Unbeknown to the other districts, District 13 was alive and well, operating clandestinely beneath the rubble of their former home. They made a deal with the Capitol to secede and be independent, so long as they didn't threaten the Capitol's power. Of course, the Capitol didn't agree to it out of the goodness of their hearts. 13's primary industry was nuclear weaponry, and they had procured a nuclear arsenal to compete with that of the Capitol's. The two powers were forced into a stalemate, nuclear warheads aimed at one another. The newly elected President of 13, Lena Ackerman, was content with the arrangement; with time, District 13 could rise up and seize power from the Capitol and put an end to their tyranny.
They had no clue that they had been tricked.
It all happened in an instant. The entire room of soldiers monitoring the satellite activity over Panem were all executed ina spray of bullets. All but President Ackerman. Peacekeepers descended from the ceiling like spiders, unlatching their steel cables as their feet planted onto the austere metal floor. Ackerman was only five feet from the computer that controlled all of 13's missile silos, but there was no way she would make it without being killed.
Hull removed his helmet and sneered. "The deal is off, Ackerman. Submit, or the last of 13 goes up in smoke."
"Just kill me already," Ackerman spat. "You won. The Capitol won. Just finish us all off and be done with it."
Hull's eyes narrowed. "It disturbs me how readily you forfeit your consituents' lives the moment you're cornered."
"Like you care about our lives!" Ackerman retorted. "I speak for the entirety of District 13 when I say that we would rather die than submit to the Capitol. So just kill me and be done with it. Isn't that what you came here to do?"
"Incorrect," Hull replied with a sigh. "As much as I find you a reckless and irresponsible statesman who would be better off dead, I am under the command of President Lycus Hunt. And he explicitly ordered not to harm you if at all possible. In fact, he has another proposal for you."
Ackerman bit her tongue. She didn't want them to know she was even considering another deal, so long as it would save her people. She had to appear unyielding.
Hull pulled out a device from his pocket, and a hologram of President Lycus materialized. "Greetings, Lena. I see you've met my squadron."
"You lied," Ackerman said indignantly. "You said you wouldn't try to control us as long as we stayed in the shadows. I said this to Hull and I will say it to you: District 13 will never answer to you or anyone ever again! Not a single one of us would ever submit to you."
"Funny that someone among your ranks would give us all the details we needed to slip in," Lycus replied with a patronizing grin. "Do you think it was by mere chance that we knew that exact hour of the exact day of the EXACT month that your alert systems shut down for a mandatory reboot? Use your brain, Lena. Clearly not everyone in that little anthill is loyal to their queen."
Lena was irate. Who among her colleagues sabotaged them? And for what gain?
"I know you won't give up your power, Lena. If it isn't us that kills you, it will be the enraged citizens of 13 who will hang you for your failure to protect them. That is why I am offering you an escape. Your own sector in the Capitol mansion where you can live out the rest of your days outside of the public eye, safe from the scrutiny of the people of all the Districts."
The muscles in her face loosened. "And what of 13?"
"The facade will be revealed to all of Panem. 13 will rejoin the Districts as one of our loyal patrons and inferiors. And of course, they would have to compete in the Games."
Ever since she was elected by the people of 13, she led as if they were watching her every move. She felt relieved that that power had now been relinquished.
"So be it."
>>-->
The people of 13 were awoken the next morning by the clashing of Capitol Peacekeepers barging into their corridors and corralling them, often violently, into the mess hall. They were too dazed to fight back. Some pinched themselves as if they were stuck in a nightmare.
"Lena Ackerman is dead!" Hull announced. "You are now under the authority of the Capitol. The resistance is over. Challenge us, and you die. Comply, and no harm will come to any of you.
"Reassimilation into the fold will take some time. For now, we only request one thing: two tributes to represent you in the 1st Annual Hunger Games. We do not have records of eligible candidates, so we must have two volunteers: a boy and a girl, aged 13 to 19. If no one volunteers, then I recommend you choose. You don't want to make me wait."
It didn't take long for two children to be singled out. The people of 13 weren't evil, but they agreed to do whatever was necessary to protect the whole. They shoved two of the weakest children to the front. The girl, Zoe LeFleur, who was so sickly pale that she was indeed close to death already. And the boy, Oswald Grit, who was missing his entire left arm. They were the sacrificial lambs.
Hull approached them. "Do you two agree to volunteer yourselves as tribute to the Capitol?"
They looked at each other and nodded. Of course, they too knew the circumstances, and were willing to sacrifice themselves if it meant they could save the District. That was their only purpose.
