A/N I first want to SINCERELY apologize for taking too long to update, school has gotten in the way and I haven't got much done writing wise. I had written half this chapter a week after I updated the last chapter, and never had enough time to finish it. However, I've had a sick day, and have had a lot of time on my hands, so guess what I finished! I've decided that keeping you guys happy with this story is a good thing, so I'll try to update more often. No guarantees though. Anyway, without any further ado, here is the next chapter.
A soft thump emanated from his bag as Haymitch threw another pair of pants into it. He would pack only what he needed and he needed only the basic necessities. He really only required his wallet, because he was sure Plutarch would supply him with everything he needed, but he felt safer to pack his own things. He paused for a moment before determining he had everything he would need. He fastened up the bag, and walked summarily down the stairs and out the door. He proceeded in the direction of the train station. As Haymitch neared the station, he took notice of all the rebuilding that was happening. It wasn't happening fast, especially compared to the capitol standards, but it definitely progressed more and more every day, since the new arrivals to district 12.
Haymitch thought back to his current situation, why he was running from the home he knew just to go find someone who was of stationary importance in the capitol. When had Effie Trinket become such a high priority in his life? Was he losing his mind? Effie Trinket used to be some capitol woman he had to tolerate for two weeks out of the year, and even then, he wasn't coherent enough to remember it. Now he was rushing off to go and find her, thousands of miles away. How could he think that Effie stood him up? Effie would never do that, would she? High society and everything, she was focused on schedules, so it would be unlikely for her to miss her train. Had she been kidnapped? Did she run away? But what would she be running from, the capitol was her world. She knew how to manipulate it. And yet she said in her letter that she couldn't take it anymore. That brought a thought into Haymitch's mind. No, she couldn't have. She couldn't have done that. Was there any possibility? Haymitch didn't think she had the guts to just end it all. She would have fought for a way out. He quickly disregarded the idea. Effie was in danger, and it was now all Haymitch's fault.
Haymitch could see the station now, in all its… glory. He quickly found his train and boarded it. The train was not scheduled to leave for another 30 minutes. A few train attendants stopped to ask him if he needed anything. He dismissed them; he did not care for anything. His mind was too focused on Effie. He knew that he could do nothing for her until he arrived in the capitol and met with Plutarch. He hardly noticed the entire trip to the capitol when the train finally managed to pull out of the station.
The train arrived some hours later, with Haymitch finally exhausted from thinking, for the first time in his life. He couldn't remember ever being this mentally fatigued. He stumbled out of the train, not intoxicated, but tired. Plutarch and a team of 5 other people were there to greet him, all with mournful faces. Searching for someone was not a happy occasion for anyone, no matter who it was.
Plutarch approached Haymitch. "Welcome, friend. I hope your journey wasn't too long."
"Oh, I hardly noticed it anyway." Haymitch replied.
"Good. I'm glad. Well, we've already started the search, if that's alright with you. We wanted to start as soon as possible."
"That's alright with me. I just want her found." Haymitch stated.
"Well, that's what we're here to do. My team here will help you. They know what they are doing. They helped in searching for the imprisoned capitol members after the Rebellion, so they know where all the capitol hiding places are."
"Excellent. Let's get started, shall we?" Haymitch looked anxious to leave.
"Yes, yes perhaps. However, this is where I must leave you, I'm afraid I have other duties to attend to," Plutarch apologized.
"Thank you for all your help, Plutarch."
"Anything for an old friend." He left Haymitch and the team at the station.
She dare not open her eyes again. She tended to endure better when her eyes were closed. She could not see anyway, her cell was black as night and as cold as winter. Maybe it was winter, she didn't know. It only seemed like she was in the cell for a few days, but she could have sworn that she had been in this cell for months. When she awoke that first day, her body seemed to be healthy, her figure had filled out, her scars had healed, and her hair was grown back. Now, she sat in the dark, her arm throbbing as a wound was kept open. She tried to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding. Her maimed arm kept bleeding, it hadn't stopped since a couple of hours ago since she was cut with one of the sharp pointy sticks the guards had. She didn't know what they were; they just hurt when they were thrust into her flesh. The bleeding had slowed down, but she had already lost a lot of blood. She was glad that it was dark, so she wouldn't be impelled to gander at her mutilated body. She was unambiguously naked, very cold, and just now on the verge of losing consciousness.
She was going to die. There was no doubt about it. She has a lot of regrets. She wished she had never signed up to be an escort, never had to deal with the deaths of the children. But then again, if she didn't, she would've never met Octavia, Flavius, Venia, and…. Haymitch. Her mind stopped on his name. Was she glad that she met him? All he had ever been to her was rude, unmannered, and drunk! He was useless when it came to doing his work… Except for the past two years. He had accomplished his work quite well. But he was still a drunk, and that was all he was ever going to be. No thing or person could change that. It doesn't matter anyway; she would never see another living human again.
Haymitch and the team had gone to every place in the city ever visited by Effie. They had gotten nowhere. In fact, Haymitch was pretty sure that there was no place in the capitol that hadn't been searched by the team. Then again, he didn't know the capitol all that well. He was starting to lose hope. How could he lose Effie now? How could he possibly live without at least knowing she existed? Haymitch decided he wouldn't give up. He wouldn't give up until he found her.
