Katniss's POV
"This seems as good a place to stop as any." Finnick proposes, pointing towards an old storage room with all kinds of dusty and unused equipment, computers, and a few things I can't tell what they are. We'd been walking under the Capitol for hours in the hallways when we realized that avoxes were still using them and hid quickly before two of them saw us, deciding then that we needed a safer way to travel.
And so we look down and find pipelines, Gale going first and saying that it was pretty disgusting and filled with some undistinguishable liquid that he thought might be sewer water, but it wasn't harmful and who would come looking for anyone down here? And so that was good enough for us and we've been down in this dank, barely lit sewer about eight feet across and six feet high, everyone besides me having to duck their heads and crouching over uncomfortably as Gale takes the lead with his holo and the rest of us follow for some unknown amount of time.
"It's not on the holo." Gale comments, though I honestly don't know if that's a good or bad thing. Maybe if it's not then no one else will find us either if they're using a holo, or maybe it won't make any difference at all.
"And the pipes were?" Rory questions him, eyebrow raised. Now that's something I didn't think about. Was Gale just leading us around the pipes and pretending that he was following the holo? It sounds unlike him but Rory's got a point. What use would the pipes be on a map?
"No, I was following the rooms on the holo for where we were in the pipes." Gale assures him. "As long as we were going the right direction I didn't see what difference it could make."
"How far away are we from the mansion?" I ask, trying not to sound too desperate. It's not so much that I'm exhausted and just want this to be over as it is that I'm still worried sick for Kennie. She didn't seem to look like she was being treated badly but this is the Capitol and they do have things like body polishes and make up to cover any physical harm. And even though it probably wouldn't be in Snow's best interest to harm her, I really wouldn't put it past him. We still don't know really what Snow wants her for or why Coin would want him to have her after all; it really could be anything, and somehow I don't see blackmail for Gale working. If Penny refuses to do anything then it won't happen anyway. And if she's been manipulated we already know that she comes back from it and she'll ruin any plans they have for this sham wedding that is apparently just rumors flying. Honestly, I really don't see how they plan to pull it off or a real reason for it.
"Still a good day's walk if we were going through the actual halls, which means probably longer." Gale informs me with a knowing frown, of course realizing the actual reason that I asked. Not really a surprise, I'm certain he feels the same.
"Wish there was somewhere we could stop and get disguises or something." Rory wishes allowed, muttering as he moves some of the old equipment around so that three of us have enough room to try and get some rest while the other guards. "Then we could just walk right in the streets."
"We could just go into someone's apartment and get stuff. I've seen paths on this thing that just go right into people's apartments." Gale offers, and though it's probably not the best plan and that very well may involve some killing if someone happened to be in said apartment, it's something. Certainly better than being in here for another day or more.
"No, we're too recognizable." Finnick points out, "Even with makeup and Capitol clothes it wouldn't be difficult to know it was one of the three of us, and Rory looks enough like Gale that people would just assume it was him. They'd either shoot us on the spot or we'd draw attention to ourselves and get caught."
"Well we will have to do something eventually. We don't have any food." Gale reminds him, as if that was necessary. My stomach's been growling for the past several hours and hunger set it a long time ago. It's not like I haven't dealt with it before growing up in the Seam but it's certainly been a while. Something you take for granted being a Victor or part of a Victor's family I guess; I doubt Posy really remembers ever being hungry, she was so young when Gale won.
Nods and grumbles meet his statement, but no one really has a solution; both he and Finnick are right after all. Finnick decides to take the first guard shift and as Gale, Rory and I settle on the floor as comfortably as we can Finn spins from his position at the doorway and turns to us.
"Can I see that." He asks immediately, pointing towards the holo lying next to Gale on the side I'm not on. With a curious look, Gale picks it up and hands it to him and we stare at Finnick as he flicks through the thing frantically and presses some things on it. It starts making noises and he curses under his breath but keeps going.
"What are you doing?" Rory questions him with a yawn, waking up from his daze where he looked to be almost asleep.
"Hold on." Finnick replies without looking up from whatever it is he's doing, still pressing buttons as it makes a few more noises. He grumbles something under his breath that isn't audible every time it does and curiosity overtakes my exhaustion at the moment, wondering what exactly he is doing. "Got it." He finally smirks triumphantly and looks up to where I'm certain he's met with three very confused faces.
"Got what? I didn't even know you knew how to use that thing." Gale replies, and I half nod in agreement.
"I learned how to use it from Beetee over the past few months. He was reluctant to show me at first because of how much trouble I was in but eventually he showed me everything. It's not like I had much else to do anyway." he explains, and I guess that makes sense. But if he knew how to use the holo and he clearly knows more than Gale does, then why didn't Boggs give him the holo? "But he showed me a few tricks on it that will bring up parts of the map that shouldn't be on there. Take a look." He says handing it to me and Gale and Rory on either side of me look at the holo in my hands.
