A Dangerous Game

Chapter Nineteen: The City Dwellers

Finn held up the edge of the chain link fence, so that it wouldn't scratch his back as he squeezed through. It clanged back into place, looking as if it had never been moved.

A path led him along the fence for a few yards and then veered left into the tree line. Finn hadn't treaded this path in years but it really hadn't changed. It was just as overgrown as it always had been, but he knew that it would lead him to the city.

The trees gave way to a clearing and the ruined city was just visible over the crest of a hill. It took less than ten minutes for Finn to reach the edge of the city. His feet crunched over the gravel. It was a particularly rainy day, so he had no fear that he would encounter any little children exploring the ruins. Which was good; it would be best if no one were to know where he was going.

"Jesse," he shouted, his voice echoing through the city. He really didn't know how else to contact the man, other than "Jesse! Dude, where are you?"

"Who are you?" said a voice that was most defiantly not Jesse's as it was distinctly female, "Why are you looking for Jesse? Go away now or I might have to shoot you!"

Finn spun around, looking for the woman, "I have an offer for him. Please don't shoot me! It would hurt. A lot."

The woman laughed, emerging from the rubble, an odd looking gun in her hands. She was short and slender, with blonde hair that fell around her face like a waterfall. She had a strange accent that defiantly didn't originate from District Eight. "You're Finn Hudson, right? Your fiancé was in the Games."

"Yeah," Finn said slowly, "And you are?"

The woman smiled, walking forward and shaking his hand, "April Rhodes, nice to meet you. Follow me." She turned and headed towards one of the better preserved buildings. When she realized that he wasn't following, she turned and gestured for him to do so. "What you waiting for silly?" she laughed. Finn hesitantly trotted after her. April dug something out of her overcoat and offered it to him. "Want some, hun?"

It was just about the stinkiest alcohol he had ever encountered. He resisted the urge to puke, "No thank you." April shrugged, taking a deep swig. She disappeared behind a sheet that was hanging in a crack in the wall in place of a door. Finn, being slightly taller than her, had to duck to get in. "Where exactly are we going?"

They had entered a darkly lit hallway. At one point it might have been a hospital, but now it was in such disrepair that it was almost unrecognizable as such.

"This way," April turned right, opening a door and going down a stairwell. It was even darker here and Finn had to grab hold of the handrail to stop from tripping. "Mind the next step, it isn't there."

Finn frowned jumping over the missing step.

On the second level, April took a torch from a makeshift wall hanging that was once a light fixture. She produced a match from one of her overcoat pockets and lit the torch. For a few short moments, Finn wondered how the woman's alcohol breath didn't catch on fire.

The torch flickered, eliminating the stairwell.

Finn followed April down three more levels then stopped at a locked door. April gestured for him to step back then rapped smartly on the door. "Jesse, I got a boy here to see you. Finn Hudson."

There was a jingling of the lock then the door opened a crack. One of Jesse's blue eyes appeared, sparkling in the firelight. "What do you want Hudson? Why did you bring him here, April?"

"How would you like to steal a hovercraft?" Finn said before he could be sent away or worse.

Jesse's eye disappeared and there was a jangling again. He opened the door, "You have my attention."

"That may just be the craziest plan I have ever heard." They were sitting around a pile of crates that had been arranged to form a table. Jesse had his feet up on it, and was leaning back on the wall, and amused look on his face. "But it might just work. I may have underestimated you, Finn."

Finn's eyes widened, "So you're in?" he asked hopefully.

Jesse sat up, staring straight at Finn, suddenly immensely serious. "Those bastards killed Rachel. And your plan, as insane as it might be, could possible give them what they dole out. So yes, I'm in. But on my terms, got that Hudson?"

Finn nodded, "Deal." They shook on it.