Penelope's Web

by Zevoros

In silence, the first tick of the clock rings out. Dawn rises, but the Hunger Games steadily grind onward. The tributes stand in preparation for the journey ahead, and Seneca Crane stretches out his hand. The gears slip forward and Gadget knows that the first hour is here.

9. Storm's Break

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~~(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)~~

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Author's Notes:

Triage: And this day shall be known…as the Longest Day.

Zevoros: Special thanks to Evie Rose and Team Shadow! Additional thanks to CragmiteBlaster.

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Penelope's Web

Chapter 9

Storm's Break

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The whistling melodies of mockingjay birds woke Gadget from her fitful weary slumber. She wanted to punish herself for not doing something more. But every scenario she conjured in her mind was also accompanied by Peeta's words; she would die too.

Useless.

An ugly word. But the truest definition of her.

It was Peeta who'd guided her out of there. The Careers had to sleep for some time, but she mused that Peeta wasn't counting on that being a certainty. Her mind was reeling, logic telling her that Lace was truly dead, but her heart yearned for the opposite to be true, contrary to all facts. One of the first very few people she could truly call a friend.

Now she was lying on her side, having turned about as soon as she woke, to look for Peeta. She found him lying right next to her, his back turned to her.

She took a moment to marvel at the level of trust Peeta showed her by turning his back to her. Inside the Games, most people who had companions would sleep facing each other, which also indicated they didn't fully trust the other. Whereas, by turning your back to them meant you trusted them not to stab you, and you also watched out for external threats, trusting the other person to do the same for you.

But then, why would Peeta need to watch out for her? She knew that even if she wanted to try, she would fail.

She always failed.

She failed to protect Lace. Failed to help her. Failed to keep her alive.

And now she was dead, and it was all Gadget's fault.

Because she wasn't good enough, and would never be good enough.

She was grateful to Peeta in many ways now, and honestly awed by the level of trust he gave to her by sleeping soundly with his back turned, the knife she'd given him sheathed on his belt, but not in his hand. Maybe he just wasn't prone to violence.

He'll die too if he stays with me.

The realization hit her hard. Tears came down again as she remembered Lace just several hours ago. Now, she thought of Peeta as a friend. As much as one could be in the Games. And if he stayed with her longer, it was a guarantee, he would die, if not with her, then because of her!

She could not do that to him. Or Corduroy. They were all better off without her.

"P-please help C-Cordy...yea…?"

Dammit!

She didn't want to break her promise to a dying friend...a dead friend.

What did it say that everyone around her suffered? Because of me.

They suffered because they chose to be around her. First was Mortimer, and while he wasn't much of a loss, he was still dead.

Because of me.

And then…and then Jason and Husk, who had both been nice to her. Pleasant with her. One who just seemed to want someone to talk to and one who warned her about someone else. But nice to her.

Lace…

Lace was dead because of her. She suffered because of her.

Because she couldn't save anyone.

Gadget sniffled and wiped at her face with her hands. She had no doubt in her mind that the Capitol saw her as a pathetic crybaby.

But Gadget couldn't bring herself to care anymore.

Lace was dead. One of her first friends!

Gadget choked out a sob and quickly glanced at Peeta. He would despise her, she was certain, if he woke up because of her crying.

She crushed her hands over her mouth and brought her knees to her chest.

Lace was dead and it was all her fault.

"If you go down there, you'll both die."

He didn't have any confidence in her, Gadget realized. And rightly so. He'd seen how she was a stuttering mess when she gave him her knife, and even before that.

If something happened Gadget wouldn't be able to save him. Because he was right. She couldn't save anyone. All she could do was run away and maybe, just maybe, build something that could appeal to the low amount of sponsors she had left.

Useless.

She was nothing more than a tool to help someone else win. Gadget knew she was, for what else could she be?

I'm going to get Peeta killed.

It was a fact. Gadget knew she would. If everyone else died around her, why wouldn't he?

Gadget wiped her eyes one last time and looked at Peeta. He had practically dragged her out of the campsite where Lace died. Took her to a cave they'd stumbled across, where they could spend the night.

Gadget had barely remembered any of it. Her failure replayed in her head again and again all night, and even when she finally slept, it continued.

There was no escaping that kind of burden.

Did District Eight hate her? Gadget wouldn't blame them. Friends with one of their tributes and she was completely incapable of saving her life.

It replayed again in her head. Lace's comforting words despite the fact that she was the one who was dying.

"P-please help C-Cordy...yea…?"

How? Corduroy would despise her the second he learned what happened. The moment he learned she failed to save Lace.

And it was all true. She did fail. She was nothing more than a failure. Binary was right, as always. Despite his cruel barbs and words, he was right about her.

Gadget hugged her knees tighter as she hesitantly eyed the sleeping Peeta. What she needed to do…it was for his own good. He deserved better than her.

A tear escaped Gadget's eye and she quickly brushed it away. Now was not the time.

So pathetic, Gadget, she scolded herself. Can't do anything without someone holding your hand.

He'd asked for a weapon the night before, then told her not to give him any. Despite that, she'd given him one of the spare knives she'd ransacked from the Cornucopia.

But it was not enough. She'd seen how Clove could throw those blades. Peeta would be impaled long before he could get close enough; she'd watched him in the training center. He could throw weights, for sure, but he could barely hit anything with a small projectile weapon.

But Peeta could be a force to be reckoned with if he had something like her staff. Gadget thought about giving it to him, after all, he would be a better fighter than she was, plus he clearly had strength. Still, why not have two?

She examined her staff under the dim morning light. She had a good idea on its balance and weight, and she had knives. Two of the knives she had were survival knives, so they were versatile and multi-purpose. She quietly rose, stretched herself, and set out from the cave. They stayed relatively close to the opening, rather than risk going too far inside and either get trapped by mutts or the Gamemakers caused a cave-in. It had happened before in previous Games.

This arena was cold, but had plenty of trees, stones, water and resources. To Gadget, this was very advantageous. She had in mind to make another quarterstaff, for Peeta. It'd be somewhat more crude than the ready-made version, but it would serve just as well.

She found a good-sized branch that had fallen off a tree. It was almost perfectly shaped already, so this wouldn't take long or require too much effort.

After a look around her immediate surroundings, she found a sizable rock near the entrance to sit on, and grabbed whatever tools she needed from her tool pack. With that, she began to chip and carve the staff. The knife did most of the work, cutting off excess bits. A file helped to smooth over the edges.

She examined her work after some time and realized that she could improve on the weapon some more.

Unlike her own staff, which was titanium, she could adjust the wooden staff and make it more deadly.

She measured a foot on each end of the staff and used her knife to mark a line around each, then she took a carving tool and began to chip off more around the extreme edges, around the measured sections. She made inverted cuts that ran up and outwards, nicking an inch, then another, then another, until the staff had what looked like feather blades on four corners, on each end.

Now it won't just bludgeon, this could slash and cut through flesh too. If Peeta could swing it at the face of his opponents, he could easily take out eyes and do a lot of damage, and have a significant advantage over a blinded foe.

She finished her work, using the file to smooth the central grip a little, and she then took several strips of cloth from a first aid kit's bandage wraps to wrap around the center, and the grip areas, where one would hold the staff, to ensure there wasn't too much abrasion for Peeta.

Satisfied with the result, she jumped a little when she looked over at Peeta to find that he was awake and quietly watching her.

Now that she'd seen him awake, he slowly pushed himself off the ground and approached her warily.

She assured him easily by holding out the newly completed weapon to him.

"Wow, that's…how did you know how to do that?" Peeta asked as he took it from her. He gazed at it and spun it around in his hands, running along the indentations Gadget had made.

"We…we don't j-just study t-t-tech in scho-school," Gadget said, unsure what to do with her hands. "I-I know how t-to bui-build thi-ings…too."

Peeta looked down at the two-headed staff, rolling it between his fingers. "You know that, uh, you didn't need to do this?"

Gadget put her hands in her pockets, finally deciding what to do with her hands. "I-I know," she said meekly.

Peeta shoved the staff into the ground experimentally, the blade cutting through smoothly. At least she could manage to give some kind of help.

Before she cut loose.

"H-how lo-ng were you watching m-me for?" Gadget asked self-consciously. She pulled her hand from her pocket to rub her shoulder.

Peeta's brow furrowed in thought. "About an hour, I think?"

An hour? Had it really been that long?

"And, well, you looked focused so…I didn't wanna interrupt you."

"O-oh…" She looked downwards.

Tell him. Tell him now! she ordered herself.

"You...y-you shouldn't…uhm...st-stay with me," Gadget said timidly.

Peeta looked at her, his face clearly aghast. "What?"

Gadget didn't want to look up at him now, but she knew it was true. He would die if he stayed with her. She said as much.

"Y-you will d-die…b-because of m-m-me."

"Gadget…look at me," Peeta ordered, and she found herself looking up almost against her will.

His eyes…they were so earnest.

He leaned forward, and said the words slowly, "That is a complete lump of burnt out coal."

Gadget frowned, trying to decipher the idiom he used, and figured out easily that he thought she was talking out of her vent port.

"H-how can you s-s-say that!?" she demanded. "L-look a-a-at Lace! Sh-she died b-because of-"

"Because of you?" Peeta interrupted. "You can't say that, really, because the Careers go after everyone, they just happened upon her because she lit a signal fire that would have drawn everyone to her. If it wasn't the Careers, any of the others would have gone for her too."

"B-b-but…you…you heard th-them." Gadget argued, hugging her arms to herself. "You-you heard Cl-Clove…th-they went af-after her…b-because she was m-m-my…"

She couldn't finish the words. The tears poured down. Why couldn't he see how pathetic and dangerous she was to his survival?

"You think that's the only reason? You think that if you were not her friend, she wouldn't die first?" Peeta asked.

Yes. She thought petulantly.

Since she wasn't looking up, Peeta knelt down in front of her, until he could almost look right in her eyes. She turned her head, curling her lips downwards. This was not going the way she expected. Why was he being so stubborn? Surely he saw that she was right? But he kept arguing to the contrary.

"Why do you think I'd die if I stayed with you?" he asked. "Help me understand."

