✦ Chapter 19: He Owns Me ✦
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ISLA HAD BEEN worried her bluntness towards President Coin would've secured her a one-way ticket to never ending cafeteria duty. However, it seemed she liked Isla's spunk, or maybe she decided it would be better to keep an eye on Isla. And what better way to do that than have her constantly with your right hand men? Either way, Isla was happy with Coin's decision.
Isla was given a walkthrough, by Gale of course, of the procedures of being a soldier. She was removed from the schedule of normal duties, the kind Finnick and Annie participate in since Katniss doesn't have duties, a perk of being the Mockingjay. Instead, Isla would be training with the other soldiers and helping to prepare for their advance on the Capitol. Which was happening, as they were practically at the city's doorstep now. Gale had already gone with Katniss to District Two, which was the last step before heading to the heart of Panem.
Isla put on her grey jumpsuit, the usual wear in District Thirteen. It wasn't long after she tied her blonde hair into a high ponytail that a knock sounded at her door. She crosses the space of her small dormitory, opening the door to reveal none other than the tall brunette she had to admit was growing on her. Without Finnick as her usual partner in crime, Isla needed a friend, especially with Mags gone, too.
"Sir," She fakes a salute, causing the man to half smile. "What's the plan today?"
"Beetee asked me to take you down to the armoury." Gale says, moving aside to allow her to walk out of her room. She does so, and he closes her door before walking beside her towards the elevator.
"The armoury, huh? Sounds serious." Isla wiggles her brows, "Top secret mission, maybe?"
"Everyone got a weapon, more so for the propo's. Katniss and Finnick both got one, I even got some fancier looking pieces. But, even though you're actually gearing up to fight, we thought it might be a good idea to give you something, too. Coin thinks that it could be good to include you in a couple shots, since you were so strongly affiliated with the Capitol in the beginning." Gale explains as they ride in the elevator, deep underground. "Beetee designed ours, and he said he finally finished yours."
"Sweet." Isla smiles, anxiously waiting to see what the genius had come up with. Katniss and Gale had used some crazy arrows on their trip to District Two, so she couldn't help but hope for something as cool.
"You'll still need to continue training with your gun, for practicality, but Finnick stressed the importance of making sure you had a weapon styled after your play style in the Games, too." Gale continued, and Isla gave him a look at the mention of the man from her District. "I know you hate him, but he had a good point. Coin liked the idea of having a few staged scenes of you using your knives. You'll use your gun when it comes to the real stuff."
"Makes sense, I guess." Isla nodded, slightly thankful for Finnick's involvement. Training with a gun was a lot different than the training she had done for the Hunger Games.
They enter a large room with targets and weapons. A man sits hunched at a desk, weapons deconstructed into their smallest pieces in front of him. He looks up, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Ah, yes, hello." Beetee greets Isla and Gale, rolling himself away from the table. Isla had almost forgot that he was paralyzed, it had happened during the final moments of the the Hunger Games. She had been running in the trees with Johanna at the time.
"Hey Beetee." Isla waves at him softly, feeling a bit awkward. She had never particularly liked the man, but she had always respected him for his brains. Though, she had fully intended on killing him just weeks ago.
"So, I've got some knives for you." He motions towards a section of the table, making his way over. Isla walks over, followed closely by Gale, to get a better look. Spread out are several knives with three different coloured handles. Black, yellow, and red lines all design the otherwise completely matte black knives.
"What's with the colours?" Isla asks innocently, but she's pretty sure she has an idea of what they mean.
"Regular," Beetee points at the ones with shiny black lines designing the matte black surface. "Incendiary," he then points at the ones with yellow lines, "And explosive." Finally, motioning to the ones with red lines.
"I don't even know what to say." Isla chuckles lightly, allowing Beetee to pick up one of the sets.
"They'll attach to your vest, I just have to finish that part." He explains almost nervously. Although, his natural state seems to be slightly on edge. Awkward, even.
"Try them out." Gale looks at Isla with an encouraging expression.
