Chapter One-Hundred-and-Eighty-Two; Linchpin
"Hello?"
Stephanie almost dropped the phone in shock as the voice sounded unexpectedly in her ear. Stephanie opened her mouth to speak but before she could, she heard another voice in the background; a female's airy voice.
"Oh sweetie, don't tell me you're on the phone?! I thought you promised we would make the most of every second before my husband got back!"
Stephanie resisted the urge to roll her eyes, feeling her resolve strengthening with every passing second.
"Hello lover," Stephanie said drolly.
On the other end of the line Dan Flickerman gave a surprised yelp.
"Miss Trindlesworth!" Dan exclaimed in almost perfectly feigned, pleasant surprise. "I wasn't expecting you to call me," he added honestly, the slightest hint of wariness entering his voice. "Is everything…alright?"
"Well, I think I just discovered my Capitol lover cheating on me," Stephanie shot back sardonically, as she heard the distinctive sounds of sheets rustling on the other side of the line.
"Danny!" the same syrupy female voice whined petulantly.
"Not now Sylvie darling, I have to take this," Dan muttered in an aside.
The woman huffed loudly. "That's just fine Danny then. When you call next time I'll remember this, and I'll just say back to you – Not now Danny darling…" The woman continued to rant and Dan sighed loudly, before beginning to make sickeningly saccharine apologies to his Sylvie darling that swiftly turned vastly inappropriate.
"Dan!" Stephanie barked impatiently.
"What?" Dan shot back irked. "You've caught me at a really bad moment here Miss Trindlesworth. I'm rather busy. Could you call – "
Stephanie interrupted him before he could finish. "Yes, it's clear you're very busy from those imaginative descriptions I just had the joy of overhearing. But I'm afraid I need you – now."
There was a pause on the other side of the line before Dan began speaking again. He had changed tact; his voice warm and conciliatory. "Miss Trindlesworth…Stephanie, darling – "
"Danny! Who are you calling darling?!" the female voice interrupted once more indignantly and Stephanie rolled her eyes exasperatedly, patience wearing thin fast.
Dan whispered something back that Stephanie couldn't catch and suddenly the woman gave a high-pitched giggle. Stephanie frowned warily.
"Now Miss Trindlesworth, where were we?" Dan began again, perfectly charmingly. "Ah yes, you erm…need me. If I'm honest Stephanie, I have to admit I'm surprised this didn't happen a lot sooner. And of course I can only give my heartfelt apologies. But you see, all those times I was acting as your Capitol lover darling, weren't real. It's perfectly understandable of course that you developed feelings for me, getting caught up in the act and – "
Stephanie resisted the urge to smack her face of the nearest surface in utter exasperation, instead cutting over Dan drily.
"I can assure you Mr Flickerman, that I have no feelings for you of the sort you are referring to, in the slightest. And when I said I needed you, I can say with the utmost confidence that it was not in the way you obviously misconstrued it as."
"What?!" Dan squawked. "You don't fancy me at all?!" he exclaimed, sounding practically offended at the thought.
Stephanie sighed sharply, gritting her teeth as she ignored his question. "Dan, I need to arrange a date with you – now," she reiterated uncompromisingly.
"A date now?!" Dan whined loudly. Stephanie held the phone away from her ear as the woman added her outraged objections to the idea of Dan leaving her.
"Sylvie darling, don't be like that. I swear it's business. Believe me, the girl looks half-wild most times! How could I ever prefer her over you silly?" Dan hurriedly assured his riled companion.
Stephanie rolled her eyes at Dan's words. But she was too concerned with other more important matters to even try and get truly offended with Dan Flickerman.
"Sylvie sweetie, just give me a moment," Dan pleaded desperately before there was the sound of movement, a door closing and the woman's irate voice was gone.
Dan's voice sounded stiffly again, words clipped, tone peevish. "A date under such short notice Miss Trindlesworth, is quite impossible – "
"Dan, I need you to collect me from the tributes' penthouses. Pick a place that is as discreet and out of the way as possible for our sponsor date," Stephanie spoke over him obdurately, determination firing through her tense body. Her brother's life was on the line and she would drag Dan over by every strand of his impeccable, glossy brunette hair if she had to.
There stretched a moment of stubborn silence, during which Stephanie held her breath, almost able to taste her panicked heartbeat on her tongue.