"Because it's t-true!" Gadget snapped, whipping her head back to him so fast her long hair flailed around. "Everyone d-d-dies because of me! L-Lace, Ja-Jason, even my m-m-mom!"

She pushed him in the shoulder weakly. "You-you've got weapons, some sup-supplies...y-you'll be okay…I d-don't want you to d-d-d-ie because of me!"

He was so sturdy, he didn't even budge in the slightest at her push, then again, she didn't really try hard enough. So when she tried to shove him again, he grasped her wrist, looking irritated.

"Stop that. I'm not leaving, okay?" he said quietly. "We're better together."

"Wh-why?" she almost whined.

Peeta took a breath before he answered, "One of the reasons Lace died? She was alone. And she's young…"

"Sh-she's th-the same age as m-me," Gadget interrupted.

Peeta merely arched an eyebrow and Gadget lowered her head, blushing.

"...and she made a horrible mistake, because she was alone. Do you get it? If you or I are alone, we're more likely to get killed faster."

She looked at him again. Dead green eyes stared into steely blue. He was convicted on this path, and she was too emotionally drained to keep fighting about this. If he was dead set on it, she couldn't…wouldn't stop him anymore.

And she would be lying if she said she wasn't a little appreciative of it.

"O-okay…" she finally relented.

"Okay." Peeta smiled, and he released his grip on her wrist to pat her shoulder.

She did her best not to flinch. If he wanted to attack her, he had plenty of chances.

"I-I just-" Gadget tried to say.

"I know," Peeta said comfortingly.

I'm selfish, Gadget thought viciously to herself. She wasn't the only person to have lost someone to the Games, already. Katniss was also dead, too.

And Peeta had to live with that as much as Gadget had to live with her fault in what happened to Lace.

Corduroy…

"Did…" Gadget swallowed nervously. It was a question she needed to ask, but her nerves struck her and she feared the question she had to ask. "D-d-did you he-hear any can-c-cannons?" she stuttered out.

Peeta shot Gadget a look of sympathy and shook his head. "No," he said.

Gadget let out a breath of relief. Corduroy was still alive. But…but for how much longer? How much longer did he have when the Careers were hunting her and her allies so mercilessly?

And Corduroy had nothing with him. Like Peeta, he'd fled the Bloodbath with nothing.

She needed to find him. Gadget wasn't sure she'd be able to go on much without him. He was her friend and…and…

If he dies, it's my fault.

She had convinced him to forego the Cornucopia, after all.

Something sounded out through the clearing, then. Before Gadget could decide on a plan of action.

It said something when Gadget and Peeta instinctively moved to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, weapons at the ready as soon as they heard a foreign noise that until now had not been heard before.

It was a constant repetitive chime that was both soft and at the same time clear enough to hear from a distance. The sound came every two seconds.

Peeta seemed to recognize it and eased his guarded posture after a moment.

"I think one of us is getting a sponsor," he declared.

Sponsors? Why? It didn't make any sense. Gadget hadn't done anything worth being sponsored for.

But had Peeta? Gadget wasn't sure. Maybe his mentor wanted to reward him for putting up with her for as long as he had.

And for some inexplicable reason, wanted to stay with her in spite of the very real danger she provided.

The sound grew louder and Gadget could spot it in the sky, connected to a small parachute. It had light on top of it that blinked in time with the chime.

Which meant that Peeta was right. It was a sponsor. Gadget had seen a few of them from her watching previous Games.

But…

That didn't mean that it was for them.

Gadget's blood went cold and her fist around her knife tightened.

Someone could be here. Watching them. Gadget was confident of it. Sure of it. Because she couldn't think of a reason why she would be sponsored.

No matter the kind words Beetee and Wiress said.

"P-Peeta…" Gadget stuttered and he looked away from the floating item and to her. His calm expression morphed into concern as his gaze landed on her.

"Gadget, what's wrong?"

"Th-the spon-sponsor," Gadget whispered lowly. She took a step back to get a better view of the clearing, and to watch wherever the sponsor landed.

Peeta flickered his attention from Gadget to the sponsor.

"I don't…I don't kn-know…"

She didn't have any time to finish her sentence before the sponsor floated down to the ground with such sudden force that surprised Gadget into jumping.

Her knuckles turned white around her knife. It couldn't be for them, it couldn't!

Is…this one of Seneca Crane's tricks? Gadget wouldn't put it past the Gamemakers. They were cruel enough to give them false hope like that.

Before the driver was pulled out of the motherboard, and some kind of deranged twist was revealed.

The Gamemakers were cruel enough to do all sorts of terrible things.

Peeta approached the sponsor, his staff held aloft in his hand. How is he so unconcerned? Gadget thought with near desperation.

But…but…

"It's for you," Peeta said and Gadget stopped dead.

Me?

But that didn't make any sense! She had done nothing to warrant a sponsor. Nothing to deserve it.

"M-me?" Gadget asked and her grip on her knife loosened, if only just.

"Yeah," Peeta said, crouching down next to the sponsor. "It has your district number on it."

Gadget sheathed her knife and tentatively reached out for the lid catch of the mid-sized container. She flipped it and stepped back hastily, earning a quizzical look from Peeta. She could only answer him with a helpless shrug.

There was nothing vicious that jumped out at her, which she half-expected, and Peeta, after seeing that Gadget was not going to go any closer at the moment, stepped forward in her stead.

He reached in and retrieved bundles of metallic pieces. Gadget could see that they clearly required assembly, but her heart leaped for joy when she realized that Beetee, Wiress, and Septimius must have come through for her.

"Anything you recognize from this?" Peeta asked.

"Y-yes…it-it's armor," Gadget replied.

"Really?" Peeta looked at it again, then shook his head. "Must be a District Three thing."

He handed it over to her.

It wasn't just metal, this was nano-titanium, which was lighter and twice as durable as the ancient metals it was derived from. Whoever her sponsor was had access to District Two's resources. It wasn't a lot, but it was enough. She recognized the basic design of a protective chest plate.

Peacekeeper trainees wore something like this. It was easy to assemble or disassemble, and was modular in design. Essentially, the armor was your responsibility to maintain, and you added on more pieces as you rose in rank.

But the pieces she had…she could only use so much. All she had was enough to cover her front torso, but her sides and back were still unprotected. Any more and she was in danger of her plan falling behind.

It will do, Gadget thought, as she got to work.

There were some component pieces and nano-fiber material in the container to attach and fit the armor to her clothes. She was already finished assembling the pieces together and Peeta looked impressed after realizing what it was.

Idly, from beneath the metal pieces from inside the sponsor container, Gadget heard the distinct sound of bolts and screws moving about.

But Gadget wasn't in need of those, yet. She started inspecting her surroundings and wandered about.

It didn't take her long to find what she was looking for. Rocks decorated the opening of the cave, and managing to find flat rocks among them was easy.

Bent wood was next, and like the rocks, they were easy enough to find. Gadget took her knife to chip off the bark and whittle the pieces down, if only just.

Finally, she opened her pack and removed a wad of bandages. They would be enough, but the removal of the bandages from her pack did not help to ease her nerves in any way, even if they were to help her in another manner.

With those, she made shoulder pads to go with her chest plate. And she took the container, examined it, then used her tools to disassemble it.

"What are you doing with that?" Peeta asked.

Most people would discard the containers, but Gadget always thought that was wasteful and quite silly.

It was durable! And this container was slightly larger than average. Both the bottom and top halves had round lids that could be removed, and she knew just what to do with those.

"M-making u-use of it…" was Gadget's distracted reply as she pried the top lid loose.

The electronic parts in the lid. Those were exactly what she needed. Not at that very moment, but soon. Gadget made delicate care, as she did with the pedestals, to pry the pieces out and put them off to her side, in a place she wouldn't forget.

Gadget made quick work of the container's parachute and stuffed it into her pocket. She pulled a small square device from within the container and shifted it about in her fingers. Realization hit her quickly. It was what made the chiming noise that brought Peeta and her attention to the sponsor gift. Passively, she put it in her pocket.

Gadget glanced at her quarterstaff that she left near the edge of the cave. She scolded herself for leaving it so far away. What use was a weapon when it wasn't in reach?

Electra had built something fantastic with her staff. If Gadget tried hard enough, she could do something similar.

She used some leftover scraps of bandage and wood to make some bracers for Peeta, which she gave to him before finishing her work on the container.

The suitable pieces she made into shoulder pads for Peeta, and one lid into a small buckler for him. She left the lower lid for herself.

"That's amazing," Peeta said. "Thank you, Gadget."

Gadget responded by blushing and looking down.

"Hey," he said, prompting her to look at him, "I mean it. I really appreciate what you've done." He rotated his bracers slightly. "You really didn't have to do this, you know?"

"I-I know."

Gadget moved towards the cave, where she'd left her staff, and crouched down. She grabbed her backpack that she left near her staff and opened it, then withdrew some of the metal plates that once belonged to a tribute pedestal.

She wouldn't be able to finish it in one day. One day wasn't enough.

"What're you doing?" Peeta asked. Gadget would like to imagine that he was brimming with curiosity, but she doubted it.

"I…uhm…" Gadget trailed off, unsure of herself. She stared down at the wires she could see in her backpack.

"Sorry, um…" Peeta coughed awkwardly. "I'll be quiet."

He'd offered her an out. Like he somehow knew she wasn't sure or confident enough in answering him.

"It's…" Gadget bit her lip. She turned on her knees so that she faced Peeta. He looked so kindly at her.

"You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to." Peeta flashed her a small smile. "I understand if you don't trust me."

Gadget shook her head. Peeta had had plenty of opportunities to kill her. And he had been nothing but patient and kind to her.

"It's…" Gadget rubbed at her arm and looked away. "My plan," she said, her cheeks flushing. "I…I…uhm…"

"Something you're building?" Peeta gestured towards the bolts and screws.

Gadget breathed out a tiny laugh. "Yeah."

"Well, I, uh, can't understand the, y'know, intricacies," Peeta said with a crooked smile, "but I'll help you."

Gadget dropped her hands to her lap. "W-why? You ba-barely eve-even know me…"

Peeta's face fell. He clasped his hands together and sat down in the grass a few feet away from Gadget.

