Disclaimer:

I do not own the Hunger Games book series. It is the property of Suzanne Collins and the publisher Scholastic Press. The movies are owned by Lionsgate and other associated producers and creators. I am simply a humble fan, writing this for the enjoyment of other fans. Please support the official release.

Arena - Day 8

Aero Night

Victor of the Nineteenth Hunger Games

"Mr. Night! Mr. Night!" The young report yelled, pushing her way through the line of Capitol Peacekeepers. "It's been a day since your grandson has lost! No one has been able to get a statement from you! Our viewers want to know, what you think of the disgraced Gamemaker's trap? Do you feel robbed of your chance? Augustus Braun and Finnick Odair have expressed their displeasure! Some have even suggested that Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee should be held-"

"Plutarch Heavensbee has only held the position for a year," Aero cut her off. He normally wasn't in the business of defending Gamemakers, but when this particular one secretly managed to smuggle his grandson to safety, he couldn't exactly let the press smear him. Plus he was the highest-ranking member on their side. "He cannot be held responsible for a rogue Gamemaker, who created that trap before he even inherited the position."

The reported wasn't about to give up. "Yes, but-"

Mercedes stepped in front of him. "You have your statement, vulture."

The young report pulled away, an offended look on her face. "I'll have you know I'm the up and coming-"

Aero walked away, letting Mercedes deal with her. The driver opened the car door for him and the old Victor slipped inside. He was only mildly surprised when he saw he wasn't alone in the back of the car.

Another young lady sat opposite him, though unlike the reporter, this girl looked more human. No colorful hair, no augmentation or alterations. It took one look at her uniform to figure out why; she was a member of the Praetorian Guard. The guards were only recruited from District 2. While there was a steady trickle of Capitol citizens willing to join the Peacekeepers (either for the honor and glory, or to pay off a debt), everyone knew the Peacekeeper's from Two were the real backbone of the force. People in the Career district had been indoctrinated since childhood. Many of them had been trained for years.

"President Snow wishes to extend his most sincere apologies for the elimination of your grandson. Gamemaker Set is currently in custody, and evidence is being collected. A small trial will take place on the twenty-fifth," the woman says. "It is the President's view that what happened is not in the spirit of the games. He has granted you permission to return to District 6 following this incident."

Aero had imagined something like this would be coming. Each Victor had a standing invitation to come to the Capitol every year for the games, but they could come and go as they pleased. The mentors were never allowed to leave the Capitol until the newest Victor was on their way home. If Snow was letting him leave early, the deaths of three popular tributes must have caused more unrest than he originally thought. He suspected that Finnick and Augustus were given the same treatment. He also suspected that no matter how the guard officer phrased it, they would all be out of the Capitol before the day ended.

"I'll be happy to take the President up on his... Thoughtful offer," Aero answered, making sure his voice sounded grateful. "Please convey my sincere thanks to our President for his swift action. I am sure Romeo's parents will take comfort in knowing the Gamemaker who cheated him out of his fair shoot is being held to account."

Aero could see the flash of anger that surged through her eyes. The backhanded thanks was the most he could do. The guard clenched her jaw, nodded once, and got out of the car. Aero only smiled at her pleasantly as she left.

He cracked the window down just a hair.

"Diver? Could you go and remind Mercedes that she should be in the car, not making a report cry?" Aero asked through the small opening in the window. Across the pavement, Mercedes had already brought tears to the eyes of the reporter, and she didn't appear to be planning to stop anytime soon. "Oh, and if it's not to much trouble, I'd like to stop by the Aries Cafe. I'm very partial to their pie."

His driver nodded and Aero rolled the window up. He grabbed the cellphone from his pocket and clicked it on. Pressing his thumb to the screen, it opened a second later. As he scrolled through his contacts to Mag's number, Aero thought it was quite the shame that cellphones only worked on the Capitol's network. It was so much more convenient than his house phone.

Maisie Rosale

District 9 Female Tribute

Her sleep was filled with images and scenes of her time with Romeo. They connected like a series of passing images, weaving together like the editors would cut together scenes of the Hunger Games to a three-hour film at the end. Maisie watched the scenes play by from a distance as if she was watching someone else's life, and not her own.

These scenes and pictures were punctuated by nightmarish visions of things that she hadn't seen happening. The Career pack surrounding Romeo, skinning him alive while the Capitol watched in laughter. Mutts ripping him apart piece by piece.

"MAISIE!" Wallace's scream cut through the haze of sleep. She shot bolt upright in her bed, looking around. Last night they had found a room with a real bed in it. A place for one of them to sleep, while the other one watched the door.

