Katniss

We had arrived back at camp around dinnertime and were gathered around a large fire. We had brought fresh meat and bread back with us from District 4 and Traver was in the process of cooking it. The smell of meat rose around us; I realized how hungry I was. I hadn't eaten since breakfast.

Peeta and I sat apart from the others, I was anxious to tell him about our day. I had communicated with him off and on with the communicuff, but only up until the beach. I told him how we traveling north up the beach and stumbled upon Ollie and Cruz kissing. I told him about the talk I had with Ollie and how she blurted out her feelings for both of them when they were in earshot. I told him about Ollie going into labor and Cruz jumping in to help deliver the baby.

"It was amazing, Peeta." I smiled.

"Cruz?" He asked.

"No, the whole experience. Giving birth. Watching a little baby come out into the world."

His eyes grew saw. "I can only imagine."

"Someday." I laid my hand on his. But the truth was, we had no idea if we could even have children. President Snow had poisoned the water supply, leaving many of Panem's women and men sterile.

I went on to tell him about the hovercraft taking us to a hospital in District 4. "I have a feeling President Paylor will get wind of this fast. We need to move in to the compound before she contacts us and makes other plans."

He nodded his head. "We only have until tomorrow Katniss, I don't think that will be a problem."

"So, do you think she really loves both of them?" Peeta motions across the fire with his head. Cruz and Stosh were situated far from each other. Cruz was talking with the twins while Stosh was discussing something with Austin.

"I really do Peeta. Look at then, what do they remind you of?"

I watched as he glanced between the two of them and then smiled. "Gale and I."

I nod my head. The similarities were kind of shocking when I looked closer. Stosh was tall, with a lean but strong build, and had dark hair and grey eyes. Just like Gale. Then there was Cruz, who was tall and thicker, all muscle, with golden hair and piercing blue eyes. Both were good looking.

Peeta looked at me. "But for some reason I think their personalities go opposite their looks. Cruz looks like the adventurous one, the one up for a fight. Stosh just looks like he would do anything to keep Ollie safe, even die for her.

I take Peeta's hand in mine. "Both are great guys. She has a hard decision ahead of her."

He peers over at me. "Was it hard for you? Even though Gale left, did you think about going after him?"

I shook my head. "I had enough fire and passion for my own, I needed you to cool me off. To keep me levelheaded. In the end I knew it was always you." I leaned forward and kissed him, lingering for a little while before pulling away.

"Mmm." He moaned. "Maybe we should skip dinner."

I laughed. "No way, I am starving. Plus, we need to come up with a plan for tomorrow."

And plan we did. It was Cruz who had actually come up with the best idea, and here we sat, ready to carry it out. We were about a mile from the compound now when we stopped.

"Everyone now what they're doing?" Cruz asked.

We all nodded.

"Good." He said. "Hide any weapons you may want later now. We'll never get past the guards with them."

I stashed my bow and arrows in a nearby hollow tree; the others did the same with their guns. We carried a few on us as well, just in case. Cruz pointed in the direction of the compound. "If you walk straight you won't miss it." He was staying back with Austin and Stosh.

We headed out and it wasn't twenty minutes before we came up to a large steel gate. Two guards popped up on either side of the tower, guns aimed at us. "Drop you weapons!" They yelled.

We set our guns on the ground, making a big show of getting rid of our weapons. Once we set them on the ground they moved in and patted us up and down.

"Watch it." Peeta growled as one of the guards lingered around me, smirking.

The large gates opened and they led us inside. The compound was composed of small buildings with walking paths between each. There was a hangar in the back left and the ocean was to the right. I spotted the cabin that we rescued Ari from. It had a glass tunnel leading into a large white building. I decided it was most likely the Med Center. The guards led us to a building to the left, a large grey building. We stepped inside and moved our way down a long white hall scattered with doors. Once at the end we were motioned through a door on the right, which led into a large conference room. Garth sat at the end of the table, an armed guard at either side.

"Ah, so glad to see you made it. Please, have a seat." He motioned toward the chairs. We sat down. Peeta at the end with my by his side. Hile, Fray, and Dolo surrounding us.

"So, where is the subject of our little arrangement?" Garth asked.

"Around." Peeta shrugged. "Where is Gale?"

"Around." Garth smirked.

"Let's just get to business." I spat at him.

"Very well." Garth stirred sugar into a cup of coffee in front of him. "It is as simple as I told you. You hand over the boy and we'll hand over Gale."

