The Runaway Victor | Book II

Chapter Thirty-Two | Dylan and Caeden

Quinn had convinced Orion to give up one piercing, just so he could get out of the hospital and into his own compartment. He wasn't happy about it, but he reluctantly gave up his nose ring when Doctor Samuals came back to talk to him about the rules and dress code that everyone in Thirteen had to follow a few hours after Quinn had convinced him to give at least one up. Quinn decided not to question her on whether or not she was married to Otto, if she was she would have said something. Besides that, Samuals sounded like it would be a fairly common name. So once she gave Orion the directions to his compartment, he went his own separate way and Quinn made her way to dinner.

The meals weren't all that great, and the cafeteria didn't exactly look very comfortable. But Quinn liked it a bit more then finding wild berries, maybe getting a rabbit or something. So Quinn didn't complain about the tray that was in front of here with something that looked like mashed potatoes, bland looking carrots, and two thin slabs of what looked like meat and piece of bread with butter.

Quinn sat awkwardly at the end of the table. Waiting patiently for Orion, a few people had tried to start a conversation with her but she gave short answers, so after a few responses they knew she didn't want to talk to anyone. There were a few spots between her and two younger boys, well one of them looked like he could have been about her age. Then on the other side of him, say a younger boy with blonde curly hair. He easily could have been ten or younger. The other boy had shaggy brown hair and a tired look on his face as the younger boy rambled on telling him about something.

"This stuff is going to get old fast," Quinn flinched a bit at the sound of Orion coming up behind her. He set his tray down and sat down. "I'm not complaining, I'm just stating the fact." he added quickly.

Quinn sighed and nodded in agreement as the two boys looked towards Orion for a moment along with a few other people around them. A few younger girls took an extra long look.

"It isn't that bad, Orion." Quinn replied, "It'll just take some getting used to."

He shrugged as he began to pick at his food. "I just think they aren't doing much...with stopping the games and all that." he said in a bit of a quieter tone then before. "They have all these rules but nothing productive has happened."

Quinn raised an eyebrow, "Command says that it would be too dangerous to try anything. The Capitol is still a lot stronger..."

"Twenty of us ran away from the Capitol with money, weapons, and maps." he stated in a snippy tone, "On the main railroad track. They aren't that bright."

Quinn exhaled heavily out her nose as she chewed up whatever mush looked like the potatoes. He had a point, just a small number of people made President Snow scramble to get things back in order.

"We don't have the numbers in the District yet, Orion." she said finally, "Apparently I don't connect with enough people. I just rally some people who want to fight."

"You don't connect with enough people?" he echoed.

She nodded, "Coin says that we need someone who connects with Panem's emotions. Even with the Capitol people." she replied, "So we have to wait for another Victor who pisses off your grandpa to come around to even think about doing anything."

Orion frowned, mumbling something under his breath. Then after a moment of silence, the older boy on the other side of Orion started up conversation with him.

"They finally got you to wear those sleeves?" he asked.

Orion nodded, "But I gave them hell for it."

The boy chuckled, "You weren't exactly friendly to them, were you."

"They weren't all that great either," he retorted swiftly. "Well, Doctor Samuals is pretty nice."

The boy nodded, the boy's eyes quickly bounced from Orion to Quinn. Orion seemed to take the awkward silence as a hint, a gesture for an introduction.

"Oh, Quinn this is Caeden, Caeden this is Quinn." Orion said, "Caeden works in the hospital."

"Nice to meet you," Quinn replied, smiling a bit.

He gave her a nod, "Yeah, nice meeting you too."

"I'm Peter," the younger boy smiled poking his head around Caeden.

"Nice to meet you, Peter. I'm Orion." Orion replied.

"Quinn." she added, "How old are you, Peter?"

"Nine."

Quinn frowned, he has to watch the games? Why does he have to watch the games? Why should anyone here have to? They were cruel and meaningless. Quinn of all people knew that, but she thought that in Thirteen people were away from the Games completely. But they still had to watch it. She could remember the past years, being a kid left in Four to watch classmates fight to the death-- she always felt bad for them. She assumed that was how all kids felt.

"Quinn!"

Quinn looked away from the boys and toward the sound of Otto's voice. Beside him was Doctor Samuals, Quinn had been right after all. Then behind them were two kids, a boy and girl. Both about her age.

"Enjoying your dinner?" Otto asked.

Quinn nodded, "Well, I'm getting used to it." she told him as she swung her legs over the bench and stood up. "Orion, this is my Uncle, Otto." she said looking down at him. She had told Orion about Otto, and his story of how he left District Four on foot and how he was practically flesh and bone when he finally got there.

"Nice to meet you finally, Mr. Snow." Otto said kindly.

"It's Orion," he replied, "Nice to meet you too."

Otto smiled a bit, "Quinn, we wanted you to meet two of our kids, Quentin and Dylan," he said motioning to the boy first and then to the girl. They both had sandy brown hair, round faces, and brown eyes.

Great, she thought, more family. More people that Snow would love to get his hands on.