Chapter 5- The Careers

Finnick's P.O.V

Sponsors. She needs sponsors. I run a nervous hand through my hair as I walk down the narrow Capitol hallway to the lounge. I'm going to have to turn into the Famous Finnick Odair. I hate it, but I have to get Annie sponsors one way or another. With the strategy we both came up with, hiding her skill won't get her anything in that death trap.

Muffled laughter comes through the walls as I near the bar. Endless refreshments and food are given out on demand to every mentor brought to the Games. Even some of the Gamemakers join in to wash away the stress of murdering innocent children. This is where most of the Sponsors jump in to socialize, so I have to take advantage of the possibilities.

I walk to the end of the hallway, seeing the neon colored bar in front of me. To the left is a relaxing area, complete with bright orange couches and blue carpets. Yellow coffee tables sit on top of the aqua material. I have to admit, the beauty of the Capitol always stuns me. White spherical lights dangle from the ceiling even though the window that covers the wall completely to the right, illuminates the room perfectly.

It's quite simple really, the usual method of gaining sponsors. Over there stand the career district mentors, being hounded by desperate companies. A few mentors from six, seven, or nine huddle in a corner and actually have a good time. And then to the far right hand section of the bar, sit the hopeless ones; the victors or mentors who drink away their memories or inject an unspeakable amount of morphine to blur their pain.

I can't help but notice the man from 12, Haymitch. Ever since my successful eavesdropping on their meeting, I've been thinking about how bad he must be. If he's drunk 95 percent of the time, he has to be a little nice right? He would be too wasted or hung over to be rude. Maybe I can grow close to him in order to find out more about the rebellion. Then again, I have Johanna. Assuming their desperation for my cooperation is as strong as they let on, I will be able to know everything I want.

A few mentors catch my eye and wave a sloppy hand towards my direction. It's as if I turned on a switch in my brain to become their Finnick. My signature smile stamps on my face, my throat clears way for my seductive voice that works wonders, and my body stiffens into the strong Victor everyone assumes I am. Little do they know how fragile I stand.

"Finnick my boy! Or should I say man after all of these years," a familiar low voice says from behind me. I turn around and see Woof, one of the few District 8 victors. His face has become worn and old due to his many years of mentoring. My five years is nothing compared to his 49 or so. He's one of the few survivors of the games that actually like me.

"Woof!" I say with my own true smile. I can't help but hug the old man every time I see his comforting face. It's refreshing.

"How long has it been?" He asks in a saddened voice.

I shrug, "I would say three years or so."

He looks at me eyes wide in confusion.

I clear my throat, "Since we last saw each other."

He chuckles, "Oh yes. Three or so years too many. But I was actually commenting on how many years I've had to deal with all of this." He gestures a weak hand around us to all of the drunks. I wonder if he could read minds.

"Too many years for that as well," I nod in understanding. "Is there a way for you to retire?"

This time, Woof lets a loud laugh ring off the walls, but it isn't a laugh due to comedy. It sounds like he laughs out of irony.

He clamps a large hand on my shoulder, making my frame wobble a little. He brings his head closer to mine and speaks in a low voice, "The Capitol never lets you go, my boy. They take you, but don't let them own you."

His head retreats back to its original place. A warm smile replaces his frown and he begins to speak as if the words beforehand never escaped his lips.

"Who would want to quit the luxury of a Victor?" he asks loudly.

I feel a tight squeeze of his hand on my shoulder as he begs me to keep up the act.

"Yes, what else could we ask for?" My voice reaches his own volume.

An ebony skinned man comes up behind Woof and clears his throat. Woof turns around and smiles at the man. They escape into conversation, almost as if I was never there. I run another hand through my hair and awkwardly step away from the two. I switch back to the Famous Finnick Odair and find a middle aged wealthy woman sitting idle from any other victor. I smile charmingly at her, sensing she must own some company, and she giggles as I walk near.

"A pretty lady like you shouldn't have to sit by herself," I say with a deep "Famous Finnick Odair" voice.

She giggles once more and pats the portion of the couch next to her, "Then join me if you wish."

I sit next to her and almost gag at her strong perfume.

She holds out her light purple died hand, "Velleta."

I grab her hand lightly and bring it up to my lips, all the while holding her gaze. A pink blush shows from under her altered skin. "Finnick," I say while letting her hand go.

"You think I don't know you?" She asks with a smile. I shrug humbly and she continues, "The Weapon Company my father owns has made you their model ever since you won."

I raise an eyebrow, "So you and your father are fans of mine?"

She nods, "Of course. Along with our company."

I smile. Got you, I think to myself. "Then you will absolutely love my tribute Annie Cresta."

Annie's P.O.V

"They said no," Demere whispers in my ear as we eat lunch. My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach as I make sense of his words.

"The Careers? They said no?" I stutter in disbelief.

Demere nods, a dominant frown coming across his lips.

"How could they say no?" I ask.

He looks up, meeting my eyes, "Mars, the boy from District 1, said you were weak. Too weak. He said you hadn't impressed any of them. So, they all decided to refuse your offer for an alliance."

Disbelief still numbs my senses as I try to process his explanation. There goes my only plan or survival. I had asked Demere to see if the Careers could accept me as one of their own. I hadn't really thought about what would happen if they said no. My plan would be so smooth if only I could be in their group. Even now, as we eat a rather large lunch, they glare at me. I turn my head, but I can still feel their hot stares beating into the back of my head…judging me with only one glance.

I mutter under my breath, "What now?"

