Chapter 25: The Rebel Life of a District 8 Commander, Part 3
Author's note: Some character's lines from both the movies and books have been changed.
President Paylor sat in the lounge off of the Gamemakers control room. She continued to think of her life as a rebel that led up to Amanda Snow fighting for her life and freedom in the Hunger Games.
Flashback:
2 years earlier, District 8, Paylor's living room:
Paylor, her daughters, and their houseguests were watching the television. Caesar Flickerman was interviewing Peeta Mellark.
"Well. At least you and her got to be together for at least a little while. Right folks?" said Caesar Flickerman.
There was applause and approval at Caesar's words.
"Well," said Peeta, "it would be, but now I wish that we hadn't got married at all."
There were then looks of disapproval from everyone.
"And why is that?" said Caesar in disbelief.
"Well. Our short marriage would have been worth it... if... if..." Peeta had a look of strain on his face as though he didn't want to say it.
"If what, Peeta?" Caesar urged him on.
Peeta took a deep breath and just let it out.
"Our short marriage would be worth it... if it weren't for the baby."
Every single person in the entire country went completely silent for a long moment out of shock and surprise.
'Okay, I was not expecting that?!' thought Paylor.
The audience was suddenly in an uproar. People were shouting.
"STOP THE GAMES! STOP THE GAMES!"
"YOU CAN'T PUT A PREGNANT GIRL INTO THE ARENA!"
"GET PRESIDENT SNOW TO OBEY THE LAW IN THE TREATY OF TREASON!"
"WE WANT OUR VICTORS TO STAY ALIVE! SEND THEM HOME!"
"THE THIRD QUARTER QUELL IS ILLEGAL!"
It was then that the camera focused on the 24 Victors who joined hands in a symbol of District unity.
Then the television went to static for a few moments and then there was the seal of the Capitol and an audio recording.
"Our broadcasting system is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please stand by."
Paylor's resolve had never been stronger in her life. It took all of her will to not send the girls to safety and the lead the rebellion this minute. But no! They could not revolt tonight. They had to wait until the right time when all of the districts would revolt together.
There was then a quiet knock at the door. Paylor looked through the peephole and saw a woman she knew vaguely from one of the factories. Paylor let her in.
"Is there something that I can help you with?" Paylor asked politely.
The woman reached into her jacket, pulled out from her breast pocket a cracker, and faced the cracker towards Paylor. The face of the cracker had had baked into it the symbol of the Mockingjay of Katniss Everdeen's pin.
"Commander Paylor." The woman inclined her head in respect.
Paylor then pulled out of her pocket an identical cracker and showed it to her guest who was obviously a mysterious rebel from one of the other cells in the city.
"I wasn't followed by the Peacekeepers. They don't know I'm here." said the woman.
That was the expected, Commander Paylor would never expect such naive incompetence from her soldiers, not that any of them are trained in military tactics, but she trusted them nonetheless to be careful.
"I speak for the cell above me, the cell below me, and as well as my own cell. We are ready to attack on your command."
"There's a strategy that I've been thinking of," said Paylor, "I want to try what we call a Cavalry-Raid."
"A Cavalry-Raid, Commander?" said the woman in confusion, unfamiliar with the term.
"When the fighting breaks out, we will have too many casualties if we simply attack head-on. Here's my plan."
Paylor then pulled out a map of the city. Maps of the city were nothing for the Peacekeepers to be suspicious about, because it is in fact the Peacekeepers that hand the maps out to everyone to make sure that everyone knows where to go through the networks of crisscrossing streets to ensure that the slaves get to their textile factories on time for their morning shifts.
Paylor started to point at different spots on the map while she talked.
"These buildings here have internal support structures that are weak and have fallen into disrepair for decades. It wouldn't take much to collapse the building. It's just, the thing is, is that the Peacekeepers are completely unaware of this fact. What I want is a small task force of say 50 to 75 fighters right here."
She pointed to a spot on the map.