Wallace was over by the open door, using his sickle to block a claw. One that was reaching for his face. At first, she thought the thing attacking him was a mutt, but then she got a closer look.

It was Romeo. A distorted, monstrous version of the boy, but it was him. Romeo's skin was ashen grey, two long fangs extended out of his mouth, his hands and feet were claws. The whites of his eyes were pitch black, and his iris' were a crimson red.

"You left me to die!" Romeo's voice was deeper and gravity, but she would know it anyway.

"It was your idea to split up!" Wallace hissed, trying to keep Romeo's claws away from his face. "Maisie!"

"Romeo!" She yelled, throwing the blankets off her. "STOP!"

Romeo's eyes moved towards her. "How could you let me die?"

It was like ice piercing her. Her and Wallace had let Romeo die. It had been her idea to split up, hopefully dividing the Careers. It had worked, but three of them followed Romeo. Maisie had left him all alone while she ran with Wallace.

"I-" she tried to say, but couldn't find the words. How could she explain that she didn't mean for him to die? She really did think that splitting up was the best option at that moment.

All that it took was a second for Romeo to leap away from Wallace and towards her. Maisie tried to raise her hands to protect herself, but Romeo was too fast. His claws raked across her face, causing pain to explode from the wound.

Maisie dropped down, clutching at her face. She could see Romeo's claw covered in her blood as he stood over her. "Now you join-" was all he said before Wallace tackled him from behind. Maisie watched in horror as Romeo raked his claws across Wallace's chest. That didn't stop Wallace though, and her partner used his sickle to slash through Romeo's neck.

Romeo's head fell off his body and rolled towards her.

He was right. It was her fault that Romeo was dead. If she didn't suggest splitting up, he might be in the room with them now. Alive and laughing, not headless right in front of her. He wouldn't have been turned into that monstrous thing.

Maisie didn't know when the tears started to fall, but before she knew it, Wallace had wrapped his warm arms tight around her. He didn't say anything, and just let her cry.

Margaret Cresta

District 4 Female Tribute

"What happened?" Cassandra asked as Margaret walked through the palace doors. "We saw Neptune and Helene's face in the sky last night."

"We were chasing Six and Three-"

"Three?" Gleam asked. Margaret looked up and found him sitting on top of the gold Cornucopia. He eyed her, his scythe resting on his shoulder. His district partner was dead, and she didn't know how he was going to take that. Usually, when the pack finally broke, district partner's tended to stick together. Now he didn't have that safeguard. Well, he still had Ryker.

"Yeah, Three. She was in one of the hallways we chanced Six down," she answered calmly.

"What happened to Helene and Neptune?" Ryker asked, walking out from behind the Cornucopia. He bit into a peach.

"We were chasing them. Helene and Neptune got ahead of me," Margaret began. She could still see the whole scene play out. "The floor opened. Three, Six, Helene, and Neptune took a fall. It closed before I could look into the hole. Four canons went off, and all of their faces were in the sky."

Ryker looked up at Gleam. The boy from One shrugged and jumped down. "It doesn't matter. They're dead. Fewer tributes to kill. Are you hungry Margaret?"

She shook her head. She had found food before she made her way back to the courtyard.

"Perfect. Then we can hunt. Let's see if we can kill-"

"Actually, I want to check the forest," Margaret interrupted. "I slept in a room last night. I had a window. I think I saw smoke coming out of the forest."

Gleam frowned at her. "I thought you and Neptune took care of Twelve?"

"We did. That doesn't mean no one else is in there," she prompted. She had seen the smoke, but it wasn't why she was in the room last night. "They could have snuck out why we were hunting."

"We've always left a guard," he reminded her. "Anyway, those bats always come out at night. Wasn't Six girl killed by them?"

Margaret shrugged. "I told you. Neptune and I ducked in one of the cave. They didn't come in. If another tribute has figured that out, they could live out there. While we only search for the palace."

Before he could answer, a cannon sounded.

"Another one bites the dust. I wonder who it is," Ryker mused aloud. "We better get going. If we wait too long, the cannon folder might drop dead all on their own. We wouldn't want that."

Gleam sighed. "Fine. You go search the forest. Cassandra will stand guard over our supplies. Me and Ryker will go hunting," he said.

That worked perfectly for her. Margaret grabbed one of the free swords, loaded her belt up with knives, and made a show of leaving. Margaret didn't look back as she walked into the forest, disappearing from sight. She stopped under the shade of one of the trees. She gave Gleam and Ryker what she believed was an hour (though she had lost count of the minutes) before she crept slowly back to the gate. Cassandra was the only one in the courtyard, snacking on an apple.

