Chapter Twenty-One: Divide and Conquer

Disclaimer: I don't own THG.

Cato:

The hovercraft was well on it's way to Thirteen and Plutarch had a table set up in a room next to the infirmary. Finnick had awoken from his comatose state. The district Four man had noticed the absence of one person: Annie Cresta.

"No communication with Seven, Ten, and Twelve. Eleven has transportation, so we might be able to get food out." Plutarch said. The Head Gamemaker was keeping everyone informed, whether they cared to hear it or not.

"Can we stop in Four? It'll be quick. We have to get Annie." Finnick pleaded. His desperation showed clearly on his face. Cato sympathized with him. He knew the feeling.

Haymitch Abernathy groaned and Plutarch's face softened.

"I already gave orders for her retrieval. That's the best we can do right now." Plutarch said.

"I can go find her myself, then. Just let me off." Finnick insisted. It was the same thing Cato tried to do before they stopped him. Enobaria said he was out for almost an hour after they managed to sedate him.

"Don't be stupid, Finnick." Haymitch said. "That'll get her killed. As long as you're alive, she's alive. They need bait."

"But we'll stop at Two." Enobaria said confidently. "We have to." Max was in Two and if they couldn't have Clove, then the least they could do was get Max.

Plutarch shook his head. "No need. Arrangements were made for the boy days ago."

Before Cato could ask about those arrangements, a bang drew attention away from conversation. Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, had finally deemed it appropriate to make her presence known. Beside Cato, Enobaria growled, expressing her disdain for the girl.

Katniss stumbled forward and Haymitch stopped her from hitting the floor. The older man attempted to take a syringe from her hand. It took some work, but Haymich did manage to get her to drop the it. He guided her into a chair next to Finnick. Everyone stared at her, waiting for a reaction.

Seeing there was only silence, Plutarch calmly explained the situation. Cato learned that the Head Gamemaker was a rebel, had been for years. He waited patiently for the right time to strike and overthrow the Capitol. Plutarch told them of the plan in the arena, the clock design and the message hidden in the bread rolls. Katniss finally realized that she and Peeta Mellark were the only ones in the alliance who knew nothing of it.

"Why didn't you tell us?" She wondered.

"As soon as the force field went down, they'd go for you first. It was better you didn't know." Haymitch said.

"I don't see why they'd go for me and Peeta." Katniss was completely missing the point.

"Same reason why we all agreed to keep the two of you alive. You're important." Finnick explained.

"Johanna tried to kill me and Clove let her." Katniss challenged. Cato felt an ache at the mention of Clove. Where was she?

"Johanna got rid of your tracker. They led Brutus away from you." Haymitch spoke slowly, thinking it would be easier for her to comprehend.

"I don't understand...why..." She shook her head. "I don't-"

"You're the Mockingjay, Katniss." Plutarch announced. "You're the revolution. If you live, it lives."

It was the first time Cato heard someone call her the Mockingjay. It had been a popular symbol ever since the lovers won the Games, but it meant nothing to him. Meant nothing even as he sat down and had a chat with a bunch of rebels.

"Peeta." She whispered. Katniss searched the room for any sign of her blond lover.

Haymitch couldn't look her in the eye as he told her the truth. Peeta, Johanna, and Clove; they were taken by the Capitol.

Cato thought it satisfying to see fire girl experience pain. She deserved it, she was responsible for everything that was happening.

It took one second for Katniss to process the information and attack Haymitch. She clawed at him, at his face. Both Cato and Enobaria stood by, watching the show. Katniss was wild, displaying the least self control out of all of them. Did she think she was the only one who had lost someone? She proved herself quite selfish in that moment.

In the end, Katniss was sedated and taken back to the infirmary, along with Finnick and Haymitch. Plutarch went to check on them, leaving Cato alone with Enobaria.

"What do we do?" She asked. "They're not going to do anything about Clove. Bastards."

Cato was annoyed by her question. "I don't know."

"She shouldn't have gotten herself into this. We could have stopped her, but we didn't." Enobaria said. She had transitioned from being angry at Clove to being angry at herself.

"We couldn't have done anything about it. You know how she is. She does what she wants." He said, reaching into his pocket. He carried a shell bracelet with him, one he had found in Clove's tribute room. Not something he had given her, Clove didn't wear a lot of jewelry. The shells implied that it had been a gift from Finnick; only in Four could you find such things. Perhaps it had been a birthday gift.

Enobaria continued to list all the things they could have done to change the outcome of the situation. Cato tuned her out, not interested in hearing of their mistakes. All that was left to do was wait. And hope that Clove lived.

Clove:

She hated the color white. It was so...empty. Too, clean. Something that was incomplete. She thought of it as artificial, like the Capitol.

The walls in her cell were white and it was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes. She felt the pain from her injuries and winced as she got up. Clove made the mistake of placing her weight on her left foot; it was broken or at the very least, badly sprained.