"I guess because I don't have a reason to stop you?" Peeta said. "I mean, Haymitch is probably screaming at me, but…" Peeta chuckled. "But it's mostly because I want to."

He wants to help? Gadget didn't understand. Why would he want to help her? He had no obligation to.

Gadget opened her mouth, and then closed it again, then turned towards her supplies in front of her.

Peeta remained kind to her. Why? She didn't deserve his kindness. Didn't he understand her failures? Didn't he understand that even being allied to her was dangerous now?

Lace…

There was no time to think about the whys. Gadget got to work. She slipped her knife from her belt and slid a screw into place, joining two metal parts together.

Carefully, Gadget guided the tip of her knife to the screw, and twisted, and then again, and then again, until the metal parts were stuck together firmly.

Slowly, Gadget got into the rhythm. Peeta said very few words, electing to let her work in peace of the quiet.

It was almost like home, in a way.

Working on a project that only she knew would look like. But Gadget had gone over it in her head too many times to simply forget and give up.

This…this machine…it would be one of the only chances she had, if things went wrong.

Beetee and Wiress could only be so much help. They couldn't build the machine for her. Only Gadget could.

The metal plate was moved into place, and Gadget used her knife to screw it in.

Lost in her focus of what Gadget hoped would soon become a marvel of technology, she had no idea how much time had passed until her last piece of nano-titanium metal was slotted in.

She had used all of the metal she'd been sponsored.

But Peeta remained quiet, void of complaints. How was he so…patient with her? She had done nothing to explain herself and yet he…he still remained with her.

Her thought was interrupted by an embarrassingly loud growl, emanating from her stomach.

"I don't suppose you have something to eat in these packs?" Peeta asked.

---

Their late breakfast was a ration of an orange each and two slices from the somewhat squashed loaf of bread.

"Never imagined there'd be a day I'm so glad to see bread…" Peeta said, "...when you're the son of a baker, bread actually can start to be boring…"

Gadget was admittedly a little jealous that Peeta essentially wanted for nothing food-wise before the reaping. A baker and their family were almost guaranteed to never have to worry about starvation.

She idly wished she had taken the time to obtain more food from the Cornucopia. She had not factored how much a person needed to eat, even at minimum, and between two people, three if they could find Corduroy, that meager rations wouldn't last very long.

I have to find him! Gadget thought.

There had been a convenient small brook near their chosen campsite, which Gadget immediately used to fill their flasks with water. But she made use of the built-in automatic filter to ensure it wasn't toxic.

In the 64th Games, a particularly sadistic trick by a Gamemaker had a careless and desperately thirsty tribute drinking water with their hands. The tribute got sick and was unable to move while another happened upon him and killed him effortlessly.

That was not going to happen to her or Peeta.

As long as they had these flasks.

She realized now that last night was quite cold, which was why Lace built a fire. The alternative was freezing to death, and since that had certainly happened once, it wasn't a danger to be dismissed.

Now she wished she'd taken the time to show Lace how to build a fire-hide which would provide warmth, whilst also reducing the visibility of the fire.

Then again, like Peeta said, it might come to nothing with the vindictive Careers out for blood, they were extra sharp and eager to kill.

Pay attention, Gadget! The girl scolded herself.

She glanced around warily as she finished her share of the meager rations. It was barely enough to cover what her body burned through yesterday, not to mention when she retched after seeing her stylist executed right in front of her.

Games within games.

She was just a pawn, but as long as she continued to intrigue people, for reasons beyond her ability to fathom, they'd keep her alive. Though it was out of their hands if the Careers or other murderous tributes found her first.

And what if she, Corduroy, and Peeta made it to the end? What then?

Gadget sighed and began to put away everything to pack up. Peeta seemed to follow along with her actions quietly when the girl stiffened abruptly enough to gain Peeta's notice.

"What?" he asked in a whisper.

"Uhm...we sh-should h-h-hide ev-evidence that…w-we were h-here." Gadget said.

After a moment, Peeta nodded. "Yeah, good idea, Gadget."

She wasn't going to take everything with her though. She left all the bolts, screws, wires and parts further inside the cave. She was putting together something mechanical. Something that should greatly improve her fighting chances and offer her much better protection. Assuming she got enough resources to complete it.

Maybe it'd prove interesting enough to sponsors to send in the resources required to build it.

Peeta had collected grass, plants and a long stick with leaves which he used like a makeshift broom. He was covering the deeper imprints of their shoes with leaves and grass, whilst the broom swept away most of the remaining evidence of their presence.

When he was done, there was almost no evidence that they'd ever stayed there at all for long.

It was honestly impressive, and Gadget said as much.

"Thanks." Peeta blushed and smiled.

He seemed unused to compliments almost as much as Gadget was.

"R-ready?" Gadget asked unnecessarily.

"Yeah."

They set out, heading westwards. Before too long, as the morning began to give way to afternoon, they both noticed that the weather was unusually hot. Hotter than even a summer day. Gadget knew that the Gamemakers had control of everything within the arena, including the weather.

This much heat meant that they'd need more water, especially with the way they were beginning to sweat.

Corduroy couldn't be far from water, surely. In this heat?

But then…the same went for other tributes, as well. All hovering about a stream of water or…a lake, perhaps.

No cannon had fired today yet. Corduroy was still alive. Was he looking for Gadget as she was looking for him?

"Gadget?" Peeta said suddenly and Gadget glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

"Y-yeah?" she asked nervously. She adjusted her backpack's strap on her shoulder.

Peeta thumbed his staff awkwardly for a moment, and then he said warily, "Will Corduroy be alright with me?" Gadget's steps hesitated. "You know, like, in your alliance."

Gadget mulled over her answer. Logically, she knew that Corduroy would likely let Peeta join them. They have a better chance of surviving until the end, that way.

And she knew it would take something amazing to allow her to join them.

But all of that was to say…if her aligning with them didn't make them suffer a painful fate at the hands of one of the Careers.

Peeta would have an ally. And so would Corduroy. Without Gadget. They didn't need Gadget, anyway. She would just slow them down.

The sound of water made her contemplation cease. Gadget rushed forward quickly, pushing aside a bush to find that yes, there was a small stream of water. Only ankle-deep.

But it was better than nothing at all.

And also…probably the only real lead they had in order to find Corduroy.

"L-l-look, Peeta!" Gadget exclaimed, leaning forward on her knees. "Wat-water!"

She drew a fist and wiped the sweat off of her forehead.

Peeta drew an exhausted breath and slid his backpack around to open it. He slowly withdrew his flask, and Gadget copied his movements.

"Uhm…" Gadget stuttered. She twisted off her cap slowly, her hands shaking slightly. "I-I thought…"

Peeta crouched down beside the stream and lined his flask up to refill it. "If you don't think that-"

"No!" Gadget said loudly. Too loudly. Her voice echoed around the trees. She looked around frantically, but when no one emerged from the trees, her shoulders drooped. "You…a-and Corduroy…uhm…yo-your chances wi-will be higher with each other."

Peeta screwed the cap of his container back on and stood up. Gadget followed his motions, then bent down to refill her flask.

"I-I th-think that…uhm…" Gadget firmly evaded Peeta's eyes. This could be a way. A way to get both Corduroy and Peeta away from her. Without her in their way, they wouldn't suffer like Lace did.

They wouldn't hurt in that way because she wouldn't be there to cause it.

The water flowed into her flask and Gadget watched as it was filled up rather quickly. Too quickly. Because the faster it was, Gadget couldn't hold her answer back anymore.

"I…I think…" Gadget swallowed and dipped her flask out of the stream. With shaky hands, she began to screw the cap back on. "I think…"

"Gadget…hey," Peeta said, and she felt his hand rest on her back. "If Corduroy doesn't want me with you guys, I can go. Alright?"

The cap tightened and she sat still, but refused to look back at Peeta. If she did, then whatever steeled nerves she had managed would disappear in an instant. No, Gadget resolved herself by staring down at her flask as she waited for it to purify.

A small red light on the lid blinked. In time. Slowly now. Slowly.

"Helping you find your friend, uh," Peeta continued, "I can do that."

Gadget shook her head and Peeta's hand lifted from her back. "No…no, i-it's not that."

She tapped the side of her flask nervously. She needed Peeta to understand.

"You…and Corduroy…" Gadget bit her lip. "You ha-have a bet-better chance at sur-surviving until the end…together."

And Gadget did not. She would just…float.

Together, Corduroy and Peeta could do it.

It was just like what Peeta said. Lace…she died because she was all alone. And Gadget had helped to put her in danger, she refused to think that there was any disputing that.

But together…together Corduroy and Peeta had a chance to survive to the end. A chance without Gadget, because she was never, ever going to survive.

She couldn't survive by herself…but she needed to be by herself.

Gadget stared down at the lid of her flask. Why did it seem like forever that the light continued to flash red?

"And you too, right?" Peeta asked from beside her. Gadget flinched.

No. Not me, too.

The Careers would have no reason to torture Corduroy and Peeta if she was already dead.

"Hey, hey," Peeta said and his hand landed softly on her shoulder. "You're part of this, too."

Gadget shook her head. He didn't get it. Why doesn't he understand!?

"No, P-Peeta," Gadget stuttered. "I-I'll jus-just slow you down!"

"No you won't. Okay?" Peeta told her kindly, but firmly. "You won't, alright?"

"I will," Gadget said. Everyone around her seemed to die. They died because of her. But now Peeta will have someone else, when they find him! "C-Corduroy won't le-let you down like I-I wo-would."

The light on the flask turned green. The purification was done.

Gadget stood up and turned towards Peeta. But his expression…

It made Gadget hate herself ever more.

He looked so confused. And his eyes were so sad. However, it didn't change Gadget's opinion. She needed to do this. She'd tried earlier and gave up, but she wouldn't this time.

This time, Peeta would understand.

"Gadget, we've been together for less than a day," Peeta said, "but you haven't let me down once."

"B-but…" Gadget trailed off, palming her flask in her hand. "I l-let every-everyone do-down," she said.

"Gadget-"

"M-my dad," Gadget whispered. "And…and Lace…"

"What happened to Lace is not your fault," Peeta said gently.

