If we burn } Finnick Odair

Chapter 22 ~lizard mutts~

Underground it is then. I've been underwater, but never underground.

We erase all signs of our stay. And now we have to get Peeta who's still on the sofa. "I'm not going I'll either disclose your position or hurt someone else." "Snow's people will find you." Finnick says making my stomach drop at the thought of any of us being captured by them. "Then leave me a pill. I'll only take it if I have to."

I kind of trust that. I know nobody else does. Peeta doesn't want to die so he wouldn't try and end his own life unless it came down to it but he also doesn't feel as if he deserves to be alive either.

"That's not an option come along." Jackson says. "Or you'll what shoot me?" "We'll knock you out and drag you with us." "Stop being noble I don't care if I die." He turns to Katniss and begins to plead. "Katniss, please don't you see I want to be out of this."

Finnick and I both look at one another. He's talking to Katniss. And he's not threatening her or saying anything bad about her. "We're wasting time. Are you coming voluntarily or do we knock you out?" Peeta buries his face in his hands for a second then joins us.

"Should we free his hands?" Leeg 1 asks. Yes. "No!" "No, but I want the key." Katniss says. Jackson hands it to her without any hesitation.

Homes pries the small metal door open. The insect shells won't be able to fit. Pollux and Castor take them off and we hide them in the closet. Not exactly a great solution considering they could be found, but it's a solution.

We go in single file. Finnick tells me to go in front of him since he's the last one in the line he doesn't want me to be the main caboose in case they do follow us.

We go down a tube into a wider underground area allowing us to break up now and walk however we want again. Messalla frowns. "It's why no one ever wants the center of the unit. Workmen coming and going whenever and no second bath. But the rent's considerably cheaper." Finnick has an amused expression on his face. "Never mind."

Pollux is pale and sweaty right now and latches on to Castors wrist. "My brother worked down here after he became an Avox. Took five years before were able to buy his way up to ground level. Didn't see the sun once." Peeta turns to Pollux and says. "Well, then you just became our most valuable asset." That was Peeta. That was the real Peeta.

We walk for a little bit again.

"Hey Daphne?" Castor says. I turn my head to him still walking. "When did you learn sign language?" I think back to earlier when I translated for Pollux not even thinking about it. "Finnick and I both know sign language because of Mags. She suffered a stroke a few years ago and can't really seem to talk much anymore." "You know it too?" He questions Finnick as if he's completely shocked by his newly discovered information. Finnick lets out a breathless laugh. "Uh yeah yeah I do. Crazy isn't it?"

Pollux leads us well. Peeta was right. It's now around three in the morning all of us are beginning to be tired. Katniss suggests we rest since we're already making good time. Nobody objects. We find a small room that hums with machines loaded with levers and dials. Pollux holds up four fingers meaning we have to be gone in four hours. Finnick and I find a small space and sit down. We have no shift so we go to sleep nearly instantly. I know this sounds crazy but even though we're literally in the middle of a war I'm comfortable, and even feel kind of safe. Snow thinks we're dead so he's not about to send anything our way right now.

Or not.

"Katniss! Get out of here!" Peeta screams waking up probably anybody here. "Why what's making that sound?" What sound? WHAT SOUND?! "I don't know. Only that it has to kill you. RUN! Get out! Go!" You're kidding right. The next time I ever feel like I'm safe just slap me across the face. "Whatever it is it's after me It might be a good time to split up." "But we're your guard." Says Jackson. "And your crew." Cressida adds. "Yeah sorry Katniss we're not splitting up. Whatever it is we're in this all together." I say this time.