The Candidate

His heart felt like it was going to explode. He let out a cry, placing his hands on either side of his head. Panic quickly match the building dread.

Think, he told himself, clear your head and think.

He gasped for air. Mironov had tried to warn him that there was more to come, but how could he have known it was going to be this soon? He didn't even know what was coming.

Through chaos and urgency he searched his mind until the clearest solution presented itself. There were only a few places they would take her. Mironov was giving her drugs for a reason and they needed Mironov. Laboratories, medical equipment…they were heading to the PSO.

Suddenly Adric eyes lifted to the sky. His hair stirred in response to the wind. He took one last breath and then his feet started moving. He was running as fast as he could. By foot he couldn't hope to get there in time, but maybe by car he could.

Paralyzed. That was the only thought that occurred to Pandora. She was paralyzed, but her mind was wide-awake. Only her body was asleep. Some strange soldier was carrying her through sterile hallways. She twitched her eyes around quickly realizing they were in the PSO. The air smelt like steel and medicine. A man nearby came into view. Mironov.

She tried to lift her fingers, to spring out of the soldier's arms. She wanted to attack Mironov. He had betrayed her. He had led her into a trap that he knew she wouldn't be able to get out of, and for what? When she asked herself the question she felt like throwing up. A petrifying fear sunk into her consciousness. This was the reason Snow had looked at her the way he had when they danced. He planned this, probably months in advance. He was a snake in the grass and his fangs were deep in her skin before Pandora even knew that she'd been bitten.

A sensation buzzed in her feet. She gasped as she wiggled her foot. She could move it. The serum was wearing off.

"She's moving her foot, doctor."

Mironov didn't bother looking at Pandora or the soldier, "Good. I don't want her paralyzed fully when I do the procedure."

Her eyes widened. Procedure. Puzzle pieces were coming together but not fast enough. She thought back to the year long discussions she had with President Snow. She thought back to when she agreed to his terms. He had called her a candidate.

She could move her fingers now. They twitched as the feeling came back into her muscles.

The sector of the PSO they were in now was off limits to most. It felt subterranean and hollow. She could hear their feet smashing against the ground. Doors flew by, metal doors with large numbers engraved into them. It wasn't until the last one that they stopped.

Mironov pressed his hand against the panel as soon as it appeared. The doors swooshed open so lightly that you would have thought they were made of feathers instead of steel.

"Take her inside, put her on the ground, then leave. I'll do the rest."

The soldier nodded.

The room was terrifying. The ground wasn't solid, at least not completely. It was made up of metal grating. Pandora tried to see what was beyond the grating when she was set down but only blackness stared back. There were machines, large and monstrous. But she didn't notice the most terrifying detail until she lifted her eyes. A contraption was hanging overhead. It was hard to see the fine details but she could see that many wires were hooked up to the machines. A large needle gleamed at the epicenter of the contraption. She felt her lips tremble.

"You can leave," Mironov nodded.

"I have orders, doctor, to keep an eye on you."

Mironov stared at the soldier and froze. "Do you see over there?" He pointed to observation windows. President Snow was standing behind the glass, as was Trajan. "They can see me, if I was trying to get away with anything I would have done something on the car ride over. I told you to leave, and when you do lock the doors in place."

He didn't wait for the soldier to turn around before kneeling to Pandora's side and starting to work. Her dark eyes were filled with rage. When he touched her she wanted to scream.

"You—" the serum made her speech slower, "You are a liar."

He closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't want this."

Steel chains were hanging on either side of the contraption. He pulled them down and sat Pandora up, clasping them on each of her wrists. They weren't like the ones Nyx Starson and the rebels had used, these were modern and sleek. She barely felt them around her wrist, that is until Mironov forced her into a standing position. Her feet were on the ground and tingling. The metal grating felt like it was cutting into her soles. Mironov made it so the chains gave her slack. She could drop to the floor if her body needed to but she couldn't move forward or backward.

"You told me I could trust you."

