Author's Note: "will Ariana ever meet Katniss?" it's been a question on reviewers minds since maybe sparrow's song, I've been ask by a few of you one time or another.

Inevitably she will meet Everdeen. Like everyone of note in the HG verse Everdeen is gonna have to be seen by her and vise versa. How and when are more operative…and the answer to those are 1) not in the best way, and 2) soon, so be patient if you have any more questions by all means send them to me thru PM or by your review and if they don't spoil anything I'll be more than willing to answer them thru A/Ns

Thanks go to my reviewers: HL, Seaotter, Pandora, EasternWindDragon (new reviewer! Welcome to the fold!) and JB

Chapter 8

The Lie on the Card

Murder, threats, bargaining. I'm not surprised by a lot of these things. The fact that these two teens were told they have started an uprising is ludicrous.

"I think Snow just wants to blame someone other than himself" I say cleaning a corner of the table so I can eat something.

I had slept after Haymitch wasn't coherent enough to explain the previous night. He had said those three words then more or less passed out again. I picked my way to a spare bedroom found it to be somewhat livable and had a rest.

Now I am in his kitchen coffee in hand listening to the laments of my old mentor. Katniss stunt may have been risky but rebellions don't start with a handful of nightlock.

I tell him as much.

"It takes more than berries y'know" I tell him, "this was a long time coming" I push a cup of coffee towards him and he looks at it disgusted, "look to be any help you should start with something other than moonshine"

He takes a sip and grimaces, "how do you know so much?" he asks

So I fill him in on what I have been up to. How the young adults of the capitol are not in league with their parents half the time, how they make suicide pacts each year and get their stomachs pumped right after by the hospital. How none of the upperclassmen realize this is going on right under their nose. The lax in security in four and how Castiel and Victoria will be using the Snow name to have the peacekeepers stand down so communication can cease. How I met Vivian Paylor who should be redirecting the rebellion in a proper fashion after the whole debacle is attempted to be quieted in eight.

I don't mention however that I has put this is the last games yet, how Heavensbee is controlling it and Coin is rescuing the tributes.

I don't trust anyone to that piece of information, except for Tracker and Tracer, because let's face it, they have the coolest heads out of the four of us. Haymitch would call me crazy and deter me.

His TV comes on automatically later today. Something I am accustomed to from the times in the community home, if there are special announcements there is an override they can use in the Capitol to make sure everyone is watching. That's how they force everyone to watch the games.

It starts with Flickerman showing Katniss in dress after dress. I still can't believe they are going thru with this, I don't know if Peeta is happy or upset at this whole act. All I do know is he probably didn't plan on it happening this way.

Then President Snow comes on. He gives a lecture about the story behind the games, about the dark day (again a blah blah moment only now it also feels like a sham, which it is, he is probably so overjoyed at seeing children die for his own enjoyment) then he takes the card from a box a young boy has opened. I know that card is blank so it's really no surprise when he says the thing every victor dreads.

You are not safe.

You are not immune.

Two of you are going back in.

Haymitch reacts pretty bad, he covers his face then goes for the bottle again.

I react completely differently and head for his phone with my taps. I place them now out of reflex and I call Tracker.

I don't expect Tracer to answer.

Nor her reaction.

"Is it safe to talk?" she asks

"Trace what are you doing at Tracker's?" I ask

"Was visiting when the announcement hit, I looked at Jack and said I'd be going in" she says

This makes my legs feel like they will give and I steady myself on the small table, "Tracer you have a new baby boy…why?"

"You think Brutus will back down? Or Enobaria? Track is joining too, and we will keep our eyes on Peet and Katniss" she pauses, "wish you could join, imagine if you could?"

"Trace…." I really don't know what to say to her

"Just make sure Haymitch doesn't volunteer, I think he is combustible and if he stepped off the platform too soon by accident with all the alcohol in his body he would send us all sky high" she jokes

I laugh at her, "thank you, so much my friend, and thank Tracker too"

"Will do, wanna talk to him?" she asks

"Sure" I say

Just then the door is rapped on rather loudly. And I hear a very familiar voice.

Peeta.