Note: HERE IT IS! The sequel to my original story Keep Fighting. This one follows Sydney Harper during and after the epilogue of Keep Fighting. If you haven't read that story yet, you'll probably be extremely confused, so go read it first! I promise it's worth it. We pick up right after Katniss and Peeta leave thirteen to go home, and Sydney and Gale remain to pick up the pieces of Panem and put them back together.

I watched the door slowly close behind her as she walked out of the apartment for the last time. It was really happening. I sunk down into the small couch that decorated the living room and put my head in my hands, letting out a deep sigh. I wasn't sure if it was relief or sadness or some strange combination of both, but I knew one thing for sure; the nightmare was over.

Of course I was upset that Katniss was leaving district thirteen for good. She had become my best friend and sister over the past two months, and letting her leave was hard, but I would see her soon, and I knew this was the best thing for her to do. After everything that had happened to us, she deserved to go home and be happy. She deserved to relax. We all did.

"Are you alright Sydney?" I felt the couch dip down next to me, and Gale's hand rested on my knee. I nodded my head without lifting it. Suddenly, I felt like I was going to cry. I leaned my head into Gale and buried my face in his chest. I felt the tears start to roll down my cheeks, and I didn't bother stopping them. He wrapped his strong arms around me and rested his chin on the top of my head. He didn't say a word, and I was grateful for that. Gale always knew exactly what to do when I was upset, should it be trying to talk it out or just letting me complain. That was one of the things I appreciated most about our relationship. He knew me better than anyone, and I could always rely on him to be there when I needed him most.

Was it a relationship? I wasn't totally sure. I had spent practically all of my time with him since we got out of the Capitol prison, but it wasn't like we were Katniss and Peeta. We didn't share a bed or parade ourselves around as a couple. We hadn't talked about what we were exactly, and I didn't want to bring it up. This was comfortable. This was nice, but most importantly, this was easy. I had fallen head over heels in love with Gale over the past two weeks. If I had liked him before, it was nothing compared to now. He was my rock, and I needed him more than anything. It wasn't that I didn't think he felt the same about me, it was just that I was afraid that trying anything more would ruin what we already had. Did I want to rip all of his clothes of and jump on him? Yes. Would I? No. I could stab myself in the stomach with a knife or take on the most powerful dictator in Panem, but when it came to love I was terrified.

Katniss got frustrated with us. I remember a specific conversation we had over lunch two days before she left. "Why don't you just go for it?" She said with an exasperated sigh. "I'm sick of watching you both chicken out every time something's about to happen."

"It's more complicated than that." I answered, stirring my food around my plate anxiously. "I'm afraid of losing him. If we try something and it doesn't work, I don't want to destroy what we have now. I couldn't handle that. I need him Katniss. I need him by my side or I don't think I could force myself to wake up in the morning."

She threw her fork down on her plate and glared at me. "It's called love Syd! That's why you go after it. You're not going to lose him. You two are perfect for each other, and if you never take the next step, you'll never find out exactly what you're missing." I rolled my eyes and leaned back in my chair, running my hands through my hair. She didn't understand. It had never been like that with her and Peeta. He had been all over her since they met, so she never had to worry about rejection. When I brought this up to her, she laughed at me.

"You honestly think Gale will reject you? Sydney…he's in love with you. He would bend over backwards to make you happy. I've never seen him like this, and I've known him for a long time. He's waiting for you to make the first move because he's scared just like you are." She put her hand on my arm. "Look, if neither of you do anything, you'll lose your chance. Just go for it. You'll never get anywhere in life if you don't try."

"I hate when you make sense." I said, standing up and putting my tray on the conveyor. I could feel the smirk from across the room, so I turned and glared at her. She just kept smiling all the way to training. I knew she was right, but even after that I hadn't done anything, but neither had he.

I stopped crying and pulled myself away from him, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. I frowned when I saw the numbers engraved on my forearm, the everlasting reminder of what I had been through. I turned my head and looked into Gale's deep grey eyes. They were soft and strong, and he looked so concerned for me. Having people who cared about me wasn't something I was used to, but I had to admit that it was a nice feeling. "I'll be fine." I said, running my hand through his dark brown hair. He was still frowning, wondering if my breakdown would continue. "It's just sad. That the squad's disbanding. I'm going to miss everyone."

