Chapter 29: Desperate Measures Of The Disgruntled
Author's Note: Sorry for the lateness of updating. This chapter was harder to write. I've been having writer's block. Hope it is satisfactory.
Caesar Flickerman's talk show:
"Ladies and gentlemen. The feast at the Cornucopia is over." said Caesar. "The battle was hard and brutal, and it was exciting? Don't you all agree?"
The crowd cheered and applauded.
"Susanna Xavier, Dennis Green, and Blaze Trenton are now deceased. May they rest in peace. The 76th Hunger Games are drawing to a close. The living tributes are now down to the final three. Amanda Snow, David Crane, and Beverly O'Malley have scattered while the arena continues to shrink.
"We will continue to bring you regular updates right up till the conclusion of the Games. Now, I would like to invite some of you here in the audience onto the stage to give me your opinions on what you think of this year's Games."
People in the audience raised their hands and Caesar pointed to one of them. It was a woman. Her face and hair were both multicolored, like a bizarre looking clown. She stood up and walked over to the armchair that was beside Caesar's chair.
"I think that the three remaining tributes are doing very well, and to get into the final 3 in The Hunger Games is a great accomplishment." said the guest from the audience, "In fact, I think that this is the most exciting Hunger Games ever; the Tributes have put on an amazing show."
The audience applauded with approval at her words.
"But I am rather concerned about what Dennis Green said to Amanda just before she beheaded him. Now, I personally have nothing against Amanda Snow, and a lot of other people also have nothing against her. But there are a lot of fanatics within the districts that hate President Snow and will be outraged at the idea of his granddaughter winning the Hunger Games; the very Hunger Games that are supposed to discredit him in the eyes of the districts. So, as unfair as it is to Amanda Snow as an individual, I just have to ask, can we, as a nation of very unstable minded people 'afford' President Snow's granddaughter, in general, to win?"
The audience looked at each other with frowns on their faces in thought, and then some of them nodded at each other with serious faces of interest in the argument.
"Well?" said Caesar in thought, "I think that question merits the opinions of the audience. Now I will be addressing people with raised hands in the audience, but you the viewers can also call in on our TV studio hotline. Operators are standing by."
A few hands were raised.
"Yes, you there?" said Caesar, pointing.
The microphone was passed to her.
"Hi, I'm Laura Mackinstien. I know Amanda Snow personally. And I just think that if you wish to dishonor President Snow by having someone close to him die in the arena, then it should be someone who supports him. Now I'm sure that Amanda Snow loves her grandfather like any grandchild loves their grandparent. But in the case of Amanda Snow, she never supported the horrible things that her grandfather did. She never approved of any of his methods, and you want to blame her and cause an uproar over it? ... you see where I'm going with this?" she emphasized the ridiculousness of the thing.
"I complement you. That is a reasonable argument. I think we all can understand." said Caesar. "And the switch boards have lit up, and here we have our first caller. Hello, you're on the air."
"Hi Caesar. Tim Alf, District 5. I am curious about one thing." said the man who sounded angry, "What the hell is it with Amanda Snow making it into the top three?! She's still alive? Me and everyone I know thought that President Snow's granddaughter was supposed be executed by the Gamemakers in the arena at the start. Are the Games rigged for a conspiracy for her to win or something?"
"Well, all I can say is that the thing I'm aware of is that the Gamemakers are following President Paylor's strict rules." said Caesar. "And President Paylor's rules are that each and every tribute gets an equal chance of winning. During the old regime the Gamemakers killed tributes all the time. President Paylor felt that there should be an improvement on that, all the tributes get a fair shot at winning during the Games regardless of who they are, or their genealogy."
"Well this sucks! You can't have President Snow's granddaughter win the Games, you just can't!" said the guy in angry desperation.
"Well, I believe that the matter on that account is out of our hands." said Caesar, "She will either win or she won't. Now let us go to our next caller. Hello you're on the air."
