What the hell are you all doing in my apartment?"

"Hello, Dad." Cato greeted with an unhappy tone.

He lowered his weapon and Clove followed suit. "Cato?"

"Dad, these are my friends. Friends, meet my dad, Haymitch Abernathy Brooks."

"Um, hi." Finnick said first.

Haymitch pointed a finger at him. "Aren't you that boy on TV?"

"Yessir."

"That's not really important now." Cato snapped a little harshly. "I'm here to talk to you about Annie. If you still remember that she was kidnapped..."

The older man glared at his son. "Boy, shut your mouth. Of course I know your sister was taken away."

"So you remember that night then?" Cato implored. "I want to know everything."

"Quite demanding, aren't you?"

"I have a good reason to be." He snapped again. "I'm trying to find my sister, so I need answers now."

"Don't you think that if I knew where she was I would have called the police and gotten her back by now?" Haymitch quipped.

"Really? Honestly, I think you wouldn't have called incase they end up arresting you instead!"

The older one pointed a finger at him. "You're crossing the line, boy."

"What? Are you gonna throw a bottle of vodka at my head?"

Katniss, Clove, Peeta and Finnick just stood there, silently watching the father and son's harsh exchange of words and unsure of what to do about it.

"You know what?" Cato continued. "This was a mistake. Why did I even bother visiting you? You're just a useless drunk who's too cowardly to try and find his own daughter."

"Shut the hell up, Cato!" Haymitch growled. "I've been doing way more than you think."

"Like what?"

"I've gone to rehab. I only have a drink once a month now or on special occasions. Like Annie's or your birthday...or your mother's and my anniversary. So don't you dare think that I don't care because I do!"

Cato's expression never wavered; eyebrows furrow and face in a deep scowl. "You may be less of a drunk now, but what about your gambling? Isn't that the reason why Annie was taken away?"

"I drank more when she was gone, I admit." He said truthfully. "But since that day, I haven't gambled a penny."

But Cato still wasn't happy. "Okay, so you changed your stupid habits. That's just wonderful. But that's just for your benefit-it's always about you and your life."

"Are you kidding me? Who the hell worked his ass off to keep this place and get by? I took up three damn jobs. I did this all without your mother too! So I'm sorry if I couldn't pamper you or kiss your boo-boo's."

"I didn't want you to pamper me," Cato said exasperatedly. "I just wanted you to stop drinking and gambling away everything. I just wanted you to help me care for Annie when she was sick or hungry. I just wanted you to be there."

Haymitch just stared at his son, guilt clutching his heart like a cold hand. But he refused to show his feelings on the outside. "Well, now I can. I've changed alot since you left."

"It's too late, Haymitch." Cato answered bitterly, using his father's first name to alienate their relationship further. "I'm not here to mend what can't be fixed. I'm here to find Annie. Now you can either help me here or not."

Haymitch ran a hand through his hair, a habit he developed during rehab to relieve stress. "I can try."

They were all sitting around Haymitch's table and listening intently as the man tried to recall that night around nine years ago.

"It was a...let's see...a Wednesday night? Thursday?"

"Wednesday." Cato interrupted. "I remembered because I used to call them "Wasted Wednesdays". You usually got extra drunk on that day."

Haymitch glared at him. "Yeah, well I didn't bother drinking that night, okay?"

"I'm sorry," Clove apologized, nudging her boyfriend. "Cato will only interrupt you to help fill in the blanks from now on. Okay, Cato?"

"Fine." Cato grumbled.

"Anyway, it was a Wednesday night. These big guys came in and told me I needed to pay up or the "Boss" would take something important to me as compensation. I told them I didn't have the money, so they grabbed Annie and took off."

"What did they say then?" Peeta asked patiently.

"They said...they said I owed them...twenty? Thirty grand?"

"Ninety grand, Haymitch. You owe them ninety thousand dollars."

