Victor by Night | Finnick Odair

"The Failed Alliance" : 24

Chapter Twenty Four

The anthem begins, but there are no faces in the sky tonight. The audience will be restless, thirsting for blood. Beetee's trap holds enough promise, though, that the Gamemakers haven't sent in other attacks. Perhaps they are simply curious to see if it will work.

At what Finnick and I judge to be about nine, we leave our shell-strewn camp, cross to the twelve o'clock beach, and begin to quietly hike up to the lightning tree in the light of the moon. Our full stomachs make us more uncomfortable and breathless than we were on the morning's climb. I begin to regret those last dozen oysters.

Beetee asks Finnick to assist him, and the rest of us stand guard. Before he even attaches any wire to the tree, Beetee unrolls yards and yards of the stuff. He has Finnick secure it tightly around a broken branch and lay it on the ground. Then they stand on either side of the tree, passing the spool back and forth as they wrap the wire around and around the trunk. At first it seems arbitrary, then I see a pattern, like an intricate maze, appearing in the moonlight on Beetee's side. I wonder if it makes any difference how the wire's placed, or if this is merely to add to the speculation of the audience. I bet most of them know as much about electricity as I do.

The work on the trunk's completed just as we hear the wave begin. I've never really worked out at what point in the ten o'clock hour it erupts. There must be some buildup, then the wave itself, then the aftermath of the flooding. But the sky tells me ten-thirty.

This is when Beetee reveals the rest of the plan. Since we move most swiftly through the trees, he wants Johanna and Katniss and me to take the coil down through the jungle, unwinding the wire as we go. We are to lay it across the twelve o'clock beach and drop the metal spool, with whatever is left, deep into the water, making sure it sinks. Then run for the jungle. If we go now, right now, we should make it there safety.

"I want to go with them as a guard," Peeta says immediately. After the moment with the pearl, I know he's less willing than ever to let Katniss out of his sight.

"You're too slow. Besides, I'll need you on this end. Sage will guard," says Beetee. "There's no time to debate this. I'm sorry. If the girls are to get out of there alive, they need to move now." He hands the coil to Johanna.

I don't like the plan any more than Peeta does. This feels like a trap, right? But Beetee's right. Johanna, Katniss, and I are the fastest and most sure-footed on the jungle floor. I can't think of any alternative. And if I trust anyone here besides Finnick, it's Beetee.

"It's okay," I tell Peeta. "We'll just drop the coil and come straight back up."

"Not into the lightning zone," Beetee reminds me. "Head for the tree in the one-to-two-o'clock sector. If you find you're running out of time, move over one more. Don't even think about going back on the beach, though, until I can assess the damage."

Katniss takes Peeta's face in her hands. "Don't worry. I'll see you at midnight." She gives him a kiss and, before he can object any further, she lets go and turn to Johanna. "Ready?"

"Why not?" says Johanna with a shrug. She's clearly no happier about being teamed up than I am. But we're all caught up in Beetee's plan. "You two guard, I'll unwind. We can trade off later."

Before we leave, before Johanna can drag me off, Finnick and I run to one another. The hug was so powerful, so full of compassion and love... I didn't think anything could feel so spectacular. His hold on me was like a child, gripping his favorite animal in a lightning storm.

When he finally did pull away, our lips were the next thing connecting. If I thought the kiss from last night was beautiful, this was breathtaking... literally. Finnick and I didn't pull away until we were gasping for air.