Everybody Talks: Sequel

Chapter Nine: Duty Calls

***Peeta's POV***
Run. Run. Run. We are almost done running our daily two mile jog around the base. Our drill instructor rides along on an AMV, yelling at us to go faster. The AMV is only supposed to be used for military ground exploration and scouting missions, but who am I to argue the use of a military vehicle with him? I swear he is looking at me specifically because I'm the slowest one her. What do you expect though? I only have one real leg. They must have been really desperate for soldiers since I am here because technically I should be home, but because I can't control that I am here I need to focus on what it important; staying alive. I can see the spot where we started, and I try to push myself harder. Is it hard to believe that only months ago I could run the mile in gym class in less than 8 minutes, coming in first, but now I can barely finish two miles? I guess it's different not running it on the track. I run faster, imagining I'm racing Katniss into the water at the beach of North Carolina. I think I'm going to be able to pass someone who is just barely ahead of me, but my fake leg hits a fallen branch and I fall to the ground. I begin to roll and I hear the AMV coming to a stop. The next thing I know, Instructor Thread is standing above me with folded arms.
"Did you think faking a fall would get you out of finishing your run soldier?" he asks.
"No sir, I tripped."
"I'm sure you did." He reaches his hand down to me and helps me stand up. "I expect more out of you."
"I'm sorry." I mumble.
"You're sorry who?"
"Sir."
"Now finish." He gives me a harsh push and I take off running again. You would think putting my life on the line for my country would get me a little respect, but it doesn't. I run the short distance to where the others are standing. Luckily I find Riley and Gale pretty quickly. Not 30 seconds later Instructor Thread is showing up on the AMV, ready to give orders.
"You will be training today in hand to hand combat, and then you will go through a course which consists of obstacles you must face, but I won't ruin the surprise for you. " He says, more like yells, at us with an evil grin
"You will be separated into two groups! I want everyone who was with Boggs on the first day to the right, and everyone who was here before to the left." We all move around until I'm in a group with all of my friends, plus some people I don't know. I look around and I don't see Johanna, but I end up spotting her with the group on the left. I'm very confused at first, not knowing why she went with them. I suppose I will have to ask her tonight, but knowing her she is probably just trying to get in with the harder training. We jog into the base where we go to our stations. They pair us up, I end up with Riley, and they show us simple moves to use in case for some reason, we fall behind enemy lines or come in close contact with the enemy. I did wrestling so I know how to tackle someone and keep them on the ground, and Riley did wrestling too so our instructors are interested in seeing us fight each other. Riley ends up pinning me, but only because he knows all my weaknesses, and this leg doesn't give me the greatest advantage. After a while of being taught different strategies, which I must say were pretty easy to master, they take us to the course we have to complete. They shove two guns into our hands. A semi automatic machine gun, and a pistol.
"You will start here." an instructor says "you will run out into the street where different surprises wait for you. Then you must enter a building with cut outs of either enemy soldier or civilian. Shoot the innocent you run, shoot the enemy you won't have to run tomorrow. But, if you don't shoot the enemy you run. Understood?"
"Sir yes sir!" We all say at the same time.
"Good, now, you will have two military generals here to evaluate your performance. General Boggs and General Coin, but they will be watching from a distance. Do not disappoint." He walks off to the start of the obstacle course an one by one, we all begin to file in. Naturally I'm the last person in line so if others fail horribly I better do somewhat good. Finnick is right in front of me and we talk for a little while, waiting for our cue. Finnick goes so I have to wait another 15 to 20 minutes before I get to go. I'm not sure what lies behind that gate but I know it won't be pretty. Nothing here has been pretty. This reminds me of some kind of private training, because they are evaluating our skills. Finally it is my time to go and I suddenly grow nervous. I put my pistol in my belt and I grip my other gun. I walk into the gate and it closes behind me. They don't give me any instruction they just say
"Go!" I run out into the open where the street is foggy with some kind of gas. I look around knowing I have to figure a way out of it. There is a gas mask laying on the ground and just as I begin to choke, I pull it on and over my face. Breathing becomes much easier and I sigh a fresh breath. I run down the street where I encounter three enemy cut outs, one holding a child cut out at gun point. I shoot each of them in the head, and I barely miss the child. So far, no running for me tomorrow. I rush farther down until I come to a building, the sign says enter so I do. As soon as I step inside, more cut outs appear in front of me. An enemy holding an old lady at gun point, a mother holding her child, and three more enemy standing with guns pointed at me. I shot the ones I needed and headed upstairs to the roof, finding I was out of ammunition. I grabbed my pistol and dropped my other gun because it's quicker than reloading. Going up the steps I have to pull out my knife and cut another enemy. On the roof I hear a voice overhead. (A/N I'm going to steal a little from Divergent.)
