Sunshine | Finnick Odair

| part 5 |

The room's in an uproar. Questions and demands ring out as they try to decipher Peeta's words. "And you...in Thirteen...dead by morning!"
Yet no one is asking about the messenger whose blood has been replaced by static.

A voice calls the others to attention. "Shut up!" Every pair of eyes falls on Haymitch. "It's not some big mystery! The boy's telling us we're about to be attacked. Here. In Thirteen."

"How would he have that information?"

"Why should we trust him?"

"How do you know?"

Haymitch gives a growl of frustration. "They're beating him bloody while we speak. What more do you need? Katniss, help me out here!"

"Haymitch's right. I don't know where Peeta got the information. Or if it's true. But he believes it is. And they're-"

"You don't know him," Haymitch says to Coin. "We do. Get your people ready."

The president doesn't seem alarmed, only somewhat perplexed, by this turn in events. She mulls over the words, tapping one finger lightly on the rim of the control board in front of her. When she speaks, she addresses Haymitch in an even voice. "Of course, we have prepared for such a scenario. Although we have decades of support for the assumption that further direct attacks on Thirteen would be counterproductive to the Capitol's cause. Nuclear missiles would release radiation into the atmosphere, with incalculable environmental results. Even routine bombing could badly damage our military compound, which we know they hope to regain. And, of course, they invite a counterstrike. It is conceivable that, given our current alliance with the rebels, those would be viewed as acceptable risks."

"You think so?" says Haymitch. It's a shade too sincere, but the subtleties of irony are often wasted in 13.

"I do. At any rate, we're overdue for a Level Five security drill," says Coin. "Let's proceed with the lockdown." She begins to type rapidly on her keyboard, authorizing her decision. The moment she raises her head, it begins.

"I need to find Cas and Avanna" I say before running off to the cafeteria. I run as fast as I can pushing people out of the way until I get to the cafeteria.

"Oh thank god your still here" I breathe out in relief as my gaze lands upon the two. "We'll stay here until the crowd has died down, I don't want us getting trampled"

"Ok" Avanna replies as we watch the chaos unfold in front of our eyes. People moving as fast as they can not caring who gets hurt in the process.

Caspian begins to cry as the siren echo's throughout 13."Hey, it's ok. Everything's gonna be ok" I tell him, gently brushing away his tears.

"I want mummy" he cries out.

"Me too" I admit, pulling him into my arms and grabbing Avanna's hand as we begin to walk at the back of the crowd.

We make our way down the stairs with water from who knows where dripping down onto us, soaking our clothes.I see a girl hunched over on the stairs with her arms trying her best to protect her head.

"Katniss?" I ask as Avy helps her to her feet. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, just got a bit trampled, thanks" she said thanking me and Avanna.

"Common we got to get going" I urge making sure everyone makes it down the stairs.We make our way down the final set of stairs and into the bunker. Katniss wonders off, I assume to join her family. Me, Beatrice and Cas make our way over to a bunk bed.

I carefully place a now sleeping Caspian down on the bed, tucking him in. This child can sleep through anything. Including a bombing attack.

"You ok?" I ask the young brunette.