I stand in Snow's office, flanked on either side by Capitol Peacekeepers. I glare at him as I try to control my breath and he smiles back at me with his sinister smile. He already knows why I'm here.

"You may leave, boys," He says, waving off the Peacekeepers. My chest rises and falls with another heavy breath. "My dear, Finnick. What brings you to me?"

"You know very well why I'm here," My voice is dark but I force myself not to bark at him.

His sickening smile widens, "Ah yes, Miss Annie, is it?" He says her name with a tone of endearment that makes my stomach churn. "Sweet one, isn't she? It's a shame she got pulled into the Games."

"I get the lesson okay? You don't just say no to the Capitol-" I spit, trying to restrain myself from raising my voice when he cuts me off.

"Oh but it is so much more than that, boy," He sneers. I can see what he doesn't say in his eyes. We OWN you, they say. We control everything. What you do, who you love. You are a product of the Capitol, and you shall behave as such or be subject to Capitol punishment.

I take a deep breath, looking away as I try to control the rage boiling in my chest. I turn back meeting his eyes that make my stomach roll, "I will do anything. Anything you want from me. Anyone. I will do it," I drop to my knees, swallowing hard, trying to keep the look of twisted pain from my face, "I will do whatever it takes. Just promise me that she will come out of there."

"The victor of these games is out of my control."

"I know very well you have control over that. There isn't a single thing in the arena you can't control. I am telling you, I will bow down to you. I will do anything, anyone," I choked on the word knowing the implications, "Just bring her out of this alive."

"You will have to do better than that Mr. Odair," Snow glared at me. Nothing was vever good enough for him.

I swallowed again, rising to my feet, "I know you've been tryingto set me up with the head Gamemaker for months." I look down, disgraced at what I'm suggesting I stoop to.

Snow perks, "What are you suggesting?"

I let out a shaky breath, "You know what. I take the client, she lives."

There is a long silence and I look up at Snow's sneer. "You, Mr. Odair, have made a very wise decision.

DAY 12

I walk into the monitoring room, rubbing my temples. I had a raging headache, but I didn't want to order around the Avoxes. It made me feel too much like on of the Capitol snobs.

"You alright?" Johanna asked, giving me a concerned look.

I gave her a half-hearted empty laugh, "Long night."

She nodded without another word. She understood. Many victors did, but many of the older ones had forgotten.

I sit down in front of my station, watching Michael and Annie at the lakeside.

Michael and Annie had moved up the shore of the lake, closer to the damn, where there was a more discreet outcropping of rock and more trees surrounding it.

Thank to Michael's spear and knife and Annie's nets, both ate better. As much as I feared the time when he would stab her in the back, I was grateful for him keeping her safe.

There were 6 tributes left. Three careers, Annie and Michael, and one tribute that hid deep in the forests as well.

"Here," Michael grunted as he sat, holding out cooked fish to Annie. She smiled at him, and took the fish. She was better since the battle nearly two weeks ago, but she still wasn't the same. Her smiles were sadder, her determination lessened somehow. I could see in her eyes how she clung to the small bout of safety Michael provided her with.

Annie suddenly stiffened, like and animal that senses something isn't right. She touched Michaels arm and he froze too.

There was a rustling in the trees before they stepped out. The three careers. One wielded a club of sorts, and the other two wielded knives. Annie's eyes glazed over with fear. They were surrounded.

Michael stood slowly, unsheathing his knife and spinning it to hold it at the ready. Annie curled into a tight ball and the ground.

"Come on, run, Annie," I whisper at the screen. "Go to the lake. Swim."

The career with the club lunges at Michael. Michael ducks, spinning out under him, and the weight of the heavy club throws the career off balance. Michael takes his moment of clumsiness to bury his knife deep between the career's shoulder blades, right on the spine. His back arches and blood spills from his mouth before he falls to the ground.

The one girl lets out a half anguished, half furious cry and barrels towards Michael.

"Run Annie," I whisper again.

