Rise

Chapter Three

"Who is she?" President Coin demands as soon as Plutarch Heavensbee walks in the room.

"Naomi Wilder. Daughter of Marcus and Diana Wilder," Heavensbee replies, taking a seat across from Coin. "Marcus was the head engineer of the arenas for the Games. Gamemakers referred their designs to him and he ensured they were built accordingly. Diana was a dancer. She left Marcus while pregnant when he started working for the Hunger Games. She spoke out publicly against the Games and Snow had her killed shortly after."

"I asked about her, not her parents," Coin responds tersely.

"Naomi is, well, Naomi," he replies with a sigh. "She's outspoken, brash, and highly intelligent. She was a dancer for a few years like her mother. Stopped when she was eighteen and took a job as a teacher and caregiver for the children of some of Snow's most trust cohorts. She was so popular amongst them that he expanded her clientele to those of the Gamemakers."

"So you're telling me she's close with the children we reaped?"

"I'm telling you she loves them. And they love her. Dearly. More so probably than their own parents, considering she spent more time with them."

"Well, in the end those ties won't matter. We've seen familial ties in the games before," Coin says, leaning back in her chair.

Heavensbee shakes his head. "These games are different."

"Clearly. Is she dangerous?" Coin asks.

"Depends on your definition of the word," Heavensbee replies.

Coin reaches over and grabs a black remote, turning on the screen of the holo in front of her. Footage from the reaping plays. One of the screens focuses on the stage, where Naomi is shouting as she's pulled to the back of the stage and hit by one of the guards dragging her. Another shows the protests of the Victors' at her treatment. Another shows the shocked reaction of the crowd. And the last shows the angry and determined looks on the faces of many of the boys in the pool of potential tributes.

Coin pauses the footage and sets the remote down. "Is she a threat to everything we've worked for?"

Heavensbee stares at the top right screen, where the image of Sophia Snow caressing Naomi's face and several of the other girl tributes gathered around her in concern is projected. The children's concern isn't what gives him pause. It's the honest expression of affection and determination in Naomi's face as she stares at the girls around her. Heavensbee knows in that moment that Naomi is very dangerous to Coin, and to anyone who stands in her way of protecting her students.

"No," Heavensbee replies a moment later, eyes still locked on the screen. "She'll show her true colors in the games."

Coin smiles. "I thought as much."

Heavensbee walks with purpose towards the conference room where he knows the Victors' wait for him. He hears shouting before he enters and braces himself for their anger.

"We need to cancel the games," Peeta demands as soon as he walks through the door.

The blonde tribute is standing next to Haymitch, who has a deep look of irritation on his face. The other tributes are seated around the table.

"Coin's not going to let that happen," Heavensbee replies, closing the door behind him.

"See?" Haymitch exclaims, collapsing into the chair nearest him. "What did I say lover boy?"

"Well we need to do something!" Peeta says. "Or everything we worked for, sacrificed for will be in vain."

Heavensbee takes a seat next to Beetee, who sends him a heavy look.