Epilogue

-Sabadosh: 90 Days after the Hunger Games-

"Well?" I stared off into the lake below me, trying to not betray my anxiousness. All three of us had these meetings every week, but there wasn't much new information lately.

"Well, what?" McAvoy took another drink of whatever was in his glass.

"What happened to them? Any news?" Below me, I could see some kiddos enjoying the Saturday morning by the lake. They still had the joy of feeling completely free for the first time.

He took a long slip before answering. "Sabadosh, I've already told you. All the ships I sent there that night never reported back, but then again, neither did any of the ships the Capitol sent that night. We found numerous crash sites that didn't have any bodies in them, but that doesn't really mean anything."

"Okay then."

"Believe me, Andrea. If there were any indications that they were either alive or dead, I would tell you, but for now it's just a mystery we can't solve. We can only guess."

A weird, melancholic smile crossed my lips. I wasn't sure if I meant it or not. "So that's it. The ending of the last Hunger Games isn't even an ending at all? Do you think the viewers will be okay with that?"

McAvoy scoffed. "If people are going to be pissed about the ending to piece of fiction while there are actual problems in the real world, let them be."

I scowled. "Don't say that. If a person was personally involved or invested in the story, it mattered what the ending result was. It was important them, don't belittle that."

He shrugged. "Okay. I understand where you're coming from."

"McAvoy!" I turned to see three people: Nathan, Halle, and her sister Dani. I stayed back while they had their exchange.

Nathan walked up to McAvoy first. "Hey," he scratched the back of his head. "I wanted to tell you I'm going to be heading back to the Districts. There are a lot of puppies that need homes. I was nice working with you. I hope to see you again."

Nathan held out his hand, and McAvoy shook it. "Likewise. I glad you found something you wanted to do." Nathan turned left.

Next Halle and Dani came up to him. He smiled. "What? Are you leaving me too?"

Halle laughed. "Yeah, but before I go…McAvoy, I wanted to thank you for giving me the chance to rescue my sister." Dani added an additional thank you.

"I should be thanking you! I wasn't the one who fought her way through the Capitol prisons and not only rescued Dani, but everyone else as well."

Halle laughed nervously. "It was nothing really."

"Well, where you going, then?"

Halle seemed really excited. "The Capitol has so much food and tools I want to try out. Plus," She patted Dani. "Someone still needs to watch over my little sister."

Dani swatted Halle's hand away. "Halle, I'm only a few years younger than you."

They laughed, and at last, McAvoy said his final goodbyes.

Once the three of us were alone again, I continued our conversion. "McAvoy, what have you been doing lately?"

He swirled his drink around. "Well, as you can guess, there's not much need for a convert assassination group once the war is over. The thought of getting involved in all the politics going on sickens me, so my team and I have been sitting around, growing more bored with every day."

I might as well come out and say it then. "I've been thinking of giving the IB Program another try, and I wanted you to help me." They both looked at me like I was crazy. "It's not going to be what it was. It's something completely new."

McAvoy seemed relieved. "Well, I'm listening."

"There are so many young adults in this nation that are growing up with no education at all. And even more that are growing up in a nation of distrust, ignorance, and fear. Isn't there something we can do about it? That's where you come in, McAvoy. What do you think about becoming a teacher?"

He scratched his beard. "Sounds interesting. Count me in. I'll talk to everyone else. I'm sure they would love to have a roomful of people obligated to listen to their rants all day."

There is hope. Even after all this. I finally turned to the third person in our group, the one who had yet to say anything at all.

"And, what about you? Would you like to join the IB Program, Rose?"

Rose smiled and nodded.