Author's Note: At the end of 'The Strongest Among Then', I said I'd be back around November but life got in the way. I eventually started to work on something new and couldn't decide on a format. So, it seems I'm crackers enough to attempt two fanfics at once! Essentially, they're two halves of a whole so they work best when read alongside each other, but you don't have to, of course! The AU victors have arrived, and my existing 'canon' victors continue their lives in this story. Well, most of them, as you see here.

….

Threats

"He was eighty-seven. So, I guess it's to be expected," Haymitch sighed. "Chaff did say Orchard was unwell the last time we spoke."

"From what we saw of Eleven, I doubt reaching that age is common either," Peeta replied.

"About as common as here."

"He did well."

"The Fourth Games?" Katniss asked. "Can anyone remember them?"

"Orchard could. But obviously, he's gone, so I doubt anyone else much remembers. Unless they've seen the footage. Snow will know of course. The Capitol always kept Orchard in their sights."

"Why?"

"Come on, girl. You've been to Eleven."

Katniss rolled her eyes but didn't comment any further. There was truth in Haymitch's remarks. Of all the districts beyond Twelve, it was Eleven she thought she understood the most and somewhere in her understanding of them was the reason why their victors were kept under watch and why they in Twelve were in trouble.

Sure enough, television footage was displaying images of Orchard's life and had managed to find key moments from the Fourth Annual Hunger Games. Twelve's victors watched as the tributes of that early Games were herded through the barriers of the arena, frightened, confused and staring at each other nervously. Orchard carried on looking ahead ignoring the panic of those around him. They saw his winning moment followed by his arrival back home, in the era where victors were expected to continue working under the pretence that nothing had happened.

There followed interviews with the children of people he used to work with in the fields, themselves ageing under Eleven's sun. They recalled the stories told to them by their parents, a testament to Orchard's long life. Some of his more camera-ready associates and employees were interviewed before the cameras cut to the Victors' Village where a tearful Seeder was emerging from her house flanked by Chaff whose good hand never left her shoulder.

Haymitch's brow furrowed but Peeta spoke first, "Chaff's angry."

"I'm sure we're about to find out why," Haymitch replied as Seeder cleared her throat and began to speak.

"Both Chaff and I are devasted at the sudden passing of our dearest friend, Orchard Dawsey.

Very few of us can say that we have lived for eighty-seven years and seen all that he had, and yet still, Orchard wanted more.

He was a proud man. Anyone who knew him could see that from the moment they met him. He loved Eleven wholeheartedly and he loved his friends. He will be missed sorely by Chaff and me, his friends and all his employees and colleagues.

Whether it be in the fields, the Capitol or in his office, Orchard worked for Eleven. He lived for Eleven's good fortune and died always with the hope that our home would prosper.

His life's work will continue. His business will continue, providing good employment for all those who want to share in his vision and success. Chaff and I will seek to learn from his endeavours and perseverance, his work ethic and drive for more. Orchard never wanted to give up on life and would never give up on his people. His death marks his parting from us, but his presence will always be felt.

Rest well, Orchard, our dear friend. Your work here may be done but you will always remain with us.

Sending all our love, your dearest friends, Seeder and Chaff."

The final words had barely left Seeder's mouth before Haymitch stood up, flung the door open and ran into the garden, screaming in anger as he went.

"They've killed him," he spat as a confused Peeta and Katniss joined him.

"What?" Peeta asked. "He was an old man."

"The oldest rebel, Peeta. That's who Orchard was. He was a child soldier, fighting for the rebels in the war. He never gave up on their ideals. That's why they killed him. You heard Seeder. Orchard wanted more, wouldn't have given up on life, and that's true too. Seeder was telling us what really happened. Sure, an old man dying in his sleep is believable, but they wanted us to know the truth."

"But why now?" Katniss asked.

"It was so close. After your Games. It might have been the tipping point. But it's gone now."

"What's gone?"

"Rebellion, revolution. Overthrowing the damn Capitol," Haymitch whispered.

"You told me you weren't interested in any of that," Katniss hissed.

"Revolution, rebellion, they're big words. What I'm bothered about is stopping all of this," he gestured to the air around him. "Making this better. Twelve."

"Haymitch, just how involved are you? And who else is involved?"

"You'll find that out when you see who else tragically passes away or has an accident over the next few weeks."

"And will you be included in that?"

"You'll find out, just like we all will," Haymitch laughed.