"But it i-i-is!" Gadget said as roughly as she could.

"No it isn't," Peeta told her. "I said earlier that the Careers got her because she was alone. What do you think is going to happen to you?"

"I-I'll die," Gadget said. There was nothing else for her to do. She was always going to die in the arena, no matter what her mentors told her.

Peeta looked taken aback. He opened his mouth, and then shut it again. "Gadget…" he began, then stopped.

He had to understand. He has to.

Gadget pressed onwards. "I-I'm…I'll be a b-burden," she said, wrapping her free arm around her torso. "An-and you and Co-Corduroy des-deserve better."

Peeta looked at Gadget with such a pained expression. It pulled at her, but she didn't want to budge. She needed Peeta to understand.

Then he moved suddenly, quickly towards her and Gadget gasped in surprise. His feet splashed in the water, and his arms wrapped around her shoulders.

Was this how she died? Had she upset Peeta enough to make him want to skewer her on his staff?

Maybe…maybe it wouldn't hurt too bad. Maybe it would be a quick death. That was all Gadget could ask for. All she could wish for.

But no piercing pain came for her. Nothing but Peeta's body pressed against her and his arms around her back.

Was…he hugging her?

In the Hunger Games of all places?

Gadget eased slightly. She wasn't used to being hugged. The only ones who had given her ones…real ones, had been Corduroy and…

And Lace.

It should've been me.

Gadget was sick of crying. Binary was right about her being so pathetic. But she couldn't stop it. A tear slipped out from her eye and she squeezed them shut.

The comfort Peeta tried to give her…she didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve any of it. Why couldn't he just give her up? Why couldn't he just understand that she was dead weight?

If only Gadget and Lace were swapped. Lace could provide Peeta exactly the help he deserved. Not like Gadget could.

Gadget didn't deserve the kindness Peeta showed her.

"Unless Corduroy doesn't, uh, want me with you, I won't leave you by yourself," Peeta told her firmly. His tone brokered no room for arguments.

And Gadget wanted to do nothing but argue. She wanted to tell him how much of a mistake that was. She wanted to tell him that he would be better off without her. She wanted to tell him that the Careers would do unspeakable things to him because he was with her.

But she had already said those things and not one of them deterred Peeta. He was set in his decision to be by her side.

Gadget didn't think she could change that.

He wanted to be around her, just like Corduroy and…and Lace did.

Gadget sniffled and pulled away lightly from Peeta. "O-okay," she said quietly.

"Okay?" Peeta asked. His lips quirked up a bit. He had known he had won.

"You'll…re-regret it," Gadget warned. She didn't doubt for a second that he would. He would see how much of a danger she was soon, and he would agree with her then.

"No, I won't," Peeta said. He smiled at her.

What did I do to deserve your loyalty? Gadget questioned herself.

Fine.

She had to approach this in a whole different way now, because Peeta was too stubborn, and loyal, and wonderful. She hated that they felt so attached to her. It was beyond her ability to understand. It didn't make sense. They barely knew her.

But if they were going to be this determined to have her with them, then she was going to do everything in her power to protect these two boys.

She owed it to them to at least be worthy of that loyalty.

Peeta smiled at her and started walking again. Once more showing the level of trust he'd placed in her by turning his back to her. She glanced upwards, knowing that every angle of the dome was recorded and televised.

The whole of Panem watched her every action. Well, her, and all the remaining tributes.

After a thoughtful glance above, she lightly tapped her staff against her forehead, then started trailing after Peeta.

---

Gadget didn't know how long they'd walked for, along the stream of water. Her legs protested against her, but she refused to stop.

She couldn't stop until they found Corduroy.

He was out here in the arena somewhere. He could be in trouble and Gadget wouldn't know for certain.

Not unless she heard his cannon fire.

Corduroy had nothing on him and Gadget was determined to find him. Peeta refused to give up on her, despite her best attempts, and Gadget wasn't going to give up on Corduroy.

But…he could be anywhere in the arena. He had nothing, he could be anywhere. It was not a promising thought.

And Gadget could only guess how big the arena was.

Peeta had remained ahead of her for the duration of their journey. He'd been rather quiet, but he did say a few words that made Gadget wonder if he was checking to make sure she was still behind him.

Regardless, Gadget quietly responded to him carefully, keeping her ears open for anyone that could sneak up on them.

But nobody did, as far as Gadget was aware. They wouldn't be very good at sneaking, if they were noticed.

The only consolation that came to mind was the fact that Gadget doubted the Careers could behave very stealthily. They were too loud…boisterous.

It would at least give Gadget and Peeta a chance to run, but…

Lace…they got the jump on Lace…

And if they got the jump on her, then…then-

"Hey, hey," Peeta said abruptly and Gadget's malignant thoughts left her. He crouched down in the water and Gadget was quick to follow his lead.

"W-what?" Gadget asked cautiously. Her gaze jumped around from tree to tree, and what was in between them. But she didn't see anyone.

Or any mutts.

"Do you see that?" Peeta asked. He pointed and Gadget followed his finger between two trees.

She squinted, and there, beneath the trees, was a backpack that she had somehow missed in her quick survey of the area.

The cool water lapped at Gadget's ankles, which only served as a coolant against her objecting muscles. She was in no way prepared for this kind of thing.

And a lone backpack did not sit right with her. Because why would someone leave such a thing all alone? Why would someone leave something as valuable and useful as a backpack behind?

Gadget shifted to the left, looking carefully for anyone that may be in the area.

It had to be a trap. It had to be.

The surrounding consisted of trees, a few knolls that made up the clearing, and an extremely large boulder. It was impossible to scout the entirety of the surroundings just between her and Peeta.

It was a perfect ambush point.

But at the same time, resources were painfully limited. Could they afford to ignore it on the off-chance it might actually have been abandoned for real?

What would a Career do?

Gadget mentally sighed. For starters, the Career Pack was called a pack for a reason. They had way more than two. It was very rare for the pack to have less than four people at a time. So they had the advantage of numbers, and then, they had the advantage of age, training and tactics.

For all she knew, this was a Career trap.

But if they knew it was her, there was likely enough rage in them to forego stealth and subtlety.

Or worse yet, it was a Gamemaker trick.

What to do, what to do? They needed to keep moving. To find Corduroy quickly. The longer he's out there on his own, the greater the risk and his leg did him no favors.

She wished she had some idea of what to do now. It was frustrating. Especially after she'd vowed to do all she could to protect Peeta and Corduroy, and be worthy of their loyalty.

"Hey," Peeta whispered to Gadget, making her jump. "Sorry. Just wanted to ask, should we go for it?"

He was gesturing towards the lone pack just sitting there.

Did he think it was safe? He was older than her by quite a few years, and was probably more experienced than she would ever be.

He's also the son of a baker, Gadget reminded herself, and likely spent his days working in a kitchen. His experience with the wilderness seemed unlikely to be significant.

"I-it could be a t-t-trap…" Gadget offered weakly, half afraid to be scorned.

After looking at it a moment longer, Peeta nodded, "Yeah…could be. Maybe we should…"

He looked like he was about to continue onwards but hesitated mid-step, then looked back at the pack again.

"But what if it really was abandoned in a panic?" Peeta asked.

He had a point. They couldn't afford to ignore valuable resources. By now, the Careers would be dominating the Cornucopia. There was no way they could get back to it and steal more supplies. Not unless they were silent datastreams.

And…in the seemingly high chance that it was a trap…they wouldn't be surprised.

"I-it's pos-posible," Gadget agreed, "b-b-but it's v-very small…"

And flat.

"You really want to give up a chance for even a tiny piece of something?" Peeta asked lightly.

It could have night-vision goggles, or a blanket. The nights were as cold as the days were hot. The weather alone was an enemy.

"O-o-okay...I-I'll check it…" Gadget said.

She started to move forward when Peeta caught her by the arm.

"I'll go." There was a strange look in Peeta's eyes that Gadget had never seen before.

Is he afraid…for me?

He moved ahead of her before she could argue. "Just keep an eye out behind me, okay?"

None of this felt right. With Gadget's every step, the panic in her mind grew.

Someone could jump out at them any second. And…and Gadget knew without a doubt that she would die in it.

She came to a quick decision and sheathed her knife, then pulled the quarterstaff from off her back. The story Corduroy and Lace told her rang in her mind.

All the while, Ridley's advice fled from her.

Gadget frantically glanced around the space, but nothing stuck out to her. No mutts. No tributes. Just an empty forest that looked like it stretched on for miles and miles.

Peeta crept forward, taking furtive glances around at the trees. He took slow, iffy movements that broke leaves and branches beneath his feet. Gadget made sure to follow his lead in spite of his loud, sloppy sneaking.

But it wasn't like Gadget was any better.

Not that it mattered. If anyone was around, Gadget knew with certainty that they had been seen long ago.

It didn't feel right. Gadget felt like she was being watched, but she didn't know if it was her paranoia…or the many eyes of Seneca Crane watching.

This isn't right…

Gadget chanted again and again in her head, fret with worry.

But their choices were so very limited. Gadget hadn't picked up enough food at the Cornucopia and she could not tell the difference between edible plants for the life of her.

Corduroy had nothing. He had fled with nothing. Gadget needed to help him. Help him and Peeta because she knew that she herself didn't deserve it.

Gadget swallowed nervously, fingering her quarterstaff with anxiety. Her eyes flicked left and right, yet no one jumped out at them.

No Careers. No tributes. No mutts.

Peeta closed in on the backpack and held his own staff aloft. Gadget saw him take one last glance around before he dropped down beside the pack.

Gadget stood up quickly, back straight, and surveyed the area again. There was no one in sight.

She bit her lip.

Why would someone ever leave a backpack here alone? Gadget wondered fearfully. Maybe they were ambushed by another tribute or…or a mutt.

Her fingers tightened around the staff.

Gadget did not want to be here any longer. Just grab the backpack and run. Alarm bells screamed in her head and she turned back towards Peeta.

"We…we should g-go," Gadget said, looking over Peeta's shoulder at the backpack. They could check what it contained later.

"Yeah, sorry," Peeta said as he started to zip the pack closed again. "It just feels really light."

