Crisis of Faith

8

"It's called hijacking," Plutarch explained curtly, "we don't know how long the capitol's been doing this to Peeta, or Kaianna."

Finnick was back in the hospital. He was fine, physically. Just there in support of Katniss, who had been strangled nearly to death by the man who once loved her. Prim was sat on her bed, and he was standing next to Haymitch.

"It's fear conditioning," Beetee spoke up from beside the girl's bed, "enhanced with tracker jacker venom. You were stung your first games remember?"

He took her silence as a signal to continue, "The venom, puts the subject in a dissociative state. Then they torture them. Shocks, beatings, all to strip down their identity. Then all of that suffering and fear is redirected, and associated with other memories, or a person."

"They can change Peeta's memories of Katniss?" Prom questioned sadly.

"And Kaianna's memories of Finnick," Beetee confirmed, "to make them seem life threatening."

"They've turned Peeta into a weapon Katniss. To kill you," Haymitch broke down the explanation into simple terms and then glanced at the man beside him, "and I don't know about Kaianna. Honestly I think they just turned her against you just to prove they could. Just to torture you. I'm sorry."

Finnick nodded in understanding at Haymitch's assumption.

"But you can reverse it?" Prim wondered hopefully.

"Fear is- the most difficult thing to overcome." Beetee said hesitantly, "you're hardwired to remember fear best."

"It's new terrain," Plutarch bud in quickly and lightheartedly. He met the silence with a shrug, "but we've put together a team, and- I'm optimistic."

"Well forgive us for not being so optimistic," Finnick snipped, "but that woman that I just saw? I've never seen her a single day in my life, and I'm not sure exactly what happened but, I'm gonna go on a whim and say that Katniss's reunion with Peeta, wasn't anything to ride home about."

"I understand you're upset-"

"Yes I'm upset! You told us you'd save them! To start off, you couldn't even successfully bring them all back, and now you're not sure if they can overcome this," Finnick ranted, hurt soaking his words, "why didn't you just tell us the truth, instead of keeping our hopes up this entire time? Right now you're no better than they are in my eyes."

Plutarch pursed his lips, and focused on the floor, "I'm sorry to hear that. None of us could have promised how this would go but, we're doing everything we can. Let's not give up hope just yet."

"So what am I supposed to do," He chuckled dryly, "just walk back in there, day after day, and let her scream at me and hate me until you maybe one day can figure it out?"

"Let's not lose our heads," Haymitch suggested sternly, "this situation isn't ideal for anyone involved but, it's the one we're in. So, let's find a way out. Calmly please."

"The best thing you can do is keep trying," Plutarch explained, "we can have you go in a couple of minutes with her if you're comfortable with that."

"Of course I'm not," Finnick grumbled, "the only reason she didn't kill me then and there is because she wasn't strong enough. But, it's not about me is it?"

Plutarch nodded in agreement, "I'll have Boggs escort you."

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"I want to go in alone," Finnick said quietly, "if that's alright."

"I'm really not supposed to let you," Boggs sighed, "but fine. Just- be careful. With what you say and everything else. She'll be hesitant to listen to anything you say but, there are some things that will send her over the edge completely. Even the way you look at her could set her off."