"Yeah, okay." Isla agrees, grabbing one of the black handled knives. She feels it in her fingers, twirling it and testing the balance. They're similar to the ones she's used to in the arena, but heavier and more high tech.
She turns to the targets, settling the knife comfortably between her fingers. With one last look at the men behind her, she whips back her arm and sends the blade flying through the air. It settles on the target, near the centre. It's better than she thought, considering she was bound to be rusty. Not to mention, they're new knives.
"Not bad." Gale speaks up, walking to retrieve the knife. "We should really get on with your gun training though. I'd say you know what you're doing with these, and I don't know when we'll be sent out. You have to be ready."
Isla nods, and they go into the more enclosed gun range off of the armoury. It was sound proof, designed to allow Beetee to work in quiet while still letting the soldiers brush up on their shooting. Gale hands her a gun after she puts on her goggles, a mandatory piece of equipment within the range.
She hates the guns. They're heavy, huge, and just feel awkward in her hands. She longs to go back and pick up the knives that Beetee made her. They felt so much more natural in her hands, she felt much more efficient with those than the hunk of metal she held now. Of course, it would be ridiculous for her to fight a war with knives. Peacekeeper armour would likely stop the blade before it could do any damage, she'd have to hit her shots just right to penetrate the weak spots of the armour. A gun would do her a lot better, and be a lot more helpful to her squad.
"Like usual, head and chest are the primary targets." Gale says before putting a pair of earmuffs on her ears. He puts a set on himself as he steps back, standing with his arms crossed like he always does.
Isla takes this as her cue to begin, so she lines up her shot, aiming at the head and the chest. It takes her a bit to get the flow, hitting the shoulder, neck, and chin a few times, but she gets the hang of it after awhile. Her training had progressed significantly, as her first few sessions had ended with the targets still intact. Gale handled her frustrations well, though, and kept her on track to a point where she felt she could accurately defend herself now with one of the rifles.
They could only use one magazine per session, as it takes time to make bullets. With the war currently taking place, time is a luxury. Although, with District Two now in the rebel's control, production increased tenfold. Being the outfitters for the Capitol's militia, the peacekeepers, it proved difficult yet rewarding to gain control of the final District.
She used the last of her bullets, feeling her arm beginning to get sore. She stretched it out as Gale took the weapon from her, returning it to the rack. "I'm so out of shape." Isla groans, following him out of the gun range.
"Being cooped up isn't good for the body." Gale agrees. At least he and Katniss could go above ground, get some fresh air and open space for exercise. Isla had hardly been outside in what felt like forever, except for Titus' garden.
"Is it bad that I hope we get sent out soon?" She asks, looking at him. Gale stops, looking down to meet her gaze.
"No, no. I don't think." He says, almost softly. "I'm itching to get out there, too."
They exchange looks for a moment, and Isla nods with a small smile. They find Beetee still at his desk as they make for the elevator. "Here's the vest, all complete. Could you?" He says, holding it out. Isla assumes he means try it on, so she walks over and takes the garment from him. It's heavy, presumably bullet proof. "It'll go over different clothes, so it might feel a bit loose over the jumpsuit."
Isla puts it on, zipping it up. Rows of knives line the front, easily accessible to grab. She was used to a belt, as that was what was provided in the Games for her and available at home. However, she liked the placement, as they were less likely to drive into her skin if she ever fell or had to crawl. "It's great." She looks at Beetee, giving him a reassuring smile. "Thanks, Beetee."
"Yes, of course." He says, taking the vest back. People aren't allowed to carry weapons in Thirteen, unless in the hangar for the aircrafts or getting ready to leave the bunker. Or in the special instance of escorting victors off the aircraft upon their delivery.
Isla and Gale leave the armoury and head for the cafeteria, as their schedules perfectly align now. They would've had separate meal times on Isla's previous schedule, but the two were practically forced to stay attached to the other's hip now. Coin had assigned Gale to be her babysitter, essentially, as he was to train her and keep an eye on her. Although, Coin would never admit to the last part.