Gadget's heart sank. A light backpack meant that there was little inside. Probably not even enough food.

If any.

Gadget took a step back. She wanted to get out of there as soon as she could. They'd stayed too long, already. Because what if someone came back, or-

She froze as she heard the very telling sound of a creaking branch.

Gadget glanced skyward and her veins filled with ice.

Above the tree where Peeta was - where the backpack was - was the little girl from District Eleven. Rue.

And in her grip was a net.

"P-Peeta, look out!" Gadget warned, her voice rising in pitch against her permission.

Peeta looked at her in surprise, but it was already too late.

The net fell swiftly and Peeta had no time to get out from under it before it fell over him and entangled him.

It closed around his feet, like a seal, and he toppled over with a grunt.

Then, around his feet, the net tightened. There would be no way out unless he could cut himself free.

"Peeta!" Gadget panicked. No, no! She couldn't lose another ally. Another person she hoped she could call…a friend.

"Run, Gadget!" Peeta said, scrambling beneath the net.

It was a trap!

Gadget propelled herself forward to Peeta and her free hand dropped towards where her sheathed knife was. She would cut Peeta free and then they would run away. Together!

She could hear the distant sound of the branches of trees bending under the pressure of Rue's flighty maneuvers. Did she have another net she was going to drop on Gadget, too?

Whatever the case, she didn't have time to think about it. Peeta needed her help!

The knife slid out of her sheath and Gadget awkwardly slid down to her side beside Peeta. Her quarterstaff fell away and she moved her knife into position to cut the net off.

"Behind you!" Peeta yelled, his face morphed into fear.

Fear for her.

Gadget's heart thumped against her chest and she turned.

Just in time for a mighty weight to slam into her and throw her from Peeta's side.

Her back hit the ground with a harsh thud and a breath of air escaped between her lips. "Agh!" she groaned. "No!"

She could feel the metal she'd fastened into a chest plate slip loose to the side.

Peeta called her name and Gadget tried to pull herself up…but something slammed into her and her knife jumped out of her palm, and a body was on top of her.

"This ain't nothin' personal," a voice said and Gadget's vision focused. She recognized that voice.

Monkshood straddled Gadget's waist, a dagger in her hand. A very, very sharp dagger.

"No!" Gadget screamed in terror. She tried to crawl away, but Monkshood's body held her down.

Monkshood flashed Gadget a look that almost seemed like pity, before she raised her dagger up and started to plunge it back down.

Gadget reacted as quickly as she could. She thrust her hands out to catch Monskhood's hands, stopping her downward motion.

"Please!" Gadget shook. She wouldn't be able to stop Monkshood for long. She wasn't strong enough to.

The dagger inched closer and closer to Gadget's chest. Right above where her heart was. She was going to die here!

"I am sorry," Monkshood said, but she didn't stop. If anything, she pressed harder down on the dagger.

Gadget couldn't stop the whimper that escaped her throat. She couldn't stop her! Monkshood was stronger!

Closer and closer the dagger came.

She needed to do something!

My knife!

Gadget released a hand from Monkshood and searched frantically for her knife. It wouldn't have dropped far, she knew that.

But Monkshood pressed her new advantage. The dagger fell ever downwards until the distance between Gadget's chest and its sharpened blade was almost nonexistent.

"No…" Gadget whimpered again. Her voice quivered in pure fear.

Her fingers met the steel cold of her knife.

"People die, Gadget," Monkshood said, and the use of her name surprised Gadget. "It's the Hunger Games."

No…please!

Her fingers found purchase around the blade of her knife.

The dagger pressed down ever closer, the blade cutting through the fabric of Gadget's shirt.

"Come on!" Monkshood grunted.

Gadget's grip tightened.

The tip of the dagger pressed into her chest, cutting into her skin, and she gasped at the pain.

And then Gadget swung as hard as she could. She could hear the metal handle cut through the air.

She could feel the handle impact with a dull beat and Gadget saw Monkshood's head whip to the side. Her weight against Gadget decreased tremendously.

It was what she needed.

"Ya hit me in the eye!" Monkshood yelled, but Gadget didn't care.

She threw as much of her weight as she could against Monkshood, and the dagger was pulled away, out of the surface cut against her chest.

Her skin burned, but the minute sting was nowhere near as bad as it could've been.

Monkshood fell to the side, trying to stand up while her free hand nursed her injury.

Gadget clutched at her chest. The knife hadn't cut deep, but…the blood…

She wasn't out of danger yet. She scrambled to her feet and searched desperately for her quarterstaff. It was a horrible, terrible mistake to let it go. She needed it now more than ever.

There! Beside Peeta and the net.

Gadget hurried forward to Peeta's side, just like she did before. But now she was prepared, and she gripped her knife tighter than she ever had before.

She ducked to grab the quarterstaff, but just as she reached it, a strong pull against her backpack tugged her back.

"No way you gettin' that," Monkshood snarled behind her and Gadget's heart raced faster than it ever had in her life.

Gadget let out a cry of frustration. Monkshood was a persistent foe. But for once, her mind worked quickly enough. If she was being forced into the offensive, she might as well do something unexpected.

Pumping with adrenaline and riding on a high from surviving her near-death, and with Peeta's life still on the line, Gadget used the momentum against Monkshood since she was being pulled back, and she pressed her legs into the ground, throwing herself backwards into Monkshood.

It was Monkshood's turn to cry out, surprised. Gadget fell on top of her, and Gadget quickly undid the clasp that secured her pack to herself and leapt forward, lunging for the staff once more.

She could hear Monkshood scrabbling to her feet and Gadget wrapped her fingers around the staff and swung herself about, holding the weapon ready to slam the other girl.

But Monkshood had not chosen to press her attack.

Instead she was gripping Gadget's pack possessively and glaring furiously at Gadget.

Both girls were panting, equally frantic looks in their eyes, with Peeta and Rue looking on from their respective positions, eyes wide.

Monkshood probably had a fighting edge, but from what Gadget had seen, Monkshood only pressed an attack when she had every advantage. When the intended victim was larger than herself, and still had all her strength, Monkshood wasn't as inclined to keep trying.

But the problem remained that Gadget just lacked that killing instinct, even now, when Monkshood clearly had no problems with killing. There was also the unknown factor of Rue. Would she leave Monkshood to fight alone, or join in? Or worse, perhaps kill Peeta while Gadget was focused on Monkshood?

It was not ideal no matter how she looked at it.

Monkshood smirked at Gadget. Smirked!

Coolly ignoring the thirteen-year old, she started to open the pack and look inside, her eyes widening with delight. "Nice work, Three!"

Gadget took the moment to push herself up and back on her feet. She surreptitiously slipped her knife back into her belt, and gripped her staff with both hands, poised for battle.

Rue appeared by Monkshood's side, seemingly materializing out of nowhere. She had managed to climb down the tree when Gadget wasn't looking, she realized.

Her chest throbbed and Gadget clutched her hand to it. Her staff loosened and her grip became uncertain.

Gadget glanced at her hand and stared in horror at the dribble of blood on her fingers.

Monkshood hadn't cut deep but the pain started to grow. A light sting became the embers of a coming burn.

What use was the armor she'd made if they failed to protect her?

Gadget's breath hitched and she snapped her gaze back at Monkshood. She tried to right her grip against her staff clumsily.

"You've got so many good things," Monkshood said, zipping the backpack closed. "An' ya still want more?" She held the backpack out to Rue, who took it from her lightly.

All of Gadget's supplies. In that backpack were all of them except for the things she'd built and left inside the cave.

But her food and water and the other things…While Peeta still had half of everything in his own backpack, it was still half the resources she'd accumulated.

Gadget knew she couldn't fight Monkshood for it. She wasn't a good fighter and Monkshood had proven herself to be stronger.

Her chest ached and she touched her palm to it with a horrible wince.

Monkshood snarled and Gadget watched with growing distress as the hand around her dagger tightened. Behind her, Rue half-hid, looking between Monkshood and Gadget with familiar, scared eyes.

Gadget had seen what that looked like in her reflection plenty of times.

"You're almost as bad as the Careers!" Monkshood snapped, waving her dagger about. "You can't be satisfied with what you have, can ya?"

Gadget stepped back and glanced at where Peeta lay. Tangled in the net, he moved about awkwardly and she realized he was trying to reach his knife.

But he couldn't.

The net had restricted Peeta's movements far too much.

A spike of cold fear rushed through Gadget and her body went still. Her eyes jumped back towards Monkshood.

This was where they were going to die!

Because I was too stupid to see an obvious trap.

Gadget shuffled back again once more and Monkshood took a single step forward.

Peeta needed her help…

Gadget twisted on her feet ungracefully and dropped down beside Peeta. Her staff fell to her side and she unsheathed her knife as quickly as she could.

"Nuh-uh," Monkshood said, taking three quick steps closer to Gadget.

Gadget froze. The dagger in Monkshood's hand was pointed right at her. A drop of blood…My blood, Gadget thought, slid down the tip of Monkshood's dagger.

"You ain't movin' until I tell you that you can," Monkshood said. Rue slid the backpack on, looking distinctly uncertain and uncomfortable.

An idea struck Gadget but she had no idea if it would work. Monkshood could silence her with a quick strike of her dagger and…

And then she wouldn't be able to keep her promise to Lace. She wouldn't be able to help Corduroy.

Gadget dropped her knife. She hoped that it was within Peeta's reach. Maybe then at least he could get away.

Although Gadget knew she was a fast runner…she couldn't leave Peeta behind. He had been this loyal to her, she couldn't just leave him.

Her hands wrapped around her staff again and she held it as securely as she could.

"Y-you…" Gadget swallowed. "You be-betrayed Ridley."

Monkshood's face fell and Rue looked like she was ready to run at a moment's notice.

"So-so you cou-could get aw-away," Gadget continued with a stutter.

Monkshood bit the inside of her cheek. "You think I wanted to do that?"

Rue fiddled with the strap of the backpack.

"I had to," Monkshood said. "Otherwise we both would'a died."

Gadget readjusted her grip on her staff and Peeta started to squirm in the net again.

"I know," Rue finally said at last. She looked at Gadget, and then at Monkshood. "Monkshood told me."

