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[powdered]

"Hello! you have reached the voicemail of Effie Trinket. I am unavailable at present, so please leave your name and your number and I will be delighted to return your call."

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[powdered]

Katniss and Peeta are the victors of District 12, and before that they were tributes. I was their escort to the games and also took care of scheduling and representation for their Victory Tour.

[ A pause. Everything had changed so much. Become so... different. It wasn't normal to escort one's tributes to the Games twice. Effie hadn't fully accepted it, and was deeply internally conflicted. She could only do her best to bury her feelings with work and doing the best she could do to support them. ]

Actually, I escorted them twice.

It was a lot of work and none of it really came to fruition, due to our unexpected departure from Panem to... here.

[5055034455]

So they were chosen to fight to the death... twice.

[Oops. Did that sound too judgmental?

He's not mad at Effie; he's mad at whatever the hell system thought to employ such a tactic. And for what? From what she'd explained to him of the Games, it's — it seems pointless, to him. Barbaric is another word that springs to mind.

And it explains an awful lot about Katniss.

It was easy to brush this off during their first meeting in the name of prioritizing: getting Effie where she needed to be, and safely. Now? Yeah, they can talk about it. Saul has some questions he'd like addressed.]

And they both survived twice. How's that work?

[powdered]

Well.

[ There was a long pause. Mostly because she was chewing on her lower lip to keep herself from sobbing.

Why had this happened to them all? When Katniss and Peeta had been taken away so suddenly she had regretted the loss of her farewell, but on a selfish level it had been easier. They were simply gone and she could only perform her job to the best of her abilities and that was that.

Now they were all here, and there were no games. They were alive and considerably more safe and sound. She wanted so desperately to go back, but if they did...

When she spoke again her voice was very small.]

The Quarter-Quell has yet to commence. There isn't a victor, but I have faith in their abilities.

[5055034455]

Meaning one of them still might die.

[It almost sounds accusatory, the way he says it. Like Effie could have done something about it.

Or should have, maybe.

There's something uncomfortably familiar about this.]

And one of them might be the victor. [Victor. He almost spits the word out. Since when are "victor" and "survivor" synonymous?]

[powdered]

There are twenty four tributes and every one of them is a former victor.

Both of them could die, but they are young and strong and I believe that Katniss and Peeta have what it takes to succeed.

[ She is defensive of them. They are her tributes after all, and she had never doubted their ability to win. When no one had believed in District 12, Effie had.

They had both lived and proved her doubly right and nothing could have made her happier. Then the Quarter-Quell had been announced, and her new life of opportunity had been dimmed substantially.

What were the odds they would live again, both of them? Would the outfit she had bought for their wedding ever be worn?

She dabbed at her nose with a silk handkerchief.]

I don't expect you to understand.

[5055034455]

Double jeopardy.

[That's not fair. But hers is obviously not a world that has the same kind of Constitution, if it has one at all.

It's easy to distance himself from the situation, this way. To pretend Effie's the one on trial. Speak in legal terms, forget that he himself had ever suggested having Jesse killed —

Now there's a thought he didn't need.

He sounds even more upset, now.]

Don't understand what? Escorting a bunch of kids off to slaughter each other? No, can't really say I understand that.

[powdered]

That's because you don't know this history of Panem or how the Hunger Games originated. It may seem cruel to the uneducated observer, but peace and the lives of thousands outweigh the sacrifice of twenty-four brave young people.

It's not as if I approve of death or cruelty. I don't. No one does. Which is why I agree that measures must be taken to avoid conflict that could lead to much worse.

I am an escort because I believe that every tribute, even the ones from District 12, deserves a chance to survive and win.

[ The waterworks are on and it's audible in her voice and the small noises she makes in the back of her throat while attempting to control the damage to her makeup. ]

[5055034455]

[He was so, so ready for a fight. Her words alone would have stopped him in his tracks, but the crying —

The next breath he takes is slow, quiet, and careful. Saul needs to steady himself before he can continue and offer an apology. He didn't mean to make her cry.

She was just doing her job, right? A job she believed in. He understands that; he gets it. And it hurts, a little.]

I didn't mean to imply that you approve of it. [He's much quieter now, voice almost gentle.] I'm sorry.

[powdered]

The Games are not a choice. They are a necessity.

It doesn't matter what anyone, myself included, thinks about them because it is not our choice and it is for the greater good.

[ In a way she's not speaking to convince Saul when she says this. She's speaking to herself. Everything about it is rehearsed. A mantra that is so deeply ingrained into the fibres of the Capitol citizens that believing otherwise is both painful and close to impossible.

She's still crying because tears have never been easy to stop for Effie Trinket, but Saul's apology did so some to help dial back her emotional torrent and she sniffles once before speaking again with less upset. ]

Your apology is accepted, Saul.

[5055034455]

[And there she goes, talking about "the greater good." Fantastic. This is just what he needed in his life — another victim of brainwashing.

He sighs.]

There's always a choice, Effie. I know it doesn't seem that way. Trust me, I do. But you know what they say about hindsight, yeah?

[powdered]

We weren't given a choice when we were taken here, were we?

There are some circumstances simply beyond our control.

[ Saul didn't know. He couldn't. No one talked or even thought about choice because it was much more pleasant to imagine civilian obedience was due to patriotism and not fear. Their beautiful lifestyles were paid for by submission and even better, willful ignorance.

Another small sob, but she's running out of tears.]

Hindsight? Of course.

It's always 50/50.

[5055034455]

[If she weren't crying, that might have made him laugh.

Oh, Effie. You tried.

