Chapter 43:
"Oh this is just fucking great!" Adonis complains loudly over the chaos of the group trying to figure out what to do next. Guards desperately trying to radio to anyone with no success. The medics trying to patch up the injured ones as the groups all managed to get back to the smoking remains. And Seraphim just trying to fucking think and unable to do so with Adonis's bitching. "That's it, man!" he continues and throws his arms up to gesture at the smoke and burning remains of the hovercraft surrounding them. "Game over, man! Game over!"
"I can't fucking think," Seraphim says to Zephyr with a huff and storms off a few feet away, trying to get a little space to think.
Meanwhile, Zephyr grabs Adonis by the front of the shirt and lifts him up in the air. "You need to get it fucking together you little shit," he tells him and Adonis's face goes a little pale in fear and he nods his head. Zephyr waits a moment before setting him back down, before going back to Seraphim protectively. How they are going to get fourteen tributes – a handful of them injured and others he wouldn't trust with a knife, two guards and a medic, and then himself, Seraphim, and Julian out of the arena…he has no idea. "We need to do something."
"I know that," Seraphim snaps at him before sighing and giving him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, I'm scared and stressed and wished we never came in here."
"It's okay," Zephyr says and just pulls him in for a tight hug, keeping an eye out around them and just letting Seraphim let it out. Seraphim hides his face in Zephyr's shoulder to let out a sob as he desperately grabs onto the back of his shirt, so terrified of not making it out of there alive. "I never should have let you come into this arena. It's fucking hell in the arena, always is, and the only way you get out is in a hovercraft, and you just hope it's not in a body bag."
"That's the only way out normally, but there's also the way in," Julian interrupts, annoyingly listening in to their conversation. He ignores the glare Zephyr gives him and just clears his throat until Seraphim picks up his head to look at him. "You know…I'm surprised you didn't figure it out yet, Mr. Head Gamemaker."
"I'm a little fucking stressed if you couldn't tell," Seraphim replies immediately, his patience absolutely gone, especially for Julian. "Do you have an idea?"
"I do, actually," Julian says and stands up taller with his shoulders back, absolutely preening at the thought of being the one to come up with the idea to save the day. "Of course you didn't think about it, you've never been a tribute. Zephyr had a chance, but I suppose you careers take quite a few hits to the head. Can't count on you to form any good thoughts."
"I'm gonna kill him, I really am," Zephyr says and starts to let go of Seraphim to grab at Julian, who smartly flinches and steps back from him. But Seraphim grabs onto Zephyr's arm, stopping him.
"We need his help!" Seraphim says firmly and stomps his foot a little bit, tired of everyone acting all fucking pissy and snapping at each other because it was making him pissy and unable to think! "I don't care who has the idea as long as it gets us out of the arena!"
Zephyr and Julian have a staredown for a moment as Seraphim stares them down, before they finally acquiesce. "Fine," Zephyr says and steps back to Seraphim's side.
Julian is a little more reluctantly and smooths out his armor before continuing. "You've both mentioned how you get out of the arena," he says, looking at them expectantly and hoping they figure it out. "But what about how you get in?"
"The launch tubes," Seraphim says and Julian points at him with a noise of excitement. He looks to the nearest plate, narrowing his eyes at it. "The mines have one of the most robust systems to avoid any tribute hacking them and using them as weapons. I know, I know, they were hacked before the countdown ended, we fixed that system. We still can't risk it and have to check that first. But…maybe if we can reactivate them, we can blow the plate open and climb down. It might not work, but it's worth a shot."
With a newfound excitement and motivation, Seraphim takes off to the Head Peacekeeper to tell him the plan, Zephyr right behind him to protect him. And after a few tests of throwing shrapnel and whatever else they could all find with the help of some of the tributes, they finally get to work digging up the mines. Seraphim sits right next to one of the plates, mumbling to himself as he messes with the control panel and tries to remember which pin it was that he set for it. All the while in the background, the guards and some of the career tributes help keep guard, occasionally shooting down mutts with their guns or switching to the weapons scattered around to conserve ammo.
