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A Whole New Game- Chapter 21 -A Hunger Games Story

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Chapter 21: The Last Rescue


Athena

Did I feel betrayed? A little. It's not as if I knew Alec. He was just Gale's annoying assistant.There was bound to be a traitor in that huge underground district. I guess I had just not expected someone so high up.

But betrayal is nothing compared to the dread that consumes me.We had all noticed a far greater problem the second the hovercraft doors had shut. Samantha is not here. None of the families are here. Not only had we been betrayed, but tricked as well, and now we are headed back into those horrid Games again, all the while our families lie hidden somewhere in the Capitol scared and alone and still very much in belief that we are dead. Soon they will be right.

This is exactly what I should have expected.

They had placed us all in different cell rooms down different hallways. Each were sealed with thick clear glass, most likely sound proof, as it was silent except for the sound of my own erratic breathing. Hours go by. Horrible, quiet hours.

The agonizing silence is suddenly broken with a name, my name.

"Athena? Athena respond!" I look frantically around for the source, but find nothing. Just me, alone and betrayed by my mind as well.

"Athena, it's Carver. I'm using comunicuff." I look down at my arm.

Oh yeah. I'm the human walkie talkie now.

"Oh! I'm here!" I respond with a whisper.

"We got word that the families were not on board.We should never have been so feeble minded to believe that they would actually exchange them." A static sigh. "Thank God no one was hurt during Alec's little stunt. Finnick's getting patched up as we speak." A small pause. "I'm here."

"What?"

"I'm here.To break you all out."

"How?" I ask, my voice laced with doubt.

"Look up."

My eyes shoot up and see Carver standing on the other side if the glass, grinning.

The expression on my face must be pretty amusing to him, as he begins to laugh. I look past him a bit, seeing the peacekeeper unconscious on the floor.

"How the-?" I shake my head, "You know what, nevermind. How do you plan on getting me out of here? This glass it almost two inches thick."

"Did you really think I came unprepared?"

"Well last time-"

"Shutup. Anyway, come up to the glass."

I do as he says, my face centimeters away from the transparent cell wall, his face the same on the opposite side. Had the glass not been there, our faces would be uncomfortably close.

He raises his hand, pressing his thumb to the glass, and looks to me, his eyes pleading me to mirror his movements. Confused, I do as he does, and look back up to him expectantly.

His staticky voice rings clear. "Now concentrate, press the glass hard, and follow my motions," he finishes, gesturing a manhole sized circle around the glass.

"What is that supposed to do?" I ask completely bewildered.

"You have a laser in you thumb, correct?" Carver asks. "Beetee says it should be hot enough to cut through almost anything."

"Wait, what?! Since when?" "Wait, you don't know what your own arm can do?" Carver asks incredulously.

"It didn't exactly come with a manual, I only just got it!" I say defensively. I look behind Carver to make sure no one was on there way.\

"Look, I don't mean to rush you, but we got about a thirty minute window here. And peacekeepers should be here any minute now." Carver edges on. "Just concetrate and follow my motions."

I scowl, but I keep my concentration and do as he does.

Wheeeeeeeeeeet.

"Holy-!" Carver exclaims. He pulls his hand away as if he had burned it.

I open my eyes and see a red beam pulsing from my finger. I continue to make a big enough hole that I can fit through.After a slight push the glass circle clamors on the ground. It was still steaming slightly, the smell of smoke heavy in the air as the laser continues to pulse. I flex my thumb slightly, and the beam dies, and I emerge from my cell.

As I climb out, I hear Carver clapping. "Bravo! Truly brilliant! I told you we always come-"

"Hey!" The two of us turn greeted by the sight of a lone peacekeeper. All of us freeze when we see each other.

My head screams with the most natural instinct it knows. Run. Run. Run and never look back.

Carver, however, has a different idea. Instead of running, Carver charges the surprised guard.With a few expertly placed punches and kicks, the peacekeeper is out cold on the ground, just like his counterpart a few feet away.

"We have to go get the others, someone is going to find them here and sound the alarm." I stare disbelieving at Carver and then back at the crumpled men. I would've hated to be in a Hunger Games with General Jourdaire. It would be over in an instant.