"It is sad, but we'll see them soon. I'm sure everyone will travel to twelve for the wedding. None of us would miss it for the world. Everyone's moving on, but it's not over. Finnick and Furman will both still live in thirteen, and the Commander has big plans for you, so it's not so bad." I nodded my head in agreement.

"It's mainly them, Katniss and Peeta. They're the heart of this squad."

"I know you're going to miss her. It's tough letting those Everdeens go." He smiled at me and laughed. I thought about Prim. It wasn't just Katniss who was moving back to thirteen. Prim was leaving too.

It had been hard at first, being around her. Every time I looked at her I wanted to go back in time and make it so she wasn't hurt. I would have figured something out, a better way to sacrifice myself for her. Seeing her in that chair broke my heart, and it took me a while to even speak to her at first. We had formed a bond in the arena that couldn't be broken, but it didn't change the fact that I felt sick when she came around me. If she hadn't tried to save my life, she never would have been burned.

I had said goodbye to the younger Everdeen earlier that day. I knocked on her compartment door, and her mother answered. "Is Prim here?" I asked softly, leaning against the doorframe. I knew Mrs. Everdeen didn't hate me, but she wasn't my biggest fan after what had happened to Prim. She was getting over it, but it would take a while, which I understood. It didn't hurt that I had saved Katniss' life in prison and her sanity in the arena by saving her from choosing between Prim and me. She nodded and moved aside to let me in, pointing down the hallway.

Prim was setting her things into a small suitcase. She was struggling to put the last dress in the top because she sat down too low in her wheelchair, so I quickly walked over and helped her. I pulled the zipper around the suitcase and it closed nicely, and Prim smiled at me. "Thanks. I'm not tall enough for that." She always said things like that. She never referred to herself as crippled or disabled, and she tried to do everything normally, but when she couldn't manage it, she would say she wasn't tall enough or strong enough or old enough. She never said she couldn't because of her disability, and I admired her for that.

"Well you're lucky I was here to rescue you." I said suavely, raising my eyebrows at her. She let out a high-pitched giggle. "So are you excited to go home?" I asked as I picked the suit case up off the bed. She nodded her head feverishly, and winced at the pain. Sudden movements were the worst, and it took her a moment to recover.

"They say I'll get even better there. There is no limit to how fast I'll recover, and when I'm well enough, I'll even get a fake foot. Then Peeta and I will be twins." I laughed and tussled her hair. She often made these comments to Peeta, and he would scoff at her, which made us all laugh. "But I'm kind of sad. Our life here wasn't so bad. I know they say that I'll be better off back home, but I'm going to miss it in thirteen. You're here. And Finnick and Gale and Commander Jacobs, plus all of the doctors and nurses I've worked with. It's just hard to leave something like this behind." She sighed and wheeled herself around, heading out the door. I grabbed the suitcase from the floor and followed her. It amazed me how mature Prim could be.

We walked out into the living room, and Mrs. Everdeen took the bag off my hands. She mouthed a thank you to me, and walked out the door. Prim took one last look around. "Goodbye compartment. I'll miss your stuffy rooms and your terrible water pressure." She blew it one last sarcastic kiss. I knelt down and hugged her lightly, being careful not to irritate her burns.

"I'm going to miss you." I said sadly. We had spent a lot of time together while she was recovering, and she had helped me pull through the depression I was thrown into after the games.

"Don't be sad Sydney. We'll always be with each other, at least in spirit and memories. I don't know about you, but I'll never forget what you did for me in those games. We helped each other survive, and you can't break a bond like that. You're stuck with me forever." She wheeled out the door and I followed, shutting it behind me. "You're something else Sydney Harper. You're going to do amazing things someday, I know it."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Whatever you say Prim." I knew I was going to be placed in command, and I hoped I could make a difference, but I didn't know how many great things I would do. Things were finally looking up for Panem, and I definitely wanted to help in anyway I could. "I've got to go say goodbye to your sister. She's undoubtedly crying her eyes out anticipating our separation." I said sarcastically. I kissed Prim on the forehead. "Goodbye Prim. Enjoy your home, and keep your sister sane for me."

"They're both pretty amazing." I said to Gale, snapping out of my memories and back into reality. "But I think we'll make it by without them." I paused for a moment, wondering if I should ask my next question. I decided to go for it; unsure of the answer I wanted to hear. "Did you think about going back home with them? Did you want to?"

