Chapter 7

The last thing Effie expected in the middle of a bombing was having her students come up to her with news that Haymitch and Katniss' family were nearby and in danger.

"We need to wait for this wave to stop," Boggs told them. "I cannot allow Effie to go out there in this situation. It's too dangerous. We need to wait this out, Katniss. I'm sorry."

The dismay and desperation on Katniss' face made Effie reach out to squeeze her hand but the girl was never one for affection so Effie let it go before she became uncomfortable.

"Can't you reach out to him, Effie? You know…"

She tapped her temple to show her intention.

"I can try but I'm not the telepath," Effie sighed. "Haymitch has to decide to talk to me and reach out to me before we can have a conversation. He's the one who can slip into the minds of others. Plutarch would be able to, I supposed, but he is locked in the other side of the bunker with President Coin."

"President Coin's bunker has all the equipment for us to know if there will be any incoming planes. Without that information, sending Effie on a rescue mission will be folly," Boggs told them.

"We don't need that," Johanna snapped impatiently. "Coin's normal so she needs equipment. We're not, we don't. We can get Marvel. He'll be able to locate any incoming planes. His sound waves will give a feedback so let's use him."

Being a Career meant that Marvel trained for the sole purpose of selling his powers and abilities. Nobody intended for the concept of Career to be born but it happened. Brutus and Enobaria were trained to control their abilities for a short while before they left and worked for a government agency.

Effie didn't think one's power should be exploited in that sense but to each their own. She had told the teenagers to be wary of the Careers which they in turn took to mean "avoid" except Finnick who was friendly with everyone and Johanna who saw the Careers as someone who one day, might be useful to her.

By the time Johanna had retrieved Marvel from his place in the bunker, Effie could see that Katniss was agitated. Marvel came with his teacher-advisor in tow.

"What do I get in return?" Marvel crossed his arm.

Gloss chuckled.

"I don't have time for this bullshit, Marvel. I already told you that we're not paying you anything for the use of your powers," Johanna scowled. "She needs your help."

Katniss eyed him warily.

"Gloss," Effie started and touched his arm. "We're all still here together. Peeta's warning saved all of our lives, so now I'm asking for Marvel's help."

The man narrowed his eyes and then turned towards his student. "Do it, Marvel. Miss Trinket wants to play the hero. Let her."

Effie glowered but soon, like everyone else in the room, she was cowering with her hands over her ears. The sound waves were high pitch and difficult on the ear drums.

"Give a little warning next time," Peeta frowned.

Marvel laughed.

"There are three incoming planes," he reported. "They're not very close so, I figure, you have about twenty minutes, maybe thirty, before they're above us. Is it your boyfriend, Miss Trinket? Gloss will be disappointed," he winked at his mentor who slapped him at the back of his head.

"Anything else?" Gloss asked.

"Nothing else. We have what we need. Thank you, Marvel," Boggs said and sent them away.

"I will go," Katniss said immediately now that they were alone once more. "Take me with you, Effie. I can help."

"I don't think – "

"You trained us for something like this. I can fight," she argued. "You can't go alone either. I'll be able to cover you if I'm out there."

Brows furrowed, Boggs stepped up in front of Katniss and rested his hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure you'll be able to handle it? Effie shouldn't have to worry about you. She should be focused on getting to them."

"Yes," Katniss nodded. "I'm sure. They're my family. I have to help."

"Take my hand," Effie offered. Time was running out the longer they stay and argue. "How good are you at holding your breath, Katniss?"

Slightly alarmed at the question, Katniss asked, "Why?"

It occurred to her that Katniss had no idea how her abilities truly worked. The others had learnt during their time here. They had phased with her at some point or the other but this would be Katniss' first.

"You will not be able to breathe as I'm walking through the walls of these bunkers and the walls are thicker than the others in Thirteen."

"Don't worry about me," Katniss firmly assured her.

It was futile because of course she worry. She was responsible for them. She was constantly worried about each and every one of them, and she would only breathe easy with Snow and the Capitol gone.

