One last chapter before bed!

Katniss

The hovercraft dropped low into the clearing before making an appearance and dropping us all onto the ground below. One by one we stepped off the ladder into a thick, humid brush.

"Where are we?" I asked.

Gale shrugged. "South. That is the only answer I have. Only couple hundred miles from District 4 though."

The hovercraft overhead disappeared and we were left standing in the clearing, ten soldiers arm at our sides, Stosh keeping a close distance to Peeta. Suddenly, a tall dark haired man appeared from the trees. He was arms and wore an all black jump suit. "Over here!" He called.

Gale motioned for us to follow. "That's Traver, one of my best guys back in District 2. He is helping with communications for the search team, well rescue team now."

We moved into the wooded area to find a thick canvas canopy erected between several trees. Underneath was a miniature command center and a row of temporary bunk beds.

Traver was already back at one of the computers, a head set over his right ear. Gale went to his side and put a hand on his shoulder. "What's the update?"

"Breccia, Sand, and Dolo are out on patrol. They are getting closer to the compound now, trying to clear the way. We should hear an update from them soon, and then you can head out."

Peeta stepped forward. "We are leaving this morning?"

Gale nods. "The sooner the better."

I let out a nervous laugh. "Do you have a plan?"

He turns and looks at us, speaking to us as well as the soldier's behinds us. "We are going into this with one objective, get the girls back. If possible, we get Garth as well. We don't know much about the compound and believe that it is heavily guarded with guns. They also most likely have some sort of booby traps in place for outsiders. We'll have to navigate the best we can in the woods, Katniss and I can help with that. Stosh will stay here with Traver."

"No way." Stosh blurted out. "I am going with you…"

Peeta grabbed Stosh by the shoulders and pulled him back. "You are lucky you are here and you'll do as Gale tells you."

"We are going to do as much as we can not to draw attention to ourselves. We want to keep the girls as safe as possible, and get them out alive. Once outside of the compound we'll radio Traver to send the hovercraft. It is refueling in District 4 and will be back later this afternoon. The map shows a large clearing 5 miles north of the compound, the hovercraft will land and get us the heck out of there. Two teams. One led by me and the other by Peeta. Katniss will go with Peeta. My team with move in on the compound from the East, Peeta's from the West."

I try to keep up with his plan, looking back and forth between him and Peeta. Peeta seems deep in thought, as if he is trying to figure it all out as well. I step forward. "What about the holograms?"

Gale cocks his head. "That what?"

I give him a knowing glance. "The holograms…"

His face flashes understand. "Ah, yes." He turns his attention to the others. "We have reason to believe that they may have some tricks up their sleeves out in the brush. Be on the look out for things that just don't appear normal, let someone know right away. We don't want to lose anyone."

I was amazed at Gale's leadership. Ten years ago we had been standing in Command in District 13, preparing to go into battle in the Capitol, Boggs leading our team. Now Gale stood, in a similar place.

A crackle came over the radio. "Traver, come in." A whisper voice said.

"I'm here Dolo, speak to me."

The voice cackled again. "We are in the clearing 5 miles out. There is something here you should know about. It looks like a hovercraft crashed here in the past couple of days, the ashes are still smoking."

I looked at Peeta, a nervous feeling in my stomach.

Gale grabbed leaned into the receiver. "Is anyone in there?"

Static. "Not that we could find, but there are footsteps leading away from it, headed north. If I had to guess, someone managed to escape the compound." Silence.

I took a deep breath. "The girls…"

Gale stood straight and clasped his hands around the back of his neck. "I doubt it. It is a diversion. They want us to follow the trail, right into an ambush."

Stosh crosses his arms. "What if it is the girls? They are out there all alone, and for a few days it sounds like. They could be injured from the crash."

Stosh was losing control, I could tell. He hadn't been the same since the girls disappeared. I stepped forward. "Stosh, come outside with me. These guys can finish up the planning."

He hesitates but follows me outside. I sit down in the shade of a large tree and motion for him to do the same. He plops down and rests his arms on his knees, playing with his hands.

