A/N: Wow. Long time coming. I had writers block for a bit, but at last, here is the long awaited update. I seriously have one or two more chapters then the Large Eyes series will be complete. Whew.
"They're moving around the apartment." Beetee said as they watched The Mockingjay's positon on the GPS. "They're in a central unit, so they can access the sewer system."
"Victor Tesla, we are trythe poing to block the pods, but Snow or Coin is blocking access to one." One of the soldiers said with concern. As soon as the rebel soldiers freed the Teslas, the two Victors set up a makeshift tech hub with several computers that would connect to the Teslas' main workstation as well as TV monitors throughout the room. The soldiers stood at attention as the Teslas got settled.
"I have a workaround. Slows it down." Beetee explained as he typed on his computer.
"Beetee - they're going down -" Wiress observed as she watched their progress on the GPS tracker pinned to Katniss' uniform. The Teslas watched the monitors at their workstation while the other soldiers looked on and took notes. "Now, how many of you had computer training?" Wiress asked the group. Several soldiers raised their hands. "Beetee -"
"Yes, I'll guide them." Beetee responded. "All tech trained soldiers find a workstation. I will monitor the pods, Wiress will monitor The Mockingjay's position. The rest of you techs divide up the pods within the Capitol and hack into any surveillance feeds. We make The Mockingjay as safe as we can without Coin detecting our interference."
"Yes, Victor Tesla." The room chorused. Beetee smiled as the tech soldiers took their places.
"Oh right, I guess the other half can guard the building and hold down the fort." Beetee chuckled seeing the remaining soldiers still standing at attention waiting for orders.
"They're still in the sewers. They are heading toward the city center." One of the soldiers called as he monitored Squad 451's progress on his computer.
"No!" Another tech gasped. "Pod! Pod activating about 50 feet behind their position!"
"Wires Wires Wires!" Beetee cursed as he zoomed in on their position. "Can anyone block it?"
"We've been trying, sir." The soldier replied. "We have Coin overriding it."
"Wait!" Wiress gasped before pushing Beetee's hands aside from his keyboard and taking over his station. "Activating an explosive pod. The pipes will collapse -"
"Yes, with the team in them, hon!" Beetee snapped.
"No! The team turned the corner - their area has extra structural support - Now!" She yelled pushing a button on the keyboard.
"What the - Teslas, come see this video feed!" Another person shouted. Wiress pushed Beetee in his chair over to the soldier's workstation.
"Oh my -" The Teslas and techs gasped looking at the lizard mutts that were after Katniss. The pipe collapse delayed them some allowing Katniss and her team to move close to the surface.
"They're no more pods we can activate. They just have to outrun them." The soldier observed.
"Ok, well, let's start examining the pods after the manhole they will probably come out of." Beetee directed. The video feed was displayed on a screen mounted on the wall and they watched as the team fought the mutts. They all winced as Castor was taken down by the mutts. However, Finnick emerged without his trident while the team reconvened outside the manhole.
As the team wound their way through the streets, the tech team did what they could to disable pods. "Safe house -" Wiress whispered as she began typing in her tablet. "Tigris -" She said softly looking at a purple purring cat in a video on her tablet. "Tigris - they're coming -"
"How do you know, dear?" Beetee asked.
"Cressida knows." Wiress explained.
"How do you know her?" One of the techs asked.
"I helped her develop a machine that mass produces her furs - actually, much of her fur is synthetic -" Wiress looked at the tablet again. "Tigris - do you have food - not cat food -" There was a pause. "They can go there."
The tech crew waited as the Mockingjay's team recovered in Tigris' shop. In the middle of the night, Beetee was wakened by a buzzing from his computer indicating he received an email.
Nerds, this is Cressida. Katniss wants to head to the City Center. We think Coin knows this also. Tigris is letting me use her tablet for this. Yes it's encrypted.
"Get up, we need half the team to hack into Coin's communications network." He directed. "The rest of you, examine the pods around their path. We will have to assume their path as it's too dangerous for Cressida to use her communication device to email us." The crew got to work and worked through the night and the next day.
"They're leaving the shop." Wiress announced the next day. "They'll be mixed in with the evacuees."
"Pods are disabled within a 5 mile radius from the Presidential mansion." Beetee announced. Suddenly an email icon beeped on Beetee's computer.
"Everyone pause for a moment. I'm putting this on the screen." Beetee projected the email to the main screen in the room. "This is from Plutarch. Beetee, I don't have much time, but one of the techs showed me how to reach you. They're sending in the medics to tend to the kids in the presidential mansion. They're also sending the bombs
The email ended abruptly with Plutarch's signature.
"The bombs?" Wiress asked before Beetee paled. "Beetee - what is it -"
"They come after the parachutes that can carry supplies. The second wave of parachutes injures those that retrieve the first set." Beetee explained. "Coin wants to use them in the Capitol. To kill as many Capitol citizens as possible."
"There's a live feed - cut to that!" One of the techs called. Beetee and Wiress watched as Capitol children gathered on the West Lawn of the Presidential mansion.
"President Snow has allowed children of the Capitol to gather on the West Lawn to shelter them from the rebels."
"Or use them as human shields." Beetee muttered furiously. "He knows we won't fire on them - oh no -" He frantically began typing on his computer. "Wiress - help me!"
"You need to disable - " Wiress replied frantically.
"Yes!" Beetee answered exasperated. "I'm trying!"
"Ok - well, delegate -" Grasping the handles of Beetee's chair, Wiress wheeled him down the aisle of computer workstations as he gave orders.
"We can at least disable the charge once they are in range. We can get people on alert to have the medics stand close by." Beetee explained.
"The medics are close by. They're right in the group!" Someone observed.
"No!" Wiress screamed. "No! Prim!" Beetee cursed before pushing himself to his computer.
"Get Katniss and Gale's communicuffs working! Now!" He began typing away.
"Beetee?" Gale asked, his voice static through the speakers.
"Those are our bombs! Get down there! You need to get the kids out!" Beetee ordered before his voice cracked knowing he did everything he could to warn him. The room was silent as they viewed the news broadcast on the TV on the wall.
"And The Mockingjay and her group are approaching the West Lawn - weapons are not drawn - and there goes Gale Hawthorne scaling the fence -" The Panem News reporter announced. Meanwhile, Beetee worked on jamming the communications within the hovercraft that carried the bombs.
"Incoming aircraft on radar, Victors Tesla!" One of the soldiers guarding the rebel headquarters called through the intercom in the room.
"Whose is it?" Beetee asked.
"Ours! And the weapons are drawn! We need to take cover!" The techs ducked under tables as they watched the parachutes go off in the Presidential Mansion. They had one last glance at the news feed of Katniss and Gale jumping on top of a burning Primrose Everdeen before the first bombs hit the building.