Chapter One-Hundred-and-Forty-Eight; Terminal
Stephanie pushed the food around on her plate distractedly. Essentially as soon as she was finished eating, her styling team would be in to whisk her away to her bedroom, to squeeze her into the straightjacket and accompanying metal collar ensemble Ficen was forcing her to wear.
Along with fleeting griping thoughts about the outfit of Ficen's creation she would have to endure tonight, another more serious thought had been plaguing Stephanie also – Seneca was going to be at the party.
If people like Bright and Lashes could discern that Seneca was acting strangely, that he had been changing this past while; would it be obvious that she was the cause if her and Seneca were in the same room?
What if the Gamemakers had to have interviews for the cameras like before? Stephanie worried, as she stabbed something leafy on her plate with her fork. She shoved it into her mouth without trying to distinguish what it was and coughed, choking harshly as the salt almost seemed to burn her tongue. She washed it back swiftly with the water in her glass.
Electra and Haymitch were both drinking alcohol but Stephanie had flat-out refused. She had had enough alcohol.
But her thoughts returned to the possibility of interviews between the tributes and Gamemakers.
Would the entire of Panem be able to tell Seneca was in love with her, if they saw him give an interview with her?
Stephanie swallowed nervously as she gave up and pushed her half-finished plate away from her, and getting up trudged towards her bedroom to put on her armour for tonight.
…
Wirin tried to conceal his tremulous smirk as he breezed into the room. Seneca was remarkably perceptive and he would be able to distinguish in seconds the smugly satisfied air about Wirin.
And it wouldn't do to have Seneca finding out why Wirin was feeling so particularly delighted from some recent news he had received. Wirin doubted very much Seneca would appreciate it quite so much.
"Seneca you shouldn't drink any more coffee. And did you even take that nap I told you to, while I was away?"
"What – have you become my mother now Wirin?" Seneca snapped sarcastically as he proceeded to pour himself another cup of coffee.
Wirin eyed the steaming tendrils curling from the mug across the table warily as he sat down.
But Seneca was already distracted once more, his gaze trained on the screen in front of him. Ebony locks of hair fell carelessly across his furrowed brow, not that he seemed to notice in his intense concentration.
Seneca scoffed suddenly, leaning back to rake a hand agitatedly through his ebony hair. "We need a medic to properly assess these results and find a cure. Neither you nor I are medics Wirin," Seneca said, evidently revisiting an old topic by his tone of voice.
"The more people involved the more risk," Wirin replied, using Seneca's own logic against him.
Seneca growled low in exasperation as he took a long drink from his cup of hot coffee.
"A scan is hardly that incriminating," Seneca muttered as he lowered the cup from his lips.
"On the contrary," Wirin replied, his voice sharpened with impatience. "The essentials would need to be divulged to the medic for starters; an eighteen-year old female. The problem would show clearly on the scan; has a tendency to faint pre-emptively. And finally your theory on why would be added; the subject fell in a river saturated with chemicals, of which she swallowed a considerable amount, and received no proper medical treatment, despite being ill for several months afterwards…even the most dim-witted medic could puzzle out the hidden identity Seneca, and then what would you do? How would you possibly reason your hunt for a cure to the fainting district girl's ailment?"
Seneca sighed loudly in exasperation, wearily conceding Wirin's point as he leant forward to once more study the blue screen, massaging his temples tiredly.
Wirin frowned unhappily. This wasn't the first time he had had to waylay Seneca from drafting in a proper medic. And Wirin was finding it harder to discourage Seneca each time. He could see that Seneca was impatient for results, but Wirin had his own motives for prolonging the finding of a cure for Stephanie's fainting.
Wirin had had the results of Stephanie's scan examined by a proper medic earlier that day – without Seneca's knowledge of course – and with an inward malevolent smirk Wirin considered, the diagnosis was not good for Stephanie Trindlesworth. Not good at all.
He had been debating telling Seneca, however he had decided to retain the small nugget of information. Trying to ascertain a cure for Stephanie's fainting provided the perfect excuse to keep Seneca busy and for Wirin to address more important matters.
"When are you moving on to the arena?" Wirin asked impatiently.
Seneca's gaze slid slowly to Wirin, blue eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Why, is this boring for you Wirin?" Seneca drawled in icy casualness.
Wirin swallowed, shaking his head vehemently, "I only meant that if you want Miss Trindlesworth to survive the arena should you not be turning your attentions to tweaking it; you know rigging it – I could help with that, I –"
"Wirin!" Seneca called sharply, holding up a hand to halt the other's speech. Seneca expelled a heavy sigh that was laden with wearied exasperation. "I haven't been able to even look at my arena never mind try to encompass a plan to get Stephanie out of it," Seneca confessed in a quiet voice, his gaze trained on the screen before him.
