When We Fall~Finnick Odair {Book 3}

Chapter Ten

•••

Autumn hadn't seen Johanna or Peeta in what she believed to be three weeks. Once they were moved to the Tribute Center, each of the victors were given their own cell in their own room.

It had been almost a month since Autumn sent that message to District Thirteen. She didn't get a reply. She wasn't even sure if they had gotten it or not. She just had to hope.

Autumn knew Peeta had been beaten for warning District Thirteen that the Capital was coming to bomb them. But according to President Snow, the message was even worst than Autumn's had been. Autumn could only imagine how badly he had been broken.

Autumn could no longer remember what she use to look like before being taken to the Capital. She couldn't remember her pale skin without scars or bruises. She couldn't remember not living in a cell.

Everyday, this life became more and more ordinary. The Capital played with her mind, putting false memories in it. She still loved Finnick. She still remembered District Four and Mags and her family, but everyday she trusted less and less in the rebels. They were turning her against the rebels, slowly but surely. It was only a matter of time.

•••

Finnick stared at the screen, watching the rescue team take off in the Capital hovercraft. He really hoped this would work.

He looked over at Katniss who was standing to his right, staring at Gale's screen. Gale held onto his gun, tightly.

"Are you ready, Finnick?" Cressida asked from behind him. Finnick turned and nodded. Cressida walked out of the room along with her production crew, Finnick following behind.

They rode up the elevator and climbed out of the District Thirteen bunker. Castor and Pollux got right to work setting up the shot.

Finnick stood in the middle of the rubble, staring at all of the white roses on the ground around his feet. He was the distraction. If he couldn't go on the mission to get Autumn back, he'd do whatever he could. Even if that meant talking about the truth behind being a victor in the Games.

"Okay, Finnick," Cressida spoke from next to Pollux who was filming. Finnick turned and faced the camera. "No matter what, just keep taking." Finnick nodded.

Cressida counted down on her fingers and pointed to Finnick, telling him when he could begin speaking. Finnick took in a deep breath. This is for Autumn, he thought.

"This is Finnick Odair. Winner of the 65th Hunger Games," Finnick began. "And I'm coming to you from District 13, alive and well. We've survived an assault from the Capitol. But I'm not here to give you recent news."

Finnick paused for a moment.it was time for the country to know the truth.

"The truth. Not the myths about a life of luxury. Not the lie about glory for your homeland. You can survive the arena. The moment you leave, you're a slave," Finnick spoke.

Finnick watched as Cressida nodded, waving her hand to tell him to continue.

"President Snow used to sell me. Or my body, at least," Finnick continued, speaking of the horrors he endured. "I wasn't the only one. Autumn was also forced into prostitution. If a Victor is considered desirable, the President gives them as a reward or allows people to buy them. If you refuse, he kills someone you love."

Finnick let out a breath. All those years of trying to protect Autumn and she may already be dead. Or changed. Finnick only hoped she would be on the hovercraft ride home.

•••

Autumn knew something was wrong. Peacekeepers and doctors ran around the Tribute Center and this was the first time Autumn was let out of her cell in three days.

A Peacekeeper dragged her to a large room. The room where the tribute parade ended on the first day of the Games.

Already in there were Johanna and Peeta. Peeta was laying on a stretcher, passed out. He looked horrible.

Autumn was shoved over to Johanna. Two Peacekeepers shoved gags in Johanna and Autumn's mouths, tying them around their heads. They then tied their wrists behind their backs and pushed them to walk forward.

Autumn and Johanna shared an entire conversation in one look. They were both confused but confident. And they would both fight if they needed too.

The Peacekeepers brought the three into a communal shower room that looked like it was connected to a lab room. The showers were more than likely meant to clean off chemicals if there had been a spill in the lab.

The Peacekeepers took Johanna and Autumn and told them to sit on the floor next to a shower head pole, which they did. The Peacekeepers then took out rope and tied both of them to the pole by their ankles. They rolled Peeta on the stretcher up next to them and lifted him off of it, setting him down on the floor next to Johanna and Autumn.

And then the Peacekeepers turned and left the room, shutting the lights off behind them.