FORTY TWO

SECRETS

President Coin paced back and forth, her eyes never leaving the screen where bodycams of every volunteer on board the hovercraft was shown. Everyone but Talia Riverthorn was wearing one. Coin had no idea how she'd slipped past them all, how she'd gotten on board armed with only a handgun and a knife. Coin was furious. She'd been thinking of ways to punish her when she returns for her idiotic actions. Though, Talia Riverthorn was never really meant to survive. She saw right through Coin. She knew deep down that Coin was as bad, if not worse, than President Snow himself. They were both dictators, both of them wanted control. Both of them wanted other people to be beneath them, to be inferior. Both of them needed power.

"He's ready, ma'am," A soldier says from behind her. Finally, her eyes flicker away from the screen and towards Beetee who was sat behind an array of different devices, messing with levers and buttons.

"Do it," She says, her eyes wide.

Plutarch was stood nervously beside Beetee, watching closely- he had no idea what the man was doing, but it was fascinating to see him work.

Coin looks up to the screens and on the one beside the hovercraft footage, where the soldiers were now making their descent into the Training Centre, was Finnick Odair. He looked healthier than ever, stood there stoically.

"This is Finnick Odair," He says, looking directly into the lens, "And I have a message about our dear President Coriolanus Snow,"

Katniss stares at the screens, eyes flicking between Finnick and the bodycams. She knew Talia had gone with them, had sneaked out while everyone slept. She was going there to get her family. No one had told Finnick, after all, he'd only just started to believe she was alive.

"You see, President Snow enjoys having a power over people. It starts when you're a child, when you learn the history of how the Districts came to be so poor. When you learn about the Hunger Games. When you are forced to kill other innocent children in an arena of death. When you win your games and think you're finally free of the Capitol's grip. Then President Snow decides that he needs to keep a control on you. So he sells your body to Capitol citizens, because you're considered desirable to them. You're seen as an object and not a person. You are his property,"

Katniss listens carefully, horrified by the idea of being shared around like a doll. Her mind flickers back to the night in the Capitol, after hers and Peeta's Victory Tour. As she walked beside Peeta, men and women lay their hands on her, as if laying some sort of claim. She shudders. She could have been one of those Victor's used by Capitol citizens.

"And I wouldn't have done it. But thats the thing with power. President Snow would kill someone you love, if you refused. I had too much to lose. So I did it. So did every other Victor who was forced into this life,"

On the second screen, she see's Gale's bodycam shift to look at Talia, who was being guarded closely by Rossan and Jamie. She was holding her gun tightly, ready to fire. Katniss glances to Finnick and back. Both of them were fighting right now, Talia physically and Finnick emotionally and mentally. Both of them were warriors, and Katniss had never doubted that.

"See, while I was forced into these acts, they offered money, they offered jewels and riches beyond belief. But I found I already had enough of those things, and found that there was greater value in another form of payment. Secrets. Secrets about our dear President," Finnick explains, "Have you ever wondered why President Snow has been in power for so long? Without any challenger whatsoever?"

The second screen shows Talia and Rossan splitting from the main group. Rossan's bodycam suddenly goes black. Katniss looks towards Beetee, who frantically tries to get it working again, to work out what happened to it.

"He's switched it off," Plutarch says, shaking his head, "Don't you understand, she's going to find her family,"

"She'll get herself and Rossan killed...Neither of them know where her parents are or what lies in the way of them," Coin frowns.

"She's braver than anyone I've ever met, if anyone can do this, its Talia Riverthorn," Katniss says, voice firm. Her lips form a thin line as she turns back to Finnick.

"-His weapon of choice is the only thing suited for such a man. Poison, the perfect weapon for a snake. He'd fool his competitors by too taking a gulp of the poisonous drink. He always wears perfumed roses, to cover the scent of blood from sores in his mouth that will never heal. Very smart, President Snow, very smart indeed. The perfect secret,"

Suddenly, the bodycams flash white and a loud screeching noise comes from Beetee's computers. Coin rushes to Beetee's side, who's rushing to type on the keyboard.

"They're rebooting," Coin hisses, looking up at Katniss who was riddled with fear- for both all of the volunteers and all of the Victor's trapped in that building.