Demere looks away from my wide eyes and lands a gentle hand on my tensed forearm. I relax slightly under his gentle touch, but nothing can distract me from the message he carried to me. They said no.

"Well, we are a package right?" Demere asks, squeezing his hand.

"Demere, I can't ask you to refuse an offer from the Careers just because of my weakness. I don't mind if you join them, I just need a plan." I bring my hands up, letting go of Demere's grasp, and hold my head in frustration. Now what?

He chuckles slightly, which brings my eyes to reach his. "I am not leaving you stranded out there, Annie. You barely know how to handle a spear."

I shake my head, "Why in the world do you care? You aren't supposed to. I'm supposed to just be competition to you."

His eyebrows knit together, his eyes darting to his shoes. "Maybe I actually care if the only friend I've ever had dies."

I smile, a friend. "I am not letting you join my stupid alliance. All I'll do is weigh you down."

He shrugs, "I don't care. I just don't want to see your face flash through the sky on the first day. We are allies." He clears his throat and glances over to the Careers, "And they are our enemies."

"That's a lot of scary enemies," I mumble like a child.

"Hey, we're smart. They're strong, but they don't think the way you and I do…they just act on adrenaline."

"Is that the only hope we have?"

"Yep," he says with a sigh.

I sigh as well, my frustration exiting with my huff of air. Why does Demere want to sacrifice himself for me?

"So let me get this straight," I say after some time. "Instead of joining their alliance and ditching like before, we're going to gang up against them…forming an alliance of our own?"

"Sounds about right," he nods.

I shake my head in disbelief. "Let's hope Finnick's getting us some sponsors."

"Why?" Demere asks with a sour tone I haven't heard before.

"Because we are going to need them."

Finnick's P.O.V

I can't seem to slow my thoughts tonight. Everything is buzzing like a heard of angry bees, their main goal making it impossible for me to get any sleep. I have gotten Annie a grand total of ten sponsors. This doesn't necessarily mean that they will all contribute, it just means that they are ready to provide whatever it might be that Annie needs.

Darkness floods the room at last, the last bit of orange sunset settling over the sky. Annie seems to calm my nerves. Maybe I should just sneak into where she sleeps silently, her eyes fluttering with peaceful dreams. I smile at the thought of enveloping her into my arms protecting her against any and all nightmares. It's impossible at this point though. It's too risky.

I pull the blankets off my body and swing my feet over the edge of the bed. Moonlight falls against the floor as it floods through the window to the right. Capitol rooms are so unnecessarily extravagant compared to what we have at home. Even the purple velvet comforter that covers the large bed I sit on would be an impossibility in District 4.

My bare feet hit the cool tile floor as I walk over to the door. Maybe some food would calm me down. I walk down the hallway of rooms to the dining area. There, sitting at the large wood table, is a dark silhouette outlined by the television light. It's a man, I can tell that. And as his head turns to me, I can tell it's Demere. I roll my eyes in the darkness. He is the last person I want to see when I yearn for Annie so badly.

"Couldn't get sleep either?" I ask tightly.

I see his head shake in the darkness.

I nod, "It's a shame. You'll need it in the arena."

He chuckles, "You just know everything don't you?"

I clear my throat. "Well seeing as how I've been through all of this and more, I do know quite a bit."

I grab some sort of cake from the table and sit down across from him.

He glares at me from underneath his brown hair. Now he hates me too? "I don't think I want your help."

Yep, he hates me. "Oh, I think you do," I say with a smirk.

"I have my own mentor," he says, his hands balled into fists.

I chuckle, "Yeah, and she's doing a great job."

To my surprise, he pounds his fist on the table making everything clatter. "Just leave Annie and I alone."

I suck in my breath as his words sink in. Annie and him? No. Even though anger boils inside of me, I slap on a smile, "Looks like someone has developed quite the crush."

From the darkness, I can see his cheeks turn a light pink. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, I'm sure you do. You want to protect her in there, be her hero. Then, she'll jump into your arms, and you two can run off into the sunset together. You love her."

He looks at me, eyes rid of any anger, "How could you possibly know that?"

I shrug, "Because I know the feeling."

He nods then, understanding. "I know you love her."

At first, I'm shocked. Then I settle back down. "I know you love her too."

Demere falls silent then. I take his absence of words as an agreement.

I clear my throat, "You know only one can make it out of there alive."

He nods, and after a silence he adds, "It'll be her."

I look at him then, wondering if we actually agree on something. Maybe with our combined help, Annie will actually make it out of that death trap. Together, we have to sacrifice for the survival of her. It'll be strange, working with the boy who loves Annie like I do, but not as much. No, that's impossible. I love her in a way that couldn't be matched by another person, no matter how much they tried. I have something he doesn't though; her love. She loves me back, and as much as I respect Demere for sacrificing his life in that arena for her, I'm glad she doesn't love him. If he does die for her life in there, and she comes back alive, I will never stop owing him even in his endless sleep.

I speak finally, "I'm glad we agree on something."

Something flashes before his eyes, shock maybe; shock that I'm actually agreeing to his suicidal attempt at saving her. Suddenly, his green eyes turn a deep Jade. Determination settles across his face, as does mine. He reaches a hand out and I slowly shake it. This is our agreement. This might be the closest we ever get to friends, our love for Annie creating a certain void between us. Maybe I should think better about sacrificing such a young soul with so many loved ones just for the selfish act of having Annie to my own once more, but he wants the same thing.

How could I refuse an offer to save Annie's life?