"Refugee camps are springing up all over the borders," Coin was saying as she pointed to a map. Katniss's arm slipped as she almost dove face-first into the table. She quickly sat up and opened her eyes wide, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed. Haymitch gave her a smirk and a wink and she sighed. They had been looking at maps for hours. For days, in fact. Katniss had gone back and forth with the president about if she should be allowed to visit these camps, to boost morale. Coin thought it was a good idea but she hesitated sending their symbol into danger. Boggs said he would go with her but that didn't put Coin at ease.
"I still think it's too soon to send you out into the field," she'd said for the hundredth time.
"Even though you were wanting to send us to the Capitol just last week!"
"I have received reports from the frontline and the chances of us overtaking the Capitol peacekeepers this soon are unlikely. I don't want to send you there, or to the refugee camps. You are needed here."
"For what? All I'm doing is filming propos! I could be out in the field, meeting the people! Actually speaking to them! Wouldn't that be more useful?" Coin had dismissed the subject, yet again, and Katniss hadn't pressed the issue any more.
"Every time we send in units, peacekeepers annihilate them," Coin continued. "We need to take the peacekeepers down, head on. Destroy the ranks from the bottom. We need to strike at them before they are sent out among Panem."
"District 2," Gale said loudly. "That's where their training takes place. If we attack District 2, and cut off all their sources, they can't move out past the border."
"District 2 is full of Loyalists," Boggs said, indicating something on the map. "They're too close to the Capitol to overtake."
"Colonel Boggs, have you reached out to Commander Lyme?"
"I have, Madame President. She is interested in our cause but is hesitant. She says the the mountain is too heavily guarded." Coin pursed her lips.
"Let us take a short break. Boggs, you and Gale speak with Beetee and see if you can't come up with any ideas that will help us take the mountain. Their power lies in the heart of that mountain, where the training camps and the train stations are. Everyone else, go enjoy lunch." Katniss glanced at her arm, where dinner was in black ink. They had been talking for a lot longer than she'd thought.
Katniss and Haymitch were almost to the mess hall when Madge and Rye came running out, nearly running them over.
"Whoa, hey, where's the fire?"
"Sorry Haymitch! Katniss, do you want to come meet your new nephew?" Her eyes widened.
"April had the baby?"
"Just got the message! Come on!" Madge grabbed her hand and Katniss was yanked along the hall with her in-laws.
The infirmary was filled with people and Katniss felt uneasy, like she didn't really belong here. But April and Bing gave her big smiles and gestured her forward. Rye cradled the baby in his arms and he shook his head.
"He looks just like Peeta did when he was born," he said in awe.
"You were too young to remember what he looked like," Bing chuckled. "But you're right, he really does. All blonde curls and just look at those eyes. That's his mommy's smile though." April smiled tiredly, leaning back against the pillow.
"You want to hold him, Katniss?"
"Oh!" She bit her lip and cast an anxious look at April.
"Go ahead, Katniss," she giggled. Rye slid the babe into her arms and she swallowed thickly. Bright blue eyes blinked up at her and her heart started to race. The Mellark boys all looked alike, so of course she could see her husband in Bing's son. But she started to wonder what Peeta's child might look like. Would it be blue eyes, or grey? Would it have dark hair, or blonde curls like the baby in her arms? She blinked back tears and forced a smile.
"He's beautiful, April. Congratulations to you both."
"Grandpa wants to hold him," Bran moved forward, eagerly taking the baby from her. She suddenly noticed who was missing from the cooing crowd and she looked around. Sure enough, Mrs. Mellark was pouting in the corner, her arms crossed over her chest. Katniss resisted the urge to walk over and slap her.
"Alright, there are too many people in here right now," Violet stood in front of April's bed, her hands on her hips. "April needs to rest now. Only the father may stay."
"Come on, Vi, it's my first grandchild," Bran said pleadingly as the others started to say goodbye. Violet's lips were tightened but Katniss saw she was trying not to smile.
