"C'mon, Nerds!" Finnick called as he treaded water in the diving area of the 1st Avenue Athletic Club swimming pool.
"I – I don't know –"
"Hurry up, Nuts!" Jo yelled before Beetee scowled at her from halfway up the diving board ladder. "Ok, Nuts, close your eyes. Walk to the end. Keep walking. Keep walking. I'll tell you when to st – "
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Wiress screamed as she flailed her arms while falling through the air into the water. Surfacing sputtering, she managed to swim a few paces as Beetee dived in after her.
"JOHANNA MASON, THAT WAS NOT FUNNY!" Beetee yelled as he swam to the side of the pool to grab a kickboard. He grabbed Wiress' arm and guided her toward it. Together, they clung to the buoyant board and glared at Johanna who was perched on the edge of the diving board laughing.
"In all seriousness, we could all be drop-kicked into the water or something." Finnick pointed out before Jo did a cannon-ball into the water. "Let's all try that again!" Meanwhile, Mags swam laps and paused to laugh at her fellow victors' antics.
After two evenings of swimming with Finnick, Beetee and Wiress were able to swim several laps without using kickboards. Though they weren't as graceful as Johanna, who swam in the various lakes in District Seven, or Finnick, who swam before he could walk, they were confident they could hold their own in a water arena.
"Now, we shall discuss alliances." Plutarch said as the Victors sat down for their last dinner in his house. "I know we all want to work with the Star Crossed Lovers –" He paused to scowl briefly as Johanna made a retching noise. "But, it will look odd if over half the tributes walked away from the cornucopia together."
"So, who's taking Katpee and running?" Johanna asked using Katniss and Peeta's names combined into a nickname she was proud of.
"Nana and I can." Jo rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, I think she'll take a liking to Nana, and so we can leave with them."
"And we can meet them a bit after the bloodbath." Beetee added. "Johanna, would you like to come with us?" Jo rolled her eyes. "No one's forcing you to –"
"No, I'll go." She grumbled. "Panem knows you two will need me."
"But remember, we have all survived an arena once –" Wiress began.
"So none of us are truly defenseless." Beetee finished. He glanced over at Mags who hummed to herself as she used a fork break a lobster claw. Shrugging, she picked up the entire leg and chewed noisily on the meat soon leaving only the bones and skin behind. "We all find ways to approach challenges."
"Of course, if you all just show up and ask Katniss to be your ally, she will be suspicious. Immediately." Haymitch pointed out.
"Wouldn't she be grateful?" Beetee asked puzzled.
"Dunno. Kid's independent. Been feeding her family singlehandedly since she was twelve. Don't take crap from no one. Not even Breadboy. Oh, and we're to save him. At all costs."
"Hold on, Abernathy!" Jo spat. "I thought we needed Bird Girl!"
"We do. For the propos, of course. But we will maintain her trust when we act in Peeta's interest." Beetee explained as Haymitch and Plutarch nodded in agreement.
"This makes no sense." Jo whined as she drank noisily from her wine glass.
"Love." Wiress explained. "When you would give of yourself so the one you love survives –" Choking up as Wiress grasped his hand, Beetee nodded in agreement.
"Oh god." Jo groaned putting her head in her hands. "Ok. Fine. We do it for freaking love."
"And then we ride Rebel Airlines with one way tickets to District Thirteen, baby!" Finnick cheered. "So, when will we know – you know –"
"When to break out of the arena?" Beetee asked.
"Do you finish everyone's sentences?" Jo asked surprised.
"Not always." Beetee said smiling as Wiress giggled. "But as I have the wire we're using, I have the same question."
"Again, I can't give everything away." Plutarch said. "But, be alert for clues around dinner time."
"What?" Haymitch asked. "Good dinner, man."
"The dinner time gifts." Plutarch reminded Haymitch as he stirred his whisky mixture.
"Yeah." Haymitch muttered. Beetee glared at Haymitch. "Yeah, I know, I know the plan. I can follow the plan."
"Even after you –" Wiress pointed to the five glasses surrounding Haymitch's plate.
"I'm not drunk." Haymitch replied. "Hell, if I was drunk, Heavensbee would be picking me up off the floor." Even so, he swayed dangerously in his chair.
"So, I have the wire and I assume I will find an appropriate power-source, but are we improvising how to break through? Or do you have a plan for that?"
"Mockingjay." Wiress said suddenly, her eyes lighting up.
"Yes, we're going to free the Mockingjay, Nuts. And hopefully the rest of us too." Jo muttered.
"Yes – Mockingjay – her arrows –"
"Wiress! That's a genius idea!" Finnick yelped accidentally kicking the table in his excitement. "Sorry, man!" He yelped as the bowl of cocktail sauce landed on the marble floor.
"No problem." Plutarch chuckled. "Go on, Wiress."
"Katniss is a symbol of the revolution, so it is only fitting she end it. End the arena. Forever." Wiress explained vehemently. "She will break the force field with her arrow –" She paused to glance at Beetee.
"Her arrow with my wire around it." Beetee finished. The room was silent. "Unless, of course, anyone has a better idea."
"Nah, that's perfect. Damn, Teslas. How do you think of this stuff?" Haymitch muttered.
"By staying sober." Jo muttered as Finnick choked down a laugh.
"My wife has always had brilliant ideas." Beetee replied beaming before kissing Wiress on the cheek.
Plutarch surveyed the Victors around his table. He grinned knowing the citizens of Panem were in for the show of their lives. "Katniss is going to steal the show, and that's part of the plan. But she can't pull it off – the rebellion can't pull it off without your help. All of your help." He said choosing his words carefully. "And we have a brilliant plan to make it all happen!"
