Please read the author's note at the end of the chapter
Chapter Five: Drastic Measures
President Snow POV
"This is wholly disgraceful," President Snow muttered to himself as a nurse wheeled out a mutilated Avox girl on a gurney, "an entire disappointment." He slapped the Operation Duplication file down onto a desk. Images of other mangled Avoxes spilled out of the folder, only making his mood worse by reminding President Snow of the surgeon's many failures. A brown-haired girl was among them. She would have been pretty had her brain not been pushed out through her eye sockets when the computer wires shoved her brain apart.
Another black-haired woman was in the file. She would have lived out her days in happiness as District 9's Mayor's wife had she not been a traitor. But instead, she was lying in a ditch filled with hundreds failures and thousands of limes to lessen the stench. Her husband was committed to the Avox Society for being associated with her. He now spent countless hours silently weeping over his diseased wife. What a shame her body had exploded when the Sodium computer chip had reacted badly with the water in her system. It created quite a mess that her husband (by chance, of course) had to mop up.
His Vice President came in through the metal door carrying that day's newspaper. "She's made the headlines yet again, sir. It makes me consider whether or not I should stop the executive editor form printing these stories…forever."
"Nay," the President said. "We need his, shall I say, finesse and elegance for this matter when we finally bring down our greatest mistake. He was shaking in his great rage. President Snow's hands gripped the metal desk so hard his knuckles turned whiter than his already sun-deprived skin. He took the small screen from his lower's hands and scanned the article-video.
THE FLAMING LADY STRIKES AGAIN!
District Four: Investigators have been combing the crime scene for clues as to where the Lady Everdeen may be holding her court of treason. There has been no word as to if any leads have been found that may point to Everdeen's hideout or how the Lady pulls off these sadistic felonies. From this vantage point it appears to be yet another of the Lady's annihilations and robberies of the Capitol's banks. All responding troops, officers, and guards have been confirmed to be dead. There was no one left alive. The casualty number is one hundred thirty-nine and rising still as bodies are counted. Authorities have remarked on the curious crater left fifty yards ahead of the main vault. Trace amounts of napalm have been found near the crater which leads the authorities to believe that the Lady Everdeen may have some outside help supplying her with the cruel weapons of destruction. Various holes in the walls in and around the main vault give investigators good reason to believe that there is a person assisting the culprit. They believe it to be a young man by the name of Gale who lived in District 12 and was often said to be associated with Lady Everdeen by several helpful citizens. The amount stolen the Capitol Bank remains undisclosed. The only good that may have come from this tragic incident is that the Capitol may finally have a weapon that, if duplicated, may be able to subdue and capture the dreaded Flaming Lady Everdeen and strike down any remnants of rebellion District 13 may have left behind in this utopian community of peaceful people. – J. Thatcher, Capitol News.
President Snow threw the small computer screen onto the floor where it was absorbed by the flooring. He spat on the receding image of the "Flaming Lady."
"The time has come for drastic measures. Increase attempts at duplications by sixty percent. Tell the surgeons that for every five Avoxes they kill, is five lashes they receive upon their worthless, incompetent backs! I want that abomination brought in before the end of the season or I'll have your head! I don't care if it takes every man in the country, just bring me that girl!"
A/N: PLEASE READ THIS!! This chapter was really hard for me to write. Maybe it's because I'm losing interest in this story or maybe it's because I haven't been getting very many reviews. They really mean a lot to me! It really is what keeps me going. Anyway, I haven't had time to update in a while because of finals and such. Summer vacation just started a week ago for me and I lost five days when I went camping. I would really love some more reviews! I love constructive criticism so don't be afraid to say anything you think may need improving. This chapter wasn't necessarily short for dramatic effect, but merely because I couldn't come up with anything else at this point in time. It would really mean a lot to me if more people reviewed and came forward with ideas or even just comments. Still looking for a Beta.
Enjoy Writing,
RIOTH