Wirin's eyes widened in shock as he almost grimaced. If President Snow could see how far his son had fallen at that moment Wirin doubted if Snow would even still consider saving Seneca. Not being able to look at his own arena?! – Wirin casually placed a hand across his mouth before he could burst out in mocking laughter. Tribute girls like Stephanie Trindlesworth ought to come with warnings he thought grimly, getting his bubbling laughter under control.
"There is still enough time yet," Seneca enforced in the next moment though, his voice strong and confident again.
Wirin managed a thin smile, "of course Seneca," he agreed. "It's just always better sooner rather than later," he added in a quieter mumble.
Seneca's glare pierced him again, "Wirin you were the one who wanted to help, who insisted on helping actually. If you have changed your mind, get out now before I truly lose my patience with you."
Wirin gulped nervously as Seneca's ice-blue gaze continued to rest on him unsettlingly.
"Of course not Seneca!" Wirin refuted eagerly, "I want to help, you're like a brother to me!"
Seneca rolled his eyes slightly before returning to his work, "so you keep saying," he muttered under his breath.
Wirin scowled slightly when Seneca's gaze was averted but forcing a compassionate tone he spoke on.
"Seneca if Stephanie Trindlesworth is what makes you happy, then I will help you in whatever way in obtaining her – that's what I've been saying. I know how busy you are, so if you let me look at your arena plans – "
"Wirin, don't talk about Stephanie like she is some goal I am trying to achieve; she is not an object to be won. She has her own free will."
"Free will?! Seneca she's a district girl. The one thing she most certainly doesn't have, along with any fashion sense of course, is her own free will," Wirin said laughingly, his eyes wide with gleeful incredulity.
Seneca slammed his hand down on the table hard as he practically snarled at Wirin. The amusement was swiftly wiped from Wirin's face as he paled considerably faced with Seneca's wrath.
"Wirin would you like to experience the arena yourself because you are heading in that direction with your tactless words," Seneca said in a deadly murmur.
Wirin's head shook emphatically as he babbled out nonsensical words, looking like a scared young boy in front of Seneca, despite Wirin being four years Seneca's senior.
"N-n-no of course not S-Seneca, I meant no offence, it was just – I was just…no offence meant – "
"Shut up Wirin!" Seneca barked, "I already have a headache without your drivel adding to it!"
Wirin snapped his mouth shut immediately as he looked anxiously towards Seneca. Seneca Crane was known to be one of the most charismatic people in Panem when he so chose to be, but the blue-eyed Gamemaker was also feared for his volatile temper and short-leashed patience.
Seneca passed a weary hand over his eyes as a growl of frustration slipped between his clenched teeth.
Seneca got up suddenly then, the abrupt movement causing a small yelp of alarm from Wirin which Seneca ignored.
Seneca ran his fingertips lightly over the almost faded bruises on his throat, that appeared to be nothing more than a slight shadow on his skin now.
"Wirin you will have to work on this alone for the next few hours at least," Seneca instructed, as he took a few fortifying draughts from his cup of coffee.
"Where are you going?" Wirin blurted out as Seneca picked up his blazer from the back of the chair.
"I have one of the tribute events to attend now," Seneca answered as he shrugged his jacket on.
"Ah." Realisation dawned on Wirin's face. "The party at El's Club?"
"No," Seneca answered distractedly as he searched his pockets for something, "I had them change the venue to The Water Gardens – Have you seen my phone Wirin?"
Wirin cast about the desk top, unearthing the slim black phone from under a pile of papers and handed it to Seneca.
"The Water Gardens? Why on earth would you have them change the venue to there? I mean not only is their food always overcooked, but – really! – What idiot decided to incorporate waterfalls into the building's interior, I mean - " Wirin prattled on.
Seneca rolled his eyes even as he muttered, "shut up," but he had an enigmatic smile on his face as he looked to his phone. Seneca silently considered that while he also wouldn't personally count himself as a particular fan of The Water Gardens, he knew someone who might appreciate the venue.
"Are you ringing her again?" Wirin asked quietly, as Seneca tapped the key-code into his phone.
Wirin had been there hours before when Seneca had rung Stephanie. Eavesdropping as silently as he could outside Seneca's office door, Wirin hadn't been able to distinguish the muffled words, but he did hear Seneca laughing, and when Seneca had strode from his office after the call there had been a strange new determination firing his actions. He had attacked the results of Stephanie's scan with new vigour. He was foul-tempered and he kept glancing at his phone expectantly but there was something like fragile hope or burgeoning excitement buzzing around him, that meant the blue-eyed Gamemaker couldn't keep still.
Seneca looked up as he arched a cool brow, "I hardly see how it would concern you if I was," he muttered, returning his gaze to the phone in his hand.
"Seneca it would be wise if you were to avoid Miss Trindlesworth at this party," Wirin advised sagely.