Oh.

Monkshood nodded. "I did," she confirmed. "What good are allies when you can't trust them?"

Then…whatever gamble I could make wouldn't work.

Gadget's heart skipped a beat. She wouldn't be able to stop them. She wasn't skilled or strong enough. She was going to die here!

I'm going to die!

Monkshood lowered her dagger, and took a step back, and Gadget watched with fearful caution.

"I don't need to kill you," Monkshood said. "We got what we wanted." She gestured to the backpack.

What? No, no, it's a cruel trick!

"An' speakin' of allies you can trust," Monkshood continued, swinging her arm around, "what was it you told me, Rue?"

Rue's eyes went wide in surprise and slid behind Monkshood, further hiding herself.

"It's okay," Monkshood coaxed politely and Gadget blinked at the sudden change. For the briefest of seconds, Monkshood seemed like a completely different person. "I'll tell her if you don't wanna."

"No," Rue said softly, and she slid back out from behind Monkshood. She looked shyly at Gadget.

A surge of pain struck Gadget all at once and she almost doubled-over. Her hand flew to clutch at her chest. She heard Peeta make a noise of concern behind her.

He could still be concerned for her? She was the reason he was stuck here, under that net.

This is all my fault!

Why would he do that when he was the one trapped under a net?

"I saw the District Eight boy," Rue said.

Gadget stilled and the staff loosened from her fingers. It nearly clattered down to the ground before she could catch herself.

Corduroy…

Another burst of pain rushed through her chest, down to her abdomen, and Gadget's knees buckled, just.

"The District Eight boy," Monkshood repeated. "Corduroy, yeah?" She flashed Gadget a charming smile. "Your partner."

Gadget winced, and she could feel sweat begin to form at her temples. "Wha-what di-did you d-do?" she asked with growing fear.

Corduroy was in danger!

"Me?" Monkshood asked, her smile disappearing in an instant. "I didn't do nothin'!"

Rue bounced from foot to foot. She looked eager to be anywhere but where she was now. But her own ally continued to take her time.

Gadget took a small step backwards. Peeta…and the net…they dug into her ankles, but she couldn't bring herself to stand in the face of Monkshood's danger for much longer.

Not when she brought Corduroy into it.

"Last time we saw him," Monkshood started, then trailed off and turned to Rue. "Where did we las' see him?"

Rue squeezed her arms together and looked anywhere but at Gadget and Peeta. "Tied to a tree. By the Three and Nine boys."

No…no!

Binary had Corduroy. He had Corduroy!

Gadget wanted to sob. Binary wouldn't be merciful to him. He hated the idea of Gadget allying with the Eights.

What was he doing with Corduroy? What was he going to do with him?

Monkshood snapped her fingers and Gadget jumped slightly.

"That's right!" Monkshood said. "Tied to a tree…and by your district partner, no less." She pointed her dagger at Gadget.

Gadget couldn't stop the whimper of despair from squeezing out of her throat.

"I can imagine how it sucks to have tha' kind of district partner," Monkshood said, but her words only barely reached Gadget.

"Gadget," she heard Peeta say, and she tilted her head slightly. "You have to get out of here. Find your friend, okay?"

Gadget bit her lip. "N-not with-without you…" Peeta had shown her loyalty she didn't deserve.

But every second that they wasted, the more likely it was that Corduroy was in danger.

If what Monkshood said was true.

"But I wouldn' trust 'er as far as I could throw 'er."

That was what Husk told her. A warning to not trust his district partner. To not trust Monkshood.

"N-not li-like you an-and Husk?" Gadget said to Monkshood, her mind whirling. She had no idea if Peeta was cutting through the net. But she couldn't look down to see if he was. If she did…then Monkshood might see.

"You've met Husk, 'ave you?" Monkshood grinned in delight. Gadget couldn't tell whether or not it was real. If it was a mask, it was one Gadget couldn't see through. "I'll miss him," Monkshood said solemnly.

Another strike of agony hit Gadget, and this time she couldn't stop her knees from giving out from under her.

She crashed into the soil roughly with a groan, her hands shaking around the staff that she couldn't hold onto any longer.

"Gadget!" Peeta said in concern.

"I was wonderin' how long tha' would take," Monkshood commented.

Gadget put her palm down in the dirt and tried to pull herself up, but the burning in her chest was too much.

"It hurts!" Gadget cried. Her free hand flew to her chest, like she was trying to tear something out of herself.

"I know, I'm sorry," Monkshood said sympathetically.

"What did you do?" Peeta asked in horrified concern. She could hear one of his hands on the net, and the faint sound of fabric being torn, slowly.

Monkshood barely spared Peeta a glance. She looked at Gadget, and then at Rue. "I ain't tellin' you where to find your partner for no reason," she said.

Gadget grimaced and stared at Monkshood with frightened eyes.

"But 'cause I think this is a fair trade," Monkshood finished, gesturing with her dagger to the backpack Rue held.

Gadget pulled herself into a sitting position. The pain had begun to fade as quickly as it had come. It turned into a dull burning that stung and somehow throbbed.

"Corduroy," Monkshood said, and then she turned and pointed her dagger deep into the treeline. "About a mile tha' way." She looked at Gadget again. "Give or take."

"But I wouldn' trust 'er as far as I could throw 'er."

Husk's words rang in Gadget's ears. His piece of advice he'd given her days before the Games had begun.

And he was dead. Gadget had seen what had happened to him. She had watched as Marina tore him apart.

But there was no reason for her to trust Husk. Just as there was no reason to trust Monkshood.

She hadn't known Husk. But…what he had told her about Monkshood matched to what she had seen.

Monkshood sold out Ridley in order to escape. She betrayed her ally in the opening minutes of the Games and Gadget was supposed to trust that she was pointing her in the right direction?

After she had attacked them and trapped Peeta and stolen their supplies? Cut a knife into her chest that…that seemed to poison her with something.

But she was Gadget's only lead in finding her friend.

"It ain't like you have to save him," Monkshood said, taking a step back, Rue following her. "But if you don't…your district partner, and Nine…they gonna kill him."

Weakly, Gadget used her staff to balance herself and pushed herself to her feet. She started counting the time between the pain in her chest. It came and went at an almost steady pace.

She wouldn't be able to run, but she could at least prevent herself from falling over too.

"So what's it gonna be?" asked Monkshood.

Rue was half-turned already, obviously quite prepared to make a run.

With a pained sigh, Gadget turned to look down at Peeta, bent down, retrieved her knife from the boy, and after a close look, picked at the net by his feet, lifting it off of him and had him freed.

"Not bad…" Monkshood complimented.

Gadget gave Monkshood a look of mild annoyance. She was wasting time, but as she helped Peeta to his feet, she took the proffered empty pack, and held onto the net. No sense giving them back the net, seeing as they clearly had no intention of giving back her supplies.

There were two of them now, but it'd be all on Peeta with Monkshood, and Rue was in much better shape right now than Gadget, so chasing her down didn't look like it'd work. Plus there was no telling if they had more traps set nearby.

"It's okay, you can keep that," Monkshood said, though her expression said she wasn't happy that Gadget realized keeping the net was a valid option.

"P-put it i-i-in th-the pack…" Gadget asked Peeta, handing the net to him.

He obediently did so, and Gadget stumbled backwards a little. "L-let's g-go," she said.

"Good luck," Monkshood wished them, and she walked backwards, keeping her eye on Gadget and Peeta until they were a good fifty meters away.

"W-we ne-need to h-hurry," Gadget said, as she almost stumble-ran in the direction provided.

"So we're really going to trust her?" Peeta asked.

Gadget noted how there was no malice in his tone. But she felt like there should be. She should have known it was a trap. Her every instinct had been practically screaming it, but she'd gotten greedy.

Monkshood was right. They already had plenty. But going for more was a big mistake.

One she had no desire or intention of repeating.

"W-we d-don't…have a-a-rrnnn!" Gadget clutched at her chest. She'd lost count. And collapsed to one knee, her grip on her staff tightening until her knuckles were white.

"Gadget!" Peeta grasped at her arm to keep her from falling over.

The pain was getting worse. And why were the trees turning blood red?

What was happening? Where was she? Was this another part of whatever Monkshood put on her dagger? She was dying! Monkshood and Rue were probably following them at a safe distance. When she died, they'd gang up on Peeta and get everything off of their corpses.

It wasn't hard to deduce that the dagger had been dipped in some kind of venom, most likely. If the blade itself didn't kill, the toxin would. It was clever, and lethal.

"No…no!" Gadget cried out.

"Easy, Gadget." Peeta stroked her back.

"W-we n-n-need to find…Corduroy!" she said through gritted teeth, and pushed herself up.

Was that a mutt she saw? When she whipped her head to the right, she saw nothing but trees, grass, leaves and bushes.

"L-lets go."

Gadget started marching once more, with Peeta keeping up easily beside her, but he kept his eyes on her almost more often than he was on the path ahead of them.

"Hey, look…I'm sorry about back there…" he suddenly said and it made Gadget pause to stare at him in shock.

"I shouldn't have...we had enough on us to last a while, right? I shouldn't have gotten greedy…I'm sorry…"

He was apologizing?! But she was the one who messed up.

"Wh-why are you…" Gadget started, but she stumbled over her own feet and landed hard against the nearby tree. "Ahh!"

"Hey." Peeta looked really concerned now.

"It-it was my fault!" Gadget insisted.

"No…well…more like it was our fault," Peeta said. "I pushed for checking out the pack, I should have known better."

Gadget took a moment to lean against the tree and take in deep breaths. Her heart was pounding, and the wound was burning more painfully than ever. It was definitely venom!

She coughed and looked around wildly. They were surrounded! No…wait…they were not.

There were some short-tailed rodents ambling along nearby, heading towards a burrow.

Maybe they could catch some to eat…with their supplies halved, they'd need something to supplement their consumables, after they rescued Corduroy.

Corduroy!

"Ok-okay…" Gadget ended the argument. "We…we both m-m-messed up. It-it happens. Le-let's go…"

She pushed herself off of the tree and started on their path once more.

