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Ren stood alone in shock. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go, his first day was to make a good impression on those uptight old folks that didn’t think he had what it takes, it wasn’t to uncover some sort of government corruption scandal.
As he stared at the incriminating paper slips in his hands, it hit him. This wasn’t a prestigious job, one he could flaunt to his old classmates, that he could use to advance socially. He was a cog in a century-old murder machine sending innocent children to slaughter. In an instant it all came tumbling down, seeing Pearl scream, because she knew that the draw would not be fair, Grian completely frozen in shock and terror, would it be up to Ren to tell him that he had never had a chance? Should he tell him, or Pearl? Or just keep his mouth shut?
Not saying anything was clearly the safest idea, but Ren wasn’t sure if he could live with that. He was Charon, taking these kids to die, the least he could do was tell them the truth. He had to help them how he could, Pearl wasn’t too promising as a mentor, clearly too traumatized to coach her own brother to death. So it would be up to him to help Grian out as much as he could, and that started with being honest with him.
Ren’s spiraling train of thought was interrupted by the Mayor wailing somewhere in the building. He shook off his stupor and ran out to see what was happening, keeping one handful of incriminating paper slips in one of the deep pockets of his cloak, thanking Prisca for her genius outfit idea.
When he ran out to the hall the scene in front of him was pathetic. Mayor Williams, half being dragged half hanging off a Capitol Peacekeeper, wailing that she needed justice, she was important and needed to be protected, that the little brat monster was to be hanged for his crimes.
When she saw Ren, she scrambled off of the unimpressed peacekeeper and she kneeled in front of Ren, clinging to his coat.
“Please take me with you! I don’t belong here! I am not meant for this, to live amongst this filth.”
The only thing wrong with the Mayor was the smallest nosebleed, now accentuated by the snot and crying, for a truly gross look. Ren shook her off, with a look of disgust and disdain that was practiced in his Capitol demeanor.
“You are exactly where you belong.”
Ren walked off, heading to the car which was going to take him back to the train station.
Maybe today he had learned that the Capitol was corrupt, and that the district folk were real people, not just animals kept for their labor, but some people are just bad, no matter District or Capitol.