"Haymitch! That's not funny. You lecture me on how much trouble I'm causing and look what you're involved in."

"I never said to follow in my example, sweetheart."

On hearing Haymitch's comments, Katniss shook her head and stormed off, leaving the two men standing in the cold.

"What do we do?" Peeta asked.

"We?"

"Yes. Katniss and me. And you. How do you stay alive?"

"You two, that's easy. Get married like a good pair of lovestruck teenagers and stay on message. I know she's difficult, but I can trust you with that. She'll come around too. She's confused. She likes you, more than she knows. It will be the best thing I can do for you both too, keeping you alive and married. It will protect you. You'll see what I mean at the Quell. As for me, I'll be taking my chances."

"Haymitch, be careful."

"You all worried about your drunk mentor?"

"I can't cope with Katniss and Effie alone," Peeta laughed. "But yes, Haymitch. I'm worried now. Katniss will be too."

"Not much you can do to stop it if they've decided on it. Doesn't mean I'll just let it happen though."

"You never get off the train," Peeta sighed.

"Knew you'd get it first."

They fell quiet, and both men stood in thought, until Peeta spoke up again, "What do we do about the rebellion? What's left of it anyway."

"That's for you to decide, boy. I'm all in. Made my bed. Most of the others are the same, they won't have given up. You both need to decide, together, because if one of you is in, you both are, in everyone's eyes, not least the Capitol's. I won't decide for you, it's up to you."

"Understood."

"Boy, all of this, doesn't go further than the Village. Make sure she gets it too."

"You can trust me, Haymitch. Katniss is too much of a survivor to let it slip."

"I know, that's why I told you."

Peeta laughed, bid goodnight to Haymitch and returned to his house. He knew he would never sleep that night, so he took up watch at his window, focusing on Haymitch's house, not realising that Katniss had already done the same.

….

Seven's victors were standing outside, in the open space where the Victors' Village met the start of the forest where they knew they would not be overheard. Linden, Blight and Johanna had carried out a sweep of the trees to check for audio recording devices once the snow had melted to make sure of their meeting place's security.

"We all know it's not a coincidence. First Orchard, now poor Woof," Liev started.

"Two old men, nobody would think twice," Sawyer said.

"Except we know. Seeder and Cecelia told us and what would Snow care if we knew? He would want us to be scared."

"They let Seeder and Cecelia release those statements after all."

"They're taunting us," Linden said.

"We can't be scared."

"Didn't say I was, Johanna. They want us to be. But we aren't."

"They can send all the peacekeepers they want my way; I'll kill them all."

"It won't be you this time," Liev replied. "They've messed with you, Blight and Linden enough. They've left me and Sawyer alone a while now."

"But people would question it if either of you suddenly died."

"I'm 68, soon 69, not bad by Seven's standards. Sawyer's 63. It's plausible. And they've targeted the oldest so far."

"We won't let them near you," Blight said.

"I am not going to sleep with you watching over me. They got Orchard and Woof in their beds, you can't stay that close."

"They won't get that close, Sawyer."

"What are you suggesting?" Liev asked.

"We join forces. One or two houses are easier to defend than five."

"I'm not living with all of you!" Johanna said.

"We'll split into two then, more room, fewer arguments."

"Agreed," Liev confirmed. "That way none of us are left alone and we have some space."

"We need to go about our usual routines. We can't suddenly look like we're scared or implicating ourselves by acting like one of us is next."

"Linden, that'll be easy," Johanna replied. "We've only just shaken off those guards and it's not like we can go very far, for our safety, remember. Not much of a routine, only boredom around here now. Anyway, there's five of us, one of us would realise the peacekeepers are back."

"This will be an adventure, something new!" Blight laughed.

"Think I'm done with adventures."

"You're a victor, Sawyer. There's always an adventure, always lots of fun!"

"And this adventure's called paranoia," Johanna said.

They were interrupted by Linden, "Let's be serious for a second, we think Orchard and Woof were poisoned, and after last year, nightlock would be a fitting touch. So, watch where you're going and what you're doing. We don't want people tripping us up."

"Yeah, definitely paranoia," Johanna laughed.

"If it keeps us all alive, I'll put up with paranoia for now."

….

"Mags," Finnick shouted. "Did you ask for any tea? There's a box at the door for you."

Mags slowly walked over to Finnick and shook her head. The younger man looked confused but carried the box into the house all the same.

