Chapter 9
Sorry I've taken so long with this, just too many exams :(.
When William wakes up, he's haggard, tired, and completely disoriented. He sees no more of the monsters he witnessed attack him all through the night, instead, only the sound of many footsteps. He hears the door to his cell click open, and Marcellus is standing there, holding a nightstick.
"Welcome to the current Odair residence, can I get you something…" William mutters. Marcellus takes his foot and roughly flips William over. He finds he is nearly immobile, the venom and lack of sleep have made him almost paralyzed. Marcellus leans down and grabs William's neck.
"If I could, I'd hang you right here, and that would be worth all the frustrations you caused me."
"Then why don't you, oh, that's right, you powerful military commanders are controlled by pathetic frilly Capitol citizens. Now, that has to annoy you, gold-tooth and his ridiculous nature." William says. Marcellus is struck by this, and freezes a moment.
"Don't you just wish you could sock that pathetic man? Make him shut up for just a moment. Agrippa isn't a trained commander, or leader. He's just a rich relative of Snow. Why does he deserve to order you around?" Marcellus grabs William by his collar and pulls him up.
"If you think you're going to turn me against Agrippa, you're crazy."
"No, no…I just want you to…think for a bit." William says smiling. Marcellus, not impressed, pulls him to his feet and forcibly has him walk out of the cell toward the surface. The sun rays are blinding when William first comes out, but as his vision improves, he sees an enormous crowd of people, maybe a thousand or so, gathered before the Justice Building. He sees Otho, who looks horrified, and Craven, who is unemotional as ever, standing to one side. He sees peacekeepers lined up all along the crowd. And then…he sees the noose, hanging, waiting, for his neck. The noose which had haunted his dream, killed his wife thousands of times in his mind, that noose was finally here to take him as well. William blinks away tears and tries to look unfazed, but its difficult as this noose seems to be call his name when it swings in the wind. He assumes the venom hasn't worn off, and notices the noose moving closer and closer, ready to slip around him any second.
"William Odair, for the crime of fermenting, aiding, and leading rebellion against the beloved Capitol and President Snow," Agrippa reads out to the crowd, which is getting a little wild, "you will be hung until dead. By order of Scipio Mellark, Commander of Capitol Officials and Peacekeepers, District Three, Four, Five, and Seven." William looks around at the people, who are calling his name, demanding he be freed. He even thinks he sees Finnick for a moment, but he dismisses this as the venom poisoning him.
"Any last words, Odair…"
"I die for a free District Four. This revolt isn't over. You can tell Scipio…that you failed…" Agrippa looks at him, then flashes his golden smile and looks out at the crowd.
"Oh, but we've had more success than we imagined. Arrest Finnick Odair now!" Agrippa yells. Peacekeepers push through the crowd and eventually, William watches his son dragged forcefully to the stage with him. Finnick thrashes in the peacekeeper's arms, and they take a pistol from him, then beat him to the ground.
"Finnick…no…" William says weakly. He can't tell whether he was dreaming or actually seeing things but Finnick looked completely outdone, as a peacekeeper shocks him with an electric nightstick.
"Finnick...I've killed you too…I've killed everyone…" William says, as Agrippa pulls the noose down around his neck.
Finnick holds his chest, trying to look badly wounded as the peacekeeper kicked him in his body armor again. The pistol whip on his face was painful, but the slams against his body weren't doing anything. He was just trying to stall for time though, all of the reinforcements weren't here yet. He looks up slightly to see his father, noose around his neck, and Agrippa ready to do the deed.
"It's over, Odair. You, then your son, and the District Four revolt is over!" Agrippa yells. He is about to pull the trigger and let his father hang. Finnick jumps to his feet and yells.
"Agrippa! The revolts not over yet. Marcia now!" The peacekeeper behind Agrippa draws two pistols and kills at least four men before Agrippa can even turn around. Finnick looks into the crowd to Mags, who throws up his trident. Finnick holds his glove out, and the device twirls elegantly into his hand.
