Chapter Nine
Shatter Me
The storm rages on.
It has been that way since the last two hours and District 13 is not sure whether they can proceed with the plan.
Which is a stupid plan, Clove thinks. It's pouring rain, yes, but District 2 is used to these type of storms.
Thunder booms and lighting clashes past the clouds. Clove has has enough of it as the hovercraft lifts into the air. She rests her head on Cato's shoulder, feeling him press his lips to her forehead as she closes her eyes. A giant shudder runs throughout the hovercraft and Clove jolts alert with a startled gasp, dagger held out in her hand. "Whoa. It's okay. It's just turbulence," Cato explains as one of her hands tighten around his.
She started to hate flying ever since the last incident when the Capitol bombed them out of the sky and Cato went into a coma. But this hovercraft is the only other transportation they have besides the Tribute train and that isn't exactly available.
President Coin stands up, her grey eyes cold as steel. Clove knows what type of person their District 13 leader is.
Cold, calculating, wanting more power. Just like President Snow.
They both have to die.
But Snow has to go first, as he has killed more than hundreds of unmemorable tributes in 74 years of Hunger Games.
Coin, Clove knows, is just getting started. Clove knows that the real plan Coin wants to achieve and submit is to let the Capitol feel their own Games. To show them what the Districts have been going through all these years. She needs to find a way to tell the others when Coin isn't around and out of sight of all the security cameras too.
"We are arriving in District 2," Coin announces before sitting back down in her seat.
Sharing a look with Cato, the two exchange silent glances glances and smile. They are home. Katniss and the others have already gone ahead of them and are waiting at the Nut, which formed the Capitol's main military instillation. The hovercraft groans as it comes to a complete stop and the hangar doors open. In front of them is a scene: the Nut is on fire. Screams and shouts can be heard from inside as people try to rush to safety. The train that loads passengers into the mountain stops and people file out, burned, injured, or in a panic. Clove and Cato see Katniss on a large screen in a middle of a speech.
"I'm not their slave," the man on screen mutters.
"I am," Katniss replies back. "That's why I killed Cato . . . and he killed Thresh . . . and he killed Clove . . . and she tried to kill me. It just goes around and around, and who wins? Not us. Not the Districts. Always the Capitol. But I'm tired of being a piece in their Games. These people are not your enemy! We all have one enemy, and it's the Capitol! This is our chance to put an end to their power, but we need every district person to do it!"
There's a heavy silence in the air as they watch Katniss reach her hands towards the man.
"Please! Join us!" she cries out.
They watch as the Girl on Fire gets shot from somewhere in the crowd and then chaos ensures. District 2 is turning on the peacekeepers and Clove and Cato rush to help.
Knifes are hitting their marks, flying through the air; bullets are ricocheting everywhere, Cato's sword slices through amour as bodies lay strewn on the ground, dead or hurt. The two former tributes press their backs against the other's as they continue to fight off the peacekeepers who seem endless. Clove hears Cato grunt out in pain. She turns her head to see him holding his hand against his stomach. He pulls his hand away and they both see blood. "I'm okay," Cato promises, "It just nicked my side."
Cato's eyes widen as he starts to shout a warning, but then strong arms are wrapped around Clove. She twists and manages to throw a punch but she is dragged away from Cato. Clove sees several peacekeepers are holding him back, restraining him and he is struggling, but more and more keep coming.
Her knifes are gone. She bites her captor's hand and is soon free. She runs into an alley and runs smack into a familiar person.
"Rue?!" Clove cries out as the little girl hugs her. "You're supposed to back in 13!"
"I'm sorry. I needed to make sure Thresh was still alive! He's the only one I have left here!"
"I'm taking you to my house. You're be safe there in the Victor's Village. Don't move until me or Cato or someone else comes to get you." To get to the Victor's Village they had to go back through the Nut and out the other direction. Clove hated it, but her father being a Victor did sure have its advantages.
"Stay close to me!"
Clove grabs Rue's hand and they both begin to run. Clove ducks the speeding bullets passing over their heads, shoving aside a lunging peacekeeper. She had to find Cato and get Rue to safety. When they arrive at the Nut, they see that peacekeepers are diminishing quickly. She turns to face Rue, placing her hands on the tiny girl's shoulders, kneeling down to eye level. "There's a huge weeping willow to your left when you go down that street. Turn left when you see it. That's where the Victor's Village is. Go in the first green house on the left, the one with the green shutters. Tell my mom that you know me. GO!"
Clove points in the direction of her house watching as Rue takes off. Clove looks around and plucks up a fallen dagger from the mud. As she straightens, she feels the pierce of a blade in her back. Her favorite weapon has now become her doom. She lets out a gasp of pain.
"Thought I told you to never show your face here again, you ungrateful brat. How the hell are you alive?"
