Dahlia Dutchmann
Intern 023, Rebel Spy
Age 16
Train Rides
Dahlia sifts her hands quickly through the papers askew on her desk to reach for her buzzing holophone. Seizing the tinted blue glass, she quickly presses the flashing red button on the screen and a smile steals her chapped lips. She recognizes the name printed across the top.
Naomi Dutchmann.
In the blink of an eye, her sister's form appears out of nowhere, projected from the screen. Naomi folds her arms across each other, a small smile forming on the corners of her lips. Her bright red hair lies tied behind her head in a messy bun.
"Hey!" Dahlia says rather awkwardly, inwardly sighing from the panic that had filled her when she heard the buzz.
"Dahlia, did you hear about Raask?" Naomi skips the formalities, looking behind her to double-check no one was listening.
Dahlia's brow knits together, "Of course I did, it's been all the Capital seems to talk about."
"You need to tie up security over there, we can't afford another spy found," she whispers, her features falling back to emotionless and melancholy.
"I think me and Saskia are doing an alright job here, I've gotten everything much more secured." Dahlia smiles, eyes shifting to the mountain of paperwork piling on her desk, "totally secured."
"Good. Good, I'm proud of you Dahlia, not many people can do what you do and not get caught."
Dahlia can't help but giggle, "I'm simply that cool,"
"Sure you are. But now, I have some serious business to cover, mind if I get Ash on the call too?" she asks, referring to her twin and Dahlia's other older sister.
Ash is also stationed in the Capital but for a different reason than Dahlia, so she doesn't get to see her often.
"Ailia!" a young voice says in Naomi's background and an eager Silas rushes into the holophone's view. A strong smile overbears his soft features as he attaches himself to Naomi's waist.
"Hey Silas," Dahlia smiles, staring at her little brother.
"I miss you,"
"I miss you more,"
"Not possible."
Dahlia looks nervously back to make sure no one could see her, "so possible,"
"Ash," Naomi nods as another frame forms before Dahlia.
"Ash!" Silas beams, his excited inner child coming out as Ash steps into the screen.
"Hey guys!" Ash smiles.
"Ash, any news on Sheer?"
"Ren and Arayeh, right?"
"Yes." Naomi nods.
"Status update, they're normal teenagers."
"Ash, come on, this is serious."
"Fine, I guess it's good," she grabs some yellow pad of paper behind her, "takin' lots of notes."
"Good, I knew I could count on you."
"Sure alright. Ailia, what's going on with Raask? He was in the paper." Ash says, nodding.
"Didn't you hear? He killed himself."
"What? No way? No damn way in hell. He was one of our strongest."
"Leo found him out,"
"Fuck," she curses, "I hate that girl,"
"Don't we all?" Dahlia asks.
"Silas," Naomi says, suddenly remembering the young boy who still is listening to the conversation, "please head to your room,"
"But it's boring in there, I wanna talk to Alila and Ash," he whines.
"Another time. I have some things to get straight first, alright?" Naomi says, her words still utterly emotionless.
Silas sighs, "Fine. Love you!" he calls to the pair before he's ushered away by a serious Naomi.
She returns shortly after, a sad look on her face. "You two have to get out of the Capital."
"Why?" Ash questions.
"Cera wants to bomb it,"
"Why?" Dahlia asks, eyes wide. She can't leave now, not when she has so much here.
"Raask, pretty much, and to tell the Capital to bring it on. If they're gonna take one of our spies, we're gonna send them a 'screw you' message back. That's at least what she said."
"But you're in charge, can't you stop her?" Ash says and something passes quickly in her dark irises but Dahlia doesn't have the guts to ask her what it is. She guesses it has something to do with Thea, the Head Game Maker, as she and Ash had been in a 'fake' relationship only a little while back. Dahlia can't help but think the thing wasn't so faked… and (she hoped she was wrong) but she believes Ash may have caught some feelings that still hang around. But Naomi didn't seem to pick up on it so maybe Dahlia is just imagining things.
Overthinking, again, just great.