"Ron! Time to play!" Finnick yells. Two of the peacekeepers standing guard near the stage rip off their helmets, revealing themselves to be Ron and Jarrok. Ron holds out his hand, and a trident comes from behind Agrippa, cutting the rope holding William and dropping him onto the stage. Finnick knocks down two peackeepers with a flourish and scoops up his father.
"Come on, old man, you didn't think I'd abandoned you. We made a deal, we die together.."
"Finnick…" is all his father says before he passes out. Finnick turns to run and four peacekeepers come onto the stage. They raise weapons but Ron knocks down three with one motion of his weapon, while Jarrok drives through another with his trident. Finnick turns to see Marcellus, pistol raised. Agrippa, Craven, and Otho are all behind him.
"We have nearly five hundred peacekeepers Odair. You must realize you can't win."
"Maybe so. But maybe you underestimate us. Ron, time to get your father involved." Ron nods and presses a button on his trident, which is followed by a missile, soaring through air and crashing into the justice building. The rubble falls down over Marcellus, Agrippa, Craven, and Otho, and Finnick, Ron, and Jarrok jump off the stage toward a car. Marcia is already in it, with two other peacekeepers with her.
"Get him back to his house. We'll take care of the rest." Marcia nods then starts driving away. Finnick turns to Ron.
"I get Marcellus."
"You can have them both. I just want to stick someone." Ron turns to Hadrian, who comes up with his army of about forty. Half are rebellious peacekeepers and the other half are armed citizens.
"Come on soldiers, lets go!" Hadrian yells, running into the fight. Another missile crashes into the justice building, this time sending rubble flying behind it into the parked peackeeper cars. Finnick turns to the crowd, where people are rioting against the peacekeepers holding them in. Even with Marcia's fifty some soldiers who turned, the army is still overwhelming, and they start pressing the crowd in.
"Ron…is Librae here?" Finnick asks. Ron takes out binoculars he stole from a peacekeeper during the fight and looks around.
"I don't think yet…wait, there they are!" Ron yells. Finnick sees that nearly a hundred people coming down the hill a short distance from the justice building. Ron's father is perched there with a missile launcher peacekeepers had tried to use in Area Three. The troops come down that hill seem awfully well organized to Finnick.
"Ron are you sure those are ours?" Finnick asks. He knocks over and strikes an attacking keeper, then looks back to his friend. Ron drops the binoculars.
"Yeah, those are ours all right. You are gonna want to take a look." Finnick brings up the binoculars to see Librae, the father of Porick Finnick thinks is named Thomas with about ten guns on him, and behind them is a mass of kids, 12-18, who are all armed with guns or melee weapons.
"Are those…"
"Yep. The kids of Tribute Academy. Talk about calling in the cavalry. Good idea Finnick." Ron says. Finnick looks at him.
"I didn't ask for this!"
"Then who did?" Finnick looks back with his binoculars, and can't believe his eyes. Annie is at the top of the hill, holding an axe. She looks unsteady, but is cheering the kids on. Finnick lower the binoculars and puts them into Ron's hands.
"Is that Annie?" he screams. Finnick nods slowly.
"I guess I can only blame myself for that one. My father didn't call her or the tributes here." FInnick raises his trident and points it toward the gathering mass of peacekeepers.
"Only one thing to do now. Defeat them as fast as we can! Come on!" Finnick yells, running and jumping at a peacekeeper with his trident.
Ron thrusts his trident forward and uproots one peacekeeper and uses his chest as a springboard to cut the necks of two more. Another missile flies from the hill, but this time, it smashes into an incoming car filled with peacekeepers. The vehicle is blown to bits, and the one behind it is flipped over. Ron looks back to see a group of about twelve peacekeepers coming at him with nightsticks.
"Finnick…" Ron says. Finnick looks up from the one he's stabbing, and then runs toward Ron.
"You know, when we came up with this attack pattern, I really thought you were crazy. I was like, when and why would we ever use this…" Ron says, holding up his trident.
