"Hon, let's go down to the workshop." Beetee coaxed as he put his hand on the heap of blankets on the bed. Sniffles met his request. "Sweetie, wake up." A red-rimmed large eye poked out from under the covers.
"I - I just want to hear them - again -" Wiress whispered as tears rolled down Beetee's face. A month after Estelle and Noah's memorial service, the Teslas forced themselves to continue working on their inventions and for the rebellion. Slowly, Wiress sat up. Sniffling, she wrapped her arms tighter around the two pillows clutched to her chest. "Mama will work for you, my sweeties." She whispered kissing Estelle and Noah's pillows. "Breakfast?"
"I have cereal." Beetee replied taking his wife's hand as they made their way down the stairs.
"No - I want to make -"
"Rolls?" Nodding, Wiress began making the dough for the small bite-sized rolls common in their district. Her appetite was slowly returning and she was feeling a new sort of normal, though the holes in her heart where her children lived would never go away. Every so often, she found herself looking up from her work listening for her children chasing each other down the hallway, Noah sliding down the banister, Estelle calling down the stairs that she couldn't find a certain hair ribbon, or one of the children frantically searching for a homework assignment.
Beetee sat on the couch in the living room as his wife cooked. Picking up a small engineering journal, he was a few pages in when he realized he was reading his daughter's Electrical Engineering guide. As he turned a page, a piece of folded up engineering graph paper fell out of the book. Unfolding it, he chuckled reading Estelle's handwriting through his tears.
Kari, Noah snuck extra cookies in his lunch and I bribed him to give me some. Want one?
Yeah. What did you get for problem 3?
4.4 volts. I asked Dad. He worked on the problem for fifteen minutes!
Lucky! You have inventor parents!
They don't give me all the answers, Kari! I have to re-do a problem I ask for help on and then show them. If they think I'm just being lazy, I'm not allowed in the workshop the next day.
Hey, wasn't that why you were in a bad mood last week? You tried to get your mom to do your calculus homework?
Yes. Crap! Jones is coming! Pull out your real notes!
"Estelle Wendy Tesla, I better not find any more passed notes in your stuff!" Beetee scolded before carefully folding the note and placing it in a book on the coffee table.
"My star -" Wiress began placing a hand on Beetee's shoulder. "That's why their cookies went so fast -"
"They were quite good actually." Beetee remarked. "I know why the kids liked them."
"Beetee! You let our children take the whole tray to school -" Wiress admonished as Beetee chuckled.
"Not the whole tray, dear. I tested a few - oh - I mean -" They jumped as the TV turned on and the seal of Panem flashed across the screen as the national anthem played. "Ow!" Wiress pinched Beetee's cheek playfully before she sat down next to him and took his hand.
"Greetings citizens of Panem!" A reporter began breathlessly as she wrapped her fur coat around herself. Snow was blowing in the background. "We are here in a cold snowy District Twelve to begin our Victory Tour with Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark!" Wiress smacked Beetee's shoulder as he groaned. "This will be an exciting tour as our young victors tour the nation and show us their story of love!" The reporter swooned as she caught a glimpse of Katniss leaving her house. Katniss stood at the front door and looked a fourth of a mile to Peeta's house where his door opened.
"There she goes." Wiress commented as Katniss ran toward Peeta.
"Catch her, kid!" Beetee chuckled as the two collided and fell into the snow. "Remember when you kissed me on national TV?" He asked his blushing wife.
"Yes - I was thirteen -" Wiress began relieving the memory of her own victory tour. "The Capitol had separated us - and I wanted to show the men who wanted me that I was yours -"
"I know, dear." Beetee whispered putting his arm around Wiress' shoulder and holding her close. "Those two have each other, and their sponsors know." They were silent as the reporter gushed meaninglessly about the District Twelve Victors' clothing and such. The news switched to the closing interviews where Katniss and Peeta were reunited. "I hope their love lasts."
