Chapter 10- Life on the Line

Finnick's P.O.V

I have never felt so helpless in my life. Watching Annie being tortured through a screen is literally painful. My heart twists every time the cameras show her face. I thought if I could handle the blood bath on the first day, I could watch until the end with ease. This was never what I had in mind. The way she fought at the Cornucopia was a shock to everyone. I don't know where she got it, but I'm proud of her. Maybe the whole "look weak" strategy was not the best to pursue. This new plan is better, but definitely more heart wrenching. The more danger she puts herself in, the more risk will follow.

Her fight with the beast completely caught me off guard. Of course it was completely televised- the audience loves that sort of action. The little red headed girl was only the beginning. They had that mutt trained on Annie as soon as they let him in the arena. She was incredibly brave. No one would have faced him like that.

I felt betrayed by Demere. Before Annie started running from the beast, the cameras cut to Demere. He heard the Beast's growling, but instead of warning Annie or calling out to her, he ran away. Just like the coward I knew he was. He couldn't muster up the courage to check to see if Annie was okay. We had made a deal together. He protects her in there, and I protect her out here. His end of the agreement weighs heavier than mine. So if he's too weak to simply check around a tree trunk for Annie's well-being, what am I to do? And that's it. I can't do anything. And that's what's killing me. But sitting here and thinking that to myself over and over isn't benefiting anyone.

So, I researched the mutt. While the rest of the mentors were laughing off the Games like it wasn't a big deal, I broke into one of the Capitol's computers. They were perfectly distracted, so I felt comfortable knocking out a couple security guards. Researching information while your tribute is in the arena is considered cheating. Since you are all past victors, they say, you should know all there is to being in the arena. It is unfair to use newly acquired knowledge against someone else who may not have had the chance to obtain it.

I figured one little rule break won't hurt anyone, so I continued. A found two things afterwards: First, the beast is a self-producing species of mutt. This means that every time it is killed- or technically when its heart stops beating- it can heal itself. Setting the thing on fire is the only way it won't reproduce. Second, it carries venom that targets into the place of your mind that harvests memories. If you let it travel that far, and usually it takes a total of two days, it will first distort your memories and then erase them all together.

Luckily, I can get the treatment for her. After more researching, I found that the treatment is an injection that kills off the bacteria in the venom. I just need the woman who owns the medicine to be a sponsor, and Annie will be fine. I just have to find her. Hopefully, I can request her presence at the "sponsor to mentor" assembly this afternoon.

Every afternoon, starting the day the Games start, accessible and requested sponsors are available for mentors to meet. It's all a social gathering. If the sponsor likes both you and your tribute, they'll give you an unlimited supply of whatever product they produce. This is where my name comes in handy. As soon as the sponsor finds out who I am, they don't care what tribute I am representing. Although, when it comes with the female sponsors, they take a little bit of persuading. It disgusts me to think of myself as a manipulator, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I'll do anything when Annie's life is on the line, especially when my opportunity to save her is so obvious.

I chuckle in disbelief to myself as I head over to the assembly. I have done it. I have figured out a way to help her even when she's incased in a dome, thousands of miles apart from me.

I enter the large ballroom with my "Famous Finnick Odair" smile plastered on. My white button-up shirt is barely serving its purpose as the sides blow behind me. I requested the woman with the treatment to come, and she responded with a yes. I scan the room for her when a small frame jumps in front of me.

"You look so fake," Johanna says as she looks me up and down.

I haven't spoken to her in a while; I've been too busy torturing myself with Annie's Games

I roll my eyes. "Because that's what I am right now."

"Well, you look constipated. Or like you're really happy you're constipated, so you're smiling through it."

I look around nervously. "Will you just let me do my job?"

She shakes her head. "You know we still have things to discuss."

I sigh. She's right. The weight of my invitation to the rebels still sits on my shoulders on top of all of this. But I don't have time to think about anything other than charming those rich-looking ladies in the corner.

I shove her aside. "Later, Johanna."

She steps in front of me again, blocking my path. "No. I am not waiting until later. That's what you've said the last-"

"You know what, Jo?" I interrupt. "I can't focus on anything other than Annie right now. She is out there, dying, and I have sat here, watching it. It tortures me. It's hell. And I thought I couldn't do anything about it. But I can. I finally can. And I am not letting you of all people get in the way of that."

I shove her aside one last time, blind with rage. I don't even know where this all came from. I guess I've bottled up a lot more than I thought I did. Guilt attempts to cloud my mind, but I shove it away. Johanna will understand- she always does.

I walk towards the bar to the left, looking around to see if anybody is looking back. The reason I usually don't come to this thing is because everybody is always looking back. They stare at me like I'm some alien from another world. I just want to scream, "I'm normal!" But I'm not. And they know that. They've heard the stories of what I've been forced to do. That's probably why a couple of the stares I get are mixed with sympathy and the rest with either horror or amazement. This group of people-my colleagues I guess is a good word- know more truth in what I have been forced to become more than anybody.

And that's because half of my clients are in this very room.

A woman walks up to me, Lucinda is her name, with her chest hardly covered. I direct my gaze to meet her eyes, and slap on my smile.

"Ah, Mr. Finnick Odair, haven't seen you around in quite a while," she says. Her voice is dripping with seductive honey as she speaks.

I copy her tone. "Lucinda, I didn't know you would be here."

"But of course! I simply had to come. You know, people don't think about how valuable matches are until they are in the games. And I came hoping to see you."

Oh, that's right, I think to myself. Lucinda is a sponsor representative of that big match company. It all floods back now. That's how we met. She was the first sponsor that I needed to persuade. However, I respect her; she isn't one of my clients.

