"Minimal charring." Beetee spoke as the six made it through the jungle, before the tree, Peetas hand latching with Zoyas. "It's an impressive conductor. Let's get started. Typically a lightening strike contains five billion joules of energy. We don't want to be anywhere in the vicinity when this hits. Joanna and Katniss, you two girls go together now. Take this. Unspool it carefully. Make sure the entire coil is in the water. You understand? Then head to the tree at 2:00 sector. We'll meet you there."

"We're not gonna go together?" Zoya spoke up, looking toward Joanna and Katniss.

"Yeah, we could go with them as a guard." Peeta spoke up with a nod of his head.

"No, no, no. You two are staying here to protect me." Beetee nodded toward the couple to be. "And the tree."

"They need us." Zoya cut in again, nodding her head.

"There are two Careers out there. I need two guards, and you as my brain while I focus on the tree." Beetee continued on as he stared at her. "Besides, I can't imagine the capitol will go relatively ease on us now."

His eyes looked toward Zoya and Peetas interlocked hands, he wondered if either of them realized how screwed they all were now.

"Finnick is smart, and strong. He can protect you just fine on his own." Peeta went on to voice for Zoya.

"Yeah, why can't Finnick and Johanna stay with you and Peeta, Zoya, and I'll take the coil?" Katniss added in in questioning.

"You all agreed to keep me alive till midnight, right?" Beetee looked around at the younger tributes.

"It's his plan. We all agreed to it." Johanna looked toward the arguing trio.

"Is there a problem here?" Finnick spoke up as he looked toward Katniss.

"Excellent question." Beetee agreed.

"No." Katniss spoke. "There's no problem."

"Sorry, Beetee." Zoya looked at him with a small nod. "Just...emotional attachment issues."

"I understand." he gave her a nod.

Katniss walked over and hugged Peeta and Zoya at the same time. "I'll see you two at midnight."

"Stay safe." Zoya let her go.

"You too." Katniss agreed, nodding to the pair.

"All right, let's go!" Johanna called out. Katniss turned, walking with her as the coil drug behind her.

"I trust Johanna." Zoya spoke to Peeta as he looked at her. "Katniss will be okay."

He hesitated, nodding. "Okay."

Zoya gave a tiny smile, leaning in some so he could kiss her forehead. 

"The two of you need to head west." Beetee looked toward the pair a few minutes later. "If the remaining tributes comes for me, they're strike west first."

Zoya nodded her head. "Both of us?"

"Figured you'd appreciate that." he said in return.

"We do." Peeta nodded his head, looking toward Zoya and clutching his machete. "How far west?"

"A few yards, not too far, not too close." he explained with a nod.

"Hey." Finnick caught Zoyas arm with a small nod. "Be careful out there."

"I will." she nodded her head, giving his hand a small squeeze before looking to her boy. "Come on, Peeta."

He followed her, his hand clutching hers as they went west. "Do you know the other two Careers?"

"Not personally. I know they're strong and lethal though." she spoke, pushing vines and weeds out of the way as they walked together. "Do you think we ruined everything?"

"The capitol wasn't gonna go easy on us from the beginning, they've known something was off." Peeta spoke up, sensing her worry and minor panic. "I don't know why we'd-"

He was cut off by thunder striking in the sky, the pair looking up as the navy and gray skies. Zoya shook her head. "I use to love the rain, the thunder."

"I know." he said in return, because he did. "You love to switch salt and sugar too."

Zoya smiled slightly. "Are you gonna confess that you hated those baked-"

She was cut off by lightening striking the tree not too far behind them, the electricity strong and blowing them back in return. Zoya hit a tree toward the right, unaware where Peeta had landed. She groaned, her ribs pained terribly as she slowly sat up. "Peeta."

No Peeta.

"Peeta!" Zoya called louder, rolling over slightly. The hit had broken something, Zoya knew that much. She was in pain and struggled to move. If she was about to die, she'd want to see him one more time. "Peeta!"

There was a light, a bright one. For a second, Zoya assumed she'd died. But, no, this was worse then dying. The arena was being torn apart, falling and crashing around her. A hovercraft flew it, another, and one more. Zoya sat up slowly, clutching her rib cage as her head spun terribly. Her vision blurred. "Peeta."

Peacekeepers were hurrying her way.

"No." she spoke, trying to stand and get away. But she was weak, in pain, and not nearly fast enough. Two grabbed her arms. "No!"

"District Five captured." one spoke, pulling her as Zoya cried out, trying to break free. "Twelve on his way."

Zoya was injected with a needle by her neck, giving a cry out, her vision going blurry as she was drug onto the hovercraft and flown to the capitol.

•

kylie speaks

y'all, sorry this took so long.
i've had a pretty bad stomach
virus recently and im finally
staring to recover so i will
be back on a simi decent writing
schedule. but, mocking jay 2?
hell yes.

katniss and roz spending all
their time together in district
13 while trying to get their best
friends back though.