Believe Me | Saylor Odair

~7~

Saylor had managed to convince Coin to let her help Finnick as he went to help Katniss."If you want the best shot of this rebellion. Let me go out there and help." Saylor told Coin. "I'm sorry Saylor but you're too much of a liability. for all, we know, you have the same programming as Peeta and are just waiting for the right moment. I can't let you go." Coin said and Saylor rolled her eyes. "Well, good thing I wasn't asking..." Saylor firmly then turned around to walk off. Coin sighed. "Fine you can go... but Finnick is in charge of you. And Sejanus is going as well." She said and Saylor nodded.
It had taken her a lot of persisting but here she was. Walking up to Katniss with Sejanus, right behind her brother.
"Finnick? Saylor? Are you with us?" Katniss asked then hugged them. "Looks like it."
"Wouldn't want to be anywhere else." Saylor and Finnick responded at the same time.
"That was a short honeymoon." Katniss teased. "Yeah, well, I guess we're gonna have to have one in the capitol... After we take it." Finnick said with confidence.

"Gather 'round..." Boggs said. "Squad 451, you're my unit. Lieutenant Jackson is my second-in-command. Each one of you is elite in some form of combat. But we are a non-combat unit. So we'll be following days behind the front-line troops. " Boggs explained. What? Is he serious?
"You're to be the onscreen faces of the invasion. "The star squad." It's been decided that you're most effective when seen by the masses." Cressida explained. "So we're not gonna fight?" Gale asked before Saylor could. "You'll do whatever you're ordered to do, soldier. It's not your job to ask questions." Boggs said quickly "Yes, sir." Gale says.

"Our instructions are to shoot propaganda footage on the battle-scarred streets of the capitol. You were handpicked to intimidate their forces. And inspire surrenders. Even though we'll be working on abandoned streets miles behind the front lines, I guarantee you, wherever they put us, it will not be safe. This is a war zone. It is likely that we'll encounter both active pods and peacekeepers. You're considered high-value targets to the capitol.
Our unit has been given a holo. A database that contains a detailed map of the capitol and a list of every known pod. These pods can trigger anything from bombs to traps to mutts. We cannot move without this device. There's no guarantee that our database is complete. There could be new pods that we're not aware of. Because we don't want the game makers to know we have this intel, it has a self-destruct on it. You flip this switch, say "nightlock" three times, and it blows itself and anything within a 10-foot radius. Stay within our unit. Even with the holo, it is likely that new pods have been set. Whatever they contain, they are meant to kill you." Boggs explains to the team. Finnick leans over to Katniss. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 76th Hunger Games." He says and Saylor hits his arm but she can't help but agree with him. I've survived two games... might as well make it three.

~~~

After they destroyed their first pod they found shelter in an abandoned building. Saylor was sitting next to Finnick and across from Sejanus when they heard a peacekeeper's van pull up. They all immediately went outside and aimed their weapons.
"Stand down, everyone. It's friendly." Boggs said and Peeta stepped out of the vehicle. Saylor quickly puts down her weapon. "My name is Peeta Mellark. My home is district 12. My name is Peeta Mellark. My home is district 12." Peeta repeats and Katniss is still aiming her bow. Saylor steps in front of her and uses her hand to guide Katniss's bow down. "Jackson, cuff him," Boggs said and she does.

"They want us to add him to the propo. Show that he's on our side now." Boggs explains. "Isn't that why we have her?" Gale says and points to Saylor. Saylor gives him and glare and he stops pointing at her and looks away. Saylor rolls her eyes and then looks at Sejanus who trying to hold in his laugh.
"We'll move forward a few blocks tomorrow and shoot the new footage. " Bogg continues.

~~~

Saylor was trying to sleep but the constant talking from Katniss and Peeta was keeping her up.
"I just can't tell what's real and what's made up anymore. " Peeta admits "Then ask. It's what Annie does." Finnick says. "Ask who? The only person I trust in the room is Saylor and she is messed up just like I am." Peeta says and Saylor sits up. Gee, thanks. Saylor thinks and Peeta gives her an apologetic look.
"Us. We're your unit now." Jackson says. It was silent for a second till Peeta started to talk.
"Your favorite color is green. Is that real?" Peeta asks. "Yeah. That's real. Yours is orange. Not bright orange. Soft, like the sunset." Katniss responds.
"Thank you," Peeta says but Katniss continues. "You're a painter. You're a Baker. You always sleep with the windows open. You never take sugar in your tea. You always double-knot your shoelaces" Katniss stands up. "You were right. I can't do this." She says then walks over to Gale.

While all that was happening Saylor scooted over to Sejanus and laid her head on his shoulder. He gave her a soft smile and then closed his eyes. While being at District 13 Saylor and Sejanus had become best friends as they both had the same side goal... Save Coriolanus from the Capitol.

~~~

"I'm Caesar flickerman. Here with our continuing coverage of the defense of the capitol." Caesar's voice rang out from the TV. They had managed to find an abandoned home and were hiding out.
"Today, as our peacekeepers valiantly hold off the rebels, our story takes a surprising twist. Katniss Everdeen, our once favorite daughter, has infiltrated the city with some of the Victors, whose names are all too familiar. Finnick Odair, Saylor Odair, and Peeta Mellark. Hmm. Clearly, some alliances don't last forever." It shows Peeta trying to attack Katniss then Finnick and Saylor grabbing him off of her.
"Take a look at what happened just a moment ago,
when our peacekeepers cornered Katniss Everdeen and her band of foolish rebels. Whatever arrogance brought this treacherous girl back to us, you are about to witness a great victory, not only for the capitol, but for Panem." He says then it switches to a video of the building being shot down.
"So there you have it. Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire, a girl who inspired so much violence, seems to have met a violent end herself. Stay tuned for more information. Caesar flickerman. Thank you."

"So now that we're dead, what are we gonna do?"Gale asked. "Isn't it obvious? The next move is to kill me." Saylor waits for someone to respond but no one does. "Peeta, No. We are not killing you." Saylor says. "Saylor, I murdered one of our squad members. Katniss is right. I'm a mutt. And it's only a matter of time before I snap again... I'm not in control. I need a nightlock pill, so I can die when I need to." Peeta says and Saylor shakes her head.
"If it gets to that point, I'll kill you myself," Gale says then stands up.

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I think you all know what chapter is coming up... But first. A chapter of Coriolanus