Against the Current (Finnick and Annie)

Chapter 11~Finnick

I feel someone shaking me awake. I sit up groggily and look around. It takes me a moment but then I see that I'm still on the roof where I fell asleep talking to Annie. I sigh. The phone is long dead by now and I won't be able to hear her voice again.

"Is it time to go?" I ask the Avox who woke me up. He nods.

"Okay," I sigh.

I go back to our floor and see Mags waiting with our stylists, Parsha and Saxon.

"You're late," Parsha scolds but without her usual vigor. I can tell she's upset. She's known me and Mags for a while. Even someone as dense as her will be upset by the situation.

I don't even bother with a snarky comment. "Sorry," I apologize as we enter the elevator.

We ride silently in the hovercraft together and sit as they inject the trackers into us. Seeing it being injected into my arm reminds me of the plan to get Katniss out.

I was heading to training the first day when Madi stopped me and led me to a room. Inside were most of the other tributes, Haymitch, and Plutarch Heavensbee.

"What's going on?" I asked Madi as I sat down next to Mags.

"Remember that rebellion I told you about?" Plutarch asked. He grinned wickedly. "Well there's been a change of plans."

Then he addressed the crowd as a whole. "Thank you everyone for coming. You were called here because the rebellion and I trust you. I'm sure you are all aware of the rising tensions and the revolts occurring around Panem."

Plutarch looked around before continuing.

"They look to Katniss to lead them and that can't happen if she's dead. So the plan is to break her out and we need all of your help."

I shook my head and saw Johanna scoff incredulously. This plan was worse than the last one he introduced to me back in Four.

"Before you say no, listen to the plan and I think you'll be convinced," Plutarch said.

Then Beetee stood up. He looked around the room nervously before speaking. He clicked a button and a hologram of the arena appeared. I leaned in closer. It didn't look big, but as far as arenas go this is the best one for me and Mags. It looked like a circular rainforest with a beach in the middle.

"The arena is surrounded by a force field that will prevent anyone from the outside getting in," Beetee said. Then he went on explaining how we needed to keep Katniss alive until he broke it involving something with electricity. I don't know. It was confusing.

"Katniss doesn't want allies, not surprisingly, but I'll make sure she takes them in the arena," Haymitch said gruffly. "As you all know Katniss isn't a people person. Frankly she doesn't trust any of you. She only trusts herself and Peeta. Without Peeta she will be even more unpredictable."

They couldn't have chosen a harder person to protect. It might be easier to win the games than follow that girl's mind.

"So what are you trying to say?" Johanna asked.

Haymitch smiled humorlessly. "If this rebellion is going to survive, you need to protect both Katniss and Peeta."

A heavy silence filled the room. It'll be nearly impossible to protect the two of them from the other tributes and the Capitol. We're not stupid. We knew Snow planned these games to get rid of Katniss. There's no way he's going to let her live through this.

"I know it's daunting but I'm convinced we can do it," Plutarch said.

I rolled my eyes. Easy for him to say when he was safe in the control room. Beetee said he was in followed by Wiress. Chaff and Cecelia agreed too, followed by Johanna. I looked at her with a confused expression but she just shrugged her shoulder.