Author's Note: Here is a one hit chapter introducing someone we see much later in the story but she is nonetheless important.
Thanks go to my reviewers as always : Wren, Pandora, JB, ASMF and SMT thanks guys for cheering me on so far.
Chapter 3
Paylor: Voice of the People
I say goodbye to the Kinkaids. Knowing I have them to back me up.
Castiel has a plan we thought up late into many night about. He wishes me luck as the first chills of early fall hit me. I can't believe I spend nearly a whole month with president snow's extended family and have felt as safe as I would in the company of Tracker and Tracer.
I do a solid two days straight ride but my bike runs out of fuel shy of district five. I end up on the outskirts of eight. Not only that but I've been riding hard ever since I left the Capitol and I think it needs a tune up. If I want it to make it to Twelve eventually it needs one. Since eight transports cloth and they don't always transport it to the Capitol first they have trucks so I am sure they have mechanics.
And I am sure those mechanics would love to sink their claws into fixing a motorcycle for a change. I walk it in and find a garage on the edge of town. The mechanic seems smart enough he can identify the sparkplug, and Boggs had said these bikes were tough and easy to maintain so I leave it in his capable hands and ask if there is a motel or hostel I can stay at for the few days it will need to be fixed.
On foot district eight is daunting. Tall buildings are foreboding and give the strong feeling of being closed in. I walk the streets to a hostel. Once there I see some people handing out sheets of paper. A meeting is being held tonight. They make sure to only give them out when the peacekeepers aren't looking, I get one shoved into my hands as I head inside. It peeks my interest so after getting a room for a couple days and putting my bags in a secured locker I head for one of the factories. I keep my eye out for peacekeepers as I duck into an alleyway and take the back route into one of the buildings. I show the flyer and a big burly guy lets me pass.
The room is filled with people waiting. For what I am not sure, the flyer just said 'meeting tonight' and an address.
A man finally stands up, and he starts talking about coming together as a unit, to secure buildings, to fight back but it sounds like a lot of hot air.
That is…however…until I hear a woman's voice in the din.
"And what then?" she calls, "what do we do when we have those places secure? A call from anywhere in the city and we will be brought down!"
The decent takes on a whole different tone, it's directed at the woman but I don't feel the anger of before curiosity is winning out, but she shies away a bit.
"She has a point" I call out
All eyes go from her to me, I look at her, "it can't just be taking down a few points, you have to be ready to defend right?"
The eyes fall to her and she nods.
"Well then! It's gonna take a lot more people than this rabble" I add and walk out.
The crowd murmurs as I leave and I head for a diner not far. They serve greasy food and tea that tastes more like dirty dishwater. At least it's hot and somewhat filling and cheap.
"This seat taken?" says a voice, I look up and it's the lady from that rally brown eyes and dark brown hair she has pulled back into a ponytail.
"Free country isn't it?" I offer as a yes but she looks confused, "have a seat"
She sits down, "that was gutsy what you did with all those men around, and being a stranger"
"You had more guts standing up in the first place, why did you shy away?" I ask as conversation
She shrugs, "I didn't mean to, just-"
"Reflex" I say, "you shouldn't though, you had a point and those men weren't looking at you angry"
"How would you know? Worked here?" she asked, "Murdock has them in his back pocket spurtin' his propaganda"
"Does he now?" I sip at the tea, "euch! I should really just have water" I mutter
"Or coffee" she motions for two cups to be brought over
"How did it go Vivian?" the waitress asks
"How do you think?" she responds pouring a lot of sugar into both hers and mine and then cream, "this kid spoke up to, you should have seen their faces"
I look at the offered cup dubiously although it smells pretty good and very sweet. "old habit, I always question things. What would you do, if it were you leading this whole…scenario" I circle my spoon in the air slowly before plunging it into the murky liquid.
She looks at me, seems to take a sip of coffee in thought. I can see cogs twirling in her head. Her eyes are sharp, "we would have to break communication, so nothing comes in or out without us knowing. We'd need a means to defend ourselves and fight back. A place to protect the kids and elderly, but everyone else would have to help out, like you said we need more than a handful of people."
I smile, "it's gonna take a lot more than handing out flyers and hoping people show up" I tell her, "something of this caliber means the person willing to take control is also willing to get dirty"
She smirks, "where is the fun of sitting safe and sound when everyone else has to shed blood"
We look at each other. Kindred spirits.
"Exactly. Think Murdock would bleed with the men he leads?" I ask
She laughs at that, "Murdock would rather be like a general of old just pointing and barking, wouldn't take long for the men he leads to turn on him"
"I would if I were them for certain" I say, "what they need is someone thinking a couple steps ahead, next ten steps. Fine you secure the major points but then what? Like you said communication has to be stopped dead for it to work"
She scoffs, "they won't listen to me"
I take a sip of my coffee and am glad it doesn't taste like the stuff Tracker drinks.
"Well if they don't and they fail you might have another chance" I tell her, "heck if I were staying I would be right beside you rifle in hand"
"Y'know we are chatting like old friends and I don't even know your name" she says
"Call me Sparrow for now" I reply
"A rare little bird around here" she says, "heck we don't even get mockinjays" she looks at me and a smirk plays on her lips, "names Paylor by the by" she puts out her hand and we shake, "so Sparrow, if I can get you to stay a while maybe you could sing me a tune of how to really take the bull by the horns"
I smile, she is better at talking covertly than I am!
We spend the evening chatting about everything then she has me stay with her until my motorcycle is ready, finding out I was staying in (her words) 'a dirty old shack of a hostle'.
When I drop the doctor bag the first night into staying with her she is surprised.
"You're awfully young to be a doctor" she looks confused
"I'm a quick study" I reply setting the couch for sleep, "so Paylor, mind telling me how long this Murdock fellow has been griping?"
"Ever since these games" she says, "he got all bent outta shape when the two kids from twelve were supposed to kill each other, and when they pulled that stunt…with the berries? It just sent him over the edge" she doesn't sound all that enthused
"And what about you?" I ask, "what got you going?"
"Two years prior" she says, "that girl from five, not the winner her mentor…dying, vanishing, I remember the party she has here cute kid, full of spirit. Shaking hands, respecting the tribute families. She had the pull to do something special" she says, "inspiring really, she was what fourteen?"
"You are inspiring" I tell her, "you stood up when all the sheep were following the leader"
"I'm only thirty kid" she says, "Murdock is older and that counts for a lot"
"Numbers" I shrug, "if you led the rabble, with your spark, with your drive, your initiative." I laugh gently, "you could lead an army"
"Says you" she says throwing me a dishtowel, "you dry"
By the time my bike is ready to go I hope she believes what I tell her, Vivian has more light in her than she gives herself credit for, maybe it will take Murdock failing for her to take up the banner.
"You be careful alright kid" she says, "stay safe"
"Get dirty Vivian" I tell her, "I'll stand by you if you ever need a second in command"
She laughs, "say hi to your friends in five" she says, "wish us luck"
"I will but you won't need it Murdock will" I smile and head off, confident that if she ever takes up command she will be followed by the mob.