"Nerds! Haymitch called as he opened the door to the mechanical room.
"Yes, we were just -" Wiress looked up from the manual she and several other mechanics were studying. Shaking his head, Haymitch looked at the two inventors who were happy to work on the electronics and gear mechanisms allowing the train to run.
"Well, We're to the Capital now." Taking a swig from his flask, Haymitch sighed and wished he had a more productive way to escape the Games like the Teslsas did.
"Mr. Abernathy!" Effie Trinket squealed opening the door to the car wondering why the Victor was not with the teens under his charge. "What on earth are you doing in this car?"
"A man has to get some fresh air which is impossible with your perfume stinking up the place, Princess!" Haymitch hollered back. "I'll get your bags so you have your entrance papers."
At the Capitol train station, the crowd was much more focused on the two newest Victors to notice two people in dark clothes exiting the mechanical car of the train. A peacekeeper quickly examined their documents before hailing a cab for the two Victors. Beetee gave the cab driver an address before they drove away unnoticed in the crowd. The cab pulled up next to an eight story apartment building a block from the Training Center where most of the Gamemakers, including the new Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee lived. Beetee left the cab driver a handsome tip after the driver set their bags on the sidewalk. An Avox approached the Teslas before Wiress presented a handwritten invitation to the building. Nodding, the Avox slid his hand across a fingerprint recognition panel on the fifteen-foot wrought iron fence. A gate swung open and the Teslas nodded to the two Peacekeepers that flanked the gate. So far, the plan was working well.
"Welcome! Plutarch Heavensbee said cheerfully, greeting the Teslas at the door to his 5 bedroom 3 bath penthouse apartment featuring a large picture window in the living room that overlooked the Training Center. "Put their bags in the south-west bedroom." He directed his Avox who nodded and took the Tesla s' duffel bags. "This is Martin. He's been here five years." Wiress nodded giving Plutarch a small smile. In the six months of her Capital imprisonment, she never heard Kevius address or refer to their Avox by name. "If I'm tied up with other things, he can give you a hand.""Well, we bought our notebooks and my laptop, so we can keep ourselves quite occupied when we aren't visiting, of course." Beetee replied as he and Wiress entered their guest room. The cedar-wood floor was covered by a soft dark maroon microfiber area rug near the bed. A king-sized bed was in the center with two mahogany night-stands on either side. A vase of flowers stood on one nightstand for Wiress to enjoy. A long dresser was along the wall opposite the foot of the bed.
Two doors opened along that wall. One led to a bathroom with marble flooring and sink with oak cabinets, and a walk-in shower with marble and granite tiles. The other door led to a wal-in closet.
However, the Teslas' favorite feature of the guest room was the six-foot by two-and-a-half foot solid oak work table with drawers under the work surface to hold pens and such. Two power strips were on the table along with a ream of graph paper and a pad of lined paper. The pad of paper had Plutarch's internet password on it as well as directions to a nearby hardware store. "Oh - thank you -" Wiress gasped as she lay her notebooks on the table and began arranging them. Plutarch chuckled.
"I thought the table would be a suitable workspace for you both." Plutarch said. "Incidentally, Mr. Odair and Miss Brine are coming in later this evening for dinner."
"Will you be hosting them as well?" Beetee asked slightly concerned about too many rebel leaders staying in one place.
"No, they are staying at the nearby City Center Hilton where Miss Brine will have a handicapped-accessible luxury suite."
"Yes, that would suit Mags -" Wiress trailed off knowing the 80 year old Victor would appreciate the accomodations. Finnick wrote the Teslas three years ago after Mags had a stroke to get some assistive devices such as tools to grab items out of reach.
"I told Finnick I would have been happy to coordinate because his schedule is so full, but the young man wanted to handle their arrangements himself."
"Of course. He would make sure the woman who is basically his grandmother was well looked after." Beetee replied. Just then the TV in the living room buzzed.
"Guess they're getting our Star Crossed Lovers settled!" Plutarch exclaimed excitedly as he sat on his large plush purple couch. Grabbing their notebooks, the Teslas settled themselves next to the Head Gamemaker. The broadcast opened with Effie Trinket smiling enthusiastically and waving to the crowd before the citizens who paid enough to get front seats to the Victory procession screamed their applause. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark walked out of the City Center Hilton holding hands after attending a luncheon ball in their honor. "Oho!" Plutarch nearly squealed. "Such a lovely young couple! So in love - like you two were, I imagine!"
"Well, I had to come of age before I could have my Beetee -" The famous inventor blushed as Wiress lovingly stroked his cheek with the back of her hand. They sat through Caesar and Claudius' rehashing of the Star Crossed Lovers' Capitol appearances.
"They must've wired certain guests with fiber optic cameras -" Wiress observed as the broadcast showed Katniss and Peeta dancing with each other and mingling with guests at various functions ranging from the luncheon ball to smaller drinks and our-duerve parties with groups of sponsors in luxury Capitol apartments.
"Yes, you invented those two years ago." Beetee pointed out causing his wife to blush.
"My my, you two have talent! I just love Peeta's suit for this function - the dark green, much like the leaves in the arena, don't you think?" Taking Beetee's gasp as a yes, he continued. "In fact, the Games were such a hit that something in the Victors' outfits will reflect the Games."
"Thorough." Beetee muttered even as Wiress gripped his hand in a death-grip. "Pardon us, we've had a long journey and would like to finish some work before we eat dinner."
"Certainly!" Plutarch agreed not noticing Beetee helping a trembling Wiress to her feet.
"He is rebelling but he is steeped -" Wiress whispered as tears rolled down her eyes.
"Steeped in the Games. Yes, dear. I know. We have the place bugged 24 hours and he knows it, so what he says isn't for any audio or visual surveillance. Wire, he has only changed his mind within the last two years. Whereas we've been rebelling for -" Beetee paused to think about it.
"Three years. In earnest." Wiress finished. "But - ever since - Ever since my Games - I - I fought so hard hoping our children -"
"Our children would never fear entering an arena. Sweetie, I know -" Beetee broke off before holding his wife as she cried. "No, the Games don't affect the Capitol rebels like they do us, but they are the ones that will help us win."