Greater Flames: Book 2 of Greater Games [A Hunger Games Fanfic]

Chapter 2

The moment my mother says that, I see a man step out of our kitchen. He's wearing shades and a black suit. I automatically know he's an agent from the Capitol.

"This way, miss," he says to me, and gestures towards the living room door.

I glance at my mother. She presses her lips together and nods.

The man leads me in to the living room like it's his house, not mine. "Take a seat," he says.

I sit awkwardly as the agent shuts the door, leaving my mother in the hall.

"I need to ask you a few questions, miss," he says. "Where is your sister?"

"She just left for an interview at the Capitol," I say. "Why?"

The agent ignores my question. "When will she be returning? Where is she going in the Capitol?"

"I don't know."

The agent gives me an irritated look. "Has your sister ever met a Miss Katniss Everdeen?"

I blink. "Excuse me?"

"Has she ever met Katniss Everdeen? From District 12? Ever talked to her?"

I stare at him. Why is he asking me this? What does Katniss Everdeen have to do with my sister? "Um, no. I don't think so."

The agent sighs and takes off his shades. His eyes had been made to look bright orange. Typical Capitol fashion.

"Can I ask why you are here?" I say politely. Best to play it modestly.

"That is more of your sister's concern," the agent says. (Of course, he won't tell me.) "But please, tell her I visited."

I don't like his tone, but I nod anyway. He stands up and exits the room. I hear his voice in the hall. "Thank you, miss," he says to my mother. "That will be all."

Then I hear the front door shut. I glance our the window and see a small black car with dark windows drive smoothly away from Victor's Village.

Mom comes into the room, her face pale. "What did he say?" she asks.

I swallow and pry my eyes away from the car fading in the distance. My eyes meet my mother's. "I think - I think Amber's in trouble."

~~~

I step out from behind the tree and let my arrow fly. It skewers a bird through the heart, ensuring a clean, painless death. I know Ray or Jacker will be wanting a bird like this. They rely on me to get the meat to feed the people of District 5.

I find the bird lying limp near a blueberry bush and throw it into my game bag along with the squirrel I caught earlier this morning. Then I pop a few ripe blackberries in my mouth, savoring the flavor so sweet it makes you pucker a bit. I suck on another and pick the blackberry bush clean, tossing the berries into my bag.

Afterwards, I head back to the district. Ryder is waiting for me at the fence. He's not a hunter, and doesn't go outside the fence like most of the district people - but he's my friend, so he's always there after my hunts. Plus, our Head Peacekeeper doesn't really give a crap about whether or not I go outside the fence, so everything's just fine.

I do my careful getting-in-and-out-of-the-fence routine - climbing the old maple tree that hangs over the fence, climbing down it - and jump down next to Ryder.

He snatches up my game bag and looks in it before I can grab it back. "Not your usual load," he teases me, and hands me the bag. I scowl and shove him playfully.

"Can you do me a favor and trade the haul off at the Bin in a few?" I ask him. "My mother said I needed to be back by ten, and its nine thirty right now."