"They'll casually walk into the area with concealed guns beneath their coats. They will behave naturally as though their presence there is no big deal. They'll darn their masks and attack the Peacekeepers in that area quickly and then run into the damaged buildings. The Peacekeepers will be provoked into pursuit, they'll call for backup, several hundred Peacekeepers will enter the building, hundreds more will crowd into that area. We then break the building's sabotaged support structures, killing all the Peacekeepers inside but not until after our men have gotten out the back way, in which the Peacekeepers are unaware of, and then they'll escape through this alley around here, which the Peacekeepers would not suspect that we would use. We then have readied troops quickly take out the Peacekeeper's Snipers on the surrounding roofs, and then we have the advantage to kill those massive numbers of Peacekeepers that had crowded into that one area, only for us and our men to steal as many weapons as possible and clear out of the area before we take too many casualties, and before even more reinforcements arrive. It will drive the Peacekeepers into confusion and chaos, as well as spread their forces thin throughout the rest of the city. It'll work."
The woman was stroking her chin as she looked at the map and raised her eyebrow in interest.
"It's a brilliant plan Commander. But there is another factor that we might consider; what if the fallen Peacekeepers don't get any reinforcements?"
"Then we finish the battle and we claim that area as our own."
"If they know that a large number of rebels have gathered into one place devoid of Peacekeepers they'll just bomb that area from the air."
"I am relying on the District 13 air forces to back us up on that. But we will prepare for the worst at the same time. Once our Cavalry-Raid is over, we willing engage the smaller groups of Peacekeepers who have been spread thin. Quick hit and run attacks, it will take days, and many of our fighters will die, but it will maximize the Peacekeepers losses, while minimizing our losses. It'll work. Spread the word. And we will meet at Paul's house tomorrow for a meeting. Make sure you're not followed. Make sure the Peacekeepers and all unnecessary people don't know about it. After tomorrow's meeting, we spread word of the planned coordinated attack to all the cell leaders just prior to the country's simultaneous district revolt."
Paylor's guest nodded and had a look of professionalism on her face.
"Brilliant." she said, clearly impressed with the plan that she herself could never have come up with.
There were other details and factors about the Cavalry-Raid and battle plan to figure out, but they would fill in the blanks in good time.
The next morning, Paylor, her daughters, and her houseguests, gathered in front of the television. What they saw was a saltwater lake with the cornucopia right in the middle on a small island, and stone pathways that lead to the surrounding beach from the cornucopia. The tributes were then raised out of the water on their pedestals, and the 60 seconds began counting down.
There was then the voice of Claudius Templesmith.
"Let the 75th Hunger Games begin! May the odds be ever in your favor!"
The camera went from face to face of all of the tributes. Cecelia and Woof looked concerned. Clearly they were going to have to swim to the cornucopia. There is just one problem on that account; no one except for the District 4 tributes know how to swim.
The countdown hit zero. The gong sounded. Katniss Everdeen, and Finnick Odair dived headfirst into the water and began swimming towards the cornucopia. They both reached it at the same time. Katniss grabbed a bow and an arrow and aimed for Finnick Odair. Finnick grabbed a Trident.
Several of the other tributes had jumped into the water and managed to keep their heads above the water while they clumsily dog paddled towards the cornucopia. The boy from District 5 was the closest.
Katniss and Finnick had some kind of argument about trust and distrust but seemed to have formed a temporary tenuous alliance. They looked for food, water, and medicine among the supplies, but after about a minute of searching they found only weapons. They decided to that they had best flea into the jungle because there was no food, or water, or medicine, or even so much as camping gear among the supplies. They both pocketed a few extra knives, Katniss took a redundant set of bows and arrows in addition to her already primary set, and Finnick took a redundant Trident in addition to his already primary one. Finnick then threw his Trident and speared the boy from District 5 through the heart. Katniss shot some arrows at the Career tributes. They found Peeta and Mags and headed into the jungle. The live television feed no longer focused on them because they were no longer the most exciting thing going on.