"What, you didn't expect you and me to be armed with tridents against a platoon of peacekeepers fighting to liberate our district?" Finick says, smiling. Ron looks at him, a grin on his face too.
"No…I didn't see that one in the stars back in 68…" Ron leans down and Finnick jumps over him thrusting his trident into the first keeper. He pulls back and ducks, and Ron twirls his, cutting down another man and finishing the first. FInnick jumps up and flings his weapon, then drops again as Ron twirls and takes down an attacker. They move like sea water, which is interestingly enough the name of their move. Finnick thrusts and withdraws, while Ron twirls his weapon to keep back attackers. This move, which they've practiced probably a hundred times together, works perfectly to outdo this squadron, and actually another. They finish the last man, and look at each other.
"Wow…that was awesome…" Ron says. Finnick slaps him on the back.
"See, you need to trust me sometimes!" Finnick says. Ron smiles, then turns to see a tribute, the twelve year old boy Finnick knocked out with a punch so long ago, attacking a peacekeeper. The boy, armed with a sword, uproots the peacekeeper and kills him, then turns to Finnick and Ron and holds up the weapon. Ron and Finnick hold up their tridents in response. The boy turns to move to the next keeper, and then he's hit by a sniper bullet, and collapses to the ground. Ron is shocked, then turns with determination toward the justice building. It doesn't take long for him to sees his sniper.
"Finnick, Agrippa and Marcellus have ruled this place too long." Ron says. Finnick nods.
"I agree…lets get them an early retirement package, shall we?" Ron and Finnick race toward the justice building. They go to a back side door and find Mags there.
"Just a moment…" Mags says. She presses a few buttons on a small keypad near the door, and it open. Mags smiles and waves Ron and Finnick in, "A gift from Marcia."
"Thank you Mags. And thank Marcia for us…" Ron says, giving the woman a kiss. Finnick goes to her and picks her up, planting a long kiss on his cheek.
"You're the best, sweetheart!" Finnick says. Ron and him start into the building, both with their tridents out and ready. When they reach the fourth floor, peacekeepers, at least ten come down the stairs.
"Alright, same plan?" Finnick says. Ron looks at him and shakes his head.
"No, I got something special planned." Ron takes out a small grenade and flings it at the stairs. He grabs Finnick and pulls him down another hall, then an explosion tells him the way is clear.
"You know, you make life too easy."
"I make death too easy. Life…I'm still working on that…" Ron goes with Finnick up the rubble that was once a stairway up to the fifth floor, where he was sure he saw the sniper. Ron cautiously puts his trident out, but it doesn't draw any fire.
"They're here, and they have a sniper rifle."
"Can you just blow them up?"
"This building has take four rockets already. Anymore, and it might crumble right on top of us. And I really don't want to have that race."
"Then it looks like we got to do this…" Finnick knocks open a closest and after a bit of heaving, rips out the wooden door, "The old fashion way." Finnick holds out the door, and starts running while Ron holds his trident back, ready to throw. Finnick starts running down the hall, taking several shots. He suddenly drops to the ground, and Ron flings his weapon, skewering on man. Ron draws the trident back and Finnick jumps up off the ground and slashes two peacekeepers with his trident. He stands up and holds his weapon up to Agrippa, who is whimpering.
"I could give you anything…jewels, money, women, just let me live…"
"I want one thing, freedom. And I need you alive for that."
"You…you want to take me hostage?"
"Let's hope you're worth a lot to Snow…"
"Oh dear…" Agrippa says, his gold teeth still shimmering outrageously. The shine actually is blinding Ron, so he holds up his hand, then is suddenly tackled by Marcellus, who has a gun to Ron's face.
"Listen close, Finnick. You give up now, I don't kill Ron."
"Wait…wait…" Finnick says, holding out his hand. He looks back and grabs Agrippa, holding the trident point to his neck.
"Alright, you pay attention. You surrender, I won't kill shiny here."
"You think I care what happen to Agrippa. That pointless blob of an official is as useless as a chocolate teapot." Everyone stops for a moment. Ron thinks about this, then smiles.
