Chapter 9. Betrayal

The next day, the five who decided to go were woken up bright and early, almost rivaling the minimal sleep Effie used to allow them. Mistral had each of them suit up in their coats as well as the black outfits Cinna had prepared for them all, keeping in mind the climate change once they hit 13. After practically dragging the five out of the house and confiscating the bottle of alcohol Haymitch had attempted to smuggle under his fur lined coat, the group had finally made it onto the hovercraft, fifteen minutes later then scheduled.

As Mistral profusely apologized to Lt. Zephyr, the other members of their squad led the group back into the lounge area that once served as their holding quarters. Only this time, they all seemed more relaxed and nobody stood watch at the door. As the five entered the lounge area, Katniss let out a small sigh. "I guess everyone's more relaxed now that Johanna isn't here, threatening to kill everyone."

Peeta nodded immediately. "You weren't there. It was quite a show."

"I can imagine. I'm almost glad she refused your invitation, Haymitch."

Haymitch snorted slightly, shaking his head. "I'm not. Those controlling bastards took my liquor."

"Oh, it's not like you actually paid for it out of your pocket anyways," Gale looked at the drunk. "You'll just end up having Mistral buy you more anyway."

"I'd pay her back if she wanted me to!" Haymitch defended himself, frowning. "She could have at least let me have it for the trip. It's not a big deal."

"They probably don't want to cause anything on the craft," Peeta reasoned.

"It would only cause a fantastic nap."

As the District 12 Victors all talked among themselves, Amur sat down on a couch by himself. Over the past month or so since the Games, and even during, he'd been keeping a lot to himself and speaking only when addressed. Katniss's eyes, however, turned from the three arguing District 12 males and fell onto Amur. She frowned slightly and slipped away from between Peeta and Gale. She quietly sat next to Amur. "Hey Amur. Are you alright?"

The gentle giant turned his attention towards Katniss, nodding at her. "I'm sorry, Ms. Everdeen. I didn't meant to concern you."

She smiled at him slightly. "You can call me Katniss, you know."

He paused before nodding to her, a slight smile forming on his face. She smiled a bit more at him, comfortingly. "How have you been? Since the Games, I mean."

"Better than the other two, that much is clear," he said as his smile faded slightly. He turned away from her, staring at his hands, staring intensely at the golden band on his finger that Katniss never seemed to notice before. "I suppose... homesick would be the best way to describe it."

"Just because you're physically better than they are doesn't mean you're mentally better, Amur," Katniss said quietly, touching his shoulder gently. "So... you're married?"

He shook his head as he put a hand over the band. "Engaged, but we've been together for well over ten years." His voice almost sounded ashamed of the fact, however.

She furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "Ten years is a long time."

"We didn't want to get married. We were... happy how things were."

Katniss nodded slightly. "I can understand that. Then why do you sound so... I guess upset is the right word?"

Amur glanced over at Katniss, staring at her for a long time, as if trying to determine whether or not he should tell her more. When he decided that nobody seemed to know his story and he wanted to trust the Victors, he stared back at his hand. "We had a daughter... on accident."

Katniss pressed her lips together but she tried to control her tone so her hatred for parents wouldn't sneak into her voice. "Is that bad?"

"She's the most beautiful girl in the world... but they'll turn her ugly. Take her and try to turn her into a killer like they tried with me. The schools will force her to learn methods of battle and to never trust anybody but herself. They'll force her to be a Career."

Katniss paused and tightened her hand slightly on his arm. "Amur, we're going to fix it. We're going to fix everything. I promise your little girl will never have to kill anyone or anything if she doesn't want to."

"That's why I follow you," he said, looking up at her. "If anybody can, you can."

She smiled slightly, eyes slightly moist from his belief in her. "I will. We all will. It's already starting. You'll see."


After hours of travel, the hovercraft had landed in the woods half a mile away from District 13's location. They had decided to keep a distance as to keep the craft hidden, still taking precautions that District 13 may exist and this may be a trap. Lt. Zephyr allowed the five Victors to lead while all his squad members followed with guns in their arms. Two also wore helmets with camera lenses mounted to the fronts to provide the proof President Pyrrhus's jury needed.

Katniss led the pack of Victors and soldiers, feeling odd walking through the woods without a bow, or at least a slingshot now. The group hiked silently through the woods in anticipation. Finally, they finally could see District 13 through the trees. All the soldiers lowered their guns slightly at the sight of the ruins. It was just as Katniss had described - there was no District 13. Not anymore.