The live television feed then refocused on old Woof, he grabbed up a spear and then attacked Brutus head on. Brutus also grabbed a spear, and the giant heavily muscled man seemed to have some difficulty holding his own against the 75 year old Victor from District 8. Paylor always knew that Woof kept himself healthy and strong, and when he was in his Games 60 years earlier he was ruthless. Paylor had seen re-runs of his Games on television several times. Woof whacked Brutus in the head and stabbed him several times with the sharp end of the Spear but they were not severe wounds. Woof fought hard, could have won, and almost did, but in the end the giant Career tribute's speed, strength, and youth overpowered the old man, and District 8's male tribute was impaled right through the heart.
Cecelia fought a hard and fast, fierce, sword fight with Enobaria. But the District 2 female held the District 8 female's sword aside and lunged forward and sank her surgically altered fangs into Cecelia's throat and tore it out with her teeth.
'And so passes the District 8 tributes of the 75th Hunger Games, Victors from District 8, Cecilia, and Woof, not seven minutes in.' Thought Paylor sorrowfully, mourning them both because they were her good friends, 'May they rest in peace. And may the District 8 rebels fight in their name, the same as they do for the Mockingjay.'
One-handed Chaff from District 11 engaged in a brief fight with Brutus, and then escaped into the woods with some weapons and was apparently looking for Katniss Everdeen so that he may ally with her.
Blight and Joanna Mason from District 7 each grabbed some belts full of axes and fought with the Careers while protecting Wiress and Beetee. Beetee grabbed up some cylinder-like contraption among the supplies and then took a knife to the back by Cashmere, but the wound was apparently not fatal. The District 7 and District 3 tributes had formed an alliance of four and abandoned the bloodbath fight, apparently to find Katniss Everdeen so that they could ally with her.
Several more Victors were slaughtered at the cornucopia by who were supposed to be their friends of many years, mentoring together in the Capitol, while a few of the rest escaped.
Paylor then decided that there was work to be done and there would be plenty of time to catch the updates of the Games later on.
Paylor went to the home of a rebel cell leader named Paul. The Peacekeepers were suspicious of nothing, as it was not a crime by law to visit friends at their houses, especially when the Hunger Games is playing live. The Peacekeepers believed that the District families usually watched the Games together.
The man named Paul opened his front door when Paylor knocked. Paylor flashed her Mockingjay bread biscuit and inclined her head in respect. Paul also flashed a Mockingjay bread biscuit and inclined his head in respect.
"Commander Paylor." Paul said in acknowledgment of his Commander's presence.
Several other people were there sitting around Paul's dinner table.
"I trust that word has been spread?" inquired Paylor.
"Word is still spreading. But we are readying the troops. They will all be in position by the appointed time."
"Excellent!" said Paylor. "The Cavalry-Raid will be the most dangerous thing that we will do during the revolt. Though as your Commander, I have to make decisions that send hundreds, if not thousands, of my loyal troops to their death in order to win a war, and I will not ask my troops to do anything that I wouldn't do myself. So it seems prudent that I should lead the Cavalry-Raid myself."
There was a look of concern on their faces at their Commander's words.
"Commander. As our Commander, we admire you for that. But we need you to survive so that you can continue 'commanding' us under your leadership. You have proven your loyalty to your troops by not asking them to do anything that you wouldn't do yourself, but I ask you to stay safe during the revolt, and allow me to carry out the Calvary-Raid."
Paylor argued that she would lose respect from some of the troops if she didn't lead the raid and put the raid off on someone else.
Paul argued that that wouldn't happen.
In the end, Paylor only very reluctantly agreed and said she would still lead a raid, just on a smaller and weaker group of Peacekeepers that are spread thin.
"It is a shame about Woof and Cecilia." said another man.
"Let's not talk like that." said Paylor. "They fought for our freedom. They died with honor protecting the Mockingjay. Now just like the Mockingjay, let us fight in their name."