The door to her cell had a barred window, placed there to let someone talk to her without risking an attack. Not that Clove would want to attack, her body ached and threatened to give out.

She reached the window and gazed out into a hallway. More white. There were more cells; one was directly in front of her own.

Where are you Clove? The Capitol. I was caught by the Capitol. Along with Peeta Mellark. Find him, Clove. Find your allies.

"Peeta!" She called. Her voice unrecognizable, scratchy and strained. Her throat was parched and she could only guess at how long she was unconscious.

"Peeta!" She tried again.

"Kentwell?" Johanna answered from the cell across. "They got you? Fuck. Who else?"

The other girl was looking through her own barred window. Clove saw she had a bruise on her cheek, a gash on her neck. She had one hand on the bars, the other was hidden. Clove suspected it was hurt, but despite the injuries, Johanna was well enough to talk.

"They got Peeta." Clove revealed.

Johanna screamed in anger and pulled on the bars. "Fuck!" She continued to yell obscenities and try to loosen the bars. After a couple of minutes, she was calm. "Anyone else? Did you see them take Everdeen?"

"No. I think she got away."

Johanna sighed heavily. "I saw two hovercrafts. One that got me. Probably the same that got you and Mellark. The other craft must have gotten the others."

Clove was relieved. "As long as they have one of them, I think we're good. Well, maybe not us, but they'll keep going. They could help us."

"You think they'll rescue us? They have the districts to worry about. They were unstable when we went in, imagine what'll happen once everyone hears about this!" Johanna cried.

"The Capitol will try and cover it up, Snow won't want to draw attention to the rebels. That would send the wrong message." Clove said. "But you're right, they won't send help immediately."

"Everdeen will freak when they tell her they got her boyfriend." Johanna said. "Or fiance, or whatever the hell he is. She'll want him back, so there's that in our favor."

"They'll keep him alive as bait, then. That's why they got him. And us..."

Johanna frowned. "They'll torture us. They want information, but it's not like we know what's going on. Do we know where they're keeping Everdeen? No! We don't know what the rebels are planning. We know nothing!"

Everything Johanna said was spot on.

They''ll torture us because they like seeing people in pain. They won't kill us, not until we beg. Even then, Snow will keep us alive.

"Where do you think they have him?" Clove asked.

Johanna shrugged awkwardly, her injured arm preventing smooth movements. "Around here somewhere. There are more cells on you side. Some on mine, I'm guessing. He's gotta be around here."

"Peeta!" Clove resumed her search for allies.

Johanna joined her. They kept at it for a few minutes before they got a reply. It was a groan from a cell next to Johanna.

"Mellark! Get up!" Johanna called.

He kept groaning but there was no sound of movement.

"I don't think he can walk yet." Clove said to Johanna. She turned her attention to other occupied cell. "Peeta, you're in the Capitol."

"Your plan is to just tell him he's going to die?" Johanna questioned. Clove glared at her and the other girl retreated inside her cell.

"Katniss is fine. They didn't get her. She'll come find you and we're all going to get out of here." Clove wasn't sure if she was saying it for his benefit or hers.

She limped away from the window and curled up in a corner. There was a flurry of emotions inside her. Clove was furious that she had been caught, she thought she was strong enough to beat the Capitol. She was satisfied with what she did accomplish; Katniss Everdeen would have to lead the rebels and that was better than nothing. Uncertainty came next. She had no idea what happened to her loved ones, her family. And finally, there was fear. Clove feared for her life.

The door to her cell opened and a man with a doctor's coat casually strolled in. He wore a smile on his face, delighted to see her.

"Victor Kentwell, welcome! I'm doctor Lucilius." He greeted cheerfully. A couple of medics walked in carrying supplies. "You and your friends have a few injuries, nothing too worrisome though. A few broken bones. Some cuts and bruises, but they'll heal. We're going to take care of that and soon you'll be back in shape."

The medics were already cleaning the cuts. Her left foot throbbed and she hissed when they got her to stand.

"That ankle's going to need some attention." The doctor mused. The medics allowed her to sit.

Clove was given some pain medication which she took gratefully. She let them work on her, mostly because she was too weak to fight them and she didn't have her knives.

"Why are you doing this? Healing us? That's not how Snow would want it." Clove said.

The doctor grinned. "You know how it is, Clove. Its always better to work with a blank canvas."

She flashed back to her own games when he said that. Clove saw herself, sitting on top of some unlucky tribute, smiling as she carved her name into the porcelain skin. Had that really been her?It seemed a lifetime ago.

Turning her attention back to Lucilius, Clove laughed dryly. "True."

That was what she had enjoyed most. Knowing she could start from scratch and create a masterpiece. If Snow had that planned for her, then at least she would be remembered.

From now on, we're going to have some Clove POV from inside the Capitol. Plus, Cato POV of 13. I don't know much about torture methods, so bear with me, guys. Any suggestions are most welcome. Thanks for reading, and please, do review! :)