"Must be a present. There's no card or note, so looks like you have a mystery admirer! Are we sure it didn't get lost on the way to my house!"

Mags laughed and slapped Finnick on the arm in jest.

"I know, I know. People love you too."

They left the box in the kitchen and went back to watching the terrible Capitol film on the main television channel that afternoon whilst they waited for Chloe and Coral to return from catching up with their peacekeeper contacts. A new group had been rotated into the district. The pair had tried hard to retain some of those they knew to be loyal, but they couldn't keep everyone with them.

Luckily, Lyme and her contacts had pulled some strings, and their new Head Peacekeeper was Commander Hadrian, her close friend and a rebel already known to them. Four would keep its status as the heart of the district-organised rebellion whilst they hoped their rebel friends sent across the districts would be able to continue in their efforts.

Shortly after, Shai joined them and offered to make them tea from the delivery that had arrived, noticing it in Mags' kitchen.

"It might not be what you like, Mags," he said. "It's come in those bags, not like the teas from Seeder."

"She doesn't mind," Finnick answered.

Shai set about making the tea but soon noticed that something was odd. The bag had split and some of its contents looked like a powder which appeared to dissolve quickly, as the water turned cloudy. He called for Finnick.

The younger man reached the kitchen, stepped towards Shai and soon realised what was happening.

"That's not right. Don't touch any more of it. Have you had any?"

Shai shook his head as Finnick reached for the cup, threw its contents into the sink, opened the door and threw the box outside. Finnick called across the Village to Song and quickly opened the windows in the kitchen in case they might be inhaling what was hidden in the delivery. He was relieved that he had listened to Halley enough to have developed an instinct where poison might be used. This was a very clumsy attempt, but Finnick was concerned all the same.

Song had noted the alarm in Finnick's voice, rushed from her home and immediately asked what was wrong.

"Someone's tried to poison Mags," he said, pointing to the offending box.

"In that tea?"

"A clumsy attempt but if Shai hadn't noticed, it could have worked. None of us have drank the tea but I don't know what it is."

"Leave it, don't touch it. Coral has spent enough time with Beetee and Pluto that she might be able to identify it when she gets back."

She stopped and sighed, "I guess we shouldn't be surprised. Eleven and Eight have been targeted and it's pretty obvious that we hold a lot of sway here."

"What do we do?"

"Wait until Chloe and Coral get here and keep each other close."

….

Poppy walked into Claudia's home and screamed at the sight that greeted her.

Claudia and Levi were sitting at the kitchen table, face down, their mouths stained purple, his left hand holding her right and a syringe resting under each of their free hands.

She screamed for Max again and saw the older man stumble out of his front door and towards where she stood at the kitchen's threshold.

"Oh no, no, no. Claudia and Levi. What have you done? What's happened to you both?" She walked to the kitchen table and pressed two fingers to the side of Claudia's neck, trying to find a pulse, only to be greeted with nothing. She did the same with Levi, but she knew what the result would be.

Max was in shock, holding himself up against the door frame. Poppy saw this and quickly brought him a chair and made sure he was seated.

"No," the older man whispered. "They never said. They seemed okay yesterday. They normally cope after the Tour. We've had the card by now and that didn't bother them as much as I thought."

"Max, where did they get the nightlock from?"

"Nightlock?"

"Look at their mouths, their lips are purple."

"That's not their way."

"I checked the other day. When the morphling came. Nothing in their usual hiding places. Or the ones they don't know I know about. Only morphling. Nothing stained purple either. I did their shopping and there was nothing unusual in their fridge or cupboards, only what I've brought them and I'm careful, Max."

"This wouldn't have been you. You've never let anything slip."

"But why now? I know they're unhappy, I don't think they're ever fully happy, even on their better days. They survive and get by, but I never thought it would happen like this. Claudia would have said goodbye. She wouldn't have left without telling me."

"Poppy, look on Claudia's lap. I can see it from here."

Poppy leaned in carefully, trying not to disturb her friend's body and took hold of the crumpled note that Max had pointed out and read it aloud.

"They were coming for you, so we made them take us instead.

They'll leave you alone now.

We're sorry.

We love you.

C and L."

Max crumbled, his head in his hands as he began to cry. Poppy had lurched towards the sink, trying to contain her breaths and calm herself down.

"Max, they know something. They were onto us. After everything I tried. They know. Max, they know!"

