Rorke held to his ribs heavily as he entered his shed and laid down on his springy bed. He was struggling to breathe without sensing any pain to his ribs. He knew he had some herbs in a side-pocket of his bag if he was to ever get in trouble and get hurt. He found it and mixed it out slowly with some hot water. After a while, he took a few large sips, though struggling with his painful ribs as he swallowed. He laid back down and closed his eyes for a moment. He had to give a report today. He had to no matter how much pain he was in.
As the curfew approached across the district, peacekeepers started to patrol evenly by his shed. He kept the lights on as he quietly closed the door and skipped down to ground-level, sneaking from one alley to the next until he found himself at the edge. From here, there was no cover at all. He had however found a route that had worked in terms of keeping him hidden from the peacekeepers' line of sight. There was an old log he could sneak behind first, then a ditch in the ground where the trucks were, and then he would have made it to the woods.
His concussion and aching ribs made it hard for him to move as smoothly as he normally would. He needed to take longer breaks in between but eventually he made it to the woods. He moved quietly, making sure he did not break any branches as he walked. Even out here peacekeepers were patrolling the edge of the forest could hear him. They were protecting the properties of the Capitol as well as looking out for any runaways. Rorke knew that if he was to ever be found, he would be shot right on site, especially with what happened in the square earlier today.
He got to the giant log where he had moved his equipment to and started tapping away in Morse-code. He had a small screen where he would receive his responses. He would sense them as Morse first, and then it would automatically translate into letters.
"Commence report, soldier."
Was the response on the screen from District 13. Rorke started tapping in Morse his following message, a long one.
"First encounter with peacekeepers in Main Square. Received a brutal beating, but I will live. Johanna Mason, one of the victors, intervened in front of the people. They speak of her as a hero, but none of them look brave enough to fight yet."
He tapped as he kept a steady eye around him to make sure nobody saw him. There was some sort of radio-silence from the other side he noticed, and he was about to send another message when a response came through.
"You had your orders, Soldier. Do not engage more with Johanna Mason, she is not your target, the people however, is. Keep antagonizing peacekeepers, see if people will fight for you."
That was the response he got, and he immediately knew they came directly from the top. He hadn't meant to disobey any orders, but this had been out of his control. Somehow, he knew she would not accept that as an explanation.
"Permission to make a suggestion."
Rorke tapped back as he received a quick reply which allowed him to move forward with it.
"Johanna Mason can help antagonize the peacekeepers, help people get out of their shell and fight the peacekeepers and go against the Capitol. She does not know of my role."
Rorke replied and waited for her response. He knew there was a big chance that President Coin would refuse his suggestion.
"It does not matter. You strayed from the rules. You risk being compromised. Stay away from her and stick to the mission. That is final."
That was the response he received, and he knew that was final.
"Understood. Soldier Eames, out."
He responded as he hid the equipment away. He knew the other end would not give any other responses. It would be futile to try and convince the President. He had already managed to do something. Hopefully when meeting the workers tomorrow or the day after, they would perhaps let him in on some new development regarding their plan to use the explosives.
He made his way back towards his path to the village when he heard a branch crack somewhere close to him. He had kept looking around in every direction during his communication and if it was a peacekeeper he would have been shot at by now. This was someone else watching him. He looked around several times but could still not see the person.
"You are truly stupid to challenge curfew with a concussion."
He heard behind him. Johanna crossed her arms as she leaned next to a tree.
"What are you doing out here?"
Rorke asked without responding to her insult. Johanna smiled to herself.
"I can't sleep at night. Funnily enough, I sleep better with the noise of the machines than the silence at night."
She responded. Rorke nodded weakly. At one point he couldn't take the silence either after his family died. He needed something to distract his thoughts.
"Now what are you doing out here with bruised ribs and a beaten-up head?"
Johanna then asked as Rorke realized he hadn't answered her first question.
"I needed a bit of air and the peacekeepers around here aren't as tight about patrols as I thought they would be."
Rorke answered.
"What if you had fallen over because of your injuries? They're not exactly known for showing mercy around here, you need to be careful, for the sake of-"
She went on, but Rorke interrupted her.
"-my family is dead, Ms. Mason, so I don't have much else here to lose other than my ego. My family despised the Capitol after my brother died in one of their Games so I don't think they'd mind me trying to stand up to them..."
Rorke answered as Johanna closed her mouth for a moment.
"Don't worry, it was before you."
Rorke commented. That story wasn't necessarily part of his cover, but his family being dead was true no matter what person he was talking as. He also wanted to let Johanna off the hook because he could only imagine what it was like to meet young people who were going to their deaths every year.
"You're still an idiot for trying to mess with the peacekeepers."
Johanna made sure to stand by firmly. Rorke nodded weakly.
"Yeah, I guess I am an idiot. I can live with being an idiot because at least I am trying to do the impossible and fight my oppressor."
Rorke answered. Johanna just observed him for a moment. There was a part of her that understood every word he said, but at the same time there was pessimism in her mind that knew that was much easier said than done.
"Is that just a sudden notion or have you been trying for a long time?"
She then asked as she stepped closer to him.
"I have been wanting to do it since I was younger, but the climate hasn't been what it is right now. Before, nobody would ever think to try, but now people are thinking and they are talking."
Rorke went on, realizing as he talked that he was distancing himself from everybody here.
"Meaning there is hope. Well, let me tell you something – hope takes an eternity to build up, but seconds to crush, and that is what the Capitol will do. After that, they'll keep installing fear and probably make the Hunger Games even worse than they already are."
Johanna Mason countered.
"I'm not going to let it stop me from trying. The more people that come aboard, the harder it will be for the Capitol to fight us."
Rorke replied as Johanna looked at him, almost in admiration, but she shook it off. Somehow, she just wished that she had found those words instead of some stranger.
"You're a stubborn idiot, I'll give you that."
Johanna finally let out.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
Rorke asked almost with a smile on his face. Johanna noticed it but decided to ignore it. She couldn't let him see her amused by his responses or features. She had to remain adamant on the way she had been living since her own Hunger Games.
"It's as close as you'll ever get. Don't make me come back and save you. Like I said, I'm not a heroine."
Johanna said as she crossed her arms again. She walked past Rorke, their arms barely brushing into one another. Rorke turned halfway around as she had taken a few steps away from him.
"Maybe not yet..."
Rorke mentioned. Johanna stopped for a brief second. She wanted to turn around and deny it, but she didn't. She let it slide with that halt before she continued to walk away from him.