Thank you for everyone's lovely comments on last week's chapter. Thanks to Norbertsmom who has been so used to 5-6k chapters she was like this 3k wasn't long. I think I torture her for reals...lol.

Last, time there were tender moments and of course Corky carries a big stick...enough to scare Buttercup but those two are not quite finished not by a long shot not when the Citizen is lurking and there is a rebellion on its way

It was overcast and the wind whipped outside. The house was cold and Madge dressed warmly but the air was still chilly. Her father cut back on the amount of fuel they could use to heat the house. The only home in the entire district that was warmer than hers would have been the Bakery.

A small smile played on her lips when she thought of the Mellarks. The footage of Peeta and Katniss standing up to Thread was amazing. "Go team Everlark," Madge muttered to herself.

One of the maids stepped out of her mother's room. Madge could see her mother was still in bed but her father wasn't there. She passed by the windows. Their windows weren't like the windows the average residents had. They were reinforced and theoretically it would withstand the intense cold. However, as a precaution, her father ordered the windows to be boarded up today.

Outside she saw men busily measuring and cutting large planks of thick wood. It was a bit of a downer to know the daylight was going to disappear for a while. Pushing aside her feeling of doom Madge walked to the kitchen.

"Good morning Missy," Greasy Sae greeted her.

"Good Morning Greasy. What'd you make for breakfast?"

"Scrambled eggs, toast, and some ham."

"Sounds yummy," Madge said sitting in one of the stools at the kitchen island. She often preferred to eat in the kitchen versus in the formal dining area. "Did you eat yet?"

"Zounds," Greasy said. "I ate hours ago."

Madge wanted to make sure Greasy ate, she often took care of everyone but herself. The house was unusually quiet. Normally at this time in the morning, she would have bumped into Darius in the hallway or her father getting coffee in the kitchen. With the addition of Cressida and her camera crew, the house was brought to life.

"Do you know, if my father is home?" Madge asked as Greasy put a plate in front of her.

"No, your father left early this morning with Darius and the camera crew. That camera lady was going to record your father giving provisions to the families in the Seam."

"Provisions?"

"Your father said the Capitol sent emergency parcels for the residents. Cressida said all of the camera crews were to deliver the emergency parcels to the Mayors and were to be distributed with the Head Peacekeeper. They were handing it out to the Seam today, and tomorrow it will be for the Merchants. Mind you that Thread wasn't all too happy about it, though he has to follow Capitol orders."

Madge imagined Thread wouldn't be happy about giving out free rations. He would be even more rankled because he was going to be recorded giving food to the people he'd delighted in torturing. She picked up her glass of milk and drank from it. Thread was a bully with a permit. Madge hid her smile behind her glass. If the Capitol only knew the camera crews sent to the district were part of the rebellion, and they brought with them weapons that would aid in the attack in three days.

"So how's that new beau of yours?"

Madge slammed down the cup of milk, shocked by Greasy Sae's question. She asked herself if Greasy knew of the Rebellion? Or was she making assumptions because she and Rye were hanging out a lot more due to the planning? To be honest, Rye was gorgeous. Rye's reputation in town wasn't stellar, he was known as a drunk and a womanizing rake. Madge herself had doubts when he first showed interest in the Rebellion. Thom and Darius followed him to make sure he was serious. Rye's devotion to the cause of freedom surprised her and as time went on he became more involved. Rye became one of the few she trusted.

She couldn't deny she was attracted to Rye. There were times Madge allowed herself to go down that 'what if' path. What if things were different. Would she be attracted to him? What if Gale had stepped up instead of Rye, would she still find him attractive? So many questions, but all of them had speculative results and she didn't have time for imaginative conjurings. Madge put on a neutral mask. She needed to concentrate on the planned attack in three days. First, she needed to get into her father's office and get the latest weather readings.

After Madge didn't answer her question, Greasy Sae continued, "Those Mellark boys are very picky about the girls they choose for their wives. The oldest one chose a girl just like him, uppity."

It was true the eldest Mellark didn't agree with their parents selling or trading with people from the Seam. He refused to even visit the bakery. "It's a shame."

"People is people. We're all born the same way and we all die the same way." Greasy wiped down the counter.

Madge thought the conversation was over. She scooped up another bite of eggs when Greasy said. "Now that Rye Mellark, there's more to him than meets the eye. He acts like a ladies man, but in reality, he's a one-woman type. He likes his women strong but deceptively sweet. I think you know that with all that sneaking around you do with him."

Madge choked on her eggs and began to cough. Greasy patted her back. Madge couldn't believe her ears. She drank her milk, her eyes wide upon her face. "I...don't...know what you're...talking about."

"Don't be trying to lie to me, girly. That boy follows you like a lovesick puppy."

