Lethal Charm - THG [1]

27

Footage of Knox and Katniss singing had been used in the propo and apparently it had worked to encourage people to fight and join the rebellion.

They stood in the control room as a Capitol broadcast played on the screen of Peeta. Beetee was doing something with the computers, Knox didn't actually know what but he seemed happy about it so whatever had happened it must be good for them.

Ever since her dream the other night, Eli had been keeping a close eye on his daughter so he had joined her when she'd been called up to the command centre by Beetee.

Katniss gasped as she entered the room and saw the state that Peeta was in.

"Tonight we've received reports of detailed trains, of granaries on fire, and of a savage attack on the hydroelectric dam in district 5." Peeta reported.

"Oh what have they done to you," Katniss whispered tearfully.

"I'm begging for restraint and decency,"

"We interrupt your regularly scheduled horse manure to bring you..." Beetee mumbled as he pressed a button which caused their newest propo to show on the screen.

"🎶...Comin' to the tree. They strung up a man they say who murdered three...🎶"

Recognising the song immediately, Eli grabbed his daughters hand and squeezed it gently.

"That it that's our footage," said Coin.

"Beetees in,"

The footage flickered between the image of Peeta and their footage.

"Knox...Katniss..." Peeta mumbled.

"He sees it. He sees our propo,"

"🎶...No stranger would it be...🎶"

"Katniss are you there?" Peeta questioned. He sounded so broken. So lost.

"Peeta," Katniss walked closer to the screen.

"Katniss...."

"Peeta please continue, you were telling us about these savage attacks,"

"Yeah." Peeta breathed deeply before continuing, "the attack on the dam was a callous and inhuman act of destruction..."

The image buffered again and the propo repeated, "🎶...where dead man called out for his love to flee...🎶"

The image buffered again and Peeta leaned forward in his chair, "think about it," he said seriously, "how will this end? What will be left? No one can survive this. No one is safe now,"

"He's warning us about something," Knox realised and everyone else in the room seemed to feel on edge now.

"Not here in the Capitol. Not in any of the districts. They're coming Katniss. They're gonna kill everyone. And I'm district 13 you'll be dead by morning!" He yelled quickly before he was dragged off by peacekeepers and the feed cut out with the capital logo.

"Oh that was a warning all right." Said Haymitch.

"Yes it was," Boggs agreed.

"We have to get him out before they kill him," said Katniss.

"Is there anything in the air?" Coin questioned as two of her men checked the air traffic radar.

"Nothing on Doppler ma'am,"

"He was in the mansion. He could have overheard something," said Coin.

"Possibly," Plutarch agreed.

Coin glanced around the room, "it's time for an air raid drill," she announced. An alarm sounded and many people in the room dispersed.

"Eli, Beetee, just hang tight a moment and we'll have you both taken down to the shelter," Boggs placed his hand on Knox's shoulder when she didn't move, "Knox we'll take care of your father, you need to go with Katniss,"

Knox hesitated but nodded when her father squeezed her hand, "I'll be fine. You go," he instructed as he let go of her hand.

"I'll see you soon okay?" Knox nodded as she turned and joined Katniss as she jogged out of the room and down the stairs as an evacuation announcement bared over loudspeakers.

Katniss was frantically searching for her sister as they made their way down to level 40 as instructed. It was difficult to spot the girl in the masses of people who were all dressed the same.

Suddenly the entire structure shook violently as something hit the surface causing many people to scream in panic.

People became less orderly defending the stairs as rain began to pour in.

I'm the commotion Katniss slipped and couldn't get back up again due to people trampling over her. Knox too lost her balance trying to get to Katniss who was shielding her head.

"Come on," she muttered once she'd pulled herself up using the railing once most people had passed them. She grabbed Katniss's arm pulling her to her feet and they continued their descent to the bunker.

Once they reached the bunker Katniss ran off to look for her family and Knox ran into Finnick.

⚔️

A few hours later Knox and Finnick were sitting together on the bottom bunk in a comfortable silence. Knox was absentmindedly drawing patterns on Finnick's palm which he didn't seem to mind, she suspected it may have been soothing for him. He was staring at a picture of Annie that he took with him everywhere.

Knox was trying to keep her mind off of her father. He's fine. She kept reminding herself. He's with Beetee, he's fine.

"Hey," said Katniss as she walked up to them, "can I sit?"

"Yeah," Finnick nodded as he shuffled over to make room for her. Katniss noticed the photograph in Finnick's hand, "Snows using Annie to punish you. He's taunting us with them." She said, "I didn't understand until now watching that stupid cat."

Finnick sighed, "after your first games, I thought the whole romance was an act,"

"Just a ploy to survive," Knox agreed, "we all expected you to just continue that strategy. It wasn't util Peeta's heart stopped and he nearly died that I knew I'd misjudged you."

"You love him," said Finnick, "we're not saying in what way. Maybe you don't even know yourself. But anyone paying attention can see it."

"How do you live with it?"

"I drag myself outta nightmares and there's no relief in waking up." said Finnick, "but it's better not to give in to it."

"Takes ten times longer to put yourself back together than it does to fall apart,"