Disclaimer: The Hunger Games and Catching Fire, two of the best books I've ever read, are owned by Suzanne Collins and I don't have any rights to them except the right to read them and love them. Here's my attempt of trying to continue the story. I'm sure it will pale in comparison to Suzanne's wonderful work, but here goes chapter five.

Chapter Five

I can't breathe. I feel a hand thump my back as I stare at Plutarch like he was one of the tracker jackers. "Why?" is the only word I can manage with my suddenly dry throat.

He looks away. Coward, I think. But, really, that isn't fair. He defied the Capitol. He just can't meet my eyes as he explains. "When we took you up in the hovercraft, we had already picked up Beetee and Finnick. We saw you lying there and knew there were Peacekeeper hovercrafts in the area, so we knew we needed to get you out. When we had you inside, the door was still open and Peeta had crashed through the trees. He was yelling your name. I closed your eyes, as if you were dead, because two Peacekeepers came from behind him. We didn't have time to get him and I thought it would be better, if he were tortured, that he would think you were dead."

Silence hung around us like a death shroud. I remember the way I had clawed Haymitch's face after they had explained everything to me and I was itching to do it to Plutarch. I got up from the table, my chair exploding from behind me as I walked away. I could vaguely hear Finnick expressing his disgust. Haymitch came up to me and stood with me.

"I bet you feel he did the right thing," I said from behind clenched teeth. It took everything in me not to scream.

I felt rather than see Haymitch shake his head. "No, I don't think he did the right thing. Like you said, if he thinks you're alive…" his words drift off.

I nod and my fists clench. My nails have long since been destroyed since the Games, but I still manage to cut into my skin. "We have to get to him and fast," I murmur. All this sitting around and waiting has me suddenly feeling caged like an animal.

"We have to plan," he tells me and I feel his hands on my shoulders as he turns me. His sober gray eyes are serious and unwavering as they look into my own. "We have to have a strategy. Or Peeta and everyone else will die."

I recognize the wisdom of his words. I shrug him off and look over at Plutarch. The respect I had once felt for him dissolves. "If he's dead, you will wish I had drowned you in that punch bowl." The guards come in a few minutes later, oblivious to the tension in the room. They lead us back to the Justice Building to a large briefing room. All of us are dressed in Freeland black, including Madge and Gale. Madge stands next to me and I realize I'm glad she is coming. Maybe I'm glad Gale is too. He's a hunter and she was a pretty good shot the times we went hunting together. The more people I trust that are with me, the better my chances at getting Peeta out alive.

Soldiers start filing into the room in front of us. Some look at us with curiosity, others without any expression at all. Those kind of remind of the Careers so I look away. There are all types of body types, skin and hair colors across the room. It's pretty evenly divided between males and females as well. A woman with midnight black hair and bright blue eyes comes forward to brief the crowd. Her nametag announced that she was Commander Vanzant. Everyone sits down and the room goes black. A screen behind her lights up with blueprints.

"This is the main Peacekeeper building in the Capitol," she starts. Her voice is clear and authoritative. "This is where we believe the prisoners are being kept. Remember, we are there to rescue Peeta Mellark, Annie Cresta, Joanna Mason and any members of the Odair family. Also we are looking for any information on Cinna and Portia. We believe they also have been captured. Remember, these two were elemental in relaying information to us from the Capitol. Also, we are to assess any security measures that are keeping the President protected. However, our mission is only to secure and rescue the captured. We want to keep our presence hidden from the Capitol forces, but should we be discovered, shoot to kill." I like this Commander Vanzant. She then divided the soldiers to teams and assigned them hovercraft.

Then she looked over at us. "Come with me," she ordered. I follow. She leads us to an armory. My heart lifts at the bows. She gives us vest with pockets so that we can add more supplies. I take two thigh sheaths for long knives and tie the black thongs around my legs. The commander hands me a black box and I open it. Inside are different types of arrow heads. "They are poisoned. The red ones are lethal." She walks away to talk to Gale and Madge. I decide I really like this Commander. I test a couple of bows. I find two that I like, and then grab two quivers of arrows. They already have arrowheads but I can see where the arrow tips she gave me would fit. Once I'm armed, I look over. Finnick is happy to have a trident. He loops some rope around his torso and stocks up on knives. He also has a holster for a gun. They made a sheath so that the trident can fit comfortably on his back and he could draw it at a moment's notice.

Gale has two bows and arrows like me, as well as knives, rope and also a gun with holster. I look over at Madge and I feel proud of her. She's got one bow with arrows, two guns holstered at each hip, and knives as well. Both she and the other two are filling their vest pockets with ammunition. I don't like guns, but I would shoot one if I had to. So I grab a gun as well and strap on a holster. I fill my pockets with ammunition and follow the Commander to a hovercraft. "You're with me."

