Mockingjay

«Secrets,» he says, echoing my thoughts. «And this is where you’re going to want to stay tuned, President Snow, because so very many of them were about you. But let’s begin with some of the others.»

Fi

«And now, on to our good President Coriolanus Snow,» says Fi

Poison. The perfect weapon for a snake.

Since my opinion of the Capitol and its noble president are already so low, I can’t say Fi

The crew hurries inside to edit the material, and Plutarch leads Fi

„Is that what happened to you?“ I ask Haymitch.

„No. My mother and younger brother. My girl. They were all dead two weeks after I was crowned victor. Because of that stunt I pulled with the force field,“ he answers. „Snow had no one to use against me.“

„I’m surprised he didn’t just kill you,“ I say.

„Oh, no. I was the example. The person to hold up to the young Fi

Of what could happen to a victor who caused problems,“ says Haymitch. „But he knew he had no leverage against me.“

„Until Peeta and I came along,“ I say softly. I don’t even get a shrug in return.

With our job done, there’s nothing left for Fi

„Let it go!“ says Beetee, throwing up his hands, relinquishing the broadcast back to the Capitol. He mops his face with a cloth. „If they’re not out of there by now, they’re all dead.“ He spins in his chair to see Fi

Of course not. Beetee takes us to another room and shows us how the team, with the help of rebel insiders, will attempt—has attempted—to free the victors from an underground prison. It seems to have involved knockout gas distributed by the ventilation system, a power failure, the detonation of a bomb in a government building several miles from the prison, and now the disruption of the broadcast. Beetee’s glad we find the plan hard to follow, because then our enemies will, too.

„Like your electricity trap in the arena?“ I ask.

„Exactly. And see how well that worked out?“ says Beetee.

Well…not really,I think.

Fi

Making knots. Making knots. No word. Making knots. Tick-tock. This is a clock. Do not think of Gale. Do not think of Peeta. Making knots. We do not want di

„Did you love A

„No.“ A long time passes before he adds, „She crept up on me.“

I search my heart, but at the moment the only person I can feel creeping up on me is Snow.

It must be midnight, it must be tomorrow when Haymitch pushes open the door. „They’re back. We’re wanted in the hospital.“ My mouth opens with a flood of questions that he cuts off with „That’s all I know.“

I want to run, but Fi

We’re sideswiped by a gurney bearing an unconscious, emaciated young woman with a shaved head. Her flesh shows bruises and oozing scabs. Joha

Through a doorway, I catch a glimpse of Gale, stripped to the waist, perspiration streaming down his face as a doctor removes something from under his shoulder blade with a long pair of tweezers. Wounded, but alive. I call his name, start toward him until a nurse pushes me back and shuts me out.

„Fi