The Silent Killer (A Finnick Odair Love Story)

Chapter Twenty

Merry Christmas! I just had an amazing night, so here's an update!

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My hair dye is gone. My hair is no longer the beautiful blood red it used to be. It's an intense jet black, my natural shade.

"I didn't know you have black hair," Finnick muses, gently pushing some behind my ear.

I smile slightly, instead of talking. My throat has been killing me lately and I still can't talk properly. But Finnick and I have been working on it.

"The whole country saw your entire meeting with Snow," he whispers and I look up into his eyes, surprised.

How? I sign. The doctor said not to talk for a few days, so I've gone back to sign language.

"The rebels have cameras everywhere," he murmurs. He gently caresses my face, his fingers brushing my lips. "You never deserved any of this."

"I never would have met you," I whisper, despite the pain. He's the only one I can be myself around. I can let down my guard with him. "I can't live without you."

"Yes, you can," he says softly, cupping my face. "You're stronger than anyone I've ever met. It's me that can't live without you. I've loved you since I first saw you. I can't be without you. I'd rather die than live without you."

I take ahold of his free hand, entwining our fingers. He kisses me softly, but is interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Ms. Lethe? Me. Odair? The team just came in with the captured victors," Boggs says.

"You mean...Peeta and Johanna? They're here?" he asks, shocked.

Boggs nods, so we follow after him. Finnick's arm wraps around me and he pulls me close to him. Boggs opens a door and I take a deep breath. We walk inside, and I instantly see Johanna's bed. I go to her side and see she's just staring at the ceiling.

"Hey Jo," I whisper, unable to keep from smiling. Screw the doctor's orders.

"Hey Del," she replies, her eyes meeting mine. Her head is shaved and her eyes are tired. "Is Finnick here, too?"

"Yeah," I tell her. "So is Beetee."

"Good," she slurs, clearly falling back asleep from the drugs they're pumping into her. "That's good." Her eyes drift over my shoulder and she manages a smile. "Hey Finn."

"Hey," he says softly, holding her hand. "I missed you."

"Missed you too," she mumbles. Seconds later, she's fast asleep. So is Cashmere, who they apparently rescued as well. We hear a scream come from the other room and go running.

Peeta's bloody and bruised, but he's strangling...Katniss?

Hijacking, I think, my eyes going wide.

I jump into action, prying her from his grip. I kick Peeta hard in the chest and he growls, coming back up easily. I punch him hard in the shoulder, dodging all of his attempts to hit me. Finally, I grab his shoulders and bash his head into the wall. He's knocked out cold and his body crumples to the ground.

"What was that?" Katniss gasps, staring at me.

"Hijacking. They used tracker jacker venom to mess with his head," I answer, breathing heavily.

"How do you know?" Beetee asks me.

"Let's just say," I pause, thinking back to when I found out about all the Dark Days tricks, "I found out some things that people very high up in the government don't want me to know."

"Is that why Snow's afraid of you?" Katniss asks.

"Partly," I nod. "And partly because I have the highest recorded IQ in District Five history."

"You do?" Finnick asks, surprised. I nod.

"Snow knew how dangerous I was, considering I was able to figure out all of their tricks. I knew what they were planning before they did."

"Well," Haymitch mutters, crossing his arms. "What are they planning?"

"You won't like it," I warn. He nods, signaling for me to go on. "Peeta's his weapon. He'll try and take Katniss out in every way he can."

"Yes, but-"

"But nothing," I interrupt Plutarch. "Trust me."

I know what he's playing at. He's trying to unnerve me, trying to show me just how easily that could have been me that was attacked.

"Then what do we do?" Katniss asks, her voice hoarse. I look at Finnick.

"We go to war. And soon."