Chapter 1
Prologue 1: The Assassins
Carina Coin, age 35
President of District 13
One month before the Reapings
As a woman in charge, for the most part I am too proud to beg, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The epidemic of last year struck fast and hard, leaving District 13 in a shortage of almost everything from manpower to morale. We would have been able to handle the outbreak if it wasn't for the earthquake that destroyed much of our supply of vaccines earlier. The government of Panem, the country we seceded from decades ago, largely ignores us, but hopefully not for long. As a leader, I have admitted that we need help, and I am willing to accept it from anyone.
I discreetly approach the gates to the President's Mansion, my dark hood and sunglasses obscuring my identity because I'm supposed to be dead. Four guards raise their weapons, blocking the way.
"State your name and business," one of the guards growls.
"Copper Penny, meeting with the President," I state smoothly. Vispasian Ginger, President of Panem, never responded to my request for a meeting. I hope she got the message along with my alias.
Another guard laughs dryly. "Meeting with the President! Ginger won't meet with just anyone," she scoffs. "Who are you and why are you here?"
"With all due respect, your honor, if you check, President Ginger has a meeting with me in about fifteen minutes," I say steadily, though doubt creeps into me. I push it aside, knowing that now is not the time to waver.
"We are well aware of the President's schedule, and the name Copper Penny isn't on it anywhere," a third guard says. "Now will you leave on your own accord or will we be forced to take drastic action?"
"Please, I humbly request to meet with President Ginger," I state, my heart racing. I can't go back to Thirteen without aid. I can't afford to.
"That's what they all say," the fourth guard says gruffly. "One does not simply meet with the President of Panem. Now scram. This is your final warning."
I eye the guards steadily, my mind racing as I try to figure out what to do. I'm already attracting a few spectators. This is not good. There's no way I can take on the guards by force, and more talking will just get me injured, or worse. I'm thinking about retreating and sneaking into the mansion grounds when a svelte and handsome man of about my age approaches the gates. My heart skips a beat as I recognize him as Coriolanus Snow, Vice President of Panem.
We've never actually talked - he was mostly in the background during my few meetings with President Ginger - but the scent of white roses is unmistakable. Snow comes to a stop, running a pale hand through his platinum blond hair.
"Are you here to see the President, Miss?" he says, his eyes sparkling with intrigue. "I'm afraid she's unavailable right now. She's meeting with the Head Gamemaker regarding this year's Games." He waves a hand at the four guards, whose weapons are still raised. "I'll take things from here."
"Coriolanus Snow," I say, taken slightly by surprise at being called Miss. Focus. "Your timing is impeccable, Mr. Vice President. I suppose if the President has other commitments you can be of service to me." I stick my hand out. "Copper Penny."
"No need for formalities, we've met before," Snow says knowingly, though he takes my hand and shakes it. "Follow me, we'll talk in my room."
"Thank you, Mr. Snow," I say with relief as I follow him.
Coriolanus Snow leads me through the President's Mansion and into a spacious bedroom. I hesitate and swallow. I have an idea of where this is going, but I will do what I have to do in order to secure aid for Thirteen.
"Please, have a seat," Snow says breezily as he picks up a wine bottle and glass from his desk. "Chardonnay?"
"No thank you," I say nervously as I sit down on a chair.
"Please, I insist," Snow says with a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes. "You must have had a long journey."
"Of course, thank you," I say as Snow pours a glass and hands it to me.
This is it, I think bitterly as I take it. I'm going to black out, and we all know what happens after that. Not if I can help it.
"District 13 needs help," I say bluntly. "I wanted to ask President Ginger for aid, but I think you can help us. We need anything and everything at this point." My request successfully made, I take a sip of the wine, knowing that if I didn't, Snow might be harder to convince.
Well, I don't feel drunk or anything, so that's good.
"And what's in it for me?" Snow asks, pouring himself a glass of chardonnay.
"Oh," I say, honestly surprised but quickly composing myself. "What do you need?"
"Power," Snow says simply. "Theoretically, I am next in line for the Presidency of Panem. If Ginger were to unfortunately pass away, our laws state that I would become President in her wake. However, our laws also state that the President may appoint a successor other than the Vice President. Therein lies the issue: Vispasian Ginger has appointed Head Gamemaker Draco Stilleto to be her successor should she pass away."
You want me to help you take out Ginger and Stilleto, I think angrily, but I compose myself and ask Snow to carry on.
"I want you to help me take out Ginger and Stilleto," Snow declares, taking a sip of his wine. "With them out of the way, I will be President of Panem, and with me rather than Ginger in charge, District 13 will no longer be ignored. I promise that, Carina, and I do not make promises lightly."
"If I successfully complete this task, will you send aid to Thirteen?" I ask softly.
"Yes."
I raise my glass. "Panem forever," I say solemnly.
Snow comes to me and clinks his glass with mine. "Panem forever," he echoes.
We drink to that.
A/N: Welcome to another Organized Chaos! This is a project where multiple authors are taking the same cast of tributes and writing different Hunger Games. For my story, I've decided to write a subplot-heavy tale in a new verse that I am calling the Stained Silver Verse because it is a dark twist on SilverflowerXRavenpaw's SYOT verse. I've made a blog for this story, and I will update it as time goes on, so I'd really appreciate it if you'd check it out and give feedback on it:
ocb1 . weebly . com (remove the spaces)
Thanks for reading!