"Will we be honoured with Seneca Crane's charming company on our sponsor date?" Dan remarked drolly, finally.
Stephanie hesitated only a second before answering with far more confidence than she actually felt. "Yes."
"Well darling, why didn't you say so before? Of course I'd love to go on a sponsor date with you then!" Dan remarked enthusiastically, the sarcasm palpable. "I am afterall at Mr Crane's mercy, and I do like the idea of staying alive," he added dourly.
"Dan!" Stephanie cried impatiently. She raked a shaky hand through her untamed hair.
"Yes Stephanie. I know. I'll pick you up from the tributes' buildings for our sponsor date shortly. Is that satisfactory to you darling?" Dan shot back bitterly.
Stephanie sighed with obvious relief. "Thank-you lover," she answered sarcastically.
Dan scoffed lightly. "I hope you appreciate the strain you are putting my real relationship under right now," he piped up annoyed.
Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Real relationship? The woman's married!" she barked. "Just make sure you're here soon," she reminded him, before ending the call swiftly over Dan's offended objections.
Stephanie released a long, trembling breath of relief as her eyes slid shut for a few, brief moments. She allowed herself to feel a grim measure of accomplishment that she was at least one step closer to saving her brother Fen's life potentially.
To be relying so much on a vain idiot like Dan Flickerman though? Stephanie grimaced deeply at the worrisome thought; uncomfortably conceding she had no option really.
Dan Flickerman would be the linchpin of the whole plan, she knew. He would be the one providing the believable cover date that would allow her to meet with Seneca. Dan's charade would have to be so convincing, that no one would doubt for a second that anything other was going on than a perfectly, normal date. Doubly so, for with her own acting being as abysmal as it was at the best of times, and now, with the pulsing terror within her that each second could be crucial concerning Fen's life, she wouldn't be able to put on a smile with any convincing believability.
It would all fall to Dan. She was relying wholly on Dan Flickerman to give perhaps the most important performance of his entire life.
He would be the single, flimsy shield for a potentially explosive meeting between a Gamemaker and a tribute, under secrecy from the entirety of Panem, in the most corrupt and perfidious place there was: the Capitol.
Bloody hell, I'm insane.
Stephanie sucked in a lungful of air to help steady her breathing and steel her nerves. The moment was abruptly shattered though, as in the next second Stephanie had almost jumped off the bed with fright when the door to her bedroom was flung open, Electra bursting into the room.
"What - ?"
"Hide the phone, now!" Electra hissed.
The look Electra shot her, quelled the instinctive fusillade of questions that had welled up in Stephanie, as she swiftly dropped to the floor to scramble under her bed.
"Under the damn bed again, Trindlesworth! Are you serious – "
"Oh – shut up Ellen! You sound like bloody Seneca!" Stephanie cut over her as she hastily clambered to her feet again. "Now, why the hell – "
The sound of the arriving lift sounded clearly then.
And Stephanie groaned inwardly, while Electra rolled her eyes in long-suffering silence, as the recognisable voices sounded of the whole horde of stylists the lift had just unleashed on the District 3 penthouse.
"That's why," Electra remarked drolly.
"Why are they here for?" Stephanie spat caustically; in no mood to even try and be civil towards her stylists.
"Think Trindlesworth!" Electra said sharply, flicking her forehead. "Sponsor dates. Don't you want to look a perfect doll for your Capitol lover?" Electra hissed sarcastically.
Stephanie gritted her teeth, what little patience she had stretched to breaking point.
"I need to contact Seneca – "
"Are you insane?!" Electra's hand shot out to grip Stephanie's wrist when she made to move towards her bed with the stashed phone once more. For a fleeting moment Stephanie was almost tempted to reply, 'quite possibly.'
"Wait until we're gone!" Electra spoke uncompromisingly. "These Capitolites don't need an excuse to gossip, but rumours of you talking secretly with a mystery man would be too good to ignore. And given what you're about to do, the last thing we need is a spotlight on your every move."
Stephanie didn't get the chance to protest, as suddenly Ficen had marched into the room, followed faithfully by Bright, Lashes and Silver. Stephanie didn't even try to mask the scathing glare she shot the violet-eyed woman.