"The Capitol Air Defence system is back online," Bobby says from another computer. Katniss looks up at the screens desperately.

"Broadcast me," She says quickly, "Please, if he sees me, he might let the signal in,"

"Yes...Yes!" Plutarch says, nodding. Coin nods too, agreeing to the idea.

Haymitch runs forwards and grabs a camera, holding it upwards towards Katniss.

"President Snow, its Katniss. Can you hear me? I need to speak with you,"

Rossan helps her stand up, holding her arm tightly. "We need to move, and fast, your family are likely being kept further along,"

She nods, breathing slowly, the emergency gas mask was definitely a good idea- she was glad Boggs had made her wear it. Talia follows closely behind Rossan, after all, he had the bigger gun. With their weapons raised they enter the first section of the floor. The others had gone the opposite way to find the Victors.

"Up ahead, looks like there are cells," Rossan says, nodding towards the large metal doors with key codes. The gas Boggs had thrown into the long rooms had knocked out all the Peacekeepers.

They stalk forwards, keeping a careful eye on the unconscious soldiers. As Talia passes one she can't help feel sick to her stomach at the thought that once upon a time her older brother was going to become one of them. Mickey might have been beating up District 4 rebels right now had he continued on that path, had Samson not been born...Had Talia not won her games.

She shudders off the thoughts and focuses on the task at hand. Rossan uses one of the Peacekeepers identity cards to open the cells and Talia gasps at the sight of Penny, Samson and Freddy all curled up in the corners of the cell, shivering. They were all practically skin and bones. Freddy's eyes brighten at the sight of his sister.

"Talia?" Penny gasps, struggling to her feet with Samson in her arms.

"Oh my-" Talia breathes, she pulls off the mask and pulls her little brother into a hug. He was taller than her now, the little boy she once knew was becoming a man.

"Are you okay?" Talia asks, holding the sides of his face, looking into his eyes.

"I'm...I'm good," He says, smiling softly, "Mickey is in the cell next to us,"

"Rossan, can you get my brother?" She asks, looking over at Penny, who was struggling to support herself and her son.

Rossan rushes from the room. Talia lets go of Freddy and takes Samson in her arms, looking at the boy, "He's so skinny, they've been starving you?"

"They've done worse to Mom, Dad and Mickey," Freddy mutters, shaking his head. Rossan and Mickey come round the corner.

Mickey rushes to Penny, scooping her up in his arms.

"Thank you," He says quickly, looking from Talia to Rossan. He was shirtless, his back covered with thick, bloody lash marks. His wrists were red from being bound- he'd clearly been resisting his restraints. The whole left side of his face was black from bruising, his eyebrow had a slit through it that was still leaking fresh blood.

"How recently were they torturing you?" Talia gasps.

"Just now...Then they heard some commotion and ran off...Then you guys arrive," Mickey explains, picking up Penny bridal style. She was the skinniest of them all. Talia could only guess that whatever food she'd been receiving she gave to Samson instead.

"Mom and Dad, where are they?"

"They're-" Mickey's voice breaks, "They're in a really bad way, Talia, these assholes pushed them so far, and they never gave anything up...They're half dead, both of them are in comas,"

Talia's jaw locks, her blood boils. She wanted nothing more than to burn the building to the ground.

"Where?" She asks through gritted teeth. Mickey gives them a brief description before Rossan tells Mickey where he'll find the rest of the team. Talia passes Samson to Freddy and herself and Rossan go to look for her parents.

The corridors down here are still blacked out, so they use their flashlights to guide the way. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Then, out of nowhere, someone rushes from the shadows with a knife. Rossan lifts his gun to shoot, but the person is attacking him. Talia turns and aims the gun, she pulls the trigger. Blood splatters across Rossan and the floor. The Peacekeeper is dead. Rossan shoves the body off himself and regains his composure.

"Nice shot," He nods, wiping blood from the plastic eye pieces of his mask. She simply nods, staring towards the body. More blood on her hands. "C'mon,"

Talia gulps, turning and following Rossan. They reach the medical bays and find her mother and father lying in beds beside each other. Neither of them moving. The medical staff must have evacuated immediately.

"We have to get them out," Talia says, seeing Rossan's hesitation.

