Katniss's POV

"What do you mean 13's being bombed? What happened?" I question Haymitch in a half panic, who is annoyingly his drunk self again. I suspect he more than anyone is happy to be stranded in District 4 just because no one can stop him from drinking. Not that it isn't that hard in 13 considering there is no alcohol to be found but still.

"The kid warned em on a Ceaser interview thing, said it was planned. They got ta safety right before the bombs came even though they were supposed ta be that night." Haymitch informs me. Wait…Gale warned them? How did he even know? I suddenly feel guilty that I didn't see it. I mean I know it wouldn't have been good but at least I would have seen him alive, seen how he really was.

"So he saved them?" I ask, relieved that for whatever reason Gale had this information. I don't know who would have told him but it couldn't have possibly been Snow. But it really doesn't surprise me in the least somehow. Gale always tries to protect the people he loves and our families are still there. I can't be grateful nor more relieved that at least they haven't taken that away from him.

"Yea but just barely. Said he tried to tell you but ya weren't there so the mini kid forced them ta go to safety cuz they didn't believe im." Haymitch replies in a half slur and I squint as I try to figure it out. He's trying to tell me…Gale tried to tell me to get to safety? But I'm here, not in District 13; I didn't even see the interview. But maybe he thought I was. After all, the Capitol might not have realized that our hovercraft was on the ground here and got smashed to pieces so that we had to stay. Maybe everyone thinks that we made it back fine a few days ago. Guess that's a good thing. For once something is showing that Snow doesn't know everything anymore which means his power is diminishing, if only by a little. But then there's the other part. Mini kid? Who on earth is that? But from what I think Haymitch said whoever it was made them go into safety so they're fine.

"Who's mini kid?" I question him, annoyed not for the first time that Haymitch doesn't call practically anyone by their real name. I mean I've gotten used to it by now but most of them I know by now. Doesn't mean it annoys me any less.

"Rory sweetheart, Rory." he answers, clearly annoyed that I didn't know that and I roll my eyes at him. So Rory made them listen because I wasn't there to do it myself? Glad he came through though it shouldn't surprise me much. He is a lot like Gale after all.

"Alright. Anything else?" I ask, sort of hoping there isn't so I can help the cleanup of the district. A lot was decimated but all in all it doesn't seem so bad that the district is uninhabitable unlike 12 or 7 which I haven't been to but I'm sure is pretty similar to my decimated home. Really I still feel bad that it was sort of my fault for the bombing even though everyone has assured me it was already planned. It's the least I can do to help fix the mess I helped make.

"Yea. Breakout's in a few days or so." Haymitch replies and for the first time in a while I feel myself being hopeful. Breakout? They're finally going to get them out? They're finally going to bring Gale and Finnick out of that torture zone? I crack a relieved smile at that as Haymitch snorts and swigs from his ever present bottle again.

"Thank you." I whisper even though I'm not entirely sure Haymitch had anything to do with it. But still, he gave me the good news. He nods it off as I go to help clean up again but this time with a smile on my face. It may seem a little ridiculous seeing as I'm in the middle of a cleanup for a bombing, District 13 is currently being bombed, and in general this is such a horrible time. But that little piece of good news just lifts my spirits somehow. It's most definitely not a common feeling but I like it. Gale's coming back.

I quickly go back to where the team I was assigned to is gathering near what is District 4's Victor Village and find that they are dispersing already, walking towards different houses in pairs.

"What are we doing?" I question the leader of the group, a Lieutenant Weever that looks to be about mid-forties and has clearly spent most of his life at sea with his leathered brown skin and sun bleached hair threaded with a few strands of grey. In general I like him. He jokes around with our group but always makes sure that whatever we're doing gets done.

"We're all going through the village looking for anything useful for information as we know that a majority of the Victors here were a part of the rebellion." Weever informs me and I can't help my grimace. We're going through their private homes? I can't see many of them liking that. I know I wouldn't want someone going through my things even if it was for the best intent. Although my house is a burned pile of rubble now so it's not like anyone really could anymore…

"I assure you it's alright. Carper has already given his permission and he assures us that Finnick and Annie would not mind in the least if we could ask them." Weever assures me. I know Carper finally came to consciousness yesterday, crushed when he realized that Nelia had died. He didn't even seem to care too much that he would most likely be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. And I'm sure Finnick wouldn't mind at all with how involved he apparently was.