"Oh...yeah. And if I pay it up then they'll return Annie."

"So...are you close to paying the debt?" Katniss asked.

Haymitch eyed her. "What the hell do you think, girlie?"

"I'll take that as a no."

Cato and Haymitch both ran their hand through their hair at the same time. Everyone else noticed the motion, but didn't bother saying anything. They are definitely father and son, but they refuse to acknowledge such ties.

"Look," Finnick started. "I have never met Annie, but I can definitely tell she means the world to the both of you. She's what you two have in common; she's some one you're both willing to fight for. But you can't find Annie if we keep up all this useless bickering and insulting each other. We need to work together despite what happened in the past. Focus on the present problem at hand and fix it."

"He's right." Clove agreed. "You have to come with us Mr. Brooks. We'll find your daughter, but we can't do it without you."

Haymitch had to decided. Either take the safe route and continue living in his run down apartment in total obscurity or try to save what was left of his family. "I guess...I guess I better go with you kids."

The car ride back to Finnick's house was unbearably quiet and tense. Haymitch decided to sit in the back with Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick around him and Cato and Clove in the front. The older man noticed his son holding the girl's hand while he was driving with the other. It was the girl who held a knife at him when they first came in. He didn't recall her name, so he just nicknamed her as The Girl with Knives. Obviously, his son is more grown up than he originally thought. He had found love. Haymitch could see it, the way Cato smiled at The Girl with Knives, the way their eyes met and shared intense passion and understanding, it was all too much of a painful flashback of Haymitch and his wife. They were such a happy, beautiful family in the beginning. It's hard to understand how it all just fell apart and crumbled into a pile of dust. But there was no bringing back the same family no matter what. His wife left him for who knows what reason which led to the excessive drinking and gambling. Those two habits took the edge off his daily agony in life. Once his beloved wife left and the drinking and gambling started, everything just stacked up from there. The growing amount of debt, the increasing resentment from Cato...it couldn't be controlled. That's why Haymitch was almost glad his son left him. The pain of watching his son suffer because of him was too much. But this girl, the Girl with Knives...she definitely brought happiness into his son's life. For that, he will be forever in debt to her. A debt he probably won't be able to pay off like all the other debts he's neck deep in.

"Haymitch, this is Thresh Kealoha. Thresh, this is my dad."

Thresh paused for a second before shaking hands with the older version of Cato. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Brooks."

Haymitch scrutinized the tall, dark boy. "You a part of the FBI?"

"No sir, I just turned eighteen last week."

"Your parents are FBI?"

"Um, yes. How can you tell?"

"I've been avoiding people like you for almost a decade." Haymitch bluntly replied before turning back to his son. "You tryna pull something on me, Cato?"

"I didn't bring you here to freaking arrest you." He snapped. "Can you focus on Annie and not your own welfare?"

"Cato," Clove said gently. "Please."

He sighed in a frustrated manner before storming upstairs to his room. Clove didn't hesitate to follow him. Cato was faster however and shut the door, locking out everyone like how he did when Annie was kidnapped.

"Cato?" Clove knocked on the door.

"Please leave me alone, Clove."

She knew he needed some space, so she turned to head back downstairs. Surprisingly, JJ was right in front of her. The red haired girl smiled sadly and nodded without using words. She would talk to him.

JJ knocked on the door. "Cato, it's JJ. Please open the door."

"No thanks, I would prefer to be left alo-"

"Open the door or I'll have Thresh kick it down."

The door opened and Cato gestured for her to enter.

"I understand you want to deal with this all by yourself, Cato." JJ said as she walked in. "I really do, but it's better when you talk to someone with a similar situation. Besides, you helped me get the twins because you understood how my fadda was. Now it's my turn to repay the favor."

"I guess you're right."

She smiled sympathetically. "To be honest, your fadda is much better than mine. Mr. Brooks was once a loving father before am I right?"

"When I was a baby probably."