"What's going on Stosh? You seem on edge."

"It's my fault." He whispers.

"What is?"

"The kidnapping. It is me they wanted, not the girls. If only I had refused to be with them, get them pregnant. I would be the only one in danger."

I put my hand on his arm. "You didn't know how far they would go Stosh. You couldn't have known. We'll find them, I promise."

"Yeah, dead or alive Katniss?"

I winced. "I'm guessing alive, they should all still be pregnant. Ollie is the one closest to her due date and she still has several more weeks. They need the babies, not them."

The truth sounded harsh, but it was our reality.

His shoulders slumped. "I can't be with Willow anymore."

I sighed. Before being sent home Gale asked Stosh and Willow to act like a couple. Put on a façade for any possible spies. Gale believed that if it looked like they had moved on, Garth would believe we weren't searching. It was a long shot, but it was the only one we had back them. They had done their best but it was hard back home. Willow was pregnant, and they all believed it to be Stosh's. They lied about their reasons for being home, saying that they were one of the lucky couples picked to be sent home. From Stosh's conversations, Willow still mourned Coda. Gale asked her not to contact him.

"I know." I whispered. "We'll find her."

"All three of them, right?"

I nodded. "We have to."

He sighed and leaned his head on my shoulder. "I'll stay here and be good. Just bring them home."

We made our way back to the tent where Gale, Peeta, and the soldiers were already putting on their packs and loading their weapons. I was already wearing my hunting jacket and one of the soldiers had laid my bow and arrows up against a tree.

Gale approached me. "Is he going to give us trouble?"

I shook my head. "He'll stay here with Traver. Be a second watchman."

"Good." Gale nodded and motioned to the rest of the team. "Split into two groups, five each. Right side with me, left with Peeta." He handed me a silver bracelet. "Here is a communicuff. Let's move out."

Gale handed Peeta small silver device. "This a satellite map of the area. Head west until you hit the beach, follow that into the compound. My team will head east. Good luck." He patted him on the back and turned to me. He pulled me into his arms. "Stay safe, Catnip."

I smiled at him when he pulled away. "Oh you know me, I was born for this. Just another hunt right?"

He laughed. "Yes, except your target is Garth."

I shrug. "It isn't the first time I'll be hunting humans."

The words haunted me but they were true. I took my place by Peeta's side and the five soldiers fell in place behind us. We weaved through the brush, heading west. I took the lead, finding the safer path in the overgrown land. We walked for hours, stopping only to drink water and take a bite of fresh bread from our packs. By late afternoon we were ten miles from the compound, and growing closer. The beach was immediately to our right. Peeta mentioned walking in the water to erase traces of our footsteps but I decided it would be too out in the open. We were better in the cover of the woods; they were getting thicker as we headed further south.

We entered into a small clearing and I immediately knew something was wrong, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Twenty yards in front of us stood a young woman, about my age. She had light brown hair that fell to her waist in waves and kind eyes. One of the soldiers stepped forward. "Mae?"

Peeta and I realized what was happening too late. The soldier rushed toward her. "No!" I yelled out.

He reached her and put his arms out, but he fell right through her. Suddenly he disappeared into the ground, screaming. We cautiously ran over but found the ground completely solid.

"A booby trap." Peeta muttered.

I raised my communicuff. "Gale, are you there?"

"Katniss?"

"We lost a solider. A hologram led him into a booby trap. He disappeared."

Silence.

"Oh and Gale, they trigger people you love not just people you fear. Just a warning."

Silence then, "I know Katniss. I shot through Gemma."

A click sounded. He ended the exchange.

I looked at Peeta. "We have to keep moving." I turned to the soldiers. "I don't care who you see, do not approach them." They nodded, their eyes wide. "Did anyone recognize her?"

One of the soldiers nodded. "That was Fray's former wife. She was killed in the war in District 2 ten years ago."

