When Gale and The Shade landed, they were not in any natural place. They were within the concrete tunnels of District 13. More specifically, in a military conference room.

"When you came here you felt this was a haven, no?"

Gale did not deny this, "We were shelterless, they fed and clothed us."

"You can't be faulted for not being aware of their hidden evil, no more than a child can be faulted for talking to a stranger he meets in the park."

The Shade was referencing the horrific atrocities President Coin committed against her own people. District 13 was a prison, as nobody was allowed to leave. Anyone who acted out or could not meet the standards of the local ideology were shot, and anyone who who was deemed genetically unfit were put to death as part of a cruel eugenics program (the use of the word cruel may be redundant, as there has never been a eugenics program that was not known to have been grossly inhumane). Thankfully, President Coin's policies died with her. Four months before The Mockingjay banished her from the land of the living, Coin's designated successor and adopted son General Hans Buria was also assassinated during his occupation of District 4. As such, a general from the Grand Army of the Republic was chosen to manage District 13, and he was horrified of what he saw there.

Investigations were launched, but so many papers were burned by Coin's underlings that there was too little evidence to arrest more than a few people. While the people of District 13 were more than happy to provide testimonies against the Garrison Lieutenants and the Secret Police and the Floor Managers, there are still many warcrimes and crimes against humanity that have still not come to light.

Gale did not think about this too much. All he knew was that, apart from the former loyalists who now called themselves White Émigré, nobody denounced him or accused him of atrocities.

However, Gale did not want to think about this. "They weren't that bad."

The Shade replied, making Gale angry. "They're responsible for the destruction of a District 12."

"That's a lie! District 12 was destroyed by peacekeeper scum like you!"

The Shade corrected him. "The hovercrafts which bombed District 12 were flown by secret operatives. Yes, they were technically peacekeepers, but it is possible for more than one person to hold blame for something. District 13's leadership knew a full week in advance that the Capitol wanted to destroy District 12, and they stood by and did nothing."

Gale did not like to think that rebels could be to blame for the death his friends and neighbors, because that would mean the war was not as black and white as he is comfortable believing.

"Shut up."

"While your neighbors burned alive, the rebel hovercraft fleet waited in the hanger deck and did nothing."

"Shut up.

"And one of the survivors made bombs for them."

"I said shut up!"

"Well, if you don't want to hear it from me, you can hear it from someone you might recognize."

Into the conference room walked young Gale Hawthorne. He was wearing the grey uniform of a District 13 officer, and behind him was a corporal.

"Alright, tell President Coin what you told me."

Young Gale goes on to explain his plan. "When I was working with Beetee, I came up with an idea for a bomb. Basically, I it is set to explode twice. The first one is only strong enough to injure anyone nearby-"

President Coin sighs in frustration, "I already told my weapons developers 'no nonlethal weapons'. This is a war, and POWs are just mouths to feed. Unless you have something better, stop wasting my time."

"You didn't let me explain what the second explosion was for. While the first one will only injure the enemy, the second will kill him as well as any medics who try to rescue them."

Coin's expression changed, shifting from boredom to interest. Young Gale was able to see this in her eyes, and he smirked at how clever he was.

"Your bomb kills medics?"

"No loose ends. Nobody to fix up the peacekeepers. Without medics, the peacekeepers will die of their wounds and can't return to battle."

"I like the way you think. We'll begun production of these bombs immediately."

Seeing that Gale was unaffected by this, The Shade spoke with unhidden hostility.

"These bombs would go on kill millions of people on the battlefield."

"You mean millions of peacekeepers."

Though The Shade still wore a helmet which obstructed Gale's view of his face, Gale could easily tell that The Shade had a look of disgust on his face.

"Millions of people. Your snare bombs killed rebels too, and both sides agree that your bombs were the worst aspect of the war."

"It's war. War is hell, so why should you or anyone else be upset if I wasn't willing to play nice? They are enemies after all, and I was just leveling the playing field."

