The Other Slip

Chapter 22

Heavy gear mobilizes me, and I sit as still as possible in the shaky aircraft. I don't pay attention to the incoherent conversations in my earpiece, they aren't directed to me either way. Both Peeta and Gale are on this ship with me, but I ignore them. I got what I want by coming here, and they can't do anything about it. The words in my ear suddenly become more clear, and I snap out of the dazed state I am in.

-"Okay squad, follow me. We divide in the groups once we're there. You all know your orders, soldiers."

We all follow Boggs one by one, slowly falling into Snow's presidential mansion. I nod at a District 13 soldier, who's name I have already forgotten, and I follow her towards the location we have been given. I have specifically requested Haymitch, but I don't know where to set my expectations. What has Snow done to him? From the very few interviews that have been shown, he looked decent enough, but I can't imagine the amount of makeup they must have put on him. The woman tosses a small cylinder into a room and it releases thick, opaque, gray smoke. We quickly run through and find ourselves in front of a glass door covering a bright white room. And in that room, dressed in the same bright white color, is Haymitch. I finally have my chance to repay the debt, I cannot freeze just because of the sight of Haymitch's wrecked body. Bruises, cuts and burns cover him. I don't freeze. Instead, I latch him onto my belt and grab him, making sure he follows along with me. We arrive back at our starting point, and cords are dropped down for us to grab. Haymitch floats up with me, and they place him onto a stretcher once we are all the way up.

It scares me how smoothly that went. I was told Beetee had shut down all the power in the Capitol, but Snow usually has a trick up his sleeve. That's why I'm not startled when I start to hear shooting.

None of the soldiers around me show signs of panic, but I know they are all afraid on the inside. If we get caught, we will all be prisoners in the Capitol, and face the same torture Haymitch, Johanna, Annie, Enobaria and Luella did. We are divided into two aircrafts, so it is just a question of which one Snow will shoot down. I know for a fact he wants the one I'm in to fall. However, he has no idea which one that is, so all he can do is take a lucky guess. The loud crashing from outside reveals to me that he guessed wrong. I cannot worry about the passengers of that ship now, I just watch as our pilot keeps moving forward, turning swiftly and unpredictably at times, in case they are still shooting at us. Soon enough, we are out of their range. I sigh, and take a moment to register the people on this ship. Peeta, Gale, and three District 13 soldiers are here with me. Even if I am still mad at Peeta and Gale, I am relieved they aren't in whatever is left of the other plane, awaiting some cruel fate in Snow's hand. No one politically important is in the other ship, Snow must be quite disappointed. The only person I know is also on this aircraft is Haymitch, I have no clue who the others saved. I lean my head back and close my eyelids, listening to the steady roar of the engine.