"The father and the grandparents, then." Bran went back to bouncing the baby and making funny faces at him. Katniss couldn't help but smile. She could definitely see Peeta reacting the same way.
Her heart was still racing and she nudged Madge.
"Congratulations again, April. Bing." The new parents nodded in thanks as the family streamed out of the room.
"Ugh, your mother is unbelievable," Katniss said as soon as they were down the hall. "Did you see the way she was acting?"
"She's just mad it's not a girl," Rye shrugged.
"That's pathetic. Is she going to treat the baby like she treated Peeta? Just because he's a boy?"
"I agree with Katniss. A baby is a miracle! It doesn't matter what the sex is, he's family! Someone should talk to her."
"Be my guest," he shook his head. "She's always been like that. There's no talking to her, honey. But you're welcome to try." Madge rolled her eyes in disgust. Katniss remembered Peeta telling her one night about how his mother had refused to nurse him after he was born. All because of his sex. Something beyond his control, something that should have been celebrated, actually. A boy in the family was a good omen in District 12. The Mellarks had been thought of as lucky because of all of the boys. Katniss couldn't understand how Mrs. Mellark could be angry at Peeta for being born.
"You ok, Katniss?" She glanced to the side and nodded.
"Fine. I just… miss Peeta." Rye and Madge shot her looks of sympathy and Rye's head whipped around in surprise.
"Mom, what are you doing? I thought you and Dad were staying with the baby?"
"Why bother? You've seen one Mellark boy, you've seen them all," she sighed as she hurried past them. Katniss's fists clenched.
"You're a horrible woman! Your first grandchild was just born and all you care about is that he's a boy!" Margaret froze in her tracks and whirled around.
"DON'T talk to me about grandchildren, Everdeen! I'm shocked that you haven't produced a little Seam brat already, the way Peeta was always following you around. It will be just my luck that the first girl born into the family will be from YOU!"
"Mellark! My name is Mellark! It's the same as yours, it shouldn't be that damn hard to remember! And do you want to know something? I hope I do have a girl! So that I can flaunt her in your face and tell you that the son you hate so much, the son you wish hadn't been born, is the one who gave you a granddaughter! And you won't be a part of her life!"
"Holy shit," Rye said weakly. "Uh, let's get going Katniss. We're late for dinner."
"Choosing a Seam slut over your own family," Margaret snarled. "You're just like your worthless brother."
"Since my brother isn't here to defend his wife, I will. Not that she needs any defending. I remember her first dinner with the family, she put you in your place, Mother. You need to open your eyes and realize that you don't have a lot of family left. Do you really want to push all of us away? Because that's what you're doing. If you don't accept Bing's baby, you will lose your favorite son. And his wife. And if you don't stop bullying Katniss and Peeta, you will lose all of us. Just think about it, Mom. Is your bitterness toward Seam people really worth that?" He shook his head, wrapped one arm around Madge, the other around Katniss, and left his mother gaping after them.
Katniss was silent during dinner and was quite grateful when Haymitch came to get her for another meeting.
"It's so late though," Madge said, her eyes wide in surprise.
"President Coin has some important news she would like to share. You're both welcome to come as well. Colonel Boggs respects all of your opinions."
"Is this about the refugee camps being destroyed? Finnick told me we lost a lot of soldiers last week to the peacekeepers."
"It's not just that. Come on." They walked in silence and Haymitch hummed to himself.
"By the way, how's the newest little Mellark doing?"
"He's so adorable," Madge squealed. "Oh my god, Rye, I've never really wanted a baby until that moment!"
"Oh...heh," Rye's cheeks went pink and Katniss bit her lip to keep from laughing at the fear in his eyes. "Maybe… maybe one day."
"I can't imagine bringing a baby into this world," Katniss shook her head. "April is brave but crazy."
"We're fighting to change the world, Katniss," Madge said patiently. "So that our children's names will never be in a Reaping bowl. That's the future that we are fighting for."