"What about the others?" I ask. Really, just because I don't know them as well and they aren't here it somehow doesn't seem right to go through their homes. Weever gives me a sigh and a small, sad smile.

"We cannot possibly ask them because they are deceased Mrs. Hawthorne." He informs me grimly and my mouth opens in half surprise and confusion.

"All of them? How?" I question him once I've recovered from my minor shock.

"Two died in the bombing a few days ago helping us and one more died this morning from her injuries. Actually, it was her idea to scour the village here for anything useful." Weever tells me as I shake my head.

"What about the rest?" I ask. I know there were at least ten here and those three plus Carper, Finnick, and Annie only makes six. What happened to the other four?

"Do you not know what happened during the breakout from the arena?" Weever asks me, clearly confused that I don't know already. I shake my head feeling a little guilty. I really don't remember anything at all of that day other than the crushing grief that Kennie was dead and I haven't really asked what exactly happened even though I probably should have. "When Makenna woke in the arms of the hovercraft claw the Victors apparently knew that the plan had gone wrong somehow. The peacekeepers came into the Mentor Room and one of the Victors locked them in and the others out. All those involved with the rebellion pulled out their weapons and fought with the peacekeepers."

My mouth drops open in true surprise though I'm not sure I should be after everything. "Really?" I choke out.

Weever nods and continues, almost looking like he thinks he shouldn't but does anyway. "Yes. While they did take quite a few peacekeepers out many of the Victors died in that fight, especially when more peacekeepers broke through. Anyone with a weapon still alive when it was over was killed for treason."

My hands go to my face and I hide behind them for a minute as this sinks in. Anyone in that mentor room a part of the rebellion died. Those four clearly. But I'm sure there are plenty of others…Chaff…Cecilia…Blight…all the rest I may not know as well but still I feel guilty over their deaths. Really, how many Victors are left now? How many more can they possibly take?

All of us I realize. They could kill every last one of us and not feel the slightest bit of pain or guilt. But no more, I won't let them take any more of us if I can help it. They already altered all of us for life, made us fight for our lives. The least they can give us is to actually allow us to live.

"Are you alright?" Weever's voice asks, the concern clear in his tone. He must realize that this may have been too much. But it's not, not really. What's one more thing on top of the pile at this point? I remember why he told me this in the first place and I know we need to get going. Really, now I understand. If I was dead and I had information to help save other lives I would be happy that others were taking the chance to get it.

"Yes. Let's go searching." I reply and he nods though I'm seriously doubting he thinks I'm alright. "Who's are we going to?" I ask. Not that it really matters too much but I just want to know for my sake. I did know most of the Victors here at least a little bit.

"Finnick and Annie's place." He informs me and I can't help but feel a little relieved even if that sounds a little strange. Sure they are actually both alive (or at least I think Finnick is) and it's kind of weird to go into someone's house when they aren't there, but Finnick is kind of like family and I have been there before. It's somehow easier to swallow than going through a dead Victor's things.

Weever and I easily find their home, originally just Finnick's but since he would never allow Annie to live by herself and Annie's family didn't quite know how to deal with her besides the fact that only Finnick could calm her down, she's been living with him for years. When we approach their house I easily find the spare key under a shell decorating the porch much to Weever's surprise and amusement and open the door.

With the stale feeling in the air and a fine layer of dust coating everything you can tell no one has been here for a while. How long has it been really? When did they take Annie to District 13? The day of the reaping maybe? Two and a half months ago? Three? It's really a short amount of time if you think about it but it seems like years. Now that I'm actually here I feel more uncomfortable but it's not that I feel strange about scouring the house anymore. It's the contrast with the last time I was here that's getting to me.

It was Nelia's Victory tour and while she was getting ready we came here right after a swim in the ocean where we began to teach Kennie how to swim. Annie was actually almost normal and she even cooked us a meal of fried fish, salad, and mashed potatoes with sugar cookies for dessert. And though it was November it was relatively warm here still and the sun shined through those windows by the table brightly, enhancing the already happy atmosphere. We ate the delicious food and joked around, happy to be in each other's company.

