RUINATION | FINNICK ODAIR

TWO DIFFERENT MISSIONS

"By order of President Snow, all residents must proceed to the Presidential Estate. Please move forward in a calm and orderly fashion."

The message was broadcasted over every speaker in the city. Everyone who was supposed to be evacuating, including Lara, Katniss, and Gale, heard it loud and clear.

As they slipped into the crowd, they pulled their hoods closer to their faces in an attempt to hide themselves more. Peacekeepers were lined on top of balconies and in large tanks on the ground, trying to catch any fugitive or rebel.

Lara glanced around and saw that every Capitol citizens seemed wary to head to their destination. It seemed as though the war had effected the trust between them.

As they got closer to the estate, a line of peacekeepers joined the crowd. They pulled down hoods that hid anyone's face, revealing their identity. All three of them saw it, turning back around immediately.

Lara knew it was a risk. If any peacekeeper saw them going the wrong way, they'd be investigated and caught. But it was better to try to escape rather than go straight into the danger ahead.

They only took a few steps until they saw another wave of peacekeepers coming from behind too. They were trapped either direction. They turned back around once more, this time preparing for a fight.

Lara couldn't use her batons without first discarding her disguise that covered them. Instead, she slowly reached for the gun holstered to her thigh. As the peacekeepers from behind came closer and closer to Katniss, she readied herself to draw her weapon.

But just as the soldier's hand touched the mockingjay's shoulder, an explosion blew up the tank behind them.

"It's the rebels!"

Immediate chaos ensued around them. The peacekeepers were no longer concentrated on the suspicious trio. They turned every weapon towards the back of the crowd, open firing.

People screamed and ran away. Many were still crouched down to avoid the debris from the bombs that kept raining on the soldiers. Both Lara and Gale had their hands pushing Katniss low to the ground.

Lara dared to look up as the bullets whizzed by. She spotted metal roadblocks ahead, big enough to cover them.

"Go!" she shouted, pushing Katniss towards that direction. The other two got ahold of what she was saying, sprinting towards the roadblocks.

No one was watching them amongst the crowd. Their disguises made no difference. Lara ditched hers, slipped off her cloak so she could get out her batons.

She covered the back while Gale led. The two made sure Katniss was well protected between them.

Once they got to the slabs of metal, they hurdled over them, pressing their backs against it as they hid. He could feel the bullets bouncing and ricocheting off the sides.

Gale dared to move, charging at a nearby peacekeeper and knocking him down. He stole his gun and pulled Katniss to her feet.

They kept running forward towards the mansion. Bombs burned buildings and bridges, causing the debris to fall down around them. They dodged and ducked as they ran away from the main fight.

They got closer to the line of tanks that guarded the entry gates. The machine guns on top shot at anything that moved, regardless of their sides.

They tried to stop and hide behind a tank, but a missile dove straight at the vehicle. It was blown back, forcing the trio to dive to the sides to avoid its fall. Lara threw her body on top of Katniss', receiving a majority of the blow.