Inferno

Chapter 57: Waterboy and Kitty

The boy in her dream was someone that she knew. She thought that she must have loved him once, must have known him and wanted him, adored him—she felt it acutely even though she didn't know who he was. His face was obscured, details hazy around the edges. It was as if a fog had rolled in through her mind and wasn't about to lift for any reason.

She remembered being scared, remembered the feeling of being weak and feeling like it was going to be the end.

And then he stepped up to her, hands cupping her face. He had told her that it was going to be alright, everything was going to be alright—he blocked the gun from view and it was all obscured and he was holding her and everything was going to be alright—

BANG—

Bellamy found herself blinking out of the dream—or memory—she really wasn't sure which was which these days anyhow.

At the moment, she was sitting in Alma's office, with her mother. The doors slid open and Bellamy realized that her mother had been talking to her. "Hmm?" Bellamy questioned, glancing over at Alma.

Alma gave a sigh as Katniss Everdeen entered the room. She relaxed ever so slightly at the sight of her Mockingjay, up and walking and somewhat well again. "Please, come in," Alma encouraged warmly. Bellamy just stared at Katniss, narrowing her gaze at the girl. She didn't seem all that much like the symbol that people would stand up and fight for.

But then again—who did, these days?

Bellamy watched as her mother dismissed the others in the room and then invited Katniss to have a seat across from them. "I'm glad you're feeling better," Alma remarked as Katniss slowly took a seat across from the two of them. Bellamy noted the look in Katniss's eyes; unease, not that she blamed her for that particular feeling. "This is my daughter, Bellamy. She was a spy inside."

Katniss's gaze briefly flickered to her and Bellamy just gave a nod of her head, leaning back in her seat. "Snow has to pay for what he's done," Katniss insisted, skipping right past pleasantries. "I want to help the rebels in any way that I can."

Finally, someone who understood what it meant to get to business.

She half-expected her mother to give Katniss an assignment right then and there based on Katniss's conviction. But Alma just nodded her head and gave a look of sympathy. "It's hard to see Peeta this way—" Alma started.

"That's not Peeta."

Bellamy raised a brow. Whoever this Peeta guy was, it was really clear that he wasn't doing well post-Capitol torture. Out of anyone that had been tortured by the Capitol, Annie was the one progressing back to health the fastest. Bellamy was half-convinced it had something to do with her loverboy with a trident.

Johanna was still sickly, though she was starting to gain strength again. And Bellamy herself, while fragile, was also regaining her health and strength. Peeta though? Peeta looked like death warmed over.

"Send me to the Capitol. I'll do anything," Katniss promised firmly.

"I'm with the bird on this one," Bellamy said, gesturing at Katniss. "We should just go and assassinate this guy—"

"I can't," Alma said quickly. "I can't send you there. Either of you. We can't get into the Capitol until we control District 2."

"Then send me to 2," Katniss insisted. "You want me to fire up our troops? Call out to the loyalists? You've seen what I can do.

"Yes, I have," Alma fell silent for a moment, gaze falling on Bellamy.

"I've sat on my ass long enough. I want to do something. Send me with your Mockingjay. We'll be ready," Bellamy insisted firmly.