Fire and Ice
A few soldiers follow us into the tunnel. We tell Commander Smith where Snow is over the comms. He is sending multiple squads on foot to the Hall of Justice. Snow cannot escape, as Paylor said earlier. And I won't allow her to get away.
Cornelia Snow and I have unfinished business; a score to settle. She killed my mother, has tried to kill my friends, my children and my husband. I know my family will never be safe if Cornelia Snow escapes.
I realize that this is more than vengeance. My father once told me that the most dangerous animal in this world is a mother protecting her children. Well, I must be a dangerous animal then. A very, very dangerous animal. And I won't find peace until Snow is dead.
But I can't help but think of her son. What will become of him? When he is grown up, will he try and seize power like his mother and grandfather? Or will he grow up to be a different man entirely?
My private thoughts are interrupted when we reached the end of the tunnel, which is guarded by several Peacekeepers. They're probably waiting for Snow's son. Gale, Peeta, and I take them out with arrows. We still have the element of surprise. Soldiers drag their bodies off to the side.
"Heavensbee, there's a keypad. Can you get the code?" Gale asks over the comms.
"Standby. Beetee and Tech are working on it." Heavensbee says.
We're all anxious for minutes until we hear a faint ding sound and the door opens. "Great work, guys!" Gale says. He uses hand signals to order three soldiers to go through the door. They go through the door and signal that it's clear. We all cautiously leave the tunnel. Stealth is paramount until Commander Smith arrives.
Most of the hallways are clear so Snow must not have that many Peacekeepers guarding her. "Any sign of her, Beetee?" Gale asks.
"I have all eyes on all the cameras in the building but in one area. There is an old emergency landing platform behind the building. They've destroyed the cameras there, no doubt." Beetee says.
"You may be going in there blind, Gale." Heavensbee says.
"Copy that. We'll be careful. Just lead us to the platform and inform Commander Smith." Gale says.
We don't see any more Peacekeepers as we get closer to the emergency platform. Gale motions for everyone to halt and then peeks around a corner. There are two other hallways leading to two other entrances to the platform. Gale motions for men to go down both of them. He motions for us to back up to the previous hallway.
"We're in position," says a soldier over the comms.
"On my signal. We do this quiet so they're not ready for us on the platform." Gale whispers into the comms.
I check my supply of arrows: one explosive-tipped arrow and about a dozen razor sharp arrows left. I'll need to choose my targets carefully then since I don't have a good enough backup weapon. Gale and Peeta check their arrow supply too. Gale pats his sidearm as if to see that it is still there.
"Take em down." Gale gives the order. Gale, Peeta, and I step out from around the corner in full view of the Peacekeepers and shoot them quickly.
"Ready to breach the platform, sir."
"This is Commander Smith. We're less than five minutes out."
"I am reading a heat signature on the platform. I believe the hovercraft is powering up for takeoff. Snow is leaving." Beetee says over comms.
"No, she's not." I notch my last explosive-tipped arrow. "Cover me!" I kick open the doors to the landing platform ignoring the Peacekeepers, Panem soldiers, Johanna, Gale, and Peeta. I am focused on only one thing: Cornelia Snow's hovercraft is hovering, ready to takeoff. I take aim, ignore the gunfire, let out a breath, and release the arrow.
The arrow hits it target and blows. I shield my eyes and Peeta pulls me down. He shields me from the blast. Everyone takes cover from the blast. I hear the hovercraft crash back down onto the platform. I can hear whooping on my comms. I guess Smith's men saw the explosion.
It's quiet except for the sounds of sparks and flames crackling. A few of us carefully look at the wreckage and duck again when bullets start flying. I guess there are some Peacekeepers still standing. "Whoever's alive down there lay down your weapons and you won't be harmed!" I yell.
"What are you doing?" Gale asks.
"I've seen enough bloodshed." I say.
"If you mean what you say, then you'll show yourself!" Someone yells, probably a Peacekeeper.
Peeta looks at me and shakes his head. I put my hand on his arm. "Trust me." I say.
"Let's give her some cover boys!" Gale says. He and everyone else stand with their weapons at the ready. I put my bow on my back, rub Peeta's tense shoulder, and then go to descend one of the ramps. I keep my hands at my side and descend the ramp halfway.
A single Peacekeeper stands. He's wounded: he's limping and his white uniform is bloodstained. His helmet is cracked so he takes it off, panting. His gun is still in his shaking hands. "You're the Mockingjay." He says.
"Yes. How many of you are left?" I ask.
"It's just me. Everyone else is dead." He says.
"I'm sorry." I say.
"Stop acting like you care!" He snaps.
"That's the thing… I do care. I hated the Games and these wars. I fought because I had to but now there's been enough killing. I meant what I said. Put your weapon down and you won't be harmed. The killing has to stop." I say.
