Author's notes: Jumping into this AU business by combining my love of THG and Alias: Katniss, Peeta, and the whole gang as spies! Secret identities, disguises, and compromising positions will ensue. It works inside my head, okay? Feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated. I hope you enjoy. No copyright infringement intended.

"When there is nothing left to burn,
You have to set yourself on fire." (Stars)

Prologue

She didn't know her heart could beat as fast as it is beating now, as she forces herself to put one leg in front of the other in a full sprint. Swinging her arms to gain momentum is a bit difficult with the package she is carrying under one arm, and the bow and arrow in her other hand. It is not a weapon she is accustomed to using on missions, but desperate times… Maybe in another life, it might have been something of an extension of her arm.

A zip then the ping of a bullet narrowly misses her head as it hits the wall, while a jumble of men's cries and heavy footsteps follow her down the sterile hallway.

Breathe, breathe. Katniss tries to keep her mind on her training, but none of the simulated obstacle courses at headquarters back home produced the mixture of adrenaline and terror she is experiencing now. If memory serves her correctly, the door at the end of this hallway will lead her to the basement exit of the building. Every step she takes brings her tantalizingly closer to the metal door. Breathe, almost there, breathe. The loud report of a gun emanates from somewhere behind her, and she ducks her head instinctively without slowing down.

Finally, she reaches the end, and balancing her cargo skillfully, she punches in the override code on the keypad to the right of the door. She throws a quick glance over her shoulder to find two men barreling down the hall not too far behind her. The numbers beep as she presses each button: 0-1-0-3-8-0. The panel lights up green and the door handle turns easily. Katniss pushes the heavy door and speedily runs through. The reinforced steel door hisses as she shuts it behind her. She jams the keypad on the other side with the butt of her arrow to short-circuit the door's mechanism.

She finds the staircase on her left side. She opens the door, coming face-to-face with an armed uniformed guard. Before he can react, Katniss's instincts take over, and she brings the heel of her right hand underneath the guard's chin, eliciting an "oof!" and sending his head backward with unexpected force. She uses the bow to strike violently at his arm, and the pistol in his hand flies through the air and lands on the ground with a metallic clatter. Before he can regain his balance, Katniss forcefully thrusts her leg with all her might to connect at the center of the man's chest, sending him down the flight of stairs. His unconscious form rolls to a stop at the bottom landing.

Breathing heavily, Katniss picks up the guard's gun and tucks it in her waistband. She makes her way to the bottom of the stairs, stepping over the man.

The cool night air greets her as she opens the door. Without wasting time, she takes the gun from her waistband and inserts it through the handle of the door, preventing anyone from following her.

Suddenly, she hears a quiet rustle and a muffled grunt behind her. She whirls her head around at the same time she draws her bow and arrow, deftly maneuvering the package she is carrying under her armpit. She is able to discern two dark figures standing not ten yards from her, silhouetted by the night sky. Her weapon at the ready, she braces for the moment to release the arrow, but stops, her eyes widen at the sight.

Peeta, whom she thought was anxiously waiting for her at the rendezvous point, looks pallid even in the darkness. Katniss can see sweat and blood covering his face. He is barely able to stand, a sickening crimson dripping from just above the knee, soaking through his pant leg. His labored breathing is not helped by the fact that Cato, standing behind him, has him placed firmly in a headlock––Peeta's chin and neck crushed by the crook of Cato's elbow, and Cato's other arm poised to twist his captive's head in the opposite direction.

She looks intensely into Peeta's eyes for the impossible reason of trying to communicate with him. But she knows it is no use. Her mind and heartbeat begin to race, but she doesn't lower her weapon. Her knuckles turn white on her grip of the bow, and she can feel her fingers begin to go numb from holding the string and arrow in place. Beside the wisps of hair that have fallen loose from her braid now gently swaying in the light breeze, Katniss stands as still as a statue.

"Shoot me, and he goes down with me." Cato is the first to break the silence, "What's your next move, Girl on Fire?"

Breathe, Katniss says to herself. Breathe.

To be continued...