"It would be good to show the Capital we are serious,"
"By waging a war? Remember what happened last time? District Nine was destroyed, can we really afford to lose another district?"
"If that's what it takes to make a change, so be it," Naomi says, all serious and business-like.
"Do we have enough troops to fight this yet? Please, let Dahlia kill a few more important people and I'll keep collecting the data on the Sheers. We shouldn't wage this yet, we lost so many good people last time."
"Ash! Just please, get out of the Capital, you have no say in this matter. We are bombing them."
"But I'm your sister… your twin? Just take into consideration what I said-"
A scream behind Naomi interrupts Ash's sentence.
"What was, what was that?" Dahlia asks, eyes wide at the sound. Panic fills her gut as a siren starts to sound.
"I have to go, you two stay safe and get outta there," Naomi says quickly, turning off her screen. Her picture slowly fades away and Ash is left standing in front of Dahlia.
"What do you think that was?" Ash asks, worry trickling into her voice.
"I don't know but I'm a little nervous, what if it was the Capital?"
"How could they know where they were?"
"Phone calls like this?" Dahlia suggests.
"No way in Panem, these holophones are the safest way to communicate, there is no way anyone could hack into the calls. Jericho and Bres made sure of that."
"Yeah, probably. Speaking of Bres, did you hear his niece was reaped this year?"
"Oh my god, no I didn't. Fuck."
"Yeah, I was surprised too, her name's Lapse or Lapis, something like that." Dahila sighs.
"Oh! She's the girl from twelve, right?"
"Yep," she nods, trying to place her attention into the new conversation but she can't help but worry about what's occurring right now in Fourteen.
"Fuck," Ash curses, "she needs to make it out."
"Imma scout out her during training, see her skills, and I might just end up giving her some of my assassin training in private or something. She needs to survive. Bres has already lost so much this year, it'd kill him to lose the last person who matters to him."
"Truth lady, preach."
Footsteps erupt into Dahila's ears, making her jolt to the left. "Shit, shit. Foster and Avi are coming. I can hear them talking down the hall, shit shit, I gotta go, see ya later Ash. Love you." Dahlia quickly hangs up the phone, not having enough time to wait for a response.
There's a quick knock on her door before Foster steps onto her carpet. The trio has reached a level of 'trust' where they have decided to walk into each other's apartments without an invitation in.
"Hey!" he beams, "you ready to meet the tributes?"
"They're here already?"
"They're getting off the trains now, the welcome party will be later tonight."
"Sounds good to me," Dahlia nods, hand twitching as she slides the glass holophone into her pocket and slips out her door.
Adrian Yvonne
Intern to Weapons Master
Age 17
Train Rides
Adrian is in the hospital when the sirens first go off.
Wailing as lights flicker and screams erupt from the floor below him. He can't help but let out a yelp of surprise. Adrian can feel his eyes go wide as he looks down at his little sister, her arms strapped to the white hospital bed.
"Adrian, what is going on?" Jamie asks, sleepily rubbing her eyes as the sounds rage below them.
His hands quickly fly to unbuckle the fabric-like material holding her in place.
"I don't know but I'm not leaving you here alone to find out." He says softly, smiling despite the panicking feeling fluttering through his body.
"What if it's an attack or a natural disaster? You have to get out,"
"Won't be, couldn't be. I'm not leaving you."
Inhale. Exhale. Don't panic.
Everything spins as Adrian's brain starts to short circuit. His arms and legs feel fuzzy as the sirens blare around him.
"Yvonne! Pack up, we're being evacuated," Cera shrilly screams, pulling him out of his thoughts. She races through the hospital wing towards the door of Naomi Dutchmann, not looking back.
The redheaded leader pops out of her room just in time. She almost crashes into Cera but manages to avoid her, confidently striding back through the hospital wing. She keeps her head up, not paying too much attention to the young intern who tries to frantically untie his sister from her hospital bed.
"We're potentially under attack, can they be evacuated?" Naomi says, talking about the other patients in the hospital wing, as she treks towards the stairs at an extremely fast pace.
