It had been over two hours and the car was alive with laughter and giggles.

"You stepped on your teacher's foot?" Katniss snickered.

"And called her, 'mom', when you said sorry?" Gale was in tears now.

Haymitch rolled his eyes. "Well at least I didn't fall head over heels for my teacher,"

One person had stopped laughing.

"I was fifth grade,okay?" Effie stated defensively. "It wasn't like I was really in love with him,"

"Really? Constantly stalking him every bathroom break? Sweetheart, what were you waiting for? Some bathroom action? OW!"

Effie had smacked his bare arm so hard that it stung her palm too, but she was too embarrassed to care. "That was a very inappropriate thing to say in front of the kids," She pointed her finger threateningly.

Haymitch just snorted. "They probably just found your reactions very amusing,"

True enough, the kids were pointing at Effie's face and murmuring unknowingly loudly amongst themselves about something burning.

"You're right, kids, Effs here looks like she's been sticking her face in the ov-"

Haymitch trailed off, his teasing relaxed features quickly melting into a serious and alert one. Effie immediately picked up on this and shushed the children.

"What's wrong?" she asked sternly.

"We've been driving through this forest area for about 10 minutes. It feels wrong,"

"But didn't Plutarch say that the area may be a little bit greener than most of District 3?" She tried some reassurance mostly for the sake of the kids who were confused and can possibly feel their fear, too, but Haymitch kept his hard expression.

"Yes but he said that there are still a few houses nearby and this place looks like it's beyond the outskirts of three,"

"Why don't we call, Plutarch?" Effie suggested.

Haymitch shook his head. "We just passed by a post with vines. See. Look,"

Effie looked to where Haymitch was pointing. Surely, there was a branch-like post almost unnoticeable but the vines entwined around it made it just a little bit odd if you looked hard enough.

"During the rebellion, these posts were a sign of the secret bases to help interrupt the televised programs in the Capitol. The post shows up every few meters."

They drove past a second one.

"All districts have these bases but district 3 has the most advanced one, so it wouldn't be safe to call. There could be people who had done this to Katniss, Peeta and Gale that could hear our conversation,"

Effie stared fearfully at Haymitch, her eyes pleading desperately for a solution or even information on what they could be up against. Haymitch, however, didn't return her gaze. He was too busy looking around for answers.

It wasn't long that his eyes had landed on an idea, a small thumb-sized circle below the radio which Plutarch had said was an emergency stop button. Haymitch pressed it and in no time at all, the engine became quiet as the car stopped. The mentor barked orders to grab the children and flee, leaving their things behind.

They hadn't even reached 5 meters and people clad in camouflage and armed with guns blocked the way. They turned around and saw more of them. They were surrounded. Katniss barely screamed when they were being seized and taped over their mouths.

"Stop squirming," a slim but firmly built man handling Gale hissed at him.

Effie seemed to be begging for Gale not to be harmed. Her captor, a large buff man, understood and moved his face near her ear.

"Don't worry. We won't harm any of you," but his grin didn't look at all trustworthy. "At least not yet,"

Their assailants proceeded to tie them up and cover their eyes and mouth. The children struggled, but Haymitch shot a glance at Effie before their eyesight was taken away. Effie understood. She and Haymitch needed to stay calm and think to survive.

While they were dragged and literally thrown into a metal surface like a sack of cement, the adults used all their other senses present, especially sound and touch. They felt the ground. The direction, too, which was hard to tell with all the bumps in the jungle, almost rather hopeless. Then, the ride went smooth.

The base.

Fear and panic began to creep in Haymitch. He couldn't do that. Not at the moment. That's when he felt small hands. He slid backward and clasped them. The hands tensed in alarm at the touch then realizing he was no threat, it fisted in comfort. A new bravery washed over Haymitch as he held those tiny hands and he felt the need to protect those kids no matter what.

Even when the vehicle stopped and they let go, Haymitch's head was clearer then ever.

