Caesar and Jacob have been a natural team since they first appeared together a year ago. Their simple back-and-forth banter, their humor, and their ability to create heart-wrenching moments, like Jacob's confession of his love for Katniss, have made them a huge success with the audience.
Jacob walked calmly towards Caesar, his demeanor unchanged since Rue's death. He no longer worried about events from the past but focused on calming his anger towards the future, channeling all his fury towards the Capitol.
But this time, for obvious reasons, they felt that Jacob was very different, as if he was preoccupied with something. So Caesar directly steered the conversation to what the audience had been waiting for.
"So, Jacob, how did you feel when, after everything you've been through, you found out about the Quell?" Caesar asked, slightly shifting his gaze towards the audience as if expecting them to stay silent.
"I was furious. I mean, one minute I was watching Katniss looking so beautiful in all those wedding dresses, and the next moment..." Jacob's voice was cold.
"Did you realize there would never be a wedding?" Caesar asked kindly.
Jacob paused for a long moment, as if suppressing his anger. He looked at the audience, who were holding hands, then at the ground, and finally at Caesar before asking him, "Caesar, do you think our friends can keep a secret?"
An uncomfortable laughter emanated from the audience. What did he mean? Hide a secret from whom? If everything that happens in Jacob and Katniss's world is being observed by all of Panem.
"I'm pretty sure they can," Caesar said, a little confused.
"Katniss and I are already married..." Jacob said quietly. The crowd reacted with astonishment, everyone was confused, including Katniss, who was sitting not far away.
"But... how can that be?" Caesar asked.
"Oh, it's not an official marriage. We didn't go to the Justice Building or anything. But we have this marriage ritual in District 12. I don't know how it is in the other districts. But there's a simple union that all the residents of District 12 have," Jacob said, briefly describing the toasting.
"Were your friends and family there?"
"No, we didn't tell anyone. Not even Haymitch. And Katniss's mother would never have approved. But you see, we knew that if we got married in the Capitol, there wouldn't be a toasting. And neither of us wanted to wait anymore. So one day, we just did it in secret."
After saying this, Jacob paused and looked Caesar in the eyes before saying, "And for us, we are more married than any piece of paper or any party could have made us."
"So, this was before the Quell?"
"Of course, it was before the Quell. I'm sure we would have never done it after knowing about it." Jacob clenched his fists and looked at the audience. "Personally, I don't mind participating in the Games again, but all of you understand a bit of my anger, right?"
"We all know, Jacob."
Jacob smiled a little and shook his head. "But who could have seen it coming? Nobody. We went through the Games, we were victors, everyone seemed so happy to see us together, and then suddenly... I mean, how could we have anticipated something like this?"
"You couldn't, Jacob." Caesar put his arm around Jacob's shoulders. "As you say, nobody could have. But I have to admit, I'm glad you had at least a few months of happiness together."
At that moment, there was intense applause. As if everyone was excited, Katniss, in the distance, appeared devastated. The lingering smoke from the feathers made her eyes teary, adding a beautiful touch.
"I'm not glad..." Jacob murmured. "I wish we had waited until everything had been made official."
Even Caesar was taken aback by this. "Are you sure a short time is better than nothing?"
"Maybe I would have thought that too, Caesar." Jacob returned to his cold and distant state. "If it weren't for the baby, a new life on the way..."
As the news exploded, accusations of injustice, barbarism, and cruelty were thrown in all directions. Even the most Capitol-loving person, the most hungered for the Games, the most bloodthirsty, couldn't ignore, at least for a moment, how horrible all of this was.
Like the cannibalistic competitor that dissatisfied all viewers, this news was so grave and sad that no one could bear it. And Jacob had planned it for one simple outcome, to keep the entire Capitol occupied. He needed to do it to create distraction.
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At the same time that all the controls in the Capitol were overwhelmed, Jacob issued an order to his intelligent assistant that he had prepared in advance but still had doubts as to whether they would be carried out without being stopped beforehand.
"[Mission in progress!]"
"[Invading Capitol systems...]"
"[Issuing order...]"
Jacob's intelligent orb, with its advanced AI, infiltrated the Capitol's systems, sliding undetected through layers of security. With its imperceptible presence, it issued an order to a captain of the peacekeepers stationed in a border area, instructing him to prepare and load two Hovercrafts with weapons and send them to District Twelve to reinforce security and keep the rebels in check.
"[Do not send any more peacekeepers except for the pilots!]"
The order was received by the captain of the peacekeepers with some doubt, but before he could question it, an incoming call interrupted his thoughts.