"Hello Caesar. I'm William from District 10. I would just like to say that I myself was a malcontent right after the war. I had to endure for years my friends and families kids going into the Hunger Games. And then after the war I joined in with a lot of other people that President Coin should have 24 Capitol kids going to the Hunger Games, and as much as I would be disappointed that President Snow's granddaughter wins the Hunger Games, I will say one thing about Laura Mackinstien's comment that was made on the show just now, I fought for my freedom, and I have my freedom now, and the last thing I want is to have a civil war where I have to fight my own people. That's my opinion, thank you."
"Well, thank you for that opinion. I think we all appreciate that. And now let's go to our next caller. Hello you're on the air."
"Hi Caesar, Lindsay Vincent, District 6. I just want to say I think that Amanda Snow is the coolest ever and I hope she wins!" said the caller excitedly.
The statements and opinions from the people came one at a time; some negative, some positive, and not all of them were about Amanda Snow. A lot of people commented on Beverly O'Malley, and a lot of people commented on David Crane.
A little while later. Caesar Flickerman then wrapped up the show for the day and told everyone to tune in later for continuing updates.
President Paylor had turned off her television. She felt that she had seen enough for now. She was sitting in her living room in the president's mansion when suddenly her daughter came running in, along with several of the orphaned children that Paylor had adopted.
"Mama, take a look at my hair. What do you think of it?" said Paylor's nine year old daughter, Amber.
Paylor looked at her youngest daughter, and noticed that she had hair that had been dyed a bright bubblegum pink.
"Amber sweetie, what have you done with your hair?" said Paylor.
Paylor's daughter Amber smiled with pride at her new hair color.
"I got it this color because I want to be just like Amanda Snow." said Amber. "I think she's the coolest. I found an old bottle of shampoo full of this hair dye color under the sink in Amanda Snow's old bathroom here and in the mansion."
Paylor patted her lap and then her daughter Amber sat on it. Paylor put her arms around her daughter.
"And why do you want to be just like Amanda Snow?" asked Paylor.
"Because she's so strong and brave. And she's the favorite for winning now." said Amber in adoration.
"Well sweetie, David Crane and Beverly O'Malley are pretty strong and resourceful themselves; they have just as equal a chance of winning. So, don't jump on the bandwagon." said Paylor.
"Well, what about you Mama? Who's your favorite in the Games right now?" asked Amber.
She smiled looking embarrassed.
"Amanda Snow." said Paylor.
The district malcontents convened in secret.
"This is getting out of hand." said a man named Tomolok in extreme irritation. "Dennis Green was supposed to make sure that Amanda Snow loses. He was sitting on top of her pinning her down by her arms and legs. A knife poised over her head. Her death was within his hands, and he loses his head before he can stab!" he said in disbelief.
"It's all because of that, Susanna Xavier." said a District 5 man named Jordie. "She talks about being nice and kind by personality, but she is just like her father. She handed the sword that pink haired brat!" he said irrationally.
Another man man who was a little more rational shrugs his shoulders, put on a face of acceptance, and threw his hands up in the air and defeat.
"Well, it is out of our hands now. There is nothing we can do about it. We cannot dwell on that which we have no control over."
They looked at him with disapproval while other people look at him with faces of agreement.
"Well there is one thing that we might be a will to do." said Jordie.
Jordie stroked his chin and thought.
"The Gamemakers control room." said Jordie. "If we could break into the Gamemakers control room, then we could make sure that Amanda Snow dies in the arena."
Everyone looked at him with shocked faces.
"Are you serious?" said Tomolok.
"Absolutely." said Jordie.
Another man who was less convinced of the idea looked skeptical.
"Are we really that desperate?" said another man Nick rhetorically. "I mean, it was one thing to send Dennis Green into the Games to, in theory; make sure that President Snow's granddaughter loses. Dennis Green did come close, but in the end he failed miserably. But now... now, I'm not on the side of President Snow's honor and glory through his granddaughter winning the Hunger Games, no... but I have come to admire Amanda Snow as an individual. Not as President Snow's granddaughter. Maybe we should let this year's Hunger Games play out."