"At least Jamie can..." Adrian whispers to himself but his thoughts are interrupted as Howie, Cera's little brother and Adrian's best friend flies up the stairs. He turns sharply into the hospital wing and almost smacks straight into the rebel leader.
"Oh god, oh god I'm sorry," he says flustered in a frenzic stumble. He rushes past her as she flies down the stairs, "ADRIAN! Come on." He screams, just trying to be heard over the alarm, which seems to grow louder each second.
There are other patients in the hospital wing but Adrain doesn't think about them. Not when he has to get his sister out.
Howie nods, grabbing her left arm as Adrian takes her right. Together, they make their way towards the stairs floundering under the breath of the siren.
That's when the bullets start. Pounding against the stone walls of the old factory.
Howie screams. Adrian screams. Jamie screams.
Everyone sounds like they're dying, screams of agony ripping through the throats of those injured. But Adrian won't take it. He shakes his head, throwing his feet forward. His mind spins again. But he can't stop, not when there's so much to lose.
Down the stairs.
Step 4.
Steps 7, 11, 19.
The bullets get louder… and quicker. Ripping through the iron walls and the soft flesh of his friends, neighbors, and colleagues.
But Jamie. He must get Jamie to safety.
He swore he'd protect her, no matter the cost.
Level two. There is no exit on this floor.
Blink, pulse, flash.
There is no one on this level, or if there is, he can't see them. Everyone must have taken to the bottom floor; before the guns hit. Before everything went south. Before screams became the only sound the trio could hear. Adrian is surprised Howie came back for him, but he's glad he did.
"One! Two. THREE!" Adrian hears a voice project over all the other ones, it's Cera. Of course, it's Cera.
One more flight.
The group advances, streaming down the steps.
A twisted feeling fills Adrian's gut but he can't stop.
He looks at Howie. Howie looks back.
Terror fills both of them as the sirens fall to silence.
But the screams don't quiet. Neither do the bullets.
"So close! Stay down!" Howie shouts, nodding as they make it to the stairway door.
Adrian grabs the handle and thrusts the white panel open. His eyes widen at the sight before him.
Blood is everywhere. It's like a dozen bottles of red ink poured over the once-white tile. Adrian can feel his knees going weak, stomach black and churning at the sight. Everything feels fuzzy, panic fluttering across his mind in an incomprehensible frenzy. His breath comes in sharp wheezes as he collapses upon himself. Nasty bile and blood covering his pants.
"Adrian!" Jamie gasps, the air sucked out of her lungs as she crumples alongside him. She takes Howie down with her. The trio lay on the floor for a moment. Adrian doesn't have the strength to get up.
He is utterly sick at the sight of corpses strewn through the hallway leading to the commons.
"Come'on, we have to go," Howie howls, pulling Jamie quickly to her feet. Adrian follows suit (against everything within him).
He must protect his sister.
It is just that, others saw simply a bullet hole but Adrian saw the person around it. He saw the pain in the one still living and the potential of those who lay cold in silent greyness. He saw the clear skin, the strong arms, and the mouth that must have known laughter in the past. Spilling stories of triumph and failure. He saw a human rather than just another dead.
The screaming continues as Adrian tries to pull himself together. Sweat beats down his brow but he can't wipe it away.
"Adrian," Jamie pleads and her voice snaps him from his thoughts.
It's like someone else controlling him as he rushes into action once again.
He tries not to look at the broken and damaged bodies.
Howie screams, but they stagger on.
"Let's go! Faster!" Adrian screams, grabbing Jamie's arm and leading her towards the commons.
Adrian panics for a slight moment at the idea, the commons are where everyone is. Shooters and escapees alike. Are the attackers peacekeepers? Or Capital fighters?
Capital fighters, Adrian agrees, rounding the corner.
He was right, the commons are packed with pure chaos. Everyone is running. Everyone is screaming. Everyone is bloody.
A woman passes by Adrian with black liquid streaming from her leg. Dripping onto the floor which is already covered with pools of crimson. Pain covers her features in a raging mask. Adrian can't help but find himself sick again. But he can't stop. He must get his sister to safety.
Doorway.
Bullets.
Howie.
Ground.
Cold. Drop.