"Oh…that's a good one…" Marcellus rolls his eyes and smacks Ron.
"Look, he's still your supervisor."
"I'll just say he was shot. By you. In fact…" Marcellus raises his guns and sends a bullet through Agrippa's chest. The gold man is covered in red, and collapses in front of Finnick.
"Now…back too…AHHH!" Marcellus cries out, and falls to the ground. Ron rolls out of his grip. Mags comes out from the shadows and thrusts her walking cane/trident into Marcellus's leg. His eyes turn spiteful and he thrusts out with his hand and grabs the old woman by the neck.
"I'm tired of you, old woman. This is it for you!" As he turns, Ron pulls his trident back to him and drives it through Marcellus's back. Finnick runs over and stabs the man in the shoulder. Marcellus cries out in pain, but Mags puts his hand over his mouth.
"Marcellus. I'm tired of stabbing you. This is it…for you!" Mags is about to suffocate him when Finnick pulls her back.
"Hold on. We need something to negotiate with, and the more we have the better. Despite his attempt to kill Agrippa, the bullet wasn't clean," Finnick leans down and looks at the pained Marcellus, "That useless blob is still alive. And I assure you, he's not going to be happy. Not that it matters, because you're now our hostages…" Finnick looks to Ron.
"The mayor and Otho are here somewhere."
"More hostages…" Ron says, smiling. He turns and follows the steps to the top floor, where Mayor Craven is talking loudly into a floating picture of an official.
"They've taken the main square. This is a full on revolution! If I don't get more men immediately, I'm not going to make it! Don't let me die like that man in Eleven! I deserve better…" Ron smiles and walks out leisurely into the room.
"Don't worry Craven, I won't let you be treated like that terrible man in Eleven!" Ron says. Craven looks up, horrified. There are two peacekeepers in the room, but Ron brings both down within seconds. He looks at Otho, who throws himself before Ron and begs for mercy.
"I didn't do any of this! I'm just an escort! I'm not even liked by the Captiol! They just need someone to serve on television! I'm on your side, I promise…" Ron rolls his eyes, and whacks Otho with his trident butt, knocking him out. Craven is all that's left, and he looks at the computer.
"I assume, this is my end…"
"Far from it. No, every piece of leverage we can have, we'll use…" Ron says, going to him and grabbing his arm. He notices that Craven turned on some sort of emergency signal. Ron hits him with the trident butt also, leaving him unconscious, then grabs the emergency signal.
"If a hovercraft comes within a hundred feet of the Justice Building, one of your servants or citizens in District Four will die. Enter at your own risk…" Ron says, flinging the device out of the window. He grabs the unconscious mayor and Otho, and takes them down to the first floor, where Finnick has Agrippa and Marcellus tied to poles.
"Well…" Finnick says. Ron smiles and drops his prizes.
"I didn't even have to fight with Otho. In fact…he might be useful for getting some access codes…" Finnick nods. Librae, Marcia, and Jarrok come over and see the four defeated leaders.
"Oh, how wonderful!" Jarrok says. Librae smiles, and Marcia picks up Marcellus.
"This should stop their fighting. Help me Ron." The two carry the man back onto the remains of the stage. Ron grabs the mic and taps it a few times. Its still being projected, and he pulls it over the Marcia, who draws a pistol.
"All peacekeepers still fighting against us. Drop your weapons or retreat immediately or your commander dies. You have five seconds…" Marcia holds up the pistol. Most peacekeepers drops their weapons or start running at that moment, but a few still hold their guns or nightsticks.
"Five…four…three…two…" the remaining peacekeepers drop their weapons and start running. Marcia draws back the pistol and looks at Marcellus.
"Seems your subordinates are better than you are at protecting officers…" Ron says, watching as Marcia's soldiers and the rebel army are collecting weapons, "So, Marcia…what now…"
"That's a decision…" Marcia says, "For our new mayor…" Marcia looks back to where William, leaning on a cane, is hobbling onto stage, and on his chest is the M within a circle.