Disclaimer: The Hunger Games Trilogy is not mine, and neither are the characters.

A/N: This story takes place during Catching Fire, and is related to the Jabberjay threat in the arena. This first part is based off of a deleted scene from the Catching Fire movie, regarding an explanation of the mockingjay's existence, hence there is borrowed dialogue from that scene. (although it didn't make it in the movie, an explanation of their existence is in the 2nd Hunger Games book). This story is certainly not my best work, but I hope you enjoy!

Jabberjay Torment

President Snow reclined in a chair at the mahogany dining table in his comfortable mansion. With a tight-lipped and stern expression, he focused on the footage Plutarch Heavensbee was showing him. Footage... of Katniss Everdeen.

Katniss. That girl was a menace to society, and to think she managed to instigate so much trouble with nothing more than a few nightlock berries. The minute she and Peeta threatened suicide in the arena, forcing Seneca Crane to declare both of them victors of the 74th Hunger Games, was the minute she inspired rebellion in the districts. Never in the history of the Games had two victors emerged from the annual arena, and likewise, never in the history of Panem, since the destruction of District 13, had the district locals taken strong action against their Capitol. President Snow was starting to see it emerge more and more: people rioting in the filthy streets of the districts, rebels trying to destroy the train systems to prevent their goods from being shipped to the Capitol, and counterattacks against the peacekeepers. How unbelievable it was to think that one girl, sixteen at the time of her reaping, could bring an end to the utopia the Games tried so hard to enforce.

Snow sighed in frustration as he forced his attention to the film before him, vexed by the image of Katniss boldly blocking her friend Gale from Commander Thread's whip, willing to take a lashing in his place. Thread was the new head peacekeeper in District 12, and as far as Snow could tell he was doing his job right, taking real action to destroy the black markets and punish the troublemakers. He was the perfect replacement for Commander Cray, who cut the district some slack with the black market and therefore did not fulfill his duties as Head Peacekeeper. Although Snow could only be left to guess of Gale's wrongdoing, he was sure it was deserving of a public flogging, a punishment so severe that no one in the square dared interfere, until Katniss took a brave stand. In that moment she had officially defied the Capitol twice. She was an agitator, she interfered with a peacekeeper, and aside from a lash to the face, got away with it unharmed.

This, however, was not what bothered Snow the most. It was the rest of the footage from Gale's flogging: Haymitch and Peeta eventually stepped in to try and help pacify the situation, despite the raging storm of anger etched into Thread's face. This was a problem, no doubt, for Katniss was no longer the only victor who could become a symbol of hope for the rebellion. Because of this simple act, all of the victors had now become threats to the peace.

After Snow had viewed the video in silence several times, the voice of Plutarch Heavensbee suddenly filled the silence of the president's dining room: "The broadcast cut out here," he indicated the image of Katniss shielding Gale's bare and scarred back from Thread's whip, "before any of the excitement happened."

Snow couldn't help but be grateful that the televisions in the districts didn't display anything further of this scene from District 12, but he was not at all relieved. "How many other people saw it?"

"Hard to say, there was a five second delay. But, it happened fast."

It may have happened fast, but people saw this, nonetheless. If Katniss could get away with interfering with a peacekeeper, what was to stop rebels from fighting against them in their own districts? It didn't matter that the district citizens were individually hungrier, weaker, and less equipped than the peacekeepers. What did matter, though, was that they had strength in numbers, and if they wanted to fight back, it would take a lot of effort, but in truth, they could take them down. Since the reformation of Panem, the Capitol had long tried to blind the districts to this fact, but now with this footage, Katniss was opening their eyes to the truth. To allow the cameras to record all of this live, to not shut them off before it was too late, was neglect on the part of the Capitol, and this reminded Snow of yet anotherform of carelessness. He sighed and turned his head to stare at two painted images of a black bird that rested on his table top.

"Those are drawings of the jabberjay," he began. "It was created as a weapon, an organic spy mutt. When the program was shut down, an extermination issue was ordered, but carelessly executed. The birds were released into the wild, in hopes that they would die. Instead they mated with mockingbirds, and now we have the mockingjay. A freak offspring of our...neglect, that is beyond our control." Snow grabbed his remote, focused his attention back to the television, and continued, "if you cannot contain Katniss Everdeen, then I will have to terminate her, and her species."

Plutarch nodded in understanding. After Katniss' little stunt with the berries, she returned from the arena and thrived off of the wealth and admiration she received from her victory, just as the jabberjays thrived enough to mate in the wild. But like the jabberjays, she should have been executed, by all rights, along with the other victors, whom Snow now referred to as her "species." As these thoughts streamed through his head, Plutarch smirked, knowing exactly what to say to the President next:

"There's a way we can still win. It's what we Game makers like to call a 'wrinkle'."

Snow's head snapped up in his direction. At this point, he was willing to listen to any suggestions that would offer a way to protect Panem as everybody knew it. So for Plutarch, he was all ears. "Go on, I'm listening."

"We are entering the 75th year of the Hunger Games, the third Quarter Quell. You and I know full well that every 25 years, the reapings are specially altered to keep the spice and intrigue of the Games alive. So, what would you say to an all-star version of the Games? This time, reap the tributes from the living victors. Show the people that not even the strongest among them can resist the Capitol's power. This way, you are guaranteed to reap Katniss Everdeen, and steal away their hope."

At these words, Snow couldn't help the smug smile that crossed his face. He was undoubtedly pleased with himself for having hired Plutarch Heavensbee as the new Head Game maker. Not even Seneca Crane was this brilliant when he was in charge. As if to propose a toast, he raised a glass of champagne in the air, "Here's to you, Plutarch. I daresay you are the most brilliant Game maker in the history of the Hunger Games." After taking a sip of champagne, he continued. "And speaking of the Games, how is the progress on this year's arena?"

"The plans for the arena are coming along beautifully. Already we have the layouts and design for the arena. As for the threats the tributes will be facing, plans for those are still underway. Although, I will say that I already have an idea for one of them." Plutarch smirked again, and turned his attention to the images of the jabberjays on Snow's table top.