Our Love Could Be Lethal Act I Re-Write

Act I: Rules Change

I gather my coat and make sure to lock the door behind me, Mr. Hackett, Gran's neighbor and the victor of the 20th Hunger Games, waves to me from his garden. "Where're you going?"

"They want me in the Capitol for a few days."

He nods. "All right. I'll watch your granny's house like I always do. Might as well do it one more time for old time's sake. Do you know when you'll be back?"

I look to the Peacekeeper, not really sure when I'll be back, and also not sure if I'd even be allowed to say if I was. The Peacekeeper clears his throat, "She should be back by Sunday, Sir. Just a short trip no more than four days."

"Sheesh. By the heavens, times have changed. Back in my day they hardly let us into the city, 'cept for when the Games were on. Now they make you live there more than they do here."

the peacekeeper stiffens. "It's a privilege to be invited to the Capitol, sir. Any one of us would be lucky to pass through their gates."

Mr. Hackett laughs. "You've never been there have you, dear boy? Oh, there's no denying the city is pretty. I can't say I don't have a penchant for extravagance. But the people—"

"—Okay, alright Mr. Hackett. We have to go now, it has been so lovely talking to you, and I will see you when I'm back on Sunday." I loop my arm around the Peacekeeper and practically drag him away before Mr. Hackett has the chance to dig himself into an even deeper hole, or worse, just a shallow one in his garden.

I whisper to the Peacekeeper, "He's old and senile don't mind him or anything he says for that matter he's not...all there."

The frustration on the Peacekeepers face gives way to understanding. I'd be willing to bet any Peacekeeper raised in 2 would give one of their precious victors the benefit of the doubt until they were blue in the face. Besides, it'd be preposterous for someone who helped found the Academy to be anti-Capitol now wouldn't it?

We take the underground subway from the city centre and into the Nut, the same route that the Peacekeepers take before and after each shift. Being in the tunnels after having explored quite a bit of the routes underneath the Tribute Tower, it's not hard to see that here in Panem, we've clearly got a thing for secret underground passageways.

I'm led up to the communications floor near the top of the base—I assume at the top at least because of how long we spent going up in the elevator. We finally reached our destination: a room with walls made of jagged rock and reinforced steel beams with several high-tech-looking radar systems and airwave monitors. Several Peacekeepers already stand around a glowing blue table and turn to stare at me when me and my escort appear in the door frame.

the one standing at the head of the table makes his way over to me and extends his hand for me to shake. "Miss Jones good to meet you, my name is Colonel Rex Anthony, but you can just call me Colonel."

I purse my lips and nod, how very generous of him. But good to know what type of person he is. Saying the wrong thing in front of a Peacekeeper is a great way to get reported.

He introduces me to some of the other people around the table. I only recognize one, he's maybe five or six years older than me and he used to be a student at the Academy, but it doesn't really click into place until his name until it's given to me: Officer Aleksander Ast. He was good. Really good. But he was smart enough to realize that once Enobaria was announced as the pick for the girls, he didn't really stand much of a chance and withdrew his name as the pick for the boys.

Those Games were his last year of eligibility so lots of students, even the ones in my year—even me—made fun of him for missing out on his chance at the Games. The jokes on some of those kids though because they're dead. Or they're me and they're traumatized. So I guess Aleksander is the one who got the last laugh.