They observed the television in the corner of the room showing the Games.
"Woof and Cecilia are dead. But the Mockingjay is still alive, and Finnick Odair is watching her back. She is in the best possible hands."
"Yeah, but is she watching Finnick's back? She seems ready to shoot him at any second."
"Don't blame her for that! She's simply not in on the plan because Snow is watching her too closely, and she's most concerned for getting Peeta to win."
"She's supposed to be our biggest asset! But she'll be a liability if she betrays Finnick!"
"Snow is probably counting on that. If she dies in the arena now, that will just rally more people to our cause. No, Snow needs her to kill off those who support her in order to destroy her image."
"As long as Peeta is alive, he will keep her in line."
"Do you think that whole pregnancy thing was real?"
"Probably just something Peeta said to rally the districts."
It didn't matter. They got to work.
They focused on the plan for another hour until they saw Peeta on the TV hit the arena's outer edge force field.
Finnick revived Peeta, and Katniss was so overjoyed that Paylor felt that that truly proved Katniss's love for him.
It was shortly before midnight in the arena on TV that the names and faces appeared in the sky. There was the male Morphling. Woof and Cecilia. Seeder from 11. And a few others.
Then Caesar Flickerman explained to the viewers that unbeknownst to the tributes, the arena is a giant clock, and dangerous perils of a certain kind for each houred sector. Two hours later, Joanna Mason's alliance was rained on by hundreds of gallons of blood for an hour, and Blight hit the force field, did not get up, and the cannon fired. An hour later poisoned fog attacked Finnick's alliance, and Mags got killed. Just before sunrise, Finnick, Peeta, and Katniss were attacked by mutant laboratory grown monkeys, and then the female Morphling from District 6 got killed.
Paylor went to her shift at the textile factory, worked hard, worked fast, and worked competently, while whispering instructions into people's ears unobtrusively.
Paylor needed to work hard to hold back some people who had itchy trigger fingers, who were observing another public whipping.
Two days later. It was night time in the arena. The tributes were down to the final eight. Chaff from the District 11 was closing in on Brutus and Enobaria, who were the only two Careers left. Joanna knocked out Katniss and cut out the tracker in her arm.
Midnight in the arena approached. Paylor spoke into a small communications device that the District 13 spies had given her.
"Is everyone in position?"
"We are ready for the attack on your command, Commander." said the voice on the other end.
As Paylor looked at the television she saw Katniss Everdeen ready to shoot Finnick Odair. When she then wrapped the wire around her arrow, turned her arrow to the force field, and shot her arrow through what a moment later was known as an invisible hole in the force field. The bolt of lightning struck the tree. A moment later there was static on the screen and a recording saying that the live video television feed from inside the arena had been cut off due to power loss.
Paylor was astonished. She was stunned for a moment because she wasn't 100% sure the whole thing would actually be pulled off, though at times she thought she had never doubted it. This was it; the clock struck 12 and the power went out in the arena. Paylor then spoke into her communicator again.
"Resistance-cells 1, 7, and 14…? Attack!" Paylor ordered, "Resistance-cells 2, 3, and 8, take out the Peacekeepers on the roofs."
She stood over her map that was spread out on her table and imagined how it would be going. She wished she could be there herself to personally make sure that nothing went wrong. But the leaders of the other cells were right; she couldn't lead them if she was dead. And she couldn't personally supervise every individual simultaneous attack in the city at once, to make sure nothing went wrong. This was war, and people die, missions will fail, entire battalions of troops will be lost, but she has to let her men do their job without her, and trust that her troops will succeed.