"Well, mine was never loving. He's a cruel, sadistic bastard who shouldn't have had kids in the first place. Now my fadda will never change, but you can definitely see yours trying to be a better person."

"I can see it." Cato admitted. "But it's just that for years he basically abandoned us for alcohol and gambling. He caused Annie to be taken away. I just can't forgive him that easily for all those wrongs he's done to our family."

"Yeah, but it wouldn't hurt to at least try." JJ countered. "I heard you two talking for only one minute and I knew you were pushing him away. It's not about you two. This is all for Annie anyway. Pushing him away won't help when you two need to work together to save her."

"Well...that's the only reason why I'm here."

"Exactly."

"What happens if this all turns out perfect-which I doubt it will..."Cato asked nervously. "What if we find Annie and manage to arrest the criminals or whatever?"

"Then you take her back home and live happily ever after."

"I don't mean about Annie this time. What happens to my dad?"

JJ faltered. "Um...he would probably end up arrested for his past crimes. Unless we try and cover up for him."

"So either my dad goes to prison or we work together to find our only other family member left?"

"What do you propose?" JJ asked patiently. "There is no way everyone can get out of this completely satisfied or whatever. But what will you choose to sacrifice?"

Cato rubbed his temples, it was a lose-lose situation. Lose his father-his only guaranteed living family left-or never have a chance to find his sister, who might not even be alive. But at least in these options, Cato was able to choose.

"Hi, babe." Clove said with a small smile before wrapping her arms around his midsection. "Are you feeling better?"

He kissed the top of her head. "Much better now that you're here."

"Dinner time!" Bristel chimed from the kitchen. Everyone loved her cooking almost as much as they loved Peeta's culinary artworks.

"Dad," Cato started slowly. "It's pretty warm in this house. Aren't you a little sweaty in that hoodie?"

Haymitch froze. "Oh...yeah, well I can just hold on to it for now."

"It's okay Mr. Brooks," Bristel said sweetly. "I can take your jacket and hang it up."

"Oh okay...thanks." He reluctantly took of his jacket and handed it to her, pulling down his short T-shirt sleeve so that it hung to a little bit over his elbow."

Everyone continued eating while Bristel and Lavinia continued serving them. However, Clove couldn't help, but notice how Haymitch was suddenly so tense. It was almost as if he felt exposed to them. When she finally understood what was bothering him, her mouth gaped open.

No, no way.

Cato noticed Clove's surprised expression first. "Clove what's up?"

Though the raven haired girl had good table manners, she couldn't help but point her finger across the table at Haymitch. "You..."

"Uh, what about him, Clo?" Madge asked, her face matching everyone's perplexed face.

Clove seized the knife stuck in the nearest roast chicken and without thinking, she chucked it right at Haymitch. It sliced through the right side of his sleeve without harming him, but with deadly speed before embedding itself into the walk behind him. Prim, Rue, Finnick, and Bristel all gasped out loud in shock while Haymitch shot out of his seat like a rocket.

"What the hell, girlie?!" Haymitch growled while holding his palm around the area where the knife flew past. "You could have taken my arm off!"

Then, Cato stood up, the same expression except darker and more intimidating. "Haymitch...move your hand from your arm...now."

Everyone was silent when they saw it. He slowly removed his lingering hand and revealed a torn up sleeve that the knife hit accurately. It was what existed beneath his sleeve that surprised them. It was a simple tattoo with a design that took away everyone's breath. A single rose on his upper arm that some of them had once seen on the body of Cray, a member of the Capitol. Only the people who were a part of that organization would have had those permanent symbols.

"It makes sense now." Cato growled, throwing his napkin on the table with such force it made the twins and the little girls flinch. "Now I understand how you managed to get into a rehab center and still support yourself. You're being supported by them. The bastards who took Annie!"