Something seems to click in her eyes. She looks up at Michael and the Career, both distracted, and the other career is running towards them.

Annie stands and bolts for the water. She's three steps away, now two… Her feet splash into the water, but just as she prepares to dive in, the bulky male Career wraps his arms around her waist.

"No," I seethe.

He pulls her back hard, throwing her against the shore. She rolls a few times, closer to the fight between Michael and the girl, getting scraped up on the rock. The Career comes to stand over Annie, and catches Michael's eye. He takes an opportunity to give a hard kick to the Careers back and he falls forward to one side of Annie, gasping for air.

Michael quickly turns back to the girl, making on sleek slit along her throat, but its sufficient. He isn't quick enough, though, The male is back on his feet, brandishing his knife.

I watch the screen as Michael sees him at the last second and tries to duck a swing of the career's knife.

He's too late.

My breath catches in my chest, a tight aching feeling, as I watch the knife take his head cleanly off.

Annie watches too. And she's left unprotected. I hear a squeal from her as she crouches on the ground and suddenly everything seems very surreal. Almost as if I'm watching in slow motion as Michael's body falls to the floor. The Career's shoulders rise with a deep, bloodthirsty breath. When he turns to face the camera, to face Annie, he's calm, but his eyes are focused. He takes two steps towards Annie.

Her face is blank. She doesn't look at the career. She doesn't really look at anything. Her knees curled to her chest, her hands covering her ears, her chin quivers ever so slightly.

I close my eyes. I won't watch this. I won't watch her die. I take a deep breath as I wait, wait for the Capitol to keep up their end of the bargain. Wait for the sound that will take everything from me.

And then I hear another sound, the distinct creak of stone cracking. My eyes fly open just in time to see the damn in the arena crumble, and water fill the screen.

"Annie!" I yell, leaping for the monitors as if there's something I can do for her now.

There's nothing I can do for her now. I grit my teeth and after a shaky breath, storm out of the monitor room.

It is thirty seconds before I am crashing through the doors of the Gamemakers' room. President Snow is here.

"You son of a bitch!" I yell, pointing as I crash towards him, "This is how you guarantee she stays alive? They're all dead! You're lucky if you get a victor."

He gives me that sickening smile as I stand before him, shoulders rising and falling with my furious breaths. His smile makes my stomach turn. I want to rip his throat out. "My dear Finnick. You've held up your end of the bargain, and we've held up ours," Seneca Care smiles over his shoulder and bile rises in my throat. Snow's smile widens and I swear I can see the blood I smell on him seeping between his teeth, "I recall you telling me once that she is an excellent swimmer."

The heat rises in my chest as I prepare to barrel forward again, "You-"

"I'd choose your words carefully Mr. Odair," I freeze in my path, swallowing back the bile in my throat. One of the Gamemakers has a hand on me, "Now If I were you, I'd get back to the monitors. See if you can scrape up enough money to send your girl a raft."

I clench my teeth so hard it hurts. I throw off the hand of the Gamemaker and exit, making my way back to the monitoring room.

When I walk in, Mags' eyes are fixed on a monitor. Annie is on it. She's swimming. Every few seconds a rush of water will come down the hill and take her under. Each time I hold my breath until she surfaces. I find myself instructing her in my head, trying to telepathically force her to remember everything I've taught her. Right, left, breath, duck your head, keep your bearings. Very good. Left, right, breath, kick, right, left, breath…

A canon goes off. I let out a breath, but it catches as another wave takes Annie under. When the wave recedes, Annie is clinging to the top of a tree, hugging herself to it with all the might in her too small arms. Just hold on, Annie. I think to her, Two more canons. Hold on, Annie.

Another wave hits her back and the sharp tree branch scrapes her cheek.

Another canon fires.

The faintest ghost of a smile graces my lips, and a shaky breath of excitement fills my chest.

"Come on, Annie," I whisper, "Hold on. One more just hold on."

Something overtakes her eyes, a sudden recognition. She lets out a piercing scream as another wave overtakes her.

The last canon fires.