"Are you just going to stand there? Let's go!" he says, somewhat annoyed, seizing my hand and beginning to race forward.

"Wait!" I bend over and pick up the circle of glass, it wasn't terrible heavy and it gave me an idea. "You said this thing is bulletproof right?"

"Oh, you're good, Miss Raze."

"Thanks," I smile to myself, "Let's go." I lead the way holding up the glass in front of us.We enter a hallway with several doors on both sides.

"I'm pretty sure the other cells are behind these doors." I say, remembering how they dragged each of us down this hallway. I walk up to the door cautiously and open the door.

"It's clear!" I whisper loudly. As I set down the glass I see Peeta and Marvel sitting in separate cells.They both look up, bewildered.

I walk over to the glass and press my thumb to it. However instead of a steady beam, it sputters out.

"It's not working!"

"What do you mean it isn't working?" Carver asks, exasperated.

A staticky voice erupts from Carver's comunicuff, "Ah yes, this was one of the er, downsides to the mechanical prosthetic. It may take a while to start up again," Beetee's voice sparks.

"What!?" Carver exclaims. He shakes his head, "We need a new plan."

My eyes immediately lock on to a small metallic box on the wall near the cells.

"Look," I point to the box. "It's a powerbox, it must control the doors."

"How do you know that?" Carver asks.

"They had these all around around District 5.They would be able to open the doors to the power plants in case of an emergency."

"Well this counts as an emergency. Do you know how to work it?"

I walk over to the box, "I think so. When I was in school, this was one of the first things they taught us."

Woah, school...The last time I thought about school was over a year ago. I had to drop out to take care of Samantha. I remember learning how to read, write, and add of course, but the majority of what they taught us was anything related to energy. From learning how a lightbulb works in kindergarten, to learning how to assemble a nuclear reactor in our 8th year. Solar energy, nuclear energy, hydroelectricity, they even taught us how to create power from a single potato.

Most of what I had learned had been lost, sorted as useless information when it came to taking care of a child, but some of it floods back to me. I examine the box.

"It's bolted shut," I start to tug at it, "Maybe I can pry it loose-" Creak! The small door rips off the box.

"Wow, you have a lot of strength in that new uppercutter of yours." Carver says, gesturing to my arm. He picks up the shattered remnatns of what used to be the door to the box. "Jeez! You tore straight through the middle."

I look down at my right arm in amazement, "This thing is crazy strong."

"No kidding, we should move along though. Are you sure you can get them out?" Carver looks anxiously at the door. I see that he has his gun at the ready.

Seventy-five percent sure. I smile to myself as I go to work on the various wires and switches.

It takes me a while, but soon I hear a sliding. I look over to see the glass door sinking to the ground. Marvel and Peeta stumble out.

"Where's Katniss?"

"Where is Clove?"

They both speak at the same time.

"How about a thank you to your dear friend Miss Raze? And of course me as well." Carver grins as the mumble an embarrassed "Thank you."

"Manners these days," I hear Carver mutter to himself. "Okay let's be on our way. Don't worry, we will get to them eventually.Three down, five to go!" He hands me the circle of glass and winks as he strides quickly to the door.

We follow him out of the room into the hallway, where another peacekeeper awaits us.

My heart hammers with panic. Without thinking, I throw the glass like a discus at the man's stomach as he turns around. "Whumf!" He exhales as the glass impacts his stomach-he falls to the ground.

He begins call for backup, struggling under the wieght of the glass, but not before Carver leaps into action and quickly knocks him out.

"More are coming, we are running out of time. Stay on guard," he says quietly.

After a few minutes, we have successfully retreived Rue and Eleanor, and they follow our heard. But before we can approach the last room, the entire hovercraft lurches.

I hear Carver muttering to himself. "Running out of time, we're running our of time."

We burst into a room to find Katniss and Cato, surprise etched into their faces behind the glass. But before I can make it to the powerbox, I hear several footsteps approaching. "Hey! They're in here!" I hear a peacekeeper call. I hear gun shots, and I pray Carver is the one doing the shooting. I don't dare turn around as I furiously work several wires. I pull the switch and once more the door slides down. Katniss and Cato shoot out of their cages, and rush to the others.