I see the conflict in his eyes. He knows he can kill me now but the soldiers above would gun him down. Or he'll be sent to prison, probably for the rest of his life. But he'll be alive. "Damn it!" He whispers. He drops the gun, kicks it away, and puts his hands up. I nod at his decision. Then an arrow hits him in the back of the neck and goes through his throat.
I quickly crouch down, pull my bow off my back, and notch an arrow. It was the wrong angle for Peeta or Gale to have fired that shot. It could have only been… "SNOW!" I yell.
"Come out and face me, Mockingjay!" Cornelia Snow yells.
"Hold your fire! The Mockingjay gets Snow!" Gale orders over the comms.
I have terrible cover on the ramp. I need to move. When an arrow flies by my head, I run down the ramp and take cover behind a crate. Where is she? "Did you have to kill him?" I ask.
"He's a coward and a traitor or should I say was." Snow replies. I move using crates and wreckage as cover. Snow is no doubt doing the same thing.
"Does anyone have a visual?" Gale asks.
"None, sir."
"Movement at your ten o'clock." Peeta says.
I stand and release an arrow. It ricochets off some hovercraft wreckage, missing Snow. "Damn," I say under my breath. "You might as well surrender. There are a lot of guns aimed for you. And all it takes it one twitch before you're riddled with bullets."
"Yes but you want me all for yourself… Especially after what I did to dear old mom." Snow replies.
I move. "My mother was a gentle and caring woman! She didn't deserve to die like that!" I yell.
"I only carried out the common practice for dealing with threats to the Capitol. I knew she would be trouble the moment I first saw her in District 4. The way everyone looked to her when they saw me coming. She held her head high and fearlessly looked me in the eye. I knew I would need to make an example of her. I had hoped you would see her execution but I never imagined that you would be there in the flesh to witness it!" Snow says.
I feel my skin grow hot from anger. I then hear a crunching sound. She is near me. I notch an arrow and stand ready to fire. And there she is. I have her in my sights but I hesitate. Snow has her bow, my stolen Mockingjay bow, down at her side.
"Take the shot, Katniss." Johanna says in my ear.
I've already killed one president so killing another should not be this difficult. And I find myself wishing she at least try to raise her bow. "You won't kill me." Snow says.
I then remember my mother being shot with an arrow in the back, her falling against the force field, and all I could do was watch. I take aim. "Oh, I'm going to kill you. That's for sure." I say. Snow then smirks and points to a device over her heart. "What is that?"
"Oh nothing important. Just know that a rather large explosive has been placed at the epicenter of the Capitol. And this…" Snow taps the device. "is the detonator connected to a heart monitor. My heart stops beating and every single person in the Capitol dies with me." Snow says.
"You're insane!" I say.
"There can be no free Panem. My grandfather brought order to chaos. And if I cannot bring order, then I will bring chaos." Snow says. She holds her hands out as if inviting me to shoot her.
"Beetee…" Gale says over the comms.
"I am trying to locate the correct frequency." Beetee says.
Two hovercrafts appear overhead. "Hold your fire! I repeat hold your fire! Under no circumstances are you to fire upon Cornelia Snow. She has a detonator to an explosive that can take out the whole Capitol." Commander Smith orders.
"Lower your weapons," Gale orders. "Peeta…"
Peeta must have Snow in his sights. I look at Peeta. We both know that Snow is not going to pass up this opportunity to kill me. I am the symbol for resistance. I can't let millions of people die. But there's still a chance Snow will blow the Capitol anyway once she's away. I smile at Peeta and nod. Though conflicted, he lowers his bow. I lower mine as well. I love you, I mouth to him and I can tell he is fighting off tears.
"How touching. Now drop the bow and the knives." I toss away my bow. I remove the pocket of knives from my belt and toss them aside too. I don't put my hands up. I won't give her that much satisfaction. "I had always thought you would beg for your life. Your children need their mother or some nonsense like that." Snow says.
I glare at her. "Killing me will only make you hunted for the rest of your life." I say.
"I admit I underestimated you victors but I'll be ready for you next time." Snow says.
"I need something to disrupt the device, to sever the connection to the heart monitor." Beetee says.
Snow raises her bow and pulls back the bowstring. Sever… I didn't give up all my knives. "Any last words, Mockingjay?" Snow asks.
Disrupt the device. "Good night." I say. My Mockingjay bow shuts down.
"What!" Snow didn't expect that. I pull out the combat knife from the back of my belt as Snow goes for her sidearm. I hear a gunshot but I have already thrown the knife. It hits the device, going through it to pierce Snow's heart. Cornelia Snow's eyes widen and she looks surprised. She drops her gun and falls back to the ground.
I approach Snow's body. Her eyes are still open and there is my old Mockingjay bow. I pick it up and look at it. This bow killed my mother. I toss it into the burning wreck of the hovercraft. I never want to see that bow again. Then I feel a searing pain. I see blood dripping off the fingers of my left hand.