"Katniss definitely put Mom in her place again," Rye said with a grin. Haymitch's brow raised.
"That so?"
"She is a cold-hearted bitch," Katniss spat. "She won't hold her grandson because he's a boy. I told her I hope I have a girl so that I can keep her AWAY from her grandmother."
"That's a little cold, Katniss," Haymitch said reproachfully.
"Excuse me? SHE'S cold!"
"I'm not defending her, sweetheart. Margaret has never exactly been known for her warmth and kindness in the district. But she has two brothers and then had three sons. I'm sure she feels a little outnumbered. She probably just can't relate to her sons that well so she wishes she had a little girl to bond with. Think about when you were a kid, Rye. Did you ever run to your mom when you were hurt or excited?" Rye wrinkled his nose in thought.
"I guess not… no. I went to Dad. But that's because she would brush us off. Especially Peeta. He tried to go to her plenty."
"She was already burned by it plenty by then, I imagine. Bing and you going to your dad first for everything, I imagine it hurt a little."
"You're trying to get me to feel sympathetic towards her, and it's not going to work," Katniss scowled. "She hit Peeta. She was mad that he was born, that he wasn't a girl. She was a terrible mother."
"People act like they are raised, Katniss. If you aren't raised with much love, how are you going to show it to other people?" Katniss scoffed and shoved the door open. Coin gave her a smile and gestured for her to sit down.
"Katniss, there's someone I would like you to meet." She turned and indicated the holo, where a woman's image greeted her. She was middle-aged and heavily muscled. Her blonde hair was clipped short and her blue eyes blazed with authority.
"Commander Lyme, our Mockingjay. Katniss Everdeen Mellark."
"It's nice to finally meet you, Katniss," Lyme inclined her head. "President Coin tells me that you are eager to help the rebellion."
"President Snow has my husband in his clutches and has turned him against me. I want to do whatever I can to bring him and the Capitol to its knees." The woman smiled and it made Katniss shiver. She knew where she had seen this woman.
"You're a Hunger Games Victor."
"Indeed. But now to important matters. I understand your soldiers have an idea on how to take the Nut?"
"Nut?"
"It's what we call the mountain. It's a tough nut to crack, as Plutarch put it." Plutarch looked quite pleased with himself.
"Now then, a brief history of District 2. The Nut was established directly after the Dark Days, when the Capitol had lost 13 and was desperate for a new underground stronghold. They had some of their military resources situated on the outskirts of the Capitol itself - nuclear missiles, aircraft, troops - but a significant chunk of their power was now under an enemy's control. Of course, there was no way they could hope to replicate 13, which was the work of centuries. However, in the old mines of nearby District 2, they saw opportunity. From the air, the Nut appeared to be just another mountain with a few entrances on its faces. But inside were vast cavernous spaces where slabs of stones had been cut, hauled to the surface, and transported down slippery narrow roads to make distant buildings. There was even a train system to facilitate transporting the miners from the Nut to the very center of the main town in District 2. It runs right to the square."
"I'm confused," Madge raised her hand. "Isn't everyone in District 2 a Loyalist?"
"If they were, I wouldn't be here young lady." Madge blushed and hid her hand in her lap. Rye shot her an irritated look.
"I was taken from my home to become a Peacekeeper, Commander Lyme. I know most people in 2 agree with the Capitol."
"But not all of them. Of course, the people of 2 have swallowed the Capitol's propaganda more easily than the rest of Panem. Embraced their ways. But for all that, at the end of the day, we are still slaves. And if that's lost on the citizens who become Peacekeepers or work in the Nut, it is not lost on the stonecutters who form the backbone of the resistance here. We work tirelessly to influence others in our district. To show them the atrocities of the Hunger Games and the way the Snows have suppressed us. There is a good amount of soldiers willing to fight for change. But the Nut is impenetrable. I'll give you all a virtual tour."
After she finished the presentation, Coin addressed the room.