"Oh come on, I could have swore it was Mom's birthday!" Seraphim complains loudly after another failed attempt to put in the password. He was just really glad they didn't have a setting where too many attempts caused it to explode – no one really liked tributes exploding accidentally. He sighs as he sets it down for a moment, growing frustrated and disheartened once more that they were going to be trapped here and die here… He never should have brought Zephyr back into the arena with him…
"Oh of course," he mutters as he tries one more date as the pin and lets out a cheer of excitement when it gets him access. "Yes, I got it!" he calls out loudly, getting the attention of the group. "Okay help me get a few unlocked," he tells Zephyr, gesturing at them and giving him a bashful smile. "It's the date I first came to visit you in District Two."
"You hopeless romantic," Zephyr chuckles and gets to work putting in the pin, and after a minute they have a collection unlocked for Seraphim to program. As he works, Julian is kept back from being nosy, and soon he has them set for five minutes and they all quickly scramble back.
"Okay they are strategically placed on the sealed door of the launch pad," Seraphim tells the group as they wait and watch it. He holds onto Zephyr's arm, nervous that it might not work but also hopeful that it will. "If we can get them open…this might just work."
And after the five minutes are up, the mines do go off and Seraphim counts them to make sure they all went off, before trying to go over and being stopped by the Head Peacekeeper. He heads over first, nudging the ground with his foot, before turning back to Seraphim and shaking his head.
"Fuck!" Seraphim says and lets out a loud yell before he drops down to his knees, feeling so defeated and hopeless. He thought for sure that would work…now what were they supposed to do? Find somewhere to hole up until the Capitol could hopefully come and save them?
"Hey, uhhh, not trying to be unhelpful here," Juno says slowly and waves his hand a little bit to get Seraphim's attention. And he slowly looks up at him, eyes full of tears and just hopeless. "Didn't you say they shut down all the controls?"
"They did," Seraphim says bleakly and looks around them, really starting to wonder if this would be where he dies. Where Zephyr dies… They had so many plans for their life together that are all just…poof, gone.
"Then shouldn't the locking mechanisms holding them closed also be shut down?" Juno asks and Seraphim just blinks up at him, too distraught to follow along with him. So Juno just sighs and drags Julian with him over to a different plate. "Help me pry this open."
"Why me?" Julian complains but goes along with him as Seraphim just stares at them, unable to move or feel any hope. And then sure enough, there's a groan of metal and with loud groans from Julian and Juno, they manage to push the lid open.
"Woo!" Bez lets out in a cheer and claps their hands for Juno, but that's about all the effort they're willing to put in when their head hurts and they just want a nap. "That's my person!"
"Stop that," Juno says with a huff and puts his face down to hide behind his hair. "The tube is open, let's move it."
"What?" Seraphim asks, shocked that it actually worked. But…he doesn't want to get his hopes up again, it has to be too good to be true.
"Flashlight," the Head Peacekeeper says and he is handed one before he heads over to the open hole, a small group following him with hope. He drops it down and they watch until it lands down in the dark launch room. "I'd say it's probably twenty to thirty feet down."
"It's thirty," Seraphim corrects as Zephyr helps him to his feet to go over and see for himself. And sure enough, they have a way down. He looks up at the arena and squints at the section in front of him. "This is one of the District Four spots. We have to get over to where the Capitol tributes launched in front of the Twelve sector. That's where the hovercraft entrance tunnel is." He points almost directly across from them and sighs loudly, knowing they are not out of the woods just yet. "If we can get the trolley working, we can get out quickly. If not…"
"Better prepare to start walking," Zephyr says as the Head Peacekeeper is gathering up a rope, tying it around himself before dropping it down and confirming it will reach the room. "You're using yourself as an anchor?"
"Do you have a better idea?" he replies and holds up a hand to stop him. "Not you. My orders are to get you out of this arena alive. Guards, you go down first to secure the room. Then the medic, and we'll figure out the rest. I'll be last to ensure everyone is safely down."
