Lethal Charm - THG [1]

30

Waiting was always the hardest element of anything. Knox had been stabbed, beaten, drowned and bruised just about everywhere and in every way you could think of yet the pain of all of that didn't compare to the ache of waiting for something, or anything to happen.

Looking out of the broken window, Knox watched as the aircrafts took off. She hadn't noticed Gale join her side until he spoke, "What's the difference? crushing the enemy in a mine or blowing them out of the sky with one of Beetee's arrows, it's the same thing."

His tone was resentful and aggressive. Knox shifted her towards him and noticed that he wasn't looking at her, he was looking at Katniss.

"We were under attack in District 8," she reminded him. "And Katniss didn't kill civilians. That hovercraft was filled with Capitol soldiers and peacekeepers."

Gale shook his head argumentatively, "it doesn't matter." He insisted and Knox didn't appreciate his tone, "Even if those civilians are just mopping floors, they're helping the enemy. And if they have to die I can live with that. No one who supports the Capitol is innocent."

"With that kind of thinking you can round up children from the districts and send them into the hunger games, you can kill whoever you want," She clicked her tongue and stepped towards him, eyes burning into the side of his head as he continued to look towards Katniss, "you speak with so much anger about experiences you don't have, it dilutes the message."

It no longer struck her as strange how quickly she could turn it all off and lose all warmth from her demeanour, especially around people she was finding it difficult to tolerate. Gale was becoming a nuisance and he was bordering on dangerous. His anger was unchecked and it was bound to cause problems in the future.

"We are not here for revenge," she reminded him, "we are here to fight for justice. Don't forget that." And with that, she stepped away from the window and left him alone.

⚔️

It was eerily quiet by the entrance of the train tunnel as they escorted Katniss forward while they waited for the train of survivors to arrive.

Noticing her restlessness, Boggs spoke up, "Don't worry Katniss, there'll be survivors." He assured her.

"Let's focus on what it is you gotta say," said Haymitch, producing some cards from his coat pocket, "now, Plutarch write a speech for you..."

"I'm not saying that," said Katniss. Haymitch who had been expecting her reaction tossed the cards over his shoulder, "didn't think so. Let's, uh..."

"Just remember you're talking to everybody," Knox told her as Haymitch trailed off, "not just the rebels, but the Capitol, the survivors in 2." Haymitch nodded along in agreement to what she was saying, "we want them to lay down their arms," he added, "so you might want to experiment with a little sensitivity and warmth."

"Make it quick, you're exposed," Boggs instructed her, pausing for a moment in thought, "Codie, stay with her." He said and Knox nodded before he and Haymitch stepped back and walked back to Cressida and her crew.

Knox followed Katniss as she walked forward, getting closer to the tunnel entrance, purposefully remaining two steps behind her and walking slightly to the side.

Katniss turned around and faced the camera, but Knox kept her eyes on the tunnel behind her, there was something there but it wasn't clear enough to know for sure.

"This is Katniss Everdeen, speaking to all of the loyalists from the heart of District 2."

The light in the tunnel became clear as a rebel yelled out, "Survivors! Inbound!"

Katniss turned around and slowly began backing away from the incoming train. Knox grabbed her arm, pulling her faster as Boggs ran toward them, "we gotta get you back,"

Knox pulled Katniss back, stepping in front of his as Boggs raised her gun ready. The passengers on the train were ordered to drop all weapons and to get in the ground by district rebels and most did so in fear.

However as a man stepped off of the train, a gun in his hand and holding his ear Boggs stood on guard, "Drop your weapon!" He yelled, "Drop it!"

The man ignored Boggs' instruction and stumbled slightly, seemingly out of it completely from the explosion. As a gunshot sounded from a rebel who'd noticed the man with the gun Katniss sprung forward, sprinting past Knox who raced after her, "Hold your fire!" Katniss yelled, "stop!"

As Katniss ran toward the man, Knox on her tail, Boggs turned his gun on the rebels, "Hold your fire!"

Katniss dropped to her knees in front of the injured man, "he needs help!" She yelled out but fell quickly silent as the man sprung toward her, gripping her hair and holding the muzzle of the gun under her chin.

Knox quickly pulled out one of her katana's and held it up to his neck, the blade pressed against his skin hard enough to nip but not draw blood, "drop your weapon,"

"Give me one reason I shouldn't shoot her."

Before Knox could respond, Katniss did, "She can't. I can't," she said calmly, "I guess that's the problem, isn't it? We blew up your mine. You burned my district to the ground. We each have every reason to want to kill each other." She swallowed shakily, "So if you want to kill me do it. Knox will cut your head off but you'll make Snow happy. I'm tired of killing his slaves for him."

The man blinked in a way you'd expect from a drunk person, "I'm not a slave."

"Yeah?" Knox questioned incredulously, "I am. So is she. We all are."

"That's why I killed Cato." said Katniss, "and he killed Thresh. And Thresh killed Clove." Her eyes flickered over to the older woman beside her, "that's why Knox killed Wynorhea. And Wynorhea killed Lenox." Knox was a little taken aback by Katniss mentioning her games, she wasn't aware that the girl remembered names and who killed who, "It just goes around and around. And who wins? Always Snow." Katniss snarled, "I am done being a piece in his game. District 12, district 2, district 10. We have no fight. Except the one the Capitol gave us. Why are you fighting the rebels?"

"Your neighbours? Your family?" Knox questioned. The man dropped the gun from under Katniss's chin so she carefully lowered her sword as he shuffled back and placed it back in the holder on her back.

Katniss stood up and faced the crowd of survivors and rebels alike, "these people are not your enemy." She called out, "We all have one enemy. And that's Snow. He corrupts everyone and everything. He turns the best of us against each other. Stop killing for him. Tonight, turn your weapons to the Capitol. Turn your weapons to Snow."

Knox wasn't sure what had happened, in a split second four loud gunshots rang out. She hadn't even realised she'd been hit until her head smacked off of the ground and her vision blurred, a loud ringing in her ears as the immense pain suffocated her.

Though her uniform was bulletproof, the impact of the bullets felt like she'd been hit by a truck or smashed in the ribs with a sledgehammer.

She blinked slowly as black spots entered her vision and she was barely aware of someone beside her before she lost consciousness.

A/N

I'm alive. Hello. Enjoy this chapter.

Also, there will be a prequel book for Knox if anyone is interested. I wasn't going to say anything but decided that I should get Katniss herself to tease it for me. 😊