Jackson Lombardi
Age 17
District 7 Male
Jackson's parents had always been distant from him. He knew why that was, of course, but it still hurt. He couldn't very well complain about it either, because "I'm sorry that your son slash my half-brother died horribly in the Hunger Games but could we talk about me for a moment?" would have made him look like an absolute ass.
He tried to understand their perspective. His mother had Treech young and raising an infant during a war where the next day wasn't certain had made her cling tighter. Jackson's father had come later, but had loved and helped raise Treech as his own. Then, he was brutally killed by those snakes and his parents were shattered. Who wouldn't be? But they had disappeared into their grief and had left both of them to fend for themselves, and Jackson couldn't help but resent them for it.
As much as it sucked being overshadowed by someone who he barely remembered, Jackson had no choice, because his little brother needed him. So he took charge. He had to.
One year later, Magnus had come to all kinds of solid conclusions. However, he did not have enough evidence to accuse the sitting President of Panem of murder, nor did he know how to make said accusations go anywhere even if he did.
His wife feared that his investigations were born out of resentment for his old rival. Then, she feared that he was learning too much and that it would be the death of him. Hilarious was afraid that Magnus was starting to upset the wrong people, and that his surprising promotion to Head Gamemaker was done so that Snow could have more eyes on him. Both of them begged him to stop and lay low, and Magnus was oh so tempted. His search for answers was getting more and more hopeless every day.
Then, he'd look at Antonius and remember just who he was doing this for. He refused to let his son grow up under a murderer's rule.
So, he took charge, used his new resources to his advantage and used that discretion that Dr. Gaul had instilled into him to keep both himself and his investigation alive.
Snow had to have a weakness. He had to.
He wouldn't give up hope as long as he still lived.
When Jackson was reaped for the Twenty-First Hunger Games, his first thoughts were of Hazel, not because he feared his parents would neglect him or let him starve to death (they at least did the bare minimum of keeping them both alive), but he would be left to his own devices. Jackson had been the one to raise Hazel. He had taught him how to read, write, and do math. He taught him how to do magic tricks and make wood carvings. Their parents may have given birth to them and made sure they stayed alive and healthy, but Jackson had made sure Hazel learned what needed to be learned and kept him emotionally and mentally well. If he were to die, what would his parents do? Would they break down entirely? Would they even notice or care? Would they withdraw even more and ignore Hazel's existence all together?
Those questions raced through his mind as he was led into the Justice Building to say goodbye, but when he saw Hazel's teary gaze and their parents' glazed and distant ones, he decided that it was best not to find out. He kissed Hazel on the forehead and told him that he'd be right back.
He would do whatever it took to make it home. He would not let Hazel grow up cold and unloved. He would not allow his parents to grieve another child.
Magnus took his duties as Head Gamemaker seriously. Despite the shaky start due to his district heritage (even though he had held Capitol Citizenship for most of his life now), he had taken charge and developed bonds with each of his coworkers. He even had them look through old notes and footage for him under the guise of taking Dr. Gaul's old creations and making them better since her notes had been mysteriously lost despite being bequeathed to him in her will.
Io Jasper was more than happy to research the snake mutts from the Tenth Games in an effort to re-create them.
Hilarious Heavensbee, while reluctant, stayed the supportive friend that he was and searched through old medical records so that certain illnesses could be re-created for a more immersive environment for the tributes.
And Magnus went through old tapes of the Hunger Games, specifically the Tenth Hunger Games where it had all begun for President Snow. He wasn't sure how long he spent pouring over the footage at home. He knew of some of the messes that plagued that year. He knew of the Academy student that snuck into the arena and how Snow had killed one of the tributes to get him out. He knew about the resulting coverup and how that tribute's mentor had yet to let it go, but what else was being covered up? What did Dr. Gaul not tell him? So many things about that year were not adding up.
Wovey dropping dead, seemingly out of nowhere.
The snakes attacking everyone except for Lucy Gray.