I run a hand through my hair and flex my muscles ever so slightly, hoping she'll notice. She does.

"Well, lucky you. I usually don't make it to the assemblies," I say smiling. "There are parties downstairs that I'd much rather be in."

I actually hate Capitol parties, that's a lie President Snow forced me to use. I only go to parties with clients when they request it. Whenever I mentor, I either spend my spare time with the list of women Snow has promised my body to, or I spend it glued to the television screen.

"You're quite right. I am lucky to see you," she starts. "Your Annie is very impressive Finnick. You do realize all of our eyes are on her, right?"

"Really? Others have taken notice of her?"

"Oh yes, a group of the other sponsor representatives and I were speaking about her yesterday. The way she faced that thing out there, some of us have only seen it once or twice."

I smile. "So what does that mean, Ms. Lucinda?"

She giggles. "I think that means I am setting up an offer, Mr. Odair."

Unlimited matches. Huh. Not what I wanted. But then again, if that beast continues to form, Annie is going to need fire to burn it to ash.

"I'll accept." I grab her hand and gently place my lips on her silver shaded skin, "Gladly."

"Oh, Finnick. You are such a charmer for such a young boy."

You have no idea, I think to myself. "And you, my dear, are like fine wine- only getting better with age. Not to mention more valuable."

She blushes, and lightly places a hand on my forearm. "Anything else you need me to do?"

I realize now that her touch is a lot heavier to her than it is to me. If I refuse her, she'll let President Snow know, and I cringe when I think of the torture method he has in store for me. I don't need to persuade her, but I have to make her happy. Especially when Annie's fragile life is directly in President Snow's hands now.

I clear my throat. "Why don't you meet me here after the death toll, and I'll take you up on another offer I have?"

Her eyes sparkle, and she smiles. "But of course, ."

I nod and set eyes on the woman I'm really looking for. Helena Black, the woman with the treatment. Across the room, she and I make eye contact at once, and she smiles. I grin back and excuse myself from Lucinda. I walk toward Helena, or who I assume is her. Her appearance is not what I expected. She is an older woman, probably around Mags's age. Cotton-candy colored hair stand in a puff on top of her golden tinted skin. Other than those two components, she looks normal. A black suit compliments her hazel eyes well.

As I near her, she starts speaking right away. "I'd never thought I'd meet the famous Finnick Odair."

Her tone stuns me. No seductive honey glazes her words like the other women. No hinting sounds escape her lips. She sounds like she wholeheartedly respects me, and is in actual awe of my name. My heart warms at the thought of somebody other than Annie or Mags thinking of me as a person, not an object.

I smile bigger than I ever have. "It's a pleasure to meet you, mam."

She waves a dismissive hand. "Mam is for my mother, boy. Just call me by my first name." I nod and she continues immediately, "Now let's get straight to business, shall we?"

I nod again. "Annie is in desperate need of your treatment."

Her eyes become sad as she speaks. "I saw the attack."

"So you know her predicament?"

"Of course, yes. Let me tell you, I have never seen those mutts be so aggressive before. Nor have I ever seen one of them attack when it didn't feel threatened. Annie did nothing to threaten it."

That's because President Snow trained him on her to torture me.

I shrug. "At least she faced it."

"Oh my goodness, and what a brave move it was."

"She is brave. I probably wouldn't have done half the things she did."

"Well then she deserves to be put out of agony, doesn't she? She deserves treatment."

My heart leaps at her words. I could save Annie. "She does," I croak out.

"I have as much supply of the injection as you need, Finnick." She smiles, making the wrinkles around her eyes deepen.

I'm shocked at the ease of this accomplishment. She acts as if it was the natural thing to do, help me without any benefit of her own.

She sees my expression and laughs. "I'm not going to ask anything of you."

I grin. "Sorry, it's just that most people do."

"I know, and that's exactly why I do not ask," she looks around the room and continues. "There is more to you than what meets the eye, Finnick. I don't know why nobody else seems to realize that."

I stare at her in shock. Did she just say that? Did those words actually come out of her mouth? No one has ever said such a thing to me. It's as if she sees right through everything. I swear I just met her, but it feels like she knows me. It's like she's known me for years.

I stand in more stunned silence and she continues. "I'll have the treatment ready at transportation in five minutes. Directions on injection come with the syringe, so she'll know what to do with it. If she does happen to get bit again, tell me and I'll send another dose."

I nod and whisper, "Thank you."

She sticks her hand out as she stands. "It's a pleasure working with you, Finnick. I'm betting on Annie, as I am sure you are too. She's a fighter."

I take her aged, fragile hand and shake up and down once, firmly. I say what I have always said to sponsors: "I know this will benefit you as much as it will benefit us."

She nods. "Of course it will."

And with that, she gives me one last smile and she's gone. Just like that. Her words have shaken me, warmed me, and left me shocked in their path. No one has treated me with such respect in a while.

If Panem is filled with these types of people, than I am willing to fight for them. If people like her still walk around and share their positivity with the world, than I have two reasons to fight. Reason one: Annie and I's freedom. Reason two: the good and kind people still left that deserve their freedom as well.

I suppose I should reconsider this whole "Rebellion" thing, huh?

N/A: Hello! Just wanted to remind you that I will be updating consistently from now on every Thursday by 10:15 p.m. I'm thinking of changing it to Friday though so I could call it Finnick and Annie Friday :) That has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Let me know what you thought of this chapter please! I need your feedback!

P.S- I'm going out of town next week, so I might update the next chapter a little later than usual. My grandparent's don't have wi-fi! (I think I might die.)

Love you all for forever!

FinnickandAnnieForever :)