Our Love Could Be Lethal

Act II: We All Fall Down

I'm immediately scared for Johanna, who has no family left for the Capitol to hold over her. As long as she doesn't try to expose things, she'll be fine, I tell myself. And Johanna wouldn't do that. She isn't naive enough to believe something like that could ever work.

It's easy to see what Augustus' death means to all of us Victors; it's a message. It's an example, just like they made Haymitch an example for everyone coming after him of what happens to everyone you love when you mess with the Capitol. And now Augustus' death is telling us Victors that we aren't as untouchable as we thought.

No one is safe. And no one is out of bounds.

~~~

Once I get out of the broadcast tower and back into the main building of the Tribute Tower, I can see the pure pandemonium that's broken out over the announcement. Reporters are everywhere, shouting at each and every passing Victor for a comment on the situation, but no one, not even me, daring to stop and talk to them. We all know every word we say is going to be held under a microscope, scrutinized by the Capitol for any hint of defiance or disloyalty in our voices.

I make my way up to the District 2 floor, even though I know the other Victors will be there. As soon as I walk into the door, I can feel the stale air of the room. Everyone sits in opposite corners, unspeaking. The usual bright atmosphere, the one that even held as children were being murdered, is gone and nowhere to be found.

My presence doesn't make it any better. No one will voice it, but they clearly blame me, at least in part, for Augustus' death. They see my trying to help him as a push to defy. I can only hope, that after everything I've done, the Capitol doesn't see it that way.

After a long silence, Brutus slams his hands against the counter and curses. "Damn it," he takes a deep breath, but then throws a vase off of the counter and onto the floor. "The optics on this are going to be terrible. How are we supposed to sell kids 'the dream' if this is what happens to them?"

Something within me snaps. Hard.

I storm up to Brutus as a ball of rage and he braces himself for the incoming storm, ready to fight. "You mother—"

Before I can say anything, and before I can reach him, Enobaria wedges and pushes us away from one another, "Whatever you want to say, I guarantee, now's not the time to say it." They're listening. She leans in and whispers under her breath, "No one is safe anymore." Not even us, she leaves off, but the implication hangs heavy in the air. Being a Career may not be the protection everyone thought it would be.

As much as we may want a fight, we both know she's right. We both disengage our gazes, looking away and resigning to not doing this. Not right now at least.

Enobaria nods at Brutus, relaying through gesture to walk away and that she's got this. Leaving only the two of us, she tells me to take a walk. I nod. She's probably right. Unlike Brutus, most of the other floors actually like me. Before I get even a few steps away, I feel a strong arm and hand holding me back from taking any further steps. "Don't mess this up for me," her voice is dark as it whispers. This isn't a warning anymore, this is a threat. "I've got a lot on the line. And if I have to choose between my kids and my friend, I'll make that choice. Easily."

For the first time since I was a child, I'm scared of Enobaria. Not wanting to be in this conversation anymore, I push past Enobaria and make for the door.

Finnick's POV

It didn't take much for me to be able to get onto the Caesar Flickerman show, luckily for me, they're always happy to have me in the studio and in a prime time spot. After Augustus' supposed overdosing, I knew that I needed to bring the attention back onto Cato and back onto these Games. Especially since everyone on floor 2 is likely scrambling around and unable to advocate for him. Luckily for Cato, he's got me on his side too. After a few questions about my dating life and some suggestive answers on my part, I voice my support for Cato in another last-ditch attempt to give him Sponsors before the finale.