Katniss's POV
I should be happy; we're finally doing something real in this war, not just being props for some stupid videos. Even my babysitter seems to be laying off me a little more, but I have a feeling it has a lot more to do with the fact that all I can think about is Makenna in Snow's grasp and how I'm going to get her more than the fact that he trusts me. In fact, all that should do is make him trust me less because there's no telling what I would or would not do if I can come up with something to save her.
But really at the moment, I'm just going through the motions. We've been meticulously going through the streets with the camera crew following us but even that seems to not register in my mind. Passing through streets in a new theory in which we send a car through first to activate pods and then go through seems to have been working and we've gone a few blocks, but Gale seems to be better at focusing on this more than I am at the moment because he frowns after the fourth street and turns to Boggs.
"This can't work forever you know." He claims, watching another squad as they ready the next car to go deactivate pods in this street. "They're going to catch on and activate the pods manually at some point."
In a way, he's probably right. In fact, I don't know why I didn't think of that before. This is a good way to get rid of pods and make progress but the Capitol must know some way to stop this. They have to, that kind of strategy is exactly the kind of thing they would do to stop us from going further without the lack of casualties we've had.
"He's right." Finnick adds as Boggs seems to ignore Gale's theory, more intent on something on the holo in his hands than anything they're saying. He's certainly playing his role of 'uncaring of what the soldiers say Commander of District 13' right now, that's for sure. "I don't know why they've let us go this far to be honest."
"Maybe because they weren't prepared for it. Or they can't do that." Rory points out but both Gale and Finnick roll their eyes at them. They know better, unlike him, and honestly so do I. No matter if they were prepared or not for this strategy, it wouldn't matter to the Capitol or Snow for that matter. They would find a way to stop it even if they didn't have a manual system. It's just the way Gamemakers work…I mean the Capitol forces. Geez, it's so hard to remember this isn't an arena sometimes. Really it kind of is, except any number of people can live past this and it isn't normal to have a hostage that was kidnapped by the President.
"I assure you we're going to be fine going with this strategy for at least a few more blocks. It's Coin's orders to keep with this." Boggs reveals to us in a tone that implies don't question me again, but all that gets him is glares and brooding from the Victors though the District 13 soldiers seem to understand that this is not something to question. Brainwashed idiots.
Gale mutters something under his breath and Finnick rolls his eyes, but neither says anything back to Boggs as the car continues rolling down the pod infested street. And like Boggs insisted, it works fine and four pods are activated on its stroll down Gamemaker Weapons Lane. A different squad than ours, the one that readied the car goes first without harm, and then once they get through the street without any other pods going off the two other squads with ours go after them, Cressida and her assistant Messala following them so that they can get in position for us to walk through. Apparently they left one pod for us to destroy for filming purposes, an honor given to Finnick this time since apparently we're taking turns. But no sooner than they get in the middle of the street, cries of pain can be heard and screams of panic.
It snaps me out of the half daze I've been in even though that really isn't safe for this kind of thing, and my eyes pinpoint on the squad that Cressida is near running and bleeding, bits and pieces of some kind of metal and disturbingly enough what I think might be flesh are splayed all over the street as others freeze in place.
"Still don't believe us?" Finnick turns to the District 13 soldiers and Boggs who are all staring at the scene just like I am. But Finnick doesn't sound cocky or know it all, he just sounds exasperated. Like they really should have listened to us all along and they probably should.
"This could have just been one we missed." Boggs insists, but I roll my eyes this time before Gale or Finnick can protest themselves.
"One in the middle of the street that just mysteriously didn't go off until soldiers were there?" I ask rhetorically, knowing that he could possibly be right but it's not likely.
"They can be faulty. Move on soldiers." Boggs replies much to my frustration. Gosh, when is he going to do this stupid signal already? I'm getting really tired of this whole do whatever he says thing even if I'm right. Does he want to get us killed? Has Coin completely brainwashed him and now we trust her mutt?
But the rest of the squad does exactly what he says, and Cressida decided that there won't be filming here on this street and she'll continue on the next one seeing as a pod has already been activated and she got that footage. Angrily now I follow, but our squad is going a little slower than the rest that have already moved on to the next street and are fixing the car again to go down the next street. When I pass the place where the pod went off and smell the seared flesh and warm blood on the ground and the building I almost gag but force myself to keep going. Our squad is the only one left on the street and we need to keep moving after all.
And then…we aren't alone. Not by a long shot.
