Boggs was waiting for me outside the elevator doors. Silently he pushed several buttons and beyond the protective bars of the door I could see the elevator descending to pick us up.
"Where are you taking me now?" I asked, vainly attempting to end the uncomfortable silence as we entered the elevator.
"Headquarters." he replied.
I nodded and looked down as we passed floor after floor of the underground complex of District 13, a place I thought that had been destroyed by the Capitol.
Shock, and disbelief are inadequate words to describe what I felt when Gale told me that District 12, no longer existed and myself, Prim, my mother and him were all in a district I had never known to exist.
It had taken me weeks to believe what was going on, everyday I was in flat out denial about District 13 or agony as I remembered that Peeta was in the Capitol. Haymitch didn't even dare show his face for those first weeks, probably struggling with the lack of alcohol in the district and fear that I would lash out at him again like I did on the hovercraft after the Quarter Quell.
The elevator finally stopped and we walked out. Boggs led me down a short hallway and through two heavy doors that he had to unlock by scanning his hand. Security is strict here in Thirteen.
Two people greeted me beyond the doors. Plutarch, in a grey, rather unbecoming jumpsuit, typical of Thirteen, and another lady. Straight silver hair past her shoulders wearing the same jumpsuit as Plutarch, but it seemed to suit her spare figure better. The wrinkles on her face, of which there were many, seemed to be less caused by time and age but carved out by pain. She moved swiftly from her chair towards me with admirable agility.
"I am so honored to finally meet you Ms. Everdeen," she said in a clear, slightly demanding voice, with her arm outstretched for a handshake, "I'm President Alma Coin."
I gulped and took her warm hand in my cold one. "Thank you." was all I could muster.
"I know how disorienting this must be for you. I can't imagine what it's like to live through the atrocities of those games. I hope you'll find some comfort with us. We've known loss in Thirteen too." she said, "I apologize that you were not given much time to recover but under the situations, we do not have that kind of luxury. Please sit."
Not knowing what else to do, I managed to sit down in one of the hard uncomfortable chairs surrounding a large meeting table.
"Are you aware of what has happened?" questioned Coin. "When you fired your arrow at the forcefield, you electrified the nation. There have been riots and uprisings and strikes in seven districts. If we keep this energy going, we can unify the districts against the Capitol. Everyone in Thirteen is ready."
"What about Peeta?" I interrupted, looking pointedly over to Plutarch. "Is he alive?"
"I don't know, I can't contact any of my people inside the Capitol." he replied, "But Katniss, here is what we need to do, we need to show the districts that the mockingjay is alive and well and willing to stand up and join this fight."
"We are planning to shoot a series of propaganda," interjected Coin "or 'propos' as I like to call them. I believe that you have already met Aiden?"
"Sorry?" I spluttered, still furious that there was no news on Peeta. I hadn't dare hope for anything but it angered me to hear Plutarch confirm my worst fears "Who is Aiden?"
"The baby." said Coin softly. "We plan on having him star in the propos alongside you."
I just stared at her.
"Let me explain," said Coin patiently, noting my obvious bewilderment at the idea, "when the districts believed you to be pregnant going into the Quarter Quell, it made them realize that it wasn't the tributes killing each other, but the Capitol killing innocent children. We want to continue with that idea, the baby will represent new life for our future generation and -"
"You didn't save Peeta," I raged suddenly, "and now you want me to film propos and lead the rebellion?! I can't do it, Peeta was the one that was supposed to live!"
"Ms. Everdeen, this revolution is about everyone, it's about all of us." replied Coin.
"Then you should have saved Peeta!" I screamed before storming out of the room.