It took almost half an hour of traveling, with many stops for Gadget to catch her breath. She was starting to see more and more bizarre things, They were getting more scary too. She was certain it wasn't real. They couldn't be real!

One of the trees pulsed and Gadget watched with terrified rapture. Her feet took her closer to it against her will. She wanted to scream and run away, but she felt petrified.

And then a hand reached out from behind the tree. It reached out for her and-

"Gadget, hey," Peeta said suddenly and Gadget almost stumbled into him as she spun. She caught herself with her quarterstaff and breathed deeply.

She peeked back at the tree, but there was nothing there. It was just a tree.

"Y-yeah?" Gadget asked, making sure to put her best voice forward. Her hand started to reach for her chest, but she stopped herself.

It felt like it was going to burst at any second!

They couldn't just stop, no matter how bad the pain in her chest wanted her to cease. They needed to save Corduroy!

She had already failed to save Lace…

Peeta unzipped his pack and withdrew an orange.

Gadget turned slightly in place. She held her hand out, and then withdrew it quickly.

The orange was covered in all sorts of insects, burrowing inside. The peel is a dark shade of black as it rotted in Peeta's hand.

And Peeta's expression didn't change at all. Eyebrows furrowed in concern as he stared at her.

Gadget squeaked, and her lower lip wobbled. Her chest felt like it was about to explode and she couldn't hold herself up straight anymore.

"Agh!" Gadget screamed as her knees hit the dirt. An inordinate amount of pain crashed through her and she wanted to sob.

Why did it hurt so bad!?

She bit down on the inside of her palm to stop herself from crying out further.

Peeta slid to her side in an instant, his hands checking her over even as she whimpered pathetically.

"P-Peeta…" Gadget said quietly. She dropped her staff and gripped the loose chest plate that had failed to protect her. "It-it hurts…it h-h-hurts so mu-much…"

"She…she said something about…wondering how long it would take…" Peeta said absently.

He looked at the wound, through the mess of blood, and frowned. "It's blackened, like…like poison…"

Peeta's expression blanched. Gadget was feeling a very uncomfortable ache in her ankles and wrists, it felt like someone had them in a vice and were twisting. She winced and whimpered quietly, while Peeta seemed to fumble around.

"Take some of this," Peeta ordered.

He'd put his flask in her hands and had taken her staff away while she was seated on the ground. When had she fallen down? She spilled a bit before managing to get some water down her throat and it stung all the way down.

"...agh!" Gadget spluttered. "Wh-what…what's in th-that?"

"...water," Peeta answered.

He had cut up the orange, which looked fine, now, but she still felt too sick inside to consider eating, but Peeta was very insistent.

It didn't taste bad, when she finally opened her mouth to eat the proffered fruit. But it tasted strange. Why did it taste like tessera?

"We…need to save…C-Corduroy," Gadget said after a moment. Her speech sounded even more impaired than usual.

"We will," Peeta said, "but not before you have a few minutes rest."

That wasn't fair. Her mind whirred in panic.

He held up a hand to forestall Gadget's argument, which he saw coming. "You can barely stand, Gadget…so what if we get there and find him, how are you going to help him if you can't even protect yourself?"

He had a point, and between the pain, desperation to save Corduroy now, and whatever it was that was going through her system, Peeta would be better off staging a rescue on his own. She would be more hindrance than help.

"F-fine!" she bit out after a moment. She was quite irritable too, for once, and didn't even regret her tone. Peeta had done nothing but help.

For his part, her ally only smiled and nodded. He straightened up and rested her staff next to her, whilst he took out his own, and it was a moment later that Gadget realized he was standing guard! Over her!

Why was he doing this for her? Why did he waste his time with her?

Gadget whimpered again and pulled in closer on herself.

She couldn't do anything right. Her friend was dead because of her. One of her first friends. Lace had died and it was all her fault.

No matter what Peeta told her, Gadget knew that it was all her fault.

How could it not be? Clove had said it best herself. Maybe it would've been best for all of them involved if she had just died during the Bloodbath.

No matter how painful it would have been…at least it would have been over.

And then…she couldn't even make armor to protect herself. It had been all too easily bypassed and…and…

She had gotten greedy for more supplies. And just like before, Peeta's words were false. It was her fault. If she hadn't fallen for Monkshood and Rue's trap, they would still have half of their supplies.

I couldn't even get him out of a net.

Gadget knew she had been too pathetic to do even that. If Monkshood had been even a little bit less merciful, they would both be dead.

Why did Peeta continue to be here with her after all of her failures? Couldn't he see his odds were better without her involved?

So what hope did she have in saving her friend?

Another burst of pain hit her and Gadget groaned. She pressed her face into the ground. It just wouldn't stop!

"Hey…" Peeta said comfortingly and Gadget blinked up at him.

Was this it? Was this where he realized how foolish he'd been?

"If what Monkshood said is true, then, your district partner and…uh, Kernel, would've kept Corduroy alive for a reason."

His kind words did nothing to soothe Gadget's nerves. Even as the pain began to subside.

"We'll save him. I promise," Peeta comforted her.

But how?

They couldn't do what they did with the pack bait left by Monkshood and Rue. They needed a plan, and a good one. Binary was smarter than she was.

Peeta's right, Binary and Kernel had a reason for not killing Corduroy right away, Gadget thought.

Binary wouldn't kill Gadget, but he could manipulate Kernel into doing it. Then again, maybe he wouldn't. He had a reason for sparing her at the Bloodbath. Which meant he had a long-term goal in mind.

Ultimately, like the Careers, he would just use her until he had what he wanted. If she managed by some glitch of fate managed to survive all the way to the end, with Peeta and Corduroy...she hated to consider it, but in the end, she supposed having her friends end her life would be more merciful. Surely.

She could always save them the trouble and die now.

No. Not until Corduroy is safe, at least. Gadget reminded herself of her main objective.

The pain continued to intensify, so with a soft groan, she forced herself back to her feet.

Peeta looked at her with concern. "You sure you're okay to keep going?"

"Y-yes," Gadget replied evenly.

"Okay…that way, right?" Peeta pointed towards the general direction Monkshood gave them.

With a quiet nod from Gadget, Peeta led the way.

It was a slow trek, with both of them moving at a walking pace. Peeta frequently paused to look back at Gadget, and Gadget stumbled along, relying heavily on her staff for support.

They soon heard the muffled sound of voices conversing. Ignoring the reckless instinct to surge forward and leave everything in Corduroy's and Peeta's hands, together, the two snuck closer through the late evening and dimming sunlight, towards a small clearing.

And there he was.

Gadget would have smiled had the situation been completely different.

At least this one time, Monkshood had proven herself to be honest.

Corduroy sat on the ground, tied down against the tree behind him. Gadget couldn't see any injuries on him; the sun was beginning to set and it covered him in shadow.

But his head hung forward limply.

Gadget's fear spiked. No…he isn't…

Corduroy couldn't be dead! She hadn't heard a single cannon go off! He wasn't dead…he wasn't.

Gadget dug her fingers into the dirt, her clean cut nails pressing deep. The venom didn't make it escape her notice, she was certain. Peeta would've said something!

Her eyes darted to the other two people within the campsite. Binary. Kernel.

Both of them held spears that Gadget could've sworn glowed against the dimming light of the sun.

And one of them…it had dried blood on the tip.

Gadget's heart thudded against her chest.

A bout of pain came over her like a wave and she bit down on her fist to stop herself from screaming or gasping or anything else.

But it hurt so bad! Why did it seem like any pressure against her chest hurt like nothing she had ever felt before.

Her fingers dug deeper into the soil as she writhed. She could do nothing but hope to wait it out. Hope for it to pass.

But she didn't have long. Her time was so limited and…

Gadget looked back at Corduroy, scanning his figure as best she could. But the darkness was too heavy, she couldn't see much through it.

She felt Peeta's hands on her shoulder, rubbing it soothingly. "Hey," he whispered, in the best voice he could manage to comfort her.

But there was nothing that could comfort her here. Corduroy was right there and Gadget wasn't entirely sure if he was breathing!

He must be breathing because she hadn't heard a cannon go off!

Corduroy shifted. Gadget breathed a sigh of relief.

Though, she wasn't the only person to see Corduroy regain his consciousness. Both Binary and Kernel quieted at once.

"I still don't get why we're keeping him alive," Kernel said.

Binary lightly tapped a finger to his lips and said, in a much quieter voice, "He's worth more alive than dead right now."

"To who?" Kernel demanded. "Your district partner? She's dead already, man."

Binary's lips curled downwards in displeasure. "Did you hear cannons? Did you see her face on the list of the fallen last night?"

Even Kernel had to admit how stupid he sounded when the living were so closely monitored.

Gadget was glad that they couldn't see or hear that she and Peeta were so nearby.

"Sorry," Kernel said. He elbowed Binary lightly. "Nervous and stuff…"

Binary didn't reply, but Gadget could see how he eyed Kernel. His face split into a smile.

Kernel stared at Corduroy for a moment before he moved forward beside the tree he'd been tied to.

Gadget held her breath anxiously.

"Since you've just been…the most cooperative I've ever met," Kernel said as he crouched down in front of Corduroy, "let's try again."

Corduroy titled his head up at last and Gadget held her whimper in the back of her throat.

A large black bruise was formed on Corduroy's temple.

They did that to him. Her eyes shot to Binary as he paced back and forth.

"So, your allies…where are they?" Kernel asked.

Of course that was what they wanted. Gadget shouldn't have put it past Binary. Did he want to kill her allies and force her to ally with him instead?

Get her to join the Careers with him?

It wouldn't work, surely he knew that! The Careers were vindictive, they always were. And he had seen her playing dead at the Cornucopia. He would know better than anyone that it wouldn't work!

Corduroy looked back at Kernel, and Gadget watched as his chest rose and fell at a steady pace. How can I help him, she worried.

"Say I helped you," Corduroy said at last, his voice cold and neutral…so very different from the warmth and kindness he had shown Gadget, "what do I get from it?" he asked.

Kernel leaned back. He blinked and looked at Binary, who looked back with a blank expression. It was like they were communicating through their eyes.

"You get to live," Kernel said, hammering his spear into the ground roughly. He jutted out his chin and narrowed his eyes.