Still, the squad began to push forward. The ones with the helmet cameras glanced about the rubble, taking in as much as they could while another soldier pulled out a small device that began to beep slowly as he walked.

Mistral stepped over towards the Victors, her gun on her back. "It's really gone then..."

"I told you," Katniss couldn't help gloating, crossing her arms and standing slightly away from the soldiers.

"Then we've been afraid...of nothing."

Katniss's slightly superior smile slowly faded and she frowned. "I told you. You think a country that sends its citizen's children off to die would be above lying?"

"We never knew any of this," Mistral said, turning her attention towards Katniss. She seemed more serious now than she ever had before, like her entire world had changed because of this. "As children, we all learned about Panem's treaty one hundred years ago. To prevent invasion of our land and sending nuclear missiles our way, we agreed to their terms and have been advised to avoid them at all costs while supplying them with medical and miscellaneous resources."

Katniss paused for a long moment before locking eyes with Mistral. "What do you think will happen now?"

Mistral turned her head towards the rest of her squad. She thought long and hard on Katniss's question before deciding on what the most likely outcome of not only a breach of treaty but fully lying for so long to her homeland. "Probably a war."

Katniss nodded slightly, crossing her arms, but still wanting to comfort Mistral. "A necessary evil, but if it comes to it, from what I've seen of your country, you'd have an advantage against Panem. Especially with us."

She smiled slightly, though it seemed forced, before turning to Katniss. "They call you... the Mockingjay, right? You're someone really important to the people of Panem. I've heard the others talk about you.."

Katniss's face flushed slightly and she glanced away toward Peeta. "For some reason. Panem has proven not to have the best taste."

"Why would you say that? If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have known about District 13. We would still be cluelessly manufacturing medications and our needed resources to Panem. I'd say they chose fantastically!"

Katniss turned a bit more red and she looked up at Mistral. Usually, when she said she didn't understand why she was the Mockingjay, no one could give her a real answer. Suddenly, she felt as if she were useful; not just the face of the rebellion. Slowly, she smiled. "Thanks, Mistral."

Mistral's smile stayed brightly on her face until a gunshot echoed through the area. The smile on her face suddenly changed to agony as she immediately fell to her knee, blood pouring from her right thigh. Katniss's eyes immediately widened as she instantly grabbed Gale and Peeta's shirts, pulling them to the ground with her, looking around for the source of the shot. Behind them, Amur and Haymitch mimicked the three.

From the forests to the West, a squad of Peacekeepers emerged with guns aimed towards the Bonum soldiers. Mistral bit her lip to prevent herself from screaming in pain and giving up their location. She forced herself down on her back, pulling out her gun and opening her coat.

Gale's eyes widened as Mistral revealled a miniature arsenal of handguns hidden beneath the fur. She slid five towards Katniss on the ground before rolling on her stomach. It was almost like her mind had clicked onto a different mode or the mindset of a warrior as she pulled the barrel up and began to aim for the Peacekeepers.

Katniss grabbed one of the handguns automatically, sitting up slightly on her elbows, and quickly handing out the other four to the other Victors. Each one grabbed a handgun, though Peeta struggled a little with himself when the gun was in his hand. He shook his head violently, trying to push away the flashbacks that were threatening to throw him off, trying his best to not seem like the weakest person there. It wasn't working too well though as his hands shook.

Mistral only hesitated until each of the Victors were armed before sniping down one of the Peacekeepers who was running for Lt. Zephyr. "I should be able to k-keep them away, so only use those as only a precaution if they get too close, understood?"

Katniss furrowed her eyebrows, already sitting up slightly on one knee. "Mistral, you're hurt. We can handle ourselves."

"I'll be fine," she argued, firing a few more shots. "As long as I don't need to move from this spot. I need to cover Lt. Zephyr and everybody else."

Katniss, never good at following orders, carefully aimed her gun and shot one Peacekeeper directly in the head.

Mistral blinked a few times, but never took her eyes away from the battle. About twenty Peacekeepers had arrived at the ruins, outnumbering the small squad of eight Bonum soldiers greatly. Regardless, with Mistral sniping from the side and Katniss's blatant disobedience to her order, it took a few more shots to be fired before a handful of the Peacekeepers started for their location, bullets firing.