I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at, but the holo is showing me a virtual room that's colored entirely green, not the light blue haze that seems to light the thing usually. But to my confusion, it's showing us some kind of store in the Capitol, a clothing store by the look of it. I can just make out that most of it looks like fur on the clothing, the kind that Cinna has given me to wear in the winter months if we happened to be in the Capitol for an entertainment of some kind. It really doesn't make any sense though why Finnick would be so happy about this. I mean he's from District 4; not exactly much use for fur on a beach.
"A clothing store?" I question him, quirking an eyebrow. He nods with a smile and I give him a look that screams please explain.
"Not just any store; it's a rebel store. Or at least a rebel store owner anyway. Beetee had told me that the holo had a special feature that showed where any Capitol rebels lived so that people with the holo could find them easily to give them information or for a safe place to be. But he said he took it off in the end after someone in the Capitol got caught with it by Snow's guys and didn't want him to find it so the rebel almost lost his life trying to destroy the thing. After that he said that he left it on but there would be a series of codes to find it and a simple word to turn it off and it would rotate between three words."
"Beetee would think of that kind of solution." Gale interrupts, and I can sense a smile in his tone. Despite the fact that we never knew Beetee as well as Finnick or Johanna, he certainly knows his stuff and is loyal to us Victors and the people he trusts most. Credit to Beetee is certainly owed for many things and I wish I did tell him more than I have in the past.
"He definitely would." Finn agrees before continuing, "But anyway, this is a rebel base not far from here. Some store owner that used to be a stylist for the Hunger Games I think, I vaguely recognize the name from the first few years after I won."
"Who is it?" I ask, realizing that I may recognize it too. The stylists, or at least the ones that were around a while and had the most success were almost as well-known as Caeser or Cladius. Even if I was young when they were stylists I might still remember them from interviews year after year.
"Tigris something or other." Finnick replies. "I think she was the one so obsessed with cats that she made herself look like one. Big scandal here when she went too far with it even by Capitol standards and got kicked out of the stylists group for the Hunger Games."
"Well at least she would have a reason to hate them." Rory muses, and I have to agree. Some revenge even if it's shallow certainly would be a reason to be a Capitol rebel.
"I still don't think disguises are the best way to go, but she could at least feed us and tell us what's going on out there. We're so cut off down here after all it would be beneficial to know what's going on." Finnick exclaims and I have to agree with him though I still think disguises could work. I may be recognizable but if Tigris was a stylist surely she could make me look not myself at all. I'm sure Cinna could have but he never would and he already knows I hate all that stuff.
"Sounds good to me." Gale nods, his eyelids drooping with sleepiness. "How far away is it from here?"
"About two hours walk, maybe three through the pipes." Finnick shrugs, and with a nod in agreement we all decide on that plan without speaking, Finnick turning towards the doorframe again and the rest of us laying down. Gale wraps his arms around me and I use his chest as a pillow, easily and quickly giving into exhaustion.
Gale's POV
Though I'm exhausted I can't seem to sleep at all, even with Katniss in my arms. Though she can usually ward off most of my nightmares it doesn't seem to be working right now and after the third time that I wake up from a nightmare I just give up and keep my bloodshot and heavy eyes open, not wishing to go back into that world where everyone I love dies, where Snow is doing god knows what to Kennie (which more of a living nightmare and fear), where I realize that this mission could be a complete bust. After all, we basically have all sides against us; it's not like I haven't defeated the odds before, but they've never been quite this bad.
And since lying down isn't helping my will to stay awake, I gently move myself into a sitting position and let Katniss's head fall onto my lap instead of my chest. She stirs a little at the movement but doesn't wake up. I idly stroke her hair while just being silent, not wanting to wake up her or Finnick who is sleeping beside her.
Rory turns from his position guarding the room and seems surprised to see me up. "Aren't you tired?"
"Sleep isn't really helping me right now." I respond, not really caring to explain my fears and nightmares. He probably knows most of them anyway.
He nods in response and takes one look towards the doorframe before deciding to come over to my side, taking in the two sleeping forms before his gaze lingers on my fingers stroking Katniss's hair, a twisted expression on his face. I sigh at the look because I know the conversation I've been dreading is coming. He knows we flat out lied to him and he still can't see why.
"Rory…" I begin, the guilt despite knowing it was necessary seeping into my voice.
"Why didn't you tell me? Or Mom? Or anyone?" he questions me, hurt and confusion and a hint of anger in his tone. I sigh again and look for the words to describe this in the best way I can, but let's face it; I was never good with words and I really don't know how to do this eloquently.
"Because you were all being drugged by Coin and we couldn't trust you." I blurt out and brace for the impact.
"What?!" he half yells in shock and anger, clearly not caring about being quiet. "That's ridiculous! I think I would have known if I was being drugged." He scoffs at me.