"We need ideas on how to seize the Nut."
"And do not say we need to storm the entrances," Lyme cut in. "That strategy has been tried repeatedly, with great losses. If you are going to suggest that particular strategy, you'd better have a brilliant way to do it, because you're going to be the one leading that mission!"
"Is it really so necessary that we take the Nut? Or would it be enough to disable it?" Everyone turned to Gale. Beetee pushed his glasses higher onto his nose.
"That would be a step in the right direction. What do you have in mind?"
"Think of it as a wild dog den," Gale continued. "You're not going to fight your way in. So you have two choices. Trap the dogs inside or flush them out."
"We've tried bombing the entrances," Lyme shook her head. "They're set too far inside the stone for any real damage to be done."
"I wasn't thinking of that," Gale said, crossing over to the image of the Nut. "I was thinking of using the mountain." Beetee joined Gale at the table. "See? Running down the sides?"
"Avalanche paths," said Beetee under his breath. "It'd be tricky. We'd have to design the detonation sequence with great care, and once it's in motion, we couldn't hope to control it."
"We don't need to control it if we give up the idea that we have to possess the Nut," Gale shook his head. "Only shut it down."
"So you're suggesting we start avalanches and block the entrances," Rye asked in shock.
"That's it," Gale nodded. "Trap the enemy inside, cut off from supplies. Make it impossible for them to send out their hovercraft."
While everyone considered the plan, Boggs flipped through a stack of blueprints of the Nut and frowned. "You risk killing everyone inside. Look at the ventilation system. It's rudimentary at best. Nothing like what we have in Thirteen. It depends entirely on pumping in air from the mountainsides. Block those vents and you'll suffocate whoever is trapped."
"They could still escape through the train tunnel to the square," Beetee said, peering at the blueprints.
"Not if we blow it up," said Gale brusquely. His intent, his full intent, became clear. Gale had no interest in preserving the lives of those in the Nut. No interest in caging the prey for later use. Katniss could see the Hunter she had once respected. His eyes blazed with fury and Beetee tapped his chin.
"Gale, the majority of the workers are citizens from Two," Madge pointed out.
"So what?" Gale shrugged. "We'll never be able to trust them again."
"They should at least have a chance to surrender," Lyme protested.
"Well, that's a luxury we weren't given when they fire-bombed Twelve, but you're all so much cozier with the Capitol over there," Gale spat. The look on Lyme's face made Katniss glad that she was just on the holo and not here in person. She would surely shoot him. But her anger only seemed to infuriate him because he yelled, "We watched children burn to death and there was nothing we could do!"
Katniss squeezed her eyes shut. His words had the effect, and she could see that others in the room were considering his words. It was a mixture of people, from 12, from 13, and from other districts. But she couldn't condemn anyone to the death he was suggesting. She took his arm and pulled him aside.
"Gale, the Nut's an old mine. It'd be like causing a massive coal mining accident." Surely her words would make him stop and think. But he pulled away, shaking his head.
"But not so quick as the one that killed our fathers," he said bitterly. "Is that everyone's problem? That our enemies might have a few hours to reflect on the fact that they're dying, instead of just being blown to bits?"
"You don't know how those District Two people ended up in the Nut," Rye said loudly. "They may have been coerced. They may be held against their will. Some are our own spies. Will you kill them, too?"
"I would sacrifice a few, yes, to take out the rest of them," Gale turned on him. "And if I were a spy in there, I'd say, 'Bring on the avalanches!'" Rye scoffed but Katniss knew that Gale would sacrifice his life in this way for the cause. But it was a coldhearted decision to make for other people and those who love them. Rye was about to protest further when Beeetee rolled his chair forward.
"You said we had two choices," Boggs tells him. "To trap them or to flush them out. I say we try to avalanche the mountain but leave the train tunnel alone. People can escape into the square, where we'll be waiting for them."
"Heavily armed, I hope," Gale scoffed. "You can be sure they'll be."
