CHAPTER 5

It was early morning when Finnick left Annie in their room while she was still asleep. Today was the day he's going to meet some District 13 specialists. He had to go to the heart of the District to get there and he knew that when he returns, Annie might already be sleeping—again—for the day. Haymitch promised to tag along with Finnick as a sign of gratitude for the latter's heroism in saving all three hostages in their first mission.

"I think I wasn't able to formally thank you for saving the mission, Finnick. You did great." Haymitch whispered quite nonchalantly as they rode the chopper.

Finnick didn't reply and just simply nodded and turned his head back towards the window and stared.

"So," Haymitch started again. "This meeting... are you sure you're ready for this?"

"I have to do whatever it takes, Haymitch. She deserves that." Finnick replied without even looking back.

"If you say so..." and for that, Finnick winced.

"Why say that, Haymitch?"

Haymitch looked at him carefully as if hesitating to answer the question.

"Listen here, Finnick," Haymitch moved closer. "District 13 is far more advanced than what we expected them to be. We don't know how they run around here and I'm afraid that they might see what we're about to do as a debt. And you know what a debt means, Odair. They might want payment—oh, and it's not money they want."

"So are you saying that District 13 works like the Capitol?"

"No, no, no... It's their freedom that scares me."

Finnick thought about what Haymitch said for a second. He knew he had a choice to turn back around and let this all pass through or to get going and find a way to save Annie. Finnick contemplated whether Annie really wanted this to happen.

If we were in each other's shoes, would she be willing to do this as well?

Oh, but Finnick knew that if only he was honest with himself, it was him who wanted this. It was him who wanted to see the specialist. It was him who wanted the normal Annie back into his life. Last night he said about being used to Annie's screaming and insanity. But he knew deep in his heart that Annie was not vulnerable. Annie was not weak. Annie was not insane. And no matter how much it satisfied him to help her and get though her tantrums everyday, she was still not the Annie he loved. And that old version of Annie, the normal and strong-willed, was the only person he misses the most.

"Don't get too caught up with what I said, Finnick. It was just a precaution." Haymitch suddenly whispered seeing how he might've confused Finnick. The captain of the chopper then announced that they were about to land in the Metropolis of District 13.

Finnick gave up thinking. He was already there. And it won't hurt to know how they might be able to cure Annie. And as he climbed down the chopper, he was amazed with what he saw. Although the mockingjay headquarters was also in the city, the Metropolis was much more fascinating. Its technology might have been as good, or even better, as the ones in the Capitol. The tall building had tinted glass as walls and its facade was just simply... sophisticated. Finnick could not put any other word to describe the Metropolis.

Finnick let out a low whistle.

"Scary, isn't it?" Haymitch grinned. "Finnick, this is the Metropolis, the center of the District—literally. Everything is connected through this building. Electricity, water pipe lines, gas and petroleum line... everything starts here. And don't ask me how they achieved that! I've only been in this building thrice."

"Petroleum lines? How'd they get this advanced?"

Haymitch shrugged. "I told you these people scare the bones out of me."

Finnick and Haymitch were led inside the building by the captain himself and directed them until they were on some sort of an elevator except that it was made out of glass that you could see through and through.

"Specialists are on the 13th floor. We'll get there in no time." And after a few unsteady stop and go (and Haymitch's tight grip on the elevator railings), they finally reached level 13.

Finnick and Haymitch left the captain on the elevator and asked if he could wait for them after the meeting. He saluted them proudly and told them that someone will pick them up after a few minutes. And then there, at the other side of the long corridor, someone was approaching them.

"That's S. Uno. He's the specialist I was telling you about who wanted to take Annie's case." Haymitch whispered.

Finnick studied the approaching specialist. He was wearing what seemed like a white trench coat, white pants, white inside shirt , white shoes, and, Finnick guessed, as the specialist finally approached better lighting, a fair skin. When every cloth was white, it all contrasted with his smooth and slick jet black hair and liquid dark eyes.

"Hello, Haymitch! It's nice to see you again." S. Uno shook hands with Haymitch then turned to Finnick. "And you must be Finnick Odair. But who am I kidding? Everyone knows you're name. You're not only famous in the Capitol, you know. Women of the Metropolis would do anything to get their hands on you! Haha! I'm S. Uno, by the way. It's nice to finally meet you."

Finnick shook hands with the man, unsure of what to respond regarding the specialist's introduction.

"Now, would you two follow me into my office and then we could finally talk about Annie Cresta?" S. Uno smiled and motioned them to follow him. And upon reaching the other end of the corridor, they met yet another long stretch of white walls and ceiling.

"I'm afraid you have to get used to it." S. Uno explained. "District 13 tries its best not to be like another shiny and glittering Capitol."

Finnick was so preoccupied taking in these largely new surroundings. Haymitch was right. We don't know how these people work.

"Here we are." S. Uno announced joyously. He opened a white door and led them in. It was a medium sized room, Finnick thought.

Almost as big as the conference room in the headquarters.

There were filing cabinets, medicine cabinets, bookshelves, coffee table and a crammed desk in between a huge dresser and a bed. But what caught Finnick's attention was the huge corkboard above the desk. It was filled with Annie's photo: photos from the Hunger Games, photos from District 4's reaping, and even, to Finnick's astonishment, Annie's pictures while in the headquarters' garden.

Finnick slowly approached the desk, not really hearing what S. Uno was saying. Was it all this time these people were interested with Annie?