Scream.
Plead. PLEAD. PLEAD… plead...
Run, escape.
Doorway.
Tears.
Sweat.
Bullets.
Doorway, street, bloody road.
BreathBreathBreath.
Asli Kitana
Assistant Game Maker
Age 23
Train Rides
"Vasilius, we need to update the tech team, there's no way we can function with four." She asserts dryly, taking a small sip from her water bottle. Asli's lips curve into a frown as she sits down on the plush office chair.
"At least with department One. We need someone for One but Two… I have faith in Acre and Diletha," the blonde says, tapping his knuckles against the black table.
"But they share ideals with Raask, at least in a general sense. Surely, we can't have any more rebel spies sneaking into the Capital,"
Vasilius purses his lips, "I highly doubt either Acre or Diletha are rebels, I'd trust them both with my life."
"That's what they want you to think," Asli returns, clicking her tongue to the roof of her mouth.
"Well, let's say you're right. We surely don't have enough people to fill their spots?"
Asli grimaces, "Think about it, Victor Finch's mentor program running, there's undoubtedly at least someone in there that could work."
"I don't like that idea, the tech team has gone through years of training."
"Then, let's start training them now," she sighs.
"But let's say you're wrong, I will not kick out my trusted workers because of your silly suspicions," Vasilius says bitterly.
"And maybe that is the case, I could be wrong but can we really trust either of them? What with Raask sneaking under our noses."
Vasilius narrows his almond-shaped eyes, staring directly at her, "What are you getting at? Stop beating around the bush Asli."
"Come again?"
"Why are you so set on getting rid of Department Two?"
"I've received an anonymous tip that my sister, a rebel spy, is, in fact, alive at this very moment. I didn't know that my own sister was a spy, how can we trust any of them?"
"Asli, anyone can be a rebel, that doesn't mean everyone is a rebel."
"They're hiding under our noses." Her tone starts to slightly anger as she clenches her fingers under the table, "you can't trust anyone,"
"But I do trust my team," Vasilius reasons.
"Maybe you do but I don't and I'm in charge," Asli says, rather bluntly.
"So what? You're gonna kick two decant people out of my tech team because they talked with a rebel? Talking to each other is part of their job. They collaborate on things. No one knew Raask was a rebel, he fooled Acre and Diletha, god, he fooled Maddox and Cerion too. You gonna kick them all off?"
"If that's what it takes to make a solid team, so be it."
"No," he says, crossing his arms. "What about these mentor program people, they could just as easily be rebels?"
"Vasilius, I don't like your team or your attitude about this,"
"I know my team, hell, I've known Diletha for eight years," he offers, "I've worked with all of them for quite some time and I trust them. Maybe Raask hid under my nose but he, just as much, hid under yours."
"This isn't about me- or you, though, this is about the rebels getting too close to home,"
"Just because your sister decided to uncover herself as a rebel does not mean you can tear apart my team. We are a team for a reason," Vasilius says, taking a small drink from his water bottle.
"I get that you're a team and I understand that you do not want to deconstruct them, just hear me out."
"No, I'm done listening to your ideas, it's my turn. Let my team stay together." He inhales deeply, "but you can start training your mentor kids and if any of my tech team start displaying rebellious behavior, I'll kick them off, but for now, we stay as a unit."
Asli narrows her eyes, thinking for a moment before nodding slightly.
"That could work,"
"Good, now, who of the mentor program do you plan to start training?"
"I was looking at numbers 012, Avi Celt, 019, Foster Grant and… 023, Dahlia… Dutchmann."
"Oh! I remember Foster from basics, he's good, shy but good." He says, the corners of his lips turning up in the slightest.
"Yes him, and Dahlia, I know that last name from somewhere but I'm not exactly sure, might have Leo look into it."
"Sheer is really good at that, she's like a mini private investigator," Vasilius chuckles with an artificial laugh.
"Yes, and Avi has shown amazing skills with her brain and with what she says; she's perfect for the tech team."
"Cools, if you train them well enough, they might be able to intern on my team," he says, the tension from earlier slowly dissipating.
