Senaca's blood dripping off the step from his workstation onto the marble floor below was the only sound that could be heard in the Gamemaker control room. "You will all return to your District Suites." President Snow commanded. Legs trembling, Wiress and Beetee made their way out of the room and joined the other ashen-faced stunned Victors in the elevator. Beetee took Wiress' elbow and led her into their District Suite. Nodding at Gearton who had set a small dinner on the table, he directed Wiress to the table. Sighing, Beetee put his fork down after ten minutes after he and Wiress merely picked at their meal.
"I'd hate to let this go to waste." He remarked. "Hon?" Wondering why Wiress plucked a plum out of her soup, he eyed her quizzically.
"Our Victor. Liked the soup." She said quietly.
"That she did." Beetee remarked. "I'm sure she can request it upon her return." Taking Wiress' hands in his, he sighed. "We're going home."
"No." Wiress' voice cracked. "NO!" She stood up and threw her chair toward the kitchen before knocking her soup bowl, the serving bowl and the basket of bread to the dining room floor. "NOT HOME! NOT - " Her large eyes searched the dining room for two eager, intelligent, sweet children. "Not - home -"
"I know." Beetee whispered as he walked toward her. Wrapping his arms around her middle, he nestled his head against her shoulder. "I know we'll be going home without our children." The Teslas were silent as they walked down the hall to leave Gearton to clean the dining room. "Honey - we're - we're in this together."
"Yes -" Sobbing, Wiress lay the bed hoping dreams of her children would comfort her. As Beetee stepped into his pajamas to join his wife, he heard a knock on the door. Throwing his bathrobe over his silk pajamas, he hurried to the door.
"Teslas, come to the train." An armed Peacekeeper ordered as he stood in the doorway.
"Let me wake my wife. She hasn't been feeling well." Beetee said. "May we gather our notebooks and other items?"
"Your Avox packed your personal affects." Nodding, Beetee looked over at Gearton who placed a notebook into the Teslas' suitcase.
"Take that to the master bedroom, please. I'll rouse Wiress and she'll make sure we have everything." Beetee instructed before waking a tired Wiress.
"Sweetie, we have to go."
"Beetee - Beetee - night -" Wiress began groggily as Beetee rooted around in her closet for some clothing.
"I know, baby, but we have to go." After helping her into a simple black dress with quarter length sleeves and a skirt that came to her knees, Beetee checked the bathroom to make sure they had everything. He changed into black slacks and a black button-down shirt. "I can take the suitcase." As Beetee took the suitcase from Gearton, he mouthed 'thank you.' "Our train is getting an early start." He commented as he followed the Peacekeeper while holding Wiress' elbow. The Peacekeeper opened the door to the back of a patrol car where the Teslas sat for the brief ride to the train station. They were escorted by another officer to the train.
"You will stay in this car only." The Peacekeeper said gruffly.
"Yes, sir." Beetee replied before helping Wiress sit on a couch as the train began moving. After helping her lay down and finding a blanket to keep her warm, Beetee lay on the few inches of the couch that were left to get some sleep.
"Home -" Wiress' gasp woke Beetee who had rolled off the couch and onto the floor. "Beetee!" Large eyes wide with a mix of anticipation and fear gazed out the window as the train station came into view. Half the facility was destroyed by fire, and pieces of wood and building material were erected in barricades. Smoke rose from various points in the city even as the smoke-stacks from the factories belched less soot. A group of citizens were fighting a squad of Peacekeepers.
"Wiress -" Beetee asked taking in the scene. "Wiress -"
"Fighting back." Wiress replied taking her husband's hand. "For our children."
"I TOLD YOU THEY WERE COMING!" Someone yelled as the train pulled into the station. "TESLAS, GET DOWN!" Beetee grabbed Wiress pushing her to the floor before covering her with his body seconds before the windows of the train shattered from bullets. An almighty explosion rocked the train before the door was broken down with a piece of rebar.
