The Victor -Pollux-

Chapter 36

Carson bit her lip tightly as she left the building. The pain in her leg was almost unbearable, but she hid it well. Mitchell's body was hung up in the barbed wire. Boggs's body was pushed against a wall, covered in oil. "Come on," Gale waved them forward. They started jogging toward the other side of the apartment complex. The doors weren't open. They needed to stay clear of approaching Peacekeepers. It wouldn't be long until they arrived.

Gale slammed his crossbow into the glass. It shattered instantly. The group ran inside and up several flights of stairs before entering an empty apartment.

The apartment was extravagant. All of the Capitol citizens lived that way. Lavishly and with items they never needed or used. Several rugs were made of animal fur—more couches than rooms and tables full of glass statuettes. "Close the curtains," Lieutenant Jackson ordered. Katniss and Castor closed the curtains quickly. Carson watched Gale as he surveyed the room. This was his first time in the Capitol. He had never seen how they lived before. It seemed to be too much for him.

Carson remembered her first encounter with the Capitol. The train was full of foods she had never seen before.

Outside, a truck entered the area. Everyone rushed to the window, pulling it open just enough to look out. Pollux and Cressida joined her. There were dozens of Peacekeepers outside, approaching the building they had left the Leeg sisters in. One of the sisters began shooting at them. "It's the Leegs," Finnick whispered.

The Peacekeepers began shooting back. Carson watched as one of them grabbed a bazooka. They fired it into the building, causing the entire structure to explode. She gasped, pressing her back against the wall. It was shocking. Horrifying to witness. The Leegs were dead. That would have killed them instantly. They left them behind. They were dead.

Suddenly, the TV chimed. There was an announcement from the Capitol. The Panem national anthem began playing, and Caesar Flickerman appeared. "Hello, I am Caesar Flickerman." Carson pushed off the wall, wincing as she put weight on her leg. "I am here with the continuous coverage of the defense of the Capitol." They all moved closer. "Today, our Peacekeepers courageously hold off the rebels, but our story takes a surprising twist. Katniss Everdeen, our once favorite daughter," the screen played the security footage of them running from the oil. "Has infiltrated the city with some of the Victors whose names you're all too familiar with. Carson Sage. Finnick Odair. And Peeta Mellark."

The video then showed Peeta attacking Katniss and attempting to kill her. Peeta stared at the screen with wide eyes, not believing those were his actions. In a way, they weren't. He wasn't in control. It continued to play as Peeta attacked Carson and killed Mitchell. Carson found herself looking away. "I guess some alliances don't last forever." It wasn't Peeta's fault. "Take a look at what happened moments ago when Peacekeepers cornered Katniss and her band of foolish rebels." The footage showed the Leegs firing back. Then the Peacekeepers used a bazooka to blow up the building and demolish it, killing everyone inside. The problem was that not all of them were inside. It was just the Leeg sisters, but the Capitol didn't know that. Not yet. "Whatever arrogance brought this traitorous girl back to us, you are about to witness a great victory for the Capitol and Panem." The building caved in the video. Watching it again was too much. Carson kept her gaze on the ground. It was easier. She had seen enough death in her lifetime. "There you have it. Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire who inspired so much brutality, seems to have met a violent end. Stay tuned for more information. Caesar Flickerman. Thank you." The video ended.

"So," Gale sat on the couch. "Now that everyone thinks we're dead, what do we do now?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Peeta spoke. "You have to kill me." The attention shifted to him. "I'm not in control. I murdered one of our squad members. I almost killed Carson." Pollux glanced at the girl. "Katniss is right. I'm a mutt." But it wasn't his fault. She knew Peeta. He was her ally but also her friend. "It's only a matter of time before I snap again. I'm not in control." They couldn't trust him. "I need a nightlock pill so that I can die when I need to."