Effie waited until Katniss took a deep breath and gave a nod before she took her hand and pulled her towards the solid wall just in front of them.

She heard Peeta's faint "be careful" as she left the safety of the bunker behind.

XxX

When they emerged above ground, Katniss was panting and gasping for breath. She let her have a moment as she surveyed the surrounding.

White roses littered the ground. Effie pursed her lips.

"It's his trademark, isn't it?" Katniss asked, coming to stand next to her.

"Yes."

"He left me a stalk when his Peacekeepers came for me. I hate its smell," Katniss spoke softly. "After I burnt my district, Haymitch moved us. Each time we find a white rose on our front door, he will move us again until now… We've been staying there for nearly a year. It was a game for Snow to taunt me."

Or to taunt Haymitch, Effie thought but she kept it to herself.

"Do you think he found my family? Is that why Haymitch is here?"

"I don't know. It is highly probable. Haymitch had always been adamant about not wanting to be here in Thirteen so something must have forced him this way," Effie said as the moved towards the direction of the cave. There was only one cave near Thirteen which made their quest easier. "Nothing will happen to them, Katniss. Do not worry."

"Why is he after me?"

Effie paused briefly and quickly resumed walking. She had been afraid that Katniss would one day ask that question, and she wasn't sure how or what to tell that girl.

There was a reason she had lied to Haymitch that day he brought Katniss to Thirteen and asked if there were other visions involving her. There had been; glimpses of the future involving Katniss and Coriolanus Snow. Peeta had confided in her, grief-stricken and in a state after Snow found out about one of it. She had lied to Haymitch because it was not the kind of information she would tell to a man she barely knew.

Now, after knowing Haymitch, she would trust him enough with that information. First, we have to get him to safety.

"Let's concentrate on getting Haymitch and your family," Effie said, steering the focus elsewhere. "The clock is a ticking and I will feel so much better if we can get the three of them in before – "

Effie felt a push, a presence in her mind that shouldn't be there. Haymitch was not subtle but being delicate had not been her top priority when teaching him to use his abilities.

Sweetheart, are you there? Can you hear me? I need your help. Can you hear me?

Effie stopped and held out a hand to halt Katniss from going further.

"What is it?" the younger woman asked.

"It's him. It's Haymitch. He made contact."

I can hear you, Haymitch. I need you to stay in that cave, alright? We are coming for you.

What the – How… Damn it, Effie! I've been trying to talk to you. Why the fuck have you been blocking me?

She had not been blocking him, not consciously at least. All of her concentration after Peeta gave out the warning was to get the students to safety and once inside the bunker, it must have been difficult to reach her. He was still learning, his powers had not yet strengthened that far but of course, she was just speculating. Effie never had a bond with a telepath before to know everything.

I'm sorry. Peeta's warning set off an evacuation and the students safety was paramount. I have been in the bunker since then, Haymitch. We had no idea you would be in danger.

Yeah, well… You said you're coming? You're nearby?

Yes. We had to wait for the bombing to stop before I could step out to get you. We don't have much time before the next wave.

How'd you know where the fuck to look for me?

There was a brief pause before Haymitch ventured a guess.

Your boy saw it, didn't he? Saw us here?

"Prim? Prim!"

Katniss was shouting for her sister and before Effie realised what was happening, she was already running forward, meeting her sister halfway. The reunion carved a smile of relief on Effie's face. Katniss had lifted Prim off the ground and they were hugging fiercely. A woman with blonde hair that matched Prim came forward and touched Katniss' shoulder.

Behind them was Haymitch. Effie hurried forward, spurred by the sight of him. He looked terrible. There were dark bags under his eyes, his face was a mask of exhaustion and he was holding his hand at an odd angle, away from the fabric of his clothes.

"What happened?" she asked, touching his injured hand that had been wrapped with the torn cloth of his shirt sleeve.

"Tar. Peacekeepers. Burnt like a bitch," Haymitch chuckled and gestured at the space between them. "Good to talk to you again, sweetheart."

