hair a mess. He doesn't even take notice of her glaring eyes as he heads straight for his room.

Not on her watch.

Her mind circulates with the words that Valentine says to her, it's been eating at her ever since the Victor's Tea Party. She hates that, how he got under her skin, the rage she feels for that man. Jacob's unbothered expression as he passes her to get to his room only helps in fuelling the anger she feels.

Penelope follows him, down the hallway and into his room. She raises an eyebrow watching as he packs a big bag with all his clothes. The man doing it quickly and not paying her any attention, or at least that's what she thinks.

"What do you want?" He says not looking at her as he takes more clothes from out of his wardrobe.

"Where are you going? Actually, where have you been the last several days?" She says folding her arms once again, scrutinising his every move with her green eyes, lips pursed in some sort of annoyance.

She blocks the doorway with her frame, Jacob glaring at her and she matches it perfectly. They seem to stay like this for a few minutes, neither one of them giving up, unrelenting, not wanting to move until he answers one of her questions.

Jacob stops glaring instead releasing a sigh from his mouth as he sits on the bed. He puts the bag down; he takes a piece of white paper from his pocket and hands it over to Penelope. The red-haired woman takes it quickly, scanning the paper for answers when he speaks at her. "I quit, I'm tired of all of this," – he gestures to the whole room meaning the mansion – "all the shadiness and the wickedness…"

"So, you quit…" She starts. "Where will you go? Hmm?"

"I hear Four is nice this time of year." He says looking up at the ornate ceiling and Penelope just shakes her head.

Julius Nepos is not going to like this, not one bit, she doesn't even like it and she tolerates Jacob's stupidity at times and spins it into a positive light. She doesn't think she can spin this one. She looks at the piece of paper, his bad handwriting stating that he quits and would just like to be left alone. He doesn't beg for money he just wants his freedom, no reason as to why but from the tone he really wants out.

"You know once you leave here you can't come back?" She says handing him the note back, he takes it and places it on his bed.

He doesn't say a word, simply taking his bag standing up and pushing past Penelope. He doesn't turn back to look at her, all she can see is the back of his head as he exits the way he came. Jacob is not caring about the possible repercussions of the immediate termination of his contract, despite her warning him.

She sighs going up to the note on the bed and crumples it up. She can hear the door creak open once more and it closes with a resounding bang knowing full well that it's the last time she's going to hear or see Jacob.

Penelope's mind is already going into overdrive trying to spin it in her head, she's struggling already because she knows whatever reason she gives it's not going to be enough. Jacob was an asset and President Nepos doesn't like to lose his assets.

At least she knows where he will be, if not in Four like he says then it will be around the vicinity. Jacob is a good liar, but he doesn't lie to the President or to her, so it's an assurance that she knows he's telling the truth.

Her day was already going to be busy, and now she has to deal with this fallout. She grumbles under her breath as she walks out of the room, looking back once more with sad eyes before turning off the lights.

How will she do it?

A/N - How will she do it indeed?

Another update? Whattt? Capitol chapters, for me, are easier to write because I don't have to think about things much. I'm trying to work a cohesive subplot that I think I'll develop closer in Tarot but I'm just planting my seeds here.

And yes my original twist was going to be putting Rexton inside the arena, that's a big power move by the President if that really happened. Rexton, however, was really well liked by the Capitol and Julius has just seized the throne, he doesn't want to lose that just yet, he has big plans.

Penelope being shafted again, I really be doing this to you girl, sorry!

WelltuneinnextfewchapterswhereIkilloff8tributeskthxbye

Cheers!
~Alec