Jacob's intelligent assistant intercepted the communication and responded on behalf of the captain's superiors. This intervention puzzled the captain, but he complied with the order and set it in motion. Lately, the districts had been in chaos, and with the recent announcement in the participants' interview, he believed it was normal.
Under the watchful eye of Jacob's intelligent orb, several peacekeepers loaded weapons onto the Hovercrafts, while the pilots prepared for flight. Amidst uncertainty and confusion, everyone worked without uttering a word.
"[Invading Hovercraft systems!]"
Then, Jacob's intelligent assistant abruptly took control of the two Hovercrafts, depriving the pilots of their maneuverability. Panic gripped the pilots as they struggled to understand what was happening and regain control of their aircraft. But Jacob's intelligent orb showed no emotion in the face of their distress; it simply executed its plan with precision.
From the Capitol's central base, the command center issued orders to the Hovercrafts to return as quickly as possible. However, the pilots, disoriented and under the control of the AI, were unable to respond to the command's questions or requests.
"What's happening?"
"They're going to kill us if we don't explain this now."
Their voices filled with despair as they desperately tried to understand what was happening and regain control.
Jacob's intelligent orb, in its emotionless procedure, decided to disable the GPS of the Hovercrafts, cutting off any trace of their location. This prevented them from being tracked and charted their own path to their destination in District Twelve. Without depending on any human interaction, the intelligent assistant advanced towards its objective, following the course of action set by Jacob.
Amidst the chaos and uncertainty, the Hovercrafts autonomously returned to District Twelve, leaving those trying to control the situation from the Capitol perplexed. This mysterious return to their original destination bewildered those in the Capitol.
Jacob's intelligent orb accomplished its mission without hesitation, carrying out the plan designed by its creator. Its cold and calculated actions left a trail of confusion and unanswered questions. As the Hovercrafts ventured into District Twelve, Jacob's intelligent assistant remained silent, awaiting the next steps in this intricate strategy orchestrated from the shadows.
Taking advantage of the Capitol's uncertainty, it was too late when the peacekeepers realized they had lost two Hovercrafts.
That same night, Jacob went to bed after saying goodbye to Katniss. There were many things he needed to think about, and he did it better when he was alone.
...
Cinna and Portia arrived at dawn, and both Jacob and Katniss knew they had to leave separately. The tributes entered the arena alone.
"See you later, Katniss!" Jacob took a few steps forward and gently kissed Katniss on the forehead before following Portia, who was waiting for him.
Portia accompanied him to the rooftop. Jacob was about to climb the ladder to the Hovercraft when he remembered something: "I didn't say goodbye to Cinna."
"Don't worry, Jacob, I'll tell him," Portia said with a smile.
"Left arm!" a doctor said with a syringe in his hand.
An electric current froze Jacob in place on the ladder until the doctor injected the tracker into his left forearm. Now they would be able to locate him at all times in the arena.
The Hovercraft took off, and Jacob looked out the windows until they turned black.
"Come on, eat something before we arrive," Portia handed Jacob fresh fruits that were his favorites, but momentarily he thought of something.
Portia died after the uprising of the districts!
Jacob doesn't remember exactly how it happened, but what is certain is that she died. He looked at her for a moment, and it calms him to know that she might be able to escape with Haymitch and the head of the rebels when the uprising occurs.
"In the end, we got a group of six professional tributes, considering the old woman accompanying Finnick, it will be five. How do you see our chances?" Jacob asked as he finished eating enough.
"Well, they just have to be fast at the beginning. Everyone knows how to use weapons, so that will be essential," Portia said without exactly knowing which words to use.
When they arrived at the Launch Room in the arena, Jacob showered again. Portia helped him push his hair back so his vision wouldn't be affected. Even before, he already knew what the arena was like thanks to his intelligent assistant, and only Finnick knew that there would be water, and lots of it.
This year's tribute outfit is a tight blue jumpsuit made of very fine material, with a zipper in the front. A padded belt fifteen centimeters wide covered in shiny purple plastic. A pair of nylon shoes with rubber soles.
"What do you think?" Jacob handed the fabric to Portia.
"It's a very simple outfit. It won't offer you protection against cold or heat, but it seems resistant to the piercing of small animals," Portia said after handing the outfit to Jacob.
"Well, better than being naked," Jacob said as he walked toward the platform. He raised his chin, holding his head high as if his eyes could see beyond the ordinary.
"I've bet on you, Jacob." Portia smiled with her crystal-clear eyes.
Leaning against the glass, Jacob raised his fist and turned his back to Portia after a small bow.
Just in time, too, because the glass is descending, and he is free and standing in the arena.
Jacob slowly opened his eyes, gradually adjusting to the surrounding light.
"Water, lots of water..." Jacob murmured with a cold smile.
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