He shook his head. "No way. You're here, so that's where I want to be. District twelve is great and all, but a world without you is not one that I want to live in, so I'm staying." For the first time, I noticed how close his face was to mine. He stared deeply into my eyes, and I knew he meant it. It wasn't a line or an act or a joke. He really only wanted to be around me, and I knew I felt the same way. I glanced at his full, beautiful lips and I knew I had to go for it. He moved his mouth closer to mine and paused, waiting for me to acknowledge that it was ok. I bit my lip softly and moved closer to him. I wanted this more than anything, and he needed to know that. I closed my eyes and I could feel his lips brush against mine. Just as I moved in to kiss him back, a loud rapping on the door pulled us apart.

He cleared his throat. "I'll get it." I sighed and let go of his knee. This was my luck in a nutshell. I could feel the heat in my cheeks from being so close to him, and I tried to calm my breathing down. Only Gale Hawthorne could set my heart on fire like this. I looked up at the door and noticed Haymitch standing in the doorway. He didn't say anything, he just pointed his finger at me and wagged it, signaling for me to come with him.

I put my hand on Gale's arm. "I'll be back soon." Gale nodded and watched me go as I stepped past him out the door with Haymitch. "This better be important." I said angrily.

"O I do apologize Ms. Harper, did I interrupt something?" He grinned from ear to ear. "We'll I didn't mean to. It's just, we're about to discuss the fate of President Snow, and I figured you would be very interested in that." My head snapped to face him and my eyes narrowed. He only continued to smile at me as we made our way through the maze of corridors that lead to the control room. What had happened with Gale would happen again, but this was about vengeance. I would only get this chance once.

Haymitch input his I.D. and stepped through the sliding doorway into the control room. The generals council was assembled around a large circular table with an animated touch screen display. It allowed us to bring up videos or documents that would be important to the various meetings that were held there, and the advanced technology put every piece of human history at the tips of our fingers. Haymitch took his seat at the head of the table. Commander Jacobs was to his right, and General Hartford was to his left. The second in command of the rebel army was a small man with a bushy mustache and a constant look of contempt written across his face. He rarely ever smiled, and when he did, it was only sarcastically or in response to someone being insulted. He was an annoying little man, but he was also a good leader and had stood up for me when I insisted Katniss be set free. He gave me a slight nod as I walked in.

Colonel Stone lifted his hand in a small wave and greeted me with a boomingly loud hello as I took my seat across from him and next to Commander Jacobs. The contrast between him and General Hartford made me snicker and shake my head. While Hartford's feet struggled to hit the floor, Stone took up his entire chair and then some. His enormous mass looked like it was going to make the chair burst in two, and if you didn't know him you would probably be extremely intimidated by his size, but to me he was just a big teddy bear, and besides Commander Jacobs, he was by far my favorite General.

It was true that they all weren't "Generals", but we called it the generals council because these were the leaders of the new army of Panem. There were Hartford and Stone and Jacobs, then seated immediately to my right was Colonel Dolouth. Next to him sat General Quan. Rounding out the group on the opposite side of the table were two young lieutenants whose last names were Bryant and Maddock. They were new to the group and, like me, they were mostly here to observe and learn. It was a way to train the next generation of leaders so they could learn from the good men that came before them, and the chain of corruption could stop with my step-mother.

I knew that I respected and liked each of these men, even if they were a little bit stubborn and quick to angry, but every time I looked around the room, I couldn't help but think that each and every one of them would have let me die in that arena. They didn't do anything to stop my mother when she had been President, and while I got along with them, the only people I could really trust were Jacobs and Haymitch. I prided myself on my ability to read people, and I sensed a weakness in each of these men. There was a reason none of them had stepped up when the role of President became available. They didn't have the guts or the will to be true leaders. They needed someone to show them the way, which is why they hadn't defied Coin. These men couldn't survive without a higher power to point them in the right direction.

"What are we waiting for?" I asked Haymitch. We were all here. I didn't understand why the meeting couldn't just begin.

"We're missing someone. There's been a new addition to the council." I looked at him with a furrowed brow. A new addition? I noticed the empty chair at the end of the table for the first time, and I felt uneasy. We had finished rounding out the general's council days ago. There didn't need to be anyone new. I sighed and crossed my arms.