Clove crumples face-down to the ground as the knife is then swiftly removed. She reaches for the knife that she has had, but it has scattered a few inches out of her reach.
"It doesn't matter," her father continues in his Russian accent. "You didn't win. You should've never come back. You let that District 12 rat get the best of you. You have disgraced your family. You were just a fool to believe you could change the world, dear Clover. Now look what I've had to do to my daughter."
Clove's eyes narrow and she manages to spit blood into his face. She takes that advantage when her father is blinded to kick him in his groin. He gives a roar of pain as Clove scrambles onto all fours, grabbing both knives that are now lying on the ground. Whirling around, Clove plunges both knives into her father's stomach.
"Goodbye, asshole," she declares.
Her father has managed to crawl to a wall after she pulls the knives out. He pushes himself into a sitting position. He gurgles, making a weird choking sound and blood seeps out of his mouth. Clove realizes he's laughing - or at least trying to laugh.
"Watch your back," he whispers and exhales his last breath.
Clove turns around just in time for a body to slam into hers. She gives a yell of surprise when her back is slammed to the ground, feeling more blood pour out of her wound; she knows she needs to get it fixed and quickly. Pain shrieks across the side of her face and another fist strikes. Clove shoves with both hands, headbutting her attacker. She manages to get free and is on her feet, when all of a sudden the peacekeeper's hand snakes around her ankle and sends her crashing down again. She makes a wild grab for her knife latched onto her belt and plunges it into the peacekeeper's hand, who lets out a long howl of pain. Clove socks the peacekeeper and continues on, running through the surging, rioting crowd.
I need to find Cato, she thinks.
"CATO!" she screams. "CATO!"
Then she spots him with his sword, hacking at the peacekeepers. Around him, she can see Thresh throwing peacekeepers into each other; Finch, being sly and elusive as ever, jamming a Nightlock berry into Peacekeepers' mouths after pulling off their helmets; Ian, the District 3 boy, who is quick to throw back peacekeepers their own grenades; Glimmer, being fierce as ever, raking her sharp nails across peacekeepers she can get her hands on. The blond-haired boy from this home turns and sees Clove, smiling. Clove wheezes for a breath, weak from blood loss. She has a feeling that her father knew exactly where to hit her.
It was, of course, expected since he was the one who had taught her.
Cato has his arms around her and she wraps her arms around his neck for support. Clove raises her head and sees a peacekeeper holding a handgun, aiming at the direction of Cato's head. Her eyes widen, her heart pumps wildly in her chest. Clove doesn't think, she just does. She turns her bodies around at the last minute when the gunshot goes off.
Her mind starts to replay every memory that she's ever had.
She remembers the day she first threw her first knife and recalls her parents beaming at her success.
Meeting Marvel and Glimmer for the very first time when she was 12.
Watching from the back of the crowd as she watched Cato take on everyone in the Training Academy, being in awe of him.
Having her first conversation with him.
Her first date with Cato. She'd never laughed that hard in her life as he'd been trying his hardest to impress her. He'd made a complete fool of himself but still she had liked that.
Her first kiss when she and Cato had been sparring after hours.
"I promise I'll do whatever it takes to stay alive. But if I don't, know that I tried my hardest, no matter what Dad says about me. Don't forget me, Sissy."
"And this year's female District 2 tribute is . . ."
The way her heart thumped in her chest as she volunteered; the way her name rang in the air; the way no one dared challenged her.
When she heard Cato shouting her name and then afterwards volunteering.
Being angry that the Girl on Fire and Lover Boy could show their love and that the Careers couldn't.
Her first time.
Hearing Claudius Templesmith announce that two tributes from the same District could live and be Victors and after leaving Cato and Clove to reconcile in their joy, that they could go home together.
Images and voices blur by faster and faster in her mind, like a hundred of fast-forwarding movies being played on at the same time.
She can pick out the moment when the hovercraft went down, screaming for Cato to wake up, hearing and seeing Marvel screaming in agony as he was lit on fire from being doused from the leaking fuel from the ripped hole from the wrecked hovercraft engine.
Feeling relieved when Cato finally woke up.
Her father . . . "You were just a fool to believe you could change the world, dear Clover. Now look what I've had to do to my daughter."
Her vision of having a normal life with Cato without anymore Hunger Games.
Seeing that peacekeeper point his gun at Cato . . .
"Stay with me Clover!"
I will, Cato. I w -
_oOo_
"What is the status of Cato Richardson? Is he stable?"
The soldier called Galileo replies back, "I'm afraid not, ma'am. You saw how he went on that rampage after Clove Somes was killed. Killed every single peacekeeper left without breaking a sweat. The others had to calm him down. Should we proceed with the plan?"
"The plan goes as scheduled. We will not deviate in anyway. Continue with Operation Alpha. Cato Richardson must be contained as we unleash the plan when they get to the Capitol."
"And Galileo?"
