Crisis of Faith

13

"What the fuck are you doing?" Kaianna chuckled at the strange look on Brooke's face.

"Nothing," The young girl said quickly. Her attempt to cover herself was ineffective, "my throat's just dry."

"I told you not to chug your water down like that," Kaianna shook her head, conveying her 'I told you so' with the flat look on her face. She then held her metallic water bottle towards the blonde sitting across from her, "here."

"That's alright-"

"Just take some." Kaianna scoffed.

"You better listen," Finnick advised, feigning a carefulness, "before she changes her mind."

Kaianna raised her eyebrows in agreement, warranting Brooke to accept her offer with an eye roll. The girl ran a hand over the french braids that her blonde waves were laced into, and as she began to verbalize a response, everyone's head shot up.

"Someone's coming." Kaianna swept her spear up with one swift motion, her movement nudging everyone else to raise to their feet.

"Is that peacekeepers?" Someone asked hesitantly.

Each soldier grabbed their weapons and moved towards the noise almost in exact unison.

"Four five one to base," Jackson spoke into her radio with a firmness, "we've got a truck coming in from the South, over."

"Well I'll be damned," Kaianna whispered, "maybe we'll actually get to do what we all came here for."

Finnick stepped in front of her, trying to get his eyes on the possible target. Kaianna rolled her eyes before shoving him out of the way lightly.

"Copy that," The lieutenant nodded before calling out to those who were ahead of her, "stand down everyone! It's friendly."

Katniss shot Kaianna a worried glance, and Kaianna responded with a shrug. She stepped closer to the girl from twelve as they left their previous positions. Boggs led his unit up a set of stairs, giving everyone a perfect view of the heavy duty truck's approach. All eyes watched intently as a fellow thirteen soldier opened the passenger side door, and assisted Peeta out.

"Wait." Kaianna breathed out as she watched both Katniss, and Gale ready their weapons.

One soldier turned into two, and they both followed Peeta closely as he walked towards the star studded unit.

"My name is Peeta Mellark. My home is District twelve."

Kaianna felt the words he mumbled to himself, and she wondered how it wasn't her. She was getting through those memories, and lack there of. Peeta hadn't been so lucky. Not yet.

"Ok stop!" Gale rose his aim towards the brainwashed boy, and Katniss followed suit without a second thought.

"Wait!" Kaianna squeaked out.

"Hold up," Finnick's sense of her discomfort pushed him to step in front of Gale's crossbow in a haste, and raise his hand in protest.

Kaianna put herself between Finnick and Peeta, quickly but, also peacefully. She wouldn't be the reason he fell apart.

"What are we doing?" A soldier asked.

The group stood still, no one sure whether or not they should make a move.

"Jackson, cuff him." Boggs instructed. Kaianna could almost make out the confusing look on his face.

"I'll do it," She muttered, holding her hand out to the Lieutenant, "here."

Kaianna took the handcuffs, and stepped towards Peeta. She carried herself carefully, trying to give Peeta a sense of peace, and gentleness as she gestured to the boy's hands. He held them up in cooperation.