𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄 ‣ 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐢𝐫

viii. off to the races

act three, chapter eight – off to the races

Down in Thirteen, Johanna, Katniss, and Fallonare upgraded to training in the Block. Its proper name that's tattooed on her inner arm says S.S.C, short for Simulated Street Combat. It's an artificial Capitol city block. The instructor breaks them into squads of eight and they attempt to carry out missions as realistically as possible. Gaining a vantage point, hitting something previously, searching a home–like they are really fighting their way through the Capitol.

It's rigged so everything that can possibly go wrong does. A step in the wrong way triggers a land mine, a sniper appears on a rooftop, no ammo left in the gun, a crying child leads you into an ambush. Fallon knows that it's all just practice. If you set off a landmine, you hear the explosion and have to pretend to fall over dead. But it feels so real, especially with the Peacekeepers' uniforms, the confusion of a smoke bomb, the sound effects. Luckily, Fallon's grip on reality slowly creeps back to sanity, but being submerged in a literal simulation does not have the nicest connotation. They even gas the group. Johanna, Katniss, and Fallon are the only ones who get our masks on in time. The rest of the squad gets knocked out for ten minutes. It's something she does right at least.

Cressida, the head filmmaker for the rebel propos, and her crew tape the girls on the firing range. Finnick, Aris, and Fale are being filmed as well. It's part of a new propos series to show the rebels preparing for the Capitol invasion. It goes well, especially with a team so full of talent and presence.

Then Peeta starts showing up for their morning workouts. The manacles are off, but he's still constantly accompanied by a pair of guards. They train him with a group of beginners.

York unexpectedly tells Johanna, Katniss, and Fallon that she's recommended them for the exam, and they're to report immediately. There are four parts: an obstacle course that assesses your physical condition, a written tactics exam, a test of weapons proficiency, and a simulated combat situation in the Block. It boosts her confidence that she's proven her worth in a short span of time.

There's no time to get nervous for the first three but there's a backup at the Block. Some kind of technical bug. The line of trainees gossip about what's inside. You go through alone. There's no predicting what situation you'll be thrown into. One boy says, under his breath, that he's heard it's designed to target each individual's weaknesses.

Johanna called first, then Fallon. Katniss gives her encouragement before she heads in. There's no way to prepare but luckily she's had enough practice thinking on her feet. The assignment is to regroup with the entire group and bring along an injured squad member. Peacekeepers appear almost instantly and with a dummy flung over her shoulder, she has to trudge through the battlefield, dodging bullets on her way. Thirteens really thought of everything; the dummy's weighted which makes the mission that much harder.