This story has been in the works for a while but I decided to finally post it because I wrote a bonus chapter to donate to Fandom4LLS. They are a group raising money for leukemia and they do so by receiving donations and in turn giving them chapters from stories that writers donate to Fandom4LLS. I wrote a one-shot about this story in Madge's point of view to donate to Fandom4LLS and now I am posting the story that that chapter goes with. I will post the bonus chapter as I get to that part in the story.
There are a few things I have to explain about this story for it to make sense. I have changed the world of the Hunger Games around a bit.
The first chapter is a flashback to when Gale joins the rebellion at 16. The main story starts when Gale is 20 and Madge, Katniss and Peeta are 18. Katniss won the 71st Hunger Games at 14, and Peeta won the 74th Hunger Games at 17. The time for the 3rd Quarter Quell is coming and the story starts during the Victory Tour for the 74th Games. One other thing, Gale is Snow's nephew because Hazelle is his sister. She and her family now live in the Capitol with Snow.
I believe that is all you need to know now. Anything else will be explained in the story.
I was 12 when my father died. All my family was told was that he died in a hovercraft accident. Four years later I found out that his death was not an accident.
The night I found out was much like tonight. My uncle was having a party for high ranking government officials and hunger games victors that night. Uncle Snow is the president of Panem. He is my mother's older and only brother.
His parties are always so boring that I did what I usually and snuck out to my uncle's rose garden thinking that no one would find me there. I was not alone though. There in the garden I found my uncle speaking to a man I did not recognize. I quietly hid behind the bushes and eavesdropped in their conversation.
"I talked to him this morning, sir. I warned him that he needs to keep his newest victor in line or we will be forced to take action. He is too lenient with the district as it is."
"Make sure that the girl is also warned about further disobedience. As for the mayor, accidents do happen all the time. Hovercrafts fail. Just look at what happened to my dear brother-in-law. I wouldn't mind ordering an accidental malfunction to the craft he is in on his next visit."
Was uncle snow implying that my father's accident was ordered by him? I couldn't believe what I heard that night. I had just heard my uncle state that he had ordered my father's death. I vowed that night that I would find a way to make my uncle pay for what he did.
It didn't take me long to find someone who could help me with my plans. Finnick Odair, hunger games victor, and one of my closest friends, contacted me about a proposition.
He and I have been friends for a long time and I trust him enough to share the information about my father's death with him. He told me he would see what he could do and now he wants to meet during the festivities of the victory tour for the 71st hunger games winner.
Tonight my uncle will host the victor's ball here at the mansion. I have lived in this mansion ever since my father died and my uncle took us in. My mother married someone from district 2 and she had my two brothers and I there. Only my little sister was born here in the capitol a few weeks after my father died and we came to live here.
Ever since, I have attended all of my uncle's boring parties. Finnick dislikes them just as much as I do and we always find a way to disappear.
I finish dressing in the suit left for me by my stylist and head down to the ball room. I'm thankful Jewel has subtle tastes and did not dress me in something so over the top. She knows I hate dressing like that. The ball room is already filled with the capitol's elite and past victors, including this year's winner Katniss Everdeen from District 12.
I make my way around the overly decorated room. This year the victory ball has been decorated in the winner's signature flames. Everything looks like it's on fire. After saying the obligatory hello's to my uncle's friends and anyone I cannot afford to be rude to, I go find Finnick. He is on the dance floor with Katniss but as soon as he sees me he says good bye and makes his way over to me.
"Hey Hawthorne, how's about we get out of this stuffy party?" he greets me.
I'm glad he gets right to the point because I'm anxious to know if and how he will be able to help me destroy my uncle.
"Should we head out to the gardens then?"
"Yes, that's where I told the others. There's no surveillance out there," he says with a grin.
Finnick and I make our way to the rose gardens. There I see two men; one I believe is a Gamemaker, and the other is the District 12 victor.
"Gale, this is Plutarch Heavensbee and Haymitch Abernathy. They are my two rebel contacts," Finnick tells me.
"Rebels?" I ask. I'm not sure where Finnick is going with this. Are there people rebelling against the Capitol?
"Yes, we are members of a group of rebels looking to bring the Capitol down," says Haymitch. "We were told you were willing to be our ally," he says motioning to Finnnick.
"I want to bring my uncle down. He ordered my father's death and I want revenge."
"Then I guess our cause is your cause," Plutarch says giving me a grin.
"Tell me more about this rebel group," I say. "I am willing to do anything to destroy my uncle."
Haymitch and Plutarch explain that there are people in the districts wanting change. They want the Hunger Games to end and so they want to bring the government down. The district's contacts are victors in favor of the rebellion. They gather information and pass it on whenever they are able to meet here in the Capitol.
They also explain that they are being aided by District 13.
"But District 13 doesn't exist," is my initial thought, "it was completely destroyed in the last war."
"That's what your uncle wants you and all of Panem to believe, boy," Haymitch says gruffly.
He explains about the treaty the Capitol made with District 13 to prevent a nuclear war and how the district was allowed to survive. They moved underground and have grown enough that they now have the means to help the other districts overthrow the Capitol. The rebels are gathering information that will help bring the Capitol down. There are plans to go to war; the rebels just need the right in.
"And that's where you come in my boy; you have access to all kinds of information being so close to the President himself. If you really want to bring your uncle down we have a way for you to do so." Plutarch says before adding, "so what do you say, do you want to join the rebellion?"
I don't even hesitate before answering. They are offering exactly what I want and all I have to do is gather information for them.
"I'm in."