"They were coming for me, Poppy. Orchard, Woof and then me. Three old, frail men, nobody would question it and all the victors would get the message. It might not mean anything about us or you. It's a message to all of us. That they're always in control."

"And now Claudia and Levi have sacrificed themselves. But the Capitol didn't get what they wanted; they might come back."

Max continued to cry, knowing that Poppy might be correct. It might not be over, despite Claudia and Levi doing everything they could. "I won't leave you alone, Poppy."

"You're moving into mine. We stick together. Easier to defend one house."

….

Halley looked on sadly as Poppy read her televised statement, eulogising her friends, with Max clinging onto her arm, her hands shaking as she clung onto the paper she read from.

"Are they forcing them to do this?"

"It certainly sends a message."

"Poppy borrowed Seeder's words. Their hand was forced. They were coming for Max. They'll be coming for me soon," Pluto said.

"We won't let them."

"I'm sure Poppy thought that, Halley. I'm sure Seeder and Chaff rarely left Orchard alone. Cecelia could barely leave Woof for a minute from what we knew."

"If it takes that, I'll guard you as you sleep."

"They've got us all running scared," Beetee said. "We can't play into their hands or let them think they've won. This situation is only temporary. There will be a way again."

"So what do we do? Carry on as normal and let them come?"

"We go out as we usually do, just hold on tighter to your bag when you're out, watch out for people acting strangely and don't be led into any traps."

"Don't accept any parcels you haven't ordered either," Pluto added. "I received a note from our neighbours. A drawing from Mags. They've tried to poison her."

"But Mags is still alive? We'd know if she wasn't. There's no way Four would keep that quiet."

"She's alive yes."

"So, they can be stopped," Halley said. "Four have managed it."

"It would be foolish to attempt to poison me, or any of us. It will be something different when they try here. Don't say they won't. We're all being targeted."

….

Footsteps met Annie as she walked into Shai's house in the evening. Startled, she screamed for Finnick and Song. A half-asleep Shai came stumbling towards the screaming and found an armed intruder struggling against Annie's grip. She was grappling with the arm that held the knife and holding her other arm across the young man's neck. Annie kicked him sharply to the back of the knee which allowed her to release her arm as the man fell to his knees.

Annie reached for the knife as Finnick came running through the open door, finding the man on the floor facing Annie holding the knife to his throat.

"Annie!" Finnick shouted until he realised what was happening. He had not seen Annie look like this since the arena.

He joined her facing the man as Song arrived and immediately pulled the man to his feet, restraining his arms behind him.

"Rowan!" she shouted, knowing her partner would not be far behind. "We have a problem."

"You're not going anywhere," she hissed to the man standing inside Shai's house.

By now, the other victors had all arrived. Noah entered the house last, holding Mags' hand as she walked straight towards Shai to try to calm her friend. Finnick had taken Annie outside to calm down after she had truly realised what she had stumbled upon.

Not before long, the intruder was firmly tied to a chair in the middle of the kitchen as Rowan held the man's own knife to his throat. Song stood immediately in front of him whilst Chloe and Coral guarded the entrance and the door leading further into Shai's home.

"Why are you here?" Song asked.

The man didn't reply.

"We know why you're here," Rowan hissed. "Who told you to do this?"

"Nobody," the man muttered.

"Don't lie," Song snapped. "You can't be more than nineteen. You didn't think of murdering an old victor as he slept by yourself."

"Who says I didn't?"

"We won't fall for it. You don't know Shai. You're not a Centre kid. You don't know any of us. You've got no reason."

"What if I don't need a reason?"

"The knife's peacekeeper issue," Coral interrupted. "But I haven't seen his face among the new recruits."

"So, who put you up to this?" Song repeated.

"I told you, nobody."

"And we told you, we don't believe you. So talk."

"Or what?"

"Or we'll hunt your family down."

"You wouldn't."

"We're victors. We're not above playing games."

….

Wiress had woken up to find her victor behaving strangely. Halley had returned from the central market, left her shopping in her garden and was throwing the clothes she was wearing out of the bathroom window.

Wiress went to alert Beetee but found him already approaching her, "Something's wrong, I know. She signalled to me to meet at Pluto's soon. Someone must have come into contact with her whilst she was out, and it's spooked her."

"Not without reason."

"I trust her judgement on this too," Beetee replied. "You go to Pluto's, check around his house, and I'll check round the Village."