Reaper dying of the same ailment that Wovey had after drinking from that puddle.
Dean Highbottom being found dead of an overdose not long after Coriolanus left his office.
The deaths of the Ravinstills, Dr. Gaul's death, Lysistrata's quick and unceremonious execution, it all tied back to Snow. He benefited the most from all of this, but how did it all connect?
Then, Hilarious brought him some medical records detailing poisoning symptoms. And it all started coming together.
Jackson was lucky to escape the opening bloodbath with his life. He was also lucky that when a girl tried to throw her token at him like one girl did last year, she was the one who blew up and not him.
Unfortunately, while he was lucky enough to escape the bloodbath with his life, his allies were all killed off. Jackson was alone with nothing but an axe and crimson hands after he was forced to kill one of the other tributes.
His strategy did not survive the gong, but wasn't that always how plans worked? He'd simply have to make another one. He had to outlive the others. He couldn't let Hazel down.
Jackson refused to give into despair. After all, he was still alive, and as long as he was alive, there was hope.
That night, Jackson got a parachute. When he saw the contents: a first aid kit with a glass bottle of rubbing alcohol, he smiled grimly.
It seemed the sponsors agreed with him.
Magnus couldn't stop pacing back and forth across the living room.
Rat poison! That was what killed Wovey and Reaper. It was also likely what killed Dean Highbottom.
Poison would also explain the other mysterious deaths in the past few years.
Snow also had to have had a way to get that poison to Lucy Gray, meaning the Hunger Games that launched him into power was all a hoax. Dr. Gaul had, of course, covered it up, but Snow had put his metaphorical knife in her back too.
The maniac had assassinated Panem's leaders back-to-back and the Head Gamemaker and had seized power for himself in the process. Magnus would have been impressed if he wasn't so damn terrified. And he still had no explanation for the snakes...
He also had no real concrete evidence. Nothing to go off of, and no one who'd listen to him. Not to mention that if Snow had the means to cover up the murders, he could cover this up too somehow.
No, the only way this was going to have the proper effect was if Magnus got the truth from Snow's own lips.
Thankfully, even if he wasn't the most popular amongst the victors, he was still a victor, and one of them still owed him a favor.
The next morning, he stopped at the Tribute Center before heading to the newly built Pit, and he pulled Sakura Marx to one side.
Being acquaintances with an inventor had its perks.
It was sickening to think about in this context, but being a lumberjack had its perks.
Over the past week or so, Jackson had managed to trick his brain into seeing the tributes as human shaped blocks of wood. It didn't make the killing any easier to deal with, but it did make it easier to carry out.
He'd have plenty of time to unpack all of that once he got home, and he was close. So very close.
There was just one more tribute left to find, one of those trainee tributes from Two. How they got away with training before the Games was beyond him. Technically, it was illegal, yet they did it openly under the guise of a Peacekeeper Academy.
Jackson surmised that it must have been nice to have that kind of power.
Unfortunately for the remaining tribute, Jackson was not about to lay down and die. He had learned from fighting the Ones and the boy from Two that they were all one trick ponies. Meanwhile, Jackson had tricks to spare, and he had one more up his sleeve.
One thing he taught Hazel when showing off his magic tricks was the power of deception and sleight of hand, two things that had saved Jackson so far and would save him again.
Sure, the girl probably knew of his fighting style, but that was why he had saved his best trick for last.
He made his way to the Cornucopia, where he knew the Gamemakers would draw them in for the finale. He wasn't about to let them waste his energy running. Let them bring that last girl to him.
Jackson had survived this long. Hazel must have had so much hope. He couldn't fail him. Not now.
Soft chiming filled his ears, and he looked up to see a parachute. When he opened it up, he fought a lighter.
Jackson felt his heart begin to pound and his resolve strengthened.
He could do this.
