Chapter 2: The Unexpected
Katniss's eyes glance over Peeta's body pausing at his peaceful face. She analyzes the situation. She analyzes the man sleeping off his wound in the infirmary bed. Nothing. It doesn't make sense why he was there, why he couldn't have just stabbed the demon, why the institute wasn't informed that another Shadowhunter would be in the area. How was that quick shapeshifting, white creature a demon?
"You okay?" Haymitch's voice snapped Katniss out of her reverie. "You're staring at that poor boy like he's dinner and you haven't eaten in years."
"I'm fine. I just can't comprehend what happened. What demon has those powers? What demon does not take the chance to kill Shadowhunters?"
"Snow. The demon's name is Snow. After Gale explained to me what happened, I researched white demons. It was actually quite easy since there is only one demon ever born white. He was born of the ashes of hell. He came into existence during the creation of hell, the day Lucifer fell. He was Lucifer's pet and was fed the blood of deceased or living mortals. He does not want nor care about the blood of Shadowhunters, he will only attack them if they get in the way," Haymitch gravely clarified.
"Okay so that was a lot of information to take in." Katniss fiddled with the bed sheet as her mind whirled.
"Actually, it is pretty simple to me. There is a demon out there planning to destroy the world, and we are the Shadowhunters that are going to stop it. Oh, and this guy too." He casually pointed to a seemingly asleep Peeta.
Haymitch could always find a way to bring Katniss back to reality. He gave her a reasons to keep fighting, supported her intense training routine, and taught her how to handle her earnest emotions. He also knew how to make a serious, important conversation quite lighthearted. Haymitch and Katniss held eye contact with sly grins and squinted, zealous eyes that expressed their determination. They were ready for a fight.
"No," a tired, but strong voice broke the silence. "No one is joining me. There are others around the world fighting this battle, you are not needed."
Katniss instantly stood up to hover over him, "Needed? That demon would have killed you if we weren't there to save you. And what did you say about others? What is going on? Answer these questions and leave not a single detail out or by the Angel I will-"
"Katniss, come on," Haymitch rolled his eyes, he was used to her ferocious curiosity.
She breathed out, "Answer, now."
"The Clave told me to tell no one of my mission," Peeta gave a small second long smile at the end.
"Well then, I guess we gotta go tell the Clave that you failed," Katniss continued with gritted teeth, "and need a little help." She began to stride toward the door.
"Wait, wait. I'll tell you what I know, just don't tell the Clave I messed up cause they would make me go back to Idris and I can't, just can't go back there," He sounded as if he was pleading. Katniss gave him a curt nod telling him to continue on. "Ok, so I heard him tell you a little background on Snow, it's all completely correct. Snow has been around for centuries slowly feeding on the human population, and every century he gets even more ravenous. For the past couple months he has increased his attacks, to keep this hidden the Clave has used warlocks to cover them up. They turn them into mundane disturbances like shootings and car crashes. The Clave turned to the Shadowhunters who have encountered Snow, been affected by his cruelty. There are many of us and we have secretly been hunting him down ever since. He is not like normal demons; he has had time to gain power. He can't die by one single blow. He needs to be ripped apart to actually have a chance at dying."
A comfortable silence rang through the air. Haymitch, Katniss, and Peeta just sat there thinking quietly to themselves.
Katniss's face lightened and spoke out with great confidence, "Heal quickly, 'cause I have a plan."
"What? How the heck can you have a plan already?" Peeta exclaimed.
"I'm good."
"So am I." Peeta looked as if insulted.
"I'm better." Katniss turned smoothly on her heals. "Come on Haymitch, I'll show you my plan in the library," she walked through the door with determination, a motive behind each step, leaving Peeta sitting in his bed stunned by her arrogance.
Katniss, Haymitch, and Gale sit around the library table where Katniss drew out and explained her plan thoroughly. Her confidence was soaring, but was soon grounded by Gale's confused and judgmental expression.
"How the hell are we going to be able to do this without a hundred Shadowhunters and a wide open field where no mundanes will witness us killing a giant, white demon?" Gale's eyebrows were raised and eyes wide, waiting for a reasonable response.
"Ok, I might have left some parts out. I am hoping that Cinna will be willing to help us. He's a warlock, so he can open a portal. We will force Snow through it and follow after him. People will be waiting on the other side in an open field where no mundane will be there to witness his death or get hurt in the process. "Katniss felt her plan was reasonable, a little difficult, but life is difficult and she goes the extra mile to keep this world safe.
"And the hundreds of Shadowhunters?" Gale pressed on.
The doors flew open and Peeta strode in with a slight limp, "I got that part covered."
"Well, that was dramatic," Haymitch noted and took a swig of his bourbon.
After a long and uncomfortable conversation between Peeta and Ms. Everdeen where she eventually made him understand that he was not healed yet, Peeta took his cellphone, layed back down in his bed and started making calls. He notified every Shadowhunter that is part of the Snow search party and explained to them the plan.
Katniss called Cinna and gave him the rundown on Snow. Cinna is a very calm, understanding, powerful, and rather stylish warlock. He immediately responded with yes. Katniss we ecstatic that her plan was going so well, that it was working out. Gale even found an open field enclosed by high ground. He continued looking up local popular places. Peeta told them that Snow targeted places with large groups of people, he liked that more people would run towards the commotion, supplying him with more food.
As the days advanced, Peeta and Katniss worked together to create the perfect scenario that had no holes. No possible way it could go wrong. They envisioned the battle and the placement of every person involved. Shadowhunters from all around the country portaled to the Institute prepared for a hard fight. Prepared to take down and intelligent demon that was slowly destroying the world.
There was one day until they took action, one day until Snow attacked the local club they found that had the highest population at night, one day until they finished him. On that one day, the single flaw of the entire plan was pinpointed, but it was too late.
On that day, Snow attacked the one place they least expected, the one place that contained the most people during the day in Washington, DC.
Katniss woke up that morning determined to finalize every action of the plan, to be ready to take on a strong demon by nightfall the next day. She went through her normal routine, but instead of having ownership of the entire training room, she shared the space with 20 other shadowhunters preparing themselves.
Katniss left the training room around noon to go to the kitchen. She ate lunch with an excited Gale and a complaining Rory, who is too young to fight in a full on battle. They were having a friendly conversation when a panicked and fully healed Peeta came running into the kitchen.
He was exasperated and dumbfounded, "He attacked in the daylight. He attacked. We're too late, it's over, we failed."
Katniss couldn't comprehend that, demons can't withstand daylight; it is just a well known fact.
"You're wrong, you have to be mistaken. You have to be."
"Katniss," Peeta grabbed her arm and dragged her over to the window pointing out it, "look, he attacked the White House."
People ran frantically away from the broken building. Even from their distance, Katniss could see the bloodstained pillars. Her confidence dissipated immediately, her sanity left with it, leaving only hope to control her mind and body.
She stared Peeta straight in his frightened eyes with her apprehensive ones, "Gather up everyone. We fight now."