"Cato, let me explain." Haymitch said with his hands in a surrendering pose. "It was the only way to maybe infiltrate the Capitol and find Annie while also getting sober in the process. I got in by telling them I promise I would pay them once I became sober...that would only happen if they supported me during rehab."

"You could have told us you were being all double agent on them or something." Clove seethed. "A little heads up would have been nice!"

"When were you going to believe me?" Haymitch shot back. "The moment you visited me, Cato, you were filled with hatred and anger. You probably would have just beat my ass right then and there."

"Well I guess I'll just beat your ass right now!" Cato lunged across the table, but Thresh and Gale held him back. "How could you join the very people who had caused so much pain for us?"

Before Haymitch could answer a horrible shriek resounded throughout the kitchen. Everyone turned to Lavinia who dropped the two platters of salad and chicken in the midst of her terrified scream. She pointed directly at Haymitch's tattoo and went completely hysterical. Bristel and Finnick grabbed her before she hurt herself or someone else, but Lavinia wouldn't stop sobbing uncontrollably and pointing at the rose. In the chaos, the twins began whimpering loudly in fear, so Prim and Rue tried comforting them. Peeta went over to help calm down Lavinia as she thrashed in Finnick's arms. The psychotic uproar was almost too much for Katniss and Madge to handle. It was almost too much for everyone to handle.

Eventually Bristel had to sedate Lavinia and the others put the twins and Prim and Rue to bed. They would have to wait until morning for Lavinia to try and explain her erratic behavior.

"So...um," Madge started. "What the hell was that all about?"

"I don't know." Cato admitted. "Why don't you ask, Haymitch?"

Everyone glanced at the older man handcuffed to a chair. "Why don't you get these damn cuffs off? I'm not going to run away."

"Really? How can we trust you?" Clove scowled. "After all, you're involved with the group of bastards that killed my family."

"Look," Haymitch raised his arms, causing the shackles to rattle a little. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never said anything about this before hand. And I'm really sorry about what happened to your family."

"Sorry doesn't bring back what she lost." Cato snapped.

"It was the only way so that I could try to find Annie and you!" Haymitch shot back.

"Bullshit!"

"Cato!" JJ warned sternly before turning back to Haymitch. "How long were you a part of this group?"

"I've been involved with them since my wife left me. I've never done much like some of the higher status individuals in the Capitol, but I still gambled in their vicinities and made a few drug deals to support my family." Haymitch glanced at Cato. "A couple of months ago, I decided I was sober enough to try and find you first, Cato. One of the Boss' closest accomplices told me he met you in Hawaii."

"Let me guess," Cato said. "It was Cray who told you he met me there?"

"No."

"Then who?" Gale asked.

"You probably don't know him. He's just a Hawaii native who lives in more of the slums area. Brutus Akamai."

JJ froze for a moment and everyone turned their eyes to her. Then her face went neutral and her tone was almost casual. "Why am I not surprised it's him?"

"You know him?"

"I'm Jacqueline Akamai, his daughter."

Haymitch whistled slowly. "Well shit, I knew he had some kids, but I wasn't aware you were one of them. You don't look like him at all."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Wait..." Haymitch scrunched his eyebrows in concentration. "I remember Brutus talking about how the Boss wants you."

"What?" Thresh sat up straighter.

"Yeah, I remember now...the Boss had Brutus send some people after you guys. He wanted them to bring back Brutus's eldest daughter because she was some kind of genius. I guess the Boss meant you."

JJ was confused. "So what if he thinks I'm smart? Why would he send his goons to come after me?"

"To make you his pet probably." Haymitch answered truthfully.

"If they're after us now..." Peeta started. "Does this mean they know we're in Los Angeles?"

"I really hope not." Gale answered.

It was early morning when Lavinia woke up in her room. She thought she had just woken up from a nightmare, but then she remembered it was plain reality. The girl never believed she would have to see that vile symbol or evil ever again. Yet, these guests come and bring a man who advertised the very gang who terrorized her and stole her voice. Literally. It took her years to heal and adapt to a new way of communication. She still remembered that horrible event like it was yesterday.