Carver rushes back in. He doesn't look too hurt, other than a small cut on his head.

"We need to get out of here!" Peeta exclaims.

"Rue are you there?" Katniss asks.

"Where's Clove?" Marvel asks desperately.

"Who cares about the bitch? Lets just get out!" Eleanor exclaims.

"EVERYONE SHUT UP FOR ONE MINUTE!" Carver yells. "That 'bitch' you were talking about is my sister, so shut your mouth!" He sighs, exasperated. "Obviously Clove is in a separate hallway. On my way here I saw another; she must be behind one of those doors. Athena will come with me.The rest of you just stay here, if any peacekeepers come, run," he says quickly.

"That sounds like an extremely stupid and risky plan." Katniss mutters. She catches Carver's eye. "Look I'm sorry, but I mean it."

"I know, I know, but it's the best we've got. It's more dangerous to move as a huge group. If anything happens just meet us at the hallway, if not, we will come back here." Carver tries to keep his normal confidence, but I can hear doubt in his words. Despite my own doubt, I follow him out into the hallway.

Miraculously, we make it too the other hallway alive (though a few peacekeepers litter the floor.) I expect to find an array of doors covering the walls, instead there are only two doors in the middle of the hallway. I spot the powerbox between them and rush over to it.

"Clove must be behind one of these," I say.The hovercraft lurches again.

"Okay hurry up-" Caver gets cut off as suddenly five peacekeepers rush in from the end of the hall. Carver fires his gun as he runs toward them.

My fingers fly over the wires, and within seconds I here a satisfying click. I turn around to see Carver knock out the last guy, when more peacekeepers rush in.

"Run! Just run the way we came!"

And I do exactly as he says, only hoping whichever door we opened was the right one.




Clove



I wait, alone in my cell and clawing at the palms of my hands in raging concealed fury.

Alec. That lying little bastard. He was probably feeding the Capitol information the whole time. And now we are all going to die because of him. That little shithead. If I ever get my hands on him, I-

I smell smoke.

Something is wrong. The craft had jutted slightly earlier, but I thought it must have just been a minor temporary fluke in piloting or something. But I sit, and I waft, and I most assuredly smell smoke.

Oh my God. The hovercraft is going down.

I leap up, and plaster myself against the plastic walls of the prison cell, in an attempt to see down the hallway. Only the peacekeeper waits motionless in his place, defending the doorway and unmoving. Unbothered, or ignorant I suppose. I slide down the wall, and sink to my knees as I bury my head in my hands. I am never getting out of here. All of my friends are going to die. And I-

And I yelp slightly as the cell wall that once supported me disappears, and I hit the floor.

The peacekeeper's not ignorant now. Of course. The second he hears me he rushes toward me, and I scramble up to my feet, racing away as I hear him shout after me, calling for backup.

I go flying from my hall, shooting down another as the daunting stampede of the peacekeeper pursues. If they hadn't put all of us is different hallways, maybe I could have had some backup of my own! A bullet whizzes by my ear, and I shriek. I turn quick down another hall, only to discover a dead end. Of course. Of course I find the dead end.

"Gotcha now, sweetheart."

I turn and find the peacekeeper, his gun poised at my heart, his blue eyes glimmering from beneath the plastic shield of his helmet. "Didn't think I'd let you get away that easily, did you? Good thing your Snow's kin, or else you'd be dead already. Now, let's get you back where you belong and-"

A sickening crack.

The peacekeeper's up only a second more, before he falls to the floor, his skull rattling in his helmet, his neck obviously broken and his spinal cord presumably severed. Behind where he once stood, a wide-eyed Cato, his hands curled into fists. And for once, I have never been more happy for his ability to kill with nothing more than his bare hands and a flick of the wrist.

"Cato!" I find myself running up to him, leaping into his arms with such force it almost knocks him over. His arms wrap around me, and he squeezes with such gentleness and love, the way only he knows how. It lingers a moment, but he seems to shake himself out of it, and drops me to my feet.

"Come on, we have to go. There'll be more, and unfortunately, they don't really care if I live or die."

He takes my hand and we begin to race away, unsure of where we are going. "Cato, what happened, how did we get out?"

"The electrical system shorted. Good thing Athena knows wires and shit. Lucky for us, right?"