We waited for about thirty more minutes, and my tolerance was at an end. I had always been told that patience was a virtue, but if that was true, it was one that I did not possess. I dug my nails into my arm to try to contain my anger. I felt like yelling at Haymitch. Who was so high and mighty that they thought they could keep us all waiting?

At that moment, the sliding door opened one more time, and in walked a young man dressed in a white suit and a black shirt with a blood red tie. He had jet black hair and bright blue eyes, and he laughed quickly when he walked in. "Sorry I'm late." His voice was velvety smooth, but there was something sneaky there. He sounded like a snake luring in its prey. It sent shivers down my spine. "I couldn't find the place." He flashed us a smile. His teeth were blindingly white, and his smile was too perfect. His flashy silver shoes were what set me off. The obnoxious clothes, the too perfect face, the ridiculously white teeth.

"So you're telling me that you brought a Capitol citizen onto this council?" I said darkly as our newest member took his seat. He stopped abruptly and raised his eyebrows. I just stared at him icily, not breaking eye contact. I could hear Haymitch's nervous laugh in the background.

"Now Sydney. Kane was an informer inside President Snow's personal council during the rebellion. The information he gave us was invaluable. Yes he is from the Captiol, but he's on our side. The rebellion's over. If he sympathized with the Capitol, he'd be in jail right now." I didn't say a word. I swiveled my chair back around and glared at Haymitch. I didn't care how many clues this man had given us. No Capitol citizen should sit on the council. We had done everything we could to defeat them, and I didn't want to take any chances of them somehow making a comeback.

"Next you're going to tell me that my mother is the one who gave him his position. That'd be the best way to convince me to trust him." I gave Haymitch a mocking smile, but he only stared at the table. "You've got to be kidding me." I said angrily.

"You're President Coin's daughter?" Kane said with a thin-lipped smile. "Wonderful woman. She's the one who gave me a second chance when the rebels captured me. I became her informer, and she taught me everything she knows. Shame she was murdered." He shook his head solemnly and I snarled.

"She wasn't murdered. It's good that she's dead. We're better off. She was an evil vile woman who would have turned Panem upside down only to have it be just as bad as when Snow was in charge. She would sell out each and every one of you if it meant she got to be in power."

"Are you jealous of her drive?" He cocked his head and smiled.

I grunted in frustration and started to answer, but Jacobs held up his hand. "We're here to talk about Snow. Former President Coin is dead, so there's no use dwelling on her. Let's just move on." He gave me a look and I backed down.

"Ok. So we have to decide what to do with him. It's pretty clear that he's going to die, but the question is how?" Haymitch started, looking around the table.

"Execute the bastard." Colonel Stone said. "He deserves to burn in hell for what he did." He clenched his jaw. I looked down at my hands. I knew that Stone had as much right as anyone to hate President Snow. After all, his son James had been a tribute in the final hunger games.

"We're going to make it out of here." I said quietly. "You and me and everyone else. I'll figure out a way. I promise." James looked at his hands and shook his head. "I don't know Sydney. You're strong. Y-y-y-you can fight. I can't do anything. I-i-i-I'm going to die on the first day." I saw a tear roll down his cheek and I wrapped my arms around him. James had become like my little brother in prison and in the time before the games, and I didn't want him to die. "I won't let them hurt you James. I won't let them hurt anyone. They can't win." Then, I was in the arena, and I heard the clock tick down. I saw James' leg jerk, and there was an explosion that was so loud it stunned me. I saw James' being blown to pieces, and my mouth opened to scream for him.

"Sydney?" It was General Dolouth who shook me out of my flashback. "Are you alright?" I looked at him with wide eyes and shook my head. The image of James disappeared and I realized that I had been gripping the chair arms so hard that the plastic cracked beneath my hands. Everyone's eyes were on me, and I felt myself blush. The flashbacks were frequent, and the ones in public were the worst.

"Snow was evil. We need to make an example of him." I said softly. "I think a public execution would serve us best." The council nodded and mumbled in agreement.

Kane raised his hand slightly and cleared his throat. "I disagree." He said. "I think that a public execution would portray us as brutes. I think he should have a trial."

"And whose going to convict him as anything but guilty?" Stone snarled.

"No one of course." Kane rolled his eyes. "It's simply a formality. Then he'll be sentenced to life in prison for his crimes, and we will be seen as merciful heroes." Everyone looked at each other waiting for someone to protest.

"No." I said, slamming my fist onto the table. "No. He won't get away like that. He'll die for what he did."