She also ignored her stylists' indiscreet sniggering as they took in her appearance, that with a cruel irony, could be most aptly described as half-wild. She had tugged out her district boots that Fen had bought her, from their hidden stash at the back of her wardrobe; the methodical actions of tying up the frayed laces giving Stephanie's trembling fingers some other occupation, rather than raking through her already chaotic hair.
Stephanie was fleetingly worried that her stylists would comment on how she had suddenly come into possession of her district clothing again; but it was immediately apparent, their attention was on something else.
Ficen's burning, violet eyes had dropped to Stephanie's blue dress automatically. Before they had then flickered discerningly over to the bed; covered still in its mound of shredded, scented tissue paper and decorated box.
Stephanie saw the precise second Ficen's eyes landed on the notecard Seneca had included with her dress, and that Stephanie had carelessly deposited on her bed unthinkingly. The stylist's hardening eyes traced the sloping, cursive script she knew so well; because Ficen knew everything about Seneca and rage surged up in Ficen like an erupting volcano.
"That's the dress we told you about Ficen; the one that arrived down at the studio. We tried – "
"Shut up Nina," Ficen snapped icily and Bright immediately recoiled as though she had been physically slapped.
A tense silence ensued during which Ficen finally dragged her indiscreet gaze away from Seneca's notecard to meet Stephanie's eyes.
The glare that Ficen directed on Stephanie then had enough hatred to burn her to a crisp. Even Bright, Lashes and Silver fidgeted nervously as seconds ticked by unheeded; the storm still raging on outside being the only muted noise in the otherwise eerily silent room.
Never had unspoken words seemed so loud, Stephanie thought, as she met Ficen's eyes and read in them every insult, threat and diatribe the violet-eyed woman would have loved to shout at her right at that moment.
Electra nudged Stephanie's shoulder with her own in wordless warning. But Stephanie paid her no heed. She had a thousand and one worries already, without having to deal with her psychopathic stylist!
"Nina, Kas, Wint – go down to the studio and bring me up one of the finished outfits," Ficen ordered bitingly, her eyes never leaving Stephanie's.
"Which outfit – ?" Lashes began to inquire meekly when Ficen cut across her, voice ringing off the walls.
"It doesn't damn well matter you stupid idiot! Just get me any one. She's not wearing that dress – "
"I AM wearing this dress. It's mine and I will not take it off," Stephanie spoke over Ficen, her own voice filled with blistering anger. Stephanie had had enough of Ficen doing everything in her power to make her life a living hell since coming to the Capitol. She was not about to waste valuable times changing clothes, just to satisfy Ficen's manic hate.
Electra cursed under her breath as Ficen stared incredulously at Stephanie following her defiant outburst; the white-haired woman breathing hard and almost shaking with rage.
Bright, Lashes and Silver were rooted to their spots, horror imprinted on their perfect, painted faces. They couldn't know the real reason behind Stephanie and Ficen's mutual hatred of one another, but even they, in all their airhead obliviousness, could tell that this was more than just a difficult tribute rebelling against her stylist over outfit choices.
They could recall of course, the night Stephanie and Ficen had their first real argument that resulted in Ficen calling in the guards to the penthouse the next morning. But things had changed since then. And the hatred blazing in both stylist and tribute's eyes now, held something so much more personal.
"You'll wear what I tell you to wear you disgusting district tramp, or I'll rip that dress from you myself. You don't deserve a dress like that. Do you understand what I'm saying, you stupid girl?"
"Oh I understand perfectly what you're saying Ficen, but this dress is mine. Not yours. And you will not take it from me!"
Ficen started forward with a primal sound of pure rage, hands curled as though readying to tear the dress and Stephanie apart. Immediately Electra stepped in front of Stephanie; as much stopping Stephanie from surging forth to meet Ficen, as intercepting Ficen's trajectory direct for Stephanie.
"HEY!" Electra called sharply. Ficen stared at Electra with undisguised disgust, teeth bared. "Get out of my way now; every second I have to look at your ugly face makes me feel physically ill," Ficen spat.
Electra smirked widely. "Aw Ficen; now don't be so jealous that Stephanie is wearing a dress by a different designer," the blue-haired woman said genially, hand clamped securely around Stephanie's arm, nails biting into her skin with a sting of urgent warning.
Stephanie could still feel the anger hissing through her veins. At that moment Stephanie almost wished Ficen was going into the arena with her, just so she could have the proper chance to punch that sneering, disgusted look of Ficen's flawless, pinched face. But Stephanie pushed the mounting anger back with a monumental effort.