"If you had agreed to stay in Thirteen or come here earlier, we'd be talking in person for far longer," she rebuked.

"Can't leave them alone, can I?" he nodded at the direction of Prim and Iris. "Good thing too that I didn't."

"I know," she sighed and nodded in understanding.

Effie was not truly certain what compelled her to do it but she wound her arms around him and hugged him to her. She felt him stiffened involuntarily, unused to being touched and hugged before he patted her back awkwardly.

"I miss you," she told him quietly.

It was true. She might have only met him a few times, the first was not even a positive memory, but she talked to him in her head almost every day and she had developed something with him, established a certain closeness with him.

"I was worried."

"Yeah?" Haymitch pulled back to look at her. He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I couldn't get to you or Katniss and right before you cut me off two days ago, I was fuckin' sure I felt something terrible. That sure as hell didn't come from me so how'd you think that makes me feel, huh?"

Effie squeezed his hand.

"Tell me what happened," she asked. "Peeta saw the three of you running before you found the cave, and earlier, you mentioned Peacekeepers."

"Yeah," he grumbled, "stormed their house. Had to do something and there were too many of them, we couldn't stay there. It wasn't safe anymore. We had to make a run for it. Came here for Katniss, thought she was in danger, too."

"So you decided to flee from one danger to an unknown one," Effie asked.

"Had to get her, didn't I, sweetheart?" Haymitch retorted. He admit that wasn't the smartest move and he was usually far more careful than that but getting to Katniss was all he could think of. "Didn't know Thirteen was being bombed."

They started walking towards the compound. Katniss' gaze kept flicking to the sky, checking for danger and Effie kept her ears out for the sound of incoming planes. She needed all of them to speed up and walk faster but they had been on the run and were exhausted.

"I'm glad you came here. Thirteen is still the safest place to be. The bunker is impregnable," Effie went on. "You never said how you got away."

"How you've always taught me," Haymitch replied with a smirk. "I got inside his head, made him do exactly what I wanted him to do. Let me walk right past him and out the house."

Startled, her head snapped up to look at him. "You are being completely serious?"

"Yeah," Haymitch nodded. "What's going on here?"

"I will explain once we are in the bunker."

They were near. The compound was well within sight when they first heard the planes. Katniss froze and pushed her sister behind her. Effie stilled with a hand on Prim's shoulder.

It was Haymitch who reacted first. He jostled both Iris and Prim forward, urging them to run.

"Take them down, Effie," he pulled her forward so she would run with the others.

"Katniss?" Prim turned around, looking for her sister. "What about Katniss?"

Katniss was behind them. The bow that was slung across her shoulder was in her hand with the arrow already nocked, ready to shoot. It was aimed towards the sky, waiting for the planes to come in sight.

"Get them out of here, Effie," Katniss shouted over her shoulder. "You can't take all of us in at once so get my mother and sister out first."

"Nice to feel the love," Haymitch muttered.

"I will come back for the both of you," Effie said.

"Yeah, go now. Come here, Katniss," Haymitch ordered. "What the fuck are you tryin' to do? Shoot the damn planes out of the sky?"

"That's exactly what I intend to do," Katniss snapped.

"She knows what she's doing," Effie told him. "Stay with her."

Taking a hold of both Iris' and Prim's hand, Effie told them to take a breath and with one last look at Haymitch, she turned, walking straight to the wall and into Thirteen with two very astonished and frightened passengers.

XxX

He saw the planes, three small black blobs in the sky, steadily approaching Thirteen.

"I can't take them all down," Katniss said.

His own weapon was a knife tucked at the back of his belt, useless against a huge flying machine. He wasn't even confident that Katniss could take a plane down with an arrow but if Effie was certain that Katniss knew what she was doing than he would need to trust them. She did train Katniss in this school after all.

His eyes tracked the movement of the planes.

"Haymitch!"

"I'm thinking," he snarled.

