I take a moment to take stock of my situation and think upon the things to come. I was in my thoughts when I stepped onto the hovercraft that I missed the women approach me with a hand-held device. My guess to check out the wound that I received at the beginning of the Games.

"I'm going to have to put him under." the woman said

"Why?" I asked.

The next thing I felt was a jab in my arm, and then my world went black. I was placed on a bed, and then place on a gurney. When the rear hatch opened, Mags and Jade were waiting.

"What's the prognosis?" Mags asked, as they wheeled me off of the hovercraft.

"We don't know all of the details, but someone will be along to explain the situation." one of the attending doctors said, as the medical rolled me to the operation room.

"The mentor, and the stylist coming to see their victor." a male voice said, from behind the pair.

Mags almost jumped out of her skin. Mags turned around slowly, whereas Jade just turned around.

"Hello President Snow." Jade said.

"Mr. President." Mags said.

"You're probably wondering how your tribute survived this Games." Snow said.

"Yes, we are." Jade said.

"Seeing as you're here, it's a sure bet you had something to do with it." Mags said.

"I could divulge the details, but I'm going to leave that up to Finnick. I have many things to attend to, and people to see. See you two at the coronation ceremony." Snow said, as he was walking away.

"What does he mean by that?" Jade asked.

"It means that he has plans that involve Finnick." Mags said, and then walked away herself.

Mags made her way to the operating room. As Mags approached the door, she heard a whistle. Mags turned in the direction of the sound and saw a man who was shaking his head. Mags walked back to the viewing window and saw that the medical team had me hooked to a bunch of machines, while prepping to what looks like a computer to operate on me. Mags has no idea why they need the computer, but if she had to guess that it had something to do with the information that President Snow won't give her.

Mags walked away to prepped for the closing ceremony and our return to District 4. Mags does remember that I suffered a wound in the opening moments of the Games. It puzzled her that I was able to sustain a wound to my shoulder and it does not affect me. If the implications of what that could mean for Snow are true, and President Snow has me in surgery to perfect whatever was done to me, my future is very dark, and bleak.

Snow was talking to the doctor before he walked in to operate on me.

"How long to perfect the system?" Snow asked.

"The surgery will take a couple of hours, but recovery will take a couple of days." the doctor said.

"Keep me posted." Snow said, and then left.

I was in and out of surgery, but recovery was two-fold: recovery from surgery in a couple of days, but I lost weight from the surgery. Mags was by my side the moment I was out of surgery, she watched as my body returned to the state it was before I entered the arena.

On the fourth day after leaving the arena, I started to come around. My head was throbbing, and my body ached.

"Ow." I said.

"Welcome back." Mags said.

"Hey, Mags. How are you doing?" I asked.

"Just fine. I was told to give you this when you woke up." she said, giving me pills and water.

I take the pills and wash them down with the water. I finish the water and take a moment to recover before I ask. "How long have I been out?"

"About four days." she said.

There was a moment of silence, but I know Mags is staring at me. "Just ask it." I said.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm not looking at you, but I can sense that you're staring at me. Just ask the question." I said.

"You want to tell me what Snow did to you. What's the extent of your..." Mags trailed off.

"My tampering was?" I asked.

"More or less." she said.

"From what my father told me that I was created this way." I said.

"Created?" she asked. I nodded my head. "For what?"

"If I had to guess to help our great president." I said.

"Help him do what?" she asked.

"What else? Help him stay in power." I said.

"It seems you have your work cut out for you." Mags said.

I tried to get out of bed, but my body wasn't having it.

"Let me go get the doctor." Mags said, rising from her chair and placing her hands on my shoulders to keep me from getting out of bed.

I laid back down and my waited for the doctor. I see Mags stay by the door while the doctors came to check on me. Mags could hear the higher registry of mine and the doctor's voices.

"How long?" Mags asked as the doctor was leaving.

Doctor looked at the nurse. "Twenty-four to forty-eight hours." the nurse said.

"We'll have your tribute in tip top shape in no time." the doctor said.

After the staff left, Mags approached me and asked. "How long before Snow throws you to the wolves?"