Electra's excuse for Ficen's extreme reaction to Stephanie's new dress was flimsy at best, and a blatant lie at worst. Even Stephanie could see that Bright, Lashes nor Silver were buying it this time, as they stood still in their terrified huddle a few metres away.
And with a sickening lurch of her stomach in shock, Stephanie saw Isa frozen like some statuesque doll in the threshold of her bedroom door; having evidently witnessed the entire thing. Isa, her escort who couldn't keep her mouth shut even worse than Stephanie, stood silent, with eyes greener than green wide and unblinking as she stared at Stephanie. And she was wearing that same disconcerting expression Stephanie had only seen her wear once before; when Stephanie had refused to hand back Seneca's gifted dress to Bright and Lashes. Isa looked at Stephanie as though she had never seen her before.
Stephanie could feel the moment when Electra's hold on her arm lessened by a fraction in relief, as Ficen visibly relented.
Ficen's haze of rage had evidently dissipated enough, for the stylist to likewise note their silent audience. And it wasn't as though Ficen could call in extra guards to silence Isa or Kas and Nina's gossiping on what they had just seen, this time. Rumours of this incident would be all over the Capitol in an hour, or even worse; one of them may report it to the officials. God knows what Seneca would do to Ficen then, if his little district tramp had to be dragged before the Gamemakers for a formal warning! Ficen shuddered.
Ficen pointedly took a step back, tossing her head aloofly and trying to look supremely unconcerned. All the same though, the stylist couldn't quash the instinctual stab of hatred she felt as her sights landed on Stephanie standing slightly behind Electra, in her expensive, hand-made, unique blue dress.
"Jealous?" Ficen drawled then with vicious contempt as she forced a derisive laugh. She allowed her eyes to drift over Stephanie deliberately, upper lip curling back in a disgusted sneer. "For what possible reason would I have to be jealous?" Her violet eyes flashed with malevolent glee as a humiliated flush shot across Stephanie's face unbidden.
Ficen grinned mockingly. "She still looks like a scrawny, pale piece of district filth, no matter what she wears. And that will never change, no matter how many expensive dresses she may receive from her Capitol lovers. Soon enough, even they too will see it: scum is scum, regardless of how you dress it up."
Electra's fingers were digging into Stephanie's arm again until it was almost painful. And Stephanie got the impression that Electra's crushing grip was as much to do with Electra's own fury, as stopping Stephanie from lunging for Ficen.
Ficen turned then haughtily, making to sweep from the room, a wide smirk firmly plastered on her face.
"Leave it Stephanie; she's not worth it," Electra hissed under her breath; feeling the tautness in Stephanie's body like a stretched elastic readying to snap.
Bright, Lashes and Silver were evidently immensely relieved that the altercation was seemingly over, as they darted eagerly for the door where Isa still stood.
Ficen strode across the room, head held high, pausing to speak over her shoulder dismissively, voice smugly demeaning. "Go to your date un-styled then. I couldn't care less." Ficen snorted, smirking as she shook her head as though disbelieving. "Jealous?" she repeated again, eyes on Stephanie as she laughed shrilly. "Why on earth would I ever be jealous?"
Electra's nails were in danger of tearing through the skin on Stephanie's arm, as blood roared in Stephanie's ears and she could feel her face flushed red.
"Because this scrawny, pale piece of district filth is wearing the dress Ficen; and you're not," Stephanie said venomously, eyes cutting through Ficen meaningfully.
Ficen faltered for a second, her smirk slipping into a grimace, eyes pulsing with maddening hatred. But she made no reply, simply stalked from the room, already barking out orders to Bright, Lashes and Silver who were tripping after her obediently.
Stephanie ripped her arm from Electra's gripping hold as soon as she could, wanting nothing more than to sink her fist into something. That fierce, sickening feeling was pounding through her body again making her stomach churn; that visceral, pulsing instinct to seriously murder another human being.
How many times now had she felt this way? The Capitol truly was changing her; no matter how hard she tried to hang onto her morals and her dignity. How could she ever again be the same aunt her niece Eldi always looked up to, or the same daughter her mother was so proud of? That Stephanie Trindlesworth back in District 3, had always had an abysmal temper with an irrationally violent streak to compound it; but…serious murderous urges?
