Chapter Three- Master of Deception

Alder's beaten face appears at my window. Camellia pulls the knife out of her temple and throws it at me. I dodge out of the way but not fast enough and it cuts my arm. I back up and trip over onto the bed where a dismembered arm grabs my throat and I start to choke.

I've been choked before. Last time I kicked and punched and fought for my life but with nothing but an arm there is nothing to fight against. I scratch and try to pry away the fingers but they are unrelenting.

I try to call out but a girl with an infected oozing gash on her face puts a finger to her lips and covers my mouth while pinching my nose.

My lungs heave, trying to pulling in air that won't come. I let myself flop, hoping the hands will think I'm dead and let go but they don't. I feel myself getting light-headed, dizzy and then…the hand is combing my hair with it's fingers.

I open my eyes and the first thing my vision focuses on is the beautiful tropical ocean of Finnick Odair's eyes.

"Mentor or Victor nightmares?" He asks, still combing my hair.

"Mentor."

"Same."

I unlock his arms from around my shoulders and return to the dining table for a drink, my throat is still dry from the choking.

"Do you think Blight and Haymitch have it worked out?" Finnick watches me pick up the pink glass and joins me once more at the table. "Should we just get drunk every night to block it all out?"

"Doesn't work," I say putting the glass down and picking up the jug of water instead. "Blight still has nightmares, the drink just means he can't wake up from them." I drink straight from the jug and then offer it to him. He declines. "Do you want to go to The Hub and check on them?"

"Do you mind?"

"No, I'm getting withdrawal symptoms anyway, I'll come too."

I think he knew that I just didn't want to be left alone because he replies,

"Not quite the Master of Deception Panem thinks Johanna Mason," and chucks my chin.

"Alright Odair, get your coat."

We must've been asleep for a few hours because it's now dark outside the lobby windows of the Training Centre which we hurry past on our way to the basement level Hub.

The Big Eye is showing the District 6 girl bedding down for the evening. There is no Mentor at the District 6 control panel.

White-haired Sandy is still there, resting her head on a fist, staring blankly at the two District 4 Tributes dozing in different parts of the arena. She spots us and perks up just as everyone does when they see Finnick.

"It can't be your turn again!" Her eyes fall on me and her face immediately darkens, just as everyone's does when they see me.

"How's Celeste?" Finnick bends over the control panel.

"Oh don't get me started! I sent a parachute with some medicine for her but that monster from 1 ambushed her. She got out ok but he took the parachute." She bangs her fist on the panel in frustration. "Waste of Sponsor money."

"It's ok, I've got a lunch date tomorrow, I'll sort it. Titan?"

"Set up camp by the stream, it's risky, but he can fish for food."

As they discuss what they can do to get their Tributes through the night my mind wanders. I think about how Sandy must have watched with bated breath at the ambush, just as I had just before Alder was killed.

At the District 1 station, that conceited primped up princess Cashmere is listening in. She pranced and pouted her way through her Game a few years ago, I never liked her even then. She knew that her Tribute was staking out mine, my parachute containing the knife was probably the signal to go for it. In fact I bet—

"He's using the parachutes to track people," I hiss so Cashmere can't overhear.

"What?" Sandy's lip curls up slightly at my interruption.

"He attacked Alder after I sent him a parachute, now he's ambushed Celeste after you've sent her medicine. He must be stationed up high somewhere so he can see the parachutes coming in and then he knows the general area the Tributes are in. You have to stop sending help, it could get them killed."

"Celeste won't last a day without something for her wound," spits Sandy.

"She won't last a day if you help her!" My voice starts to rise and in the corner of my eye I can see Cashmere leaning forward in earnest.

"She's escaped once already!"

"Well done her! She was lucky! She's getting weak, you said she won't last a day, she won't be able to fight him off!" My fingernails start digging into my palm as I clench my fists harder.

"Mason, Sandy stop." Finnick presses a cooling hand on each of our shoulders and I see he too is watching Cashmere. He drops his voice "This is their strategy, we're being threatened into not sending help."

"So what are we going to do? Just sit tight and wait for him to be killed off?" says Sandy, a hint of panic in her voice. She's been a Victor for around 15 years now; it's taken the edge of her. She used to be a fierce trained warrior, now she's a panicky irritant.

"No, we're going to sit tight until the morning, make it look like we're torn between what to do. Mason here is going to make some friends." Finnick tosses a wry smile my way.

What does he want me to do? I can't flirt with Sponsors to raise money for another District, it's not allowed. The money would just go into a closed account for District 7 and at the end of the Games go towards making the Gamemakers as comfortable as possible until next year.

"Talk to the other mentors, the ones not on duty. It's in their best interests that they go along with this." He tries to say as little as possible but I think I get it.

"I can't make friends, they'll see me and slam their doors,"

"Be nice, I know you can be." He kisses my cheek again and behind him I see Sandy's eyes glower. "Master of Deception," he adds with a wink.

I sigh and plaster a painful smile on my face. He moves to pat me on the behind as I move away but I bat his hand away.

"That's my girl."

"I will kill you."

As I move past the District 1 station Cashmere calls out, "I like your hair Jo!" and then sniggers.

I turn around to her but keep walking, running my fingers through my bitty, just growing through mismatched-length hair.

"Thanks Cash, I like yours too, could do with being a bit shorter though. Come on up to the 7th Floor I've got a knife with your name on it."

I push through the door of The Hub and allow myself a genuine smile.

I can be friendly.