"You're not supposed to be here!" I'm aware that it's a poor greeting for my sister, but my mind has forgotten everything else. She's not supposed to be anywhere near the war, even as a medic. She's supposed to be safely underground, hundreds of miles away from the fighting, caring for Posy and Vick.
"Who's with the kids?" Gale asks, likely imagining the community home kids back in 12.
Prim rests her head in her hands. "Delly. When I got my orders, I panicked and told the head medic that I was the only one left in charge of Posy and Vick. I thought they'd keep me there...instead they gave me the list of people who weren't combat ready and told me to choose."
"You made a good choice, Duck." I pat her on the back. "But why did they ship you here anyway?"
Her voice is barely audible. "They need me for the Star Squad."
"The what?!" I run through thoughts about why they would want her for the Star Squad, how in Panem she could be helpful, and my fear that she would be involved in actual combat. The Star Squad was rarely in more than a brief skirmish, but the possibility was always there. In fact, I was sure they were purposefully being made into a target.
"As in, the squad Rory and I are on?" Gale chokes out. "Doing what?"
"They want me to at least hold a gun...I guess the propos of me just talking aren't enough...they want to show Rory and I working together, and that I'm willing to fight."
"So wait...they rescued you from a situation in which you were forced to fight against your will...and now they're making you fight against your will?" I start to cycle through my options...I have no authority to get her out of this, but I can find someone who does.
I grab Gale's arm and yank him with me. "Come on, we're finding Haymitch."
Prim scurries behind us as we traipse through camp toward the Command trailer.
"Haymitch!" I burst through the door, startling both Haymitch and Plutarch.
"Having an issue, Sweetheart?" he asks. I grab Prim and shove her in front of me. Haymitch's eyes widen.
"What's she doing here?" He looks to Plutarch with raised eyebrows. Plutarch shrugs, and they have a silent conversation with raised eyebrows.
"They put me on the Star Squad," Prim says.
At that piece of news, Haymitch loudly proclaims, "I need a walk," and breezes past us and out of the trailer.
We follow as he leads us past the rows of tents and far from the warmth of the heaters. We finally reach a clearing away from earshot of other people. He motions for us to gather close. Plutarch huffs and puffs his way into the circle.
"Look, Abernathy, I didn't know they'd bring the girl out here when I agreed to put that squad – "
"Well they did, and now you'll have to answer for yet another person..." Haymitch trails off at the end of his statement, glancing at Gale for a moment.
"Another person, what?" asks Gale.
Plutarch clears his throat a few times while Haymitch stares him down, eyebrows raised. "Well...er...Coin requested that...I mean I approved...the Star Squad will be in the front line of the advance tomorrow. Tasked with..."
"Killing Snow," finishes Haymitch.
"Then Prim's not going," I say.
Haymitch stops me. "You don't have that power, Sweetheart."
"I must! She's sixteen years old! She's an orphan! She's not able to make her own choices! I'm an adult, and I'm her nearest living relative –"
"Your sister declared herself married. In the eyes of 13, that makes her an adult, and as an adult, she's required to follow the orders of the President."
"Coin..." Prim whispers. "She accepted the marriage without question..."
"She wanted you dead from the start?" I ask.
"No, she wanted power over me, and probably Rory...the ability to make decisions. So she could use us until we weren't useful any longer."
"And then what? Send you to die?"
"Catnip, they've sent us all to die," interjects Gale.
It hits me. Gale. Rory. Peeta. Even Finnick and Johanna, who I don't know terribly well, but I'm somewhat fond of. Boggs. Jackson. Really, everyone on the Star Squad.
Tasking them with killing Snow is like sending them on a suicide mission. Coin isn't looking for a victory. She's looking for martyrs. Regardless of the outcome tomorrow, she's looking for emotional capital to further her agenda which is...
That's where my thought process falls apart. What is her end goal? Martyrs mean she gets support, but what will she do with that support? What will she do with the power when she gets it?
I'm not sure I want to find out.
We spend that night in Gale and Rory's tent, Prim and I in one bed, Rory in the other, and Gale on the cold floor between. At some point in the night, I roll over so I can grasp his hand, entwining my fingers. Tonight feels final. Whatever happens tomorrow, whether we win or lose, life is going to be different.
Around dawn, the camp begins to break back into life. I look down at Gale.
"You'll keep her safe, please? And yourself?"
"I'll do my best, Catnip."
I slide off the bed, careful not to disturb Prim, and snuggle into his side until we have to get up.