"Well that depends. I'm fourteen, so it depends on what his plans are. He can't use me in honey pot traps, to young for that. But given who we're talking about, you can use you imagination." I said.

"I'll leave you to it." Mags said, and then left.

"Later, Sweetheart." I said.

Mags paused a moment, and then turned back to me as she said. "Until next time…darling."

"Uh, who came up with that nickname? While you're at it you can shoot you them as well." I said.

Mags laughed her signature cackle as she exited my room.

Two days later, I was pulling on my suit coat as I prepared for my exit interview with Caesar. Six days have passed since I was pulled from that arena: four of those days I was recovering from the surgery to perfect my healing factor so Snow could use me to fulfill his twisted desires. I'm seriously envying the twenty-three other tributes that died. I've only seen the Hunger Games, but I can only imagine what Snow has in store for me when I come of age. And that thought alone scares the living daylights out of me.

As I was heading to the lift that was going to raise me up onto the stage, I saw both Mags and Jade were waiting for me. I don't want to let on to the fact that my predicament is a little overwhelming. So, I bring the playboy persona back.

"Ladies, I take it you kept everything in working order while I was away." I said.

"Finnick. Good to see you up and moving around." Jade said.

"It's good to be mobile." I said.

"Any questions?" Mags asked.

"How long until we head home?" I asked.

"You having to get through tonight's ceremony, and then the final interview tomorrow. Plus, there's the return interview when we get back to 4." Mags said.

"Sounds like a walk in the park." I said.

"Stand right here as we have our own part to play." Jade said.

I see that they want to stand on a plate. As I'm walking to take my place on the plate, I remember that the winning tribute is lifted up onto the stage; just as we are lifted into the arena. The Capitol has ceremonies for its ceremonies. You know what, I bet they wouldn't wipe their butts without holding a ceremony.

What should be a five-minute introduction, turned out to be about fifteen minutes. Caesar, who probably bounded on stage again, warmed the crowd up and then brought my team out. My prep team was the first to be brought out. I never knew their names, but they were being shout out: Caspian, Trillium, and Jacinth. Followed Amethyst, she must be playing the crowd for all her worth because the crowd is giving her a thunderous applause.

Next is Jade, and she too also gets a thunderous applause, but it's Mags who get the biggest applause that last a good six minutes; and I even hear the crowd yelling Sweetheart.

And then it's time for me to take the stage, and when I do, I'm working the crowd, especially the women, like I've never done before. After I finish with the crowd, I go and greet my team for effect, but when I get to Mags, I give her a hug, which draws a response from the crowd. I turn back to Caesar, and he was standing next to his chair. I walk quickly over to the chairs and sit down. Caesar warms the crowd up again, and then sits down.

The light died down, and a pair of projectors shoots a video on the screens behind Caesar and me. It's footage of this years Hunger Games; starting from Reaping until I left the arena. Two weeks of footage condensed into three hours.

Must be a record for being able to pull that feat of each and every time. I thought.

The video even has a cheesy, upbeat soundtrack, which is kind of disturbing given the fact of the slaughter that had just taken place. The video team highlighted my reaping, my entrance at the opening ceremonies, my score and first interview. The team even showed a highlights reel of some of my spectacular kills in the arena, but something that did not escape my notice is that fact that the team had digitally fix the tear in my uniform.

I wonder how Snow is going to make people forgot about that little detail. And if not, I wonder how many people Snow is going to have to kill to keep that detail from popping up. The districts aren't going be a problem, nobody would believe them. I thought.

They even get the final moments between me and Orna. I both miss her, and envious of her. But those are thoughts for another time.

The Anthem starts playing as video ends. I barely have time to react as Snow already approaching Caesar and myself. I barely have enough time to stand up as Snow is pulling out a crown to place on my head. Snow has a blank expression, his eyes are lifeless, and his mouth is a thin line. I'm not stupid as people think, I can see the hidden expression on Snow's face. The gleefulness that he has found his secret weapon. Something is off. I don't want to let onto it, but I smell something artificial; the one thing that gets my attention is a see a trickle of red substance at the corner of Snow's mouth.

