District Thirteen [Wednesday, Fandom Time]
Katniss
Katniss hadn't wanted to have any part of this, but once it was done, it was over. She'd be able to move on with what was left of her life, pretend things still mattered to her -- live something other than the Games.
Prim's life would mean something, if she finished this. Boggs'. Rue's. Finnick's.
Karla had been right, as much as she hated it. She couldn't shut herself away. She had to make the call.
She stepped out into the square, in her Mockingjay outfit for the last time. A few yards before her was the former President Snow, held in place by cords and guards. He smiled at her, raising an eyebrow.
She held her bow tight, though, as she looked out over the sea of faces. She found Haymitch, who gave her a tacit nod.
They'd already decided this.
She thought of Prim. Of the bombs. Of her life, and what it would be. Of what Prim's could have been. Of what they'd made of Gale's innovations.
And she twisted her bow up and shot her arrow straight through President Coin's temple, and a soft smile passed her features as Coin fell to the ground, dead in an instant.
Wesley
Wesley studied her face as she pulled back the bow. Even thought he saw the flash of her hand changing direction.
And then he nodded in approval, immeasurably proud.
This was the wire all over again -- Katniss understood who the enemy was.
Firekeeper
Firekeeper couldn't help the satisfied smile that tugged at her lips as the arrow hit its mark. It hadn't been the execution everyone had expected, but it had been the right one. Both Coin and Snow had irreparably harmed Katniss's pack, but Coin had been the one who could still do more. And now that wasn't an issue.
Anakin
Anakin's expression was grim. Katniss had delivered justice, but Snow was still alive, and every moment he continued breathing managed to piss Anakin off.
Alex
Alex froze. She had only heard the barest of details before she had come; Prim was dead, the Capitol was defeated but with heavy losses, and all had seemingly gone to hell. And now, Katniss had stopped mid-execution and turned her arrow on ... her own president?
Had the bereavement destroyed her sanity? Alex was already working on a petition to free her client, in the name of extreme emotional distress. Clearly she wasn't competent, whoever gave her the bow and arrow was liable, should be in counseling --
"Wh- ... what just happened?" she breathed.
Anakin
"It's Coin's fault Prim is dead," Anakin said in a low voice, "at least indirectly. She ordered the bombs. I think there's more to it as well, but I'm not exactly tuned into all of the gossip--I know most of the tributes were holed up together earlier."
Alex
"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss," she murmured. It would be the best way to attack Katniss. That was what made it so ... breathtaking, perhaps, in the sheer amount of gall required. "So she ..."
Took the only revenge she could.
"What happens now?" she said, followed quickly by, "We have to get her out of here."
Due process could happen in jurisdictions that weren't this fucked up.
Anakin
Anakin was watching the situation carefully and shook his head. "Not unless you want to end up shot," he said, pointing out the various people with weapons. "I don't think they care about us at all."
Alex
So much for that idea. She didn't like the look of those people closing in on Katniss, but she had absolutely no illusions about her chances against them.
"Should we ... fall back, before they do start to care about us?" Alex asked.
Retreat sounded cowardly, but it was safest, unless ... unless they looked like they were going to dispense with formalities and just execute Katniss, here.
Anakin
Anakin shook his head. "Right now moving will draw their attention."
Alex
"Then we wait," Alex said, softly. And tried very much to hope that just once, something in Panem wouldn't go badly.
[AND DONE. THANK YOU ALL FOR FOLLOWING ALONG. Warning for violence and character death. Coded by glasses_justice who is awesome.]