Hello and thank you for continuing to read my story, I feel like it's getting very exciting, now! As always, I really appreciate any comments you may have and look forward to reading them!

I do not own the Hunger Games nor its characters.

Chapter Thirty-Three

"The less you know about the how and the who, the better," says Plutarch before waving at a few passers-by.

Mags and I walk next to him through the park, which I think is far too open a space to be discussing such matters but Plutarch feels that we should move around the city more. I suppose that everywhere is going to be bugged to some extent but at least we can keep moving here.

The park is vast but none of the colours are natural; the grass is an artificial lime green and the flowers are too big and too bright. I'm getting a headache but that could just be from the Bloody Mary I had at breakfast.

"Fair enough," says Mags, "So what can you tell us?"

"Well, their president is happy to help us when the time is right but, of course, there are negotiations to be had. I'm working on a documentary about Panem once the Games are over and some of our crew are going to get lost just outside of twelve…" He doesn't say anymore and I sense that he's withholding information to keep us safe.

"How many people in the Capitol are sympathetic to us?" I ask, amazed that there is a possibility that a handful of Capitolites would like to join us.

"Enough," he says. "Don't worry, I've spent years watching them before I approached them and they're all willing to die before saying anything."

I guffaw at this, a promise from a Capitolite is only worth so much in my book. I change the subject as we approach a quieter area of the park and ask Mags how Finnick is coping. It's the second day of training and from what my tributes have told me Annie isn't exactly a force to be reckoned with. She doesn't lead her district partner's side and rumours are rife that they're a couple.

"He's doing as well as can be expected," she says, "He's secured her a lot of sponsors but she's not a killer and I don't think she can think on her feet like he can."

I would usually just will this kind of tribute to die in the bloodbath so that they don't have to suffer the Games but I know what she means to Finnick so all I can do is hope that she wins by some miracle.

"He's even asked me if there's a way that I can fix the Games," says Plutarch, I look up at him, hopefully, but I know the answer. "Nothing I can do, though. It would raise far too many questions and I don't have the authority."

I can't be mad at him, I understand. He's risking enough as it is and we need his place in the Capitol if we're going to move forward with the rebellion.

During the interviews Annie plays the sweet and innocent angle and has the whole audience 'awwing' at her but I'm not sure it's enough to get them to support her. She says that Finnick has been a wonderful mentor and that gets some interest but Capitolites like safe bets and she definitely isn't that.

The morning of the Games begin with Chaff and mine's usual drinking ritual before I head over to Finnick's station to see how he's coping.

"Have you seen the arena?" He asks and I shake my head, "There's a dam holding back a load of water, I'm hoping it floods the arena and Annie can just swim away."

"Fin, I've never-"

"I know!" He snaps, "But all I've got his hope, now." I nod, pat him on the back and go to my station where a bottle of white liquor is waiting for me.

The tributes are soon rising on their plates and mine are shaking but they still have a look of determination on their faces. The countdown finishes and their off, with each of my tributes grabbing a small rucksack from either side of the Cornucopia and running in to the trees. It looks like they've decided to team up but I'm not convinced that they'll last long.

I look at the Panem Screen to find the cameras have swung over to Annie and her district mate, a tall eighteen year old, who has managed to pick up a spear and a knife and is grabbing a shell shocked Annie. They run in to the trees before they're caught in the bloodbath.

My tributes make it to the second morning before the Careers find them and send a spear through each of their chests. At least it was quick. I grab my bottle of liquor and head over to Finnick's station where he's watching Annie and her district mate tucking in to a bowl of stew.

"One of the commentators has been saying what a cute couple they make," he says through gritted teeth.

"At least they don't know you're a couple. If it keeps her alive you're going to have to go with it."

"I know. It's stupid, though, there's never been a couple in the Hunger Games!" I'm not sure what to do so I just do what I do best and offer him my bottle, which he takes a huge swig from. "Mags is meant to be here, soon, she's covering for me while I go on a not-so-hot date."

