Hunger Games - District 0

**Chapter 2: The Plan**

The safe house was quiet now, the others having left to prepare for the mission. Kael sat at the table, staring at the blueprints spread out in front of him. The Capitol's new facility loomed in his mind like a shadow, its purpose unknown but undeniably sinister. He traced a finger over the map, his thoughts racing.

Lira leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. "You're overthinking it," she said, breaking the silence.

Kael looked up. "Am I?"

"Yeah. You always do this. You get stuck in your head, and then you second-guess everything."

"Maybe I just want to make sure we don't die," Kael snapped, his voice sharper than he intended.

Lira raised an eyebrow. "We're not going to die."

"You don't know that."

"And you don't know that we will." She pushed off the wall and walked over to the table, leaning on it with both hands. "Look, Kael, I get it. You're scared. We all are. But if we don't do this, the Capitol wins. Again."

Kael sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know. I just… I don't want to lose anyone else."

Lira's expression softened. "You won't. Not if we stick together."

Kael wanted to believe her, but the memory of his mother's face flashed in his mind. He had been too young to remember much about the bombing of District 0, but he remembered her—her warmth, her voice, the way she held him close as the world fell apart around them. He still remembered the way her voice cracked when she whispered his name that final time. The way her warmth disappeared before the explosion's deafening roar. And then she was gone, taken by the Peacekeepers, just like so many others.

"Kael," Lira said gently, pulling him out of his thoughts. "We're going to be okay."

He nodded, though he wasn't sure he believed it. "Let's just focus on the plan."

---

The plan was simple, at least on paper. They would infiltrate the Capitol's new facility under the cover of darkness, gather as much information as they could, and get out before anyone noticed they were there. Simple. But Kael knew better than anyone that simple plans had a way of going wrong.

Garrick had given them a rough layout of the facility based on the blueprints Kael had stolen. It was a sprawling complex, surrounded by high walls and patrolled by Peacekeepers. The main building was a labyrinth of corridors and rooms, with no clear indication of what the Capitol was doing inside. That was what worried Kael the most—the unknown.

"We'll go in through the east gate," Kael said, pointing to the map. "There's a blind spot in the security cameras there. If we time it right, we can slip in without being seen."

Lira nodded. "And once we're inside?"

"We split up. You take the north wing, I'll take the south. We'll meet back here"—he tapped a spot on the map—"in one hour. No matter what."

"And if we get caught?"

Kael hesitated. "We don't."

Lira gave him a look. "That's not a plan."

"It's the best we've got."

She sighed but didn't argue. They both knew the risks, and they both knew there was no other choice. The Capitol had already taken too much from them. They couldn't let it take this too.

---

The sun was setting by the time they left the safe house, the sky painted in shades of orange and red. Kael and Lira moved through the streets of District 0 like shadows, their footsteps silent against the cracked pavement. The district was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of life replaced by an oppressive stillness. It was as if the entire place was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Kael's heart pounded as they approached the facility. It was even more imposing up close, its walls towering over them like a fortress. The Peacekeepers patrolling the perimeter were heavily armed, their faces hidden behind helmets. Kael's hand tightened around the knife strapped to his belt, though he knew it would be useless against their weapons.

"Ready?" Lira whispered, her voice barely audible.

Kael nodded. "Let's go."

They moved quickly, staying low to avoid the cameras. The blind spot Garrick had identified was just ahead, a narrow gap between two sections of the wall. Kael's pulse raced as they slipped through, the sound of their breathing loud in his ears.

Inside, the facility was even more intimidating. The walls were stark and sterile, the air cold and metallic. Kael's boots echoed softly against the floor as they made their way down the corridor, their footsteps the only sound in the oppressive silence.

"This place gives me the creeps," Lira muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Stay focused," Kael said, though he felt the same way. There was something unnatural about the facility, something that made his skin crawl.

They reached the point where they would split up. Kael turned to Lira, his expression serious. "One hour. No matter what."

She nodded. "Be careful."

"You too."

They parted ways, each heading down a different corridor. Kael's heart pounded as he moved deeper into the facility, his senses on high alert. Every shadow seemed to move, every sound seemed amplified. He forced himself to breathe, to focus on the task at hand.

---

The first obstacle came sooner than he expected. As he rounded a corner, he heard the unmistakable sound of boots on metal. A Peacekeeper was coming his way. Kael froze, his back pressed against the wall. The footsteps grew louder, closer. He held his breath, his hand tightening around his knife.

The Peacekeeper paused, just a few feet away. Kael could hear the faint crackle of a radio, the low murmur of a voice. He didn't dare move, didn't dare breathe. The seconds stretched into an eternity.

Then, the footsteps moved on. Kael let out a shaky breath and slipped around the corner, his heart still racing. That was too close.

---

The first room he came to was locked, but the keypad on the door was old and poorly maintained. It only took him a few seconds to bypass it. Inside, the room was filled with rows of shelves, each one stacked with boxes and files. Kael's eyes widened as he realized what he was looking at—records. Hundreds of them.

He grabbed a handful of files and began flipping through them, his heart racing. The documents were filled with technical jargon and diagrams, but one word stood out: **Project Rebirth**.

Kael's blood ran cold. He didn't know what Project Rebirth was, but he knew it couldn't be good. He stuffed the files into his satchel and turned to leave, but a sound stopped him in his tracks.

Footsteps. Slow. Deliberate. And getting closer.

Kael's hand flew to his knife as he pressed himself against the wall, his breath shallow. The footsteps grew louder, echoing down the corridor. He could see the shadow of a figure approaching, cast against the wall by the dim light.

He tightened his grip on the knife, his mind racing. If he was caught now, it was over. Not just for him, but for Lira, for Garrick, for everyone in District 0.

The figure stepped into view, and Kael's heart stopped.

It wasn't a Peacekeeper.

It was a girl.

She was young, maybe his age, with pale skin and dark hair that fell in loose waves around her face. Her eyes—wide and unnervingly bright—locked onto his, and for a moment, neither of them moved. She wore a simple gray jumpsuit, but there was something off about her. Something… unnatural. Her eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, and there was a stillness to her that made Kael's skin crawl.

His brain immediately assumed danger. Was she an informant? A trap? Or something worse? He tightened his grip on his knife, ready to defend himself, but she didn't move. She just stared at him, her expression unreadable.

"Who are you?" Kael whispered, his voice barely audible.

The girl tilted her head, as if considering his question. Then, without a word, she turned and walked away, her footsteps silent against the cold floor.

Kael stared after her, his heart pounding. He didn't know who she was or what she wanted, but one thing was clear: this mission had just gotten a lot more complicated.

---