She strapped on a stolen Peacekeeper's bulletproof-vest, and a protective face-shield. She told her kids to stay safe and out of sight, along with her refugee houseguests. One of her houseguests was a 16 year-old boy who also put on a bulletproof-vest and picked up a stolen Peacekeeper's machine-gun. She didn't like the idea of bringing him along, because she felt he was too young, but it would make her a hypocrite to forbid him too come after everything she told the people about fighting for their family's freedom, and it wouldn't do the boy any better if he dies defenseless in the house later. He flashed a symbol of the Mockingjay and referred to her as 'Commander' in respect, and they rushed out the door. She met up with her battalion that was extra large so as to protect her, but she ordered them to stand behind her.
She and her group remained hidden out of sight with their eyes on a group of Peacekeepers. Some of the Peacekeepers bowed their heads and put their finger to their ear, waited a moment, then their squad leader gave a hand signal to his men. Clearly the Peacekeeper who was the leader of the group received radio instructions in his earpiece to backup the Peacekeepers that were under attack by rebels. Then half of the group headed after their squad leader.
'They've taken the bait.' thought Paylor.
Their was then a brief static sound on Paylor's communicator and then a voice.
"They've taken the bait, Commander! The buildings are collapsed! The Peacekeepers inside are all dead! We're attacking the ones on the outside now!"
"Very good." said Paylor. "Attention all resistance-cells in the city, attack now! And show no mercy, for you shall receive none!"
It was pandemonium all over the city, and Paylor hoped in all the other districts as well. One of the men raised a long pole high up over their heads with a big flag bearing a giant symbol of Katniss's Mockingjay pin. Paylor ran forward toward the Peacekeepers, followed closely from behind by her group.
"FOR THE MOCKINGJAY!" Paylor shouted.
The Peacekeepers turned in her direction only to be hit by a volley of bullets from stolen guns. One of the Peacekeepers called for backup on his radio, only to be told that there was no backup because every Peacekeeper in the district was under attack at the same time. He didn't even hear the last part because he was hit by a bullet a second earlier.
There was then a loud siren of a doomsday alarm coming from big speakers all over the city, followed by an alert to the citizens that they were in the midst of a rebel uprising, and that District 8 was now under lockdown.
Every Peacekeeper in that group was down, and Paylor's group took no casualties.
"Well done." she told her men in encouragement.
"Take their weapons!" ordered one of the other men.
Once the Peacekeepers things had been taken, they waited a moment.
"What are your orders, Commander Paylor!" asked one man.
"We fight." she said matter-of-factly. "We fight for days, if not weeks, until every Peacekeeper is dead. But to be more specific in the immediate short term, we go three blocks down that way. There is a much smaller cell fighting a much larger group of Peacekeepers."
She then spoke into her communicator.
"Cavalry-raid Resistance-cells, 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, and 14, this is Commander Paylor! Withdrawal!" Paylor ordered, "And then circle around and attack them from behind!"
The battle went on all over the city. The District 13 air-forces fired at the Capitol air-forces. The Capitol was unable to send in any reinforcements because every Peacekeeper in the country was spread thin. The District Peacekeepers were on their own.
It was not easy, but the battle went well. Without the Capitol Air-Forces being able to bomb the rebel strongholds, the rebels were able to secure areas of the city and keep them Peacekeeper-free.
However, one hour after the revolt started, President Snow made a televised address.
"People of the Districts, you have committed an act of terror against the Capitol." he spoke very calmly without any hint of anger or irritation, just statements of fact, "This is intolerable. You, the people, must be punished. As an act of justice towards you, and a demonstration of the Capitol's power, as of twenty minutes ago, I ordered a squadron of hovercrafts full of fire bombs to reduce District 12 to rubble. I did not want to. It was you, the people of the Districts, who forced my hand. There for it is you, the people of the Districts, who have just killed 8000 innocent men, women, and children, all for this silly, childish act of terrorism. And I will continue to destroy one civilian target, everyday, from now on, somewhere within the districts, until you lay down your arms and surrender. District 12 is destroyed and therefore the punishment has been done, so from this point right now you are forgiven, and if you stop fighting with in the next hour, I promise you will be well treated."
President Snow's claim that he destroyed District 12; he thought that that would demoralize the rebels. But he realized to late that he had only encouraged them.