Trout and I are positioned on top of an abandoned building just behind the advancing front. After a dull morning of watching the troops disable defensive pods (using unmanned cars), we've choked down our lunchtime rations and are still scanning the blocks of empty buildings for signs of enemy soldiers.
My headset crackles to life. "Katniss, Trout, get ready to move forward. Six blocks due North, building is a library. Head up the fire escape and take your positions on the Northwest corner. No soldiers are available to accompany you, so you'll have to cover one another."
"The library's only 2 blocks from the City Center," Trout murmers. "We're getting close."
I breathe a sigh of relief. That also means we'll be able to see what's going on. I'll be able to keep an eye on Prim and Gale.
We creep up the rusty fire escape to perch atop the 9 story "National Panem Library and Museum." Through the windows, I can see stacks and stacks of books...statues of former Presidents...dioramas illustrating the Games.
From our vantage point, we can make out the green in front of the President's mansion. Thousands of Capitol residents have filled the streets, carrying their belongings with them. And in front of the President's mansion they've gathered hundreds of children.
A human shield.
I finally put words to my thoughts. "There's no way to end this without innocent people dying."
Trout looks stricken and whispers, "this...this isn't what we signed up for. This isn't an improvement..."
Our rifles are at the ready, and we're scanning the crowd for unfriendly soldiers, but our hearts aren't in it. With every fiber of my being, I'm fighting the urge to run, find my sister, and escape this hellhole. Leave the Capitol and denounce every moment of this war.
The only thing that keeps me on the roof of the library is that there are just as many horrors waiting for me if I desert.
And so we sit as the afternoon draws on. A few times we have no choice but to shoot, picking off peacekeepers as they encroach upon Rebel soldiers and civilians. Each time I squeeze the trigger, I cross my fingers that my aim is true. That I don't kill someone who's done nothing wrong.
My luck holds out.
From the rooftops around me, however, other snipers aren't so lucky. I watch in horror as an elderly woman is mowed down, a child loses her life, and a family is ripped apart by bullets.
I no longer feel like I'm on the side of "good," if such a thing even exists. There will be no winners today.
Dusk has begun to fall when the crowd begins stirring, screaming and shouting. The main body of rebel soldiers is advancing, the Star Squad at the helm.
I can't help but give a triumphant yell when I see Prim's blonde head, flanked by Rory and Gale. She's alive and fine.
"They're missing a few," Trout points out. The Star Squad is down a few members, but my mind is focused solely on Prim and Gale. I can figure out the rest later.
As they approach the President's mansion, I watch as the civilian crowd parts. Most people are unsure of how to react: are these soldiers liberators or foreign occupiers? Will the new regime be better or worse than the previous?
More and more Rebel soldiers flood the area, moving refugees into abandoned buildings and onto side streets. I refuse to allow myself to think about the overwhelming task of caring for all of those people.
From my vantage point, I watch various squads and soldiers station themselves at each exit to the Presidential mansion. My focus is on scouring the windows, roofs and alcoves for enemy snipers and pick them off before they can attack.
Soldiers disappear into the building, and for fifteen minutes my heart is in my throat. I can't tell which members, if any, from the Star Squad are inside, nor am I getting any clues through my headset. Trout puts an arm around me as we huddle atop the library.
In my ear, my commander says, "snipers at the ready, they are bringing the primary targets out of the Mansion."
We rise and aim toward the nearest door. Through my scope, I can see a group of Rebel soldiers opening the large double doors that serve as the main entrance to the President's mansion. The gray and black mass surges into the courtyard, arms length from where scared Capitol children huddle. The knot of soldiers push several people forward, their arms cuffed behind their backs.
President Snow kneels in the center, his arms held roughly by Gale and Rory. His advisors and assistants (including a few I recognize from the Games and other TV appearances) flank him.
I've been put back into the main headset feed again, and gather bits of information. Several soldiers are injured or killed inside the Mansion. Four major political players are missing. And Coin is on her way via hovercraft to supervise the immediate execution of the prisoners.
"You'd think she'd hold a trial or something, prove that leaders deserve a fair shake if they're caught doing something wrong," Trout points out, echoing my thoughts. Coin seems like the type who would plan ahead for her fall from grace.
We wait.
Haymitch's voice appears in my ear. I glance at Trout, who doesn't react. She's not hearing this.
"Katniss. Peeta. Gale. She expects someone to step forward, be the voice of reason. Call for a trial. Don't be that person. Don't let Prim—" his voice crackles back out of my ear as the main feed cuts in again.
I utter a very Rory-esque word under my breath, and Trout looks to me with questions in her eyes. I wave her off.
