All of us found ourselves ascending the stairs we have been ascending since five years. It was strange how the Capitol always showed interest in recruiting us 'scum' from the districts But, we were the employees they recruited in bulk; the ones to do their lesser bidding. And, our salaries are worth doing the work. So, many of us chose working for the Capitol for a few years and then settling in our respective districts.
"Five more years" I thought to myself, when I stood in front of the headquarters allotted to my district. I am originally from District 12, but, I work for District 4. They always did the shuffling. So that you won't have a soft corner for the people you will be spying upon.
As if it were some sort of a natural reflex, I swiped my ID card in the machine without even paying attention to it. I have been doing this since five years. The same, old, monotonous job.
"Amiga Krause. Daughter of Chris and Leah Krause. Enter" The machine yelled, as the doors slid, making way for me to enter the cabin. I swiftly walked without looking at my colleagues.
My cabin was located just a few cabins away from our leader's. The hierarchy of the positions was in this way. Each district was placed under a leader. Each leader had a minimum of 25 candidates under him or her. I am a candidate, under the leadership of Diana McWaters. Isn't it crazy how McWaters was in the control of District 4?
After President Snow died and Paylor was made the President, for a few years, Paylor governed our country Panem from District 8 itself. But, as time passed by, she realised how important it was to govern the country from a place away from the districts and therefore, the Capitol was brought into existence again.
"Good Morning doll!" I heard a voice I instantly recognised as Comorin's.
"Yeah. You too, Mr. Plymouth!" I replied.
Comorin Plymouth, who was a mountain of a man, took huge steps towards me and seated himself in my chair.
"Get up! Get up! " I literally shouted, receiving no response from him. Gah! Why do guys treat their female best friends this way?
"Please Com! Leave me alone for sometime."
"Aah! What happened to the Mr. Plymouth?" He teased me, trying to swirl around in the chair.
"Alright, my fault. I apologise. I'll meet you in your cabin in a few moments. Please just let me sit over here and mourn this horrible decision of mine to work for the Capitol!"
"SSH, girl, who knows where the cameras are!" He hissed.
I waved my hand in the air, dismissively, though I felt a bit scared, wondering what anybody's reaction would be if they heard me say something that rude.
"You don't have to meet me in my cabin. Diana McWaters has asked the both of us to meet her in a half an hour. Only the both of us."
"But why?" I asked him, completely baffled.
"There's two things, doll. We are either getting fired, or, they are going to bestow upon us the responsibility to do something shitty."
"So... Either way, we are doomed?" I asked, trying to catch up with him. Why did he have to take such huge leaps? He was aware of the fact that I am short, right?
"Completely doomed. BOOM!" He tried to joke.
"Comorin!" I tried to give him the serious look.
"What?" He asked me, when I halted. I stood motionless, my arms crossed in front of my chest. I needed to know why our leader, Ms Diana McWaters wished to meet the both of us only. I can't afford to get fired; there's a family of five people depending upon the money I send them home every month. Comorin was also burdened by the responsibility of taking care of his mother and sister.
"Why can't you just tell me why she summoned for us?" I asked him.
"Wouldn't I just tell you if I myself knew it?"
"Ohh."
"Now.. Stop tormenting me with your interrogation and please lets hurry. Something tells me this is gonna be a rise in the pay."
"And, something really time consuming and-"
Before I could complete myself, we got into the elevator and the doors slid. We were surrounded by a group of workers who worked for district 11. Sasha and Mita, I recognised them. I nodded my head, as if greeting them. Mita reciprocated it, but, Sasha was staring at somebody else.
"Hey! Comorin, right?" She asked him.
He nodded his head, in reply. I must admit it, he looked very... Intimidating? Is that the right word to use?
"Sasha. "
"Ohh " he replied.
She wasn't too happy with the abrupt end in the conversation and I found myself way too happy with the turn out of the events.
"Here, Amiga. Let's go!" He said, gripping on my hand. When we reached the 4th floor, he literally pulled me out of the elevator. I turned behind, to see Sasha's reaction.
Satisfactory is an understatement.
We briskly walked towards our leader's personal cabin, as butterflies were fluttering by in my stomach. Why on Earth was she interested in meeting the two of us only?
Her official cabin was located just a few cabins away from ours. But, the leaders' personal cabins were in a different block altogether, connected by an elevator. The leaders always used their personal cabins when they wanted to deal with confidential matters. Like a special mission. Or firing a candidate with whom they had a close association. The fact that the second option had more chances of being true troubled me.
Just a few inches in front of the door, Comorin abruptly halted. He took a deep breath.
"Look, doll. I think this meeting with her is going to change our lives in a major way. I don't know. This is something really major. Something that could render us into something we aren't. Before I become somebody else, I would like to thank you for always being with me during my hard times. For comforting me. For-"
I interrupted him by placing my hand on his shoulder.
"Gods! You sound so.. Emotional? Com... You know you don't have to thank me! I will always be there for you! Nothing is going to happen! She probably liked the way we worked and decided to promote us to the richer districts!"
He didn't look that convinced. He looked vulnerable. Shaky. Like, if you shook him a bit, he would probably start spilling out the terror that has been tormenting him, in the form of tears.
Comorin and I have been friends since childhood. He is like family. There's nothing I don't know about him. He never looked so scared in his entire lifetime.
But, that's what life does to you. Our entire families are depending on the money we earn. If we cease to take home the bread and bacon...
"I guess you're right, Amy. I am so glad you know how to cheer up people!"
He smiled, and I could sense that the entire tension and worries welling up inside me dissipated.
"Shall we go in?" I gently asked him, lightly placing my hand on his wrist. He shook his arm.