"Surely they will, I have the best trainers."
"Aren't they the kids from your," he coughs, "project?"
"My trainers? Some, yes, but I want the people from my project to be very ready mentally for next year,"
"You have an unveiling date yet?"
"Potentially around the end of next winter,"
"Surely it will be done by then, correct?"
Asli sighs, "it's done already, just in the testing phase."
"I would not expect anything less from you and Thea,"
"Thea isn't too involved in it, she only knows a little,"
"She's your boss though? Shouldn't she know what you're doing?"
Asli freezes for a moment, thinking hard about her next words. "She does, I just don't want to bother her with all the tweaks and little pieces I'm figuring out,"
Vasilius furrows his brow, not exactly believing her.
Asli holds her ground, "she has more important things to worry about, like ruling the damn country."
"That she does." he nods, "that she does."
"Anyway, I best be going. I have a lot of paperwork to finish," Asli says, mentally done with Vasilius and his stupid trust for his team.
"Okay, talk again soon," Vasilius smiles as she gets to her feet, pushing in her chair. Asli strides out of the room, not looking back, very distasted by how the meeting had gone.
But whatever, at least there's a plan in place.
Saskia Kitana
Rebel Spy
Age 20
Train Rides
"Saskia Lyanne Kitana!" Veri shouts bitterly, pounding her knuckles against Saskia's door in the dim dusk light.
She rubs her temple to try and rid herself of the headache that seems to not want to let go of her mind. What's wrong with Veri this time?
"I'm coming, I'm coming," she grumbles, getting up from her table to let Veri in, "Is everything alright?"
Veri hardly ever used Saskia's full name.
"Did you make contact with Asli?" she demands the second Saskia creaks open the oak paneling.
"Yeah… I told you I would,"
"What did you tell her?" Veri says, worry and seriousness plague her worn irises.
Saskia's stomach ties itself in a knot.
"Just that I was alive," Saskia replies, her words slow and smooth as Veri takes a step into her messy room.
"Is that all?"
"Yeah… why?"
"Capital fleets attacked the rebel base yesterday, 23 dead and 19 more seriously injured." She takes a deep breath, "do you know what that means?"
Saskia is speechless. No words form on her pale lips as her jaw sinks to the floor.
"Did I...?" she says finally after a few minutes.
"You probably contributed, got your sister in a funky mood," Veri states, brutally honest.
Saskia just wants to disappear, leave and cry in her room but she can't, she won't.
"How did they know where the base was?"
"That is still being figured out but my guess is there was a Capital spy in Fourteen,"
"Oh my god."
"And… Saskia…"
"What is it?" she demands, sensing the pain lacing Veri's features and panic starts to fill her insides.
Anxiety replaces the feeling of dread.
"Howie's dead,"
Saskia's eyes go wide, too shocked to react any other way for the death of her stepbrother.
"Oh my god," she says after a moment of silence, hand flying to cover her mouth tightly.
"I'm sorry, I really am,"
"First Raask, now Howie, I can't I can't I can't, I did this, I sh-shouldn't have reached out to Asli, fuck." She says, trying to control her breathing as the tears start to drip down her cheeks rather uncontrollably.
"Not directly, no," the woman says.
"No no no," Saskia's breathing is now made up of tight wheezes as her chest is a firing range. Bullets sink into her flesh, her torso screaming in the crossfire.
You did this.
He's dead because of you.
Why do you even bother?
Hurt yourself, just like you hurt him, like you hurt them both.
Die die die.
No.
NO.
NONO.
Not you...
She did this, not you.
Kill her, hurt her.
The voices in her head go crazy, bouncing against the walls of her skull in vibrant fury.
Saskia gains a feeling of courage (mixed with rage) and pushes past Veri. She leaves the door to her apartment wide open and a confused Veri standing there in shock.
"Hey!" she shouts but nothing is stopping Saskia now. She is going to talk to her sister, face-to-face this time.
And demand to know why she killed their brother.
"I'm sorry," Saskia calls back, but she's not apologetic. She's furious.