Snow places the crown on my head, grabs a handkerchief, and dabs the corner of his mouth. As Snow fades into the wings of the stage, I take this moment to work the crowd. The crowd goes wild, but it's cut short. Caesar bids the crowd good night and reminds them to tune in for the final interview tomorrow.

Awesome. I thought.

I get into a car, and I'm whisked away to the Presidential Palace. The crowds are massive, the cameras are nonstop, and the ladies are practically throwing themselves at me. I even hear a quip about me being underage. This was followed by one of the women saying they had dibs when I was old enough. I feel a cold sweat break out across my body. Not only am I going to be a weapon to get rid of dissent, but I'm going to be the Capitol's plaything. Or…

The darling of the Capitol. Oh goodie. I thought.

That thought sends a shiver down my spine. Outwardly I'm all smiles and laughs, but inwardly I'm kicking myself in the butt for acting like a playboy. Periodically, I see Mags and it me put at easy, or Snow, which sends a sensation of dread through my body, but I keep laughing and smiling as the pictures keep getting taken.

The sun is starting rise on the horizon as we're finally getting back to floor four. I'm so exhausted, but I'm to wired for sound to even think about sleeping.

"You good?" Mags asks, as I'm heading to my room.

"I'm ready to get out of here." I said.

"One more interview, and we're home free." Jade said.

"New tux?" I asked Jade.

"Yep. I'll let you get freshened up and get dressed before we put the finishing touches on." Jade said, handing me the suit bag.

"Nice." I said, as I grabbed the bag and the went into my room.

I lay the bag on my bed, and then get into the shower. I turn the water, and then just stand in the shower soaking up the water. After I wash the smell of perfume and cologne from the Capitol citizens, I feel like the stench of this night is being washed out of my pores. Let's be real though: The scent is going to permeate from my pores in the future.

I use some soap, and then finish taking my shower. I don't have a reason to further delay the interview, and I want to get home, or to my new home. I get out of the shower and put on fresh undergarments. The moment I had the clothes on, Jade entered my room. I was in the tuxedo, and Jade was putting the finishing touches on my outfit, and then the three of us were heading back out.

Seeing how people were still celebrating my win, we had a bit of a hassle getting to the interview.

The three of us get to the interview site, we get out of the vehicle and head inside the building. As I enter the room where the interview is to be held, I have to stop at the makeup artist's desk to before I can have my final sit-down with Caesar. Makeup seems like a formality at this point, but the things I have to do to play the games that must be played before I'm free of my current obligation. As the makeup artist was putting the finishing touches on, Caesar approached and asked. "Finnick, my dear boy, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine. Ready to get this show on the road." I said.

"Is he good?" Caesar asked the artist.

"He's good." the artist said.

"If you'll follow me right this way." Caesar said leading me to the chairs in front of the camera.

I barely had time to sit down before the cameras started recording. Caesar did his thing, except for warming up the crowd he set the stage for the final interview. It wasn't long before I got the obvious question. "So, Finnick, how doesn't it feel to have you star add to the list of victors?"

"It feels great, and I'm excited use the knowledge for the coming generation." I said.

"Was there ever a time in the arena were you thought it wasn't going to end well." he asked.

"It was touch and go at times, especially when the mutts appeared, but it was nothing I couldn't handle." I said, I'm not sure if Caesar is privy to the fact of my gene alteration, but I have no intention of bringing it up. I have to think of my family back home, and how I'm going to keep them out of the line of fire.

Caesar talked a lot, and there was some back and forth, but I get the feeling that there was a question that wanted to get asked and Caesar knew better than to ask it. No matter how many time the subjects get change, Caesar always came back to my injury. Before it could reach critical mass, I saw someone motion to Caesar with a finger in circular motion.

"That is all the time that we have for today, folks. Finnick thank you for your time, and we look forward to seeing you in the future." Caesar said.

"So do I, Caesar. So do I." I said.

After the camera shuts off, Caesar is off and running while I stop at the makeup artist to get my makeup removed. After that Mags, Jade, my prep team, and I are making our way to the train station. It doesn't take long at all to get to the train station, unlike going to the final interview. We get to the train station, and there's a crowd waiting or us. We all work the crowd, but I was the last to get on. Before boarding, I look at some point in the distance for a moment, and then board the train.