Reprogram (Hunger Games Cato/OC)

Chapter 8

Reprogram 8

Axel POV

We made our way to the Cornucopia. No one was there. I didn't know what to do, so I pulled out a knife. Hazel eyed it wearily and pulled out her axes. Then, out of the other side of the clearing, came the Careers. Cato, Clove, and Marvel. We let them approach us, but they stopped twenty yards away from us. I noticed Clove and Marvel standing closer than Cato was with Clove. Hazel had her eyes glued on Cato, but she didn't look scared. In fact, she looked at ease. I was worried about what that meant. Clove stepped forward and smiled.

"Hello, Axel. Hazel." I felt a thrill go through me when she said my name. "I see you never joined our team, Hazel. I was under the impression Cato would be convincing you to join us?" She looked pointedly at Cato, who didn't move his eyes from Hazel's. When he said nothing, Clove cried, "NOW, MARVEL!"

She lunged at me and held her knife to my throat. Marvel jumped at Cato, and he, horribly taken by surprise, fell to his knees as Marvel held him at spear-point. I kneed Clove in the stomach, and she went oof as the breath whooshed from her lungs. She sliced a thin line across my neck and climbed on top of me.

"Drop the knife. And don't try that again, or I'll cut your head off."

"Never!" I punched her in the face and jumped up, spinning around to face her. She lunged at me again. My knife caught her in the arm, but she kept coming at me. The hilt slipped from my hand and Clove knocked me flat on the ground.

"Don't try that again." She forced me to my knees and held me at knife-point like Marvel was doing with Cato. Hazel stood frozen in horror, watching me and Cato on our knees. When Clove spoke again, it was directed at Hazel.

"Choose now. Your best friend, or your lover. We'll slaughter the other." My heart fell past my stomach when Clove said that.

"Hazel! You- oh Lord. You and Cato-" I felt sick with my revelation. That was why she used to be so afraid of him, but wasn't anymore. That's why she kept sneaking off. That's why she hadn't taken her eyes off him since we got in the clearing. Oh, God. Hazel was in love with Cato. And I was going to die.

Hazel POV

As I look at the stalemate in front of me, I frown. One will live. One, not five. The boy I love, my best friend, the strong Careers, and me. Four will die, and I will not let things go without a fight.

I bring my axe so the blade is level with my shoulder. "No, put that down," Clove says. "You may not use your weapons, otherwise we will kill them both." I drop my axe slowly. "Choose," Clove reiterates. I don't speak, pondering decisions. I haven't spoken since yesterday, when I told Axel I wanted to sleep.

Axel. Amazing, bloodthirsty, cruel, destructive. He was always there for me. Through thick and thin, mine and Cato's trysts, when I was terrified of my stalker. Axel refused to give up on me. How can I live without him? He has a cruel exterior, but a soft and caring interior. He is such a big part of my life now, I don't know what I'd do without him.

Cato. Brutal, masochistic, loving, sweet, adorable Cato. My lover. I'm certain now, the love of my life. I can't live without him, his huge bulging muscles that protect me as well as snap the necks of meaningless tributes. The one I reprogrammed. The one who let down his steel walls to let me love him.

Oh, Lord. How do I choose? I look at Clove, who is smiling viciously. "Ten," she says. "Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One." By one, I still haven't made my decision. "All right." She turns to Axel. "Any last words? Requests?" Axel looks her square in the eyes and says,