The next day, Bixby and I sit with the rest of the commanders and sergeant majors on Fort Sturm in the headquarters auditorium. He talks to me about something, but I really don't pay him any attention. Instead, I just occasionally smile and nod my head. Not surprisingly, he's completely fooled into thinking I'm enthralled by his generic war stories.
Finally, General Hallonger appears on the stage and steps up to a podium.
"It is very rare," he begins speaking into the microphone, "when I get the opportunity to introduce a genuine hero…" He then starts to list General Snow's list of accomplishments. Some, I remember very clearly. Others, I remember a little differently than the official narrative we told everyone else. I can't help but crack a grin. Finally, Hallonger motions offstage, and a figure appears to loud and thunderous applause. The familiar form of a man dressed in a dark business suit and tie limps toward the podium. Though the clothes he wears are different from what I remember, one thing remains the same: the gold Mockingjay worn with pride on his lapel.
He walks with a cane, his posture tragically unimproved from the last time I saw him six months ago, but then again, I know his disabilities from that night in "The Heart" are permanent. General Hallonger attempts to help him, but all efforts on that front are futile. Snow just waves him away and keeps liming forward on his own.
"Same old Ares," I think to myself.
General Snow takes his place at the podium, his one remaining eye twinkling charismatically under the bright lights.
"I hate to disagree with General Hallonger," he begins, "but I am definitely not a hero. However, I had the great pleasure of serving with many heroes over the course of my career. One of whom, I owe my life too, and I'm thrilled to say she's here in the room with us…"
The entire auditorium shifts in their chairs and stares right at me. I instantly sink down in my seat and feel my face blush bright red.
"Damn you, Sir!" I think to myself. "You did that purpose…" He knows very well that, unlike my mother, I hate it when someone calls attention to me. I look up to the stage, and sure enough, I can see his trademark grin creep across his face.
Finally, General Snow begins his lecture on world affairs. He's very detailed, but still extremely interesting. He holds the attention of the entire room as he lists the possible threats to our national security one by one….however, I'm sure I'm the only one in the place that notices something. The way he subtly changes his tone of voice while discussing one region in particular causes me particular concern. When you face death with someone as many times as we have together, you begin to pick up on when they're truly afraid of something. This is one of those times…
When the lesson is over, General Snow comes down from the stage and stands with General Hallonger as we all form a line to introduce ourselves. One by one, each command team shakes hands with him and exchanges a few pleasantries. Finally, it's my and Bixby's turn. I go first.
"I'm assuming you already know Sergeant Major Hightower," General Hallonger says sarcastically.
"Hello, Sir," I say quietly, remaining firm and stoic. I don't want to call any more attention to myself than already has been. However, hand it to General Snow, he doesn't let it end at that. He immediately lunges forward and wraps both his arms around me.
"God, it's good to see you, Hatch," he says lovingly. I know everyone, including General Hallonger, is staring at us with dropped jaws, but I don't care. Old feelings come rushing back and I throw my arms around him as well.
"You too, Sir," I say giving him a squeeze. The Mockingjay team was much more than just a collection of soldiers…we're family.
After a few seconds we let go. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a very perturbed Bixby gritting his teeth next to me.
"Of course," I say snapping back to my senses. "General Snow, let me introduce Lieutenant Colonel Halberd Bixby, my battalion commander."
"It's a pleasure, General," Bixby says practically shoving me out of the way to shake General Snow's hand. I'm disgusted even more knowing Bixby's true feelings for him. This is just a stunt for him to make an impression.
"Likewise," General Snow says skeptically. Bixby obviously wants to start a conversation, but I have no desire to subject someone I care about to his ramblings.
"Well, we won't keep you, Sir," I say pretending to look at the line behind us. "But, can't wait to see you tonight at 1900."
"We'll be there," he says flashing one last smile in my direction.
"See him tonight at 1900?" Bixby asks angrily as we walk away.
"Yes, Sir," I say satisfied. "Dinner with old friends…" I can instantly tell he's furious that I didn't invite him…and I couldn't be happier about it.
That night and right on time, there's a knock on the front door. Clint and I throw it open and immediately wrap our arms around General Snow and Lizzy who holds baby Katniss in her arms.
"OCTI!" Aurora shouts from behind us and charges forward to latch onto Octavian. He winces at first as he pretends not to like it, but soon it's obvious he's happy to see her too.
"You better watch out," Lizzy says when she sees the two of them together again. "He's turning into quite the ladies' man for a boy of eight years old."
"I think Octavian is the one who needs to watch out," Clint says ruffling Aurora's hair. "He doesn't know what he's getting into dealing with that one."
While Octavian and Aurora play in the living room, the rest of us take our seats around the dining room table. We laugh and reminisce over food and wine for over what must be hours, but it only seems like minutes. I truly am amazed as I watch Lizzy enjoy her entire meal while simultaneously holding a sleeping Katniss in her arms.
"Liz," I say pouring myself another glass of wine, "you truly are an incredible mother. After Aurora was born, Clint was afraid to let me hold her too long because he thought I would drop her."
"Or accidently leave her in the swing in the backyard," Clint interjects. I playfully smack him on the back of the head.
"I only did that once!" I reply before everyone laughs. Soon the conversation turns to other old friends.
"So, you said you saw Doc when you were in the Capitol, Sir?"
"Liv," General Snow says rolling his eyes. "I've been retired a long time now. Please, for the last time, call me Ares."
