miss americana and the heartbreak prince | katniss everdeen

the 76th hunger games.

THE ENDGAME
Twenty-One | The 76th Hunger Games
•••

THE HOVERCRAFT LANDS DURING DUSK. THE DOORS OPEN AS KATNISS IS NUDGED AWAKE BY CASHMERE WHO HAD not slept a moment during the long flight and still managed to look perfect. They gather their things and stretch before making their way out of the hovercraft. Their first few steps go unnoticed but soon one person recognizes Katniss, and then another. People began gathering around, surprised to see Katniss Everdeen who had supposedly died.

They hold up three fingers and Katniss takes in the symbol. She can't believe after everything, even now people still believe in her. Katniss felt as though she had failed far too many times to warrant such support.

The footage of Katniss and Cashmere makes its way back to District Thirteen where Coin and Plutarch look on, watching as the people surround Katniss.

"What is she doing?" Coin demands.

"I don't know, it's so frustrating when she goes rogue," Plutarch responds, though there was a hint of a smile on his face as he looked at the screen.

"This isn't just adolescent, it's insubordination," Coin says, shaking her head.

Plutarch shrugs, "Put her on the first hovercraft back."

"Don't be ridiculous. She can't come back now. She's mythic," Coin says with a sigh. This was the very thing she'd wanted to avoid. Katniss Everdeen outshining her.

"At the front lines, surviving a gunshot wound. Couldn't have staged it better myself," Plutarch mutters.

"I know," Coin relents, "Se's going to stay where she is. And whatever she's doing, we conceived it. It was our plan all along."

"Of course it was," Plutarch says as he turns away from the screen.

"Mr. Heavensbee," Coin calls after him, "You're the Gamemaker. I want everyone to know, whatever game she's playing, she's playing for us."

Plutarch looks at Coin and simply nods his head in response before heading off.

•••

Cashmere looks around the camp disinterested and maybe a little uncomfortable. Katniss watches her. She wants to talk to her, but she doesn't know what to say. The way she saw it, she and Cashmere were too similar.

"So much for the recon mission," Cashmere mutters with a sigh as she looks around. "We can't stay with them," Cashmere says, following the speech Commander Paylor gives about marching on the Capitol and the traps that were being laid out.

"I know," Katniss agrees.

Cashmere nods her head. She doesn't say anything else and so Katniss decides not to either.

"Ritchson. Everdeen. Come meet your new unit."

Katniss and Cashmere share a look before following the woman to one of the tents/

"I'm Lieutenant Jackson, and I want to introduce you to your squad," Jackson says. Katniss nods and Jackson points to a man who looks about the same age as Cashmere, "This is Second Lieutenant Mitchell, the best sharpshooter in Panem."

"These are the Leeg sisters, First Combat Division," Jackson says, pointing to two blonde twins.

"And this is Corporal Holmes," Jackson introduces. Katniss politely offers him a smile before observing someone walking toward their tent. Her brows furrowed as she walked closer to the newcomer.

"Finnick?" Katniss asks, "Are you with us?"

"Looks like it," Finnick says with a smile, twirling his trident. Katniss grins as she embraces him.