"You have too much of a personal stake in this Ms. Harper." He said, narrowing his eyes. "I understand he put you through a lot—"

"It wasn't just me!" I said, standing up. "It was everyone! The terror that those people felt when he forced them to watch their children die is cruel and inhumane. Every year for seventy five years these people had to fear their names or their children's names or their brother's or sister's names being called for that reaping, and every year twenty three children died. He deserves to pay for his crimes, and all of you know it." I glared at each member of the council. "You sat by and did nothing while my mother terrorized this district, and if it weren't for Katniss you would have let her run Panem into the ground. Stand up now. Do what you know is right."

Jacobs tried to stop me, but I just pushed my way past him and out the door. I couldn't be here right now. I couldn't watch these people let Snow walk. He was evil, and he would die. I started to walk back to my compartment, but I stopped halfway. There was something I had to do. I needed answers, and only one person could give them to me. This meeting made me realize just how angry I was, and I had to let it out. I couldn't let him haunt me for my whole life.

As I took the elevator down to the deepest cells of the thirteen prison, I started to get nervous. I didn't know what I was going to say, but I had to do this. I stepped out of the elevator and walked down a long hallway to a door. I typed in my code in the pad next to it, and held out my hand for it to scan. Once my identity was proven, the door slid open for me, and I was led into a small room with another door. This time, there was a guard standing there, gun raised. He looked at me quizzically. "Ms. Harper?" He asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to see him." I said firmly.

He looked at the ground then back up at me, deciding whether or not to obey me. "No one is supposed to. He's on lockdown."

I gave the guard a look. "I admire you for doing your job sir, but I need to see him. He took away two months of my life. I almost died because of him. I need answers, and I need them now. If he dies and I never got to talk to him, I'll never live it down." The guard weighed the options in his head, then nodded and opened the door for me. I thanked him, and I heard the door click behind me.

I heard a gasping laugh. "Nice to see you again Sydney. How nice of you to pay me a visit." President Snow sat in front of me on a hard silver chair. A small bulb hanging from the ceiling provided the only light in the room, and I could barely make out his face behind the wild mane of hair that had been growing unrestricted since his arrival. He had aged nearly ten years since we captured him because without Capitol medicine, his true, unadulterated self was beginning to show. He was unrecognizable except for the cold smile spread across his lips and the conniving look in his bright blue eyes.

"Its not a visit." I crossed my arms and leaned back against the door. "You owe me answers."

"I'm all yours. Not like I have any choice." He said cynically. He sighed and put his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers together. "Ask away."

I looked at the ground, trying to find the right words to ask him all of the questions that I had. How could he do that to innocent children? How could he live with himself knowing that he had murdered hundreds of kids? He had hurt me more than I could possibly imagine, but that wasn't the worst of it. This was more than just a personal vendetta. He had ripped apart families and communities and friends, and he had ruined so many lives. I saw Prim's smile hidden behind the bandages that covered her burns. I saw the life drain out of Alexei's eyes as my arrow pierced his heart. I saw James' exploding in front of my eyes. I saw Lexie's twisted, broken face as I held her in my arms, and I wondered how I could possibly make him answer for all those things. What was I supposed to say? In the end, I settled on one word. "Why?" I said softly.

He stared back at me with his cold, icy eyes, and leaned back in his chair. "Why, Ms. Harper? I assume you mean why did I start the Hunger Games? Or is it why did I make it children who fought? Or is it why did I choose you to go in?"

I shook my head. "It's all of the above. How could you be so evil? How could you murder so many people, then sit here and laugh about it in front of me? Do you feel nothing? I know you're cold, but you're still a human being. I don't understand it. How do you justify it in your head?"

He paused for a moment, and then he chuckled. "It's not about justifying it. I know it's wrong, trust me. I'm not an imbecile. I'm not so thick headed as to think that the people of Panem actually deserve to watch their children die in the Hunger Games. The games were created as a punishment, yes, but they turned into something more. They were a technique, a tool used to control and manipulate the people. Without them, there would have been another rebellion years ago. They kept the commoners in check Ms. Harper. They reminded them who was really in control."

"That's sick. You could have punished the rebel leaders. You didn't have to murder children. You didn't have to ruin so many lives."