Mutts seem to come out of nowhere from in front of us, pushing us backwards, back to where we were. At least thirty lizard mutts with sharp teeth and hissing for blood, desperate to kill. Hissing our names in delight as they push their prey backwards.
"Do you believe us now!" Gale screams as shots start going off, members of the squad beginning to fight off the mutts with guns as Gale shoots one with an explosive arrow, the entire squad trying not to panic.
"I'm going in. Heliga, Gus, you're with me." Boggs ignores Gale, fiddling with the holo.
"What? What about-" Heliga starts protesting, still shooting in vain at the mutts while they keep coming forward.
But Boggs ignores her, and speaks into the holo, "Transfer control over to Soldier Gale Hawthorne." He says into the thing before tossing it to a shocked Gale. "Say your name into it." Boggs orders him but Gale can't seem to do anything but stare at him. "Come on son, we don't have time for this." He insists to him with a huff.
"What are you doing?" the District 13 soldiers protest at him, unbelieving of what is going on as Finnick and I smile in relief which much look pretty strange considering we're currently being attacked by mutts.
"Hawthorne!" Boggs yells at him, butting off one of the mutts with the butt of his gun that came too close. Gale complies finally and Boggs nods at him. "Go, the lot of you."
"Thank you." I whisper to him as I pass though I don't think he hears me, taking Gale's hand in mine as we race around the mutts that are occupied with the other soldiers and heading for the next street to move on with our real mission as Finnick follows close behind us. Luckily the rest of the squad is either too busy fighting off mutts or dumbfounded by Boggs's actions, but no one else follows us.
Finally doing something right in this war.
Gale's POV
"Are they following us?" I shout to Finnick as we race towards the next street, turning instead of going straight forward because that's undoubtedly where the rest of the squads are that were in front of us if they haven't been killed by the manually (or not) activated pods yet. I don't think he really knows whether I'm talking about the mutts or the rest of the squad or anything else for that matter, but as he stops running and catches his breath leaning against a wall I guess it doesn't matter.
"Nope. We're alone." Finnick states confidently through heavy breathing, and I find myself catching my breath as well but feeling pretty damn satisfied. I wasn't sure after the last fifteen minutes if Boggs was really ever going to give us a stupid signal to do what we really needed to do here in the Capitol, but he came through alright. With a holo that I control and everything.
In relief Katniss comes to me and rests her head on my chest while her arms come around my waist in a sort of tight hug and as my arms come around her and I kiss her hair quickly once I realize another thing that Boggs gave us. He finally allowed us to not pretend anymore, not that it would matter with only Finnick here with us. But at least there isn't anyone to hide it from anymore.
"Gale!" I hear my name from around the corner of the ally, and I think I spoke too soon. But before Katniss can even get out of my arms our follower has found us and looking at the three of us in complete dumbfoundedness.
"What the hell was that?" He asks and then finally catches Katniss next to me. "And why are you two acting normal?"
"Go away Rory." I order him even though I really don't expect him to listen, and of course he doesn't.
"No way in hell I'm going back there." He shakes his head at us, joining us in the allie. Well I guess I don't really blame him; I wouldn't want to go back to those lizard mutts either. "And I think you owe me some answers. Starting with this." He demands, pointing an accusing finger at our entwined hands. Well I guess there's really no point in hiding this from Rory anymore; he caught us practically redhanded anyway and I don't really see much of a difference it could make at the moment.
"I've been fine for a while. Ever since District 1 when I got a concussion." I reveal to him and he gives us a confused look.
"And you didn't tell us?! Why?" Rory argues back exasperated, but before any of us can answer he points to the holo clutched under my arm. "And Boggs knew?"
"We'll tell you later Rory, but we have to move now." Katniss replies with a note of finality, trying to avoid this conversation that is bound to be difficult for later. "Are you with us or not?"
Rory huffs in frustration but takes a gun out from his holster so he has a hand gun for protection instead of the large one strapped to his back. "I guess I'm with you then." He declares, but he still seems pretty pissed at us and probably Boggs for that matter. But he is my brother and I trust him enough. Even if he's still under Coin's manipulation he really doesn't have a way to rat us out at the moment anyway.
And with a nod of my head at his alligence, I take the holo out and explore it a little. I don't really know all of what I'm doing with it but Beetee taught me the basics of it back in 13 one day when he knew that I would probably be going to the Capitol so I know how to at least look and read the map. And that gets me thinking…did he know Boggs's plan all along that he was going to give me the holo? Probably, there was really no other reason for him to teach me it if all I was going to be was a soldier or going off alone with Katniss and Finnick with nothing but our weapons. Wish he had told me then.