I swallowed at the lump in my throat and found Peeta's hand. We were lucky to still have each other; after all we had been through. Peeta looked at his digital map and we continued on. Five miles from the compound we saw another holograph. This time is was a frightening looking man. He was old, with no hair and only half his teeth. He shakes an accusing finger at someone behind me. One of the soldiers gasped and whispered, "He's not real. He's not real" behind me.

The old man followed us for a quarter mile before disappearing into the trees. At four miles Peeta's mom and dad appeared in front of us. We cut left around them, a tear rolled down Peeta's cheek and onto his shirt. At three miles a little girl ran toward us. "Daddy?"

The solider bringing up the rear sobbed as we moved past her. The little girl was beautiful with round cheeks and long pigtails. "Daddy?" She called out. "Why won't you come to me Daddy? I miss you." But we continued on.

Two miles away gunfire erupted to our left. Peeta put his arm out to stop us. "Gale's team but have arrived, and they were noticed."

I took a deep breath. "Well, at least we have a diversion." We rushed forward, moving toward the beach. We ran the two miles at full speed, keeping pace with each other. We came up upon high concrete walls and pulled left, moving out onto the sand. Up ahead sat a cabin, lights on in the window.

"What's that?" I ask.

Peeta shrugs. "I don't know, but now would be a good time to find out. Maybe it is Garth's own private oasis."

I shook my head. "He would never leave himself so vulnerable."

"Unless he is that full of himself that he believed they couldn't be found."

We charged up the cabin steps, the soldiers kept their backs to us and guns aimed. I loaded a bow onto my arrow and pulled it back. Peeta approached the door and kicked at it, it burst open. Metal locks from the inside shatter all over the floor.

"Some was locked in." I huffed. We entered the cabin and saw a small girl sitting on the couch, her back toward us, trembling.

"Hello?" I called out.

She spun around. "Oh!" Tears spilled down her cheek and she ran to me, falling into my arms. Just before she got to me I noticed her swollen belly. "Ari?"

"Yes." She sobbed into my shoulder.

I hugged her tight. "You're going to be okay. We're here to rescue you."

She wiped her nose. "Did you find Ollie, Posy, and the boys?"

Peeta stepped forward. "No. What boys?"

She frowned. "Cruz, Hunter, and Holden. They helped us escape but our hovercraft crashed. They are still out there. I was captured and brought back here but they haven't found the others yet."

I gasped. "So they are out there. We knew about the crash but figured it was a diversion. Oh no Peeta. We need to call people to go look for them."

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "These boys, were they kidnapped too?"

She shook her head. "They worked here. They were our guards during free time."

"And how do you know you can trust them?" Peeta's tone was more urgent.

She slumped her shoulders. "They were the only chance we had." She started sobbing again and leaned into me.

I looked at Peeta. "I'm sure they are fine."

"I hope." He responded. "Let's move. Get a hold of Gale and let's get out of here. Back down the beach, as far as we can make it."

We nodded and headed out the cabin doors and back down the steps. I raised my communicuff. "Gale, if you hear me abort. Get out now."

Gunfire still rang to the right as we ran. No answer came back on the communicuff. I hoped for Gale's sake that he heard me and was getting out. Ari stumbled slowly behind and Peeta fell back to lift her into his arms and run. We ran give miles before we slowed, heaving to catch our breath.

"That was too easy." I croaked with my dry throat.

"Let's not jinx it." One of the soldiers breathed.

We took the next ten miles at a slow jog, stopping only for water breaks. I was in the middle of taking a swig of water when my communicuff beeped.

"Gale?"

"Guess again." A deep voice came over the communicuff.

I looked at Peeta. "Garth?"

"Correct. I have your male friend here, sadly his soldiers didn't make it."

The soldiers on our team grunted angrily.

"What do you want?" I spat into the cuff.

A short laugh came from the other end. "What I have always wanted Katniss, and I believe he happens to be here with you, am I correct?"

I didn't answer. I couldn't.

"That's what I thought. You have until the end of the week."

The communicuff blinked off. I looked at Peeta. "What is today?"

"Wednesday." He whispered.