Madge thought Rye was cute but she never gave him any serious thought. Not in the forever type of love Katniss shared with Peeta. They were soul mates, star-crossed lovers. Katniss and Peeta were the gold standard when it came to relationships, something rare in the midst of so much uncertainty. To be honest Madge didn't think everyone had what Katniss and Peeta shared.

"But."

"But nothing, girly. It's plain as the nose on your face." Greasy Sae smiled gently. "I remember what it's like being young and in love...and not knowing it." She then laughed. "The first time I realized I had real feelin's for my Mr. Sae, it was like I got run'd over by the Reaping train. He died with miner's lung, mind you. There isn't a day I don't miss him."

Greasy often spoke about her husband, a miner she'd chosen to toast with, much to the disappointment of her parents. They were not happy with her choice of husband. Madge sighed, there were so many divisions in their small district.

Greasy Sae sighed, and then looked at the clock. "I've got to get your maw up. We've got a full day today."

Madge grinned. She liked her talks with Greasy, but she missed Arabella. "Okay have fun."

"Oh I always do, but girly. Just remember what I told you about Rye. Don't let that one get away; he's a good one."

Madge didn't know what to say.

"Well, I'm off to wake your mother and get her going."

As soon as Greasy left, Madge quickly made her way to her father's office. With her father's team away she was easily able to get in and make a copy of the weather report. She then snuck into the cellar and made a beeline to her secret hideaway.

Madge found the room looking for a bottle of wine her father wanted the other night. Her father didn't trust anyone around alcoholic beverages because of her mother. She could be cunning to help feed her addiction. Madge was the only one in the house that did not succumb to her mother's creative meanderings to get her hands on the spirits. He'd given her the key to the wine cellar. While searching, she leaned up against a rock and a secret door opened up. It had beds, a box containing candles and matches. It also contained provisions that were still good. Darius told her it was a bunker created during the war, in case of an attack the mayor and his family could hide in secret here.

For Madge, it was the perfect place for her to put up her map of the district and lists of families that needed to be moved. With Haymitch's help, they were able to bug-proof this room. It was undetectable to the Capitol's sensitive technology. It was the only room in the house where she could hide and plan the movements of hundreds of families before the weather took a serious turn.

Stepping inside Madge sighed. She had a lot of work to do today.

A few hours later Madge put down the sighed and sighed as she sat in her command room. The weather was coming in faster than they hoped. She'd gone upstairs to get something to drink and was astounded by how quickly the snow fell outside and accumulated on the surface of District Twelve. The snowstorm outside was morphing into a blizzard. Madge supposed as it got colder the icy weather would increase.

She worried her lip. They were running out of time.

The cold predicted by the scientist in the Capitol moved quickly across the nation. From what she could understand they were not ready for the onslaught of the frigid temperatures. Madge was glad she'd been able to send a message last night to the other rebellious factions with a small propaganda video featuring Katniss and Peeta when they stood up against Thread. Cressida and her team were amazing. She was also able to encourage them to band together to ward off the extreme weather the entire nation was facing. If they didn't do their jobs, Panem was facing its destruction. The annihilation of innocent lives would have heavy consequences across Panem. There wouldn't be enough manual labor to grow food or tend to stock. Without food, the nation would collapse into itself.

Just thinking of innocent people dying unnecessarily and the amount of abuse doled out by the Capitol through the Peacekeepers caused her boiling discontent to rise to the surface. Taking a step back Madge wanted to scream out of pure frustration. This room was the perfect place to yell and speak to herself.

She stood back from the map on the wall. They still had a few hundred families to shuffle around. They couldn't use the homes in the Victor's Village because they were bugged.

"I hope this works," she said into the empty room.

Sitting back Madge surveyed the map she'd just finished, making the last of the moves. Darius wasn't back yet. She was worried they would be caught out in the snow. She knew all too well this storm was the beginning of the large temperature drop. If the report was right they would have to attack tomorrow night.

Madge rubbed her face. There was so much to do.

She was worried about finding the Capitol spy. She had no clue as to who it was, or where they were sending their signal from. There was no doubt in her mind they were currently trying to tack Gale as the rebellion leader. In many ways, this was a good thing for her but it didn't change the fact that she had many things to coordinate. Between now and tomorrow night she needed to move hundreds of families undetected by the Peacekeepers.

She also was coordinating the simultaneous attack on the Peacekeepers throughout all of the districts. She and Beetee from District 3 had come up with a way to blow out the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) units. Combined with demolishing the hydroelectric dam in District Five would take out the Capitol allowing the rebels to kill Snow.

The door opened and Madge turned around, startled. There was nowhere to hide in the room. She calmed when she saw Darius standing on the other side.

"There you are. I thought I would find you here," Darius said good-naturedly.

