The Afterward

Chapter Four - Holding The Line

TUNDRA POV.

"So, are you going to tell me why you're sneaking around at night after curfew, looking all suspicious?" I ask as we begin a descent into the depths of... wherever we were heading. The pig is shorter than me, with a round heart-shaped nose and small ears. He keeps his gaze focused ahead and doesn't reply.

"Hello?"

"I'm looking for the same guy you are," he says back in an icy tone, "Except I'm not letting him get killed."

"And why would you be looking for that fox? Why do you care?" Another question hits me and I look at the pig with newfound confusion. "How did you even know?"

KITTY POV.

When you're in a hidden casino underground in Lucella, things tend to get... messy. That's why I'm here-- to make sure that we all keep the peace, and that no one does anything stupid. Of course, Foxy's never been one to do that sort of thing. But as he sits at the table, telling some very interested ladies about his adventure, and seeing them try to sneak flirty looks at him... I don't know, but most of them seem kind of...shallow? I know the one on his left just wants the money. The two on the right want to spend the night with him. The one with the green drink is the only one that seems to be having a genuinely good time. 

As Foxy's friend, I got respected pretty fast around here. Well, after three punches and a kick. But that beaver got arrested a day after anyway, for flouting some random law I'll never be able to recall. In the daytime, I work as a chef at my own restaurant. You could say I'm pretty organised. 

"And then WHAM! Kick it open and book it. But not before giving that cop a piece of my mind. And let me tell you, she was in a daze. Couldn't even chase me down the hallway." The last few sentences have the three ladies I don't like trying to find a way to edge closer to him. One speaks up. "But even if there was someone swooning over you, you'd still think of me, right?" Ugh. She makes me sick. Even Foxy finds himself chuckling nervously. "Sure, sure. How can I ever forget you all?" 

If I'm being honest here, I'd give anything to forget them.

I, on the other hand, am sitting with my back to them and my elbows resting on the balcony. I don't really drink any alcohol. Foxy doesn't either, he only did it a couple of days ago to get what we needed and get out.

What do we have here? Two animals, one of them Parth, are entering. The other one, I don't know her, but she's wearing a uniform. And the uniform is for...

"Uhh, Foxy?" I start to make my way over and tap his shoulder in alarm. "There's cops. Parth's brought in cops."

"Oh, nice. Told you cops have hobbies. Gotta say, I don't blame 'em, this casino is just so  wonderfu--"

I yank him up with full force and drag him into a corner. He says, "Ouch!" followed by, "Okay, so he brought in a cop. Is it, like, the entire force, or just a few?" "I can see one...so far," I reply, "But that doesn't mean we can trust her." Foxy's eyes cloud over with concern. "Kitty, Parth's not... he's not the type, okay? I don't think he'd go so far as to put the entire project in jeopardy."

"Well, I bet that even if he did, you probably wouldn't have noticed it since you're too busy with those animals, who clearly want you for your money and a good time!"

"Hey, who said I was flirting with them?" he looks at me, hurt, and steps back out to go take a look. I sigh. Fine, have it his way. I go down first to check that the cop really is harmless.

TUNDRA POV.

Geez, it's bright and loud and crowded. Aka the number one place where you could get a sensory overload and get all worked up and feel extremely tired at the same time. There's two floors; one's more empty, and brightly lit. The rest is the main floor, which is decorated with roulette tables and pool tables and whatever tables are in a casino.

"We're looking for a fox. Most likely in a suit or something, red fur, with a very big self-satisfied smirk on his face. Check the bar." The pig then vanishes from my side, and I look around in a panic. "Hey! Where are you--" I instantly bump into someone, as if Karma had decided to show up after I let that fox escape in the first place. 

How many animals are even in here?

I started to wonder if I should call for backup. But there's no way we could handle all these animals at once. And I didn't exactly feel like letting the Capitol do it, with their guns and kill orders and soldiers. 

And I sort of want to find out more about this place. Anyway, deal with this later, find the fox now.

The next thing I know is, there's a bar in front of me, nestled in a corner right next to a dance floor. I don't dance, and try to avoid anyone that might ask me to. Never mind that, they all just stare anxiously at my uniform and carry on.

"Hi, whatcanIgetya?" says the bartender in a blur. I strain to hear him over the music. "Sorry, I'm not drinking."

"Found nothing," says the pig, who somehow manages to materialize at my side. "Holy crap, don't do that!" I yell, whipping around to face him as he sits down at the bar next to me. "Where could he be, then?"

"I don't know," the pig says, "Are you sure he went down here?" This confuses me. "What? I only found this place because of you."

"Oh."

"Who are you, anyway?"

"My name is Parth, an army veteran." He looks down. "Formerly."

"If you happen to know the fox guy so well, why don't you just call him?" I ask, curiously sneaking a peek at a phone I notice poking out of his pocket. Parth doesn't change his expression. "Because this happens."

He dials up the fox, whose contact name is Foxy, and puts it on speaker. I have to put the phone right up next to my ear to block out any other sounds. "Hello?"

"Hello...? I'm sorry, who are you and why are you answering Parth's phone? Also, I think I've heard you before. You sound awfully familiar... are you one of those ladies I was talking to earlier? About the Great Escape?" Well, that confirms my suspicions; me and Parth were looking for the same person. "No?" I say, frustrated. "I'm--"

"Anyway, I'm going to hold the line, okay? I like watching the light blink."

And then the line goes quiet as he puts me on hold. "Oh, come on!" I shove the phone back to Parth, slamming my head on the bar. This guy was beginning to get on my nerves--he was just asking for a punch in the face.

"Told you."

"Does he always do that?"

"Kitty says he's restless. He's lonely by himself and she can't do anything about it." This makes me think of Doggy, who's also by himself. 

Before the question "Who?" even starts to form in my head this Kitty lady comes and taps me on the shoulder. "Hello. This is important. Come with me." We follow her almost as if we were kids not sure what to do. She leads us to the second floor, only accessible with an escalator. Two guards are up there, but they let us in, because Kitty lets us just breeze past them like we are VIPs like her.

The fox, or Foxy as Parth called him, is waiting at a table. He gives Parth a suspicious look, skeptically eyeing him as we sit down. "Okay, Parth. Care to let us know why she's here?"

"She's looking for you. And so are the..." he trails off as he sneaks a look at me, and I can't help but feel as if I'm missing something here. "What? What's going on and why did you bring me down here?"

Parth clears his throat. Takes a deep breath. Begins with, "Tundra, I know that you might be confused about this, but we're... not just VIPs at a casino."

"Then who are you, then?" I ask, curiosity poking at my brain.

They all take one deep breath and say in unison, "We're rebels against the government."