And that went on for the next week. Both the Peacekeepers and the rebels fought for days without sleep. Citizens cowering in their homes became emboldened and came out of their doors at random moments and beat Peacekeepers to death with homemade clubs, and then took the Peacekeepers guns.
Peacekeepers broke into homes and killed everyone they could at random. Most of the Peacekeepers, though trained in military protocol, didn't know what to do, because as far as they were concerned the people weren't supposed to fight back, they were supposed to just sit there and take the execution without struggle. Some of the Peacekeepers went completely savage, because the idea that they couldn't scare the people drove them crazy. Some became scared themselves. One dropped his gun and flailed his hands over his head and screamed as an angry mob beat him to death while the Peacekeeper begged for mercy, and just before he died he had some feeling of remorse as he had some idea of how the people now felt.
The cost was great. The rebels dead amounted to higher than they could count. But in the end, the Peacekeepers kept falling back, and the rebels kept pushing forward.
By the end of the first day, Paylor and the leaders of the cells were having a war-plan meeting in an area of the district that was Peacekeeper-free. A hovercraft all-of-a-sudden de-cloaked in the air above them and landed in a wide open clearing between the buildings. The hovercraft had the words 'DISTRICT 13' painted neatly, and expertly on the side.
"Weapons ready!" ordered Paylor, "Don't fire until I give the order!"
The men pointed their weapons at the large door that then opened to become a large ramp. A large number of tall, heavily muscled men wearing very thick and bulky SWAT gear and holding rifles came down the ramp, lined up in perfect military-formation, and stood at attention perfectly poised with flawless discipline, looking much more impressive and intimidating than the rebel textile workers who were wearing dirty street clothes, stolen bulletproof-vests, and covered in dirt and blood.
A boy of about 16 came down the ramp and showed the rebels a giant flag bearing the Mockingjay symbol of Katniss Everdeen's pin, indicating they were on their side.
"We come in peace." said the boy. Then he looked in the direction of the sounds of explosions and gun fire in the distance, "More or less."
"Stand down!" Paylor ordered her men.
The rebels lowered their weapons, though wearily.
An older woman walked down the ramp while covered by four elite guards.
"May I present to you, President Alma Coin." said the boy, "Leader of District 13."
Paylor stepped up to one called Coin.
"President Coin. Welcome to District 8. I'm Commander Finch Paylor. Leader of the District 8 rebellion." said Paylor, extending her dirty hand. Coin shook it.
Paylor looked at the fresh and clean soldiers and felt under-dressed.
"I apologize for my men with their weapons. They are a little jittery. We've been shot at by Peacekeepers for the last 17 hours straight." said Paylor.
"No need for apologies, I can only imagine what you've been through." said Coin politely.
Up on the ramp of the hovercraft, Paylor saw some men and women dressed differently from the rest and had giant medical kits slung over their shoulders
"Are those medics?" asked Paylor.
Coin gave an affirmative.
Paylor then pointed.
"We have wounded." said Paylor.
Coin told Paylor to lead the way. Paylor give a hand signal and directed one of her men to lead the medics to the wounded.
"So, 'Commander'. How did you come across this Military-Rank among your people? Did you simply appoint yourself the position?" asked Coin with a look of skepticism on her face. Jealous of anyone who was an ambitious, power-hungry, politician like herself, who wanted what she arrogantly felt was rightfully hers.
"Well, actually," said Paylor, "I did not ask for this position, nor did I want it. My people nominated me against my will, and unanimously voted me to be referred to as the title of 'Commander'."
Coin was relieved, but only briefly. At first Coin was jealous because she thought Paylor was a politician trying to seize the position of President of Panem, but now she was even more jealous because she had worked hard her whole life plotting and scheming to win the power that she wanted. Now she finds the people of District 8 have just up and given this ragtag textile worker unlimited power that she didn't even want. And for what?