"Congratulations! You only have one more thing to do. These people have been found guilty of war crimes and have been sentenced to death. It is your job to execute them." It says and I hold my pistol close. Suddenly more cut outs pop out of nowhere and I see faces that shock me, I almost drop the gun. In front of me is my parents, little brother, Finnick, Annie, and Katniss. Of course it is fake, I know, but the thought of having to shoot my parents, even my witch of a mother, my little brother, my best friend and his girlfriend, and my own girlfriend are just to much for me.
"They are now considered enemy collaborators and must be shot for their crimes." The voice says but my gun stays low. How did they even get cut outs of the people I love? Is that something the Marines can even do? I raise the gun and point it first at my mother. No matter how much I don't like her, no matter how many bruises and scars she has given me, I can't shoot her. If I can shoot her, how could I shoot the others? Call me a baby, but I begin to cry. Seeing their faces reminds me of home, and reminds me of what I'm missing.
"Peeta, they are guilty. Shoot them." The voice says again. No amount of running is worth shooting them.
"No." I say and the cut outs slide back into place. I wait for a moment, wiping tears from my eyes when two people walk in. I recognize Boggs from the first day but General Coin I've never seen. How was I to know she was a girl? She looks to be in her 50's white short white hair, and evil eyes.
"Why didn't you shoot them?" She asks.
"How did you get those?"
"Answer my question."
"Because I know they would be innocent."
"What if they weren't?"
"They are." I growl. "Now answer my question, how did you get those?" She puts her hand behind her back and paces back and forth in front of me.
"We have access to your online profiles, and we found some pictures. Now soldier, you know the punishment for not doing as told."
"It wasn't worth it." I snap at her.
"Of course not. Enjoy your run tomorrow morning." She begins to walk away but Boggs speaks up.
"Wait, I like his defiance. It's just the right amount of rebellion we need in this war." He gives me a shy smile. He must know how much struggle I have with running the way it is.
"He is a disgrace to our military operation."
"He is stronger than most of the people here and he has a prosthetic leg." She has no words for that. "You won't run tomorrow soldier, and I'll keep my eye on you."
"Thank you sir." I salute him.
"At ease soldier." And I lower my hand. "You are dismissed." I turn away from him and walk out the exit. Thank the Lord I'm out of there! That place is my new Hell. This place all together does not up to the nightmares that course holds for me, all because of the end. The very thought of having to do that makes me want to puke. I go back to my bunk where everyone else is, and I lay on my bed.
"I killed my family." Gale says.
"I had to kill Annie." Finnick shudders.
"They didn't have anyone to use against me." Johanna sighs.
"They wanted me to kill my family, Annie, Finnick, and Katniss." I blurt out.
"Didn't you?"
"No, I refused. And Coin wasn't happy but Boggs came to my rescue."
"I should have done that." Cato says finally.
"I shot mom, It didn't bother me much though." Riley says and I can hear the smirk in his voice.
"It bothered me."
"Guys I can't stand this anymore, I'm going to see if the computer is open so I can check my email." Marvel says getting up.
"I'll go with you." Finnick decides and they walk out together. I sit there for a few minutes when I remembered I wanted to ask Johanna about this morning.
"Hey Jo?"
"Yeah?"
"Why were you with the advanced group today, what's that about?" I ask.
"They told me they were impressed with my performance lately so they put my with them."
"Really? What more are you doing than us?"
"Not a lot, we are just taking things to the next level. While you are still using semi automatics we are learning fully automatic. And we are even learning to drive tanks."
"That's awesome" I fist bump her. I have to make the best out of this don't I? I can't go around feeling sorry for myself all the time, I have to try to have fun. I lay back down on my bed for a minute before the doors bust open, and Finnick comes in the room, out of breath.
"Peeta..." He gasps for air.
"What?"
"It's Katniss." He says between breaths. "Something's happened." I jump off my bunk and run passed Finnick towards the room with the computer.
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-Hannah