The Life of A Victor || Finnick Odair

CHAPTER 61

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Dove's heartbeat was still racing. Not only because she and her loved ones had almost died, but because, after a long time, she had seen an innocent person being killed. Katniss had just shot a woman with one of her arrows. Sure, the unknown woman was screaming and calling for help, which drew everyone into a state of panic, but was killing her the only option they had left? Surely not.

Finnick sat Dove down on a sofa in the woman's flat to see if her bleeding leg would be something to worry about in a near future. Luckily, since the mutt didn't have claws, the scabs had just opened due to the pressure and would close after some time.

"How long do you think we have before they figure out most of us could've survived?" Katniss asked while glancing around at the squad.

"I think they could be here anytime," Gale answered. "They knew we were heading for the streets. Probably the explosion will throw them for a few minutes, then they'll start looking for our exit point."

There was no reply from Katniss, who just walked to the window, analysing the flat's surroundings by peeking through the blinds. Cressida joined her and announced she knew where they were, which was a relief for everyone. It seemed they weren't too far from the president's mansion.

"You want to attack Snow when Dove and your cousin are injured? Do you want to send them to the other side quickly, or what? Not to talk about Peeta, who's still freaking out over there on the sofa." Johanna pointed out mockingly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Johanna's right. There's no time for that, but we can't stay, nor can we go out like this. We'll need to wear a disguise of sorts. Check the closets," Katniss answered, which caused Johanna to smile proudly at her before going to the woman's room in search of any clothes that could fit them.

"How are you doing?" Finnick asked Dove. Only them, Peeta, and Mitchell were left in the room.

Dove raised a hand to her chest. Her heart was still racing, but it wasn't as fast as before. Finnick's alive. Melo's alive. Johanna. Katniss. Peeta. We're alive. She thought, looking into her husband's eyes.

"Not good. But, I'll get better. Once I kill that bastard," Dove muttered, using a light tone for the first time in a while. "How are you?"

"Not any better than you are. Much less when I thought I would lose you on that platform. I even elbowed Mitchell in the face to make him let go," he answered, chuckling as he saw Mitchell playfully rubbing his cheek as if he was in great pain.

"That's the last time I try to save your life," Mitchell commented with a smile, taking a seat on the floor as he waited for the rest to be back.

"Look at what we have just found," Johanna said in a singsong voice while motioning them to follow her into a room filled with women's clothes and make-up. "In that bedroom across the hall, there are clothes for men."

Katniss appeared from behind Johanna, taking a quick glance at Peeta's bloody wrists before looking for the key. However, before she could do anything else, Peeta jerked away from her.

"No," he said. "Don't. They help hold me together."

Gale, who had come back from checking the men's clothes in the other room, spoke up. "You might need your hands."

"When I feel myself slipping, I dig my wrists into them, and the pain helps me focus," Peeta explained, which convinced everyone to let the matter go for the time being.

"All right. Coats will work to hide our uniforms and weapons. But what do we do about the faces? Most of us are easily recognisable by any citizen in Panem," Melo pointed out.