Red hot anger courses through her body, stealing her own heartbeat in a battle cry of scarlet. 23. 23 dead because of her sister and why? Because she wanted to show them a lesson?
Saskia will show her a lesson.
And it won't be very fun for the Assistant Game Maker.
Confidence leaks from her strides as Saskia continues to the metal gate. She cannot feel her heart anymore, as she's become used to the drumbeat pounding in her ears.
"Asli, I'm here to see Asli Kitana," she says into the small beige speaker box, tightening her ponytail. To her words, the entrance gate to the Capital Center opens with a ghostly, shrieking creek.
A guard meets her a few steps into the garden. "Miss, what is your business with the assistant game maker, she's extremely busy at the moment," they say, arms crossed over each other. Their dark blue hair reminds Saskia of a time in her 6th year when Adrian Yvonne accidentally spilled sapphire ink all over her own. That stuff didn't wash off her skin for a solid month.
The guard looks to be about Saskia's age with a name tag reading 'Ren Sheer'.
God damnit.
Not another Sheer.
She barely can handle what Leo did to Raask, imagine what this person could do as well… Saskia shutters, nope.
"Just tell her Saskia's here to see her,"
"Okay… I guess?" Ren says slowly, unsure of who she is or why Asli would know her.
"Thank you," Saskia remains polite and nods at them.
She watches them disappear, turning two lefts and a right before disappearing into a small office-shaped structure.
If Saskia had a penny for every building in the Capital Center, she'd surely be rich.
Farthest in the back is the tribute penthouse, followed by the training center and the party room. Then sit the mentor and intern's apartment rooms, dotting across the Center like sprinkles on a cupcake. Saskia sighs, following them there is the Tech Team headquarters, it's top covered in a soft dusting of white flakes.
She kicks her foot against the smooth, icy ground, it's not that cold in the Capital during the winter, Fourteen's much colder.
She can't help but wonder how the people of Fourteen are doing. Repairing after the chaos and havoc the Capital attack surely caused. How deeply cut the families of the lost ones are, all because of her stupid sister.
Stupid freaking sister.
Not for long.
Ren returns soon, eyes wide as they smile back at Saskia. "She says her door is open to you, just make sure your mouth is clean. Whatever that means,"
"We used to say that often when we were young, no one enters another's work with a dirty mouth,"
"Alright then,"
"Can you lead me to her office?"
"You know it," Ren says, spinning on their heels. They advance forward and Saskia follows closely for a while before Ren asks, "so… how do you know Asli? I don't think I've ever seen you before,"
"My name is Saskia Kitana,"
"Y'all are related? Kitana? Holy crap." Ren laughs playfully.
Saskia rolls her eyes, "yes, she's my older sister,"
"Damn, that's really cool. Do you stay in touch much?"
"No, she didn't know I was alive until a few days ago,"
"Phew! Wow," Ren's jaw practically hits the floor.
"I know right?"
The pair turn into a corner, stepping right into the Tech Team Hall. Saskia is nervous to see her sister but she's angry more than anything.
Ren smiles, their freckles lighting up like the stars on a midnight blanket. Something flickers through Saskia's stomach but she ignores it, clicking her tongue to the roof of her mouth. Their shimmering green eyes bubble like pools of emerald, dancing in a fit of clovers under the dim light. Ren continues to lead Saskia through the Hall and to a polished frame of solid wood. "Here you are," they run a hand through their soft and fluffy curls.
"Thank you," Saskia nods, rapping her knuckles against the wood. "Much appreciated."
A/N: Annnnnd we're back with another chapter! Sorry about the freakishly long wait, I had a few personal things going on and wasn't able to write much but we're back! Getting into the swing of things with a double Halloween update, of course.
There is a poll running on my profile for your favorite tribute, make sure to go check that out! Results will be viewed 24 hours after the bloodbath!
That is also when sponsor points close… ooooh, I have to admit I need to catch them up but make sure to start bringing in those points because you never know when your tribute might just need something in the arena (or you just want to give the careers toilet paper or some shit). More on that to come though!
And yeah, that's all I got to say except- have a good day/night/afternoon.
Bye for now,
Marie.