"Sorry," Clint says grabbing another buttered roll and taking a big bite, "no matter how long you're retired, you'll always be 'Sir' to us…Sir." He says with a giant grin. Lizzy and I laugh.
"Yes, we did," General Snow says accepting defeat on that matter.
"We had a great lunch with him and Amelia yesterday," Lizzy says.
"How are they doing?" I ask taking another big sip of wine. "I don't think we've talked to them since the wedding last year." Clint nods in agreement.
"They're doing great," General Snow continues. Doctor Goldflower is starting his surgical residency at Capitol General Hospital next week."
"I still can't believe Doc is a real doctor now," Clint says bemused.
"How about Major Goldflower?" I ask.
"Actually, as of the first of last month, it's Lieutenant Colonel Amelia Goldflower now. She's doing fantastic. She now heads the European Affairs Section at the Ministry of Defense. She sat in on the meeting I had yesterday with President Reefs. It was wonderful, almost like old times again."
"Well, if she ever considers a branch transfer to combat arms, tell her she's more than welcome to come and take command of 1-1 Infantry," I say taking a sip of wine.
"Is that Bixby character really that bad?" General Snow asks somewhat doubtfully.
"Worse," I reply followed by another large sip of wine. "Alright, I don't want to talk about that piece of sh…"
"How much wine have you had, Babe?" Clint asks jokingly.
"Not enough," I say as we all laugh again.
"Have you heard from Tiller lately?" General Snow asks.
"Yes I have," I say cheerfully. His instructor time in District 1 is over and he's now a Flight Sergeant with a hovercraft squadron back in District 6."
"Wondeful!" General Snow says.
"But I don't know for how long…" I reply.
"What?"
"Well," Clint says interjecting himself. "He apparently has met a girl named 'Yollanda' and he's seriously considering getting out of the Defense Forces to settle down with her."
"That's great," Lizzy says starting to rock an increasingly restless Katniss.
"Absolutely," I say, "but soon I'm going to be the only Mockingjay left in uniform," I say with a grin.
A lull in the conversation follows and I determine it's the right time to ask what's been on my mind all afternoon.
"So, Sir," I say as I slowly pour myself another glass of wine, "what's the deal with Africa?" General Snow's eyebrows immediately shoot up and I know my hunch was right.
"What do you mean, Hatch?" he asks somewhat evasively.
"C'mon, Sir," you and I both know the President didn't ask a retired cripple to travel three-quarters of the way across Panem to talk about the fashions those blue-haired freaks are wearing this season in the Capitol…" By the look in his eyes, I know he realizes it's pointless to hide it anymore.
"How did you know, Liv?" he asks.
"Do you remember the raid we pulled on that TEC radar center right after the failed missile attack and Seamus couldn't promise us air cover because it was too risky for his hovercraft?"
"How could I forget?" General Snow says with a smile. If Ratch hadn't come up with that radio jamming device at the last minute we would've been sitting ducks out there…"
"You're welcome," Clint says smugly as he raises his glass in the air. All of us laugh again.
"Well," I continue, "I heard the nerves in your voice during that mission brief and I heard it again today when you were talking about Africa…"
"Clever girl…" General Snow says as I look right back at him. "You got me, Olivia. It's Tripolitania along the Mediterranean Coast. There's a famine in the Sahara right now that makes the worst of the our Dark Days look like a vacation. The tribes in the desert have stolen all they can from each other and a few have banded together and started attacking civilian shipping leaving the Balkans and Italia. The Europeans tried to appease them with food aid, but that just made them even more voracious. The pirate tribes have intercepted all the humanitarian cargo while the others that have not resorted to piracy are slowly starving to death. Last week, the General Secretary of the Independent States of Europe officially asked President Reefs for UDP troops, both to help ensure the delivery of aid to the non-hostile tribes and assist in possible military action against the pirates."
"Did he say 'yes?" Clint asks nervously. He knows that 1-1 Infantry would be near the top of the list of units to deploy.
"He's still weighing all the options."
"Unbelievable," I say staring down at my empty plate.
"Actually," General Snow says sounding a little cheerier. "That's not the only thing I was asked to advise on."
"What else did they need your opinion for?" I ask still thinking about Africa.
"You," he replies with another one of his grins.
"What!" I shout. At that outburst, Katniss starts crying and fidgeting in Lizzy's arms.
"Aw, come on, Kitty-Kat," Lizzy says trying to calm her down. "She's hungry," Lizzy finally says.
"You can feed her in the bedroom," I say starting to push back from the table.
"I know the way," Lizzy says with a big smile. "Don't put too much strain on the poor girl, Ares," she says disappearing around the corner. "Let her make up her own mind…"
"Why the hell would the Ministry of Defense need an opinion on me?" I ask nervously.
"Your name is on the top of a very short list, Hatch," General Snow says.
"For what? Forced Retirement?" I ask with a chuckle before taking another drink of wine.
"SMDF," General Snow says calmly.
"SERGEANT MAJOR OF THE DEFENSE FORCES!" I scream, spitting red wine all over the opposite wall.
"You're cleaning that up," Clint says pointing both to me and the stain on the wallpaper. He and General Snow both burst out laughing, but I am still in shock. The Sergeant Major of the Defense Forces is the senior enlisted person in all of the United Districts of Panem Defense Forces and primary advisor to the Chief of Staff. Quite Simply, it is the highest position I could ever achieve without dropping an Officer Candidate School packet and waiting another three decades.
"Very appropriate, for the last of the Mockingjay Team in uniform, don't you think?" General Snow says with another grin.