"I…" Seraphim says as the first guard starts climbing down efficiently and the Head Peacekeeper gives him a look to continue. "Is now a bad time to mention that there are levels below the launch level that is where the mutts are stored and created? And if the controls are all out…"
"They could be running free," Zephyr fills in and curses as the first guard gives all clear and the second goes down, closely followed by the medic. "I'll go next, I'm not sending you down anywhere that isn't safe."
"Please be safe," Seraphim says as he grabs Zephyr's arm desperately, not wanting to let him go. But also he knows he can't stop him from doing what he has to do, it's not just their lives at stake here. "I love you."
"I know, and I love you," Zephyr says as he grabs him tight to give him a kiss, trying to reassure him that things would be okay. But they both grabbed each other tight, both of them knowing that their lives were at risk and anything could happen. When Zephyr steps back, he reconsiders going down next, but the sound of the dogs attacking mutts has him moving. "Be safe and don't do anything stupid."
"I won't," Seraphim replies as he watches him start to go down, immediately regretting it and wishing they stayed together. But Zephyr has his role protecting the group as they go down, and Seraphim has his role protecting the tributes up here until they all go down. "Okay quickly, let's get moving. Next one up, go."
"I'll go," Chantelle volunteers, not trying to one up anyone for once but just…wanting to be helpful. "I can fight down there if need be."
Seraphim nods and lets her go down, just anxious to get everyone down quickly now so he could get back to Zephyr. And as she climbs, Bez stands up on wobbly feet and raises their hand. "I'll go, I wanna help too."
"Fine, fine," Seraphim waves them over and the guard pulls the rope up to tie around Bez's waist to lower them, not trusting them with their head injury right now. And Juno just watches them to the side, pained look on his face. "You have to stay and protect us."
"I know," Juno sighs as Bez is lowered down out of his sight – and hopefully to safety. "It's the price I pay."
The next two go down with little protest – and little struggle to lower them down. Ciana is eager to get to somewhere that isn't the arena, even if it might not be completely safe, and Cimmer doesn't take much of a push from the others to go when it's his turn.
But there is protest when it's time to lower Karter down from Lobo, who insists on helping the Head Peacekeeper lower him. And this is only after he finally agreed for Karter to go first because he doesn't trust leaving him behind in the arena without him. "Be careful with him," he growls at him, leaning over to keep looking down below and watching Karter, making sure he's safe. "I can't lose him."
"He's fine," the Head Peacekeeper says, voice a little gruff from the strain of lowering everyone, but this is what he trained for all those years. "Go."
"I can take over for a bit," Vulcan volunteers as Lobo starts climbing down as soon as they get the word from Karter, giving himself rope burn in his impatience to get to him.
"No can do, following orders," the Head Peacekeeper replies and gestures for the next person. "Next, Rhiannon, go."
"It will be okay," Ardent reassures Rhiannon as he helps get the rope secured around her waist, but she grabs onto him desperately.
"Don't leave me," Rhiannon begs him with tears in her eyes. "I-I can't-"
"I'll be right behind you," Ardent reassures her and kisses her cheek, before stepping back with a pained look to let the guard start lowering her down. "I will stay and protect, I…"
"Just go," Seraphim says, not in the mood for anyone to be a hero. "Everyone stop being a hero and get down there so we can get out of here."
"Yes sir," Ardent replies and climbs down next with little protest.
Since Vulcan couldn't help with getting everyone down, they focus instead on Sonya, feeling a small spark of protectiveness towards her since they found her. "Let's get Sonya next, she's injured."
"Well then we better send Kassie down after her with that logic," Farren replies as he keeps a tight hold on Kasada's waist, but despite her wounds she's looking better than she has in days since getting blood.
"Fine," Vulcan hisses back at him and they both stubbornly stand there as they watch the two injured girls go down, before bickering a little over who goes next until Farren wins out and Vulcan has to wait longer.
With less and less tributes above ground, Seraphim gets more and more impatient and anxious to get everyone below and in one spot. "Adonis," he says when he looks around and realizes he's still there – and surprised by that. "Get down already."
