Author's Note: Still no guesses? really? alrighty then...

Thanks to RR for the review

Chapter 85

Beyond the Barricade

We get everyone up at the crack of dawn with the sun just barely rising. For us of Thirteen and the other district this is almost normal. But we realize Capitol residents are not early risers, it takes the better part of two hours to get them ready.

The snow is partially melted and slushy. And the wet cold hits me the worst. I visibly shudder and it's enough to make Ken and the remainder of my crew chuckle. Tracer and Tracker would understand, but my sensitivity to cold is something of a joke to people not from district Five.

"Right lets get you into that shop there" Vivian points to an outerwear store that shows off winter gear for those who want to visit northern districts during the winter season.

After everyone gets warmer gear we head out. The thermal jacket is a godsend I barely feel the damp cold trying to seep into my bones.

"Right where to chief?" Boreal asks.

I nod and touch my communicator as I pass my emitter to Vivian.

"Zigg you there?" I ask, I hear a yawn that makes me want to reciprocate, "did I wake you?"

"No I've been up all night" Ziggy replies sarcastically, "co-ordinates?"

"We are along Walkway we figure cutting between some shops and crossing Herald Yard would be faster and safer" I reply

Vivian is tapping our location into the emitter as I hear Ziggy tapping furiously, "that would bring you right to the bridge in no time, then it's a safer walk to city center and Snow's palace'" she is thinking, I don't know how I know but I know. "That's should work, from our scans you have very few traps in that quadrant" she adds.

"Looks pretty safe from this doohickey" Vivian says tossing it back to me, "Archer you there? Yeah you heard? And?" she nods give me a thumbs up, "right! Got it!" she noses us forward.

The plan works…in a way.

We get to Herald Yard, a big park and although everyone seems to be glad to be rid of trap infested streets I have a bad feeling about this. It just feels too simple, too easy. And when something seems too simple it usually means there is a big problem hidden just under the surface. Vivian is about to step forward when I stop her.

"What?" she says as I place my hand to my ear.

"Zigg, I need you to check something for me" I wait because I hear her clamor and the sound of papers being pushed aside.

"What's up?"

"Schematics, Herald seems too empty to be safe y'know, is there some sort of internal structures, pipes, hollows, anything?" I ask

Vivian looks confused

"Call it 'victor's intuition'" I reply to her, "never trust something that is in plain sight."

"Damn" I hear Ziggy say, "there is a trap, but it's not set off by timer or switch, it purely by pressure, if you all went across in a large group there is a trap that opens up, like a pit…yikes…yeah is there a way to skirt the meadow? Go around at all costs or it's meat-grinder"

I shake my head, "there is a trap, big trap, big nasty meat-grinder trap just under it" I tell Vivian, "if we all went across as a group then it opens up"

"And going one at a time would take all day" she sighs, "I'll tell the group en mass" she goes off and brings everyone up to speed.

Ken comes over with my team; they know I was hoping this would work. We all look around for something to help us out.

"Ziggy said it was set off by pressure?" Boreal asks and I nod, "why don't we just set it off?"

"Because then those who aren't sure footed will fall and get ground to a pulp" Ken says shaking his head, "too risky."

Boreal is thinking, I notice people of three have some similar mannerisms. Touching their bottom lip with their index fingers being one of them. Ziggy does this with one finger resting her elbow on her opposite hand. Beetee strokes with it and thumb when in deep thought.

Boreal does almost a prayer, he's looking out onto the grass hands clasped into a kind-of payer using both his fingers tips on his bottom lips. He's working something out.

"Do you guys trust me?" he says offhandedly.

Odd question.

"Yes of course we do" Ken says.

"Then wait for my word and take everyone across" he says

"You lost it?" Daleck says, "we'll be compost!"

"Trust me" he says and runs across the yard, it's a big park, he is looking for something, finding what he is looking for he sinks into the ground.

I touch my communicator but realize I'm the only one from my crew with one. "Vivian!" I run to her and she hands hers to me. I pass it to Ken.

"Ken run and find out what he's doing" I look at him worried, "please"

"Don't have to be polite" he smirks and heads of across the park. He too disappears.

"Ken!" I call into my communicator

"Don't worry I'm still here, there is a tunnel for drainage and that's where Boreal has gone, I'm going in give me a bit" he replies

I pace and walk back and forth. Daleck finds a garbage bin and starts a fire in it to keep people warm. Vivian is just watching me. I guess she's more used to being in command, I'm not, I want to run across the yard to find Ken. It's been a couple hours already, almost midday, we are running behind.

Finally as the sun starts to warm my communicator comes to life. Ken sounds too calm, "it's okay, you can take everyone across now" he says

"Is everything okay?" I reply as Vivian and Daleck come over.

"Yeah…yeah Ariana just get everyone across" he replies.

We douse the trash can and lead the crowd across.

Ken is waiting for us and as everyone is overjoyed that the trap did not go off. I have a sinking feeling we have lost someone.

I'm not wrong because Ken grabs my arm; and leads me thru the storm drain.

He's quiet, too quiet for Ken. He always has the right thing to say when things are bad but right now nothing is coming out of him.

I now realize why.

Oh you can disarm these big traps but it comes with a heavy price.

Boreal is lying against the wall, a spike thru his chest, blood seeps from his mouth and he's breathing really shallow.

He's dying slowly for all of us. The spike is slowly withdrawing from him like a timer.

"Ken go on up I'll be with you guys soon, make sure everyone is off the grass and close to the bridge" I tell my second in command.

Ken does not argue and leaves. I touch Boreal's face.

His eyes flutter open and he gives a very weak smile, "all across?"

"Yeah Perry" I say, "you did good; I gather you knew of this?"

He nods weakly, "h-had 'n idea" he tries to take a big breath but its just not happening, "s'ry"

"Nothing to be sorry for" I say to him, "wish you had trusted me to tell me your plan"

"C-n't le' th' angel die" he seizes, I know what I have to do, I don't want to but he's suffering for no reason now, "'m ready t' go" he answers the question I didn't want to ask.

I nod and grasp him by his upper arms, I kiss his cheek. My genius of a crew member risked his life for strangers. "I'm proud of you" I tell him and as he grasps my waist as tight as he can (which isn't much) I heave him off the spike and it retracts into it trap door. When I lay Perry Boreal down he has a calm smile on his face and his eyes are closed. I take off his dogtags and walk out.

Vivian sees me walking out alone. I take a couple more steps and then drop to my knees, I can't take being in command anymore. I just can't. I've lost two already plus Kestrel, I don't even know if he's okay, those two peacekeepers under my command.

When will this nightmare end?