The months after the 3 day visit to the Capitol flew by as the Teslas finalized their plans for the arena as well as developed inventions they thought would be useful in District Thirteen. After Plutarch's dinner party, Plutarch emailed Beetee several still shots of Katniss shooting during the previous Games. Beetee began developing a bow she could use in District Thirteen. Wiress drew inventions to present to the citizens of District Thirteen including surface to air missle launchers that could be hidden in shrubbery as well as new scaffolding within walls or tunnels that would be able to withstand heavy bombing.
"That's it. That's it." Beetee said cheerfully as he completed a drawing before scanning it and sending it in a heavily encrypted email to Plutarch.
"Beetee, please scan these –" Wiress began handing Beetee a stack of papers. "I will begin dinner."
"Ok." Beeteee agreed. "I'll join you in a bit." Nodding, Wiress paused and looked around the workroom. Tomorrow was the reaping. Tomorrow, she might leave for the Capitol and never come back. She smiled as she watched Beetee work knowing she would fight with all her might so he could invent in a free Panem.
She climbed the stairs and put the dinner rolls in the oven. Looking around the kitchen, she remembered chasing her children away from the hot stove and supervising clean up from various science experiments done on the counter tops.
Once Noah made a bright green mixture in the sink and chased Estelle around the house with 'green boogers' in his hands. Most unfortunately, he had dirtied most of the pots and mixing bowls forcing everyone to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner. As she was prone to doing more and more, she allowed her brain to relive memories of her children.
"Hon?" She turned around from her seat at the counter at the sound of Beetee's voice. "I'll begin the pasta." Wiress nodded before Beetee rummaged around for pots and pans. "Oh – who has time for dinner!" Beetee grumbled as the oven beeped. Donning oven mitts, he pulled the pan from the oven and placed it on the cooling rack. "Come here, Wiress, my sweetheart." He said quietly before turning on the Mp3 player in the kitchen. Taking her hands in his, they began dancing as the rolls cooled. "Wiress –"
"Yes, love?" Wiress asked, her large eyes gazing into Beetee's face.
"Please –" Beetee pleaded. "Live." Nodding, Wiress rested her head against Beetee's shoulder as they danced slowly with their arms around each other.
"I have –" Wiress paused. "Lived."
"I know." Beetee whispered as his voice cracked. "You've lived when you felt like giving up ever since you were thirteen." He paused. "I want you to see it. I want you to see a free Panem."
"I will." Wiress whispered as she took Beetee's lips in her own. "By your side or in The Force. I'll see it. And I will be right here." Placing her hand on top of her husband's heart, she smiled. "I will celebrate with you right here. No matter what."
"I know." Beetee whispered. "Wiress," He paused. "I am only strong because of you. I only made it through my Games because you were waiting for me. I have fought this revolution ever since they took you because I was fighting for you." He paused. "Do you think –" He paused and gazed into large eyes filled with determination and with a yearning to be free.
"You can. You can fight for me. Always." Wiress whispered. "I will be with you." The sun went down as the two inventors held each other in their kitchen. Sometime in the late evening, they sat side by side on the living room couch nibbling their rolls and pouring over their family photo album. They would place it on the train before the reaping and make sure Plutarch held onto it for the duration of the Games and until they could claim it again.
For Wiress, the photos blurred and turned into dreams before she was awakened by a knock on the door. "Hm -" She groaned and struggled to sit up. Beetee had fallen asleep with his arms around her. As she lifted her head off his shoulder, he opened his eyes. "Ow!" He groaned as he popped his back in several places. "Remind me not to sleep sitting up." Wiress giggled before answering the door.
"Oh! Another reaping! Aren't you two so excited?" Xersius asked over enthusiastically at the door.
"Oh sure. A chance to be a tribute again." Beetee replied glaring at Xersius, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Now get your damn high heels off my porch and don't bother me or my wife at home again!"
"Oh -" Xersius stammered.
"GET OFF MY PORCH NOW!" Beetee yelled before slamming the door in Xersius' face. "Wires, I still hate him - Wiress?"
"Beetee!" Wiress' voice wafted down the stairs. "I've packed our bags with our notebooks and I laid your clothes out -"
"I'm coming!" Beetee called.
"I'm getting the shower ready -" Wiress beckoned as Beetee hurried up the stairs.
"Wait for me!" He smiled at Wiress' giggling reply.
The chanting crowd gathered in front of the Justice Building parted as the Teslas made their way to the stage. "Teslas! Teslas! Fight! For a free Panem!" Their chanting drowned out the video clip played before the reapings.
"And now!" Xersius gasped flouncing around in his bright orange suit and blood red heels, "We will select our tributes for District Three! Beetee Tesla and Wiress -"
"TESLAS! TESLAS! YOU WILL FREE PANEM!" The crowd cheered in unison before someone in the crowd lit a pile of electronics and wood on fire causing Peacekeepers to descend upon the citizens. Several explosive traps immediately obliterated several squadrons.
"Oh dear!" Xersius gasped as chaos descended upon the square.
"Come ON!" Beetee snarled yanking the escort's arm and dragging him into the Justice Building. " The two Teslas dragged the shaking escort through the building. "Train parked in its usual position?" Beetee asked one of the peacekeepers.
"Give them hell, Beetee! Wiress!" The Peacekeeper called before flashing his navy blue armband designating him as a rebel. "See you all in a free Panem!"