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The ride to the Capitol goes much quicker than I had anticipated. Vanzant explained that District 11 had been taking over the Transportation as we were being rescued. Now that the Districts have control over Transportation, moving about is much easier. There are still battles being fought within the Districts, but they don't involve Hovercraft raining fire over them. I think of Rue's family and I feel thankful for at least that.

As we reach the Capitol I look out the window. I'm startled by all the empty streets and darkness. There are very few lights that are lit on the streets and everything is quiet. Way too quiet for the loudest and brightest place I've ever seen. I look over at Gale and I can see his confusion. He looks back at me, his eyebrows raised and I shrug.

"Martial Law," Vanzant answers for us. "Curfews, less power, and absolutely no partying. The citizens of the Capitol are suffering for the first time in their lives."

Gale snorts at that. "That is not suffering," he remarks. I know he is thinking of the many people who have starved to death in the Seam. Or all the people who lost loved ones in accidents in the mines. In his mind, they are all pigs.

"They don't know any better," I murmur as I look back out and see a patrol of Peacekeepers walking the streets. They look up at the hovercraft but they do not alert anyone. "Peacekeepers," I say out loud.

Vanzant laughed. "I'm not worried. We look like Peacekeeper hovercraft and they fly around the city in timed patrols. Know your enemy. First rule." She turns around to check the squad with her. A tall man with dark brown hair stood up to speak with her. She introduced him as her second in command. "This is Kane. If something should happen to me, he will see you safely out."

The adrenaline pumps through my veins. I stand up because I can sit no longer. The time for sitting is over. I can feel it in the air as the squad gets up, checks their weapons again. Gale and Madge did the same. The hatch opens in the floor and we all line up. Kane and several others take to the ladder and are lowered on top of the building. Vanzant, Gale, Madge, Finnick and I follow. I feel the momentary shock of not being able to move and then we are lowered. I see the squad looking in different directions covering us. As we are released, I move back and take off a bow. I then pull out an arrow and notch it. I scan the rooftop and I briefly wonder how they got past the force field. Then we're moving to the door.

Vanzant takes out a slim card from a pocket and swipes at the door handle. It glows white for a moment and then opens. She slips the card back into her pocket and raises her gun as she checks the interior. I follow her closely as we make our way down the stairs. I don't hear any other footsteps and I give silent thanks for our silent feet. We take the stairs quickly until we've reached the tenth floor. She holds up a hand for us to halt as she again swipes the card. She inches the door forward, gun first, and peers around. Vanzant motions for the other teams responsible for the other hostages to go to the left. Finnick leaves with them. She waves us through and posts two guards on the door before turning to the right. I briefly remember the blue prints as I follow. The building is cold and there are no windows. The only lights are sporadic wall sconces giving off a red glow. I wish fervently for the glasses from the Games that allowed me to see in the dark. She holds up her hand and we pause.

We hear boots clacking on the marble floor. They pause and we hear some beeping sounds and then the silent swoosh of the door. Then we hear screaming. I want to lunge forward but I can't give away our position. We follow slowly to the open door. I peer in and my heart stops.

Peeta is strapped to a metal slab. His prosthetic leg is gone and the stump where it should be connected is bloody. There are several gashes along his skin and blood trickles slowly down his body. He's slumped over as if he is unconscious and I watch as one of their guards sticks a needle into his arm. Peeta moans and his head thrashes back. The sweat has matted up his golden hair. My heart squeezes. I raise my bow and I fire not waiting for a command from Vanzant. The arrow pierces the guard's neck and he falls over. Before the other guard has time to process the information, another arrow flies over my shoulder and through his heart.

I run to Peeta whose beautiful blue eyes open. He stares at me in horror for a moment and I hear him whisper, "Katniss."

"Shhh," I try to hush him and I push back his hair. His skin is burning up against my hand. Vanzant motions to hurry so I have Madge unhook the restraints so that Gale and I can carry him out. I give her my extra bow and I pull out the gun. I watch as Vanzant shows me to put in on stun and then I hold on to Peeta as we move from the room. Tears are falling from my eyes silently, but I try not to let them blur my vision. I'm continuously blinking them back. She heads to an elevator and swipes the card again. We stand there in the open and train our guns on the doors. Luckily, when they silently slide open, the car is empty. We get in and Vanzant pushes the top floor.

Peeta's head falls against mine and I can hear him sniff my hair. "Katniss," he murmurs again. His voice is hoarse. I don't know if it is from lack of use or from screaming. To think of something else, I start thinking of a hundred different ways to kill President Snow. We reach the roof again and make our way towards the hovercraft. With Peeta, Gale and I attached to the ladder, we are taken up. As soon as we reach the top, two healers take Peeta from me. I follow helplessly and rub at my blood spattered arms. Peeta's blood. They put him in a chamber that is just big enough for one person and close the door. I sit on the floor next to the chamber and wrap my arms around my knees as it starts to hum. I barely aware of the flurry of activity as they bring in more injured people as I finally let go and let the tears fall.

A/N: Please be kind and leave a review.