"Don't think. Just do it," Katniss urged, her voice rose a notch.

Your mind is a weapon, Mr. Abernathy. We can harness it.

Snow had told him that once when he made a boy twice Haymitch size pressed a knife to his throat. He had no idea how to use his mind as a weapon back then, he had no idea what Snow truly meant and he would have died if it wasn't for Maysilee but this time it was different.

Effie had shown him the way. She had lighted a path for him. The knife on his belt wasn't his only weapon. After all, hadn't he did it once before?

Knowing what he needed to do, Haymitch stood next to Katniss, two foolish, resilient people against Capitol planes.

"I'll take the middle," Haymitch murmured.

Katniss nodded. She drew the string and took aim. As a plane drew closer and just before it flew overheard, she released the arrow where it struck near its engine causing the plane to explode mid-air.

Haymitch blinked, surprised by it.

"Good job, sweetheart," he grinned.

Those were definitely not normal arrows. Haymitch doubt normal arrows had that sort of explosive capabilities but there was no time to answer. The two remaining planes were heading towards them and he was supposed to put his weight into dealing with this problem at hand.

Plant the idea, he told himself.

Land the plane.

Next to him, Katniss had nocked another arrow, waiting for the perfect time before striking the enemy.

Compel.

Land the plane safely. Do not drop any explosives. Land the plane safely.

Knowing exactly what he needed the pilot to do, Haymitch pushed the thoughts forward. He pictured the thoughts as tangible things instead of abstract, and imagined it moving forward like invisible sound waves directly towards the plane and to the pilot. He forced the thoughts outwards and further away from him.

Command.

You need to land the plane.

Briefly, he wondered what it would be like to be the pilot, to have his thoughts completely taken over and filled with the need to obey the command above everything else.

From his peripheral vision, Katniss had released the arrow, hitting its target. If the plane before had exploded in the sky, this one caught fire coming down even if Haymitch noted that the arrow had lodged itself on the wing of the plane, at part that would not have caused a fire or much damage.

It clicked for him then. Hadn't Effie also told him that they had found a way for Katniss to use her powers?

"You got it under control," Haymitch remarked while still mentally pushing the command towards the pilot controlling the last remaining plane in the air.

"Yeah, with these arrows," Katniss said. "You need help?"

"I got him."

The plane began to lose control, as if the pilot still retained an ounce of his own will and was trying to resist but it wasn't long when it lost altitude and came to a screeching halt.

With the command fulfilled, Haymitch supposed, the pilot was free of any compulsion because he stepped out of the plane with gun in hand, aiming it straight at Haymitch head. Katniss raised her bow, jaws squared and ready to response. Before any of them could do anything, the pilot jerked as he was pulled back towards his plane a few feet behind. Haymitch watched as half his body was buried and embedded in the metal plates of the plane.

"You won't be going anywhere," Effie said and left him in that manner, struggling to comprehend his own fate. "You both did very well," she praised them as if she had not just rendered a highly trained pilot useless.

Haymitch was still gaping at her, his gaze darting from her to the pilot. He heard her telling him to get ready and to get as much oxygen in as possible, and before he knew it, he was walking in solid objects. His body felt… He couldn't describe it. It felt non-existent and fluid, and overall just horrible.

"Never do that again," he breathed once the out-of-body experience abruptly ended, forcing air into his lungs.

Katniss had already gone off to be with her family but Haymitch remained where he was, bent forward with his hands on his knees. He felt Effie's hand on his back, the pressure grounding him to the fact that he was here and not phasing through something.

"You're alright," she patted him. "You will be. The first time is always the worst. Just breathe slowly. It will be okay."

"Never do that again," he repeated.

"You will get used to it," her eyes sparkled. "Perhaps, we should go on walks together."


I like badass Effie, what about you? I know in canon, it was Gale + Katniss who took down the Capitol planes in District Eight but I thought it would be more fun to have Haymitch + Katniss doing it together with their newly minted and controlled abilities.

Let me know what you think!