Wrecked
Adric Pedersen glanced at the time before nodding to a group of soldiers. He was standing in front of the train station organizing several of the peacekeepers in preparation for the Victor's departure.
His deep hazel eyes briefly glanced to the crowd, it was getting larger by the minute.
Stars glimmered across the night sky. On any other night he would have stopped to appreciate the view, but not tonight.
He backed away and adjusted the stiff collar of his uniform.
"Sir—"
It was always strange for him to hear a middle age man call him sir, he was an officer but he was also just a young man.
"What is it?" He responded with reservation. His head tilted up. His posture was perfect, the confidence that spilled from him was the kind of confidence only a well-educated elite would be able to maintain.
"The Victor car is on its way to the station now, only a few blocks—"
He nodded swiftly, "Anything else?"
"Yes. It's—It's strange. Just under an a few hours ago I received a transmission from the PSO. We've got reports of a breach in sector 7, underground…"
Adric's eyes widened with urgency.
"Don't worry, a team went down there several minutes ago, it seems to just be a malfunction. Something about the dampness getting to the wires. Apparently the water and humidity had the floodgate doors malfunction."
"Are you positive?"
"General Pedersen…that is your father, said everything has been investigated to satisfaction."
Anxiety quickly fell away from him, "Good."
A wave of excitement ran throughout the crowd like a shock of electricity. Suddenly they started cheering.
Adric's eyes lifted to fast approaching car.
"Alright! Make sure you keep the crowd back, no one is allowed past those gates and onto the platform!"
Silently the peacekeepers and soldiers started to push the mob back, slowly making a trail for the Victor and her team to file down. Adric cupped his hands behind his back, bored at the task he was being forced to perform. His long legs moved to the side.
He studied the cracks in the pavement below his shiny boots, noting the number of curves in each one within a matter of seconds.
When the car doors opened the excitement reached its peak. Every Capitol citizen tried to get to the Victor.
Something was off tonight. Adric wrestled under his uniform. Something was wrong.
It wasn't until the entourage was to the steps that Adric managed to look up. Once he did he stopped cold. His eyes narrowed in confusion. First he saw the Victor, but that wasn't what made him freeze…it was the person next to her, cradling her.
Finnick Odair.
He blinked his eyes, following them observantly. He noted Finnick's red eyes, his protective stance, the look he gave the Victor as she past through the doorway.
His lips parted. His eyebrow knitted together suddenly.
Without thinking he picked up his feet. The train whistled as he jumped up the steps, reaching the platform within seconds.
The walls dulled the roar of the crowd beyond it.
His mouth was open, his eyes narrowed in a frenzy. Only one word came to mind: No.
The entourage was filing onto the train. Finnick was the last one.
Adric pursed his lips. He felt abrupt anger, even malice. Without thinking he sprinted towards the train's entry.
Finnick had just made the first step when Adric grabbed his arm.
"What are you doing?!"
In shock Finnick turned around and stumbled back onto the platform, "Let go of me!"
Adric scanned his face and tilted his head, "As an Officer of the Capitol Military I am asking what you're doing!"
Finnick puffed out his chest and stepped away. He looked beaten down. His eyes were so red. "I'm leaving."
The train whistled.
"What?"
A cold breeze blasted across the platform, some of Adric's electric blond hair stirred underneath his cap. He couldn't tell if Finnick's eyes were red from crying or because he disliked talking to a soldier so much.
"I'm leaving."
"But—how—Pandora is still here!"
Finnick looked away, shame and hurt read all over his face but he wasn't about to explain that to a scumbag from the Capitol.
"Let go of me," this time his voice was harsher.
"You can't—" Adric couldn't form words, he was shocked and horrified, "Pandora's still—"
Finnick grimaced. Tears started forming in his eyes as he pulled his arm back and glared at the soldier. His feet lifted quickly. Finnick darted up the train steps before Adric could stop him. Instantly the doors swung shut.
Adric was stunned. He had half a mind to halt the train but he just stood there. He caught a glimpse of Finnick's shadow through the windows. This couldn't be real.
With a screech the wheels started moving.
Adric stepped back with wide eyes. Suddenly the collar of his uniform felt very tight.
He swallowed the rawness in his throat, suddenly whirling around.
Without explanation he left the platform and broke through the line of peacekeepers. He was well into the crowd of fans when he started running.
Urgency and concern swept over him, making his blood pressure rise in fear. This was the something. This was the feeling he was getting.
He was running as fast as he could but it still wasn't fast enough.
A few Capitol citizens gawked at him as he blew past, whispering and wondering what that soldier was doing.
His eyes glanced to the concierge desk as he broke through the doors and unbuttoned the top bottom of the uniform, "Yuri!"
The concierge jumped out of his slumber and screamed, "Officer—what are you doing here?"