Peeta leaned back in his chair. "How do we know you are telling the truth?"

"I doubt you want to test me Peeta." He pressed a button on the table and an image popped up on a screen on the wall. I gasped. Gale was tied to a metal chair, battered and bruised. An armed guard stood on either side of him, both had a gun to his head. "All it takes it a push of this button to start the execution, and we'll have a front row seat."

"Their waiting in a clearing about a mile north of here. Straight from the gates."

Garth laughed, something about it wasn't right. "Oh I know, did you think we wouldn't watch you coming in?" He snapped his fingers and guards pushed through the door, they had Cruz and Stosh, Austin wasn't with them. "I just liked starting off our meeting with a little game."

I glared at him. "Can't play a clean game though? Where's Gale?"

"I think I'll keep him around for awhile. At least, until we are done with Stosh and all."

I looked at Cruz and he nodded. Suddenly chaos broke out. The guards holding Stosh and Cruz cut their ropes and they both quickly bent down and pulled guns out of the pant legs. They tossed one to Peeta and one to me; they pulled out two of their own. They did this in a matter of seconds and the guards in the room were too surprised to react fast enough. The guards who entered with Cruz and Stosh raised their guns, it too one shot to each guard to bring them down.

Garth reached for a button on his table but I was there first, my gun pointed at his head. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. Stand up, against the wall." I yelled.

He put his hands in the air and stood. "Don't do anything you might regret later Katniss."

I let out a wild laugh. "Have you forgotten who you are talking to? I have killed people before. Innocent people. I would have no problem ending your life right here and right now."

"Katniss…" Peeta warned. He came up behind me with cuffs. "So Garth, looks like your playing by our rules now. Lead us to where they are keeping Gale."

Garth backed up toward the corner. "And why should I do that?"

I stepped toward him. "You will if you want to live."

"Go ahead, I dare you Katniss." He was smirking at me. Actually smirking at me.

I stepped a few inches from him and held the gun up to his head. Suddenly Cruz yelled from behind me. "Katniss, NO!"

But it was too late. Garth leaned against a hidden button on the wall and a trap door was activated. The floor below us dropped and the two of us slid down into the darkness.

Peeta

I watched in horror as the floor swallowed Garth and Katniss up and then slid back into place as if nothing happened. I fell to my knees where they disappeared.

"KATNISS!" I banged my fists on the floor and reached up to the wall, looking for the button he pressed.

"It's no use." Cruz said from behind me. "It disappeared once he used it. But I know where they'll take her. First we have to get to Gale. I recognize the room he is being kept in."

I stayed on my knees, willing the floor to open back up. "No, we get Katniss first."

"They won't kill Katniss, they'll use her as bait. They have no reason to keep Gale. Plus, he'll want to get her back almost as bad as you."

I stood, feeling numb. "Let's go. Quickly." We all ran out into the hall and Cruz and the two guards led us through a few security doors. Thankfully Cruz's friends on the inside had the clearance cards to get us through. We ended up in an elevator and rode it three stories down.

"Get your guns ready." We leaned back against the sidewalls and when the doors open guns fired at random from the outside. They died off a little and we took the opportunity. Hile and Fray rolled to the floor and began firing; they had acquired guns from the dead guards upstairs.

The firing came to a halt. "Clear." They yelled. We stepped into the hall where six dead guards lay.

"This way!" Cruz shouted.

We followed him to the end of the hall and to a door on the left. "This is where they are keeping him. We will have to move fast."

I kicked the door down and busted into the room. The guards looked shocked and that is all they had time for. Cruz and Hile ran in behind me and shot them down. So many lives lost today.

Gale looked up at us and smiled. "Hey guys, took you long enough."

"They have Katniss." I blurted out.

He looked at me wide eyed and jumped up. He stripped one of the dead guards of his gun. "Where is she?"

We all looked to Cruz and he frowned. "The basement."

Gale and I looked at each other and nodded. "To the basement then." He growled.

"Wait a minute." Cruz said. "Let's change into the guards clothes. Our faces will still be recognizable but it might add some confusion."

"Good idea." Hile said from behind him.

We dragged the two guards back into the hall where the other six lay and matched up our body types the best we could. We headed back into the elevator and stepped inside.

"We have to be fast." Cruz said. "It won't be long before others are after us. It may be a small compound but Garth has made a lot of allies."

I glared at the floors lighting up as we made our descent. "He won't have many after I kill him."