"What leadership skills do you have that your people feel you are the best for your position?" asked Coin.
Paylor thought. She wasn't really sure. She answered as best she could.
"My people know me, love me, respect me, and most importantly they trust me. And as for my leadership skills... I do not think of myself as having good leadership skills."
One of Paylor's men stepped forward.
"She is being too modest. In a desperate situation without thinking she can make quick decisions that almost always turn out to be right."
"I will take his word on that, Commander." said Coin.
"Is it like this in the other districts?" asked Paylor, gesturing to the chaos around her.
"Worse." replied Coin.
"What of the Mockingjay?" asked Paylor with a tone of concern. "Rumor has it Katniss Everdeen is dead. Everyone in the entire country saw her get struck by lightning on live television. Right now she is the thing my men are all fighting for. Not that they wouldn't keep fighting anyway without her."
President Coin then had a look of irritation on her face.
"You can rest assured, your Mockingjay is safe. We had a hovercraft, invisible over the arena, we managed to extract Katniss Everdeen just after the arena blew out." explained President Coin with a note of disappointment. "Along with Beetee from District 3, and Finnick Odair from District 4. She was severely wounded, but will make it. Though at this point I don't see what good Katniss Everdeen is going to be to us? Her personality profile says that she is stubborn, rebellious against all authority, will only do what she wants and only when it suits her, and is accountable to no one except for herself." President Coin allowed that idea to sink in as she looked Paylor in the face, "Not exactly the most ideal soldier for District 13."
"I disagree President Coin," said Paylor, "personally, I have observed her on television to be brave, courageous, generous, and always stands up for those weaker than herself. No, you are wrong President Coin, Katniss Everdeen is our Mockingjay, through and through!"
President Coin changed her face to reluctant resignation of the fact.
"And Peeta Mellark?" asked Paylor.
Coin hesitated as she sighed with regret.
"Peeta Mellark, Joanna Mason from District 7, and Enobaria from District 2, were extracted from the arena... by the Capitol."
The rebels had worried looks of disappointment.
"That is unfortunate." said Paylor. "And what of District 12?"
"I am sorry to say that District 12 is completely destroyed. However there are survivors. We have reason to believe that several hundred refugees managed to escape through the downed electric fence, and into the woods. We have been trying to look for them but the leaves and branches of the trees are thick, and our hovercrafts have been unable to see them. No matter, we will continue to look for them until we find them. And they are resourceful, the forest holds food, water, and raw materials. We are confident that they will survive."
"And what of our Victor, Alicia?" asked Paylor.
"Captured, in the Capital, during the Games. Our spies say she is being tortured for information on the rebellion. We could rescue her, but it would be too costly. She will be executed once they're done with her, along with all the other mentors. Most of the other victors that were in the Districts at the time, were captured by the Capitol just prior to the revolt. I'm afraid it is out of our hands. I'm sorry."
Coin paused for a minute to think.
"Well, we will worry about that later." said Coin, "But for now."
Coin gave a signal. Some soldiers brought out a large number of large crates. And when they were opened they were full of guns and medicine.
"My spies promised you from me that we would provide for you medical-supplies, weapons, and troops." said Coin. "We we live up to our promise."
"Thank you." said Paylor, "But we have starving children that we can't feed, and killing every Peacekeeper in this city will mean nothing if we all starve to death."
"I run the grocery store in the market." said one of the rebels, "I am carefully rationing provisions from my shelves and stockroom for the children, but it wont last long."
"We might... can't promise... but might... be able to help you on that." said Coin with a voice of reassurance. "We managed to take District 11 shortly after the revolt started this morning; we focused most of our military there. Though, so is the Capitol. But we are trying to get food spread around. We just came from District 11, now."
More large crates were brought out, and one was opened and Paylor looked inside.
"Real District 11 vegetables." Coin said as a statement of fact, "Unfortunately we were unable to bring enough with us to feed all of your children thoroughly, hunger-wise, but at least take the edge off."
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