Fire is Catching

Chapter 17: Beetee's Plan

CHAPTER 17: BEETEE'S PLAN

When I wake up, everyone's already up and watching a parachute land on the beach. It's more rolls from District 3. They're are twenty-four, just like yesterday. We each take five, leaving nine out. I know we're all thinking it, due to the silence and our fixated eyes, but those leftover rolls will divide up perfectly after the next death. And it's my job to make sure they never do.

There's only nine of us left. Us six, Brutus, Enobaria, and Chaff. Even though I hate the tributes from Two with a burning passion, it'd be good if they didn't die.

Everdeen tells Peeta she'll teach him how to swim, and drags him over to the water.

I lean over by Finnick and Beetee. "I'm worried they'll break away."

Johanna's a ways away, and I don't bother to call her over.

"We just have to gain their trust." Beetee says in his twitchy manner.

Finnick shakes his head. "We have Peeta's. It's Katniss we have to worry about. He'll follow her at this point in the Games."

Both him and Beetee look at me.

"What?" I ask.

"You're better at making friends." Finnick says.

"Better than the famous Odair?" I offer.

He smirks. "Alex on the streets, Finnick in the sheets."

I roll my eyes. "How poetic, pretty boy."

He looks at me with puppy dog eyes.

"Okay....... I'll do it." I say. "But when the Careers are dead we shoot."

This, of course, is wrong. We will not kill Everdeen or Peeta. But for Plutarch's sake, I have thrown it in.

The guys nod, and Johanna comes over by us.

Finnick and Beetee can tell Johanna wants to be alone with me so they go to the other end of the beach.

Johanna plops down beside me. "You know, I kind of get the feeling you're mad at me."

I don't reply.

She nods. "Well, I'm taking that as a no."

Her 'humor' isn't helping me, so she tries again. "You know Alex, I'm sorry I killed Cashmere. I know-"

"No you don't." I interrupt. "At least Everdeen didn't know how close Gloass and I were. But you, Johanna, chose to kill one of the only people in this world that I trust! And in doing that, you cost me two trusted people."

I leave her and sit by the guys. Beetee fills me in on what him and Finnick have been discussing.

"I have a plan," he tells me. "To kill the Careers."

Good. We're covering some ground on this whole, 'breaking the arena' thing.

"Okay," I reply.

Everdeen and Peeta seem to be done talking, so Finnick calls everyone over.

"Guys c'mere!"

Everyone gathers over by me immediately, except for Finnick, who has to rouse Johanna from her nap.

Once we're all gathered by Beetee, he shoos us back so he can have room in the sand.

"I think we can all agree that our next job is to kill Brutus and Enobaria." He begins, looking at us intently. "I doubt they'll attack us openly again since they're so outnumbered. We could track them down, but it's dangerous and exhausting work."