Finnick's POV:

A soft, warm breeze blows across my exposed skin effectively bringing me back to the task at hand. How long have I been sitting here staring at the deck? My last conscious act was cleaning the excess wax off of the trap Beetee asked me inspect. Spacing out in my head seems to be the only relief I can find from the internal turmoil that has possessed me all morning.

I feel like a coil that has been wound up so tense I will skyrocket into the heavens at the slightest trigger. The only way I will make it through today without ripping someone's head off will be to stay busy and alone.

I pick over every square inch of this damn trap and the only things I can find wrong with it is too much wax and the anchor on the clasp is loose, which can cause it to slip and release. I finish removing the wax, tighten the anchor and test the trap to make sure it holds. For the first time today I feel a small smile flit across my face. I grunt in satisfaction as the anchor holds and I have to manually release the trap. Really it was too easy. I suspect Beetee knew what was wrong all along and gave it to me to keep me busy while he works on my samples.

I call to tell him what I found hoping he'll have some news for me. My call goes directly to his message box.

"Hey. This is Finn. Just wanted to let you know I fixed the trap. It was no big deal, just a little too much wax and a loose anchor. I'll drop it off tomorrow unless you call me sooner. Let me know as soon as you find anything out."

I disconnect the call and clean up the mess I made. I need to scrub the deck down anyway so I grab the hose, a brush and some soap guaranteed to make it shine. Fortunately it takes me a couple of hours, sheer determination, and elbow grease to get it done right.

This work is purely physical leaving my mind free to review the last day or two. I can't get the fish off of my mind. How can an entire school of fish be wiped out in an instant while other marine life nearby seem unaffected? I don't believe it's something in the air or water otherwise it would impact more than one school of fish or one small group of plants.

I can't think of any link between the fish, the plants and the recent bouts of sickness that seem to be afflicting our people. There are no common denominators that come to mind. Everything is so random. I curse my inability to protect the land and sea that I love, that I would give my own life for. I stagger underneath the weight of my frustration as I try to reign in the overwhelming fear and anger that threaten to erupt from within.

I hastily put away the cleaning supplies and decide to take a swim and attempt to relax. I dive off the side of the boat into the crystal clear waters below. The water is cool and relieves some of the ache in my shoulders. I can't detect any temperature abnormalities in the air or water that I noticed yesterday. I come up for air and float on my back, allowing the coolness to soak deep into the muscles in my neck, arms and back.

Paddling my feet slowly, relaxed in buoyancy, I take in the immense sky above. The powdery blue sky filled with huge white clouds reminds me of the creamy topping mom used to pile on top of my pie at dinner. I watch the pelicans in their "V" formation as they soar across my view.

I am so relaxed and calm right now I chide myself for not swimming earlier. The lapping of the waves against my body allows my thoughts to recede and renders my mind void. I drift for several minutes in a near catatonic state before my mind registers something reflected in my peripheral vision.

What was that? I glance around and try to focus on whatever it was that caught my attention. After a few minutes of searching and not finding anything out of the ordinary I assume it was the sun in my eyes. I decide to dive down and view the underwater plants and creatures I love so much.

I never know what I might encounter when I dive. I've seen everything from dolphins and otters to manatees and giant sea turtles. I've even seen the occasional narwhale. Today is no exception.

The water is so clear I can see all the way down to the white sand bottom. It is teeming with breathtaking coral and exotic schools of fish.

Kelp forests and other plant life are infested with Blue Sharks, Sting Rays, and much more. From the hunters to the prey, beauty abounds everywhere you look. If I had gills instead of lungs, I'd live in this underwater palace.

I kick back to the surface and inhale fresh air. I shake the water from my hair, run my hands over my eyes and look towards my boat. I should probably go back aboard, but I don't want to. I know I'll just pace around until my frustration builds back to unbearable proportions.

Again I notice a glimmer just outside my direct line of vision. I look up, studying the vast expanse above me. I stare up until I feel my eyes begin to dry out, afraid to blink lest I lose the chance to discover the source of the flash. What is it that keeps catching my attention yet remains elusive? Wait. There – just beyond the tallest cloud in the sky – I see it, but I don't know what it is I'm looking at.

It reminds me of something Beetee found at the last Quarter Quell. He showed us tears in the shield that surrounded the sky. It was one of these tears that allowed us to blow apart the force field that kept us in the Capitol's man-made environment, allowing District 13 to help some of us escape. It was the beginning of the end for the Capitol.

What I'm looking at doesn't look exactly like a tear, more like a puncture, a tiny hole. I wouldn't even notice it except that a direct ray of sunlight has penetrated it causing it to twinkle and glitter, like a star.

How is this possible? What could cause this? If it is truly a puncture, District 14 may be in jeopardy. Hell, our whole world as we know it could be in jeopardy. If this means what I think it does, we have all been compromised. I need to call Beetee immediately. He needs to know. Everyone needs to know.

Climbing back on board, I call Beetee, and tell him what I've discovered as swiftly as I can pour out the information. He agrees with me about the urgency. He can't get away from the lab, but is sending a team down to meet me. They'll be able to verify what I saw. If what I think is true, it will instantly become a matter of National Security.

We decide on a location to pick up the team. I pull up anchor and let PIIA chart my course. The engines scream a steady howl as I push them hard. The turbulence of the wake mimics the rush of my adrenaline saturated blood as it frantically propels me toward answers just beyond my reach. I battle the aggressive onslaught of hysteria, the only lucid thoughts in my mind being the magnitude of this devastating discovery and the knowledge that every second may count.