The Hunger Games: The Rebellion

Chapter 4

At the arena, Katniss looked around. It's nothing but a beach and one single Palm tree. She glanced at the other tributes. There were only Peeta, Johanna, Finnick, and Beetee.

What the hell happened to the other 19 tributes? Katniss wondered as she looked around at them. Finnick Odair was stark naked. Beetee was wearing a bubble suit. The gong rang and the five tributes moved off their metal plates, grabbed their backpacks and ran off. Johanna chased Beetee, but she didn't try to kill him. She was trying to pop the bubbles on his suit. Katniss and Peeta stayed together but noticed Finnick was trailing behind them.

"Allies?" Finnick asked seductively. Peeta glared at him.

"Why are you naked?" Katniss demanded. "You'll freeze to death out here. "

"The Gamemakers think the ratings will be sky high this year." Finnick replied, spinning around.

"What ratings? What the hell are you talking about? Watching the games is mandatory viewing for everyone. What happened to Haymitch and Cinna? And why was Boggs at the interviews?" Katniss cried in frustration.

Peeta decided to change the subject. "Let's look in our backpacks and see what they've given us." They all opened their backpacks and found nothing but canteens in here. Except for Katniss, who found a bow and arrow along with her canteen.

"I wonder what they're filled with." Finnick opened his and took a sip. His eyes widened. He whispered something to Peeta, whose eyes widened as well and then turned to Katniss and whispered. "Booze!"

"That's all they've sent us?" Katniss shouted. "How will that help us?" Just then, Johanna and Beetee appeared. Johanna had her arm around Beetee. Beetee looked like he was in heaven.

"Don't walk straight ahead into that palm tree," Beetee said.

"Why would we do that?" Peeta asked.

"It's a force field that will kill you if you do. Let me deal with it. I'm well protected." Beeta replied, ignoring Peeta's question.

"How does a bubble suit protect you from being killed?" Peeta asked. "And what's with the canteens filled with…"

"Shhh!" Johanna shouted, as she covered Peeta's mouth with her hand. "Remember, everyone in the Capitol and Districts can hear you right now. " She looked a little tipsy as she turned and gave Beetee a passionate kiss.

"I have no problem with what they sent us," Beetee smiled, and kissed her back.

"What happened to the other tributes?" Katniss asked.

"They weren't important to this plot," Finnick replied, gulping down his booze.

"Well I'm not drinking this,"Peeta announced. Just then a tiny parachute with nothing but a piece of paper arrived and landed on him. Peeta and the others looked at it.

Are you out of your freaking mind, boy? Drink it!—H

"Haymitch," Katniss muttered. "So he's alive after all. I thought he might have been taken prisoner or something after what he did at interviews. Then she turned and yelled up at the sky. "Thanks for all your help, Haymitch!" A parachute with another note landed on Katniss's shoulder. She quickly scanned it over.

Up yours, sweetheart.-H

"The Gamemakers are really lacking in ideas this year," Katniss muttered, crumpling up the note. They all looked around at each other.

"I guess I should tell you about Annie Cresta," Finnick spoke up. "She's some crazy girl from my District, but I love her."

"Um, okay?" Katniss replied, as she looked at him oddly.

"This is going nowhere." Beetee whispered to Katniss. "Use your bow and arrow to shoot the Palm Tree."

"Why?" Katniss asked, as Johanna and Peeta wondered off to lie on the sand and get tans.

"We'll be able to escape the arena," he whispered. "Here put on my bubble suit. Johanna popped most of the bubbles, but it should still protect you."

Katniss put on Beetee's bubble suit and and aimed for the Palm Tree. The arena exploded.

When Katniss woke up, she was surprised to see Finnick and Beetee next to her, sleeping. Haymitch, Gale Hawethorne, Plutarch, and Boggs were there. Boggs kept stroking Finnick's hair.

"Where am I?" Katniss spoke up.

"We're on our way to District 13." Haymitch replied, sipping on white liquor.

"13? That was blown off the map years ago," Katniss replied. Then she turned to Gale. "What are you doing here?"

"Hey, Catnip. I came to help fight in the rebellion." He grinned at her.

"What rebellion? What's he doing here?" Katniss asked, pointing at Plutarch.

"Katniss, I've secretly been a part of this rebellion for years. I've known about Snow's plan to ban alcohol for ages and we just couldn't let that happen. "

"THEY WILL NOT TAKE OUR ALCOHOL AWAY FROM US!" Haymitch suddenly shouted, waking Beetee and Finnick.

Boggs smiled at Finnick. "Hello, gorgeous."

Finnick looked at him wearily, and then shut his eyes again.

"Why did you send us booze in the arena?" Katniss asked Plutarch.

"Johanna, Beetee, and Finnick knew about the plan to break you guys out of the arena from the beginning. Haymitch was too drunk on the secret supply of booze left to let you and Peeta know. The plan was for you to shoot the Palm Tree force field to break the arena so we could rescue you guys. The booze was for…well…why not?"

"Where are Johanna and Peeta?"

"They were picked up by the Capitol before we could get to them," Boggs replied. "We'll get them back."

"So if there is a secret supply left then why are we going to District 13? Why not go back to 12?" Katniss asked.

"Oh Katniss," Gale whispered sadly. "They've confiscated all the booze in 12 as well as all the other districts. We CAN'T go back to 12. Since the Capitol wants everyone to believe 13 doesn't exist anymore, no supplies are sent there and Boggs had to go to the other districts to get booze. We're running out of our secret supply here and there's still some left in 13. We've got to do something about Snow fast before all the alcohol is gone."

"What happened to Cinna?" Katniss asked. Boggs and Plutarch looked at her sadly.

"I'm sorry, Katniss. Cinna thought this rebellion was stupid so we had to kill him." Plutarch said softly.

"WHAT?" she screamed, as she sat up and glared at them.

"He just didn't understand how important alcohol is," Haymitch drunkenly replied. "You're either with us or against us. You understand, don't you?" He eyed her menacingly.