Disclaimer: I do not own Malcolm In The Middle or The Hunger Games.
7. Combination, Please
Cato and Marvel fiddled with the store safe, leaving Katniss, Peeta and the rest of the customers and workers alone in the other room.
Seeing that they were occupied, Katniss attempted to calm everyone down. "Okay, it's important that everyone just stay. Calm."
Peeta was at her side in a second, and she knew in the back of her mind that this wouldn't end well.
"And don't make any sudden moves, or they'll kill you." The Assistant Manager so helpfully supplied, and she resisted rolling her eyes.
The hostages shifted uneasily, but nodded in agreement nonetheless. Peeta continued.
"And don't look them in the eyes, or they'll kill you...and whatever you do, don't beg them not to kill you...or they'll kill you!-"
Katniss grabbed Peeta roughly by the shoulder and pulled him to the other side of the room, away from the others.
"Okay, I need you to stop talking." She said curtly, but before she could say anything else, Marvel walked in.
"You!" He yelled, pointing his gun at Peeta. "Assistant Manager! Come 'ere!"
Peeta panicked, looking to Katniss. "This is it...I forgot to feed my dog. Funny, the things you remember right before you die..."
"Peeta, you're being ridiculous! They just want to talk to you!" Katniss hissed at him, urging him to join Marvel before he lost his temper and things really got out of hand.
Nodding, Peeta began walking towards the armed teen, turning around at the last second to join her side again.
"Katniss, before we're all killed in a bloody massacre, I have to tell you-"
"Shhh!" Katniss shushed him, walking over and grabbing his arm. "Don't even think like that! Just give them the money and get. Them. Out, of, here."
She walked him over to Marvel and Cato, who had just walked in to check on how things were going.
"Can we speed this along, please?" She asked, and Cato nodded.
"Yeah. Just give us the combination to the safe and we'll be out of your way," he said smartly.
Ignoring the urge to slap the utter shit out of him for that cheeky remark, Katniss turned to Peeta, shoving him in front of her. "Fine. I can't give you the combo, but the Assistant Manager sure can! Peeta, give them the combination to the safe."
Peeta stepped forward, struggling to open his mouth. Freezing momentarily, he suddenly stood tall, feeling brave at the very last second.
"...No."
Katniss' eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"WHAT?!" She and the robbers exclaimed simultaneously, all three of them shocked.
"You can't have it." Peeta declared boldly, standing his ground.
"Yes, they can! Peeta, give them the combination!" Katniss shrieked.
Did he want to die?
Cato tapped Marvel on the shoulder. "Here, lemme talk to 'em." He stepped in front of his partner and pulled out his gun, cocking it as he aimed it at Peeta.
"Now; What's. The. Combo?" He asked coldly, all business.
A beat passed and Peeta fell silent, and Katniss could tell something was wrong.
"...Peeta? Peeta, are you okay-"
But she didn't get to finish her sentence. Suddenly and without warning Peeta fainted and fell backwards, landing on her and taking her to the floor with him.
This was not turning out to be a very good night.