She cautiously walked down stairs, careful not to wake any one up. However, once she reached the kitchen, she realized Bristel had beaten her to it. The brunette was elbow deep in bubbles and staring out of the window at the beautiful ocean view, unaware of her reticent coworker's appearance.

Lavinia tapped her gently and she turned around. "Oh 'Nia! How are you feeling?"

Bristel was the only one she could communicate to through sign language. It was their special bond that made Lavinia feel more at home and part of the family. I'm fine, she signed quickly with her hands.

"What happened to you last night?" Bristel stepped into the dim light and Lavinia could see small scratches and bruises on her face. "You gave me quite the beating last night."

I'm sorry I didn't mean to do that.

Bristel gave her a forgiving smile. "I know you didn't mean to hurt me. I just want to know what scared you so much? You can trust me and Finnick right?"

Lavinia nodded, she owed her poor friend an explanation at the least. So she told her everything through her hands and facial expressions, recounting each horrifying detail from her memory. Bristel began to shed a few tears for her friend's tragic story and, in the end, Lavinia couldn't hold back her emotions either.

When she was finished, Bristel wiped away her years and handed Lavinia a tissue. "You didn't deserve any of that, 'Nia. But I'm so glad I found you and brought you here. You've always been a great addition to the big Odair family."

Thank you.

"Are you willing to tell the others?" She asked cautiously. "They should know about this; they are here for the same particular reason after all."

Will you translate for me?

"Of course, but are you sure you want to do this? I don't want to put you under any distress."

Lavinia stared determinedly at Bristel before signing to her, I'm sure.

"What did you want to talk about, Bristel?" Madge asked as everyone filed into the family room.

Lavinia and Bristel sat side by side on one of the couches that faced the group. "Lavinia wanted to share something with you folks."

"About what?" Prim asked curiously.

Lavinia signed to Bristel swiftly. Not to the little ones.

"Oh um, it's grown up talk Prim. Do you girls mind going upstairs and playing with the other maids?"

Prim and Rue sighed; they were used to that answer. They picked up the twins and obediently climbed the stairs.

"Lavinia wrote out what she needed to say. I'm just here to read it out to you." Bristel explained before clearing her throat and reading the words smoothly. "This is my way to explain what happened last night. I just panicked when I saw Mr. Brooks tattoo because it triggered some memories.

Before I lived here, I was a runaway drug addict who got too involved with the wrong people. At first, these people gave me food and supplied me with those drugs I needed. But after awhile, I became indebted to them. They forced me to pay back through various services: prostitution, drug dealing, and other illegal stuff. Then, they wanted me to kill someone for them and I couldn't do it. I tried to escape, but they caught me and I paid the price. They cut out my tongue so I couldn't talk and dumped me in an ally. Those men had the exact same tattoo. I recognized that symbol everywhere I went with them and on every person working with them. It's something that will haunt me for the rest of my life."

"Did you ever catch their names? Or anything unique about each of them?" JJ asked. "To be exact...did you ever catch the name Brutus?"

She shook her head and signed to Bristel for translation. "No, but I do recall hearing that name at least once or twice while I was with them. Why?"

JJ grimaced. "That's my father."

"I just heard he was one of the Boss' right hand men." Bristel said for Lavinia. "I never got to meet him."

"And that's a good thing." JJ replied bitterly.

"Who is this 'Boss'?" Thresh asked.

"The Boss is the one in charge of the Capitol. Everyone obeys his every command. He's the one that says who has to kill who or who has to deal drugs or arms with who...he's the most powerful man out there."

Clove's insides churned with renewed anger. "So...if someone from the Capitol were to murder my family...it would be because he ordered it to happen?"

Lavinia nodded her head before signing gracefully with her fingers. "If you get in the Boss' way, you're a goner."