"What are these?" He asked, interrupting S. Uno and Haymitch's discussion.

"Oh, that? Well, it's Annie, of course!" the specialist shrugged.

"Why do you have these?"

"Oh, Finnick! We have to study her, don't we?" S. Uno explained. "Eversince the 75th Games, when she hid in those caves, I knew my boy, that she was suffering from an anomaly. That was the day I got fond of her case. We also broadcast the games here, you know, to be updated, but to only a few people, including myself. But boy, we never enjoy them." S. Uno shook his head and sat down on his chair behind the desk.

"Now," S. Uno continued. "You know I have a proposition to you, Finnick. And Haymitch told me that you are the only person to talk to when it comes to Annie Cresta. Why don't you two take a seat?"

Finnick sat at the nearest chair in front of the desk. Haymitch took the other one.

"Now, as I was saying. Only you, Finnick, have the right to decide for Annie. The procedure, I tell you now, would be complex."

Finnick suddenly looked alarmed.

"Complex," S. Uno continued, "But not dangerous."

S. Uno showed him a diagram, explaining how they would have a surgery on her brain.

"We would... how could you say it simply?... Restart her hippocampus, the memory storage of the brain so that she will..." S. Uno continued.

But Finnick was simply too overwhelmed. Here he was being presented with a solution to cure Annie by a guy who has been spying on her for the past years. What was Annie to District 13? Some kind of an instrument they could play around and examine?

"... and if all ends well, Annie will have her sanity back. All of it!" S. Uno happily finished his explanation. "What do you say, Finnick?"

Finnick was staring blankly at the specialist. Haymitch tried to kick him on the leg but as he was about to, Finnick stood up and took a deep breath.

"I would like to think about it." Was all Finnick said before he went out of the room, gasping for air, as if all those reality, those information had suffocated him. He heard Haymitch after him.

"Finnick! Finnick!" Haymitch stopped him and swung him back. "What's wrong?"

"All of this!" Finnick shouted hoarsely. "That man is crazy! Restarting Annie's brain like it was some kind of a motorboat? And the pictures, Haymitch! They've been spying on her for years! They were invading her, invading us! What is she to them, Haymitch? They want her here to be experimented!"

"But think about this, Finnick! You'll have Annie back! I thought this was what you wanted?"

Finnick stepped away from Haymitch and held his head. The opportunity of having Annie back was so tempting yet the other option of losing her completely was another thing. He can't trust Annie's life to someone so desperate to prove his theory was right. What if things go wrong? What if everything failed?

"I can't do this, Haymitch. Not yet." Finnick finally said.

Haymitch nodded. "I knew you'd say that. And listen," Haymitch leaned closer. "I don't trust that man either."

On their way back to the headquarters, Finnick saw District 13 in a whole new light.

It's as if we're back in the Capitol.

Finnick felt that all the things they fought for just to be able to be in Distrcit 13 were worth nothing. District 13 was not the place he imagined it to be. Like the Capitol, District 13 also have their own kind of Games—the game of trust. Now everything looked so dubious to him. The headquarters, the guns they lend them, the choppers... Finnick was also no so unsure of the loyalty of their chopper captain. And when he glanced back at Haymitch, he knew he was wondering about the same things. How in the world of Panem have they gotten themselves trapped inside another version of the Capitol?

Finnick was thankful that they arrived at the headquarters earlier than expected. And when he went inside his room, he was surprised to find Annie was not there. A small chill ran along his spine. What if..?

Finnick didn't want to panick.

Peeta would've come down running if Annie was gone.

But he was hurrying in his strides, jumping two steps at a time at the staircase down at the headquarters lobby. Seeing no familiar faces, seeing only District 13 soldiers and some of whom not even wearing their mockingjay pins, Finnick knew they were definitely fighting the war on their own again. And if that's so, he's got to find Annie right now. But she was nowhere in the lobby nor was she in the conference room. Then...

"Prim!" Finnick shouted.

"Oh, Finnick! I was just looking for you! C'mon, hurry!" The little girl grabbed him on his wrist and started pulling him outside towards the garden.

"I have to find Annie!" Finnick tried to explain but Prim still didn't let go.

"Just follow me, Finnick!"

"Prim..."

But Finnick was glad that he did.

Annie was just on the garden having a picnic with Johanna, her back to him. He heard himself breathe a sigh of relief. And then Johanna saw them approaching and she too wanted him to come immediately.

"Come look!" Johanna exclaimed.

Prim released him and ran on her own towards the other two, a smile painted on her face.

"What's this fuss about?" Finnick said as he finally approached them. He crouched down and gently put an arm around Annie who was oddly busy doing something. And as he did, Annie finally looked up to him innocently and then went back working.

What Finnick saw almost took his breath away. There, sitting on the picnic blanket, not caring about the world, Annie was weaving a silvery net thread almost half-way finished.

"She's so good at it!" Prim exclaimed happily and started doing Annie's hair again.

"It's a good sign, isn't it?" Johanna asked him.

Finnick gave her a warm smile. Annie had never failed in fascinating him.

"Yes, it's a good sign." Finnick remembered how his day went and the sudden revelation that they might not be even safe here. But here she was, Annie, giving him the hope he needed. It's as if, in her own little senses, with the littlest sanity she had, she knew how much he need another net from her again.

There was still hope after all.

Sorry it took me so long! Been busy with school! Hopefully you all like it! :)

Feel free to review! XD