"They're hooked up to all kinds of machines, Talia, it'd be completely unsafe,"

Suddenly, the double doors beside them burst open and two Peacekeepers storm in, weapons aimed.

Rossan shoots, hitting one square in the heart. The other pulls the trigger. Blood splatters against Talia's face. Rossan's body hits the floor and she can hardly process it. Behind her, another bullet fires and she just about makes out Jamie holding his gun up. She falls to her knees beside Rossan, grabbing his face. Blood was pouring from his chest, covering her hands as it spluttered up towards his face.

"Rossan, stay with me," She pleads.

"Talia, we have to go, Command have ordered us back, they know we're here!" Jamie shouts. He hated himself for his next action. He walks towards, grabs her arm and pulls her as hard as he can. He recognises her parents as he drags her away from Rossan, who's lifeless body was bleeding onto the clean, white med-bay floors.

Talia's body was completely numb, she could feel Rossan's blood on her hands, wet, warm, sticky. The metallic smell made her nauseous. Before they could turn a corner, she vomited on the floor. Jamie rubbed her back supportively, letting her heave, before guiding her away. Jamie hooked her back up to the wire and she was lifted up into the hovercraft. Jamie helped her into her seat beside Freddy, who tried to speak to her. Her mind was blank, it wasn't processing any of it. Her bloodied hands were shaking.

"They don't know," She hears beside her. It makes her head snap up, alert.

"Command, come in, over," The pilot is attempting to contact District 13.

"They think we're dead," Jamie confirms to her, "They warned us that they knew we were here...We might not make it out of the borders,"

The hovercraft flew away from the Training Centre with speed. Mickey was bobbing Samson on his knee, trying to occupy the little boy who was asking what was wrong with his mommy. Freddy was staring at a bracelet on his wrist- one Talia had made him when he was born, it was made of her father's old fishing line, weaved together in a colourful mess. Jamie sat with a guilty look on his face. Talia knew he did the right thing, getting her out of there, else she would have died like Rossan...But her parents...They were trapped here. Snow still had people she loved. People he could use against her.

"Did they get the others? Peeta, Johanna, Annie and Gwen?" She asks Jamie. It takes him a minute to register that she's speaking to him.

"Yes, they're all fine, they're on board another hovercraft, after we got in fine, they sent in another two," He says.

"Approaching the Capitol Air Defence Border," Announces the pilot. Talia turns to look out the large windows at the front of the hovercraft. The sun was beginning to peak over the mountains of District 2 in the distance. She closes her eyes, ready to accept death.

There's a heavy silence over the hovercraft. A loud gasp breaks it. Talia's eyes open and she see's they've made it out. She gulps. "They let us go,"

"What?" Jamie asks, looking into her eyes.

"They let us go...Why would they do that? Why would Snow let me go...?"

"Just be glad," Freddy says, "Mom and Dad are still down there,"

"Freddy I-"

"I don't want to hear it," He says, turning away from her, still messing with the bracelet on his arm.

"I tried my best...All I ever do is try my best," She's completely broken. The nausea takes over again. She turns away and vomits onto the floor. Her head spins and suddenly, she slumps over in her chair, fainted.

"Talia?" Jamie asks, he unclips from his seat and crouches beside her, lifting her head up, he pushes her upright in her seat and shakes her slightly, "Talia? Please wake up,"

"She vomited before we left too," Jamie says, glancing towards her brothers, "Does she have a condition? A phobia of blood or anything?"

"No...If she had a phobia of blood...God, I doubt she'd have survived one minute in the games," Freddy says, rolling his eyes. Suddenly he chuckles, "Maybe she's knocked up...Another idiot making offspring for Snow's games,"

Jamie looks back at Talia, it was possible, technically. He presses a hand to her forehead, she wasn't burning up. She was perhaps just exhausted, physically, mentally, emotionally. He called ahead to District 13, telling them she'd need urgent medical attention, before slipping back into his seat. He lets sleep get the better of him then.

_____________

👁👄👁

the speech Finnick makes about Snow & his secrets is mostly my own, but some of it is taken directly from the movie- just in case you were wondering.

before you ask, talia and finnick will see each other very, very soon- i promise.
I'm sad Rossan died, he was a good character, but lives are lost during war and he is an unfortunate casualty.

~cupidlies❤️