"My dad and yours must have interfered with the Boss' plans somehow." Katniss concluded. "It explains why they came after us too. They think we know what our parents knew..."

Cato stood up suddenly. "Did you ever meet a girl named Annie while you were there? She should be barely fifteen, green eyes, light brown hair..."

Lavinia shook her head sadly. "I never met a girl like that. Who was she?"

"My sister."

"Was she kidnapped or willingly there?"

"Kidnapped."

Lavinia's bright blue eyes shone with worry and sympathy. She signed slowly this time, unsure how to say the next words in the most painless way. "I've heard of what happens to girls or boys that get kidnapped. They are usually held for random, used in drug deals or trafficking rings, or...experimented on. A select few are trained to take the Boss' place, but none of them have been able to handle his sadism and cruel tactics..."

"So...you're saying if my sister were to have been chosen as the 'select few'...she wouldn't have survived?"

"Most go completely mad from everything they've seen and experienced and commit suicide." Bristel translated solemnly. "But...Lavinia said 'most' so maybe Annie has a chance..?"

Cato sat back down slowly, absorbing Lavinia's information. "Basically, my sister could be an underage prostitute, someone's slave, dead, or just driven completely insane."

Then he turned toward his father abruptly, pointing an accusing finger at the older man. His voice rang with mixed emotions of grief and exasperation. "Why did you have to put her in that situation, Dad? She's your daughter and you just let them take her away!"

"It was either she goes and I have a chance to get her back or you and Annie get taken and I get a bullet to the head." Haymitch defended. His handcuffs were still restraining him since last night.

"I'd rather you be dead right now." Cato growled menacingly, putting as much sincerity and feeling into each word as if it brought that much more pain to his father. "Then I could have protected Annie while I was with her. How can you live with yourself knowing you basically sold your daughter to some sick customers and you're not even doing anything? I should have never asked for your help. Why don't you go back to the Capitol where you freaking belong?"

"Stop!" Clove grabbed his arm, desperation in her eyes. "Please Cato! You're not gonna find Annie this way. We're not gonna get anything out of this."

Cato's blue eyes were raged like a deadly storm, but once her deep brown eyes met his, the storm immediately faded. He could never be angry at the only girl who he cared about more than anything in the world. But Annie was someone he really loved too. "I'm going to kill the bastards that took her. If they hurt her, they'll be sorry they were ever born." he mumbled to himself.

"You act as if you can kill the Capitol all by yourself." Haymitch quipped. "You're going to need a strategy, boy."

"He's right." JJ agreed. "I may have an idea."

Everyone turned to her expecting another one of her genius plans.

"Cato," JJ started softly. "You said that your father should go back to the Capitol where he belongs, yeah?"

"Yeah..."

The slim girl rocked uneasily in her seat. "Well, even though I don't trust Mr. Brooks...what if we let him go back to them? He does belong in the Capitol after all. We can place a wire and a spy camera on him so we can learn their whereabouts, motives, and maybe learn more about the people there."

"Thresh," Gale leaned forward with his hands intertwined tightly. "What do you think about borrowing some of your parents spy toys?"

Thresh contemplated the choices for several moments. "I don't think there's another choice. If we try and be heroes without knowing what we're up against...we wouldn't survive more than five minutes."

"You're just going to let him be free to snitch on us to save his own ass?" Cato snapped.

"Cato..." Thresh said firmly. "Do you have any better ideas that would result in minimal bloodshed as well as keeping everyone safe and our lives back to normal?"

Cato gave a frustrated sigh. "No."

"Then, Mr. Brooks is officially a double agent."

Sorry I took so long to update. School is unfortunately a priority here especially when I live in such a competitive area. I wish I could write on a daily basis but that's near impossible. I do appreciate your reviews and always could use them to brighten up my day :)

I'm starting to lose focus on my story so reviews on what I should do next and maybe future story themes would be nice!