"Like us." Wiress said nuzzling her face into Beetee's shirt. "Beetee - I hope -" She let her tears flow freely as Beetee gently wiped her tears with his fingers. "I just hope their children will live in a free Panem. That they won't be in the Games like -"
"Like ours. I know, honey. That's what we're fighting for." Beetee finished before wrapping Wiress in a hug. They took notes on the Victory Tour itinerary.
"Beetee, we'll be expected -"
"To participate. I know." Beetee said as he examined his notes where he starred several districts that they knew were rebelling. "We will. The leaders know we need to do our part."
"Beetee - Districts Eight and Eleven - what if the Capitol catches on and -"
"It's a risk everyone's willing to take. It's a risk I am willing to take." Beetee finished.
"Beetee - what if - what if the rebellion is stopped? What if - "
"Then we will die knowing we fought for our children. For the next generation. For a free Panem." Beetee finished kissing Wiress and holding her as she cried. "Sweetie, I'm worried too. I know you are."
"Because - I - I can't lose you." Wiress cried. "What if something happens - I can't lose you, Beetee."
"And I can't lose you either." Beetee replied. "Wiress, I wouldn't be able to live without you. Please believe me." They watched the remainder of the broadcast silently and took notes.
After eating their breakfast rolls and some lunch as the broadcast took the whole morning, Wiress and Beetee dressed in ragged factory jumpsuits and sweatshirts. Making their way to a shed, they met other leaders of the rebellion. "So, we gathered from the Capitol broadcast that the kids will start in District Eleven and visit the districts in descending numerical order." Beetee began. "So we can confirm quickly if Eight and Eleven are in open rebellion."
"Have you heard from anyone in the core group?" A man dressed in a peacekeeper uniform asked.
"Yes. Four is putting together a plan." Blushing, Wiress held up a fishing industry magazine with Finnick Odair on the cover. He was naked and holding the newest industry-grade trident in a strategic position to cover certain parts.
"Finnick Odair is going to streak the district?" A woman in the back asked before the group laughed.
"Not exactly." Beetee began as he tore a page out of the magazine and held it up to a UV light.
"Nana and I are going around basically getting sympathy stories from the citizens." He read Finnick's note written on the page in ink that had come from some sort of sea creature. "The marine workers have gone on strike in waves, but I've always been able to pacify the Capitol. Nana and I are keeping damage control to the minimum so we can join the rebellion once it's in full swing. We'll be the first Career district to break from the Capitol."
"Nana -" Someone asked confused. "His parents are part of the rebellion?"
"No - his parents were killed -" Wiress began tearing up. "Mags. His mentor. And for much of his life, his grandmother."
"I've talked to some people in Six." Beetee said. "They are continuing production as transport will be vital to the rebuilding of Panem as well as the rebellion. But several Capitol bureaucrats have experienced - ahem - accidents." The crowd chuckled.
"Well, our traps are still as good as ever. Of course, we're dealing with ground troops and Peacekeepers." The group was silent as they heard an explosion in the distance. "But the Capitol needs its technology. We're still getting production out. Well, half of what we've been doing."
"Yes, and Beetee submitted a patent -"
"For a thin wire capable of transmitting extremely high voltage - such as an amount generated by a single bolt of lighting. I plan to use it in the rebellion."
"So, we wait to see what the kids do on their tour." Someone else remarked as everyone made noises of assent.
"We should call them the Victors - kids sounds - well -" Beetee sighed. "The Games makes you grow up fast. Too fast."
"Katniss - her token -" Wiress began. "That was a sign."
"And the berries started the revolution. Two Victors staring the Capitol down. From District Twelve no less." A man from the mayor's office commented. "Now that had the Capitol scared, but it was good for us."
"Mockingjay. Her token." Wiress insisted. "Our token."
"Come again?" Someone asked.
"Katniss Everdeen." Wiress began slowly but resolutely. "Her token. Her berries." She paused. "Our mockingjay."