Adric glanced to the elevators like maniac and rubbed his lips with his finger, "Have you seen Pandora come by!?"
"I haven't seen anyone."
It wasn't the answer Adric wanted to hear. He shot Yuri a rage-full glare before running towards the elevator and jumping in.
His hands rubbed together urgently. Somehow he knew something bad was going to happen tonight. His lips dryly parted as the doors opened. Only a few more paces and he was there.
"Pandora!?"
He violently knocked on the doors. No answer.
"Pandora!? Are you there?!"
Again nothing.
He tried to stay calm as he pulled out a knife and wiggle the identification panel cover off, but he could feel his fingers shaking. A bunch of wires and microchips stared back at him. He wasted no time in hijacking the system, within seconds the doors opened.
At first it was too dark to see anything.
His breath trembled as he carefully stepped forward.
"Pandora!?"
The only response was a canine whimper.
His eyes darted through the darkness, his hand searched for the light switch. When he finally found it he stumbled back in horror.
"Oh my god…"
The whole apartment had been turned upside down. Anything breakable was crumbled on the floor. Chairs were half broken and scattered around the apartment. Mirrors were shattered.
"PANDORA!? ANSWER ME!"
Movement in the bedroom grabbed his attention. Quietly he grabbed his gun and took the safety off. Broken glass cracked and sang under his boots as he moved forward.
At the doorway he kept his gun confidently pointed and flipped the light on.
The bedroom was just as messed up as the main area. Pillows were torn, glass and mirrors shattered.
His eyes roved around the room observantly until movement to his side made him spin around. Swiftly he pointed his gun to the ground only to draw back.
Seven was huddled in the corner, his blue eyes gazed at Adric fearfully.
He lowered the gun, letting out a stressed sigh before placing it back in the holster.
"It's okay," he whispered to the wolf, his eyes peered to the bathroom as he knelt down to pet Seven.
Bottles and containers from the medicine cabinet had been thrown all over the floor. The shower had loose shards of glass hanging from it.
Seven whimpered as Adric pet him.
"It's okay," he repeated, "Everything will be okay."
But something felt terribly wrong.
He pursed his lips and angrily ground his teeth.
His hand moved to his belt suddenly. His finger struggled to press the sleek walkie button down, "Jarvis, this is Adric Pedersen. Are you there?"
White noise sounded for a second before the transmission was picked up.
"Adric, what the hell happened?! Why did you leave your post?!"
"I'm at the residence of Pandora Sullivan. I need reinforcements right now."
He could hear clicking on the other end of the line. Jarvis was probably plugging the name into the system for further identification.
"Pandora Sullivan? Why?"
"Because—" he gave Seven a solemn glance, "Something bad has happened."
"Alright, Adric, alright. I'm sending squad 451 your way right now."
"And Jarvis?"
"Yea?"
His eyes darkened, "I need you to activate her tracker."
"What?! Adric what's going on?!"
"Just do it!"
He let the walkie drop to the ground.
A shadow fell over his face. The panic was suffocating.
"Damnit, Pandora," his voice was barely a whisper, "Where are you?"
She was walking like a soulless shade. Her eyes were glued forward. Her breaths unevenly stung her lungs like needles.
The night was cold, but her skin was on fire.
She was far into the abyss of Energy Corridor.
Her hair wildly blew around her face and shoulders as she pushed through the crowd and glanced over the neon signs.
Everything was hazy, a giant blur she couldn't make sense of. A prickle at the back of the neck made her spin around. She could feel eyes on her, she turned from left to right but there was no one looking.
Since she ran out of her glass coffin she had felt eyes on her, felt like she was being followed. But each time she turned around there was no one.
Paranoia swallowed her grief for only a split second before she turned back around. Finnick's words were clawing at her brain.
Music rattled her whole body.
She licked her lips and hardened her gaze on the first club she saw. The wind picked up just as she reached the bouncer.
"Hello," her own voice scared her.
"Pandora Sullivan? Wow," the bouncer was star struck, "What an honor!"
"You gonna let me in or just stare?!"
He furrowed his brow in shock as he loosened the rope. A few people waiting in line jumped in excitement as she passed them up and pushed open the door.
Every move she made felt like someone else's. She descended the steps lifelessly and ordered a drink with a bitter edge.
It was dark except for a few colorful lights that swirled around. Good, she thought, that way no one can see the state I'm in.
Her back hunched over the bar as she placed her hands on either side of her head and stared at her drink.
Her knuckles were still bloody, she could feel the thick crimson gliding down her skin but she didn't blot it.
Her eyes glimmered as she threw back the first drink.
She wanted to drown herself. She wanted everything to fade away.
With every sip she took, with every drink that disappeared she felt like someone else. The warmness in her head and stomach wasn't comforting. Nothing was anymore.
