Defenders of Panem (Being Rewritten)

Chapter 35

Meg's POV

White, that's all there is. My vision focuses and I still see white. White walls, white curtains, white sheets, nurses and doctors dressed in white. No. Mutts. White mutts. I kick and struggle and try to scream with my hoarse throat, but no sound escapes my dry lips. They hold me down and tear at my arms and face, like the lion mutts in the arena.

"Meg! Meg!" My head snaps to the shout. Collin; struggling against two nurses to get to me from his hospital bed. He stops struggling and looks me in the eyes. "It's okay. We're safe"

I slowly stop struggling and realize my location. District 13 hospital. Like Collin says, we're safe, we're alive. The Capitol doesn't have me, they failed and we won this battle. The nurse I punched in the face seems to sigh in relief, but even then she gives me a small glare. I lie back onto the pillow and let the doctors and nurses check me over and re-attach the IVs.

"Hey Meg." One of the nurses says to me, I look at her and smile a little. It's Vinnie Stockheart; she lived in 11 before the take over, but moved to 13 and became a nurse.

"Is my family ok?" I ask, and she has a sorrowful look on her face. But before she can answer the door bursts open, slamming into the wall. For a moment I don't recognize him, but even in it's matted state there's no disguising his coppery hair.

"Hey Dath." Collin says "You look like shit"

"Look in the mirror Collin." He says with a small look of relief on his face. Vinnie looks over at him.

"Mr. Odair, do you have authorization to be in here?" She asks.

"Wait. Who's Mr. Odair?" Collin asks. I forgot that he didn't know.

"I'm Mr. Odair." Dath says walking over to our beds "My name isn't Dath Runner. That was a my fake identity for over ten years. My real name is Finnick Odair Jr."

"Wait...so you're saying..." Collin is confused.

"Dath is actually Finnick Odair's son." I say and Collin looks over at me.

"What the fuck???? Did you know this??" He asks. I would lie to him, but he deserves the truth. I nod yes. "So after all these years this has all been a lie???"

"Don't be so dramatic. The only lie was his name and his father." I tell him.

Finnick looks around. "Where's Jem??"

I look over at the bed next to me, where I thought she was but the bed is occupied by someone I don't recognize wrapped in bandages. I look at Vinnie. "Where's Jem?"

She looks at us sadly "There were some complications with your guy's escape. They stopped the footage just before the force field exploded. District 13 was bombed, 11 was bombed, what was left of 12 was bombed again, and parts of district 4 were raided, along with parts of 11 and 7. A lot of people didn't make it out. And the Capitol sent in hover crafts to the arena. And-"

The door opens and people come in. The Council of 13. Our leaders. Haymitch Abernathy, Arvis Gillette, Effie Trinket, Johanna Mason, Cyria Wullock, Beetee Latier, Katniss's mother Mrs. Everdeen, Mog Jameson, Gale Hawthorne, Peeta Mellark, and at the front, Katniss Everdeen.

Now I know things are getting serious. Peeta and Katniss have hardly left the private wing of district 13 since they came here after the attempted assassination. Things must be getting bad if they're finally revealing that they're alive.

Collin looks at them, and then at me "Did you know about this too??"

"Yes. I did." He runs his hands through his hair frustrated.

Finnick looks at them "Where's Jem? What happened? What aren't you telling me??"

Peeta looks at him "Finn I think you should sit down."

"No! I won't sit down! Tell me what's going on!" Finn yells.

"Finnick do as you're told and sit." Arvis says, her dirty blonde hair tied back in a tight ponytail. Finnick doesn't sit.

"Please just tell us what's going on!" I shout. Katniss hasn't taken her weary gray eyes off me.

"Meg, Collin, Finnick..." everyone is quiet as she speaks. Gale paces a bit, running his hands through his hair. "When the force field on the arena exploded, our hovercraft was waiting, but it wasn't the only one. Because of unforeseen circumstances" she half glances at Beetee, who had his head in his hands" The Capitol had one there as well. We were lucky enough to get you two out."

"What do you mean? Unforeseen circumstances?" I ask. Katniss sighs.

"There was a traitor in your group. Because of that the capitol was tipped off on what was happening. We were only able to get you and Collin out."

It takes a moment for this to sink in. I sit there in shock, I want to say something but words simply wont come.

"So you're saying that they have her?" Finnick asks, his voice barely a whisper. Effie bursts into tears when Haymitch nods solemnly. Finnick back hands a bedside table, sending a vase of flowers shattering onto the floor. He then turns to Katniss "WHY THE HELL COULDN'T YOU GET HER OUT??? THE HOVER CRAFT HAS THREE CLAWS! YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN HER OUT!!"

"The third claw was destroyed when the hovercraft was attacked." Gale answers "We did everything we could, but Meg and Collin were our top priorities."

"Why the hell was I a top priority?? And who was the traitor??" Collin asks.

"You and Meg have always been the leaders of the group. We had to get you two out." Arvis says.

Finnick lunges at her, his eyes blazing with fury. But he's tackled to the ground by Mog and Cyria, the two men hold him there as he fights. I jump up and start to run over but I nearly collapse the moment my feel touch the floor. Peeta grabs me before I fall. I look over and see Collin half out of bed, with Gale by his side. Katniss walks over to us. I didn't notice the tears pouring down my cheeks until now.

"This can't be real..." I gasp out, I feel blood wetting the bandages across my chest, I must have opened up a wound.

"Yes. Jem and Jace have been taken by the Capitol." She says.

"Who is the traitor??" Collin asks, fear, confusion, and disbelief are spread across his face.

"I think you know the answer to that Mr. Venwan." Katniss says.

And we do.

For years the traitor has been Karter.

Jem and Jace are prisoners in the Capitol.

The war has begun.

END OF BOOK ONE