"Hey," Margaret called, walking through the front gate.

Cassandra jumped up, and drew the katana. Thankfully she relaxed once she caught sight of who it was. "That was quicker than I expected. I didn't hear any cannons go off."

"Was none. I didn't look," she admitted. "Got another apple?"

"Why weren't you looking?" Cassandra asked, turning around to the Cornucopia. Margaret didn't miss that Cassandra moved to keep her in view.

"Because I wanted to talk to you. Alone," Margaret told her. If Ryker and Gleam were on the same page, that was bad news. They'd act together, and Margaret knew she couldn't take them both on at once. What she needed was an ally.

Cassandra pulled out a green apple, throwing it to her. Margaret caught it easily. "What do you want to talk about?"

She didn't sound angry. Just curious. Margaret supposed was a good enough sigh. At least Cassandra wasn't trying to kill her.

"Gleam and Ryker decided they're a team. When the pack breaks, they're going to fight with each other," Margaret revealed.

"That would leave the two of use at a disadvantage," Cassandra concluded.

Margaret smiled. At least she was quick on the uptake. "Yeah. So I was hoping to remedy that. What do you say? When the pack breaks, me and you stick together?"

"Until Gleam and Ryker are dead?" Cassandra asked.

"At the very least," Margaret agreed. "I was thinking that we could stick it out until the final two?"

There it was. Her counter offer. Cassandra smiled.

Rye Mellark

District 12 Male Tribute

Rye finally managed to drag the wooden bookcase in front of the door, sealing it. If anyone heard him while he was in the water, that case would make sure he heard them coming.

Sticky from all the sweat, Rye peeled his clothes off, discarding them in a pill by the corner. The dresser was full of fresh clothes for him to wear. He weaved around the table, taking care not to disturb the table with food. Finding a room full of food wasn't hard in this arena, but that could change any minute.

The bathroom was hidden behind a wooden door. The floor was made of fine white marble. The walls tapestries of past Gamemakers, the image of the men and women who made the lives of tributes hell, sewn into them. The ceiling was glass, letting the fading sunlight in. At the center of the room was a big bath tube, made of the same marble as the rest of the room. It was already full of steaming water.

Rye closed the door behind him before walking over to the bath. He stuck one finger into it, testing the heat of the water. It wasn't scalding hot, but it would make for an uncomfortable experience. Not that Rye really had the option of being picky. He carefully lowered the gun Rance made for him, setting it against the tub, close to where he would be laying, making sure he'd be able to grab it in a moment's notice.

Wanting to get it over with, Rye stepped into the bath before he had second thoughts. The water burned against his skin, but it wasn't unbearable. He lowered himself down until only his neck was above the water. As he adjusted to the temperature, he could finally start to relax.

Unfortunately, it was then that Rance and Nelly warmed their way into his head. His allies, the girls he entered the game with. Now both of them were dead. Watching Rance's face appear on the ceiling last night had been his worst night since he had gotten into the arena. He hadn't slept a wink since last night.

He still had the gift Rance gave him, but that was all he had left of his ally. Was it stupid to miss her? He hadn't even known her for more than two weeks. She had been with him since he had gotten into the arena, but that hardly meant that he knew her. Rye missed her so much. Nelly had been with him since he was reaped, but Rance had been the one with him in this hell hole. This place where he could die any minute.

Now that he was alone, Rye realized how much he relied on her. How much just having someone else with you helped in this place. His allies were dead, and less than half the field remained, standing between him and going home.

Gloss Orfever

Victor of the Sixty-Third Hunger Games

"You don't have to go, lovely boy," Mrs. Maxwell purred. Shoving his revulsion down, he gave her his brightest smile.

"I wish I could stay, but my cousin Gleam is counting on me," he said. Gloss made his voice take on a tone of worry. Not that it wasn't too hard. He was worried about the kid, but in his line of business, he learned the hard way never to let any real emotion show. Only what he put on for his clients or the crowds.

"Terrible shame about his district partner," Mr. Maxwell said pleasantly. He loaded his pipe full of dream-spice. "Helene was quite the beauty. Given a few years to fill out, and she might have become even more popular than your sister. I know you want money for Gleam, but I was hoping to sponsor her. The president owes me a favor, and I would have loved to be the first to taste her."

I bet you would Gloss thought darkly. His flirtatious smile remained firmly on his face. "I'm sure she would have liked to make your company. You both have always been so good to me and Cashmere."