President Snow entered through a door that linked the medical chamber to the observation room. He cupped his hands behind his back as he watched Mironov work.

"You shouldn't be in here," the doctor quickly said as he started placing monitoring wires on Pandora's chest, arms, and head.

"It hasn't started yet, I wanted to say a few things before it did."

Mironov pursed his lips as he walked over to the monitors and started them up. Screens came online and buttons lit up. Pandora heard the contraption sing to a start.

Her knees shook, but she wasn't going to fall.

"The serum wore off fast," Snow observed.

"I didn't give her a high dosage. If she's paralyzed then it won't work. I was hoping I'd have more time before it wore off though."

"Hm—"

Mironov rubbed his hands together and came back into Pandora's peripherals. He was trying to concentrate. What he was about to do could kill her if he made one mistake. With a doctor's steadiness he grasped the device holding the needle and pulled Pandora's hair away from the back of her neck. She tried to thrash but he grabbed her shoulder.

"This is going to hurt," he whispered, "I had hoped you'd be mostly paralyzed for this. I'll try to do it quick."

She bared her teeth and growled at him with hate. There were no words for how she felt. She was mess of emotions, she couldn't make sense of them, they were boiling over inside her. Everything was happening so fast.

Blinding pain stabbed at the back of her neck. Mironov was inserting the needle into the back of her brain. Her fingers spread apart in agony, all her instincts told her to claw at the top of her neck but she was restrained. Just when she thought the pain would stop it didn't. She could feel the needle sliding into her. Her mouth opened with a terrified scream.

"There," he stumbled back and rubbed his beard with wide eyes. "It's in place."

President Snow tilted his head in interest, "Like a key in a lock."

The doctor dropped his eyes. He couldn't look at Pandora.

"I'd like to be alone with her for a minute."

"What?"

"Just one minute. I'd like to talk."

"No."

Snow shot him a deathly glare, "I said I want to talk."

Mironov peered to Pandora. Her lips were pale, her eyes wide and unblinking. It was obvious how frightened she truly was. Only an hour before this she was celebrating her birthday—now that was all over.

"We need to do this fast," he said. "Be quick."

His limped walk rattled the metal grating. Once inside the observation room he took a seat at his station. His hands started pressing buttons. His eyes twitched to a screen that depicted Pandora's brain. He could see everything.

"So that's what the inside of her skull looks like?" Trajan said, leaning over the station in fascination.

"Something like it."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Viktor."

Mironov cupped his hand over his mouth. He hoped so too.

"My dear Miss Sullivan, I guess this is where we part ways. At least for the moment."

Tear spilled out of her eyes. The pain at the back of her neck was agonizing.

"You once asked me about what your candidacy meant? Well—this is it. Of course Viktor explains it better than I do, but I wanted to be the one to tell you. Plus I don't think he has the stomach for it."

"I'm going to kill you."

"Oh? How determined of you, and centered—it's nice to see that even with a needle in that brain of yours you still have a sharp tongue."

He scanned her up and down before taking another step forward.

"Your DNA and chromosome count is very special—an anomaly that I've been waiting many years for. It allows us to successfully immerse your brain, to perfect that special DNA of yours using a tonic of Viktor's making. All this will make much more sense in time."

"I hate you," she growled.

He smiled, "To be honest I always hoped the candidate would be someone from the Capitol, a man or soldier. But of course fate had other plans. You came along and made my day. A very special girl. It's fitting this should happen on your birthday, look at this as your rebirth into a new life."

In that moment she wished she had died on the operating table, or even better in the arena. Tears choked her.

"This isn't goodbye of course, but I just wanted to say how happy I am—" he was inches away from her face, his smile unwaveringly evil, "I just can't wait to see how you turn out."

Her breaths shook into a low and hateful simmer. With a snarl she spit in his face and narrowed her eyes. Immediately his smile dropped. He moved back quickly, grabbing for his kerchief to wipe his face.

"You're pathetic!"