After they had completed their checks, Beetee and Wiress waited for Halley's arrival with Pluto. From watching Halley return without bringing him the items he requested and then signal to Beetee, the older victor knew something was wrong. Given recent events with the victors across Panem, Pluto thought he knew what news Halley would bring.

As soon as Halley opened the door, Wiress rushed to meet her and fussed over her victor.

"I'm fine, Wire. Really. More of a precaution, at least with the clothes anyway. And if there is anything in the bag, I don't want my house exploding," she said, trying to reassure her mentor and friend.

"They're coming for me next?" Pluto started, breaking up the two women's conversation.

Halley nodded and looked to Beetee who knew what she wanted to know, "We're secure in here. The Village too."

Taking Beetee's confirmation that she could speak freely, Halley began, "I ran into our number two at the market. They're coming tonight, Pluto. I don't know how, but it's tonight. You know what they're risking telling me that given how their house is being watched, so you can trust that it's reliable."

"We can be ready."

"Good. You do your thing. I can activate some of mine too, at strategic locations around the Village."

District Three's victors had kept their defences of the Victors' Village in place despite the rebel effort fizzling out. They knew their district could be ready at a moment's notice and had kept their own plans in order. In the event of a peacekeeper raid, Three's victors had planned to turn the Village into their own arena. But in times such as these, their traps could be used selectively and defensively.

The news had come from their Mayor's wife, the very heart of their rebel efforts, and they knew that she would not steer them wrong. Both she and her husband were unfailingly loyal to the cause, and to both Pluto and Halley, who they had the closest relationship with.

"The clothes dear, what happened?" Pluto asked.

"On my way back, someone placed their hands flat on my back and pushed me down. I don't know if there was anything on their hands and I didn't see their face. They were running away as I turned around and picked myself up, so I don't think it was an accident. As I was gathering myself though, a woman appeared in front of me, offering me tea, apparently to calm me down from the shock."

"Which you didn't take."

"Of course not, Pluto. I could see through that ruse easily enough. A push isn't going to scare me and anyway, it was all too convenient."

"Tea was how they went for Mags too."

"Well, it's a good thing my instincts still work," Halley laughed. "I got a good look at her too, so I can point her out. But probably wise to not take anybody up on offers for a while, only have what we know."

The victors all waited at Pluto's house as night fell. They put in place their traps and went about their evening routines as normally as they could whilst all contained in one place. Pluto stayed out of the line of sight of any doors and windows and Wiress busied herself upstairs with one of her cleaning routines whilst keeping watch. Beetee had set up his surveillance monitors ready for the night ahead whilst Halley lay in wait, standing guard in the shadows near the window.

But they need not have been so prepared. A young peacekeeper began to approach in the night and did not stop to consider what he was doing, not even after floodlights illuminated his path to Pluto's door, leaving him in sight of the victors who stood watching. He reached the door and stood briefly to ready himself before taking hold of the door handle and falling victim to Beetee's trap.

Beetee had recreated one of his traps from the arena, electrocuting the peacekeeper, but this time, stopping short of killing him immediately.

"We never get the smart ones," Beetee sighed as they watched the man convulse on the floor.

They waited until Beetee de-activated the traps on the door and the peacekeeper fell still before dragging him inside by the rubber soles of his boots and beginning to deal with the burns to his hand and arm. Beetee would alter the camera footage so nobody would find out what happened if their defences fell into the wrong hands.

When the peacekeepers visited the Village the next morning, under the pretence of making enquiries as to the whereabouts of their missing colleague, they found him being tended to by Halley and Wiress. The victors had paid him handsomely and threatened him for his silence.

When Beetee found a box of tea at his door, he simply laughed and gave it to Pluto who added it to his collection of poisons. He felt as if he had been proven right, District Three don't get the smartest peacekeepers.

….

They let the boy go. He told them that a peacekeeper gave him the knife and charged him with the task of killing Shai but no more. It was nothing that the victors could not have worked out for themselves. But he was young and of no influence in the district. He was not the threat.

They thought long and hard about their next steps and even though they knew the likely consequences, they decided to inform the peacekeepers and the public that an attempt on Shai's life had been made. It warned the other victors that direct attacks were being made and they hoped it would prevent a similar attack occurring in the night once more.

They were not surprised to be assigned guards and to find the entrance to the Village under permanent watch. But since the scaling back of their efforts, most of their journeys out were to the Centre, the sea or to Mags' daughters' bar. They were careful. Shai and Annie were interviewed about what they saw and the two stuck to the story the victors created. Commander Hadrian as Head Peacekeeper (and friend to the victors), decided to personally lead the investigation and the victors told him the full story, including handing him the knife they had taken from the boy.

