Author's Note: Yes I know it's a double update. Why? Because last chapter was too small. I had a rough day I wanna do this ok? (sorry JB)
New POV's this chappie!
Chapter 40
Allies (part 2)
I don't think anymore, I watch because behind them are my two from Five, who are barreling down the path after them.
"Finn get them away!" Tracker bellow, as Brutus turns and throws a knife that Tracker deflect with his crossbow. Brutus then tries the spear on Peeta but Finnick deflect and Enobaria almost throws a knife in Finnick's leg but Tracer shoots it off trajectory where it lodges in the sand.
The final careers now with no weapon retreat to the jungle.
Finnick POV
I don't know what to feel right now. Tracker had told me we were allies from the get go but ran off to hunt leaving me the care of Everdeen and Mellark and now they are back. They look a little worse for wear. Bruised and cut.
"Where have you two been?" Johanna snaps
"Oh shut it will'ya?" Tracer sighs, "we've been tailing the Twos"
Just as we are about to start arguing we feel the ground shift and everyone hits the sand, it spins so fast some of us are being pushed to the water edge, and trying to stand is impossible so everyone holds on until the world that is the arena stops it revolution.
By the time it stops we are sand dusted and our heads are spinning.
Tracer gets up and almost lands on her rear, she sits and looks around seeing Wiress, Cashmere and Gloss floating out to sea.
"Where's Beets?" Tracker asks, we scan the beach and take a tour of the horn, no sign.
"There he is!" Tracer point out where he is floating out with the corpses, I dive in and retrieve him but Katniss dives back in a second after I reach land, she returns with the wire Beetee keeps harping about.
"Has the world stopped spinning?" Beetee asks meekly, he has had a rough go of the arena being sliced up and now flung out to sea.
"Yeah Volts" Johanna sighs
Tracer sighs and goes to check Everdeen, "you alright Katniss?"
"Who are you?!" she asks scampering back
"Friendly isn't she?" Tracker jokes, "you and Jo would make a great pair" he checks on Beetee and Peeta, when he sees they are no worse for wear he stands, "well sorry we had to run off in the beginning we had a plan but now we are here to help if it's needed"
I go over and clap him on the back, "no worries, and great to have you guys right now, what happened while you were off?"
"Lessee, we got cut up in a massive vine tangle with thorns, almost took Chaff but he got out" Tracer says coming away from Everdeen, "then we came to the beach and watched, its sectioned, though we don't recommend it, Brutus likes riding the edge"
"We figured it was a clock" Peeta says coming over to show the new allies his diagram.
Tracker looks at it, "good head on those shoulders and nice diagram" he smiles, "do we know if its right?"
"Of course its right" Johanna huffs, "why wouldn't it be?" she grabs my arm and leads us off
"Where are you goin'?" Tracer asks as they follow with her brother, Everdeen, Mellark and Beetee much further away
"Twelve right?" I point
"That's right the tail points to twelve" Peeta says
"That was before we spun, how do we know for sure?" Tracker says, "for all we know it could be section eight that edge now and that's the tangle vines"
"Let's not go there again" Tracer pipes up, "I hate those thorns"
"Then where?!" Johanna whips my arm away and glares at me, "you're the smart ones"
"That would be Beetee" Tracer retorts, "knock that sawdust out of your head Mason, charging in isn't gonna work, unless you wanna be swept out to sea by a tidal wave or die in the electrical storm at twelve"
"Well we need water" I say to try and calm these two sparks, "who has a solid guess"
Tracer and Katniss take opposite directions and come up the same, everything looks identical.
We finally head off in a certain area since Johanna is getting really impatient and I need to re-supply us with some water, the heat will drive everyone mad if we don't stay hydrated.
Tracer keeps close to Beetee as Katniss and I head for a tree to tap and Tracker sticks with Johanna and Peeta so he can redraw the map.
That's when I hear her..Annie!? I run off to find her it happened just after Katniss cries for Prim, her sister. My mind is in a severe state of panic, I can't loose her! She's my calm place, even when she's in a worried mood I can count on her love and acceptance without question. Not like the people in the capitol. When Katniss finds me and shoots down a jabberjay I now feel even more revoltion for these games. How could they do that? Imagine if it were some new kid hearing their parents or siblings crying in pain?! This section is probably meant to break our morale, make us doubt. It's working especially when the jays are surrounding us and screaming like our loved one. When it finally finishes we get out of there. Beetee reassures that it was probably generated and altered on a computer. I am somewhat reassured that Annie is probably safe. I hope she is, I really do because I can't help but worry about her sometimes. Johanna goes back in there and gets the water for us.
As of now Peeta's new map has everything we know.
Tracer POV
It's been another hour and all I can say is…
Ariana would be in her glory right now. This arena is right up her ally, it's a puzzle. How do you find the right section to stay in? We hear massive rustling and a scream come from one part of the jungle and a canon. We watch as the hoverplane comes to collect the corpse and are horrified to find it picking up pieces, not a whole body.