"Where should we go first?" Finnick asks me as I look around the holo. There are way too many pods for my liking on this thing and I'd guess there's more that weren't on here yet when the thing was updated. We don't have disguises so we can't just go walking through the streets, and we really don't want anyone including the squads to recognize us. Stealing a car or something sounds like a ridiculously stupid idea too even if it could deactivate pods along the way. And so that seems to really only leave one potential option.
"Underground." I declare as I look for the best way to get there. Frowns meet my eyes once I look up and I match it with my own grimace. It's not exactly my first choice, especially since probably one of the things I hated most about District 13 was that I was constantly underground unless I was in training or the few times I hunted in the forest with trackers on my ankle with Makenna and Dad, but we really don't have much of a choice on the matter at the moment. Besides, going underground here will practically lead us to the doors of the President's Mansion where I'm certain Snow's keeping Kennie.
And with grimaced nods in agreement, the four of us find the closest entrance to the underground passages of the Capitol and as I climb down the cold metal ladder I pray that this isn't the last time I see the sun.
Penny's POV
"Did you really think that you could keep me manipulated forever?" I question my Aunt Alma who is pacing behind her desk, watching me. I don't really find that necessary since she's got me tied up to a chair and I'm not exactly going anywhere, but I'm pleased she's pissed off at me actually. What, did your plans not go exactly as you liked for once? Are you finally realizing how stupid it was to try to involve me in this?
"Not forever." She finally replies, and sits down in her chair and starts typing away.
"But long enough for you to use me in your plans to get certain people out of the way?" I counter back just because I know it's probably true. After all, it would have been in her best interest for me to be a silly shallow Capitol teenager long enough for her to make me obsessed with Gale and think that I had every right to marry him for her own plans. Brainwash me into her control.
"Don't assume things you don't understand, Penelope." She replies without looking up and I raise an eyebrow at her in surprise. I think this might be the first time she's actually called me by my real name since I've been here.
"Yes dear, you must do what you're told. Haven't I always told you that?" a voice comes from seemingly nowhere and I freeze. Because I know that voice well. Despise it, actually.
With a ghost of a smile on my aunt's face, she turns the computer screen and there is Snow, smiling at me with his disgustingly puffy lips and a glint in his eye. And I know what that glint means even if Alma doesn't; he knows he's winning.
"What do you want?" I spit at him, not bothering to play the charmingly loving granddaughter anymore. I know he's a bad man and he knows that I hate him after all. Not like he can do much to me from over one thousand miles away regardless.
"Is that any way to talk to your grandfather, Penelope? Honestly, I thought your parents taught you manners." He speaks back to me, faking hurt. I ignore that first comment and glare at him.
"They did. But then you went and killed my father so apparently my manners died with him." I argue back, not quite keeping the pain out of my angry tone.
"You're father's fine." Snow insists, but I shake my head at him. He's lying, there's no way. It's just a trick of his like everything else.
"You're lying."
"I'm not." He replies, and strangely enough he seems to be telling the truth. But…
And then on the screen he waves someone forward and much to my confusion three shadows come into view, two on either side of someone they seem to be dragging. And then…I gasp. Because this cannot be real. He's dead. Snow said he was dead. I went to his funeral for Panem's sake.
But there he is, head limped forward and being kept standing by two peacekeepers, but it's him. And there's shallow breathing. I make some sort of involuntary noise but mutter under my breath the sweet word.
"Dad."
And then Snow waves them away and the peacekeepers drag him off the screen as I still look in the direction of where they took him in shock. He's alive. Snow lied. He's alive.
"So you see, Penelope, I did not in fact kill my son-in-law as I told you earlier." Snow smiles at me and I finally snap out of it, looking back to him. But…"But that doesn't mean that I still cannot or will not do it. He does deserve it after all."
"What do you want?" I question him exasperated and desperate, knowing that he's only doing this because he wants me to do something.
"Do exactly as I say and I promise that your father will be spared. But no complaining and you better make it believable, understand?" Snow orders me and I stare off onto the walls of his office as I contemplate. He's got me in a bind, and I know it. He knows it. Alma knows it. They don't need to brainwash me because they know I will never be the death of my father, the person I love most in this world. And so despite everything I believe, despite the gut feeling screaming at me to tell them to fuck off, I swallow my pride.
"I'll do it."