They sat together, and Isla was surprised as the dark haired girl sat next to Gale. "Hey Katniss." Gale smiles, and she returns it. It wasn't often Isla saw the Girl on Fire smile. Only around Peeta. Now Gale.
"Hey," and the two start chatting about going for a walk together after their meal. Since Katniss was shot, she's been put on bedrest, but now she's being allowed more freedom. Isla tunes them out, the best that she can, anyway. But she can't help but watch Gale's attentiveness to Katniss, like he lives for every word that comes from her lips.
"I'll catch you guys later, then?" Isla asks, standing from her seat. The two look over at her, as if remembering for the first time she's even there.
"Oh, yeah. See ya." Gale says quickly as Isla gathers her things and leaves them alone at the table.
She can't help but feel a spark of jealousy as she heads out of the cafeteria. She tries to push it away, there's no time for jealousy and petty feelings. She's training to fight in a war, alongside that same man no less, and she can't be distracted. Besides, it could never work. Clearly Gale's infatuated with Katniss.
Isla finds herself in the hospital wing, and she blends into the busy nurses walking back and forth from patient to room to machine. They hardly notice as she stands in front of a set of familiar windows, only this time she's on the opposite side. Inside is a completely white room, with a white bed, and a blonde man in white clothes is strapped down.
She takes it upon herself to enter the room without asking permission. His eyes look up at the sound of someone entering, and Isla's heart almost breaks at the sight. Peeta looks scared, then relaxes a bit. He watches her, though, as if anticipating something bad to happen. He shimmies up on his bed into a more comfortable sitting position, and Isla rests against the edge of the bed by his legs.
"What are you doing here?" He finally speaks, his voice weak.
"I live here, too." Isla explains, "I was picked up when you were."
"Why didn't I see you? I saw Johanna almost every day." He questions, but not in an accusing way. He almost seems lost, genuinely confused trying to piece it all together.
Isla rests a hand on his calf, causing him to flinch at the movement. "I had to do some things, to make Snow think I was on his side, so I could get through to District Thirteen. So I could help them rescue us."
Peeta's face twists into what Isla can only describe as disgust. "I'm here because of you?"
"Peeta, you're a lot better off here than there."
"Katniss is here, so you're wrong." He states matter of factly. "All she does is cause me pain and suffering."
"That's not how you felt when I watched you guys laugh together, or cry because you were so happy to see each other again. When you gave her that pearl in the arena, your eyes were filled with pure love and nothing more." Isla feels her throat tighten at the thought. She wasn't sure why she was trying to help the two lovebirds, but it hurt to see Peeta not himself.
"The pearl..." He drifts off into deep thought for a moment. "That was real?"
"Very real. I think I caught that clam, but that's neither here nor there." Isla almost sees a smile itch at the edges of Peeta's lips. "You may not love her anymore, whether that's because of Snow or because of something else I don't know about. But you did, you really did. And it wasn't the kind of love that just goes away easily. Something was done to you to change the way you feel, you didn't decide to stop loving her on your own. She made you happy."
"Do you still love Finnick?" Isla tries to hide her surprise at the question. Peeta seems to be completely aware of the effect he's had on her, though. "You do, don't you?"
"Finnick did some things that made me feel differently about him. Besides, he and Annie are married now."
"Katniss has done things, bad things. Maybe that's why I don't love her anymore. She's killed people." Peeta points out, the look of disgust creepy back onto his sharp features.
Isla shakes her head, patting his leg. "Everything she did, especially the killing people, was to keep you alive. To protect you. She wouldn't have done anything to hurt you."
"So then what did Finnick do that was so bad?" He asks.
"He left me in the arena. I didn't know what was happening. He could've told me. They all knew, except me, and Katniss, and you. If anything, you should be upset with them. If they hadn't kept us three in the dark, me and you wouldn't have ended up in the Capitol. You wouldn't have ended up like this." Isla feels the familiar rage creeping up into her chest. She keeps it contained, not wanting to blow up in front of Peeta. He'd be too fragile to handle it.
