Chapter 14

Danielle walked around and began treating everyone's wounds the best she could. As she finished with each of us, we all laid down to get some sleep. At some point, I felt Danielle lay down beside me as we heard bombs go off. I sat up as Gale said, "Those aren't ours. Peacekeepers must be bombing rebels outside the city."

"That's not outside the city," Danielle commented. "It's almost over. We need to get ready."

Everyone began to prepare for the final battle. Many reloaded their guns as Katniss and I put our arrows together. Danielle was sharpening her throwing knives as the screen in the bunker came to life. Snow appeared on the screen as he said, "To all Capitol citizens more than a half mile outside the city circle, I am announcing a mandatory evacuation. Come to the mansion, I am promising you shelter and sanctuary. All refugees come to my home. There you will be provided with food, shelter, medicine, safety for your children, and you will have my solemn oath to protect you until my dying breath."

"Wish he would hurry up with that last part," Cressida commented.

"Our enemy is not like us. They do not share our values. They have never known our comfort and our sophistication and they despise us for it. Make no mistake; they are not coming to liberate us. They are coming to destroy our way of life. They are coming to bury us."

The screen went black as Danielle stated, "He's still in his mansion, I recognize the room."

"We're about five blocks away," Cressida commented as Danielle nodded.

"What about the pods?" I asked.

"They probably have deactivated the pods for the residents' safety," Jacob commented.

"That could work," I said. "We could get close enough."

"Every peacekeeper is going to be waiting," Ryker countered.

"Next to our faces on every billboard," Johanna added.

"Snow's offering shelter to all the refugees," Katniss stated. She looked at Danielle and me before looking at Cressida.

"I guess you guys have some styling to do," Cressida commented. "Let's go talk to Tigress." So we walked upstairs and talked to Tigress. She went and found us clothes to disguise us as Capitol citizens. She made sure our clothes were big enough to hide our weapons as we prepared to go out.

"There's going to be thousands of refugees," Cressida said as she looked between Danielle, Katniss and I. "Just get into that stream and don't look up." I looked up at Tigress who was putting the final touches on Danielle's outfit. "Good luck girls," Cressida said as she hugged each of us.

"Thank you," we each said as Haley walked up to us. She looked up at us and signed, "No words, I'll never forget you." We hugged her as Katniss turned to Tigress and said, "Thank you for everything you've done." Tigress bowed her head in honor.

"Let me come with you guys," Peeta said with a worried tone. "I could help protect you guys."

"No," Katniss said sternly. "I refuse to lose you. And should something happen to Danielle or Aviana, you would need to be there for their sisters." Peeta nodded as I walked over and hugged him tight. I turned to Johanna and Jacob and hugged both of them as well.

"Go kill him, Avi," I heard Ryker say as he hugged me. "If I see you again, it will be a different world." I looked up as Katniss hugged Peeta, pulling away slightly before kissing him. I gave a slight smile as I pulled away and Ryker gave me a light peck on the cheek. I looked at him surprised and he smiled and said, "For good luck."

"You ready, Av?" Danielle asked.

I nodded, pulling the hood over my head and said, "Let's go." I grabbed my bow and hid it under my robe as I opened the door, walking out into the cold, winter air. The three of us walked until we found the sea of people, all walking towards Snow's mansion. We filed in calmly, keeping our heads down.

The speakers bellowed the announcement, "By order of President Snow, all residents must proceed to the Presidential estate. Please continue to move forward in a calm and orderly fashion. Additional food, medicine, and clothing will be provided upon arrival." Peacekeepers were standing all over along the lines of people. I happened to glance up as peacekeepers ahead were removing hoods and checking faces. The three of us calmly turned around and began to walk in the opposite direction. It wasn't long before we saw peacekeepers walking from behind checking faces. I felt a peacekeeper touch my shoulder as a bomb went off. We all fell to the ground as someone yelled, "It's the rebels!" Complete chaos erupted, as the rebels began to move forward. Civilians screamed as more guns and bombs went off.

"Come on," Danielle yelled as she grabbed Katniss and me and we began to run towards the mansion, dodging bullets along the way. We ran in front of a peacekeeper truck and hid, only for it to explode moments after. Katniss and I darted to one side and Danielle to the other. I looked up to see the other side of the flames, where peacekeepers had grabbed Danielle and were dragging her into a truck.

"Danielle!" I screamed.

"Go! Get out of here!" Danielle screamed back at me as another explosion erupted behind me.

"Let's go!" Katniss yelled as she grabbed my hand and drug me towards the mansion. We met a mass of people, as the speakers announced for the residents to bring their children forward first. We weaved between the people as Katniss lead me to a truck and we climbed it, watching in horror as children were drug from their parents and brought towards the gates. We turned as a hovercraft flew over us, and released parachutes over the residents and children. You could hear the gasps of awe as they gently floated down, their familiar dinging the same as the ones released to us in the Hunger Games.

But these weren't gifts. Once they reached the children, they exploded, and Katniss and I were thrown to the ground. We stayed their momentarily, before looking up as parents were holding the bodies of their children. But our eyes caught something different.

"Prim?" I heard Katniss call as we both walked towards the chaos.

"Klarissa?" I called out. Both Klarissa and Prim looked up, each in the rebel medical uniforms as they each stood over a child. But before we could reach them, another bomb erupted, throwing Katniss and I back. I fell to the ground, feeling the heat from the flames on my robe. I saw the smoke rise from be momentarily, before it slowly all faded to black.