Magnus didn't have to request an audience with the President. Coriolanus was gracious enough to invite him over to the presidential palace for the finale. This was good. If Magnus had suddenly asked for a meeting and then started talking about the dirty laundry, it would only create more problems, and it would be easier to say the right words in the context of the Games. After all, it was the Games that started it all.
Magnus made sure the copies of his notes were left in a secure spot. Then, he gave his wife a hug. "I'll be back by dinner," he told her.
"Good luck," she replied with a smile, the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.
Magnus smiled back and kissed her lovingly. An exaggerated gagging noise alerted Magnus to the presence of his son. Magnus laughed and held out his arms. Antonius toddled over and Magnus picked him up and held him close. His wife leaned her head on her shoulder and reached out to brush her fingers across their son's face. For a moment, it was like the entire world didn't matter. Nothing mattered except for the love of his life and the life he created. His little family was his entire life. He would do anything to protect them, even put himself in harm's way.
For a moment, he wondered if he was going about it the right way. He wondered if this would put his family in even more danger. Then, he remembered Dr. Gaul, the woman who gave him a purpose, even if she had all but discarded him in the end. He remembered Felix and Lysistrata, two people he hadn't known but knew of as two young people who had wanted nothing but the best for Panem and had died for it. He remembered Hilarious and the way he wanted to do something but was afraid to.
No, Magnus had to do this. He had to bring an end to this no matter what. If he didn't act, more innocents would die. If he didn't act, someone else would have to with less to start with.
It had to be done. For Felix and Lysistrata. For Dr. Gaul. For Sabrina and Antonius.
For himself.
Magnus gave his wife one final kiss. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you too," Sabrina replied softly.
Magnus carried Antonius to the waiting car and after dropping his son off at the daycare, he made sure Sakura's gift to him was secured beneath his shirt and that no one would notice until it was too late.
His Gamemakers could handle the finale. Sabrina was safe at home for her day off and Antonius was safe as well.
Now, the rest was up to him.
Jackson hid in the mouth of the Cornucopia. He flinched at each sickening screech that rang through his ears, the unmistakable sound of mutts that were bringing Two right to him.
Hopefully, the Gamemakers would leave him alone. Hopefully the girl wouldn't realize what was wrong until it was too late.
Jackson had gained many sponsors during the Games. His reckless charge into the Cornucopia had earned him that first aid kit.
He had used his axe to cut the legs of his pants off in order to use the fabric for both bandages and a fuse.
And now, he had a box of matches.
He had just finished preparing when the screeching started. Now, he held the bottle tightly in one hand. The fabric from the pant leg was tucked inside and the lighter was in his free hand. His axe was secured to his waist.
He was ready.
"I wonder how long it'll take for Two to notice that her final opponent is already where we want him to be," Snow mused.
Both men were staring at the large television screen in Snow's office, watching the scene unfold. The girl from Two was swinging her sword around, trying to cut down the bats that were swarming her and pushing her towards the Cornucopia. The audience was at the edge of their seats, wondering if Seven's plan would work.
Magnus believed it would. Even if he missed, the girl was more injured now, and the boy had plenty of time to rest. Of course, it was not a done deal yet.
"You know, the bats Io came up with were very interesting. They won't attack anyone they recognize. Apparently, it made them easier to handle. Reminds me of those snake mutts from the Tenth Games. It's how Dr. Gaul was able to control them."
Magnus nodded, hoping the sudden chill he got in his veins had gone unnoticed.
Snow continued. "Being president is not an easy job, but it has gone relatively smoothly, and I have you to thank, Mr. Casper."
Magnus nodded again. "I appreciate your faith in me, Mr. President."
"I know we got off to a rocky start, but I thought we had agreed to start over when I was elected. Do you remember?"
"I do."
"It's why I'm concerned that you've been doing so much research on delicate matters as of late."
Magnus felt his palms begin to sweat. Of course, Snow knew. Magnus wasn't foolish enough to think he would have gone unnoticed forever. Snow was too smart. The question was, how much did he know?
And how much was he willing to reveal?