"Scared, are you?" I mocked him. He didn't reply. Sweat was beaded on his forehead and I realised that he took this matter way too seriously.
"Promise me you will never leave my side." He muttered, gripping on my arm tightly.
I looked him into the eyes, only to receive a very firm yet gentle gaze from him. His eyes conveyed a lot - terror, anxiety. And... What? What is exactly going on in his brain?
"Com? You okay?"
"I - I... Amiga... Well. I think I lo-"
"Gosh! Can we leave this part for the grand finale? We need to discuss about something else. Namely, the future of our country. It very indirectly depends upon you both. Now, follow me into the office."
-***********-
Gale's POV
"I am glad all of you have ensconced yourself. We will be approaching district 4 in an hour or two. Have fun!" I announced, seating myself beside Mabel.
Mabel, Creighton, Katniss, her annoying boyfriend Cortez and I set off to District 4 just an hour ago. In my own private jet.
Yeah. Being a famous celebrity has its own pros and cons. Let's not focus on the cons right now. Let's focus on the pros aka owning your own jet.
None of us spoke anything for a while. Mabel grasped my hand and rested her head on my shoulder. I tried to stroke her hair with my other hand.
Cortez and Katniss were indulging in a very deep conversation. Creighton was asleep already.
I hate such silent moments.
Such silent moments drive me back to the past; and all of the gruesome scenes that took place in the past get replayed in my mind.
And, one of the scenes that played the most was the final goodbye Katniss bade me.
She never even technically told me a goodbye.
I ended up killing her sister Prim in the bombings and that was it. Everything between me and her just toppled and crashed.
What was she even doing now? I hope she is happily married to Peeta. Did they never think of meeting me? I wasn't able to meet them up, thanks to my busy schedule. It's never easy for a celebrity to meet his old friends. They could have surely met me.
Wait... It has been more than 20 years since we last spoke. How was she doing? Did she even marry Peeta? What about their children? She never wanted to have any children. It's sad.
I hope she was coming to the marriage. At least that way, we would end up meeting again.
And, I desperately needed to meet her. I just realised how much I missed her. I need her to see the way I have developed in life. She will be very happy.
Adrenaline was surging through.
If things went really well, I could meet Katniss!
Amiga's POV
We found ourselves following Ms Diana McWaters, our leader. She was a short woman, with large, expressive hazel eyes and Sandy brown curly hair. Her childish features very well concealed the fiery passion that resides in her heart.
She is the manifestation of passion. There wasn't one thing she achieved without passion. Her presence itself ionised the air. Fickle minded people called call her scary. But, I just know what they want to say- powerful. Interesting.
She always tried to drip her words in sarcasm which clearly sends us only one message- Beware. Still water runs really deep.
Comorin raised his eyebrows at me, and I realised he was asking me the question I was asking myself- What is she going to do to us?
McWaters led us into a room, which was adjacent to her main cabin.
The room wasn't large; there was clearly a couch and nothing else that indicated that this was the office of a powerful woman.
"Sit down, folks!" She cheerily sang, sitting on the couch.
Comorin and I promptly sat down right beside her.
She smiled at us, and we carefully returned the same.
Overdoing the smile would make her feel we took her for granted, while, not returning the smile would indicate that we fear her.
Both aren't good for our survival.
"So... How's things going?" She asked
"Fine, madam!" Comorin replied. She turned towards me and I mildly smiled.
"Fine, that's it?"
"Perfect!" I smiled.
Comorin glared at me and I stopped smiling.
"Never underestimate the power of life, darling. It screws you up when you think everything is 'All Happies'. "
Comorin and I exchanged nervous looks.
"I have a task for you two. Well, I am sure that you guys have been invited for Triton Maximus Odair's marriage!"
We nodded our head, in reply.
Three years ago, Max, Com, and I worked for District 7. We had become really good friends, then. His wife, Suzanne is also a very good friend of ours.
"You both are being sent over there to bridge the gap between our generous government and the victors."
"I am afraid I don't understand anything." Comorin said.
"Does anything ever enter your thick skull?" She growled. "Okay. Look. There's going to be many victors over there. Your job is to assist Marvel."
"Marvel!?" We echoed, completely confused. What does the presence of too many victors have to do anything with assisting Marvel?
"Marvel, my secretary. You need to help him. You have to see to it that people don't trouble him much."
"Madam.." I gently breathed. "I am not trying to contradict you in any manner. I am your candidate and one of my chief motives is to see to it that your missions go well-"
"Get to the point, woman!"
"Marvel aint in District 4, ma'am. Comorin and I have already surveyed the Odairs' house. There is no Marvel. I am really sorry. I profusely apologise."
McWaters looked at Com and me, and smiled, revealing all of her teeth.
"Cinna. Marvel is Cinna. You have to see to it that people don't find out the fact that Cinna is somebody else."
The Mellarks and the Odairs are playing in the beach. District 4 looks really beautiful. But, I am here to do something else.
I slowly removed the camera from my pocket and began to shoot my surroundings.
'No use. She already knows what's going on!' I thought to myself and placed it back in my pocket.
I am here to see to it that they support us.
The government needs the victors to support the government.
I am Marvel. Marvel Rodriguez. Secretary of Diana McWaters. Paylor herself appointed me to do this.
I need to prove myself.
I found Katniss turning back and smiling at me.
I smiled back at her.
'What if they realise that I am not behaving like Cinna?' I remembered the conversation I had with Paylor herself.
"Nobody remembers much about him."
And now, this woman is moving way too close with me.
Is she doing this because she loved the original Cinna or because she suspects that something is wrong?
No! Of course not! Everything is alright! This is Paylor's plan- nothing would go wrong.
Long Live Panem. Long Live President Paylor!