"Yeah, lucky. But where are the oth-"

If I had been paying attention, I wouldn't have even needed to ask my question. But I wasn't, so instead I slam face first into Eleanor, and we both fall back flat on our hindquarters.

"Watch it, Bitchface!" She looks up. "Cay!" She's up off her feet so fast I barely have time to process what she means before her lips are crashed against his. I sit up, dizzy and rubbing my skull. I'm seeing stars, and three people instead of two. Or maybe I am seeing three, for in a moment, someone's pulling me up and into a fierce hug, and I can barely manage a gasp as my arms wrap around Marvel's neck.

"Oh thank God you're okay. We couldn't find you. I thought-"

"I'm fine, Marvel," I say, more crassly then I feel. I've never been happier to see him, (well, actually, I take that back,) but something tells me now is not the time. I leap down from his embrace, and turn towards Eleanor. "Did either of you see any of the others?"

"Do I look like a tracking device to you? No, I don't know where any of those other morons are."

"Good God, you are the most nauseating person on the face of this planet," Marvel retracts. I smile up at him. Now that's sexy.

"Well at least I'm getting some," she mocks. "I know for a fact that you and Cloverfield  here haven't and never will-"

Thunder. Thunder and lightning.

Thunder sounds from up the hall, and lightning rains as the bullets ricochet of the plated walls and hit the light fixtures behind us. The four of us turn, faced with the image of Rue, Katniss, Peeta, Athena, and Carver sprinting at full force as the smoke of gunfire pursues. Carver's eyes go wide and he turns back with a single movement to shoot his own handgun, still running. The sound of footfalls soften ever so slightly, and the next thing I know Carver has turned around, a single sound echoing from his lips and through the hall.

"RUN!"

And I must say, I have never followed directions quite so well.

We merge into the stampede of tributes, racing behind Carver and Athena, who turn back every now and then and fire away at the mob of peacekeepers behind us. Athena turns at some point, directing her arm backwards and giving the peacekeepers a thumbs up. Confused for only a moment, I watch as a fiery red laser beam jets from her finger towards the peacekeepers, burning a hole straight through one of them on impact. That is is so badass.

Carver suddenly takes a diving turn to the right, and thrusts into a room with an industrial looking metal door, the rest of us clamoring in behind. "Barricade the door!"

"With what! There's nothing in here!"

I see Cato's right. The room is completely empty, except for another metal door on the opposite side, the words ESCAPE HATCH clearly printed in bold black font.

The escape hatch. That tiny little archway of hope. We can do it. We can make it out of here. If only we had more time, and not 50 heavily armed guards trailing behind us.

"Just seal it!"

Marvel and Cato do as he says, spinning a wheel on the door and locking it into place. Just as it closes, the door shudders as if being hit from the other side. Sparks fly from the hinges, indents appear where I presume the door is being shot. It'll hold for a bit, but not forever. There is only so much time.

Carver races ahead, throwing open the escape hatch with practically no effort. But horror grips me as I look out.

Nothing. Only the misty earth, thousands and thousands of feet down with not a speck in between. Screaming, puncturing wind. Void and vacant sky. There is no craft, there is no rescue team. There is no one here to save us.

"What the hell is this? Do you expect us to jump?" Eleanor barks.

Carver turns, ignoring her question, smiling slightly. A thin stripe of blood on his head has trickled down his cheek, but somehow only added to the stunning beauty of his power. He approaches Marvel.

"You first, Marv'."

And with that, Carver grabs hold of Marvel's shoulders, and shoves him hard out the open escape hatch, and the lanky boy disappears, screaming as he plummets out of sight and to the earth below.

No one moves. No one speaks. Utter shock seizes my heart. Carver turns, and almost everyone takes a simultaneous step back, and I gaze at my brother in sheer terror.

"...C-Carver?" I manage to gasp.

"What the hell did you just do!" Eleanor screams. "You're out of your goddamned mind! You are out of your goddamned fucking-"

"Can it, FishLips," he snaps. He makes his way over to me, and grabs hold of my shoulders.

"Clove, do you trust me?"

