Cage me like an animal • F Odair¹ •

XXV

"Convince the people. Convince me."

•∘♛∘•

When they arrived in District Eight, everything was going just as scheduled. District Eight was an urban place stinking of industrial fumes, and people houses in rundown tenements. Even if there wasn't any snow outside, Athena didn't think she would be able to find much greenery here. The people here dressed differently than she was used to, dressed in more vibrant, bolder fabrics - which she supposed wasn't surprising, considering that due to their industry being textiles, they provided fabrics and clothing for the entire country. Just like in District Five, Athena, dressed in a navy blue, fitted jumpsuit and boots with her hair put in a loose braid, rode in a car with the roof and windows down, greeting applauding crowds as they rode through the city. Athena thought she did quite well; she managed a radiant smile for the entire slow ride through the city, and she thought she did quite a good job of masking her discomfort at being alone in a car with four armed Peacekeepers. Still, she was quite relieved when the car parked behind the Justice Building and she was being ushered in through the back door.

Her team were all waiting for her as soon as she walked in the door. Alayne, she noticed, hadn't even bothered to prepare a speech for her this time. They began walking towards the front of the building, where they knew the square would be. They had almost reached the double doors, when two Peacekeepers turned the corner and stepped in front of them, blocking their way. They stopped abruptly, staring at them. Their helmets shielded their eyes from view, but it was evident enough that the Peacekeepers were looking at Athena.

"Come with us," one of them said.

Athena did not come with them. There was a moment of tense silence before she looked between them and asked, "Why?"

"Your presence has been requested," the Peacekeeper replied. "He does not like to be kept waiting."

"Who doesn't like to be kept waiting?" Athena demanded, still not moving. "Who requested my presence?"

"What she means is," Alayne interjected quickly, and Athena noted that it was the first time she had seen Alayne be alarmed by Peacekeepers, "we're on quite a tight schedule, you know, she has to go on stage any minute now - "

"It can wait," said the other Peacekeeper dismissively, "until she has gone where she needs to."

Athena's brow furrowed at that, frowning; the Victory Tour was no small event in Panem. It was considered nearly as important as the Hunger Games themselves. To say that an event during the Tour could wait as long as it needed to was a rather big statement to make.

"If this is so important, I feel like I have a right to know who wants to see me so bad and why."

"This is of no matter."

"It seems to me like it's of a lot of matter, actually - "

"Athena," said Alayne, clearly trying to be placating but sounding more condescending; perhaps she thought the sooner Athena went and spoke to whoever wanted to speak to her, the sooner they could get back on that tight schedule. "Just go with the Peacekeepers, they're just doing their jobs. They're here to keep you safe, don't worry."

That's easy to say when you're not from the districts, Athena thought. When you've never seen them hurt people you know or people you love. When you've never had to worry about it happening.

Instead, she just said stubbornly, "I'm not going until I know who sent me - and why."

"How about I go with her," Finnick offered, stepping forward. "Two of you, two of us - sound fair?"