RUINATION | FINNICK ODAIR

REDAMANCY

"Whatever hijacking they did, can we fix it?"

Instead of being worried and scared for Lara's well-being, Elias was only concerned about reversing the Capitol's effects on her before she became a liability.

Everyone knew that, which made them despise the man more. Haymitch wished that he'd left Elias out of their plan to begin with. He was sure Lara would be okay with it if Snow got his hands on him.

"Both Peeta and Lara underwent two different types of conditioning: fear and grief for Lara, anger for Peeta," Plutarch explained, "The doctors are hoping to try to gradually introduce them to people in their past."

"For Peeta, we'll begin with Prim," Coin stated, "For Lara, it will be Elias."

The two men in Lara's life straightened up. One was in surprise and the other in anger. Finnick, being the latter, stood up.

"Are you serious?" he scoffed, "Lara's hardly even mentioned him the entire time I've known her and now you expect him to pull her back from the edge of whatever the hell she's feeling?"

Elias actually agreed with Finnick. But he didn't like the fact that the latter had insulted him directly. It made him turn to him with an aggressive cross of the arms and a stern face.

Coin saw the tension rise and she held up a lazy hand to pause the heightening.

"Family has a stronger bond than we realize. Elias is an older, more trustworthy flashback to Lara's past," she clarified, "The Capitol twisted her image of you for a reason, Mr. Odair. She relies on you and by taking away that support, her defenses fall. But Lara didn't have any defenses for Elias."

The older man scoffed, "Should I be insulted?"

Everyone in the room gave him a look. It communicated the same message that came out of Finnick and Haymitch's mouths,

"Yes."

Coin stood up and addrsssed them all for a final time.

"Elias will visit Lara and assess her state. We'll discuss his findings later."

She nodded in goodbye and left the room. Plutarch gestured for them to follow him. Finnick was the first to go, followed by Haymitch, then Elias.

They walked to Lara's observation room and looked through the glass. She seemed calm enough, having just woken up from a nightmare. Her body was still slumped in exhaustion from the extent of her injuries.

Plutarch unlocked the door and motioned for Elias to step through. The man was gruff and completely ready to charge in without care, but Finnick snatched his wrist.

It was the tightest hold he'd ever had. Elias wanted to make a pained face but he didn't want to show weakness. He simply grunted and flared his nostrils.

Finnick was unflinching. He intensely glare at the man in his grasp.

"If you hurt her in any way...I'll slit your throat open and watch you bleed out without batting an eye."

Elias would never admit it, but he was terrified of Finnick just now. He'd originally thought the man was a sad, lost puppy without Lara; not the bold and daring victor he was praised as. But now he understood why Finnick could be a threat to anyone who crossed his path.