"Heavily armed. We'll take them prisoner," Boggs agreed. "Commander Coin, Madame President, what do you both of you think?"
"We'll discuss it in private," Coin said quickly. "Thank you all for coming. You are dismissed."
"One moment, President Coin," Lyme held up her hand. "I was hoping you all could help me with one other thing. My soldiers surprised a group of Capitol Peacekeepers earlier today and captured their Leader. I was later informed that I actually had the First General of Panem in captivity. He is apparently a lapdog to both Snow and the Minister of Defense. My soldiers have been calling for a public execution but upon visiting with him, it seems like he may not be as loyal to the Capitol as we thought. What do you suggest we do with him?"
"Execute him," several men called from the back of the room. Coin held up her hand for silence.
"Commander Lyme, do you know who this man is? Snow has changed so many positions in the government as of late and I don't even know who the current First General is."
"He tells me he is not from the Capitol. He seems quite… lost, to be honest with you." Haymitch suddenly stood and placed his palms on the table.
"Commander, do you have any footage of this man?" Lyme nodded and her image briefly disappeared from the holo. A soldier in a tiny cell came up on the screen. His blonde hair looked to be matted with blood and when he tilted his bruised face toward the camera, Katniss gasped and fell out of her chair.
Coin whirled around sharply, her eyes narrowing as Madge and Rye hurried forward to help Katniss to her feet.
"Is that…?"
"Peeta Mellark, Madame President," Boggs nodded. "The Mockingjay's husband."
"Are you certain?" Lyme's voice said. "This man is clearly a trained Peacekeeper. He has blood on his hands."
"My brother and I were taken to 2 when we were young, Commander," Rye said loudly. "He has been poisoned, many times, in fact, so that he will forget who he is. Snow is using him as a weapon. Whatever he has done, it's not his fault."
"Execute him," more angry cries came. Katniss stifled a sob.
"Stop it," Madge stood up and faced the room. "Peeta is one of us! Like Rye said, his mind has been poisoned. But he loves Katniss and if we can reunite them, I'm certain he will remember her!"
"He has not mentioned Katniss nor has he said anything about being poisoned. He merely said he was First General of Panem and was ordered to raid a refugee camp near the border."
"Ask him about her," Haymitch urged. "This could be our chance to get him back. Just ask him if he remembers her, or anything about District 12."
"Very well. I'll talk to him more after dinner. And I will not make a decision regarding his punishment until I have spoken to him. If we decide he is not a threat, the Mockingjay may come and collect him."
"Or you can release him and he can come to 13," Haymitch frowned. "Why does Katniss need to come there?"
"She said she wanted to help with the rebellion," Lyme pointed out. "We will need someone to speak to the citizens of District 2. Someone to sway them to our side. Isn't that what the Mockingjay is meant to do, after all?" Haymitch glanced uneasily at Katniss but she nodded, standing straight.
"I'll come to 2. We'll decide what to do with the Nut and I will be there to talk to them. Treat Peeta well. And please tell him I…" she trailed off, glancing around the room. She needed to be seen as a soldier and a symbol, not some whimpering girl in love. She cleared her throat and sat back down.
"Please tell him I'm waiting for him." Lyme nodded and Coin dismissed the room.
"At least we know where he is," Rye said comfortingly. "And he's no longer in the Capitol's clutches!"
"Right. He's in a rebel prison where soldiers want to kill him."
"Lyme won't kill him, Katniss. And Coin is bound to let you go to 2! She knows you have the best chance of talking people down. You're going to get him back! You'll see him again soon!" Katniss nodded, feeling her heart lift only slightly. There was still so much that could go wrong. They were still thousands of miles apart. Any one of Lyme's soldiers could decide that Peeta was a traitor and kill him without orders. Katniss needed to go to 2 as soon as possible. She needed Coin to make the decision about the Nut fast.
And she would be on the hovercraft whether or not Coin gave her permission to go.
