District 13
Eight-thirty at night, two days later, Heavensbee called them to the landing pad where an aircraft was waiting for them. Heavensbee met them on the ramp as they boarded. "My congratulations on your engagement."
"We're already on board, Heavensbee, you don't need to butter us up," Jeanetty whispered as she passed.
"Let's go get our girl."
They hovered for hours over the dome as they watched and planned for the extraction of as many Tributes as they could get. They watched as Katniss took aim for the head of the dome and shot her arrow just before the first lightning strike.
They used a retrieval claw to raise Katniss, Beetee, and Finnick into their own ship, but were unable to reach Peeta or Johanna before other Capitol ships entered the arena.
"She's gonna lose it when she finds out about the boy," Haymitch remarked to Heavensbee after he and Jeanetty had bandaged everyone up. Finnick stood with the Mentors and Head Gamemaker as they conversed, Katniss and Beetee were in the passenger transport part of the plane behind a door behind Haymitch. Effie, who had reluctantly joined the Mentors in their escape of the Capitol, sat in the cockpit with the aircrafts crew
"She'll still cooperate, though?" Heavensbee didn't sound concerned, but his face held conflict.
Jeanetty shrugged as she wrapped Finnick's arm. "Without Peeta? There's no guarantee."
"Just tell her win..." Finnick was cut off by the the door opening.
Katniss stood there, looking at the four occupants before Haymitch spoke. "Morning, Sweetheart."
Katniss attempted to attack him with a syringe, but was easily forced into a submissive position against the door frame behind her. Jeanetty finished with Finnick's arm and went for a sedative. "What are you doing with them?!" Katniss fought against her Mentor as hard as she could.
"So you and a syringe against the Capitol?" Haymitch disarmed her as she flailed under him. "See, this is why no one let's you make the plans."
"What the hell are you doing here?" She turned to Finnick over Haymitch's shoulder.
"Stop," he begged. "Stop, just listen."
"We couldn't tell you with Snow watching," Jeanetty soothed, setting a syringe on the table near Heavensbee."It was too risky."
"Better for you to know nothing," Haymitch finished.
Katniss pushed him away. "Where's Peeta?"
"Now, Katniss," Heavensbee started. "You have been our mission from the beginning. The plan was always to get you out. Half the Tributes were in on it. This is the revolution. And you are the Mockingjay. And we're on our way to District 13 right now."
"13?" Katniss looked over to her Mentors before back to Heavensbee.
"13, yes."
"Where's Peeta?"
"He still has his tracker in his arm," Haymitch explained, trying to stall.
"Johanna cut yours out," Jeanetty continued, picking the syringe she had placed down back up.
"Where is he?"
"In the Capitol," Haymitch told her gently. "They got him and Johanna."
Katniss slapped him. "You son of a bitch. You son of a..." She continued to attack him as Jeanetty injected the sedative into the younger woman. "You promised me that you would save him over me! You promised me! You're a liar! You're a liar." Her voice began to weaken as her body was lowered to the floor, her voice betraying her sadness. It was another few seconds before she was completely under.
Finnick picked her up and returned her to the passenger transport area as Jeanetty spoke. "We should keep her out until we reach 13. Even then we should wait for word from 12 before waking her."
"We should get there in a few hours," Heavensbee agreed before turning to Haymitch. "We need to talk should talk about your alcohol consumption."
"What about it?"
"There's no alcohol in 13. You'll be taken to Medical for detox."
"What about Jeanetty?"
"Miss Hamstone will be given quarters with Miss Trinket."
"I should be okay, Haymitch," Jeanetty said walking closer to him. "You need to get completely sober if we're going to be able to live there."
"And if your nightmares comeback?"
"Then they comeback," she responded. "I've lived with them without you before, I can do it now."
They landed in 13 a few hours later, as Heavensbee had said, and we're immediately taken to Medical. The next day, survivors from District 12 were found and rescued, Katniss' mother and sister among them.
Jeanetty's nightmares returned with a vengeance. She sat with Edith and Primrose, Katniss' mother and sister, and listened to their story of the total destruction of 12. She didn't sleep. Like Effie, she refused to leave their room, except in the company of the other Victors.