He stared at the wiped away spit and then back to Pandora. He should have been angry but he wasn't, he was overjoyed. He laughed and clapped his hands together. The bastard loved every minute of this.

Back in the observation Mironov room was preparing. His hands were shaking. He felt great guilt—overpowering guilt that he couldn't reveal to anyone. He knew he was damning himself by doing this. He would never forgive himself. He wiped the sweat away from his brow and leaned back.

"Hey! You can't be here!"

He twitched his eyes to the door leading to the corridor. Loud shouts were echoing. Trajan put his hand on his gun and looked too. Heartbeats past before beeping sounded.

"What is that?" Mironov asked.

Trajan pulled out his gun and pointed it to the door, "Someone's accessing the entrance panel."

A click sounded. The doors swooshed open.

"Wait!" Mironov yelled, stopping as soon as he saw the person standing in the doorway.

"Adric…" Trajan identified, lowering his gun for a split second.

Adric was sweating and frantic. "Where is she!?"

He stumbled back as soon as his eyes landed on the windows. He could see President Snow talking to Pandora, more importantly he could see her hooked up to a contraption.

"What have you done!?"

"Calm down, Adric," Trajan warned.

His gaze landed on Mironov, "Whatever you're about to do stop it!"

Mironov lifted his hands and looked to Trajan, "I can't…I'm so sorry…I can't."

He charged forward and swung his fists at Mironov but before he could get close enough to hit the doctor his father grabbed him by the uniform and pushed him against the wall.

"Get off me!"

"I said calm down, boy!"

Adric tried to shove his father away but he wouldn't let go.

"What have you done, Viktor!?" he screamed, "What have you done!?"

"You will stop this!" Trajan roared.

Silence suddenly fell. Adric's broken breaths pierced the air.

"Viktor, close and lock the observation entry, please. We don't want anymore interruptions."

Mironov sadly lifted himself out of his chair and obeyed. Trajan didn't take his eyes off Adric.

"You will listen to me," He said to his son, "Or I will break your arm, you understand?"

Angry tears were welling in Adric's eyes.

"When I tell you to stay you stay."

President Snow suddenly came through the door and paused. His eyes landed on Adric.

"Where did he come from?"

Trajan closed his eyes, "He followed us."

Snow adjusted his well-tailored suit and smiled, "Just in time for the show."

Mironov sealed the door behind Snow and stared through the glass. It was time.

"You ready, Viktor?"

The doctor held his hand to his head. He was desperately trying to not cry. He could hear Adric's pained breaths, feel his eyes on him. The shame he felt in that moment would never be surpassed for the rest of his life.

A second went by before he felt Snow's hand on his shoulder.

"I said, are you ready?"

He opened his eyes and lifted his head, "Y—Yes."

"Good. Let's get started."

"The procedure works in stages. I can't go to the highest stage, that will put her into shock. I'm going to start low." He eyed the screen of her brain and checked her vitals before pressing a yellow button and putting his hand on a lever. He eased on the lever slowly.

Pandora felt burning pain spreading inside her brain.

"Ah! Stop!"

Her heart rate spiked.

"Okay," Beads of sweat dripped down Mironov's face.

"You're hurting her!" Adric yelled. His father was still holding him against the wall.

"That was the lowest—" he whispered, "It's not taking. I'm going to increase it."

He eased once more on the lever.

Pandora lips shook. The burning was growing into a raging fire that was terrorizing her brain. She could actually feel it starting to pump through her veins.

"STOP!" She cried out through screams. Tears flowed from her eyes.

Adric gasped in panic. He had promised he'd take care of her and he wasn't doing it. He needed to save her. With his last bit of strength he pushed his father away and started running towards the door.

Mironov widened his eyes. With his hand still on the lever he shouted, "Adric! No!"

Adric tried the doors, but they wouldn't open. Not even with his hand against the panel.

"They won't open! I'm the only one that can do it!"

His eyes burned as he stared at Pandora through the glass, "Open them!"

"If I do that now then I could kill her, Adric! No one can enter the chamber right now!"

