TWISTED // Clato | ✓

Transition Chapter to Part 4: THE TIMESHAFT

A/N: This will be very confusing. If it makes no sense, just accept it and don't think about it anymore ;) 

The Timeshaft stretches like an elevator shaft through time and space. The New York City 2015 exit is one stop along a confusing passage. From the Timetwistplex elevator, one can travel to any location in the past.

But there is one thing the time Twistplex cannot do. It cannot travel forward in time. The Timeshaft ends wherever the Timetwistplex currently belongs. 

All this means is that the Timetwistplex has a home in time. After it travels to another time, it will always return to one particular time where it belongs. That time started in Panem, because that is when it was built. While it remains in Panem, however, time goes by.

I know this is confusing; just bear with me.

Basically, when Cato and Clove were pulled out of the Games, the place in time in which the Timetwistplex sat was during the 74th Hunger Games. Cato and Clove were sent to New York City and spent a while there. While they were there, time was still going by in Panem, and the end of the Timeshaft was dropping lower and lower, recognizing that the Timetwistplex elevator was passing through time itself.

I know this is confusing. Hold on.

If Cato and Clove had found the exit to the Timeshaft back when they first arrived in New York City, they would have seen an empty elevator shaft. If they had jumped down it, they would have been jumping through time, and then they would have landed where the Timetwistplex currently was, which was Panem just after the 74th Hunger Games. They would have seen Katniss and Peeta being crowned victor.

But they didn't find it then. Time was passing for them and for Panem. If they found the Timeshaft after a year in New York City, they would discover that a year had passed in Panem as well. They would see Clove's mom entering the arena again, alongside Katniss and Peeta. Because that would be where the Timetwistplex was in time.

If this still doesn't make sense, then forget it. ;)

Anyway, so where the Timetwistplex currently sat in the corner of the mysterious Gamemaker's office, Rux and the unidentified Leader met in secret.

"How successful was the evacuation of the tributes?" asked the Leader.

"Very successful, sir," Rux replied. "We saved more than three quarters of the tributes. And then, of course, the District 12 kids got out on their own."

"And where are the spared tributes now?" asked the Leader.

"In New York City. That woman you sent with them--Marguerite--she is keeping an eye on them, I trust."

"Good," replied the Leader. "We would not want them to remember their place in Panem."

"Why not, sir?"

The Leader's neck snapped upward and he turned to Rux. From beneath his hood, a pair of shining eyes glinted.

"Rux, it was a huge risk to send them back in time. Huge. If anything were to go wrong..."

"What is it?" Rux looked anxious.

"They could create a gap in time," the Leader replied. 

"Well, that shouldn't happen," Rux said hastily. "They--they won't remember." He stopped talking. "Right?"

"We shall hope not," the Leader said. "In the meantime, I will be speaking with the other Gamemakers."

"Why, sir?" asked Rux.

The Leader rose to his feet. "I think the time is ripe for a rebellion. I am now considering accepting the position as Head Gamemaker in succession to Seneca Crane."

Rux's jaw dropped. "But, sir! That was disastrous!"

"Disastrous, and a spark," smiled the Leader. "I know the time is ripe."

They exited the room, leaving the Timetwistplex, which still sat in the corner, covered with a dark cloth. The length of time between here and that past distant year of 2015 was getting longer...

A/N: If you all still don't get this, it's okay. I'm REALLY bad at describing science fiction elements. Just... pretend.

I'll post the next chapter soon. Sorry to leave you all hanging back there.