"Apparently not." I mutter, and he gives me a dirty look. "I watched the doctors do it to you several times, Rory. You, Prim, Mom, even Posy. Everyone."
"And so apparently you just decided to not stop it?" he questions me, his tone thick with sarcasm. He obviously still doesn't believe he was being manipulated in the first place but doesn't understand why I think they were and didn't try to stop it.
"I would have if I could. But it was crucial that no one knew that I was fine, especially Coin and Snow." I try to explain, but even I can tell I'm doing a horrible job of it. I knew I was bad with words and not for the first time I wish the opposite was true.
"And why is that?" he asks, going along with it just for the hell of it.
"Because they have plans for me and it would be better for me to pull it out on them when they were unsuspecting." I reveal, but even saying it now it seems a bit stupid. I guess it could have worked and we could stop it had they known I was alright, but then they would probably find a way to blackmail me into this sham wedding they're planning. And it would be helpful if I could think of any reason they want the said wedding to take place as it is. The only reason I can think of is to make people hate me but I don't see how that particularly helps Snow or especially Coin.
"That's a dumbass reason, Gale. Even if I was being manipulated I wouldn't rat you out or lie to you." Rory insists, but I just shake my head. I'm sure he would, he probably wouldn't even know he did it. Heck, maybe he has lied to me for Coin and I just don't know it. I mean Prim lied to Katniss about her miscarrying apparently and never seemed to realize it after all.
"You couldn't-" I begin, but then I hear growls and I freeze in place. "What is that?" I ask, and I see that Rory has frozen in place too but he gets up quickly and goes to the door, gun in hand.
"Shit." He mutters. "Get them up, we've got company." He orders me, and as I shake first Katniss and then Finnick to wake them up I look up to where he's pointing his gun. A shot fires from it and a squealing pained cry can be heard, but it doesn't sound human.
"More mutts?" I ask him with dread, and the back of his head goes up and down as an answer as he fires again.
"How'd they find us?" Katniss questions, now alert at the sound of the gunshot. Damn good question; if the pipes or this room weren't on the holo then I thought we were pretty safe. But obviously we aren't because there's no one else down here the mutts would be sent after.
"Don't know but we've got to go. They're going to gain on us sooner rather than later and I don't want to be stuck in this room." Rory answers, reloading his gun with bullets.
"Let's head towards Tigris's." Finnick suggests, and I nod and stand up, taking my own gun out and making sure my bow is secure on my back before getting ready.
With a huff of air to do this, I follow Rory out with my gun aimed in the direction his was with Katniss and Finnick following me, instantly seeing the mutts. They look like peacekeepers dressed in the white uniforms, but they are far from human like I predicted. Some look like wolves with black slimy looking fangs and some look like deranged humans, almost as if they once were but got horribly messed up in the lab. But I don't think they actually are by their larger than normal glowing red eyes that are all giving us death glares. Unfortunately the direction we have to go sort of goes in their path, but there's not much we can do about that.
And so we race, shooting as the peacekeeper mutts shoot at us but they seem to miss; not exactly crack shots which is good for us. And so we shoot at them over and over as we run blindly, tripping over things on our way past them but I don't really pay attention to anything but moving and shooting. They seem to be very hard to kill, but if you hit them in the head or hand where there's no armor they go down for just a second; it's something anyway.
"Crap." Rory says about ten yards ahead of me, stopping where he is and looking frantically side to side and then up. "Dead end."
Dead end? Shit, that's not good. We might as well have stayed in that storage room if it was going to come to this. I look around and see that the ceiling has an exit almost like the entrance we came in from the street but it seems a little different. It might not be the best solution and I don't know where it leads because I stupidly forgot the holo, but it's got to be better than just giving ourselves up to the mutts.
"Up!" I yell, pointing towards the ceiling. Rory looks up as I pull Katniss to me, bending down. She knows instantly to get on my shoulders and I extend to full height and she can reach the thing as I stand under it. She fiddles with it and I'm getting impatient, Rory and Finn shooting at the mutts.
"Come on Katniss!" I shout up to her, knowing that if she doesn't get it in like five seconds we're all mutt meat.
"Almost!" she says down, hissing in pain at something but then I hear a small pop from above me. "Got it!"
And with that she pulls herself up and takes in her surroundings quickly. "It's an apartment." She reveals, and though I know it's probably not too safe it's better than nothing. "Rory!" I yell to him, indicating he should go next. He shoots another peacekeeper and comes to me where I put out my hands for him to step into, grunting at his weight as Katniss tries to pull him up. "Finn!" I yell to him without turning around as soon as Rory's up, and he grunts in pain.
"Hold on!" he yells, backing up into me as he shoots still. "Give me your gun, I'll help you up first."
I don't know if that's the best plan but we don't really have time to argue so I hand it to him and he whips around and places his hands out for me to step into like I did for Rory. As Katniss and Rory help me up I hear a cry of pain from Finnick and look down to see blood pooling.
"Finnick!"