After Mrs. Everdeen had finished crying she looked at me. "You bring my kids home." she said.
"Yes ma'am." I said.
I get up off the porch, and offer my hand to Mrs. Everdeen. She took it, stood up, and head back into the house. I wonder if she's going to cry more, or return to her house work. I don't know, but I turn and walk away. I head to the square to see what's going on. I see Katniss, Peeta, Prim and the other children playing. I keep an eye for outliers, and I noticed and oddity near the bakery. The person noticed me, and then turned to leave the square.
I make my way to them, but behind the shops. I clocked the person coming around the corner of a shop before the saw me, but instead I decide to follow them. I duck behind a little supply hut as the person was passing, and I heard a bit of their conversation about how they saw the couple in the square playing with the kids, but they should go ahead with the plan as they had discussed.
So there's my spy. But what if they have a partner, or partners. Killing this one would make others suspicious. I think. I decide to walk away because killing the spy could wreck the long game, and that's far more dangerous than removing a spy.
I head home and prepare for the day that we've all been waiting for. I know this one thing the closer reaping day draws near, the more my nerves are being tried. I've done almost a hundred combat missions, but my nerves were never this rattled. I guess there's more on the line with this mission than all the others.
One night the week of the reaping I wrote a note. It was short, and meant to be read by Katniss. I'm not exactly sure if I will be able to see her during the hour for good-byes, but I can give it to Peeta or Gale and have them deliver it to her for me. Katniss seems the type to need guidance, but it's more indirectly. So if I get Peeta to direct Katniss the plan could work. I should be the one telling what Katniss to do, but I'm public enemy number one. I blow the candle out, and then crawl into bed. It's a rough week, and I can barely sleep. The day before the reaping I get a visitor. I open the door to see Cross, Bardan, and Etain on my porch. I fling the door open, and practically throw the three of them onto my living room floor. I sweep the area in case there was a spy around. I've spotted at least three of them after that day in the square.
"What are you doing?" I hiss, as I shutting the door
"Easy there, Kai!" Etain said, holding her hands up.
"Cinna said that he needs you in the Capitol the night of the reaping." Cross said. "We had to come in person because our lines are being monitored."
"By who? The Capitol?" I ask.
"We've spotted a few rebel patrols in the area. We believe they're looking for you." Bardan said.
"Stay until nightfall, and then leave. I've spotted a few of Capitol spies in the district." I say.
"Wonderful." Cross said.
Nightfall comes, and I send the three interlopes out the back. I head to the front door as someone was knocking on it. I open the door to see that it was Gale. "What's up Gale?" I ask.
"Those three people were wearing the same uniform I saw you wear four years ago. Friends of yours?" he asked.
"Trust me Gale, claim ignorance." I say.
"Fair enough. I was coming by asking if you wanted to go hunting tomorrow?" he asked.
"Okay. Meet you at the trunk?" I ask.
"Seven o'clock." Gale said, and then left.
Morning came, and I arrive a few seconds before Gale did. We spend the morning hunting, and it is done in silence. We call it quits at noon because we had a massive haul of squirrels, rabbits, and a lot of fruits, nuts and roots. After we enter the district Gale stops us.
"What's about to happen?" Gale asks.
"I'm sorry?" I ask blind-sided by the question.
"Haymitch is the town drunk. And in one of his nightly drunk rants he said that you are an outsider. Now he had the decency not to mention rebel spy, but you have been disappearing and reappearing like it's no big deal and playing off like nothing happened." he whispered.
"Katniss and Peeta are the tributes this year." I whisper.
"What? How?" he asks in the same hushed tones.
I didn't answer. I just raised my eyebrows. "So, what. You're just going to let them going? You're not going to try to save them?" he asks.
"Listen carefully Gale. The rebels are in a jam. They can't openly move against the Capitol until the districts have been wrested from the tyrannical hand of the Capitol. If they move before then, District 13 will be wiped out for real." I say sternly.
When I mentioned that District 13 was still around Gale's mouth fell open. It took Gale a few moments to find his voice. "The clock is ticking. We need to make our rounds so you can watch the heartbreaking scene in an hour and a half." I say.
