Johanna Mason & The Rebel

Chapter 9 - The Tour

When she stepped outside, she caught sight of the workers clearing away the stage to the brutal commands of the peacekeepers. Some of the guys that were there, she recognized from that first night she helped Rorke. Eventually she caught sight of him too. He was carrying some heavy metal-poll onto a wagon. As he turned around, he caught sight of her too. She immediately looked away and walked to the Victor's Village.

"Commence report, soldier."

The small screen said. Rorke started typing away.

"People in the district are taking action in the forests. I have contributed as spotter for the groups planning an attack on peacekeepers. The Victor's Tour sparked tension in the crowd."

Rorke commented by Morse back to command.

"Report received. Continue your work."

He simply received in response before he noticed that the communicator went offline. He hid back under the tree and quickly looked around. He looked towards the Victor's Village. There was a direct line of sight from where he was standing, to the gates. He noticed that the forest stretched all the way and decided to take a chance on getting there.

The closer he got, the more attention he paid to his surroundings. As he got close, he spotted the peacekeepers patrolling around the area and stopped before a hand touched his shoulder. He immediately swung his arm to shake himself loose when he realized who it was.

"Now what are you up to?"

She asked. Rorke took a few deep breaths.

"Please, don't do that."

He asked. She lifted on her shoulders curiously.

"You seemed very prepared to try and knock me out. You forget I have been in an arena with 23 other kids, who have all tried to kill me."

Johanna summarized nonchalantly as Rorke took a deeper breath.

"I wouldn't have swung my arm if I knew it was you."

Rorke answered.

"Which begs the question, why are you this close to the Victor's Village? You're not allowed in, and certainly not into my house."

Johanna then challenged. Rorke lifted on his shoulders.

"I was curious I suppose. Never been that close to it. I wanted to see what it looked like."

Rorke answered, though lying slightly as he was more interested in seeing what Johanna was up to as she hadn't been in touch for quite some time.

"You get to see it on television every year. Standards are somewhat different, but all the houses are the same. Tell me what you were really up to, and why you insist on not sleeping."

Johanna went on as she sat down on a tree-stem in front of him.

"If I could go to bed and just sleep, I would do it all the time."

Johanna finally said, not realizing how she had opened up.

"Rebels never sleep. We have continued planting bombs in the woods for four days without your help. I could be staking out more locations."

Rorke answered as he leaned against one of the trees in front of her.

"That's not why you're here. Just tell me and be honest because I can tell when someone is lying."

Johanna then said. Rorke sighed.

"Okay, fine, I was coming to see you, mainly just to talk. I feel like I may have said something that rubbed you in the wrong way."

Rorke said. Johanna looked down on her hands.

"About the Careers? Yeah, it's a bit hard to see them as victims, but they are too, just in a different way than the rest of us."

Johanna admitted.

"I've just had to stay away for a few days because of the tour. They still watch me from the Capitol every now and then."

She went on. Rorke put his arms in a cross.

"Which is why you don't want him to know that you are contributing to our work in any way."

Rorke concluded. Johanna nodded her head.

"Anyone who does anything associated with me, will get themselves killed, because their life will depend on me. You and me talking like this, is actually a bad thing for you because of who I am."

Johanna went on as she got up on her feet.

"It's not going to make me stop doing what I'm doing though."

Rorke answered. Johanna sighed deeply, shaking her head. She knew that was the answer she was going to get. The boy was an idiot after all.

"I know it won't stop you. You're an idiot who doesn't listen. You are an enforcer of the rebellious spirit, and you need to keep staying here to do that."

Johanna went on.

"Do I sense that you are starting to care about me, Johanna Mason?"

Rorke asked, raising an eyebrow at her as he did. He saw that Johanna was starting to warm up to him in a way he wasn't sure she had in quite a while. She shook her head in denial immediately.

"Don't expect anything spectacular from me, idiot, I still can't stand you most of the time."

Johanna answered as she got up. Rorke chuckled weakly.

"But, if you are going to keep putting yourself out there, you might need a place to lay low when you have all the heat. Follow me."