Firecracker: The 99th Games Book One

Arena, Night 6 Part 2

The boys had gone back to the ruins. Now that it was safe again, Uriel left her cave and started back down the mountain.

She had plenty to think about after her confrontation with the Careers. More importantly, after eavesdropping some on the alliances in the ruins, she had learned the rebels were on the move. She could not let these people find her.

Was it time to try exploring the jungle? It risked her running into more active rebels, but it also got her far away from the current, more present threats to her usual way of life. Maybe she could at least look around the river and go from there.

She was halfway down the mountain when she heard footsteps following her. Alert, Uriel whirled around, her advanced "eyes" making out the two District 2 tributes a ways away.

Uriel bristled, glaring at them. What did these bozos want? Her programming was gonna make her fix the mess she caused if she wasn't careful.

"What do you want?" she called up.

"To ask you the same thing," Laurel replied sharply. "Who told you about me? What do you want from me? Are you gonna tell everyone if I don't let you kill me?"

"What?" Uriel shook her head, briefly searching her internal database for any information about this girl. All she had was a first and last name, vague memories of her family being important, and which district she came from. "What are you talking about?"

"Do not play dumb, I'm not in the mood," Laurel warned, pointing her stolen spear at Uriel as she gripped it in her uninjured hand. "If you don't tell me, we'll have to kill you."

"And you think you can?" Uriel scoffed. "Look, lady, I'm sorry to tell you, but I was literally just picking on you guys yesterday 'cause I was bored. I was just dicking around for sh*ts and giggles. I want nothing from you but entertainment, like I said."

"You're lying," Laurel insisted. "Did Nate send you? Did he promise you money?!"

"Who?" Uriel asked.

"Nathaniel Faust," Laurel said harshly. "Did he send you?!"

"No! What?!" Uriel groaned, shaking her head. "I got a long night of exploring and brooding to get through, so can we wrap this up? I f*cked with you because I'm a b*tch! End of story!"

"I already told you--!" Laurel began, but her partner suddenly interrupted by grabbing her arm. Eyes focused on Uriel, he pulled Laurel closer and whispered in her ear. Laurel shot back, incredulous. "But she's clearly guilty!"

The District 2 boy shook his head frantically and whispered with Laurel some more. They went back and forth for a bit, Laurel glancing at Uriel every so often.

Finally, after what felt like ages, Laurel grumbled something and lowered her spear. She frowned at Uriel, staring at her for a bit longer.

"...Fine," she relented. "I'll believe you if you can prove it. ...How did you find out about me?"

"Find out what about you?" Uriel asked, placing a hand on her hip.

"My..." Laurel trailed off. "...My 'ability.' The one you're blocking somehow, so you clearly know about it. Who told you?"

Once again, Uriel ran a scan of her database and her old memories for anything on Laurel Faust's "ability." She came up with nothing. "I seriously have no idea what you're talking about."

Laurel suddenly bounded down the mountain towards her. Uriel tensed, pulling out her knives, but Laurel stopped a foot away and kept her spear close.