Warriors ("Allies" Sequel)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The next morning we leave the bunkers once the radar's clear. Boggs pulls me, Finnick and Gale aside and tells us to follow him. At first I thought we'd be going to Command, but then he takes a path that leads us outside.

It takes a bit for my eyes to adjust to the light and see what's in front of me: thousands of white roses scattered through the crumbled cement.

"Why would they leave these here?" Gale asks.

"For me," I struggle to say.

"Katniss," Cressida says behind me. "I need you to send a message to the rebels telling them that Thirteen is alive and well."

And then it hits me. If I keep doing this, if I keep this Mockingjay act up, Snow will kill Peeta. Who knows? Maybe he could already be dead after warning us but I try to hold on to the possibility that he's not.

"I can't," I whisper.

"Katniss," Finnick says, trying to touch my shoulder.

"No, I can't," I say, louder. "He's gonna kill Peeta."

"Katniss, tell Snow that Thirteen is alive and well and so are you," Cressida tells me, but I can't, cause I'm not.

"Don't make me do this," I beg. I try making my way back inside and Haymitch tries to hold me.

"Let her go," I hear Boggs say. "Just let her go back inside."

For a few minutes I feel like I black out and suddenly I'm in one of the pipe rooms. All I can think of is Peeta. How he knew they would hurt him if he told us and he still did. His last chance to help us.

Just then I hear someone walking in and I tense until I see Haymitch.

"Hey sweetheart," he says as he sits down next to me. "So, you're just gonna hide here forever, huh?

"I can't be the Mockingjay," I say.

"Just be Katniss," he says. "Look, I'm here to tell you that they're rescuing Peeta."

"What?"

"Their power is down and their defenses are not working, Beetee is inside their system now causing as much static as he can and we're taking the opportunity."

"I have to help them," I begin to stand up but he holds me down.

"They already left. Six volunteers. Cressida is filming an interview with Finnick outside, and live-broadcasting it to create some distraction."

I can't say I don't feel a little relief when he says Finnick's here, but I know who did go save Peeta: Gale.

We make our way to Command and I see Finnick's interview has already started. Next to his screen is a live broadcast of the rescue mission. I turn my eyes to Finnick and then back to Gale, trying to keep track of what's happening on both screens.

I turn to Finnick, wondering what he's gonna say to make a distraction.

"We've survived an assault from the Capitol," he's saying. "I'm here to tell you the truth about what it really is like to survive The Hunger Games. You survive the arena but once you leave you're a slave."

I see him struggling for words, nervous, breathing faster. "President Snow used to... sell me. My body, at least."

I feel the blood drain from my body. No. This can't be real... But it is. It makes sense, the way he'd get uncomfortable sometimes talking about his life in the Capitol, it was all because of this.

"I wasn't the only one," he continues. "He did it to other victors too and if you refused, he'd kill someone you loved."

The thought of Finnick being so vulnerable, and helpless trying to protect the people he loved makes my teeth clench. I will kill Snow.