"Fucking Dayfall!" Johanna must have screamed it out loud because Enobaria groaned and rubbed her right ear before glaring at Johanna.
"Who's Dayfall?" Haymitch found himself asking.
Why would they take her out of prison? Are they afraid the rebels will come back for Effie?
"Graham Dayfall, he's like Snow's personal assassin or agent, whatever you call it. Peacekeepers are scared to shit of him. He's the one who interrogated Trinket before she got tossed in the cell with us. Heard Dayfall does not want them to damage Trinket that much. When one of the Peacekeepers stepped on her ankle and broke it, he never showed his face again. Bet he's dead already", Johanna answered.
That didn't sit well with Haymitch. Effie has always been the darling of the Capitol. She's incredibly famous and it's not a surprise that Peacekeepers or whoever that man is wanted her at some point but to completely have her, in possession of her? It makes him want to pounce on someone.
"We'll get her back. There's no one else who knows the Center better than us, right? Better put to use all those years of sneaking around trying to escape from our escorts, yeah?" Chaff asked him.
Enobaria actually chuckled at that. She knew all about the sneaking around Chaff was talking about because she caught them once. The two were so drunk but wanting to go out of the Center so they hid at their floor from their former escorts.
"Yeah…I'm not leaving this fucking city without Trinket", Haymitch answered.
"Language", Katniss chided with a smirk.
Haymitch was stunned for a moment before smiling at the girl. Katniss can be a pain sometimes but there's that quality in her that tends to surprise people. She purposely said that to remind him of Effie and it worked.
"Wait until she's back and she's scolding you about your manners all day long", he reminded her which made the girl groaned.
Everyone knows how much Effie values manners and propriety and between Peeta and Katniss, the girl receives most of the ranting. Johanna too but Effie had learned beforehand that the girl is a lost cause when it comes to manners. However, she believes that Katniss is still savable.
"Okay, you had your fun. Now, we need to move. I am not waiting in this shop forever", Enobaria expressed.
Johanna seconded and geared up followed by Katniss. Haymitch and Chaff gave the three one last advice before letting them go. The two of them got something else to worry about. They don't have a map and the Center will probably be well-guarded, but they're going to make it work. They know the building inside out anyway.
"Here", Tigris handed them a little gadget they recognized as Capitol, "That blocks camera feed for five minutes only. I used that when making food run. You'll need that more than I do. Please get my dear Effie out of here. She deserves so much better", she said.
Haymitch never knew that Effie is friends with Tigris though it made sense since Effie used to be a model. She got so many friends. It's just determining who were the real ones and the fake ones that gets tricky.
"Thank you and we will", he replied and left the shop.
Chaff and Haymitch traveled to the Training Center without any hiccups. Unlike what they've anticipated, it's not as heavily guarded as they initially thought. Maybe they moved more Peacekeepers into the Mansion for Snow since they must have known Katniss is heading that way. As far as everyone's concern, Katniss, Johanna, and Enobaria were the only ones to survive the mutts in the tunnel. That's good. It's give him and Chaff the element of surprise in invading the Center.
Their knowledge of the building served them well. They managed to evade the remaining Peacekeepers posted on the lower grounds of the Training Center. As they reached the higher floors through the fire exit, Haymitch activated the device given by Tigris and they both sprinted on the stairs until they reached the penthouse.
It was quicker than they thought. There's a reason they're called Victors and that's that reason. Chaff even with his one hand managed to take down three Peacekeepers and as for Haymitch, he did not make the effort to count. His hands are bloody, not his own, and his knife is covered with it too. They checked on each other and once sure that they're not hurt, they moved around the penthouse in search for Effie. Of course, she could be anywhere the building but Haymitch's guts tell him she'll be at the penthouse. It's an additional torture, to be in a space where she spent years feeling at home and yet she's no longer safe in it.
"Haymitch!" Chaff called out.
His feet moved faster than his brain and when he reached his bedroom, he found Effie arms chained to the wall. She's covered with her own blood, cuts and bruises everywhere. She got nothing on except a nightgown that he can barely figure if it is white or maroon because it's soaked in blood and sweat and other things. His eyes landed on her ankle and it looks bad. Johanna said they stepped on it and broke it. He was not sure whether it was him or Chaff that removed Effie from the chains but the next thing he knew, he's cradling her in his arms.
"Sweetheart? It's me, Haymitch. I'm here. Come on, wake up. Princess…open your eyes", he pleaded.
He's desperate. What if she does not wake up? She looks bad, worse than bad. He can feel her bones and her breathing is very shallow.
"We need to get out of here. We need to take her to the Clinic", Chaff said.
"Clinic?" he asked.
He couldn't take his eyes off of her. He does not want to lose her again.
"Tigris mentioned that the Game Doctor is still there before we left. I know the guy. He's Capitol but he's not like them. He will treat her. Come on", his friend answered.
That seemed to get through to him. He picked her up and she groaned in pain as he did. He whispered his apologies to her while they travelled down the building to the Clinic.
