"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" A terrified scream ripped through the mentor room as fire ripped through the arena. "MY BOY! MY BOY!" Beetee buried his face in his hands as the fire approached Noah's campsite.
"Move - MOVE!" Wiress wailed as Noah's eyes shot open. Not daring to breathe, Wiress watched as Noah gathered his belongings seconds before the fire engulfed his camp. Choking on smoke, Noah ran purely on adrenaline. He was five feet away from the flames when he stumbled over a rock.
"OW!" He gasped before a tongue of flame licked his shin. "OOOWW!" Gasping, Noah sat up and ran even as he sobbed in pain. Running toward some bushes, he ducked hoping the fire would jump around the brush. After a moment, he realized the fire wasn't coming any closer. Shakily, he stood up and watched as the wall of fire began to move slightly east.
"Not him - Not him -" Wiress gasped in relief as she realized her son was spared from the flames.
"No, he's safe. For now." Beetee stammered, pale faced and sweating from fear.
"Not targeted." Suddenly Wiress gasped and pointed at the main screen showing the Games as they were being broadcast live to the rest of Panem.
"They're not focusing on him, baby." Beetee murmured.
"Girl! Girl!" Wiress gasped as the fire approached Katniss Everdeen who was asleep near a pond. The girl was strong and determined much like her Estelle. Somehow, her feet found her way to the door of District 12's sleeping quarters. "GIRL! GIRL!" She screamed pounding on the door.
"WHAAT?" Haymitch growled from inside before Wiress used her hairpins to pick the lock.
"GIRL! FIRE! GIRL!" Through his drunken haze, he stared at the frantic inventor gesturing to the main screen where his tribute was running from the flames. Cursing loudly, Haymitch stumbled out of his room as Wiress returned to Beetee.
"Mama -" Noah whimpered looking at his blistering burn once he had settled his sleeping bag and belongings for the remainder of the night. "Dad -"
"Look up, buddy." Beetee whispered as he pressed an icon on his tablet that would send his son burn cream. He smiled as Noah's eyes widened as he took the parachute. Even as Noah rubbed the healing cream on his shin, Wiress continued whimpering as her large eyes stared resolutely at the main screen. Katniss Everdeen was still dodging fireballs before being overtaken by one launched at her leg. She quickly rolled to extinguish the flame and soaked her leg in a nearby pond.
"Smart girl. Smart Estelle. Smart girl - Estelle -" Closing her eyes, Wiress began whispering under her breath. "My girl - smart girl -"
"Baby," Beetee began holding his wife closely. "That's not Estelle."
"My Estelle -" Beetee's heart broke at his wife's insistent tone.
"She's not there, honey." Saying that made Beetee's voice crack. "She's -" Suddenly the gears clicked in Beetee's brain. "That Katniss reminds you of our Estelle, doesn't she?" Nodding slowly, Wiress relaxed in her husband's grasp knowing he understood her thoughts. They were jolted out of their thoughts when Beetee's tablet buzzed.
"Let's go." Beetee said quietly noting the email message was heavily encrypted. He was gripped by a mix of hope and fear knowing he and his wife were to meet Seneca Crane in fifteen minutes. The news would either give their son an advantage or be his death sentence.
Seneca stood in the corner of the noisy night club a block from the Training Center with a drink in his hand. The two inventors were overwhelmed by the changing lights in the ceiling tiles and on the dance floor as the bass from the dance music reverberated throughout the room. "Thank you for meeting here, Mr. and Mrs. Tesla." Seneca said quietly. "Your boy is no longer Snow's first priority. He is still a priority, but Snow is focused on the Everdeen girl. The way the district reacted when her sister was reaped -"
"Our district reacted -" Wiress pointed out.
"But not on live TV. We cut that on purpose." Seneca finished. The Teslas nodded. "The Careers, naturally, are focused on Everdeen due to her high training score."
"Will they leave our boy alone?" Beetee asked quietly. Seneca remained silent for a moment. "Please - our boy -"
"For now, the Capitol is focused on watching District Twelve in the games." Seneca said finally looking off so he wouldn't meet the gazes of the anxious parents in front of him.
"Thank you, sir." He and Wiress shook Seneca's hand before returning to the Training Center.
The next day, all the tributes woke up with some form of smoke inhalation from the night fire. Noah's constant coughing had lessened in intensity as the morning went on, but he had to stop every five minutes to stifle another coughing fit. "Hon, you checked his stats fifteen minutes ago." Beetee said gently as Wiress tapped Noah's vital signs icon once again and stared at the numbers as her forehead furrowed in worry.
"Yes, I know, Beetee, listen to him -" Wiress began listening to her son cough. "He can't run when -" He had progressed to being able to walk a few paces before doubling over coughing. He was searching for edible plants. Eyeing some leaves, he sniffed them before plucking them. Placing them in a small tin, he added some water and began a fire.
"If this can't help, can we -" Wiress began locking her worried eyes with Beetee's.
"We'll only give him medicine when he really needs it, Wiress." Beetee said calmly. Touching the screen, he identified the boiling leaves as mint leaves. "This should work. He's breathing in the steam, that's how you play it, son." He said gently watching Noah breathe in the steam and sigh with relief. "You're my smart boy."
"How long -" Wiress began.
"Wiress, I can judge when my son needs a gift!" Beetee snapped through gritted teeth. Seeing Wiress' large eyes water, he quickly pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry, baby, this hurts us both so much -" He murmured soothingly through his tears. "I'm waiting to give him something that will be a real advantage -"
"I know -" Wiress sobbed. "I - I want - home, Beetee -"
"In a little bit, honey. In a little bit, we'll be able to take him home."
A/N: So now the Tesla's story really begins to integrate with the rest of the 74th Hunger Games and the rest of the HG series. Hope you all are enjoying so far and yeah! Team Nerds!