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| THE CAPITOL; CONTROL ROOM|
A visage of Katniss and Peeta kissing plays on the screen, their foreheads pressed against each other. Plutarch Heavensbee closed the door behind him, the President's full attention on the screen as he watched the teenage girl.
"She's preparing to fight," Snow commented, looking over at the Head Gamemaker with his cold eyes.
Plutarch gave him a wistful smile, "that's our girl."
"This is what you predicted." Snow said while sitting on the couch that faced the large screen, various clips of Johanna and Beetee, Finnick and Greyson, Brutus and Enobaria playing, watching their every move. Plutarch sat as well. "Moves and counter moves," Snow tested the words on his tongue, a slight hiss at the end of his sentence as if he enjoyed the feeling of it lasting in his mouth.
"Indeed," Plutarch looked at the clock that hung on the wall and realized just how much little time he had left. He stood up and addressed Snow. "We'll toast when it's done? In the meantime, make yourself comfortable." Snow nodded and leaned back against the couch, prepared to watch Katniss Everdeen ruin all that she's created.
| THE ARENA; LIGHTNING TREE|
Wire after wire did Beetee mechanically wrap the copper around the trunk of the lightning tree, mumbling to himself every few seconds. Greyson was standing by Finnick, unsure about everything that led up to this moment. She was shaking with anticipation, every move she made felt like she had lead in her bones. But once the action started, she knew that she'd fight back.
She poked Finnick on the stomach, his muscles feeling hard to the touch as she withdrew her hand. Finnick looked down at her, a mixture of worry and adoration in his eyes. "Finn," she whispered so the others wouldn't be able to hear them. "Whatever happens, from today and onward, I want you to know that you're probably the best thing that's ever happened to me. And that's saying a lot from the girl who's lived most of her life alone."
He smiled down at her, kissing the top of her forehead. "I love you," he whispered back to her.
Beetee's voice cut through the humid air, holding out the coil of wire to Johanna and Katniss. "Typically, a lightning strike contains five billion joules of energy. We don't want to be anywhere in the vicinity when this hits. You two girls, go together now." They take it from him, Katniss wearily eyeing Peeta from afar. Greyson and everybody else knew what the plan was, but she feared that Peeta and Katniss would disrupt it and get them all killed. "Take this. Unspool it carefully. Make sure the entire coil is in the water, understand? Then head to the tree at the two o'clock sector, we'll meet you there."
