The Hunger Games: Uprising!

Chapter 17

I go to look down the ladder shaft but Gale grabs my arm and pushes me away. "Climb!" he shouts.

I make my way up, shocked at the loss of life.

I emerge into another small tunnel leading out onto the transfer. But there's nothing here. The remaining squad members are dispersed into defensive positions. Gale takes his place behind me.

"What now?" I ask him.

"Hopefully a delivery truck will come through"

"We can't wait here all day Gale"

"Then we're gonna have to walk" he says smiling.

Gibbs comes over, hearing our exchange.

"You think thats our only option, to walk out of here?"

"Afraid so. By now they would of worked out that we've made our way up here. If it was me I'd stop all the freight traffic, cutting us off" says Gale

Gibbs tries to make contact with Plutarch again. This time she gets a connection and Paylor is called over to talk with him. Gibbs calls Joel, Gale and me over.

"Okay, this is what Plutarch just told me. Wolfe has appeared on TV boasting that we've been trapped in the tunnels under the capitol and that re-inforcements have been sent to apprehend us. They've also tried to take control of the freighter that brought us in from District 4. Fortunately the Captain was wise to the attack and took the ship out into the river. Its safe for now but if they try to attack again he'll probably head for open sea and District 4".

"What happens now" I ask

"Plutarch is going to chance sending a drop ship into the dock area, its a big risk as its over run with enemy forces. He's asked if we could try to secure the area before the drop ship lands"

"We dont have much choice do we" says Gale

Paylor walks over and hands the Holo back to Gibbs. "

"Any of you got a weapon handy, I might as well be of some use"

I keep forgetting that Paylor wasn't always president. She used to be a Commander back in District 8. I unbuckle my holster and hand Paylor my pistol and extra clips.

"Thanks Katniss"

Gibbs continues.

"We're too out in the open here so I suggest we continue on until we find a ladder to take us back down to the service level. As long as we come back down on the other side of the blockage we should be Okay.

The squad spreads out into two columns running up either side of the transfer. After about five minutes we find the doorway we're looking for. But before we can make for it we hear that haunting hissing sound from behind. The man mutts have found us. In the brightly lit transfer tunnel we can see the mutts running toward us, their black eyes staring at us intently. The speed of them is simply shocking, I've never seen anything run this fast.

"Any ideas?" asks Gale

"Yes, lets play them at their own game, blow the roof"

Gale looks at me with a smile on his face.

I take two explosive arrows from my sheath and arm them, then string them both for a double shot. Gale does the same.

"Aim for that security camera down the tunnel its far enough away that we wont get caught in the blast or the cave in"

We need for all four arrows to hit the same area for this too work. I take aim and wait for Gale to steady his.

"Ready" I see Gale nod in the corner of my eye"