"Wirin I'm going to pretend you didn't speak, so take this as a moment to redeem yourself," Seneca muttered sarcastically, making for the door.
"Seneca!" Wirin called, halting him.
Seneca swivelled lightly to glare down at Wirin in impatient expectance.
"Well Wirin, what is it?" Seneca asked frigidly.
"I only meant to caution you to the essential need for discretion and meeting with Miss Trindlesworth at public functions is a recipe for disaster," Wirin tried to enforce sternly.
He had to make sure Seneca was being discreet – that was what he had discussed with Sharpe; it was President Snow's orders that he had promised to see enacted.
Any dealings Seneca had with Stephanie must be kept confidential and secret, until the Games could come and rid Panem of the troublesome pest that was Stephanie Trindlesworth altogether.
But, every carefully construed plan he had discussed with President Snow, his every attempt to get his hands on Seneca's arena plans would all be worth nothing, if Seneca was going to be so obvious with his attraction to Miss Trindlesworth.
Meeting her at a public function?! Wirin barely resisted groaning and smacking a hand to his forehead and then to Seneca's. Apparently love really did erode the brain's power to properly function Wirin thought wryly.
Seneca however scoffed at Wirin's words, evidently not taken their message on board. "As I explained to Stephanie when she warned me of the same thing – I know how to practice discretion."
Wirin's brow furrowed as something like dread began to kindle inside him.
"What do you mean Stephanie warned you?" Wirin asked quietly, "do you mean to say there have been rumours? – Do people know about you and your district girl!?"
Wirin's voice had gotten slightly higher with panic as his eyes widened and he pinned Seneca with a slightly frantic look.
Seneca's eyes flashed blue lightning as he scowled darkly at the other man.
"I have told you Wirin, I am more than capable of managing my own affairs," Seneca replied icily, as he loomed over the seated Wirin.
Seneca turned sharply again, readying to leave. His headache had gotten worse, fatigue was making his usual controlled demeanour slip and his patience was utterly fraught.
His only respite came in the thought of imagining what Stephanie's reaction may be when she saw The Water Gardens. He could envision her wearing the same expression she had when she had first seen the great lake outside the Capitol. And in a few hours at the party he would be able to see for himself her reaction.
"Seneca you can't go to the party tonight if there have been rumours!" Wirin cried after him.
Rage burned through Seneca then like a poisonous toxin as he turned once again. Wirin yelped as Seneca bodily hauled him out of his chair and to his feet. Seneca held Wirin up on his suddenly weak legs, by the scrunched material of Wirin's jacket balled in Seneca's fists.
"Wirin I damn well warned you to shut up," Seneca hissed venomously as Wirin whimpered pathetically.
"S-Seneca, I'm only l-looking out for your best interests. I-Indiscretion could cost you e-everything," Wirin managed to stammer out, "what if your father found out?"
Seneca scowled as he released the other man and pushed him away from him harshly.
Wirin stumbled slightly as he caught the edge of the table to regain his balance.
"My father knows nothing and will continue to know nothing as long as you do what you have promised to do," Seneca sneered.
"But you mentioned rumours?!" Wirin pleaded questioningly, "who was it that was spreading the gossip and I-I will take care of it!"
A rumour in the Capitol spread as quickly as a naked flame dropped amongst dry kindling. It was why Snow had ordered Sharpe to silence even the slightest whiff of a word that connected Seneca Crane with Stephanie Trindlesworth.
And at that moment Seneca's cavalier attitude was creating a wildfire panic in Wirin.
He had to stop Seneca going to that party some way or another - And then it came to Wirin.
He hadn't wanted to use it. He had wanted to hold back the small nugget of information he had until the opportune moment. But it seemed that moment was already upon him.
"Seneca! Wait!" Wirin cried, but Seneca ignored him this time, already stalking for the door.
"Seneca!"
Seneca clutched his fists tighter as he reached the door, but in the next moment he had frozen like a marble statue. It was like the floor had dropped out from beneath him or all the air had been sucked out of the room.
Wirin panted with relief, seeing he had finally gotten through to Seneca. Finally, that idiotic fool listens…Wirin thought bitterly.
Seneca turned slowly, still locked in a horrified stupor, "what did you say?" Seneca managed to breathe out shakily.
Wirin swallowed determinedly, as he nodded. "It's about Stephanie Trindlesworth – and her fainting."
Seneca was rooted to the spot unable to move forward or at all, as Wirin's next words crashed over him with all the finality they had the first time.
"She's dying Seneca."
Thanks to new favourites / & / follows and reviews!
Thanks to Silverthornofriverclan for the review; I'm not sure if you've made it this far but – yea, she's covered :P
Thanks to girlworthfightingfor for the review; yea – exactly! No character is safe – as perfectly demonstrated by this chapter I think :P Haha! Me too! – I know :P