Tomolok was upset at the suggestion.
"We have invested a great deal of money in this plot." said Tomolok. "We can't give up on it. We can't let our resolve on this matter falter. Nick, I need you on this. I need everyone on this."
Nick thought for a moment.
"When I agreed to assist in this plot, I was not told that I would need to participate in anything illegal. Especially something like a raid on a Capitol high-security building. Something that will result in me losing my freedom, and I fought on the front line for my freedom already, against the Capitol. I do not want to fight my own people now for something like this."
"Maybe we need something a little more drastic." said Jordie. "We could try to seize power and overthrow President Paylor."
"You speak insanity!"
"Nick, I understand how you feel. The last thing Dennis Green said to Amanda Snow is that it was not personal and that he had nothing against her. Well, I feel the same way. I have nothing against Amanda Snow. And if her winning would cause no uproar, then that's fine. But if President Snow's granddaughter wins the Hunger Games, it will cause an uproar, and that is a fact. There are a large number of people in this country that wouldn't except that. They will believe that the Hunger Games were rigged and that remnants of Capitol Patriots were in on it. It could lead to civil war."
"We don't know that."
The argument went back and forth for a while until Nick very reluctantly saw the figurative bigger-picture. The Districts were full of unreasonable and irrational people that would mentally and psychologically not accept President Snow's granddaughter's victory.
The remnants of political patriots secretly convened.
"I just got word from our spy among the Districts malcontents. The District malcontents are getting desperate. They are going to perform a raid on the Gamemakers Control Room to kill Amanda Snow before David Crane, and Beverly O'Malley can lose."
"Then since we possess this information, let's ratt them out. Tell the President, and have her anticipate."
Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark were being escorted by security through the Gamemakers control facility to the President's Lounge. They had been invited there by the President. When they got there the other mentors and Victors were there, along with the President.
"President Paylor." Katniss Everdeen acknowledged in respect.
"Katniss. Peeta." said Paylor acknowledging their presence. "Please, sit down."
They took their seats.
Paylor looked around at everyone with a serious expression of urgency.
"We have a problem." said Paylor matter of factly.
"I've heard the rumors myself." said Katniss. "People are going insane at the idea of my tribute winning."
"They never really thought about the idea of her winning before. As far as they're concerned, Amanda wasn't supposed to get this far." said Peeta. "And now they do actually face the idea of her victory, and in their minds they psychologically can't handle it. So they can't wait around for her to win; they need to launch a pre-emptive strike, figuratively speaking." said Peeta explaining human psychology.
"I agree Peeta." said Paylor. "I received a tipoff from what I believe to be a reliable source that there's going to be an attack on this facility."
"I can only expect that you're taking a few precautions?" said Joanna Mason.
"Yes, I have amped up security here. But if they take any desperate measures then things might get ugly." said Paylor.
Right at that moment there was an alert of a security breach on the building's alarm system. Paylor spoke into her wrist communicator.
"Report!" ordered Paylor.
"Madame President. A gas bomb filled with sleep gas has just been released into a hallway in the center of the building on ground level! Most of the guards are knocked out!"
"Have any shots been fired?" asked Paylor.
"Yes, but no one's been killed yet."
"How in the world was there able to be a security breach so deep within the building after I fortified it?" asked Paylor.
"We have reason to believe that they snuck in through an abandoned sewer hatch in the basement. We believe there's 30 plus. They're trying to fight their way to the Gamemakers control room. Requesting backup!"
"We can't bring in the guards protecting the outside of the building, that could be a trap, and what is happening inside right now just a distraction."
Paylor then looked at the Hunger Games victors right in front of her.