"I have to operate on her", Dr. Chester said to both Haymitch and Chaff.
"What do you mean operate?" Haymitch asked.
It's obvious Effie is on bad shape but Dr. Chester is still Capitol and works for Snow. That's why he's still alive. He does not trust him to take care of Effie but Chaff put his good hand on his shoulder.
"Saffron, tell us how bad", he said instead.
The doctor sighed and pursed his lips.
"Ms. Trinket's worse injuries are her broken ankle and her dislocated shoulder. I noticed that her shoulder was placed back in but considering you found her chained as you said, that compromised it even more. Her ankle is what worries me. It has been left broken for so long. That's why I need to operate on it to see if I can salvage her ability to walk. She will never wear heels again, it's for certain but she will walk again. Other than that, she got few broken ribs but I can handle that easily. Wounds on her back were infected, nothing an antibiotic couldn't take care of. She's extremely dehydrated and underweight so I will keep her hooked on a drip",
The doctor took a glance on an unconscious Effie on the bed.
"Listen, I know you don't trust me. Hell, I don't trust you", addressing Haymitch directly, "…but I know Ms. Trinket. She had brought you here so many times before and she's always been good to me and my staff. I will not harm her and I will do my best to get her out of the woods", Dr. Chester assured him.
That eased Haymitch's tension. If Chaff trusts the guy, he is willing to try and do the same.
"Alright…save her. That's all I ask", Haymitch muttered.
"Will do. Now, I hate to bark orders but we're at the Training Center so if you would be so kind to be on guard duty. I can't afford Peacekeepers interrupting me from my work", the good doctor said.
Chaff smirked and shook his head.
"You're asking us to beat up Peacekeepers who will come by your door and yet you still manage to do that politely…you Capitols", he replied but agreed anyway.
Haymitch took one last look at Effie before Chaff hurried him away to guard the door.
He has no idea how long it took, the surgery. They heard explosions from a far. Thirteen must have come and invade the city already. Still, Dr. Chester hadn't come out yet. After few more hours, the doctor exited the room looking very exhausted and faced them.
"You can breathe now. She'll be alright", both Chaff and Haymitch exhaled in relief. "Ms. Trinket will need physical therapy for her shoulder and foot. Getting back to her normal weight will be a struggle but I am pretty sure you can manage. What I fear is not her physical condition…"
Dr. Chester let that lingered on. None of them knew what kind of hell Effie went through. They can only guess from her condition but they doubt it will sum it up correctly. This is bound to affect her mentally and emotionally too.
"I'll stay here until your friends can take over. I assume you have rebel doctors?" he asked.
Chaff nodded.
"We have but not as good as you", he answered.
Dr. Chester rolled his eyes around.
"No need for flattery, Chaff. I already did the work, but I appreciate the compliment. You two should rest and eat something. I can't manage to have three patients in this Clinic on my own", he replied.
The doctor left them and Haymitch felt his knees gave up. Chaff was fast enough to catch him so he wouldn't land on his ass.
"She's gonna make it", he whispered.
"I told you Trinket is a stubborn one. She's tough and she will get through this", Chaff confirmed.
Haymitch did not bother wiping his tears. It felt like a huge weight has been lifted from his chest. She's alive and she's going to live. It's a miracle in his book.
"Thank you…for everything", he said to his friend.
"Don't be drama queen to me now, Haymitch. Doesn't suit you. Besides, I didn't want to see you fall apart again like the last time. Couldn't handle that man", Chaff mentioned.
He was there when his entire family was killed. He watched his friend spiraled down and he wanted to save him from that if he could. Effie's death will not only destroy him, it will kill him as well.
"Thank you", Haymitch said and embraced him.
Thirteen's medic arrived at the Clinic and Chaff did the explaining. Considering they are both Victors, Dr. Chester gained an immunity since he's good at his job and there's a shortage for medical staff. It was only then they learned why. The bombing at the Presidential Mansion. Prim is dead. Children died. Katniss is in critical condition and Johanna has gone ballistic.
They moved Effie to the Mansion as well and that's when Enobaria told them everything. The hovercraft that dropped gifts for the children which turned out to be bombs that detonated twice. That's what killed Prim and other medics on the field. He and Chaff recognized the technology and by the look on Enobaria's face, she thought of the same thing. This is Coin's doing. She just made it look like it was Snow's to turn his people against him. Chaff confronted Beetee and he spilled it all out in guilt. He didn't know they would use his creation like that and it was too late when he found out. Gale and Plutarch knew and that's why the former was banned from entering Katniss' room.
"Trinket?" is Johanna's first question when he came to see her in her room.
She's not as hurt as Katniss but she got few burned patches and scrapes. She's hooked on morphling which he doubts is for the pain.
"She's recovering. Dr. Chester operated on her back at the Clinic. She's in bad shape but he said she'll live", he answered.
The girl sighed in relief and increased her dosage of morphling attached to her arm.
"At least, there's one good news in this fucking day!" she exclaimed out loud.