Gale regains his composure, and we go to make our rounds. When we stop at Gale's house, he asks. "District 13 has been around for the past Ninety-Nine years. What have they been doing?"
"I don't know. I never knew they existed until eight years ago." I said.
"Eight years. You've been operating with the rebel for eight years?" he asks.
"I'm from the districts. I was kidnapped in the middle of the night, and forced to do slave work. The rebels got me out the same night Sasha died. Now I'll say it again, claim ignorance because there are Capitol spies in the district." I say, and then walk away.
An hour later people were lining up in the square getting ready for the reaping. I find my way through the crowd until I come across the Katniss, Prim, and Peeta making their way to the check in table. "Katniss! Peeta!" I call out.
Katniss and Peeta look at me, and I nod for them to come here. I see Katniss tell Prim to wait for her, and then the two of them walk back over to me. "Yeah, Kai." Peeta says.
"Not matter what happens do not show any emotion." I say cryptically.
"What?" Katniss asks.
"Do not cry." I say.
"I won't cry." Katniss says defiantly, but Peeta is questioning my statement. I go and find Mrs. Everdeen in the crowd and wait for the show to begin. I see Prim in the crowd, and she is staring towards the stage waiting for the reaping to begin. I find Katniss in the crowd, and she is looking towards the boys, and I can see she is looking at Gale, but he has a grim look on his face. I look one section over from Gale's, and I see Peeta looking at me. I give him a wink, and he nods back at me, the tension I saw in his face eases considerably.
At this time Mayor Undersee steps up to the podium, and begins the ceremony. Exit stage right. I think. I drown out the Treaty of Treason and scan the crowd. The Peacekeepers are all standing guard in the crowd and on the stage. I turn to look at Mrs. Everdeen, and she is distraught. I lay a gentle hand on her shoulder and give an even gentler squeeze. Mrs. Everdeen looked up at me, and I gave her a sad smile. She smiles back, and we hear Mayor Undersee turn everything over to Effie Trinket.
Effie is a little more tolerable than Nikki, but barely. "Ladies first!" Effie trilled.
Mrs. Everdeen leaned into my and I can feel her tears soaking into my shirt. I look down at her, and I have a shocked look on my face. I takes me a moment to come to my sense, and when I do Effie has returned to the podium after pulling the square piece of paper out.
"Primrose Everdeen." Effie said.
The crowd, who had been murmuring silently amongst itself, had fallen silent. The crowd is looking all round them, but the section where Prim was standing had parted so she could make her way up to the stage. But a few seconds later Katniss is shoving her way into the aisle. Like clockwork. I think
"Prim!" Katniss shouted. Prim looked back at Katniss and she had tears in her eyes. Prim didn't want to go to the Capitol and participate in the Games, so she bolts back towards Katniss. The Peacekeepers had begun to chase after Prim. "I volunteer as tribute!" Katniss shouts.
When the words had left Katniss' mouth the square feel silent. A few of the adults on the stage, their mouths fell open in amazement at Katniss' defiant stand. Prim and Katniss hugged each other, and I can't see them because Katniss knelt down to embrace Prim. Prim lets Katniss go, and then comes running for Mrs. Everdeen and I. Prim wraps an arm around my waist, and buries her face into my abdomen. I look up to see Gale staring at me in disbelief. Opps! I forgot to mention the Capitol had planned to reap Prim to get to Katniss. I think. The ceremony continues. Effie pulls Katniss over to the microphone with a manic expression on her face. Haymitch and I share a look as Effie asked Katniss her name. Effie asks a round of applause for Katniss, but is met with silence. Then one by one, we salute Katniss, and she nods in return.
"My, my." Effie says. "On to the boys shall we."
Can we please hurry this up! I have people to say good-bye too, and a meeting in the Capitol to keep. I think.
Effie walks over to the boys bowl and pulls out the square paper. She walks back to the microphone and reads the name. "Peeta Mellark."
I find Peeta in the crowd, and he looks at me. I can see him fight his emotions, but I nod at him. Peeta swallows, and makes his way to the stage. Peeta and Katniss share a look, and I can tell this is not what they were expecting. Effie steps away from the podium as Mayor Undersee finishes the ceremony. Katniss and Peeta shake hands, and then they are taken into the Justice Building.