"Right so let's call that section 'beast'" Tracker says looking at Peeta, I chuckle. Leave it to Track to say something so glib that it's almost a joke.
"I don't see why you guys are taking it so lightly" Katniss says irritated.
Ah Everdeen, forgot about her for a moment, I know we told Ari we would keep both of them safe but I have to say my allegiance is to Peeta not his girl.
"Think would'ja?" I say, "we have two careers less to deal with, for all we know it might have been Brutus-"
"Or 'Baria" Tracker adds
"Right or her that got killed, personally I find the whole idea of killing each other rather dull. So why don't we just relax for a bit, joke and have fun" I smile genuinely
"Telling Katniss to have fun usually ends with me getting the wits scared outta me" Peeta says, "her and Finnick are menaces"
"You kiss your wife with that mouth do you?" Tracker teases, "it doesn't matter, anyway we have water we should go on the hunt for food right?"
As if on cue a box floats down, we all look up for a second.
"How about a rifle?" I call up…nothing, "killjoy!"
"Haymitch is not Ariana" Finnick reminds me, "don't expect weapons from him" he opens the box, it has small cube shaped bread. Twenty four cube shaped breads.
"Hey Volts aren't these from your district?" Finnick brings them over.
Beetee looks at them, "oh yes, how many are there?"
Peeta goes over and makes a count, "twenty four, three a piece?"
I shrug, "to be honest I'd prefer some sort of protein"
Finnick does a comical bow, "at your service m'lady" and dives in with a trident, surfacing moments later with a few fish skewered.
We eat and talk about what has happened, Tracker and I spare a moment for Mags. She was a sweet old bird, speaking of…
"Anyone get a message from a little bird lately?" I say and get a reproachful look from Track
"Well one told me a lot things the two months before we started this game, said we had allies already" Peeta says between mouthfuls of fish and bread
"Yeah had one say that to me too" I reply, "said a few really interesting things too"
"What bird?" Katniss says, "jabberjays don't exist in the wild anymore"
Idiot, doesn't she know code when she hears it?!
The light fades and we find out it wasn't unfortunately the careers that got picked off but Chaff…poor Chaff!
"Goodbye Chaff" I say softly, Track leans against me giving me a nudge.
"Great now we still have to get the Twos!" Johanna whines
"Maybe in the morning" Tracker says with a yawn, "I think we should all have a rest"
"Katniss and I will take first watch" Peeta looks at Track who nods acceptance
I wake a while later to Finnick's cry of panic when the lightning starts around midnight. Him and I take the next watch as Peeta and Katniss retire.
We sit back to back quietly for a bit.
"How was Annie?" I ask
"Last time I saw her she was scared I wouldn't come back" Finnick says, "I mean with Brutus out there and his lackey Enobaria"
"You will see her again" I tell him, "and I'll see Jack and Sam"
"I forgot you have a kid now don't you!" he tilts his head back and grins coyly, "how has it been mommy?"
I laugh then lean in, "it was helped by a little bird" I look at him then add, "she helped deliver him y'know and she trained your charges"
Finnick looks at me confused, he doesn't get it, Ariana is probably gonna hang me but I finally whisper the linch pin, "Ariana is alive"
The reaction is strange, Finnick looks like he doesn't believe me, but his eyes show understanding, "I guess we will see our loved one again, I mean in the afterlife right?"
I get it, I shouldn't be saying these things even in whispered conversation
"You think Ariana would have like the arena?" Finnick looks out to the water, "I mean being from five you guys don't do swimming"
"No but she'd have loved it nonetheless" I reply, "miss her sometimes"
"I think everyone does, even grouchy Johanna" Finnick jokes
"I heard that!" Johanna says grumpily, "let a girl sleep for Christ sakes!"
The next morning we all listen to a plan Beetee has cooked up. To kill the careers.
It's plausible, I mean Brutus and 'Baria don't trust the jungle and would stick to the beach, which gets soaked right after the tsunami.
Just needs two of us to run the thread from the lightning tree down to the cornucopia. Katniss and Peeta offer but its Johanna who takes Peeta's place. I don't like the look she has on her face but I have a feeling in my gut I have little chance to change her mind.
We all take one last big seafood meal with help of Haymitch who send us chili sauce for the shellfish. Although this sounds like our last day the whole experience has given me insight into my companions. Tracker is a very cool headed guy when things are stressed, so he would work well with Johanna. Finnick and I get along well and he can read me really well.
I like Peeta over his girl, but Katniss really cares for him so she can't be that bad.
And Beetee is insane, pure and simple, wire that mimics a fuse. Electrocuting the careers and pretty much flash boiling the rest of the sea life. We get one last bread gift of the same twenty four district three cube breads, I turn mine down, if I eat now I'll probably be sick later.
We find where the lighting tree is and it past midday when we get there. We see the fog begin in the section beside us and I can see haunted looks on Finnick and Katniss' faces. I would too if I lost someone in that toxic cloud.
We camp out near the tree and wait it out.