The hovercraft carrying Coin lands in a cleared area of the courtyard as I try to figure out what to do. I'm too far from the Mansion to truly communicate with the others, and I'm unsure if Haymitch will find his way back into my ear.
Questions run through my mind as Coin departs her ship and my commander barks orders in my ear.
Why does she want someone else to call for a trial?
"Snipers, be prepared for anyone who looks to threaten President Coin as she speaks."
Why shouldn't we be those people?
"We will be broadcasting her speech over Snow's network in 30 seconds."
Why did Haymitch warn us? Specifically me? I'm not even down there.
"All snipers in position."
And what about Prim?
Coin approaches the group, flanked by cameramen. Someone quickly sets up a microphone in front of the kneeling prisoners. The soldiers shuffle around so the ones at the forefront are all wearing black.
Of course, the Star Squad. Front and Center. I pick out the Hawthornes, indistinguishable in their helmets and identical uniforms. I find Prim. Peeta.
Several screens line the City Center, and each flickers to life, filled with Coin's face. Through my scope, I have a blurry view of the soldiers.
"This is a monumental moment," begins Coin, "for this is the moment you are free. Regardless of whether you come from the Districts or the Capitol, you are now free of President Snow's tyranny. We will announce new laws, new procedures, and new freedoms in the coming days. Tonight, you will witness the execution of those who have long held power over you."
Public execution. Sounds more like a warning.
Peeta is the one who steps forward, in direct violation of Haymitch's warning. The microphone quickly cuts out, and there's an exchange of words between him and Coin.
My commander's voice in my ear warns, "be prepared to shoot any threat, even if it appears to be from one of ours."
Stop, Peeta.
Coin's microphone turns back on. "One of your Hunger Games survivors has shown grace and forgiveness that is entirely undeserved. He has requested that we give former Capitol leaders a fair trial. A trial denied to himself and hundreds of other tributes over the years." Her eyes are cold. "I am willing to grant this wish, if only to demonstrate that we are committed to do better than they have. With one exception. President Coriolanus Snow's execution will occur immediately. There is no doubt regarding his guilt or his crimes. And I feel, as do my advisors, that there is no one better to carry out this execution than someone he has previously sentenced to death." Coin pauses and looks to the Star Squad. "Primrose Everdeen will do the honors."
She's goading Prim into saying something. My breath comes faster, and I will my hands not to shake.
Off camera, two dark heads are on either side of Prim.
Prim stays put.
Coin leans to the side and whispers something, then one of her advisors steps forward to prod Prim toward President Snow. Through my scope, I can see her saying something, and one of the Hawthornes pulling himself to his full height.
No. No. No.
Coin steps back to the microphone. "Miss Everdeen, if you will."
No. No. No. I flash back to the moment in the forest when I killed. In self-defense, I took a life. And the impact it had on me.
Prim steps behind Snow and hoists her gun. Her firearm training is limited, and her awkward stance fills every screen in the city center. A tear slips from her eye.
The adrenaline pumping through my body seems to slow the next few seconds down.
Although she is not wearing a microphone, I can see her lips move on camera, spitting out what looks like, "I can't..."
Rage joins fear and sadness. I'm angry at Snow, at Coin, at the world for putting Prim in this position.
I watch in horror as the soldier on her left, the one who stood up to Coin gently moves Prim out of the way.
"Prepare to shoot," yells my commander over my earpiece.
When he reaches the screen, I realize it's Rory. He raises his gun, and for a moment it looks as if he isn't aiming at Snow.
He's aiming at Coin.
"Katniss, GO!" yells the voice in my ear, knowing I have the best shot.
Rory turns his gun back to Snow and pulls the trigger. I pull mine at the same moment.
Snow crumples to the ground, dead.
And so does Coin.
Rory throws his gun to the ground and stomps into the stunned crowd of soldiers.
The City Center, full of refugees and soldiers, is silent. A frozen breeze whips over our rooftop.
"You missed," Trout says from beside me.
I stay silent.
"You never miss," she adds.
"No, I don't." I spit out, and toss my own rifle to the ground.
The war is over. Whether the soldiers believe it or not, we're done. I'm done. All I want is my sister and my husband and my friends, and for everything to stop so we can just go home. So I climb down the stairway of the library and walk into the crowd.
A/N Don't worry, there's one or two more chapters left. :) And yes, I'm hoping for a happy ending (as happy as one can get in a post-apocalyptic dystopia).
What questions need to be answered? Loose ends you want tied up?
I have an epilogue semi-planned...how far in the future should it be? 5 years? 10? Or just a few months?