Three sets of eyes were glued to a piece of engineering paper as Wiress hummed as she sketched and wrote notes and equations. The Teslas had been huddled around the dining room table for half an hour. "Look, my children. These are possible configurations -"
"Of the mines around your starting platforms." Beetee finished. "Take very good notes as we explain things." Smiling at Wiress, he allowed her to do most of the teaching.
As Wiress explained things, her heart swelled with pride and hope. "Now, children, not a word. Estelle - Noah - listen to me." Gazing into two pairs of large eyes, she reached across the table and held their hands until her knuckles turned white. "My children - do not tell -"
"Until the right time." Beetee finished. Looking at the clock near the window, he began putting pens, pencils, and calculators away.
"Daddy, how will we know when it's the right time?" Estelle asked quietly.
"That's your job to find out tomorrow." Beetee explained. "Feel out the other tributes, and of course, train hard. I want you both to focus on weapons and survival again."
"Not on how to do our -" Noah began before his mother shook her head.
"No." Wiress insisted. "Your plan is later." Smiling, she hugged her children and kissed them on the forehead. "No more inventing tonight. Bed."
"Yes, and since you only have two more days of training, I think you should -" Looking at his children in their pajamas as they yawned and cuddled with their mother, Beetee's voice broke. "Oh, who am I kidding, come with us, my children. Brush teeth while we change, ok?"
"Yes, dad." The Tesla children chorused before they went to their rooms which were untouched except for their closets and their bathrooms.
"Let me tuck you in, my sweet brilliant children." Beetee whispered as he and Wiress tucked their children into their large bed. "Mama and daddy are right here." As he watched his children sleep, he and Wiress clasped hands over the blankets with their arms around their children.
"Mama is so proud." Wiress whispered as Estelle and Noah's breathing became slow and even. "Mama loves you. So much. Come home."
After sending her children off to training the next morning, Wiress looked up from her drawing as her husband paced the the living room as he had been doing for the past two hours. "Beetee -" She whispered. "Beetee - sit - please - Their exams -"
"Are tomorrow, yes, but they have to learn so much." He replied tersely.
"Alliances, Beetee." Wiress suggested as Beetee sighed and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.
"I know, Wiress, but we can't depend on that! One and Two are going after them, and they need to run! Then what? Meet up with the other non-careers somewhere in the arena hoping no one comes after them after they build their traps?" Seeing his wife's large eyes brim with tears, he regretted his outburst. "Wire, I know, sweetie. I know you're working on a plan. I am too."
"Beetee - sit -" Wiress buried her face in Beetee's shirt as he plopped onto the couch next to her. "I - traps - but -" Her words dissolved into sobs. "The odds - are not -" As she felt her husband's body shake with sobs while she cried for her children, she realized they needed this time to cry. They could hold each other and shed their tears in the privacy of their District Suite so they could be strong during the Games. "Cry - Cry now."
"Now?" Beetee whispered before Wiress nodded. "We'll be crying for a while, dear."
"No." Placing her hand on his cheek, Wiress turned Beetee's face toward hers. "We must stay strong. In the - mentor room."
"What's the point, Wiress?" Beetee asked dejectedly. "Everything we ever did that we thought would help - our children ended up here anyway."
"They want us to break. To give up." Wiress whispered. "No." She said forcefully. "We will show them -"
"My brave Wiress, my brave sweet mother of our courageous and smart children." Beetee whispered as he held his wife close. "I know."
"We're baaack!" Wiress' eyes lit up as her son called into the District Suite. "Mom! Dad! Aaaaah! Mooooooom! Gerrroffme!" He gasped as he was smothered in a hug before having his hair touselled and his forehead and cheeks kissed. Estelle grinned at him from her father's arms as she received the same treatment.
"Dad, we got to talk to some of the other kids!" Estelle began as her father smiled at her.
"Tell us at dinner, sweetie. You and Noah shower and change. Gearton's about to bring dinner out." Beetee coaxed knowing they could go over strategy at dinner. He wanted to make use of every minute they had to ensure his children ate and slept well.
"Hey dad, did you ever tell Gearton about when you made spinach and cheese surprise and it looked like boogers?" Noah asked grinning as his father blushed.
"I didn't plan on that, no. Chop chop, kids, go on!" Beetee replied red-faced seeing Gearton chuckling silently as he dusted another section of the living room. Soon the Teslas were gathered at the dining room table enjoying a sort of lamb and plum soup along with a roast.
"So, tell me about the other kids." Beetee instructed after the children had devoured their first bowls of soup.
"Katniss and Rue are friends." Estelle began. "Actually, Katniss sorta adopted Rue as her sister. She let her train with her and her district partner Peeta."
"Good. Did you discuss -" Wiress asked gazing into her daughter's face.
"An alliance?" Noah asked. "I dunno. Actually, I saw Peeta trying to talk to the Careers while Katniss taught Rue stuff. I helped Russ from Ten build a crutch for himself since he'll need it in the arena."
"That's the kid with the bad leg." Estelle added. "Actually, I saw -" her observation was cut short as Noah kicked her under the table. "Noah! Stop! Ow!"
"I'm wearing my slippers!" Noah yelped.
"What, my star?" Wiress coaxed gently. She gulped as her children exchanged glances. "We're your mentors, honey. You can tell -"
"Estelle Wendy Tesla, now is not the time to hide things from us. Same to you, Noah Terrimax." Beetee reprimanded knowing his children were hiding something and fearing the worst.
"Two - I mean - Cato kept watching Noah." Estelle blurted out as her father's face drained of color. "I - I mean - I dunno - curiously - Noah - Noah's good at knives decent with light spears - and of course survival and traps."
"What did the other Careers do?" Beetee asked shakily. "Are they watching you?" Estelle shrugged. "Estelle and Noah, are they watching you or not?" He snapped pounding his fist on the table.
"Beetee -" Wiress gasped. "Beetee - calm -"
"Well, dammit, I want to know if the kids think the careers have it out for them, Wiress!"
"Dad - Daddy - I dunno." Estelle stammered. "We're concentrating on our skills. We're watching everyone else too, but I don't get that sense."
"Neither do I. Honest." Noah said pleadingly as his father stared hard at them both. Spitting on his hand, he offered it to his father. "I'll even spit on it, dad."
"Ok." Beetee replied heavily reaching for his son's hand even as Estelle squealed about it being covered in spit. "I believe you, kids. I - I just worry about you."
"We know, dad." Noah replied. "Stelle and I use the force to make sure you two calm down."
"We're your parents. We will always -" Wiress added before reaching across the table and stroking her children's cheeks. "Always wonder - always worry - because - I - we - always love."
"I know, mama. I know." Estelle whispered smiling.
"Well, I'm glad you two got a feel for the kids that will be with you in the arena." Beetee added. "Finish eating and we'll discuss trap building and some physics for the weapons bit, ok?"
"Yes, dad." The Tesla children chorused.
"Then early to bed. Test day tomorrow." Wiress instructed. "Eat up. Then dessert."