That warm happy memory doesn't have a place in the deserted home now somehow though the house hasn't changed much. The windows are still brightly lighting the area where we ate but instead of shining on the pots that held our food they clearly show the layer of dust on the table and chairs. The light atmosphere has become heavy with the stale air and I can't help but miss that day even if I know the rebellion is for the greater good. But I steel myself to shake off the feeling and determined, know we should start looking around.

"Where first?" I ask, not knowing where to start. Really, where would someone keep hidden information? I know that they said they swept for bugs and cameras before we came in so anything they were trying to hide probably couldn't be somewhere obvious.

"You might know better than me. You've been here before, haven't you?" Weever questions me and I nod.

"Yes, once. I was just thinking of how happy I was then and how dark and dusty everything is now." I explain, not quite sure why I am telling him this.

He nods in understanding though and I relax a little. "Don't worry; we're going in the right direction. We'll all be better for it soon."

Yeah, better or dead. But I don't say that and offer him a small smile. Now to business. Where would I hide secret information? Well the first thing that comes to my mind is the woods but that's just me really. Besides, there really aren't any woods here and I can't see Finnick hiding anything in the ocean. Not because he couldn't find anything to put it in but because it could so easily be just accidentally or on purpose be found by the wrong people. So if I couldn't hide it in the woods and I knew there were cameras around what would I do? Maybe something that didn't seem suspicious or somewhere outside of the house, somewhere close enough but far enough away from the cameras to see. Maybe a cellar or something?

"Maybe we should split up? Look through the bedrooms or living room for any hidden places or maybe somewhere outside?" I offer as a suggestion and he hums in agreement.

"It's not a bad place to start." He concedes, "Would you like to look in here or outside?"

"Outside." I choose almost instantly and with a grin I can tell he probably knew that was what I was going to pick. I may know Finnick and even Annie and I know they're alive, but being in their home still feels strange to me. At least if I'm outside the home it won't feel as strange.

"Alright." Weever says and we go our separate ways, me out the back door as he goes up the stairs.

I look around idly for a few minutes, more taking in the view of their backyard than really looking for a hiding place. The beach and the calm ocean is not too far from here and from a distance I can see a group of kids playing in the sand. While I can't make out faces or individuals it's not hard to tell that the one raven haired child is Kennie among the auburn and blonde heads. I hate to be away from her but I know that clean up would not only be boring for her but probably not the safest thing to do. Besides, I want her to have at least a little fun. She knows far too much for her own good and I can only hope that she can be as innocent as she possibly can be for as long as she can. I want her to be a child and play with other children like nothing's wrong even if practically everything is. But at least things are looking up as of late, what with Haymitch's assurance that the breakout is in a few days and Gale will be back. The addition of District 4 to the overthrown districts and the rest that haven't been there is fighting and in apparently District 8 they are close to taking it over. We're alive and so are our families. In the midst of everything that is wrong at least I have those little bits of hope.

I look around for a while starting at the base of the house and searching carefully for any sign at all of a hidden place or door or something to no avail. The ground seems to only be grass though I do randomly pull on some plants or grass just on the wildly off chance that it's a hidden door to something. All that gets me is some pulled flowers and grass stains from the recent rain. It's not until maybe two hours into searching when Weever calls my name from the kitchen window and I walk back to the house. He comes out the back door to greet me with a small black notebook in his hand with a lock of some sort on it.

"What is it?" I ask. He must think it's important if he has it but to me it just looks like a diary. I don't really know anyone who keeps one personally but maybe that's just because they haven't told me. I mean, it is supposedly a secret thing, right?

"I thought it was a diary because I had been going through books and notebooks looking for any evidence of information. It even has some sort of code lock on it but I don't know the code. But when I tried to open it and peek at the pages I saw some kind of language I didn't recognize and I thought maybe the whole thing was in code. It's the best I've found." Weever explains.

Secret code language? That would certainly seem like it could be hidden information. And assuming Finnick will actually be rescued in a few days and it's his he could easily tell us not only the code to get in but the code language. "Well I've found nothing so I guess this is our best bet."

So this is what we're left with. A diary with a five letter code to get in just to read something in an unknown code that may or may not be information we can use for the rebellion. Just once I wish something wasn't so secretive to me.