"Alright…everyone calm down," Snow grabbed the gun from Trajan and pointed it at Adric.

"Sir—" Trajan tried to object but Snow raised his hand to silence him.

"Increase the levels, Viktor."

Mironov shook his head, "Her brain isn't absorbing it like it should. We should stop. I don't think it's working."

Adric was frozen in place.

"Viktor, do it."

"It's too much, it might kill her."

"I said do it!"

"She's not animal," Mironov tried to plead, "She's a girl. I can't just do this. I—"

Snow's cold eyes moved from Adric to Mironov.

"Alright, then I'll do it myself."

"NO!" Adric screamed.

Mironov tried to stop him but before he could Snow pushed the lever all the way up.

"What have you done?! That's too much!" Mironov's voice was as sharp as glass, "No, no, no…"

He started flipping on switches.

From beneath the metal grating a breeze began to blow. Pandora gasped for air as the breeze made her hair and dress dance. She turned her eyes to the glass just as the pain exploded. It coursed from the needle to the rest of her body so fast that she didn't know what hit her. A devastating scream overtook her. She felt her muscles twitching. Her brain felt like it was being scrambled. Her legs started to kick and her arms flailed involuntarily.

Adric banged on the door but it wouldn't give.

"No—" he whispered, his hands pressed against the glass. "What's happening to her!?"

Mironov was rushing. Pandora's vitals were spiking off the charts.

"She seizing! It's too much for her…Dammit!"

"Stop it!"

Pandora wailed. She snapped her eyes shut. Pain not blood was traveling through her body now. A final gasp filled her lungs as she fell to the ground. The breeze blew her hair around her shoulders and face. When she opened her eyes back up she saw him as clear as day. Adric was pressed against the glass. He was shouting and terrified.

Her eyes stayed on him even though her body was convulsing.

"Adric!"

The machines sparked with electricity.

"She's going into shock…" Mironov mumbled with worry, "No. The serum is entering her system successfully but it's ravaging her brain!"

Adric could hear her scream his name through the glass. Tears welled up in his eyes. He couldn't save her and she was only a few feet away.

"Adric! I'm on fire! I'm on fire!"

"No…do something!" He cried to Mironov.

The doctor glanced to the medical screens and then to the vitals. There was only one thing he could do for Pandora now. He stared at the button he needed to push.

She could feel her brain short-circuiting. Memories flickered like a skipping song. Finnick's smile. Adric's hair. August's laugh. Scorch falling into fire. Nyx's brains and blood on the ceiling. They were replaying over and over again. Fading in and out.

"I need to put her into a coma!"

Snow stepped forward, "What? No."

"If you want her to live it's the only way!"

"The procedure isn't done."

"The procedure is complete! What we're dealing with now is the repercussions! If you want her to live I need to do this! This is my fail safe. I won't let her die!"

Mironov glanced to the button.

"Do it!" Adric shouted.

The doctor gave Pandora one last look. He thought about his dead daughter, Pandora looked so much like her. Slowly his hand reached for the button.

"God forgive me," he whispered to himself.

The moment he pressed the button he held his breath.

Pandora kept her eyes on Adric. Her heart was beating faster and faster. Pain left her tongue-tied. Pain was making her whole body shake.

Then—suddenly—another sensation appeared. Coldness—she could feel something else being injected into her, but it was different. It felt like ice. A raw shriek sounded from her as she tried to fight against it, but she could feel her heart rate slowing, feel the pain subsiding. She stared at Adric, black dots were forming in her vision. This was it. Blackness was sweeping over her. Her muscles relaxed, but it wasn't a relief—it was like falling. It was the same sensation she had felt in all her dreams…to be completely terrified but equally helpless. The ice spread to her legs, further to her toes.

Slowly her eyes shut.

The last thing she would remember was Adric's expression as he watched her fall into a sleep so dark and still it might as well be death.

|End of Epoch Two|

Pandora Sullivan will return in Shadows of Time