One Last Game -Haymitch Abernathy-

Chapter 40

"A typical lightning strike contains five billion joules of electricity." Beetee was wrapping the wire around the tree. "We don't want to be anywhere near here when the lightning strikes." It was a simple plan. "You three girls go together now." Beetee handed the roll of wire to Katniss. "Take this. Unroll it slowly and carefully. Make sure you put the entire coil in the water." Amelia listened carefully. "We will meet you at the tree in the two o'clock section."

"I'll go with them as a guard," Peeta said. He didn't want to split up from Katniss.

"No," Beetee responded. "You're staying here to protect me and the tree."

"No, I need to go with her." He needed to go with Katniss.

"There are two Careers out there. I will need two guards." Amelia watched them as they spoke but remained quiet. Her job wasn't to protect Peeta. It was to protect Katniss.

"Finnick can protect you on his own."

"Why can't Finnick and Johanna stay with you? Peeta, Amelia, and I can take the coil," Katniss tried to reason with him.

Beetee approached her. "You agreed to keep me alive till midnight."

"It's his plan," Johanna cut in. "We agreed to follow it."

Finnick leaned back. "Is there a problem?"

"No," Katniss said. "No problem." She stepped forward and kissed Peeta. Amelia gripped her machete, preparing to venture towards the water. Her gut was telling her that tonight wasn't going to be easy. Amelia did her best to ignore the feeling.

Katniss walked towards them. Amelia locked eyes with Peeta. She offered him a reassuring smile. Silently, she spun around and walked into the jungle.

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They were nearing the water but still had at least five more minutes. It was silent between the three of them. Amelia led them through the jungle. Katniss was unrolling the coil of wire slowly. They walked down a rocky ledge. Amelia struggled to keep her balance.

Her body was on high alert. She was ready for anything that came their way. "Let's keep moving," Johanna spoke. "I want to put as much distance between me and this beach as possible." Amelia slid down a rock before landing on her feet. "Frying is not the way I want to go."

Suddenly, the wire clinked. Katniss stopped and looked around. "I think there's something-" the wire was stuck.

Amelia reached behind her and grabbed the last knife in her pack. Suddenly, the wire snapped. Katniss reached for an arrow when Johanna hit her over the head. "Johanna!" Amelia climbed back up the rock.

Meanwhile, Johanna cut open Katniss's arm. The younger girl screamed in pain. Amelia prepared to stab Johanna when she did something unexpected. She coated her hands in Katniss's blood and pressed them against her throat. "Stay down." Amelia looked up as Enobaria appeared. She felt conflicted about Johanna's actions. Deciding to take a chance, she threw the knife at the woman. It hit Enobaria in the shoulder. Johanna threw her ax, but it bounced off a rock. "Come on," Johanna yelled at her. Amelia was conflicted about leaving Katniss defenseless, but Brutus and Enobaria seemed to have believed that Katniss was taken down.

It was dark out. Amelia followed Johanna into the jungle, but the two others were close. A plan formed in her mind, and it wasn't a good one. Peeta would come searching for them soon. They would have realized the wire was cut. "Go." Amelia came to a sudden stop.

Johanna did the same. "What?"

"I can hold them off." Amelia held her machete tightly. "Find Peeta. Get to the water." She thought that was the first place Katniss would check for Peeta.