As if on cue, Mags hobbles in to the Control Room and gives us each a somewhat proud smile. She told me once that I'm the closest thing she has to a son and now Finnick is part of this dysfunctional, psychologically damaged family. I'm glad they have each other all year round, I know how lonely it can be.

"Off you go then, stud muffin," she says and manages to elicit a smile from him. He gets up and kisses her cheek before running out of the room with every set of eyes transfixed on him. "He's not handling this well at all," she says as she sits down.

"I don't think there is a way to handle this well." She sighs and nods. "He's hoping that the dam breaks and the whole thing floods."

"I know. They fix the Reaping and the Games to suit themselves all the time, why not do it for us for once?!"

I don't think I've seen Mags so angry. I've seen her upset plenty of times, mainly after I've been hitting the booze hard, but I can count on one hand the amount of time I've actually seen her angry. She really is like a mother bear with her cubs right now.

The following weeks are a somewhat blur, although I try to remain as sober as I can for Finnick's sake. Mags and I have a sort of unspoken agreement that we'll monitor the screens whilst Finnick is attending to his other duties, the other 4 victors should be helping but they'd rather spend their time in the Capitol's bars and clubs. They've already written Annie off.

One day I bump in to Plutarch as I'm leaving the Control Room and manage to get him on his own for five minutes, much to his dismay. He plasters on his fake smile but I know he needs to get back to work.

"Five minutes," I say and he nods. "I know you don't have the power but Seneca Crane does, why don't you suggest flooding the arena? It will just look like you're eager to spice things up in the Games and it will save Annie."

"Haymitch, I-"

"Come on, Plutarch, you're clever with words. Make it look like a sadistic idea not a way to fix it."

He doesn't say anything but walks away before someone can see us. He's a clever man and he knows how to work people, I'm sure he could do it if he tried. If he wants to help us the way he says he does he'll at least give it a go.

A few days later and Finnick has deep circles under his eyes. Mags keeps teasing him that he won't look like the nation's sex symbol for much longer if he doesn't get any sleep but he doesn't laugh.

"Shit!" He shouts and my head instantly turns to the Panem Screen in front of him. Annie and her district mate are walking through the woods but a boy from 1 is catching up with them, an axe in his right hand. "Come on, Annie, move!"

"Can you hear that?" Says Annie, turning around.

"I think someone's coming!" Shouts the boy and they're soon running as fast as they can but it's too late and the tribute from 1 comes bounding up behind them with a look of delighted terror on his face.

Annie keeps running, only looking behind her occasionally. The boy from 1 grabs the boy from 4 and slices his axe through his neck just as Annie looks back. She starts screaming a deafening scream, crying out for her dead ally but the boy from 1 is heading towards her so she starts running and doesn't stop for well over half an hour. Luckily, the boy from 1 is attacked by a group of mutts and has to stop to fend them off.

Annie spends the next few days walking around with a distant look on her face, crying out for Finnick. We can all see what's happened but no one dares to say it. She's lost it. She's no longer the Annie he knows.

Just as Finnick has seemingly come to terms with Annie's death our miracle happens. An earthquake erupts over the arena and the dam breaks and within the hour the whole arena has flooded, taking out many of the tributes. A few can climb trees and are hanging on for dear life whilst Finnick screams at the screen.

"Come on, Annie! All you have to do is tread water, outlast the others!"

Over the next hour the other tributes slowly lose their grip and are submerged under the water, their cannons following a short while after. Annie is still moving her arms and legs, looking fairly content for once. All that water must be some sort of weird comfort.

Eventually, Claudius Templesmith's voice booms in to the arena, "The winner of the sixty-ninth Hunger Games, Annie Cresta; tribute of District Four!"

We all breathe a sigh of relief and pat Finnick on the back and I remind myself to check whether Plutarch did have anything to do with it. If he did then my respect for him just doubled. Maybe he has finally earned my trust.

Finnick stands up and turns to me, "I want to be there when we send a bullet through Snow's skull."

I couldn't agree more.