The soldier turns his attention back. "Yes, ma'am?"
"Do not not fail me."
_oOo_
The casket is closed.
Later, when the service is finished, Clove will be cremated.
The church is completely full this time (perhaps because people are afraid that Cato will butcher them in their sleep if they did not show up). Cato stands in front of the microphone like he did last time at Marvel's funeral, except this time Rue is by his side.
In the front row, there's Glimmer, tears rolling down her cheeks, sitting rigid; Thresh and Finch keeping quiet, while Katniss is recovering in the hospital; Peeta is sitting alone by himself in one single pew, a guard standing nearby in case he has another attack coming.
Rue watches as Cato stares at Clove's casket. He had asked for it to be closed and she knew why.
At the last minute after arriving at Clove's house, Rue had decided to go back and help. When she got back to the Nut, to where she'd last seen her friend, She saw Cato holding Clove in his arms.
The fighting around them had ceased, Rebels and Peacekeepers alike, like they couldn't believe what they had just witnessed. Rue stepped closer and saw that Cato had one hand gently cradling Clove's head, blood seeping past his fingers.
"Clove. Clove. Clover. Stay with me. You can't leave. Not like this," Cato was mumbling, shoulders shaking slightly and Rue realized he was crying. She ran and knelt in front of them. Clove's dark eyes were open, her eyes still lingering on Cato's face. He gently laid his girlfriend, his lover, his rock, on the ground.
Cato's face transformed into stone cold I'm-going-to-make-you-wish-that-you've-never-been-born fury. "Stay with her," he growled between clenched teeth. He rose to his feet, picking up his fallen sword as he went and started storming towards the peacekeeper that fired the gun that was meant for him.
Rue looked down and closed the District 2's fallen tribute eyes with her small fingers, recognizing a familiar dagger resting in Clove's half-open palm.
It was the same knife Clove had given Rue to defend herself with the day they escaped from the Capitol. It was the same knife Rue had given Clove back the day before Cato had awoken from his coma. Rue could hear the screams as Cato struck down peacekeepers left and right. It was the Cato she didn't want to see again. Glancing around, she saw her image projected onto the big screens on the homes around the Nut.
She pressed three fingers to her lips and raised her hand high in the air.
_oOo_
Bet you never thought you'd see a commercial in a fanfic before . . .
DO YOU HAVE A TALENT FOR PAINTING?
PEETA: YES, I DO, DISEMBODIED VOICE.
ANN. VOICE: THEN TRY OUR NEW SURFACE MURAL, WERT! A NEW MURAL THAT TURNS YOUR OLD, BORING PAINTINGS FROM THIS . . . TO THIS! IT'S SO GOOD WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF CELEBRITIES BUYING THIS!
KATNISS: I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT.
ANN. VOICE: SHUT UP, CATNIP. ANYHOO -
KATNISS: ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH!
WE NOW RETURN TO OUR REGULAR PROGRAM, THE KNIFE AND THE MOCKINGJAY
_oOo_
"We lost a friend, a sister, a lover," Rue starts. "But she won't be forgotten. Clove saved my life. And I can't ever repay her back. When I first saw her, I had the impression she was the typical Career that we all see in every Hunger Games. That you all were. But when I was spying on you guys -"
"You were spying on us?" Cato asks incredulously.
"Uh, yeah . . ." Rue admits sheepishly, "But I realized that there were so much more to you guys. That we all had the same common goal: we all hate the Capitol and President Snow. That everything was a show and you were scared, too, just like the rest of us."
Then it's Cato's turn.
His pale blue eyes wander over the people sitting in front of him. A shadow moves in the back and it draws Cato's attention and he just stares.
Standing there, strutting like she knows all, is Clove. Her dark brown hair cascades down her waist in waves, over the white dress she is wearing, her pale feet bare. She smiles encouragingly towards Cato.
But Cato continues to stare. He knew he was hallucinating. This was his figment of imagination.
"I can't. I'm sorry," he says finally. He steps off the stage, walks through the shade and pushes the double doors open and is gone.
I can't. I'm sorry, Clove.
Special thanks to:
AllieClifford1995, BlackRabbit148, bsinger95, courtney 44, CWFANDOM8, DepressedAleera, foxgirl98, , KatnissxPeeta724, lewisrachel39, loremaster121, MissEnigma, THGgoddess4ever, wouldratherbeaunicorn, chloejohanna, Cinnanmon Buns, Lislizzy, Mkrazy11, Storyspinnerbah, SuckYourBlood, fluffytardis, leoandkatnissinchicago, Danielle, Emy Dagger, CombinationsofClato22, Lya200, Gelato, sshhiippeerr, Ariana, Adela-Elli, spycat123, Ontilmorning, Izzabella Dragomir, NesakissCF, GuitarMusicGleek, colorsofthenightsky, and Sassy Girl 21.