Sunshine | Finnick Odair

| part 3 |

We gather around Boggs to examine the Holo projection of the street. The gunfire pod is positioned about a third of the way down, just above an apartment awning. We should be able to trigger it with bullets.

The net pod is at the far end, almost the next corner. This will require someone to set off the body sensor mechanism. Everyone volunteers except Peeta, who doesn't seem to know quite what's going on, and me because I have two kids to get home to and I've already done enough for this rebellion.

The squad positions itself under Boggs's direction, and then we have to wait for Cressida to get the cameramen in place as well. They're both to our left, with Castor toward the front and Pollux bringing up the rear so they'll be sure not to record each other. Messalla sets off a couple of smoke charges for atmosphere. Since this is both a mission and a shoot, I'm about to ask who's in charge, the commander or director, when Cressida calls, "Action!" We slowly proceed down the hazy street, just like one of our exercises in the Block. Everyone has at least one section of windows to blow out, but Gale's assigned the real target. When he hits the pod, we take cover ducking and hiding any place we can.

After a while, Boggs orders us forward. Positioning the Holo to find the best light in the smoky air. Still facing us as his left foot steps back onto the orange paving stone. Triggering the bomb that blows off his legs.

A second explosion seems to split the air and leaves my ears ringing. But I can't make out where it came from. Katniss reaches bogs first with my not far behind. I try to make sense of the torn flesh, missing limbs, to find something to stem the red flow from his body. I push Katniss aside, wrenching open a first-aid kit. Boggs clutches Katniss's wrist. His face, gray with dying and ash, seems to be receding. But his next words are an order. "The Holo."

The Holo. Katniss scrambles around. I shuddering when I encounter bits of warm flesh as I try desperately to keep Bogs alive. Katniss finds it rammed into a stairwell with one of Boggs's boots. Retrieve it, wiping it clean with her bare hands.

I stump of Boggs's left thigh cupped by a compression bandage, but it's already soaked through. I try to tourniquet the other above the existing knee. Finnick's attempting to revive Messalla, who was thrown into a wall by the explosion. Jackson's barking into a field communicator, trying unsuccessfully to alert the camp to send medics, but I know it's too late.

Boggs has both hands working the Holo. He's typing in a command, pressing his thumb to the screen for print recognition, speaking a string of letters and numbers. A green shaft of light bursts out of the Holo and illuminates his face.

He says, "Unfit for command. Transfer of prime security clearance to Squad Four-Five-One Soldier Katniss Everdeen." It's all he can do to turn the Holo towards Katniss' face. "Say your name."

"Katniss Everdeen," she says confused on what's she's doing. "What did you do?"

"Prepare to retreat!" Jackson hollers.

Finnick's yelling something back, gesturing to the end of the block where we entered. Black, oily matter spouts from the street, billowing between the buildings, creating an impenetrable wall of darkness. It seems to be neither liquid nor gas, mechanical nor natural. Surely it's lethal.

Deafening gunfire as Gale begins to blast a path across the stones toward the far end of the block. I don't know what they're doing until another bomb, ten yards away, detonates, opening a hole in the street. Then I realize this is a rudimentary attempt at minesweeping. Katniss and I latch on to Boggs and begin to drag him after Gale. Agony takes over and he's crying out in pain. I want to stop, to find a better way, but the blackness is rising above the buildings, swelling, rolling at us like a wave.