"I guess so." He pauses, taking it into consideration. "So why are you on their side, then? If they left you for dead."
"Because it isn't about them, it's about a lot more than that. It's about taking down Snow and everything he stands for. I didn't care, to be honest. About the Games. I grew up looking forward to them, if anything. I planned on dying in that arena anyway, for Finnick. But since I'm still here, I can't keep seeing watching the Games and what it does to people. Or let Snow own me until I'm too old to be of use to him anymore." Isla hugs herself, looking down at her lap.
"He owns me now, doesn't he?" Peeta's words cause her to look up and meet his gaze. His beautiful blue eyes are welling with tears.
"He doesn't have to." Isla tries to comfort him, watching as he slowly crumbles.
"He owns me." tears roll down Peeta's face as he sniffles.
"Just try to remember the good memories, separate them from what isn't real. Snow did this to you, but only you can undo it."
The door opens, Plutarch stands in the doorway with a nurse at his side. "Isla." He says, motioning for her to get up and leave. Isla wants to argue that she should stay, considering Peeta's clearly having an emotional breakdown, but she can't decide that that's what's best for him. The nurses would know what he can handle, since they know what Snow actually did to him. Apparently it had to do with tracker jacker venom, causing him to hallucinate while Snow formed new memories. Ones that painted Katniss out to be the bad guy.
Isla leaves the room, taking one last look at the blonde man. He looks so frail, so small. "I'll be back." She says before turning and exiting the white room. The nurse stares at her as she walks by, almost frustrated yet scared of her. Isla holds her gaze, daring her to say something. The people in Thirteen could never understand Peeta the way Isla, or Finnick, or Katniss, or Johanna could. They may know what's best for him medically, but none of them could be there for him like they could.
Isla walks by a section of patients, and sees a familiar head of bronze hair at Johanna's side. Before he can see her, she picks up the pace and heads for the elevator. It opens, revealing two familiar dark haired faces. "Isla? What are you doing here?" Gale asks.
"Nothing, I just wanted to see how everyone was doing."
"Isn't Finnick here right now?" Katniss asks, looking at Gale with a worried look.
"I'm right here, you know." Isla states, and Katniss meets her gaze. A look of embarrassment washes over her.
"Right, sorry."
"He is, but don't worry, I didn't stop to say hi." She reassures the two, who exchange a quick glance.
"Then who did you say hi to?" Gale asks, raising a brow as he crosses his arms over his chest.
"Peeta, thought it'd be nice to catch up."
Katniss' expression changes and she almost looks pale. "You did what? They let you in? What did he say?" She asks.
"Nothing really." Isla shrugs, not in the mood to give a play by play of her entire conversation with the blonde. "Plutarch's there now, though. He interrupted us."
With that, Katniss quickly makes her way down the hall, and Gale worriedly watches after her. "You shouldn't have done that, he's pretty fragile. They don't know what will set him back." He says, his eyes not leaving the back of Katniss' head.
"Just go after her." Isla sighs, moving to walk passed Gale. He finally looks at her, grabbing her arm.
"What?"
"Just go after her, I can see how worried you are. Scared I messed Peeta up more? That she'll pay more attention to him, than you?" Her words are sharp as they pass through her lips. She wants to take them back as soon as she says them. "I didn't-"
Gale cuts her off, staring down at her with a stern gaze. "Didn't mean it? Sure sounded like you did."
"It's clear how you feel about her. Everyone can see it, just took me a bit longer I guess. It doesn't matter, but..." Isla runs her hand over her face, looking back down the hall before returning her eyes to Gale. "Just don't let it consume you. I'm telling you, as someone who was in the arena with those two, it's gonna take a lot more than some tracker jacker venom to ruin what they have. And I don't want to watch you sit around with some false hope that maybe someday it'll be different. It won't." With that, Isla moves passed Gale and into the elevator. He doesn't have a chance to respond before she closes the door between them.