Saul ignores the guilt building in his chest and presses onward. She needs to hear this.]

20/20, actually. And everything becomes clear as crystal, right? Now, I don't know if you've had enough time away from home yet, or if I should take these waterworks as an indication that you're almost there, but you're gonna hit a point where you can't think about home and still ignore everything the way you used to.

[He's seeing something clearly now, too: that she and him are a lot alike.]

I'm not saying this to upset you more. I'm saying it because it happened to me, and it sucked, and I want you to be prepared.

[powdered]

I don't know what you mean and I don't want to know.

None of it matters anymore. We're not home.

[ A tired, wavering sigh as she pinches the bridge of her nose and makes herself more comfortable on the threadbare couch to continue this exhaustive conversation. ]

And I don't see how can you defend these people when we are effectively their tributes? Except there is no victor or end to this game and it involves everyone.

There is nothing to realize. I don't have the time to spare on idle thought because I will be far too busy attempting to survive.

[5055034455]

How can you tell me it doesn't matter when you have people from home here? Would you say that to Katniss? That what happened doesn't matter?

[God, how he wishes he could get away with saying that to Jesse.]

You'll survive, Effie. The Initiative will make sure of that. As for how I can defend them — I already told you. I explained this. We're not just protecting them.

[powdered]

It doesn't matter here. I don't see what the law and practices of Panem have to do with this world, where there are much larger problems.

I have to say, this is the most unpleasant discussion I have ever experienced. It's very rude to call upon someone to lecture them uninvited. If you've only contacted me to make me feel worse than I already am, you should just hang up!

And I thought you were a decent man.

[5055034455]

[Ouch.

It's a good thing the video feed isn't on, otherwise Effie would have just had a grand view of Saul flinching. He stares at his tablet for a long moment, silent save for a bit of controlled breathing, then runs both hands through his hair.

Damn it.]

When I showed up here, I found someone from home. A client of mine. And at the time, it was just a professional relationship. I was his lawyer, he was paying me, it was my job to make sure he stayed out of trouble. So, that's what I did. But the more time I spent with him, the more I realized I owed him so much more than just what I could do for him as his lawyer — I helped someone almost ruin his life back home, but I kept him out of prison, so I was still doing my job, right?

But then there was this kid, a little girl called Rue. She was two seconds away from kicking my ass when she thought I was hurting this client of mine after I found him half-dead in his apartment here. And that kinda put things into perspective. It happened a little too fast and there was some tunnel vision involved, but long story short: I promised her I'd take care of him, and I wasn't speaking as his lawyer when I made that promise — I was speaking as his friend. And I'd like to think I'm speaking as family, now, because there's nothing I wouldn't do for him.

Three months, Effie. That's all it took.

[powdered]

[ Saul had said a lot of things, but only one of them truly registered to Effie. A single name that had created a disturbance among the District people and even some small circles of the Capitol.

Rue. Her death had moved Effie and many others to tears. She had especially felt for Katniss who had looked after Rue like the little sister she had volunteered to represent.

She didn't want to know and didn't want to ask, but she couldn't stop herself. Just how many tributes had been taken? ]

Pardon me, but did you say Rue?

[5055034455]

Yeah. I never got her full name, but she was a tough —

[Saul's voice cuts off when he realizes, with no small amount of fear, that Effie must recognize that name for a reason.

It can't be the same Rue, though.

Can't be.

When he speaks again, he actually sounds nervous.]

Did you know a Rue?

[powdered]

Yes, we did.

[ For once Effie didn't know what to say. It didn't really matter, because flowery vocabulary couldn't carry the weight of her tone like those three words did.

Rue. It wasn't be that common of a name, and from how he had described her... she had been so strong.

It was always the young ones that made it difficult to watch. ]

[5055034455]

[He doesn't like the sound of that at all. His heart drops a little and he swallows hard, already convinced that yes, he had every reason to wish they weren't talking about the same kid.]

Small? Dark skin, dark hair, um — [A pause, as he tries to remember.] Dark eyes? She was pretty young. Barely a teenager, I think.

[powdered]

Where is she?

[ Effie didn't need to tell him it was the same girl. She had no questions now.

Rue had been here. What did that mean? Had they somehow taken her from before her death, or even more incredulously, after?

Why was Effie so scared to know that small girl had been here, to realize she had been part of this war when Effie had already seen her die. She didn't and wouldn't ask herself the question that already nagged at her conscience.

Would that little girl have been spared if she was still here? Was this barbaric place somehow more forgiving than the Capitol?]

[5055034455]

People here come and go.

[Saul's voice sounds a little tight. He wonders if Jesse knows about any of this. He and Rue were close — how much did she tell him of home?]

She disappeared... um. A little while after we met, I think. I dunno where she went. No one knows where anyone winds up unless they come back to tell us what happened.

[powdered]

Rue is no longer in Panem.

[ What else was there to say? Effie didn't want to tell him the details, not after their previous conversations.

That she had been a tribute. That she was dead, and so were twenty one others. That many more of Rue's people had died because they had rebelled and were quelled with force. ]

I do hope her stay here was... pleasant.

[5055034455]

No one's stay here is pleasant.

[Maybe for a little while, but never for long.

His next question is asked without hesitance, without fear, without any emotion at all. He already knows the answer; what he wants is to see how Effie will react.]

She's dead, isn't she?

[powdered]

Did you have to ask?

[ Almost pleadingly.

She prays he won't ask her how or why, she doesn't want to touch upon that topic. Not right now, not here and not with someone who didn't understand.

Not when she was feeling so vulnerable and confused. ]

Yes, she is.