"Shit," Haymitch mumbled before beginning to shoot as well. "Try to see if we can get one to surrender! Or at least take them captive!"

"Good luck with that," Katniss yelled back at him before taking down another Peacekeeper.

Gale looked around the tree his back was to, towards the gunfire battle. Five of the Peacekeepers were still on their way towards them. He turned down to his side, seeing Peeta still shaking. Without a word, he ripped the handgun from Peeta's hand before turning back around the tree. Using the tree to steady his hands and aim straighter, he lined each gun towards where a Peacekeeper was running. When he got where he wanted, he fired both simultaneously, each bullet going into the Peacekeeper's shoulders. The man yelled and fell to the ground, dropping his weapon.

Katniss took one down at the same time before glancing back at Gale in surprise, as Haymitch, sensing his opening, lowered his gun and ran toward the fallen Peacekeeper, taking his gun before pulling him where he wanted him. As Haymitch went out, Gale and Mistral both covered him, firing at any oncoming Peacekeeper that even raised a gun against him. Gale's eyes stayed more focused than they had in weeks.

Haymitch bashed the last armed Peacekeeper in the face with the butt of the gun he stole, looking satisfied when he fell and began to bleed profusely from the head, possibly dead. The gunshots began to fade out as the battle with the squad in the background finally ended. All that remained was Lt. Zephyr with three of his men standing at his side, one on the ground bleeding while the rest were unmoving.

Katniss slowly lowered her gun, slightly shell shocked, while Haymitch grabbed the injured Peacekeeper by the front of his shirt, hauling him up to his feet. The man yelled in agony from the wounds in his shoulders, trying to escape. Haymitch yanked one of his arms backwards, almost barbarically. "Why are you all here?"

The Peacekeeper's yells turned into an eardrum shattering scream as his arm's bled out more. "O-orders!" he yelled.

Haymitch twisted Peacekeeper's arm slightly from behind his back. "President Coin's? What were your orders?"

"I-Investigate...! Hovercraft!"

"How long ago did you get the orders? Are you stationed here, in District 13?" Haymitch's voice had lost some of its urgency, but he still held onto his arm, in case he needed to force it out.

The man grit his teeth but knew he was trapped. His head dropped down as he panted. "W-were received orders while en route t-to... District 12... Changed our coordinates to c-come here instead..."

Katniss's head snapped quickly toward the man before she basically sprinted over. "Why were you going to 12?"

The Peacekeeper turned his head up, his eyes slightly widening upon seeing Katniss Everdeen herself stand before him. He bit his lip, saying nothing. Katniss forced her way closer, pushing Haymitch slightly to the side. She narrowed her eyes dangerously, grabbing his arm threateningly. "Did you hear me or have you gone deaf! Answer me!"

The man winced just at her touch as he turned his head back down to the ground. "T-to stop... the uprising..."

"The uprising." Katniss stared at him for a long moment before speaking again. "Were you the only Peacekeepers going there?"

He shrugged, saying nothing more. Katniss sighed. "I really don't want to do this, Peacekeeper, but you are giving me no choice."

"Go find o-out on your own. If you're g-going to kill me, do it now. I have no other information."

Katniss paused before stepping back. "Oh, I intend to find out on my own."

Haymitch, however, tightened his grip on the Peacekeeper's shirt. "Do you know where Effie Trinket is being kept?"

The Peacekeeper said nothing more to Katniss, but upon hearing Haymitch's question, he couldn't help but laugh. "T-the escort traitor? Be-being kept? You f-fool, she's working for Panem..."

Haymitch faltered for a moment, his hand loosening in the man's shirt briefly, before he tightened it again, almost painfully. "What do you mean, working for Panem?"

"G-go find a tape of l-last week's broadcast. You'll see her, r-right there at the Peacekeepers' sides."

"They're forcing her. They have to be. You assholes!" Haymitch suddenly swung his fist hard at the Peacekeeper's jaw.

The man's head snapped to the side as he spit out blood. However, his laughter continued as his head dropped down. Haymitch pushed him hard against a nearby tree, his hands shaking. "Don't you DARE laugh!"

As the man fell over, Mistral's gun rose. The bullet went through the Peacekeeper's forehead immediately, instantly killing him.

"That's enough of that," she commented, her eyes on Haymitch.