And Finnick, Odin, Aaron, Baron, Augustus, Siren, and who knows how many other Victor's. Gloss was firmly in Gleam's corner, but it was times like these he considered leaving Gleam to die. No one ever explained to any of the tributes that the lucky ones were the ones who didn't make it out. Had Helene won, she would have joined him and his sister. If Gleam won, he would join them as well.

Gloss just hoped his cousin didn't hate him for bringing him home. God knows he still resented Miracle for pulling him out. "Helene played the game well, but she lost."

Mr. Maxwell didn't look too pleased with that as he lit up the dream-spice and took a drag.

"That was a terrible thing that Gamemaker did," Mrs. Maxwell hissed. "I hope the president hangs Set for what-"

"Now, now, dear," her husband interrupted. "I would hate for the country to get in the business of executing Gamemakers."

The Maxwell's might be one of the richest families in the Capitol, but they were surprising sheltered from what went on in the upper classes. Gloss knew of four other Gamemakers the president had gotten rid of. Gloss wondered what he would think if Mr. Maxwell knew that little tidbit. Not that Gloss was going to tell either of them.

"Dear, that can't just go unpunished. I had bet ten thousand denarii on Neptune," Mrs. Maxwell pouted. Gloss hated people like them. Four kids just died, and all she cared about was losing her bets.

"I have full confidence that the authorities will take whatever measures they deem necessary," Gloss repeated the standard line. If he didn't say that, he risked more trouble than he liked. Victor's were still district citizens, and they didn't have the right to criticize the government. "I'm happy you both called. You know how much I enjoy our time together, but I was hoping instead of paying me, you'll be willing to donate to Gleam's fund."

Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell were one of his more frequent clients. They two often bought him from the president. They always had him together, and it had only been after many appointments did Gloss start to understand that the two of them were weird. Weirder than a lot of people in the Capitol. He supposed that might have been a trapping of wealth and influence.

"Of course dear," Mrs. Maxwell promised. "I'll make the arrangements soon. The money will be deposited in the One-Male account by tonight."

"Thank you," Gloss said.

"Why don't you stay and have breakfast with us, Mr. Orfever? I can make sure a nice District 1 meal is-"

"I appreciate the off, Mr. Maxwell. I do truly do, but as an official mentor, it is my duty to return my tribute," Gloss gave his excuse. Not that it really was one. Victor's were given a life of luxury. The Capitol went so far as to ban Victor's from holding real jobs. The only job a Victor had was as a mentor. That, and he couldn't stand being near the couple much longer. His skin crawled just being in the same room as them.

"Ah yes. Duty calls and all that."

When the door closed behind him, Gloss felt nothing but relief. Walking through the kind of elaborate garden you'd only find in the homes of the wealthiest Capitol citizens or on the estates of the Founding Families, Gloss pulled out his cell. Clicking the screen on, two new messages popped up. One from Cashmere, confirming she was on her own appointment. The other was from Caspian, with only a location.

Gloss was supposed to meet Miracle for lunch, but right at that moment, he didn't feel very warm towards his mentor. When he climbed into the back of the car, he told the driver to head to the Blue Lake Villa.

The Blue Lake Villa was one of the most elite restaurants in the Capitol. Only those with power and or connections would reserve a table there. The restaurant was a building made of hard glass, designed to reflect a rainbow of colors as the sunlight it. It was built on the shore of Blue Lake. Like the restaurant, the crystal blue waters reflected the sunlight in a similar, beautiful manner.

Gloss' many clients often brought him here before they inevitably returned home. Gloss, along with all the other Victors in the trade, spent a fair bit of time at the Blue Lake Villa. So much time in fact, that members of the staff recognized him on site.

"Mr. Orfever!" One of the waiters called out to him as he entered. The man looked familiar, but his name escaped Gloss. "Mr. Morse has reserved a private room for you."

Caspian Morse was one of Four's more popular Victor's. With roguish charm, he was the darling boy of Four before Finnick came along. It was a testament to his popularity that he was still one of the more desirable Victor's out of Four.

When Gloss opened the room door, Caspian was already sitting at a black stone table. A feast was laid out, and he hadn't bothered to wait before he started eating. "Gloss. Good to see you. Why don't you take a seat?"

Gloss hung his jacket, before taking the seat across from the other Victor. He smiled. "What's this about, Caspian? I hope you're not trying to ask me to set you up Cashmere again."

Author's Note:

Hello! I hope you have enjoyed the sixteenth chapter!

For those of you curious about the cellphone reference, it's always been my headcanon that the Capitol has access to not only a cellular network but also a form of the internet. Of course, these are only available in the Capitol, leaving the districts to make do with phone landlines and no access to the web.