"It was children because I wanted to prove to the people how their actions affected all those around them. They didn't realize that the rebellion hurt everyone, not just the Capitol, and I used the innocents so every generation would learn that lesson before it was too late." He locked his eyes with mine and stared straight into my soul. Even if I had wanted to I couldn't look away. "You have a personal vendetta against me, and I understand that. You have flashbacks, don't you?" I was silent, but I knew I couldn't hide anything from those icy blue eyes. "You see them dying, every single day. I'm sure sometimes it isn't just your friend Lexie or that boy James. I'm sure you see little Primrose, or perhaps your best friend Katniss, burning in front of your eyes. Maybe its Mr. Hawthorne who dies while you watch helplessly from the sidelines. You re-live the games every single day, am I right?"

I didn't answer him. He was right. I saw everyone I loved die in the games, and sometimes, it was even I who killed them. I couldn't stop the dreams. I couldn't even fight them. The real flashbacks were the worst, and they could be set off by anything. I would never admit it, but he was absolutely right.

"You don't have to acknowledge it. I know it's true. You're strong Sydney, stronger than most. You make the perfect victor, and I am proud of myself for creating you." My head snapped up from the floor and I glared at him.

"You didn't create me. You don't control me."

"Ah…but that's where your wrong." He said slowly. "You may not understand my methods, but I have ensured that I will always be remembered. Everytime you close your eyes, you think about those games. Every time Ms. Everdeen tries to go to sleep, she will watch little Rue die or see herself murder the boy from district two. Every time Peeta Mellark has one of his tracker jacker flashbacks, or when Primrose screams in agony at her pain, I'll be remembered. Every single person in Panem will know who I am for generations to come, and that's the goal of being in power isn't it? To be remembered for your actions? I control you and everyone else because I'm in your thoughts and feelings, and most importantly, in your memories, and I will be for the rest of your life."

"You're disgusting. You call yourself a leader, but all you care about is yourself. The leader of this nation should be someone strong and selfless. Someone who truly wants to help the people of Panem, instead of men and women like you and my mother, who only seek power for their own twisted, selfish reasons."

"You mean someone like you?" He smirked. I rolled my eyes at him. I would never be President. The closest I would come to leading the people would be to sit on the general's council. I had my fifteen minutes of Presidential fame, and I had hated every second of it. "You may scoff at the idea now, but you never know. Power has a certain appeal that you'll find hard to resist. Having the ability to do as you please is a pleasure that few people will come to know."

"Yeah, thanks to you. Most people don't know what free will is."

"You'll come to find, Ms. Harper, that leading a nation isn't as easy as you seem to think it is. You'll soon see that no matter how hard you try to eliminate it, there will always be corruption. People want power, and they'll do anything to try and take it. You always have to look out for yourself. Watch your own back, because no one else will. There will be people who will try to overthrow you, and you have to prove to them how powerful you are. The Hunger Games were my method, and you'll have to choose yours carefully. I know you disagree with how I ruled Panem." I scoffed and crossed my arms. He got one thing right. "But it was necessary, and the people obeyed. Free will is a dangerous thing Ms. Harper. Some people don't deserve to think for themselves, and others just can't handle it. They're like sheep. Take away the shepherd and they roam around aimlessly until something kills them or they find a new person to follow."

"Everyone deserves a chance to make their own decisions." I got up and typed the code in to open the door. I was done with this conversation. It was clear that there was no justifiable rhyme or reason to what Snow had done. He actually thought he was doing the people a favor. The man was evil, plain and simple. "I don't even know why I came here." I said.

"You came here for answers, and I didn't give you the ones you wanted. I'm sorry, but I thought you deserved the truth. You can argue with me all you want, but those are my reasons, so take them or leave them."

I shook my head and laughed at him. "Burn in hell, Snow. And tell my mother I said hello when you get there." I turned and began to walk out the door.

"Tell the future Mr. and Mrs. Mellark I send my regards and congratulations!" I turned on my heels and glared at him. How did he always seem to know everything? Even when he was a prisoner, he was one step ahead of us. "Here's to hoping their children have a better life than they did. Here's to hoping that our new leader is just and strong, and nothing like me. Here's to the beginning of democracy, and the end of an era." He spread his arms out wide and dipped his head in my direction. "O and Sydney, watch out for your friend Kane. His ability to deceive and manipulate are paralleled. He did learn from the best after all." I clenched my jaw and my thoughts went back to the control room. President Snow gave me one final smirk, and the metal door slid shut behind me.