She had just been a normal 18 year old girl with a normal family and normal worries for a district dweller; working in the factory, meeting with her friends, making the most of each day that she could. But the Capitol was so much darker and more frightening than anything Stephanie could have ever imagined. For a hysterical moment she could almost comprehend how Capitolites were able to view murder as something so casual to be a Game. How could they not, if people like Ficen existed and thrived here?
"Isa?"
Stephanie turned as Electra's voice lilted with question sounded, snapping her from her dark spiral of thoughts.
Isa had tottered into the room, brow scrunched up in a serious frown and lips pursed in a displeased pout.
Stephanie sighed sharply, clenching her hands into tight fists as she prepared herself for one of Isa's usual rants about bad manners. My brother could be damn well dying right now, and I'm about to get a lecture on proper behaviour from a woman who makes her living, working for a live show that murders kids!
But Isa didn't launch into an irritated reproach. Stephanie's breath hitched in anxious confusion, as the escort moved purposefully towards the bed with its discarded wrappings.
The same long-nailed hand that had sealed Stephanie's fate on the Reaping Day, when it had chosen her name from the thousands in that crystal globe; picked up Seneca's hand-written notecard that had come with her dress.
Greener than green eyes flickered over the fluid, ink-black few lines; but there were no girlish giggles from the escort this time. Irrationally, Stephanie felt her face warm slightly as she recalled Seneca's deliberately provocative, penned words.
Electra threw Stephanie a quick look; the scars on the left side of her face stretched taut with how tightly the blue-haired woman was clenching her teeth. But even Electra could think of nothing to say this time, as the escort then walked over to Stephanie; notecard still in her perfectly manicured hands.
Wordlessly Isa held the notecard out for Stephanie to take; scrutinising her with that same unnerving expression. Stephanie hoped Isa didn't notice how her fingers trembled as she accepted it; the paper still as smooth and crisp, scented faintly of roses as when she had first held it.
"You should fix yourself up for your date with Dan now, Stephanie pet," Isa advised. Stephanie nodded jerkily, not trusting her voice.
"Don't worry Isa, I'll make sure she at least looks somewhat presentable before being let out," Isa said smoothly, having finally found her voice.
Isa looked to Electra, then back at Stephanie; a little, annoyed frown on her face as though she couldn't quite figure out something.
They all jumped as a disconsolate wail shattered the air, and it seemed barely a second later, when one of Frenkin's stylists peeked her head into Stephanie's bedroom, sighing loudly in relief when she spotted Isa.
"Isa! It's an emergency! Alba is so distressed! No one told him that Frenkin was going on a double sponsor date. And now Alba is worried that Frenkin's outfit is going to clash horribly with that other tribute from District 5!"
Isa sighed huffily, stomping her heeled foot petulantly. "Well all Alba has to do is find out what the other tribute is wearing. Oh - ! I'll do it! Let's just get Alba to his studio first!"
A breathless grin of relief claimed the stylist's lips as Isa marched purposefully towards her.
"Oh!" Isa whirled just as she reached the threshold of the door, eyes landing immediately on Stephanie, a little oblivious grin on her lips again.
"And Stephanie pet, make sure you remember to thank your Capitol lover for your dress!" Isa said with a girlish wink and giggle, all unnerving looks from before completely gone, and her voice once more bursting with giddy brightness.
But Stephanie felt her heart stutter and even Electra's spine straightened instinctively in response to the escort's words. They both didn't miss the fact that Isa had said Stephanie's Capitol lover. Not Dan Flickerman.
Stephanie didn't know what was going through that little head of Isa's, or what those greener than green eyes had seen when Isa looked over Seneca's note the second time.
All Stephanie did know for certain now, was that Isa no longer believed Dan Flickerman was her Capitol lover.
Dan Flickerman; the linchpin of her entire plan, had just come…unpinned.
Sorry for the delay! Thanks to those who reviewed!
girlworthfightingfor; I wouldn't want to spoil it, but…yea, things are going to get interesting :P Oh, Electra is always done with Stephanie haha;
The Night Runner; Great to see you're back! :D I'm flattered that you still had a thought for how this story went after all this time! :D
Guest; Thanks! Next update :)
Silver Fletcher; Your feeling would be right; :D thanks!