Even when they were separated, Haymitch continued to let his brain work overtime, observing and formulated a plan.

Meanwhile, Katniss felt the warmth of her Uncle Hobo's hand leave her. She was scared, even more than when she had that nightmare. While she was being hauled out, Katniss began to shake and wanted to throw a great fit and yell, but all she could manage was wriggle and cry. The man carrying her had a strong hold.

All the thrashing and crying during the fifteen-minute travel had taken its toll on Katniss though. Sleep gave an open invitation and she gladly accepted it.

Katniss found herself running around the school playground.

"Catch me papa," she giggled.

"Gotcha!" a man, with similar features to Katniss, said as he held the girl out by her armpits.

"Higher papa. HIGHER" Katniss squealed and the man obliged and lifted her to the sky. She liked the sun warming her face but she wanted her papa's warm smile more. So she looked down.

But her papa was no longer there.

Fangs dripping in blood were snarling at her. She found herself on top of the jungle gym. The werewolves tried to climb but they keep sliding off. A logical adult would wonder why they would slide down a jungle gym like that but all little Katniss could do is scream. Scream until...

"Hello Ms Everdeen,"

Katniss felt her body bound on a chair using duct tape. Her blindfold was removed but with her tears heavily flowing, she could barely see the dark haired, pale man in a lab coat, grinning evilly at her.

"Nightmare? Don't worry, child," he said in fake sympathy. "Soon you'll never have them or any single dream"

The man removed the tape over her mouth and Katniss immediately started to scream.

"GET AWAY. GET AWAY. YOU'RE MEAN AND BAD AND I DON'T LIKE YOU,"

She continued to shout childish insults but the man merely laughed.

"Mr. Haymitch and Ms. Effie will get us," to her left, Peeta tried to shout but it was almost like a whimper. The man heard it nonetheless.

"Oh please. Those two?" the man mused at his own joke. "One is a middle-aged alcoholic and the other is a former escort. What could they possibly do?"

Peeta frowned at him. Why did adults have to laugh at things they didn't understand?

"I'd love to hang out children but I have too much to do," he did a little wave. "But I'll see you soon enough. Ta ta"

And they were left alone with concrete walls and the sound of their sniffles.

"They're going to come you know," Peeta croaked.

Katniss gave a tired but hopeful smile.

"We're doomed,"

To her right, she turned to a heavily sobbing Gale. He looked utterly devastated and hopeless.

"You heard the man. They won't come. Bad things will happen," Gale pouted.

"No, Gale. They will come. I know," Peeta argued softly.

"I don't like them and I don't think they'll come," Gale yelled.

"Stop shouting Gale!" Katniss cried. For some reason she had doubt that Haymitch would come. That Haymitch would let her down. Just like...

Katniss shook away her splitting headache.

"What are we gonna do?" Peeta whispered.

And no one spoke. That's when Gale made straining sounds. Peeta and Katniss turned and they saw him trying to force the tape to break through his strength.

"Gale. You can't break free," Katniss whined.

"Well watch me," Gale puffed his cheeks and struggled even more.

Katniss and Peeta watched with concern as he tried to pull his arms free. After several minutes, Gale felt his one arm lifting off the armrest. His two companions stared at him in shock. Gale could've returned with a triumphant smile but he was just as surprised as they were.

"I-"

Snip

Gale felt the other arm loosen, along with the rest of the tied up body parts. His face scrunched in confusion.

"Aren't you gonna jump down, kid, or what?"

The 3 kids looked down behind Gale's seat and there they saw a smirking Haymitch with a blade in his hand. Katniss looked like she was about to squeal for joy but Haymitch shushed them.

"If you don't want those bad men here again, I want you all to be quiet," Then, he turned to Gale. "Get down there, sweet pea, we don't have all day," Gale obeyed. "Effie, are you done yet?"

"Just wait okay, my knife is rather blunt,"

Katniss couldn't see behind her chair but, she knew that Effie was behind her.