Eyes that held so much sympathy in them. Gadget could see, even from her angle among the bushes.

The sun dimmed more, further and further dipping the arena into night. Only minutes of daylight remained.

How long until the anthem did they have? Gadget wasn't sure.

And Corduroy had no idea that Lace was…that Lace was…

Gadget rubbed at her eyes with her sleeve. Her chest flared in pain, but she couldn't give in. Not here. Not when they were so close.

"I know what happened to Gadget," Binary said, cutting in. Kernel retreated fast with a huff of relief that didn't escape Gadget's notice.

"Do you?" Corduroy asked.

Binary took Kernel's place in front of Corduroy. "Just like how you put a Career target on your back," he said, "so did my inept district partner."

Corduroy didn't say anything. He only continued to watch Binary.

"How do you know that?" Corduroy asked at last.

Their conversation quickly fled Gadget's mind as she turned away. She didn't know what Binary wanted from Corduroy, but she found it hard to care.

She needed to get him out of there! She wouldn't let him die. She couldn't.

Yet, all her supplies were gone. Monkshood took all of them, and all she'd been left with was an empty backpack.

Internally, she kicked and cursed herself for her stupidity.

All she had now were the few things in her tool belt, some knives, and…

And…

Gadget shoved her hand in her pocket as quickly as she could, and withdrew the tiny audio machine attached to her sponsor gift's red light.

It was cracked slightly from Monkshood and Rue's ambush, but it would be usable.

"P-Peeta," she said, an excited note entering her tone for the first time since she had entered the arena. "I-I can-"

"What is this?"

Her attention was torn away swiftly, jumping back up to Binary, Kernel, and Corduroy.

Kernel held a bloody knife that almost glowed in the dim lighting. The sun had nearly entirely disappeared beyond the horizon, and Gadget realized it was soon going to get cold. Really, really cold.

The knife in Kernel's hand shimmered brightly, and he was carefully sure to hold it by the handle only, Gadget was quick to notice.

"Yes," Binary said, his previous line of questioning forgotten. "What is that?"

Gadget blinked in confusion. It was a knife? Why did they seem so suspicious about it?

"And don't just tell us, 'Oh, it's a knife! A little, sharp, harmless knife!'" Kernel said, shaking his hands around mockingly. He slid his fingers along the handle to carefully hand it over to Binary.

Binary took it, just as deliberately as he had been handed it.

It was only then that Gadget noticed something about it. What she had thought was blood was not blood. But a red sheen on the knife's blade.

Gadget opened her mouth, then closed it again. The last of the sunlight faded away just then, putting the arena in darkness.

"This is the only thing you had on you," Binary explained.

"Just in case you needed a reminder," Kernel added, leaning against a tree.

"So it was," Corduroy agreed.

Again, Gadget blinked. Corduroy had a knife? How? He had run away from the Bloodbath. She had seen with her own eyes as he ran away.

Had someone sponsored it, then? It was the only logical conclusion Gadget could come to.

"But you didn't go to the Bloodbath," Binary said. "I saw you flee."

He pushed the knife close to Corduroy, and Gadget watched in terrified rapture as he tried to push himself out of its way.

"And it can't be a sponsor," Binary added. "This knife is far too nice to be a sponsor this early. Too expensive."

Binary took the knife back. Gadget breathed slightly, a rush of air leaving through her nose.

"But you also couldn't have braved the Careers to get it," Binary pondered out loud. "Because then you would have grabbed more things. Or you wouldn't have been here, alone, without my district partner."

"Right." Kernel nodded along. "His ally."

"Indeed." Binary stood up, turning back to Corduroy. "You wouldn't have tried to steal from us, in that case."

Corduroy frowned and Gadget grimaced. He'd been caught trying to steal from Binary, then. That was how…this had happened.

"But none of that explains how you got this," Binary continued and he held the knife up again. "A knife with nightlock juice embedded into it."

Gadget froze.

How did Binary know just what it was? Then again, for simplicity's sake, the Games didn't produce too many varieties of toxic fruits and plants.

With that in mind, Gadget was grateful that Monkshood hadn't used nightlock on her blade. Gadget would just be dead right now.

"Hnh!" Gadget barely contained her reaction to the pain as another wave washed over her. Her muscles spasmed and she was on the ground.

"Gadget?" Peeta whispered. "C'mon."

He half carried her further away from the clearing, to give them some privacy and after they checked to ensure the breeze wasn't blowing towards the other boys, Peeta barely repressed a shiver. The weather was getting downright icy.

Gadget felt sick to her stomach. The cold was soothing somewhat to the area around the wound, but her body was reacting badly to the mix of heat and cold. Not to mention she was feeling abnormally paranoid and starting to see things.

"Okay," Peeta said, "we'll need a plan…hey, how are you holding up?"

"N-not…well…" Gadget answered, "...p-p-pig…"

Her large green eyes went wider as she saw two actual flying pigs soaring overhead, grunting and oinking as they moved past. Peeta turned to look in the direction Gadget was staring, and he followed her eye movements, glancing back-and-forth between her and the pigs.

They were soon out of sight, and she remembered what she was doing. Or planning to, at least.

She raised her hand, holding the chime. It was a simple audio-board, with its own built-in solar power, the chime, and a blinking light. A magnet strip could be manipulated on it, to adjust the timing of the chimes.

An idea struck her and she pulled her sponsor parachute out of her second pocket and stared down at it.

She couldn't fight Binary or Kernel. Like everyone else, they were stronger than her. She couldn't win against them. They would butcher her.

But she could distract them.

"P-Peeta," Gadget called softly, "I…n-n-need a…uhm…a rock."

She gestured with her hands to give Peeta a rough estimate of how big it would need to be. Roughly slightly larger than her two fists combined.

"Okay, yeah, gimme a bit." Peeta just sauntered away without hesitation.

He didn't go far, occasionally, she could see his face looking towards her with concern. Her left hand was pressed against her wound, which was burning hot and icy cold all at once, somehow.

"Here."

Gadget jumped. When had Peeta come back, when had she sat down on the ground?!

"Th-thank you," she said, and got to work.

She tied the parachute from the sponsor container, then tied the chime around the rock. She set it atop, the way a sponsor container would have. The magnet strip she fiddled with until she could set the timer. Didn't want to set it off right away.

When she was done, it could pass for a sponsor from a distance, and in the night, it'd be easier to conceal its duplicity.

Now all they needed was a high place to drop it off from, some favorable winds, and anything else to distract the two boys long enough for her to get to Corduroy and free him.

"Do you…" Gadget trailed off awkwardly, then tried again, "D-do you know how t-to climb a tree?"

Peeta took the preferred rock from her. "I'm not good at it, but I can try."

Gadget nodded, then winced. The pain in her chest grew from that minute movement. But she held still. She couldn't let it get the best of her now.

Not here.

"Hey, we can figure something else out. If it hurts-"

"We don-don't have time," Gadget implored, interrupting him. "It's…this is all we-we can do."

Peeta looked sadly at Gadget, then at the rock in his hands. He looked like he was contemplating something, but Gadget couldn't be certain. She waited impatiently for his next words.

Then Peeta said, "Okay. You get your friend out of there."

Gadget nodded determinedly. Peeta smiled at her one last time, and then he disappeared beyond the bushes.

Now she needed to wait.

She slid down to the ground and crawled forward as quietly as she could until the clearing came back into view.

Binary and Kernel weren't interrogating Corduroy anymore. But they talked to each other quietly in low tones that Gadget couldn't hear.

Are they planning to kill him!? Gadget thought in fear. Her hand gripped around her knife. She couldn't fight. But she couldn't let him die!

Binary examined the knife after something Kernel said. She watched him glance at Corduroy, contemplative.

Peeta…hurry!

Gadget didn't know how long Binary's patience would last for, but she doubted it would be for much longer. But she didn't know, not for certain.

Time ticked away. The air grew colder and the sky went darker.

Another shock of pain stabbed Gadget swiftly and suddenly, without warning.

She gasped quietly and bit down on her arm to stop from giving herself away. Her fingers loosened around her knife but she didn't care, not at that moment.

It felt like…someone pressed their hands into a bloody wound. It burned!

How could she feel so hot in weather so cold?

Her every muscle protested against her moving. She moved her hand to hold her knife again, and a flurry of what felt like the sharp edges of wires cutting into her skin.

She bit down harder on her arm. Hard enough to break skin and feel the horrible metallic taste of blood on her tongue.

It felt like horrible anguish.

The most painful feeling Gadget had ever felt in her life.

She wanted to scream.

And she almost did when that same anthem she'd heard yesterday sounded out throughout the entire arena.

Gadget opened her eyes and stared up into the sky. Her heart raced in spite of what she knew she would find up there.

Something she never, ever wanted to see.

But there was no stopping it and Gadget couldn't look away.

The Capitol seal appeared before it slowly faded away. And in its place was Lace, with her district number just below her portrait.

Lace stared out into the arena, still a smile on her face through it all.

Tears plucked at Gadget's eyes and she wiped them away furiously.

Don't cry, Gadget! she internally kicked herself.

"Lace…" someone said. Gadget turned.

Binary stared up at the sky, his face the epitome of emotionlessness. Kernel, though, looked back at their prisoner with a look of pity and sadness.

I'm so sorry, Corduroy, Gadget apologized. Her gaze found him tied to the tree, and what she feared to see, she saw.

His complexion had gone utterly pale and his eyes wide. There was no mistaking his devastation.

Gadget wished she could reach a hand out to comfort him, but…she couldn't.

How selfish had she been? Gadget wondered with dismay. She wasn't the only one who cared about Lace, and here she was, acting like she had any right to be as upset as she was.

Corduroy had lost someone from home. Someone he likely knew his entire life.

How is he going to feel when he finds out that it's my fault?

The anthem ended, and so did Lace's portrait. Silence returned to the arena.

Until it didn't.

In the distance, Gadget could hear the chime of a sponsor.

Peeta had done it.

"That's a sponsor," Binary said. He looked out in the direction that chiming came from, but Gadget knew that all he would be able to see was the red light.

"Take the bait," Gadget whispered into the darkness.