"Keep fighting and stand by!" Paylor ordered. "I'll bring you some backup."
She then put down the communicator.
"Victors, can I persuade you to fight one more time?" said Paylor.
Two minutes later they were all armed with with guns that were loaded with tranquilizer darts. Katniss was given a set of tranquilizer tipped arrows and a bow. They did not want to have to kill anyone if it was not necessary.
They ran to where the malcontents were fighting. Several people were wounded. But no one was dead yet.
Enobaria knocked a few malcontents out with a rod, but didn't rip any throats out with her surgically altered sharp teeth.
Joanna Mason tranquilized several malcontents with her gun until she came face to face with some District 7 people to whom they had too much respect for her to fight their way through her. They then laid down their arms when she told them that she still had confidence that her tribute would win.
Katniss shot tranquilizer arrows at some of the malcontents in the arm or the leg and knocked them out.
The malcontents kept on coming and they almost reached the control room when right at that moment Paylor and Katniss jumped right out in front and the malcontents hesitated as they recognised the faces of the next two that stood in their way.
"My fellow citizens of Panem, hear me!" shouted Paylor.
In that moment, even with all their desperation to break into the Gamemakers Control Room, they just couldn't bring themselves to shoot the District 8 Commander and the Mockingjay.
"You come here to invade a Gamemakers Control room, and for what? What do you hope to accomplish by this? ... tell me!"
They paused at her words.
"To kill Amanda Snow, that's who." said Paylor answering her own question. "Because you think her victory will cause an uproar. Well, I will just say, have a look at yourselves. Here you are, in the middle of an uproar that you yourselves have started. You think that you are preventing an uproar that you fear will happen, but if you look at yourselves right here right now, then you will see that you have become and caused the very thing you hoped to prevent."
The malcontents had looks of confusion on there faces at her words, then a moment later their faces turned to looks of both dawning comprehension and guilt.
"Are you saying that you wish the 76th Hunger Games never took place at all? No. You wanted this. You wanted the Capitol to endure the Games just like we did all our lives.
"Are you saying you wish Amanda Snow had never been reaped? No. You wanted her in the Games more than anyone.
"And if you didn't want to watch her fight and kill her fellow tributes, why not we have just executed her before the reaping ourselves? And if you did want her to to fight and kill her fellow tributes then why would you not want to see her win? And I will tell you, it is because you simply don't want President Snow's granddaughter to give him any more honor and glory. Well, forget her as President Snow's granddaughter, and think of her, Amanda Snow, as an individual. She is nothing like her grandfather. She's a model citizen. I gave you your 76th Hunger Games after President Coin died, against my better judgement. I told you long before the Games that I was going to be fair towards the tributes, that each one would have an equal chance of winning during the Games. If you did not trust me as your President, then why did you elect me?"
Paylor paused to allow them to process the implications.
"There is one more thing. Now, I'm sure you want to tell me that I have made my point, but I feel compelled to say this. Elizarella Snow. Put yourself in her position. Some of you I know personally have been in her position. Some of you watched as your sons and daughters were reaped, and then you gave up hope that they would come home, but a part of you knew that they could if they had a fair chance at winning."
Some of the people did remember their kids who had died after they were reaped, and had hoped against hope that they would or could win the Hunger Games.
"If you still want President Snow's granddaughter to lose, then don't count your chickens yet. Beverly O'Malley and David Crane may still win. But give Elizerella Snow a fair hope for her baby girl."
All of the district malcontents had solemn looks on their faces.
"Lower your weapons!" Paylor ordered.
The malcontents lowered their weapons and the guards took them into custody and President Paylor then promised them that they would be released after the Games.
Author's note: I still have the writer's block right now. If anyone has any ideas for what could happen in the next chapter, please send me some plot ideas via 'Private Message'.
I usually say that I welcome constructive criticism, but for this chapter, no criticism please! I know the chapter was bad. And again I will reiterate, 'I am not a very good writer'.