An Extra Tribute

-the black wave-

We walk carefully down the block, the majority of us just shooting at glass again. The film crew is doing their job, cameras up and going as we engage in a small, real-life mission. We reach a fork in the road with another road going straight ahead and Boggs pulls us to the buildings encasing it.

"Got a pod," he says. "Split. Take cover." Katniss pulls me to the side with Gale, Finnick grabbing Peeta and going to the opposite wall. We crouch by the brick, Gale shooting at the pod and setting off a spray of quick bullets. We all wait for the bullets to stop, but the machine guns that pulled out of the sides of the alley spit out the lead for a while. The Capitol can't have anyone getting away, huh? I see Finnick look out a bit with an amused smile, laughing lightly about who knows what. I look across the way at Peeta who's leaning against the other wall with his head on his gun. His face morphs into pain as he continually hits his head against both the brick and the gun's handle. My heart breaks a little right there as the echo of gunfire finally halts. Boggs looks around the corner, tossing a small rock to be sure that the gun show is over and luckily for us it is.

"All clear," he says. "Gale, Holmes with me. Leeg and Jackson take the wings." All four named people shoot out to their positions, watching carefully for any sign of additional, unknown pods. Everyone left waiting by the walls watches Peeta as he mumbles to himself in a sad, panicked way, as if trying to convince himself that everything is okay or something. I feel Katniss tense next to me and I glance back at her to see her staring at him in sorrow. And then, it happens.

I start running before my mind even registers what's happened. I hear Jackson screaming at me to hold my position and to stay where I am, but I'm there before I care to notice. I collapse next to Boggs, smoke filling the air in addition to the film stuff Messalla's already thrown out for effect. Bits of pavement and flesh are scattered around us due to the unnamed bomb pod that just blew Boggs' legs off and I quickly rip a piece of my sleeve off. Homes flies to my side and does the same, applying pressure to the wound as he rapidly files through his medipack. Jackson starts yelling for Katniss to stop moving and she starts calling to Boggs. Everyone's gotten here now and Katniss slides in next to me, her hands trying to help, but finding nothing. The rest of the group is surrounding us as Jackson yells into a radio, but it's not working. Finnick is on Messalla, who got thrown in the second blast, trying to get his heart pumping again. Boggs is already working on his holo as I wrap my makeshift tourniquet around one of his legs, but blood is pouring out quickly.

"Unfit for command," he says into the holo. "Transfer of primary security clearance to Squad Four-Five-One Soldier Katniss Everdeen." He holds the holo to Katniss, who has no idea what he's doing, as he grunts in pain. "Say your name."

"Katniss Everdeen," she says. The holo beeps and a green light scans over her face. "Wait, what did you just do?" Boggs is doing everything he can to keep breathing and keep talking, his upper body tensing as Homes continues working on his leg, but we know it's no use.

"Don't trust them," he manages to get out. "Kill Peeta if you have to. Do what you came to do." He forces the holo into her hand and I watch as he lets out his last dying breath. I refuse the tears that come to my eyes.

"Boggs!" I exclaim. "Boggs!" I shake him, but he's gone. He's gone.

"Retreat!" Jackson screams and Gale is pulling me by my shoulders towards a bright pink Capitol house. I manage to catch a glimpse at what we're running from and see a huge, black tidal wave of dark goop. My feet start moving and I run quickly. Suddenly, Peeta tackles Katniss to the ground and by the look in his eyes, I know he's gone into the mutt phase.

"Peeta!" I scream, pulling out of Gale's grip. My feet pad against the ground loudly as I book it in their direction, watching in horror as Peeta lifts his gun, having trapped Katniss beneath him, ready to slam it into her skull just like Thresh did to Clove with that rock. I've never seen this much insanity in his eyes before and I cry out as he brings it down. Mitchell heroically slams into Peeta, knocking him out of the way. Peeta growls and due to his sheer size, strength, and Capitol hysteria, manages to kick Mitchell off of him. Mitchell launches a few steps down the square and a loud click announces a pod. He's pulled tightly into the net trap with barbed rope, yelling out in immense pain. The net is attached to four buildings, holding it up tightly and we see the black wave flattening and coming closer to us.