The Heiress {Finnick Odair}

The Mad Victor

Finnick had never seen a more determined group of careers. They tore through the tributes so quickly that it was a miracle Annie and Jack lasted as long as they did.

By the end of day two, there were only eight tributes left, and four of them were from the career pack. It seemed the girl from Five and the boy from Three were still alive. No one had sent any sponsor gifts so far.

It seemed that everyone was waiting to see who the Heiress would be choosing. Everyone expected it to be Annie and Jack from the way she so commonly picked people emotionally, but no packages had been sent.

Adrien hadn't slept or eaten anything in the two days since the game started. In fact, all of District Four (plus Amara) hadn't left their seats.

Cashmere and Enobaria looked at the mentors sympathetically, and Beetee tried his best to point out all the ways that Jack or Annie could be the final victor, but it was to no avail. The room always seemed to quiet down when the career pack got too close to Annie and Jack. It was as if they all thought that the tributes could hear them through the screen.

No one offered more support than Ezra. When the group wouldn't eat, he started cooking in Amara's kitchen. He would provide small meals for them to nibble on so they would have something in their system.

When they wouldn't sleep, he provided energy drinks that helped them stay alert longer. They would crash when the games were over or their tributes were dead, but he understood their need to be awake constantly.

When they weren't getting enough water, he made hourly trips to and from the kitchen and force them to drink.

By the morning on the third day, it seemed their luck had run out. The girl from five bumped into them. She let a startled scream that led the career pack, who were within a quarter of a mile of them straight to them.

Amara's apartment was dead silent, and everyone was on the edge of their seats as they watched.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. One minute, everyone was alive, and the next, the girl from five was dead. Annie shoved Jack behind her, hoping to shield him from the careers, but it didn't matter.

The girl from Two threw a knife that Annie didn't see coming until it was too late. Annie let out a guttural cry as it lodged itself in the middle of her shin.

There was no training that could prepare her for this. The careers just laughed and jeered at Annie.

"We know the game," the boy from One said. "You and your stupid decision to tell people only to help Jack. Well where are the sponsors? You've doomed us all."

Annie felt the sweat trickle down her face as she breathed in deeply. She had to move. She had to protect Jack.

But it didn't matter. With the nod of his head, the girl from One and the boy from Two grabbed hold of Jack and dragged him over. He was thrashing against them, but they were twice as strong, and he couldn't leave her. He couldn't leave his sister there alone to die.