Divinity "Vin" Faust, 13

Victor of the 152nd Annual Hunger Games

You'd never understand her shock when she's told that the future Head Gamemaker would like to speak with her. It doesn't make her feel confident going into the room, especially with Vin's track record. Who knows what Lanai Hollister could want from her? It could be anything. Information on rebels that Vin doesn't have, names of members of Un Meilleur Avenir that she doesn't have, future rebel plans that she doesn't have…it could be anything.

Vin takes a deep breath and raises her fist to knock on the door. She stands there, stock still, for a long moment before she raps on the hard wood. Thirty odd seconds later, the door opens to reveal Lanai Hollister. "Divinity. Come in."

It's weird that Lanai is meeting with me in the Head Gamemaker's office, right? Vin wonders as she carefully sits down on the chair across from Lanai. She perches cautiously on the edge, unsure and nervous. "So…" Vin says, drumming her fingers on her legs. "What's up?"

"I'm gonna level with you, Vin," Lanai says seriously, crossing her legs. "I'm trying to start a rebellion."

Vin is so shocked that she nearly laughs, but at the look on Lanai's face, she stifles it. "Um…uh, what?"

"You heard me." Lanai idly picks at one of her nails for a few seconds before she continues. "Silas is, more or less, in on it as well. But it's not going to work unless we get more traction. I think you could be exactly what we need."

"I…" Vin stammers, looking Lanai up and down. "Is this a test of my loyalty to the Capitol? Because if it is, I—"

"No, no, no," Lanai says quickly. "None of that. I promise this is a real attempt to end the Capitol's tyranny and the Hunger Games, once and for all."

Vin contemplates it for a moment. Rebellion is all she has ever wanted. To see the districts liberated from the Capitol's iron grip as been her dream since she was a little girl. To end the horror, the pain and the suffering that has been caused by the Hunger Games seems almost too good to be true. It leaves Vin feeling overly skeptical about the true nature of this meeting. "I'm still not sure…"

"Vin, I'm going to level with you," Lanai says, folding her hands on the bridge of her nose. "Have you ever heard the name Ezra Renius?"

"…no?"

"Well, that's because Ezra Renius is actually Ezra Snow, Etta's grandson," Lanai says. "He took the new moniker to avoid accusations of nepotism. He's currently studying at the universities in District 3, but he's only a stone's throw away from the Capitol. That's why we have to be discreet with everything we're doing. If Ezra decides to bring his wrath down upon us…heads will roll, and things will not be pretty."

"I don't get why you're telling me this." And Vin really doesn't; no matter how much she wants to start an open rebellion, she's got enough realism in her veins to tell her that it's not going to happen with the snap of one's fingers.

"I'm telling you this because you need to know," Lanai says. "We need your help, Vin. People can look to you. You were rigged into the Hunger Games, told to throw yourself in and die, and you defied everything and won. That's no easy feat. You are an inspiration to the people in the Districts; there are whispers. People want change, and all we have to do is convince to fight for it."

"But this Ezra guy," Vin says. "What's he got to do with it?"

"He wants to take power from Graciela. It's his end goal, despite the fact that he's only sixteen," Lanai says, shaking her head. "You know, when I was sixteen, I was crushing hard on Kasumi Karakara and getting drunk in the middle of the night."

"Okay," Vin says slowly. "Thanks for sharing?"

"What I'm trying to say is that Ezra is the biggest threat to our plans," says Lanai. "He will stop at nothing to gain power, and I mean nothing. He will kill anyone who stands in his way, no matter who they are. And…I fear he's starting to get suspicious. I noticed the other day that one of the high-ranking Capitol officials just…disappeared. There's no proof that Ezra is behind it but…"

"What do I have to do with this?" Vin demands. "Because I've got a tribute to mentor and I'd to devote my time to Calista."

"Of course," Lanai says. "But I'm offering you a chance to incite change. All we need is the right person, and that could be you. There's a reason I made sure you got out the arena."

"…w-what?" Vin says incredulously. Her Games were rigged? She did absolutely nothing to win?

"Oh." Lanai looks down at her lap. "It's part of our plan, see. We're—we're rigging the Victors to try and get the most rebellious and inspiring one we can—"

Vin flies to her feet, slamming the palms of her hands down onto the desk. "You RIGGED my Victory?" Vin shouts. "YOU SAID IT'S "INSPIRING" THAT I WON! HOW CAN IT BE INSPIRING IF I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING?"

"Vin, please, be quiet," Lanai snaps. "This room isn't sound proof even if it doesn't have any cameras or sound detection—"

"I thought it was amazing that I had survive," Vin growls, her voice deathly calm and venomous. "I thought I had done the impossible. But all along, it was you?"

Lanai stands up as well. "Vin, you have to understand. We knew you would be an inspiration, that you would help incite change, and we need that help right now! Before Ezra catches wind of these plans, before he comes in to shut it down before we get rolling. Please, Vin, it doesn't matter whether your victory was rigged or not. You still won, and you did half of it. But right now, we just need your help. Please."

Vin stares at her for a moment. Lanai really is passionate about this, isn't she? "Okay." After a moment, she snaps her hand back up. "But you have to promise me you'll protect Neapolitan, and Peridot, and Cattler, and Alexandrite and Pyrite and Aventurine."

"Not Money or Jacinth?"

"They can go suck my dick," Vin snarls. "Seriously. If this Ezra guy lays a finger on any of them…"

"I understand, Vin," Lanai says, her face flushed with either relief or some other emotion that Vin can't place. "Thank you."

"Yeah, we're not there yet," Vin deadpans. "Now tell me what I have to do."

"Okay," Lanai says. "But first, I have to make a phone call and get someone on a train."

A/N: Yay for more subplot!

1. Now that Lanai has Vin on board, will things go any more smoothly for the rebels?

2. Who do you prefer, Vin or Lanai?

3. Who do you think Lanai has to get on a train?

4. Which tribute do you think will be most beneficial as a Victor to Lanai's cause?

Random Question: I don't know. It's 12:20 a.m. and I should be asleep but I wanted to finish this, so here we are.

So, next up is the goodbyes, where we will check in with Ishtar, Liesel, Lana, Scoria and Eris.

-Amanda