Heart of Gold • Finnick Odair

-47-

"Okay Finnick?" Cressida asks as they climb the rubble to the centre of the roses where all the lights are being pointed. "Go to the centre, those rocks."

As Cressida directs everyone in where to stand and what angles to get, Finnick just stands between two large lights that are causing a glow up appear on his face. He adjusts his coat collar again nervously.

"Okay? Finnick?" Cressida snaps him out of his trance.

"Yeah. Yeah," he mutters, his whole body tense and rigid.

He didn't want it to come to this, not really, he didn't particularly want the sympathy that'd follow. But Katniss was unable to shoot the propo and they need a distraction in order to rescue the captured victors. In order to rescue Rosalie, he needed to do this. To tell the world, so he will. He'd do anything for her.

Finnick looks at his shoes as he clears his throat before taking a deep breath.

"Take your time. Just remember to keep talking and don't stop," Cressida reminds him before giving him the signal to start.

He keeps his face plain and voice strong as much as possible. "This is Finnick Odair, winner of the 65th Hunger Games. And i'm coming to you from District 13, alive and well. We've survived an assault from the Capitol. But i'm not here to give you recent news."

Meanwhile, Katniss enters the command room whilst Haymitch and Beetee explain what is going on and how the broadcast is filling the Capitol's entire system with noise which should allow the team to get in and out of the Capitol undetected.

"I'm here to tell the truth. Not the myths about a life of luxury. Not the lie about the glory of your homeland. You can survive the arena. But the moment you leave, you're a slave."

The team, Mockingjay one, arrive at one minute out from perimeter defence.

"President Snow used to sell me, or my body at least. And i'm not the only one. If a Victor is considered desirable, the President gives them as a reward or allows people to buy them for an amount of time. If you refuse, he kills someone you love."

Mockingjay one are becoming closer to perimeter defence by the second until eventually, they reach it. All goes well and they get past with no response. They've made it inside Capitol airspace.

"To make themselves feel better, my patrons would make presents of money or jewellery. But I found a much more valuable form of payment. Secrets."

As the pilots switch the plane to night view, they spot the Tribute Centre and initiate final approach.

"See, I know all the depravity, the deceit and the cruelty of the Capitol's pampered elite. But the biggest secrets are about our good President, Coriolanus Snow. 

The team equip themselves with masks and check their suits.

"Such a young man when he rose to power. Such a clever one to keep it. How, you may ask, did he do it? One word. Poison."

They deploy their gas canisters and prepare to drop, entering the building by cable wires. They shoot below in order to kill any peacekeepers down there before they hit the ground.

"He stopped every mutiny before it even strayed."

The team reach the ground and call the area clear of threat as they head towards the first target. Cell P45, lower level 2C.

"There are so many mysterious deaths to adversaries. Even to allies who were threats."

Mockingjay one break through the door and make their way through the corridors and stairs.

"Snow would drink from the same cup to deflect suspicion. But antidotes don't always work, which is why he wears roses that reek of perfume. Help cover the scent of blood from sores in his mouth that'll never heal."

The team continue on, scoping out each room with their red lights and gas.

"But he can't hide the scent of who he really is. He kills without mercy. He rules with deception and fear."

The team come across a large, fairly open, room filled with tables of lab and medical equipment as well as some more dangerously harming looking devices.

"His weapon of choice is the only thing suited to such a man. Poison. The perfect weapon for a snake."

"What is this place?" Gale wonders aloud and they see glass cages and jars.

Suddenly, the televisions go static as a bright light turns on in the lab-like room along with a high pitched noise.

The Capitol system was rebooting and coming back on line, they're losing their advantage.

"Broadcast me," Katniss demands desperately. "If Snow's watching this, maybe he'll let the signal in, if he sees me. Put me on the air so he can see me." Everyone agrees and they instantly get her set up.

Katniss calls out to Snow repeatedly. Desperately.

Meanwhile, Finnick is finally allowed to breath and relax. He sits on one of the rocks to take a minute after having to reveal one of the biggest weights he's been carrying all these years. As dauntingly terrifying as it was, he's glad he did it.

The President allows them access as his voice begins to play from the screen. "Miss Everdeen. What an honour. I don't imagine your calling to thank me for the roses."

"I never asked for this. I never asked to be in the Games. I never asked to be The Mockingjay. I just wanted to save my sister. And keep Peeta alive. Please, just let him go. And I will stop being the Mockingjay. I will disappear, you will never have to see me again."

Whilst Katniss talks with Snow, Beetee tries to quietly get contact with Boggs and the team.

"Miss Everdeen. You couldn't run from this any more than you could have run from the Games."

Beetee makes contact.

"Please. You've won. You've already beaten me."

The team break through some doors and walk through a room filled with cells of iron bars along either side of the room.

"Release Peeta. Take me instead."

Snow shakes his head, "we're long past the opportunity for noble sacrifice."

"Then tell me what to do. I've always kept my promises, haven't I?"

Mockingjay One team blast through another set of double doors.

"You said you didn't want a war. And that's just what happened. I told you what a fragile thing peace was," Snow replies like he's talking with a friend. "And still, like a child, you took pleasure in breaking it. I know what you are. I know you can't see past your narrowest concerns. But please, Miss Everdeen. I doubt you know what honesty is anymore."

The next cells the team come face to face with are much more technical than the iron barred ones previously. These were all white. Ironic considering the blood spilled there. They see their first target: Peeta.

"You asked me to convince you that I was in love with Peeta, haven't I at least done that?"

"Miss Everdeen, it's the things we love the most that destroy us." The president smiles. "I want you to remember that I said that." He leans back slightly. "Don't you think I know your friends are in the Tribute Centre?" He walks away from the camera, "cut them off."

The shock showed on Katniss' face but it soon turned to complete and utter fear that she was about to lose not only Peeta but Gale too.

Finnick, who had caught the last half of Snow's little conversation with Katniss, just sat in the nearest chair with his head in his hands. Surely not? Surely he hasn't just lost her again? Not when they were this close...