"For crying out-"

They watched Haymitch quickly slash the tape for both Katniss and Peeta, both huddled up with Gale. Peeta asked if he could have the rest of the duct tape removed but Haymitch and Effie lifted them toward the door and loaded them in some steel box on metal cart that carried electronic devices.

"Sweet peas," Haymitch whispered. "I want you to stay inside and whatever you hear. Do not. I repeat. DO NOT. Peek out of this box okay?"

"If you do that," Effie began to add. "You will get us in trouble and those men will come back and hurt you. You got that,"

The children nodded in return.

"We'll protect you, you little rascals," Haymitch gave a small reassuring. "Now hide and don't come out,"

The three obliged and they could hear the adults breathe deeply to brace themselves. Then, the door swung open.

Various sounds struck the curiosity of the small beings in the steel box. There was the banging of metal throughout the journey. The wheels creaking. The sound of Haymitch and Effie panting.

Then the gunshots start.

Fear began to creep in. They could hear bullets exploding in different types of surfaces. The worse, however, was the one that sound like they splattered. This made the kids clutch their ears.

"Haymitch," they heard Effie call. "I can hear footsteps behind us,"

"You can shoot better. You push the cart with one hand and take down those in front and I'll take the ones behind," was Haymitch's response.

Inside, the plan was felt. The cart was wobbling a lot. Then they felt something flick and stick on their head, followed by a short gurgling noise and a nearly tipped cart.

"Shit. HAYMITCH" Effie roared. "How long? I'm bleeding here,"

"Soon. We'll get you napkins later, princess,"

Haymitch sounded more amused than annoyed.

"I know very well that you know what I mean, you little shit,"

"Woman, I really think we should get you tampons later," Haymitch teased. "You sound like you're gonna-"

"Oh just shut the fuck up and shoot,"

Haymitch guffawed and Effie leaned in the cart.

"Don't repeat what I said. Okay, sweethearts?" she warned in a very motherly way as if she wasn't facing death head on.

"Just turn left and from there should be a hovercraft straight ahead," Haymitch called out.

The cart suddenly bounced hard and everything was illuminated. More shots were fired, but everything sounded distant. Not as loud as before.

There were two shots near to them before the kids were pushed to the back of the box and everything went dimmer. Effie ran past them and fiddled with the controls

"HURRY" Effie yelled over her shoulder and they could hear an object slowly screeching.

A metal thud pounded the opposite direction.

"Present," Haymitch's voice gruffed triumphantly and walked toward the kids. Then, something creaked shut. Their ground beneath them vibrated and something whirled. Their stomachs dropped and whatever gunfire and shouting they heard was distant now.

"Alright. Let's see how our three peas in a pod are," Haymitch said from beside them and a shadow loomed over them and tipped the box.

"You can come out now," Effie coaxed and the three pint-sized rebels spilled out from their shield and widened their glistening eyes at them. Effie looked at them with relief.

"Kids,"

And that sent the three running to Effie, bawling.

"We're safe for now. Safe- ah," Effie winced. "Careful, there,"

Katniss saw red liquid trickling down Effie's shoulder and grimaced.

"Uncle Hobo," she whined. "Fix her,"

Haymitch had a first aid kit and ordered the kids to stay back for a while as he treated the wound.

Katniss paled at the sight and buried her face in Gale's back but Gale was still too stunned to even notice her.

After bandaging her arm, Effie opened her arms wide and they came crashing into her again. But they didn't cry as much.

"You came back," Gale croaked.

"Of course, we did. We'll never leave you, darling," Effie cooed.

"I'm sorry I thought you won't," Gale said softly.

Effie should feel good that Gale is starting to trust her. And that they made it. But now that the adrenaline had subsided, something new built up inside her. A horrible feeling that would haunt her.

And too many things haunted her already.

AN: Okay so I merged Chapter 6 and 7 lol. I'm weird. Hahaha. Anyways, please leave feedback.

Okay. Love Ya!

~pinkish-red hearts (who is still very sorry for being a bad author)