Days passed. Katniss was awake, but suffering similar nightmares as her Mentor. She had escaped Medical into the service tunnels several times. Jeanetty visited Beetee and he told her of Annie Cresta, Finnick's girlfriend. She had also been captured by the Capitol. Jeanetty told Finnick what Beetee had found; he only asked for a piece of rope to deal with his thoughts.
Katniss went to see the remains of District 12. Jeanetty thought she was a fool to go, but reminded herself that Katniss was still young, and she needed a reminder of who the real enemy was.
An hour after Katniss' return, an announcement to all of Panem was made from the Capitol, filling every screen in District 13. Jeanetty sighed but sat up in her bed to turn and watch. A familiar head of blue hair filled the screen. "Hello, and good evening. And a big welcome to all in Panem. I'm Ceasar Flickerman. And whoever you are, whatever it is you're doing, if you're working, stop working, put down your work. If you're having dinner, stop having dinner. Because you are going to want to witness this tonight.
"There has been rampant speculation about what really happened in the Quarter Quell. And here to shed a little light on the subject for us is a very special guest. Please welcome mr. Peeta Melark." Jeanetty nearly fell out of her bed when she saw Peeta sitting with such ease, as though nothing was wrong. "Peeta, a lot of people feel as though they are in the dark."
"Yeah, I know how they feel," Peeta responded calmly.
"Now set the stage for us. Talk us through what really happened on that final and controversial night."
Jeanetty sat at the edge of her bed as Effie stood beside her. They gripped each-others hands tightly as they watched Peeta, in so easy going a tone, explain what happened. "First off, you have to understand that when your in the Games you only get one wish. It's very costly."
"It costs your life."
"I think it costs more than your life."
"How do you mean? What's more than your life?"
"I mean to murder innocent people, it costs everything that you are."
"Yes," Ceasar said understandingly.
"So you hold on to that one wish. And that night my wish was to save Katniss."
"Yes."
"I should've just run off with her earlier in the day Iike she'd wanted."
"But you didn't. Why? We're you caught up in Beetee's plan?"
"No, I was caught up in trying to play allies. And then they separated us and that's when I lost her. And then the lightning hit and the whole force field around the arena just blew out."
"Yes, but, Peeta, Katniss is the one who blew it out."
"No."
"You saw the footage."
"No, she didn't know what she was doing. Neither of us knew there was a bigger plan going on. We had no idea."
"You had no idea?"
"No."
"Alright. Well, Peeta, there are many who find this suspicious to say the least. It seems as though she was part of a rebel plan."
"Do you think it was part of her plan to be almost killed by Johanna? Or part of the plan to be paralyzed by lightning? No, we were not part of any rebel plan we had no idea what was going on."
"All right," Ceasar conceded softly. "I believe you, Peeta Melark. Thank you."
"Yeah."
"I was going to ask you to speak about the unrest, but I think you might be too upset."
"No, I can."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely."
"Thank you."
Peeta sighed and looked right to the camera. "I want everyone who's watching to stop and to think about what a civil war could mean. We almost went extinct once before. And now our numbers are even fewer. Is this really what we wanna do? Kill ourselves off? Killing is not the answer. Everyone needs to lay down their weapons immediately. It's what's best for all of us."
Jeanetty could hear the commotion outside and the the tears fell down her cheeks as Ceasar continued. "Are you calling for a ceasefire?"
"Yeah, I am. I want everyone to stop the senseless violence. This is not the path to change. It's not the path to justice."
Ceasar nodded in agreement. "Thank you, Peeta. Thank you for comming to us with this."
"Shut it off, Effie," Jeanetty asked the still standing woman. "Why would he say such things?"
Effie shut off the projection. "He didn't look that bad. At least their feeding him."
Jeanetty snorted. "That's not much."
The next day there was a knock on their door. "Go away," Effie called drearily from her place at the table, trying to do something with her only dress, Jeanetty across from her. The door opened and Heavensbee stepped in. Effie sighed and turned to him. "Is it visiting hours again?"
"Miss Trinket, you see this door? It opens. From the inside. You've seen Mis Hamstone leave and return several times. I've told you, these are the standard living quarters. Same as everyone. You're not a prisoner. You're free to join the rest of 13."