"How's the weather?"

"Going downhill. Your father is worried about the district, but he can do nothing without Thread's permission."

Madge sighed and plopped herself down in one of the chairs. "That man is a beast."

"He doesn't care about people or the danger he's leading them into. Your father asked if we could move the poorest into better homes. Thread said a decrease in the surplus population was what the district needed." Darius sat. "I had to stand there and not react to his stupidity. I know your dad was bothered, but he didn't say anything either."

"Sometimes I think Thread wants my dad to react so that he can have an excuse to have him executed."

"Well, I'm trying to dissuade that from happening." Darius rubbed the back of his neck.

It was apparent he was tired. It was midday, but everything was draining. Madge felt drained and tired but the ultimate goal was within reach. "Thank you."

"On the other hand, the Peacekeepers have begun to promote a district-wide lockdown beginning tomorrow night." Darius picked up the report.

"So your prediction came true, they are enforcing the residents to stay home because the Peacekeepers themselves cannot be out in this weather."

"I overheard over Thread's radio this was is a nationwide effort." He put the report down. "Crap." Darius rubbed his face. "Looks like they are afraid of the bad weather just as much as we are."

"Were you able to get the message out about the moving?" Madge felt her anxiety rise as she came to realize the day of attack would have to be pushed up to tomorrow. She suddenly didn't think they were ready. She questioned if the loss of life would be worth it if she'd been acting hastily or perhaps if she should wait and see if the Capitol imploded on itself.

"Yes, many are moving as soon as the weather lets up."

Madge's shoulders should have drooped with relief but they didn't.

"In other news, Haymitch has managed to deactivate all of the bugs in the Victors Village. We can fit around twenty families per house. Maybe more depending on the size of the families. I've also gotten word that some of the Merchants are willing to share their homes as well. Some have already reached out to the family in the Seam together as they are related."

Madge was relieved, she needed the good news. "I am so glad. I've asked father if we could have our staff's family stay with us since they may not be able to leave during that time. He agreed, and we certainly have space."

"Then that takes care of it."

Madge nodded, grateful that one thing was crossed off her list of duties. One step closer to the attack. "Great."

"Come, let's get out of here. It's lunchtime."

Madge grabbed her copy of Romeo and Juliet. As they walked upstairs they waited until the coast was clear. As she walked, she tried to calm herself down. They'd been working so hard to take down the Capitol. If they could pull it off they would be free. Free from the Hunger Games, the anxiety of watching those who you love starve in safety. The situation was dire and the rebellion was necessary. With this in mind, she followed Darius. Once in the hallway that led to the dining room, Madge tensed up once more when she saw Thread leaving.

"Relax, everyone is ready to make the move. They'll do it in small groups until they are all bedded down."

"I know, but with the weather getting here quicker, our plan of attack has to move up to tomorrow night," Madge sighed.

"Okay, I'll get the word out tomorrow to our team and, I'll get Cressida to send a message to the other camera crews to spread the message to the other districts."

Madge nodded, though there was one more thing that loomed in the back of her mind.

"What's wrong?"

"We still have to find the spy," Madge muttered under her breath.

"Beetee is working on it."

"Yeah, but we only have the rest of today and tomorrow, Darius, literally hours before we attack. We need to be able to silence them." Madge gripped her book tighter. Her neck and shoulders were tense. She was worried that perhaps there were more spies out there reporting information to the Capitol.

"It will work out," Darius said.

Madge stopped walking. "Like it did for Arabella. I don't want to be caught like that, nor do I want to lose someone unnecessarily."

Darius put his hands on his hips. "Is that what's bothering you, people dying?"

Madge recalled the senseless death of Mercutio by Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. It's what inflamed the tensions between the families. She wondered if she was Tybalt in this situation. Was she fanning the flame only to get others hurt? Madge couldn't imagine someone like Rye or Katniss getting hurt.

"Madge, listen to me. As a Peacekeeper, I knew every day could be my last. Yet I served my time. Everyone who has volunteered understands full well there will be casualties. We all want one thing, freedom. I want my little girl growing up without the fear of the Games, the Capitol, or tribute schools where they train you to become monsters. I want my little one to have the ability to visit or move to other districts. Right now we have no rights, no voice, and no freedom. This crazy weather is giving us the perfect opportunity and I'm not going to waste it."

"You're right." Madge understood everything Darius said was correct, but that didn't lessen her worry. Nor did it stop the ball that formed in her stomach. It was one thing to speak about fighting it was another to know by tomorrow night they would either be victorious or face the Capitol's wrath.

"I know I am, now let's get food. I'm starving."

Madge laughed. She was about to sit down to eat when one of the maids told her someone was calling her. Perplexed, she got up, curious as to who it was, because she never got calls.