"War may be a difficult experience to undergo, but that is still no excuse for throwing away basic human morality. If you stoop to the level of your enemies, look for ways to maximize the death toll, than you are no better than they are."

"Honor doesn't win wars. And even if it did, it still doesn't apply to Peacekeepers. The aren't real people, they're mindless killing machines."

"Was Darius a mindless killing machine? What about Purnia?"

"That's different. They weren't really peacekeepers."

"They trained for two years like any other peacekeeper, and when they graduated they felt proud to be Peacekeepers. You only knew them after they spent years living in District 12. If they were stationed somewhere else, they would have been another faceless peacekeeper who you would love to mow down."

Gale was looking for some scathing comeback to make, any at all. However, he could not find any. His mouth was open, but no words came out.

"Lets take a look at what your snare bombs can do."

They both transported to a battlefield in District 1. There was combat all around as Peacekeepers and loyalist militiamen fought against District 13 troops and local rebels. There was one particular peacekeeper who Gale and The Shade paid attention to.

"See him?"

"He's just another peacekeeper. Quite frankly, I hope he dies."

"Would you still feel that way if I told you he was Purnia's childhood friend?"

The mention of Purnia made Gale's eyes widen in surprise.

"But-"

"He became a peacekeeper for the same reason Purnia did, and he was stationed in District 1. He's not concerned about politics, he is just trying to survive and protect the people here."

"Protect them from who?"

"There were a few rebels who were willing to commit atrocities against loyalists, even if those loyalists were women and children."

"Why?"

"They're loyalists, Capitol supporters, against the revolution. During the war this would be enough reason for you to kill them."

Gale did not say anything, he just watched as the peacekeeper ran to take cover behind an alleyway.

When he got there, he saw a rebel medic pumping on the chest of an unconscious rebel. The medic looked up at the peacekeeper and became horrified.

Gale cringed, expecting the Peacekeeper to behave the way he assumed all peacekeepers behaved. This is not what happened.

"I'm not gonna kill you. You have enough to worry about."

The peacekeeper walked past the unarmed rebel medic, leaving the alleyway behind. The medic looked at him for a moment, not vocalizing anything but with his eyes saying 'thank you'.

Gale was befuddled.

The Shade's voice was dripping with bitter sarcasm. "Now why did he do that? The medic he spared is just going to fix up more rebels."

"How can you say that!? The medics are only trying to help people."

"And the peacekeeper medics aren't'?"

Before Gale can reply, they follow the Peacekeeper into an abandoned warehouse. He walks across cautiously, but he does not notice it until it is too late.

A bomb hidden in a shadow blows up, knocking him to the floor and leaving him bloody and injured. Purnia's childhood friend tried to push himself into a crawling position, but fell back onto his stomach.

Gale surprised himself by being concerned for the man. "Someone's going to help him, right?"

The Shade nodded towards the entrance to the warehouse, and they both could see the rescuer. He was a boy no older than twelve years. Gale could not help but think that this child reminded him of Rory. He did not know why; this child did not look like Rory in any way. But the resemblance could not be shaken off.

The child saw the peacekeeper bleeding on the ground. "Don't worry, I'll help carry you to the other good guys."

"Ww ... wait ... don't ..."

However, the warning came too late. As soon as the child reached him, the second more powerful explosion was triggered.

When the smoke cleared, both of them were was shaking horrifically, unable to even breathe.

Their bodies were indistinguishable, blood and ogre were everywhere. Limbs were strewn all across the floor of the warehouse where once was a man and a child.

Gale wanted The Shade to place a hand on his shoulder and tell him everything was going to be alright, but The Shade only echoed his words back at him with utter disgust in the person he was addressing.

"No loose ends. Nobody to fix up the peacekeepers."

Gale felt like vomiting, like screaming, like shooting himself, like doing all these things and more.

Gale felt horrified.