Effie, who had turned back to her dress, now sharply turned and stood. "Not looking like this, thank you very much."
"We have a bigger issue than wardrobe, Miss Trinket."
"News on Katniss," Jeanetty asked standing.
"She has agreed to be The Mockingjay."
Effie sighed. "That poor thing."
"And your Girl on Fire is burnt out," Heavensbee continued. "I need you to join this team now. I need someone she trusts."
"What about Haymitch?" Effie sat in Jeanetty's vacated seat.
"He's still drying out in some facility a mile down."
Jeanetty sighed and sat again as Effie continued. "Aiding rebels is not really my forte."
"Miss Trinket, your days in the Capitol are over, no matter what happens here. If you wanna play a prisoner of war fine. Stay here and rot. I'll find someone else to be the Mockingjay's escort."
Heavensbee opened the door to take his leave when Effie spoke. "Who?"
The former Gamemaker turned with a scoff. "Anyone can be replaced."
"Not your Mockingjay," she said just as he closed the door, causing him to open it again. "There isn't a soul in this dungeon who knows the first thing about Katniss. You honestly believe one of these cave dweller is going to take my place? No."
Jeanetty had to smile at her long winded acceptance of being on the team. An hour later the trio stood beside President Coin, leader of District 13, as she announced that Katniss had agreed to be the Mockingjay and the conditions that applied. Once she was finished they stepped closer.
"Madam President," Heavensbee began.
"Effie Trinket." The former Capitol Escort held out her hand.
Jeanetty smiled as President Coin took her own hand. "Jeanetty Hamstone," she introduced herself in a loud whisper, still unused to using her voice for everyday conversation with strangers.
"Welcome to 13."
"Madam President, may I say you are so very... consise," Heavensbee said, struggling to find a diplomatic compliment.
"You believe there was more to be said?"
"May I speak freely?"
"You don't appear to do anything else," Coin said honestly.
"I'm only talking about salesmanship," Heavensbee explained. "The thing with revolutions, their a tender flame. They need to be nurtured with a little kindling and warmth. Bit of oxygen."
"Oxygen," Effie agreed.
"One sure way to put it out is to smother it."
"Or to use up all the air in the room." Coin smiled before she left them.
"You know what could use a revolution," Effie asked seriously. "That hair."
Jeanetty showed Effie to the cafeteria where they were found by Katniss and her friend, Gale. "Effie?" Katniss gave the Escort a much needed hug. "What are you doing here?"
Gale sat nest to Jeanetty as Effie answered. "I'm a political refugee."
"Plutarch rescued you?"
"Rescued, yes, that's what he calls it," Effie said dramatically.
"She was with us when we came to get you," Jeanetty said as she sipped her water.
Effie ignored her. "You and I are both in the dark. Now I'm condemned to this life of jumpsuits." She turned to Gale. "it's wonderful to see you again." she reached out her hand and he took it reassuringly. "Can you believe this place," she asked letting go. "I miss coffee," she gestured to her own glass of water. "I never knew anyplace could be so strict. I mean I thought at least in the higher ranks there'd be some side action. I miss my wigs. Luckily, I remembered that this was all the rage when I was coming up." She waved her hand over her wrapped head. "You know, everything old can be made new again." She paused. " Like democracy." She pulled out Cinna's sketchbook. "Which brings me to this."
She handed the leather bound book to Katniss, who opened it. She looked at the design on top. "Cinna. He's dead, isn't he?"
Effie clasped the younger woman's arm gently. "Yes, dear." Katniss sifted through the sketches. "He made Plutarch promise not to show you this until you'd decided to be the Mockingjay on your own." Katniss said nothing. "He knew the risks."
"As we all do," Jeanetty reassured.
"He believed in this revolution."
"He believed in you."
"They're beautiful," Katniss spoke, her voice filled with emotion.
"They have it," Effie told her. "They have the Mockingjay outfit." Katniss looked at her in awe. "There's not much of a prep team here in 13, but we will make you the best dressed rebel in history."
A/n: okay, so it seems like everybody likes the way this is going so I won't write out and post the other idea. Thanks everyone for your input!