"You obviously aren't a mechanical engineer. You could've picked the lock." Beetee said wryly to a citizen dressed in Peacekeeper garb save for a dark blue cloth armband on his left arm.
"Well, yeah, but busting down the door can be more efficient time-wise. Come on! We just blew up a few patrol cars. Those idiots Peacekeepers from the Capitol can't welcome you two home like we can." A group of rebels escorted Beetee and Wiress to Victor's Village. Some were dressed in Peacekeeper uniforms, others wore their factory uniforms. All the rebels had the blue armband. "Oh, and yes, there are enough Engineering Academy alums to make armbands out of their old uniforms."
"I - so do we have -" Wiress paused. "The district?"
"Basically." Another rebel replied. "Snow's smart and not sending in as many Peacekeepers. They can't seem to get past our traps."
"Hence -" Beetee paused before pointing at a barricade.
"Yup. The rebels know where the traps are, Capitol soldiers and Peacekeepers don't. Well, you're home."
"How can we -" Wiress began looking into the tired but determined eyes of the rebel group.
"Help?" The 'peacekeeper' who led the escort party replied. "Just being here is bolstering your spirits. And we could probably use new ideas for traps." He sighed. "You two have to take care of yourselves." He paused. "My sons were in the Academy when the Capitol paid a visit -"
"So we left work. And fought." A woman dressed in a factory uniform and carrying what looked like an improvised spear with a battery attached to the end said.
"I'm sorry - I know - We'll fight too. For your children. And ours." Beetee replied. He and Wiress stood in the doorway of their house and gave the rebels the district hand sign as a thanks.
Beetee was able to pass a notebook of his drawings to a group of rebels before a new squadron of Peacekeepers made it to Victor's Village and placed the Teslas under house arrest.
"Beetee!" Wiress called as Beetee adjusted his safety goggles as he tested the voltage of a thin gold wire. "BEETEE! ON TV - WE MUST -" Cursing the Capitol soundly, Beetee stomped up the stairs from the Tesla workroom into the living room where the TV was on and the national anthem was playing. Reluctantly, the Teslas sat on the couch to watch the Capitol broadcast.
"There he is." Beetee said looking at Peeta Mellark sitting next to Caesar Flickerman for his post-games interview. "I suppose his partner will come in next?"
"Yes - we'll see." Wiress replied quietly thinking about how Noah made friends with Peeta during the games.
"So, you and District Three both teamed with the Careers during the Games."
"My son's name is Noah." Beetee snarled through his teeth before Wiress squeezed his hand.
"Yes, Noah and I knew we'd survive longer if we joined them." Peeta replied.
"The Career pack wanted to find Katniss and they believed you would lead them to her."
"Yeah." Peeta paused. "I wanted to win their trust. So maybe - maybe I could strike a deal with them to let Katniss go." The crowd 'awwed.'
"Well, enough chit-chat between us, don't you think? Don't you want to see the girl you successfully saved? The girl you love?" The crowd went wild as Peeta smiled. Beetee and Wiress knew Katniss was in the launch pad up to the stage. They watched as a sweet girl in a yellow dress ran toward Peeta.
"Sweet girl. Won't rebel." Wiress whispered under her breath as Beetee nodded knowing the styling strategy for Katniss wasn't lost on them. As the interview wore on, they knew that Katniss and Peeta's romanc would be in the spotlight as a way to refocus the country away from the games they were in. Smiling at Beetee, Wiress knew the two teenagers could try to curb the revolution until they had to join it. The districts were tired of losing their children and being governed by oppression. Looking into Katniss' eyes, Wiress knew the girl would figure this out sooner rather than later. Wiress made a promise that she would help this girl fuel the beginning revolution.
A/N: Alright, we're officially in Catching Fire! Wiress and Beetee do not realize there's a Twilight-esque 'Katniss must choose between two guys' saga going on. They really won't interact much with Katniss or Peeta until the Victory Tour and the arena. So, we skip the boring parts of Catching Fire, but hopefully the next few chapters will be a good depiction of how the Victors came up with the epic plan for the arena later...