The glasses stare up at me, "Well... I assume you're looking for water as well? I heard it was snowing in District Four this year, pretty strange Reaping, huh?"

She speaks in such strange ways nowadays, but I completely understand her. Bex knows there was something strange this year and I'm glad she does, she might be able to help me more. I grab a chair and pull it up next to her, "So what do you think? What's everyone saying?"

"They figure Ken has pretty good odds 1-9 chance of winning... I think my father figured Annie has a 1-60 chance but she's lasted longer than he thought," she stares into my eyes trying to gauge my reaction and movements. Even when she's not writing gossip she's looking for it.

There's not much else to share but as I am about to move away she grabs my hand, revealing a laced hand and a smile, "You know I'll do what I can," she laughs, "My father told me not to get involved, but I think I will anyways: you don't have to just ask for secrets, Finnick, you could ask for anything you wanted..."

The realization hits me, but it's been out there before. I can sleep with any of these people and have them pledge money to Annie. Obviously this isn't the most ethical approach but the legitimate approach could leave Annie dead. I continue over on my original course, to Luioffy. She smiles when she sees me and offers me a piece of chocolate laden with gold that's probably enough to feed most families in Four for a year.

She claps her hand as she talks to me like we're friends, "Oh, Finnick! You have such wonderful tributes this year! The whol family finds little Annie just so adorable," she grabs my hands and I give her a thankful peck on the cheek.

I move to stand up and loudly, in front of her friends and peers I offer my price, "Perhaps we can talk in private for a moment, about the Games?"

Her eyes grow wide with lust and realization as her husband dismisses her into my company. People watch with jealous eyes as I take her into a room and begin to lay into her. She gets what she wants and I get my pledged money. Just like that. Annie, my dear, if this is what I have to do to have you back in my arms than the entire Capitol shall be fucked. Quite literally.

I head back to my room and watch as the stumbling Capitol woman falls back into her chair as her friends eagerly pounce on her for the news. I can tell by her flustered face she is spreading our "escapade" around like a fire, she picks up the electronic book next to her and I watch the screen to my left. The numbers move up considerably, and continue to climb. It's nearing the end of the day in the Games and I know the crew will be attempting to venture out into the night... but no one has tried the water yet and I don't trust the Game Makers at all to not have something planned for the setting sun.

How do I tell them not to venture out?

I watch the cash moving up on my left screen and click through the items available for purchase, and it's everything you can think of. A blue holographic screen blinks in front of me as I look for a search key. There's all sorts of things, small things with prices of around 100,000 dollars and large things like weapons that exceed millions.

My heart sinks as I find the bottle of water priced around 500,000. They prices are clearly jacked up, last year in the arena where water was abundant it cost only 45,000 for a gallon. But this is the only way I can stop them from heading out, so I click the button and most of the stocked up money disappears. In response a parachute falls and I watch the alliance investigate it.

"I don't think we're supposed to head out tonight, guys," Cameron speaks up and I'm surprised he's the one to figure it out.

"Why not?" Pearl looks at him in disgust as if she can't fathom why this boy wouldn't want to go out in the night and kill.

"Well, we can clearly see the water from here, in that statue thing... so why would our mentors send us water tonight if we could just go get it ourselves. I think it just means we're supposed to sit and wait."

I watch curiously as the dialogue takes place and Roster only takes a moment to acknowledge Annie who has started to divide up the water into a few cups she's fastened out of plastic packaging. He almost looks like he'll eat her or something, but she doesn't take notice.

Cashmere and Enobaria barge into my room without warning and the two powerful women tower over me in my chair, teeth barred to fight and nails perched to scratch. What have I done this time?

"Finnick! Why would you waste your money and send them water?!" Cashmere yells at me.

Enobaria grabs my shirt and pulls me towards her. I consider myself pretty tall compared to others I've met, but Enobaria manages to rival me and I end up staring right into her intimidating physique. Wild hair running with bloodthirsty eyes, we won't even get into the teeth, "Are you an idiot?!"

She growls and Cashmere pulls her aside to calm her down. After the initial shock is carried through the two females stare at me, awaiting answers to their questions.

I catch my breath and begin slowly, lest I awaken the beast once more, "We have no idea what's with the water over there, or what the desert does at night," I eye them carefully but they don't seem to pounce, "so, by sending the water we've quenched their thirst for the time being and they can stay safe until we can see what happens to the others."

I await further lashing but none comes.

Enobaria cracks her neck but seems perfectly calm, "That's actually pretty clever, newbie."

Cashmere moves closer, though,"Finnick, I hope you've realized that sponsors don't come as easily as you think. Things are expensive... you and I were very lucky in our games. Very lucky. Our kids this year? Not very much," she closes her eyes for a moment and scratches her chin, "Okay, we still have three players to knock off before the alliance is going to break off, I'll be in the room over and so will Enobaria. When you have a plan come and tell us and we'll talk about it next time, okay?"

When they leave I call Mags in who was upstairs talking to old friends and napping. She greets me with a hug and I gladly wrap my arms around her, being nervous, terrified and sick to your stomach really does a number on you. I instruct her to watch Annie and Ken and immediately get me if something goes awry.

I move upstairs and sleep uneasily, finding myself caught in between nightmares and images of Annie and I sitting happily on the beach. After four hours of attempted sleep I give up and turn on the TV just to check on things, I watch Annie tossing and turning in Ken's arms. Clever moves unwillingly as well. After thirty minutes of watching them sleep, Caesar goes into a recap of the night hours. He shows a tribute drinking from the statue of water and going off in the night to fight mutant coyotes also on the prowl.

The alliance seems to be holding up fine and they're warm in their sleeping bags while others are cold, but I can tell by their rumblings that they're hungry for sustainable food and anxious for water, more water than that of what Annie has divide up between them. The sand is always changing the shape and turning things around making it confusing to those caught in its storms on where they should be going. They would need to know their direction constantly in order to figure out where they are. I tap my fingers impatiently on my bedding as I sit awake with heavy-lidded eyes and little sleep.

I can't just sit here because I'll go mad trying to think of what they need so in the drugged night I throw of the covers and make my way back into the mentor room, opening District One's room without permission and standing there in just my pajama bottoms.

"Cashmere," I whisper since the room is dark.

"Not Cashmere, Gloss," the lights flick on and I find the handsome man attempting sleep on the couch, "What has you up?"

"I've just been thinking about what it is that they need... I can't remember the word but I know it will help them," I look at him in the blaring light, just as dazed as he is, "something that will tell you your direction?"

He shakes his head, "I have no idea, but it makes sense. I'll ask Cashmere when we switch tomorrow," he yawns and turns away.

At this point there's no way I'll be able to fall asleep, from nerves and the thoughts plaguing my mind it's just impossible. So I do the next best thing, I head to the bar.

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