Jackson ducked back into the Cornucopia the moment the shrieking stopped. He quickly raised his lighter, thankful that it was only sunset, producing enough shadow to mask him but not enough to make the flame obvious.
He held his breath, waiting for the girl to cross into his line of sight.
Come on, he pleaded silently. Come on.
"Mr. Casper, is there a reason you've been poking around the Tenth Games? I thought Dr. Gaul had them erased and classified."
Magnus felt hope bloom in his chest. Is it possible that he forgot about the master tape?
There was no point in lying about it now. Magnus wasn't to build trust, not break it, and Snow had no way to get the master tape. Magnus had made sure of it.
"Dr. Gaul had a master tape made for her records," he explained. "She kept it around for her own research and I guess amusement. When I was promoted, I got access to the tape and the clearance to access it."
"The Games were a disaster, and its Victor is long dead. Why do you care?"
Magnus looked Snow dead in the eye. "Dr. Gaul's notes were lost after she passed. I was simply trying to recreate them as best I could. The tape helped me do that."
Snow returned Magnus's steely gaze.
"Fair enough, I suppose. I do know you've also been looking at old autopsy reports. Are you intending on introducing new illnesses into the Games?"
"Yes."
"Interesting. Magnus, we've worked together a long time, and I hope to keep working with you in the future. The President and the Head Gamemaker are two of the most important roles. I control the people and you control the narrative. To do that, we have to be able to work together and trust each other. On that note, is there anything you wish to ask me? I promise, I'll answer truthfully. You deserve that much."
Magnus took a deep breath. "There is, actually. What happened during the Tenth Hunger Games? In the eyes of the Capitol, it was a success. Why were the records so thoroughly erased?
Jackson listened as the girl's footsteps drew closer and closer. He saw her shadow creep into view...
"There were allegations of cheating," Snow replied coolly. "False allegations, but allegations all the same. A mentor's carelessness caused an illegal and fatal substance to fall into another tributes' hands. It tainted the image of the Games. That, combined with the tragic outcome of involving the Capitol students and the death of the dean shortly after, and Dr. Gaul thought it'd be best to let the Games fade into distant memory."
Magnus's eyes went wide. Cheating! With poison! It all made sense now. The snakes, the deaths, all of it.
A mentor's carelessness... Snow must have been referring to himself. It was no secret that he cared about Lucy Gray until she tried to kill him back in Twelve. Perhaps he wanted her to live so badly that he gave her...
But why would Snow admit this, however discreetly...unless...
Magnus heard his communicuff ding. He looked down to check it and his blood went as cold as ice. It was a message from Sabrina.
The house is on fire! Please come home.
Jackson saw the girl begin to cross the mouth.
Just a human shaped tree.
He struck the lighter, lit the fuse, and threw his makeshift weapon.
It struck her and shattered into pieces. She screamed as the rubbing alcohol ignited and splashed onto her, setting her alight. She hit the ground, rolling frantically, trying to put out the flames, but only succeeded in setting the grass around her alight.
The smell of burning flesh permeated his nostrils and Jackson suddenly felt sick. The screams of the girl echoed in his head and he felt his knees give out. He landed hard and couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think or tear his eyes away.
She wasn't a tree. She wasn't wood.
She was a person who was dying horribly on national television.
And it was all Jackson's fault.
"I have to go!"
All thoughts of discretion went out the window and Magnus immediately turned to leave the room. "That was my wife. There's fire at home."
Snow immediately started following him. "No, don't worry about it. I'll escort you out. Come on."
Magnus let Snow follow him out of the mansion against his better judgement. It wouldn't have been the stupidest thing he had ever done.
What was he thinking, leaving notes at home, right where they could easily be disposed of and the blame placed on an accident? Snow had been two steps ahead of him from the start. Why would that have suddenly changed? Why didn't he prepare more?
Magnus practically threw himself into his car. He had to get home. He had to make sure Sabrina was alright.