Music blared, changed and morphed into a loud funeral ode to Pandora. She swayed slowly trembling as she lifted the 6th glass to her lips.
Time was become distorted.
She couldn't remember how long it had been since she arrived, and truthfully she didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore. Finnick was gone. She felt abandoned and empty.
"Hey—"
She parted her lips, corner-eyeing the owner of the voice. He had glasses and shaggy hair. Next to him were two other men, they all looked strangely disheveled. Out of place.
"Aren't you Pandora Sullivan?"
Her brown eyes glimmered with darkness and irritation, "Yea, want an autograph?"
They all laughed but it sounded forced.
"Wow, I'm a big fan."
"You're too kind," She spat back.
"It must feel strange to be the spokesperson of the Capitol and not even be from here, huh?"
Her smile was grim, "Yea, what an honor."
She was spewing off rehearsed lines she had used on Caesar and other interviewers, but every syllable she uttered sounded bitter and sharp.
The man with glasses leaned onto the bar and took a sip of his drink, "I bet people could point you out in a crowd."
Her lips mashed together, she was trying to ignore him.
"Funny that you don't have an escort? You'd think a person like you would have guards. After all you are the face of the Hunger Games, aren't you? Isn't that a little dangerous…"
Suddenly her patience ceased.
"How about I ask you a question?" She slurred turning to face the three men.
"What's that?"
"We're in the Capitol, right? But that sweater your friend is wearing doesn't look anything like high-class fabric, and your other friend—" she pointed to the one farthest away, "His boots look like his dead grandfather's. Isn't that a little funny?"
The man with glasses leaned back and smiled.
"And you want to hear something else?"
He arched his eyebrow, "Hm?"
"We're in the Capitol, right?"
She wasn't even bothering with niceties anymore. Her voice was pure sarcasm and knives.
He nodded, "Yea."
"And yet you don't have a hint of an accent."
His glasses reflected the dancing lights. His smile broadened, it looked frightening. He reminded her of a predator. Suddenly she was aware of how unaware she was. Everything was spinning.
"You're observant, aren't you?" she heard him say.
The next thing that happened took her so off guard she yelped, a yelp that was muffled by the music.
Unexpectedly and violently his hand was around her wrist.
She winced in pain and widened her eyes.
"I guess that's because…we aren't from the Capitol, Sweetheart. Brighton, go make sure the back door's opened."
One of the three nodded and disappeared into the crowd.
She twitched her eyes through the cloudy club, but no one was looking her way.
"Let go of me…" she whispered in sudden fear.
"Don't make a peep, you little wench," he pulled her to her feet.
She tried to catch the bartender's eyes but he was too busy. They sandwiched her, discreetly pulling her through the crowd.
She thought of running but his grasp on her was too tight and each of them was at least twice her size.
"What are you doing?" She tried to sober herself up but everything was blurry.
Pandora thrashed at the man with glasses but he pulled her further through the last bit of crowd. Her breathing shallowed when they moved through a swinging door. She screamed as he threw her against a wall, pain traveled along her side.
One of his partners locked the door swiftly.
"Help!"
"Shut her up, Brighton!"
She tried to dodge the blow but she was too intoxicated. Her jaw hitched as the man's fist bashed across her face. Blood spilled from her mouth. She fell to the ground.
"I checked the manhole, we got a clean exit."
"The military didn't catch the glitch in the underground system where we came through?"
"I don't think they suspect a thing."
"Great—Adler, bag her!"
Pounding rumbled the locked door. Someone had seen them.
Pandora cupped the blood spew from her mouth in shock, she groaned and lifted her eyes just as the man named Adler pulled a black sack out.
He cruelly stared at her before pulling it over her head.
Instantly Pandora started to thrash but the man held her down.
She could hear someone banging on the door again.
"Check her for trackers!"
She gasped for air and tried to overpower the man holding her down but it was no use, she was too weak.
Beeping pierced her ears.
Adler had a metal detector. He glided it over her body, checking for microchips. He was on her left arm when the beeping rattled with chaotic seizures.
"Got it!" he yelled to the leader, his finger skimmed over the barely noticeable scar before he pulled out a knife and sliced her skin open.
"AHH!" She screamed, stars whirled in her vision as his fingers dug through her skin.
He bared his teeth as he ripped it out of her arm and dropped it on the ground.
More banging echoed.
Pandora blinked her eyes but she couldn't see anything. The bag over her head blinded her, confused her.
"Alright, we need to leave now! Knock her out!"
"What?"
"I said knock her out, Adler!"
She felt one of them let go of her, her body spastically tried to shuffle back but someone grabbed her feet.
"Help!" She shrieked, "Someone help—"
A sharp pain at the back of her head silenced her. Her eyes started to close. She felt her body collapse and the world stop just as blood oozed down her neck.