Lethal Charm - THG [1]

34

"Listen up," Boggs called out in the morning. Knox looked over to see he was holding a gun and a magazine in his hand, "Mag's empty," he turned in a circle so everyone could see before turning pointedly towards Peeta, "It's only for the propo." He slid the empty magazine into place and handed the gun to Peeta, "let's move, we're headed five blocks north,"

Boggs led the way out of the building, everyone grabbing their stuff before following.

As they walked, Finnick and Knox fell in step beside Peeta and began to go over the speech he was going to make for the propo. "Just repeat the words Finnick says, and try to stick to them the best you can without sounding forced, yeah?" Peeta nodded to Knox's words. She patted his shoulder softly, "don't worry we've got some time," she assured.

"'To the citizens of the Capitol, our war is not with you.'" Finnick read off of the paper it had been written on.

"To the citizens of the Capitol, our war is not with you," Peeta repeated.

"'You will be a vital part of the democracy that follows our victory,'"

"Be a vital part of the democracy that follows our victory," Peeta repeated again, muttering the words to himself a few times so they'd sink in. Finnick gave him an encouraging smile, "You got it,"

After they had been walking for a while they approached a large courtyard encircled by a few large buildings and the entrance was marked by two large concrete columns.

"Boggs," Cressida called out, "this is a good spot. Through there in the courtyard,"

Boggs nodded, "Okay, let's clear it." Holding the holo out in front of him he ascended the stone stairs leading to the opening of the two columns. As they reached the bottom the holo began to beep louder and faster, signalling the presence of a pod between the vast columns leading to the courtyard.

"Got a pod," Boggs announced to the group. He pointed to the front of the two columns, "split take cover," he instructed the group and they headed.

Knox moved to the right, using a hand in Peeta's back to guide him with her and Finnick as Katniss went to the left. She thought it'd be best that there was some distance between the two should anything go awry and Peeta be set off by whatever the pod was. Once the group had cleared from the entrance of the courtyard, crouching to take cover, Boggs grabbed a stone from the ground.

"Stay back," he instructed, glancing around to make sure every one was securely out of the way before throwing the rock into the alley between the two columns.

Almost immediately the sound of heavy gunfire emerged from the alley. The stone ground splintered and coughed up a whirlwind of debris as the bullets sprayed the empty space.

Knox hardly noticed Finnick laughing out of the corner of her eye, too focussed on Peeta who was squeezing his eyes shut and pressing his hands tightly over his ears so hard it was like he was trying to crush his own skull.

She shifted towards him, wobbling due to her crouched position, and pulled him toward her, one arm around his back and her free hand on his ear pressing his head to her chest to cover his other ear. He didn't fight her and allowed her to shield him with her own body and hold him close.

The gunfire went on for another minute or so before it fell silent leaving nothing but empty bullet casings and dust in its wake.

Boggs was the first to stand, stepping out into the open space cautiously. Knox half expected the bullets to fly again but nothing happened. She lowered her hand from Peeta's ear, as did he with his own, but before she could completely take back her arm, Peeta gripped it in a way that begged her not to let go just yet. She wasn't sure if he was consciously doing it or not, due to the muttered words that she couldn't quite understand but she kept her arms around him anyway, giving him a moment to process.