"Will you say good-bye to Katniss?" Mrs. Everdeen asks.
"If time permits. I need to talk to Peeta of the most import." I say.
I walk with Prim and Mrs. Everdeen to the Justice Building, but I head into the East wing of the building following Peeta's parents, as Prim and Mrs. Everdeen go into the West wing. I see that there were only three people here to see Peeta's, his parents, and the captain of the wrestling team. It isn't long before I'm in the room with Peeta. Peeta gives me a hug "I'm scared." Peeta said when we broke the hug.
"That's to be expected. I would be concerned if you weren't. I don't have much time. I need you to give this to Katniss at your earliest convenience." I said handing Peeta a folded sheet of paper, which he pocketed without a glance. "Before you go to bed each night in the Capitol, I need you to meet me in the rooftop gardens of the Training Center."
"Why?" Peeta asks, shooting me a sideways glance.
"We have much to discuss. Mostly about how we're going to keep Katniss alive." I say.
I look around the room. It's in the same condition as when I was here eight years ago. "Something wrong?" Peeta asks.
"No, just a skeleton in the closet." I say.
"My mom thinks the only reason District 12 has a chance this year is because of Katniss." Peeta says.
I shake my head. "Katniss won't survive without you. Katniss may be capable, but I guarantee that she will die without help. Keep something else in mind, you two are lovers. If you die, Katniss will give up living." I say.
"Like her mom did when Mr. Everdeen was killed?" Peeta said.
"Yep." I said.
At this time the Peacekeepers were coming to collect me. "Midnight." I said.
Peeta nodded his head, and then the doors closed behind me. "Do I have time to go see Katniss?" I ask.
"You have ten minutes." The Peacekeeper said.
They escorted me over to Katniss' room, and I see that nobody is waiting. They open the door for me, and Katniss is in my arms before they shut the doors. "Don't over think things, and don't show emotion." I say when we pull apart from each other.
"That's easy for you to say." Katniss said.
"I've been in a dozen combat mission, and far worse situations than this." I said.
"Touché." she said.
"One thing when you go to the Capitol, there is going to be a few days of training." I said.
"I know." she said.
"I want you to stay away from the bow, and both of you to stay away from swords. Tell Peeta not to show off any of his wrestling skills during the training session, and to stay away from the weights they have. Don't put yourselves in a positon for the Careers to look down on you." I said.
Katniss gave me a sideways glance, but instead replied. "Okay."
It was at this time the Peacekeepers were coming to collect me. "You two are in good hands." I said, and then exited. I miss the glance that Katniss shot me when the doors were closing.
That night on the train, as Peeta and Katniss were heading to bed, Peeta stop Katniss outside her room. "Katniss." he said.
"Yeah." she said.
"I'm guessing Kai thought he wasn't going to be able to see you, or whatever, so he asked me to give you something." he said, and then handed Katniss my note. Katniss pocketed the note, and then pulled Peeta into a kiss. After breaking the kiss, they smiled at each other and then head into their own room. After Katniss got out of the shower, pulled pin off the dress that her mom gave her, and realize that the bird is a mockingjay. Katniss opened my note, and saw that there was only one sentence. It read: No matter what happens, do not abandon Peeta in the arena.
Katniss let out a heartily laugh, and then went to sleep.
Three hours after I left District 12, I'm entering the Capitol and heading towards the Silver Falcon, but this time I'm accompanied by both the Jusik twins and Cross. I was in my usual Capitol get up, while Cross was beyond comfortable in his outfit. There's a story there, and I can't wait to hear it. I think. Bardan and Etain were beyond uncomfortable in their outfits.
"Stop it you two. You're draw unnecessary attention to us." Cross says.
"This is a different outfit than we're used to wearing." Bardan said.
"These clothes are beyond itchy. How do people here stand to wear such clothing?" Etain asks.
"Oh if you think that's bad, just wait. It gets worse." Cross said.
With that we enter the Silver Falcon and find Cinna in the back, already waiting for us.