"Wha-Carver, what did you do! This is-"

"Do you trust me?" There's a ping of force to his tone, and as I look him in his storm-grey eyes, I think of my father. A bright wintry day, my hand in his, his eyes as frosty as the snow around us. The last day I ever saw him.

I love you, Clovely. You gonna be brave while your mother and I are gone?

Of course, Dad.

You always are. We'll be back by the end of the month, and Carver will be with you, so no need to worry. We'll bring you something special, okay?

I laughed. Okay. I love you, Dad.

I love you too, Clovely.


They died the next day. The explosion destroyed their entire underground base, as well as everything within a 1000-foot area. Not even the ashes remained.



I nod my head wearily.

The door shudders again, squeaking a moment on it's hinges.

The saddest of smiles cracks Carver's handsome face, and his eyes sparkle more brilliantly than I have ever known. "I love you. Don't forget that."

And then my brother pushes me out of the hovercraft, and I scream as free fall through the clouds.



Thud!

A shooting pain stabs my arm as I tumble onto flat, metal plating. The wind howls from ever direction, gripping me in it's gusts and throwing me about the smooth surface. A few yards off, painted to the top in glistening bronze, is a bird. A mockingjay.

I've hit another hovercraft.

"Clove!"

I glance up, and find Marvel unsteadily racing toward me, his elongated body fighting against the lashing breeze. My gaze moves upward, finding the Capitol craft above us. Our own hovercraft must have some sort of outward concealing mechanism, for as I glance up to the sky, I spy a thin shimmering haze, rippling around us almost like heat waves. Brilliant, Beetee. You can't see the craft unless your on it. An invisible airship.

An earth shattering scream.

I look up just in time to see Athena tumble downward, suddenly penetrating the force field with a look of surprise. She hits the top, her prosthetic arm hitting the steel with a rattling clang! of metal-on-metal.Then suddenly, another clump of figures, Peeta and Katniss and Rue, come crashing into view, the three of them locked in a tight embrace, followed by the longest and most vile stream of obscenities I ever heard. Eleanor hits the steel hard a few seconds later, and Cato comes crashing next to her, literally denting the rooftop.

"Your brother is a goddamned maniac!" Eleanor shrieks, somehow managing to use only one vulgarity.

"Where is he?"

"Coming!" It's Cato who screams in response. "Everyone, get inside! Now!"

No one dare hesitates. Athena takes the lead, with Katniss and Peeta close behind, Rue gripped to his side, Cato, Eleanor, Marvel, and I taking up the rear. Marvel snatches hold of my hand, dragging me behind him as our group of tributes races toward the open doorway of the Rebellion hovercraft. We're almost there-

And I hear the sound of the cannon.

No. Impossible. These are not the Games. But I look up to the Capitol hovercraft, preparing to see Carver on his way down, racing towards us like bird in flight. Instead I find him falling to the floor of the ship above, his eyes blank and his face drained of color. A bleeding hole in his chest.

My mind goes in short bursts, short-circuiting as everything falls into place. The door to the Capitol craft closes, blocking my view of him. I hear my own voice screaming. Shouts calling my name. A set of long arms locking around my waist and pulling me inside. The sudden extinguishing of wind. The craft racing away, we are being shot at. We are hit, but still moving. The smell of smoke, the taste of tears.But I only feel the swallowing sense of absolute devastation.

I close my eyes as my entire world slowly crumbles around me, the sound of gunfire still ringing in my ears.



He's dead. Carver's dead.
Super long chapter. I know.

So how are your feels? Did I break them?



WARNING: If you have not read the previous chapters, this is literately going to make no sense. So just do it if you haven't. Please. :heart:

Eleanor's parts by: :iconponiesaremypassion:

Katniss' parts by :iconnicolerieko:

Athena's parts by :iconwirelessimagination:

Clove's parts by Me :iconcrooked-letters:

Any questions, please just ask.

Your feedback, whether good or bad, is very much appreciated. :huggle: Especially comments. They make me happy. :)
© 2012 - 2024 crooked-letters
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cheese-ninja-cat's avatar
AHHHHHHHHH MY FEELS MY FEEEEELLLLSS YOU BROKE THEM YOU CRUSHED THEM CARVER IS DEAD NOOOOOOOOOO CLOVELY POOR CLOVELY NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

TOT