Chapter 54

I get back to the hotel I want to race right up to floor six so I can find Marcus' office but Haymitch stops me.

"What are you doing here?"

The trains to bring the tributes here don't come until tomorrow at various times. The ones from 4 usually make it midafternoon. There is no way the tributes from 12 are here now.

"To mentor."

"I mean right now. The tributes don't come until tomorrow."

"Yes that's true but here you are."

"I doubt you're here for the same reasons."

"You're correct."

"So how did you get here?"

"I've been sent away. Last year I wasn't on the train with the tributes either. I think they try to get rid of me for the cameras."

"Doesn't that put your tributes at a disadvantage?"

"They're already at one, besides the escort can help them."

"Well if you'll excuse me I have something I want to look into."

I'm about to head off to the elevator but Haymitch grabs my wrist so hard that I feel he might break it.

"That hurts."

"It's meant to. You're coming with me."

Haymitch drags me to the 12 floor and takes me to the roof and he finally lets go of my hand.

"What?" I shout

"Guess you didn't catch the recaps of the reaping." He doesn't say this meanly. I think he actually believes I didn't watch it.

"No I saw. My sister is a player in this years Hunger Games."

"Correct you feel honored?"

I feel myself lunging towards Haymitch but he grabs me before I can hurt him.

"This isn't the time for joking. I'm sorry."

"Well your sorrys are going to help me or her. Why did you bring me up here anyway?"

"I wanted to make sure you saw it so you wouldn't be shocked tomorrow."

"Well I did, can I leave now?"

"Finnick, your sister has a good chance of winning just because she is related to you."

"You sound like Snow."

"You talked to him?" He sounds shocked.

"When I showed up he was waiting and I was 30 minutes late. So much for the deal of being safe."

Haymitch studies me. Does he truly not know, he gave me warnings since the beginning. I never listened to him because I thought he was a crazy drunk. I wonder if my life would be different if I had listened. Probably not Snow went out of his way to make sure I was popular.

"I will admit it is strange especially for you. You are the most popular victor. I bet you bring in a pretty penny."

"Does 10 million sound good enough?" I say angrily

"That your highest sell?"

"No that is my asking price. I'm assuming it went up from when I last asked."

"Don't worry, your sister will come out of this alive. She already has sponsors just because you two share DNA. I'm sure she good at wielding weapons just as you. She will be fine." Haymitch reassuringly

"I know she will get sponsors. She isn't good with weapons though. Just because we are related doesn't mean we are good at the same things. She can cook, I can't, she can sing, I can't. I can throw a knife and never miss, she can't, I can set up complex traps, she can't. She doesn't know how to do those things. She is a year older but I was always better at this stuff. Our Father also spent more time training me, not her. I think he never wanted to accept the fact that she one day might get called to compete.

Haymitch looks at me, I see the sorrow in his eyes. He thinks she will die too.

"Just say it." I say

"Say what."

"That you think she will die."

He looks at me stunned.

"I don't think that, I think her chances of winning have went down a few notches but, I don't think she will die. Snow can't afford to lose you."

"That's not what he said. He said even if he couldn't sell me he would still own me. Making me come back every year so I can walk the halls my dead sister once did."

Haymitch is silent for a while. I think he doesn't know what to say. This is probably not how he thought this conversation would go. He probably thought I would tell him my sister is as skilled as I am. Then a thought occurred to me if Haymitch and Snow think this it means the other tributes will as well. She will be at the top of their kill list.

"They'll all go after her won't they?"

"Everyone goes after one another."

"You know what I mean. You thought she was good with weapons. I assume all of the other tributes and mentors will also. She will be at the top of the kill list. I doubt she would get in an alliance. After all I killed mine off."

Haymitch sighs but doesn't say anything it's because I'm right and he doesn't want to tell me.

"You said you had something you wanted to look into." Haymitch says abruptly.

"Yes."

"Maybe you should do that now."

It's his way of saying I want you to leave because there is nothing we can do.

My sister is at a huge disadvantage just by having the same DNA. She may get all of the sponsors in the world but, it won't matter because she will still be at the top of the kill list.

Instead of hunting out Marcus tonight like thought I would I'm just going back to my room. I feel so helpless I can't imagine what Fiona feels. Yes I can I was on that train once. All I could think was I was going to die. I can't think that now. I know she is at a disadvantage but she can win. She has to win because she is all I have left.