Oh. I've been shot. Now I feel light-headed. I fall down to my knees. "Katniss!" I fall back. Peeta and Johanna are kneeling on either side of me. "Katniss, look at me." Peeta says.
"Apply pressure. Shoulder wounds should not be taken lightly. I can still bleed out." I manage to say. Johanna begins applying pressure on the wound. Damn, it hurts.
"Katniss has been shot! We need a med-evac now! I repeat the Mockingjay has been shot and needs medical attention!" I hear Gale shout into the comms.
"Med-evac is on route. Standby."
Gale is standing over me. "They're on their way. You're going to be fine, Katnip." Gale says. I chuckle at my old nickname and then groan from the pain.
"The bullet went right through her body armor. It must have been armor piercing." Johanna says.
"Then there may be more damage. I need a hospital." I say.
"Don't worry. Just try not to talk." Peeta says to me. I squeeze his hand.
Another hovercraft appears above us. "Alright! Back away. Come on, Peeta." Gale says. Peeta lets go of my hand and I want him to come back.
I see a claw lower from the hovercraft right above me. I feel it grab me. I think of my famous escape from the arena. But now I close my eyes and think of only one thing. I want to go home.
My mouth is dry and my shoulder feels numb. And there is a bright light so I crack open my eyes. The annoying bright light hurts my eyes. I blink a few times and my eyes adjust. I'm in a white room. I look around. I see Johanna, Axel, Gale, Annie and Finnick, Haymitch, Beetee and Tech, Peeta, Rose and Cinna. They must have come when they heard I was shot. They are watching the screen on the wall of my hospital room.
"We still have no word on the Mockingjay, who was brought in just two days ago with a gunshot wound from her battle with oppressor Cornelia Snow. Her surgeons say her surgery was successful and now her family and the remaining victors are just waiting for her to wake up."
Have they nothing better to talk about? I must have made a sound because everyone turns to me. "I think she's waking up. Get the doctor." Peeta says. Tech steps out of the room.
"Hi." I say weakly and smile at Peeta.
"Hi." Peeta says and strokes my hair. "The bullet caused some nerve damage but they fixed it all up. Your arm is going to have to be in a sling for awhile but you're going to be fine and shooting game in no time." He takes my right hand and kisses it.
"Snow?" I ask. I saw the body for only a moment and I want to make sure she's dead.
"Dead. Nice throw. You got her and the detonator. No explosion so we're not dead." Johanna says.
"I didn't even know if that would work." I say.
"Well it did. The knife severed the wires so the signal to heart monitor could not reach the detonator. Good thinking." Beetee says. And for once, what Beetee just said makes sense to me.
"Now, Paylor has some big speech at the end of the week and we're all invited to stand beside her. So heal up fast because you are not leaving me alone there." Johanna says.
I smile. "I got your back." I say and Johanna grins.
"We were so scared, mommy." Cinna says.
"We saw the whole thing. The battle was broadcasted." The hovercrafts, no doubt. "I tried to turn it off but your children are just as stubborn as you are." Annie says.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. But it's over and we can go home now… How much longer do I have to stay here?" I ask.
"We'll ask the doctor when he gets here. And we've been invited to stay at the Presidential Palace until you're healed up." Peeta says. My children's eyes light up.
"Maybe." I say and they groan. I mimic their groan and reach over to tussle both of their hair with my right hand.
The doctor enters the room. "Can you all step out for a moment so that I may examine my patient?"
"We'll be just outside." Gale says and I nod. I point to the door and my children leave with everyone else. I grab Peeta's hand and he sits back down at my bedside.
"Katniss, this is Dr. Frasier. He's been treating you." Peeta says.
"Thank you, Doctor." I say.
"You were lucky, Mrs. Mellark. A few inches lower could have proved fatal or resulted in complete paralysis of your left arm. We repaired the nerve damage and you can be discharged as early as tomorrow morning. Any lingering pain, headaches, nausea, or anything else?" Dr. Frasier asks while shining a bright light in my eye.
"No." I say.
"Good. Just limit your use of your left arm for a few days and then come in for an exam before you go home." Dr. Frasier says.
"Thank you, doctor." I say and he leaves the room. Peeta sighs. "Just say what's on your mind."
"You took a lot of risk going after Snow. You're running out lives, Katniss." Peeta says. Everyone tells me I have nine lives like a cat. "You have survived three Hunger Games and two wars now. If I had lost you…"
"Hey…" I take his hand. "I know and I'm sorry. It's over so I'm done being reckless. I just want to go home with you and our children." I say.
"I don't know if I believe you about the not being reckless but everything else sounds good to me." Peeta says and we chuckle. Our smiles fade. "I am so sorry about your mom. And I understand why you went after Snow."
"I just can't believe she's gone." I say. I feel my eyes filling with tears.
"Hey…" Peeta says softly and puts his forehead to mine. I wrap my right arm around him and cry.