"Shit! Gah, fuck!" he roared as he slammed his fist into the steering wheel. How could he have been so fucking stupid?
Magnus quickly turned the ignition key and threw the car in drive. He only threw on his seatbelt once his car was speeding towards the gates.
He had to get home.
He had to make sure Sabrina was okay.
Nothing else mattered now.
Screw Snow. Let him have the presidency.
The only thing that mattered was his family.
He sped through the gates, his heart pounding. The adrenaline was intense, more intense than when he fought in the Games.
He had to save Sabrina. He couldn't lose her or Antonius.
He couldn't lose–
A car came out of nowhere, its bright lights blinding Magnus through the driver side window.
Magnus Casper would have done anything for his family.
It was only fitting that his last thoughts were of them.
Jackson remained frozen during his brief stay in the Tribute Center while they patched up his wounds and rehydrated him.
There was fire everywhere. It was in his mind, in his nose, in his mouth, choking him.
It was on the news, a fiery crash killing the Head Gamemaker as he rushed home to save his wife from a house fire.
She had died as well, leaving their son an orphan.
All he saw was fire.
It would never let him go.
He'd go home, he'd take Hazel to Victor's Village with him and leave the door open for his parents if they ever wanted to build a bridge, but the fire would always be a part of him.
Somehow, he was still alive.
Why didn't he feel hopeful?
Hilarious stood frozen in the mirror, wearing the same black suit he had worn last year and the year before that. He had gone to so many funerals these past few years. He had been hoping to avoid a few more.
All he could think about was Antonius, too young to know what death meant, let alone who had brought it to his family. At least that little boy was still alive and in the hands of relatives. He was too young to know anything. He'd be safe. Watched closely, but safe.
Tears once again burned his eyes and Hilarious broke down sobbing for what had to be the fifth time that day. He was so tired of burying his friends, and worse, this one could have been prevented. If Hilarious hadn't dropped the whole Snow thing, or if he hadn't put those ideas into Magnus's head, then he'd still be alive.
He was such a coward...
He looked down at the binder given to him. With Monica Sneed chosen to succeed Magnus, someone had to succeed her as the Gamemaker of Public Relations. He hadn't had a chance to look at it yet, having been caught up in preparing for the funeral.
Hilarious wasn't sure what drove him to look at it now, but when he did, the first thing he saw was a bright pink slip of paper with a series of book titles and pages on it, all written in Magnus's handwriting. Seeing the handwriting was nearly enough to make him start crying for his friend all over again, but he managed to calm himself down long enough to look at the list. Despair was replaced by something else as he remembered Magnus's words to him.
"We can't just give up."
Hilarious narrowed his eyes as something sparked within him.
"I won't, Magnus," he whispered to himself. "You won't have died for nothing, I promise."
Screams cries throws up
I tried to focus more on Jackson here, but too many big things happened in the world this year to fully do just that. Don't worry, he's going to be a big character later on. I hope making him Treech's brother helped with that. It was just too fun an idea not to refuse. I used magic tricks because I was originally going to use Magnus Opus as the title for the longest time thinking it meant final trick but no, it only meant best trick... and Magnus that was not it. So it became Dum Vita Est, meaning where there's life. Usually, it's followed by where there's hope. Today's prompt was taking charge and ... well ... Jackson did just that. Also I didn't want to rewrite everything so I kept the magic tricks.
This chapter was so devastating to write. That's probably why it's so late... I think we all knew how Magnus's investigation was going to end, but it doesn't make it any less sad. Magnus and his wife were both silenced in one fell, tragic swoop, and, well, we all know how Antonius turned out...
I am going to give a quick heads up: I will finish this prompt month for sure, but I'm no longer going to fully commit to daily updates because some of these upcoming chapters will require a lot of love and care and might take a couple days to get right.
With that, so ends the first major arc of this story. I led into the second arc a bit, but the underlying plot is going to shift focus to Hilarious for a while. It's going to be great?