"I wanted to stay with the man with the mutts," Adonis says under his breath, not about to admit to them that he's scared to go down below with all the mystery. And Julian seems to really have control of the dogs and birds keeping the arena mutts at bay for now. But a roar of a bull in the distance has him quickly scrambling when it's his turn. "Okay I'm going!"
"That's what I thought," Seraphim mutters as he looks at the three left with him and sighs. "Tributes need to get out of here."
"That's not my orders," Juno says, not wanting to stay in the arena but also just really trying to walk the fine line between doing what is necessary to not get imprisoned for life.
"Well my orders are tributes out," Seraphim says and points at the rope. "Go, Juno."
"So long, buckaroo," Julian says with a salute as Juno is climbing down, causing him to pause briefly to flip him off with an eye roll. Julian then turns to Seraphim and gestures for him. "After you."
"No," Seraphim says firmly and gives him a long look. He hasn't had a chance to really get to know this man, and yet…he's already gone through hell. He deserves a chance to live – really live, not just locked away in the Capitol. "Tributes first. You still count."
"Seraphim you get your ass down here NOW!" Zephyr yells up at them and Seraphim winces at that, especially as he can hear mutts getting closer now that they have less people around to keep them away.
"I…" Julian starts, torn between survival instinct to go first, but also knowing that Seraphim has the arena knowledge to potentially get them out. But also, he knows mutts better than anyone so he will be more helpful going forward. So his own personal survival instinct wins out and he whistles to get the dogs to form a protective circle, then grabs the rope to start climbing before Seraphim can change his mind. He pauses for a moment, hating to leave his mutts behind, but he knows they'll find a way to survive until he can get back here to rescue them. And if not, it would be a way to filter out the best ones to keep breeding and make them better. "I'll be fast."
"You better or Zephyr might murder you," Seraphim tells him as he keeps an eye on the area around them, finger hovering over the trigger of his gun. And with the quiet of only himself and the Head Peacekeeper, he feels a building knot in his stomach, twisting it and making him nauseous with anxiety, especially as the dogs start growling in warning at some mutts daring to get closer.
"Start climbing," the Head Peacekeeper instructs him, straining from supporting everyone at this point. And from the tension on the rope, it's clear Julian is still climbing down. "Go now!"
"But he's still climbing down," Seraphim starts to protest and fires off a few shots, which makes Zephyr start yelling up in a panic. When his gun clicks with the empty clip, he tosses it aside and looks around, not seeing a way for the guard to get down with them. "I'm so sorry," he tells him as he grabs the rope to begin the descent, making Julian yell up that he's still on it.
The Head Peacekeeper gives him a knowing look and nods his head, understanding exactly what is about to happen. "I'll be alright," he tells Seraphim and nods for him to go. "I'll be joining my husband soon. Go!"
Seraphim starts climbing down the rope, pausing to give the Head Peacekeeper one last guilty look before he is in the tube. He doesn't deserve to die to let them get their escape, and he doesn't know how to handle that guilt.
"I'm off," Julian calls up and Seraphim starts climbing a little faster, especially hearing the commotion above and gunshots going off.
But with the roar of the bull so close that it echoes off the tube, Seraphim pauses in primal fear as he looks up. He can't be more than halfway down, but the mutts are already there attacking. Snarls and the sound of ripping flesh echo down to him, paralyzing him in fear even as Zephyr screams at him to move. That man is dying for him, he gave his life to protect him.
Seraphim yells out at the rope jostling above him, before there's a loud thud as the light above goes out with the lid slamming into place by the guard – protecting them from the mutts crawling after them. But then the rope goes slack and Seraphim screams as he falls the rest of the distance down to the crowded room below.
Welcome back to the arena! Or maybe not welcome since we're doing cliffhangers, or, I suppose, Seraphim-hangers (I'll leave, my joke was bad).
Bring that countdown to 8 more chapters remaining, and only 2 more to actually write.
Next update will be shortly in a couple days to get this done on May 15th and also work around my upcoming work travel.