Coral, with her connections to the district's officiants, trawled through Four's identity records until they could find a match to the face they knew. Commander Hadrian worked behind the backs of his men to identify the source of the knife and together, they worked it out. The peacekeeper was the boy's uncle, but the Head Peacekeeper allowed him to be handed to the victors first before he could be officially arrested. He knew they wanted more information on Four's small, loyalist faction.

The man was assigned to guard Chloe's house overnight and stood in the Village with his peers, keeping watch as night fell. The victors, as part of their usual routine handed out tea and snacks to the men at their doors and Chloe left her house under the pretence of getting some fresh air.

"It's cold out tonight," the victor started.

"Unusually so," the peacekeeper replied.

"Winter has run on this year, and we haven't been able to get out with Mags like we usually do. And now with all of this."

"It must have been stressful."

"Nothing we can't handle. We've all been through a lot."

"I don't doubt that. You're victors. You won the Games. You must feel a sense of responsibility too, to do something with your lives."

"Yes. That's what we've all tried to do for years. We want to do something for the better. For the district, and all Panem really."

"For the Capitol too," the peacekeeper added.

"Of course. They look to us to add something to their lives. But I'm way too old for that now," Chloe laughed.

"It's a young person's game," the man echoed.

"And yet Mags and Shai continue on. I don't know how they do it."

"I know how much you admire them. It must have been difficult. What with this attack on Shai, and with someone trying to poison Mags."

Chloe paused and looked at the peacekeeper who ignored her gaze, looking straight ahead whilst beginning to mop his brow and adjust his uniform in discomfort.

She started again, "Mags? An attack on Mags?"

"Oh, come on, we know you know about that!"

"Who's we?"

"Well, it was obvious, given everything."

"Was it? I don't recall that being mentioned."

"Given the…state of affairs right now, I thought it would be obvious."

"To you, maybe. But we never said anything about an attack on Mags to any of you. Only Shai," Chloe laughed, noticing the man's discomfort. She knocked on her door to signal whilst the peacekeeper adjusted his uniform once more and swayed slightly.

"Feeling a little funny?" she asked before Rowan opened the door and hauled the man inside.

The peacekeeper found Rowan and Noah bundling him into a chair and tying him down where he sat facing Coral and Song.

"Good work, Chlo," Coral said to her partner who went to check in on Mags and Shai who were listening in from the adjacent room.

"I imagine you can tell what's happened by now. We know it was you so there's no point in lying. You put the boy up to it and we can guess it was probably him who posed as a delivery boy and sent us the tea. It's just too bad that we've been playing this game for longer than you," Song said.

"You can't prove it. It's just accusations."

"We have your knife."

"That doesn't prove anything."

"You signed it out and it ended up here. Straight from your nephew's hand. We can all confirm it."

"Oh, come on, your key witnesses are an old man and an unstable young woman."

"This is Four, not the Capitol. We know better. Shai and Annie can be trusted," Song said.

"Besides," Coral interjected, "I pointed out that the knife was peacekeeper issue. We're everywhere you see."

"You can't win," he sneered.

"Can't we? We have in Four. We know who you are and there aren't many of you. Admittedly it was an oversight on our part to have missed you. But we can soon see to that."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, there's no need for you to worry about that," Song laughed whilst Coral nodded towards Chloe who picked up the phone.

"Yes, Commander Hadrian, please. We've found something important."

….

With the arrest and subsequent imprisonment of the peacekeeper, the assaults on the victors subsided. The operation to weaken them had been made clear to anyone able to put the pieces together. Continuing to attack them would not prove productive, no matter how much President Snow wanted to. Too many people had realised these were not accidental deaths and a loyal peacekeeper from Four had taken the fall. But Snow had to admit there was a sense in not further provoking the victors, especially when they were the only people from across the districts permitted to mix. He could not risk another escalation now. The victors had managed to draw people to them over the years, and he would have to weaken those ties another way. If the victors had to survive, he would have to erode people's loyalties to them and those to each other.

For now, he felt as if he had won, and he would take the victory as it fell into his lap. But he would have to keep watch on these victors and gain control over the new ones too. It was a different game he was being told to play by those newest around him, but so far it had worked. He would see where it next takes him.