A Million Pieces - Hunger Games (Catching Fire & Mockingjay)

Chapter 23

"That's the Games, princess," Johanna says, but her mocking feels forced. "Not all of us kill indirectly."

Peeta understands her inference and his gaze turns hard, but doesn't comment on it. Instead, he looks at me sympathetically. "Sapphire's right, but so is Johanna," he says heavily. "Will that wire really be able to conduct that much power? It looks so fragile, like it would just burn up."

"Oh, it will. But not until the current has passed through it. It will act something like a fuse, in fact. Except the electricity will travel along it," says Beetee.

"How do you know?" tests Johanna suspiciously. It seems that Finnick and I weren't the only ones ill-informed.

"Because I invented it," answers Beetee, slightly surprised at our ignorance. "It's not actually wire in the usual sense. Nor is the lightning natural nor the tree real. It would be destroyed by now, wouldn't it, Johanna? You know trees best."

"Yes," she says glumly.

"So where will we be when this happens?" asks Finn.

"Far enough in the jungle to be safe," Beetee assures.

"The Careers will be safe too, unless they're in the vicinity of the water," Katniss points out.

"But all the seafood will be cooked," adds Peeta.

"We will most likely be eliminating that as a food source for good," says Beetee. The thought of destroying one of the few things that connect me to District 4 and our most reliable source of food unsettles me, but not enough to protest. "I don't see that as a problem," insists Beetee. "But we are allies and this will require all our efforts, the decision of whether or not to attempt it is up to you five."

Katniss and Peeta agree. When they turn to me, I look at Finnick. He raises his eyebrows at Johanna, who meets my eyes.

"It's better than hunting them down in the jungle," she says.

Finnick and I exchange one last look, and he gives a slight nod.

"Okay. Let's do it," I say, pushing down the feeling of disgust building up in me. Still, I think of Malila watching me with Coventina and Annie. They'll be in the Capitol now, as planned. I don't want her to see me do this. So I have to hope we can complete the District 13 plan before we have to kill anyone.

I help the others break camp and we walk into the lighting section of the jungle. Katniss brings up the rear, walking right behind me, and I feel my back tingle where her gaze buries itself.

As we near the tree, Finnick speaks up. "Katniss should go first. She can hear the force field."

"Hear it?" echoes Beetee, and the surprise in his voice confirms my suspicions about Katniss's super hearing.

"Only with the ear the Capitol reconstructed," she tries to explain.

Beetee doesn't contest her reasoning, "Force fields are nothing to play around with". So Katniss makes her way to the front of the line.

We quickly find ourselves under the lightning tree, which towers over us menacingly, almost seeming to test our wits, skills and courage. "Stay below the lightning tree," Katniss advises us, which doesn't make me feel very safe.

Johanna and I are tasked with tapping a tree and she stands guard as I dig my knife into the bark. I look up when I've chipped away enough wood to create a hole deep enough for the spile, and find that Johanna is watching me.

"Doing all right?" she asks. It sounds like she's asking about the tree, but I know it implies a lot more.

"Swimmingly," I say, even though I'm terrified. She plugs the spile into the tree and I put a woven bowl under the stream of water. The basket is half full when the sound of strange clicks rises. We all still, listening intently.