I'll Be Beside You (Sequel to I'll Be Watching You)

New Faces, Old Killers

It seemed that the train ride took twice as long as last year. I hadn't spoken a word since we left 12 and all day, Cato, Effie and Haymitch have been trying to get me to talk. It's just too much to comprehend, the pregnancy that only we know about and the Quarter Quell where I would most likely die in the Bloodbath. It just wasn't fair. We watched the reapings of the other districts while Haymitch told us about the tributes.

"Cashmere and Gloss; brother and sister, they won back to back games and they're Capitol favourites. The other half of the Career Pack, Brutus and Enobaria."

"They were my mentors last year."

"What's with her teeth?"

"She had them filed into fangs so she could rip people's throats out."

"Shit, she's committed!"

"District 3, Wiress and Beetee; not fighters but brilliant, and weird real tech savvy. He won his games by electrocuting 6 tributes at once."

A video of a handsome young man came up on the screen.

"Wait that's Finnick Odair right?"

"Yep, he won his games at 14 youngest ever, extremely humble."

"You're kidding?"

"Yes, I'm kidding. He's a peacock, total preener but he's the Capitol darling, they love him here. He's very skilled at combat especially in water."

"Any weaknesses?"

"One: Mags. She volunteered for Annie. She was his mentor and basically raised him so if he's trying to protect her in any way, it exposes him."

"A guy like that has to know that she's not gonna make it. I bet when it really comes down to it, he won't protect her."

"I just hope that when she goes, she goes quick. She's actually a wonderful lady. The Morphlings from District 6, masters of camouflage. They basically won their games by hiding until everyone else was dead, been self medicating ever since which I applaud, not a threat. Johanna Mason, District 7. Her specialty is axes, she won her games by pretending to be a weakling and then at the last minute, turned into a killing machine. Chaff and Seeder, District 11. Personal friends of mine but Chaff is really good at combat, for a guy with one hand."

"How'd he lose his hand?"

"He lost it in a mulcher in 11 before his games. You are dealing with all experienced killers. I know these people; you go solo, their first move will be to hunt you down. You gonna have to have some allies besides each other."

"How can we even trust them?"

"It's not about trust, it's about staying alive."