Beginnings of an Army

Jack POV

As soon as the Peacekeeper shut door, Gale had appeared. He gave me a look that conveyed his question. I gave a single nod; I had told Katniss what she had to do, although she appear to think it was going to work. If anyone could convince her, it would be Gale or Prim, but if we had included Prim in this, Katniss would have killed all of us.

Kim and I were roughly pushed aside as Gale tried to force his way in to see Katniss. He had wanted to speak to Peeta first and now it was right about time for the tributes to be heading to the train. The Peacekeeper trying to hold Gale back had been one assigned to District 12 for a while, he had learned the same lesson I had, there was no stopping a determined Gale Hawthorn.

"Two minutes, Hawthorn, that's it!" Peacekeeper let him go.

"Fine," Gale charged through the door.

Shooting us a challenging glare, the Peacekeeper pointed towards the exit. "Get out of here now." Draping my arm over Kim's shoulders, I pulled her closer to me and walked out into District 12, waiting near the building for Gale. As long as Katniss was able to find a way to bring both Peeta and herself home, then the Capital would have no idea what would hit them. Without both Peeta and Katniss, there was no telling how the plan would work out. Though, to be honest, there was no telling how the plan would work even if Katniss did bring them both home. And then of course, there is the other fall out where they would both die during the games, then the plan may or may not work. I hated variables!

I shook my head. I didn't have time to think on that, which was out of my hands. I had a tough enough job to do here. While Katniss and Peeta would be fighting stay alive in the arena, we would be building an army, an army of rebels. Hopefully. You wouldn't think that it would be too hard, seeing how pretty much hated the way Panem was, but that just wasn't the case.

President Snow had put fear into everyone. Of course I have heard of all the disappearances, and I will always remember the couple that was taken away in that hovercraft when I first found myself in this world. But if there's one thing I have learned in life, it's if you don't stand up at some point and say enough is enough, nothing will ever get better.

It's times like this that I really miss Seaford and the rest of the Wasabi Warriors. They would join me in any fight; they would have my back no matter what may come up. At least he still had Kim. She was tough, and she could fight. She would never let him down. She would keep him focused. But, like himself, Kim had only been here for a year, and we arrived out of nowhere, so as you can imagine, people are a bit suspicious and slow to welcome us, even now. That's where having Gale one our side would hopefully help.

District 12 knew Gale. More importantly, District 12 trusted Gale, or at least the majority did. If anyone could get these people riled to the cause, it'd be Gale. That only leaves the other districts. We can't leave District 12, and messages from district to district was strictly forbidden.

Kim tugged on my shirt, ripping me away from my thoughts. "Here comes Gale," she whispered. I waved him down and he remained silent until Katniss disappeared into the train.

"Meet me in the Hob in 15," he said all business. "I need to check on Prim."

"Why the Hob?" Kim asked. Peacekeepers liked to go to the Hob for Ripper's liquor.

"Think about it, we need people, where do most of those people gather?" Gale headed off towards the Seam. "15," he called over his shoulder, jogging to catch up to a crying Prim.

Kim and I watching him disappear and the crowd thin out. Peacekeepers starting paying closer attention to us, I nudged Kim who immediately noticed what was going on. "You think she can do it? Make it out alive?" She asked as we headed towards the Hob.

I sighed softly. That was a very tough question. There were so many unknown variables, there were those annoying variables again. I know Katniss and what she's capable of, but without knowing the other tributes or the type of arena or obstacles, her talents could quickly become obsolete. See why I hate variables? There was no need to worry Kimmie though. "Out of all of us, she has the greatest chance."

The Hob was slowly filling up. Most of the people were more somber than usual, not that I could blame them. One of the only two hunters had just been loaded onto a train. Meat in the Hob just went up. These were the people Gale wanted to get first. With little thought, it made sense. Most rebels rose from those being oppressed. Who were the most oppressed people of District 12? Those from the Seam. Where did the people of the Seam go for supplies? The Hob. Who were they most likely to listen to and follow? You got it, the Hob!

"Jack! Kim!" Gale approached us. "You two need to remember that this was Reaping Day. Going around being happy, especially here where Katniss is one of the main reasons they all can survive, is going to hurt our recruiting. Play it down a little. Nothing is guaranteed here and nothing is guaranteed in the arena."

Kim withdrew into herself, immediately taking on the depressed appearance. "You said Katniss could do this," I said softly.

"And she can," he replied, looking around. "But anything, and I mean anything, can happen in that arena. Now come on, we got work to do."

I grabbed Kim's hand giving it a reassuring squeeze as we followed Gale. "How are we gonna get people on board?" Kim asked.

Gale shrugged. "Play on their emotions. Get them riled up. Get all the hostile feelings for Snow and the Capital to the front. Get them interested in fighting back. Make them believe that the payoff is greater than the risks. And if we can't get them on board, we would have at least planted the seed. Eventually that seed will take root and grow." He stopped in the middle of the Hob. "We have to be fast. Got to be done and out of here before the Peacekeepers are done with clean-up." He put two fingers to his lips and gave a loud, high pitched whistle.

"Let's gather everyone up," I tell Kim, going in opposite directions, a crowd gathering around Gale. I pulled Kim next to me, leaning her head on my shoulder, we took up a spot towards the back to let Gale do his thing.

"When will enough be enough?" He asked the crowd. "Today the Capital almost took away a 12 year-old, and not just any 12 year-old, but Primrose Everdeen, one of the only two healers we have. But she was saved by her sister, Katniss. We all know Katniss. One of the only two hunters we have. She saved her sister this year, so she can go on and save more lives. But who's to say the Capital won't take Prim or one your children, grandchildren, next year! Or the following year! This won't stop until the Hunger Games stop!" The crowd nodded their heads, some cheering in agreement.

"Who's help us more, the Capital or the Everdeens?"

"Everdeens!"

"Who looks out for us, the Capital or us?"

"Us!"

"We don't need the Capital, we can look out for ourselves, and we can survive on our own!" More cheers, mixed with some doubt and shouts of a District 13. That was a new one for me. I turned to Kim, "You know anything about a District 13?" I whispered.

She shook her head, "I thought there were only 12," she whispered back.

Gale raised his hand and the crowd quieted. "Jack! Kim! Come on up!" I started to feel a little uneasy as everyone turned to stare at us. I had no idea where this was going. Kim and I nervously walked forward and stood next to Gale.

"I know how you feel," Gale continued. "I felt the same way when I found them. I'm here to tell you, after spending a year with them, you can trust them. You can believe them. They will help make sure that what happened to 13, will not happen here! They are fighters! Warriors!" Gale turned to us. "Show them," he whispered. I gave him a questioning look. "The fancy fighting you two do."

"You've seen us sparring?" Kim asked. We have taken up sparring in a little clearing near a lake we had found in the woods.

Gale laughed, "We've watched you a few times. If we don't want you knowing we are in the forest, you won't. We're good hunters for a reason. Now show them."

Well that was news to me; apparently Gale had more to this plan than he had even let us know. With a shrug to Kim, I took up a fighting stance, Kim doing the same opposite me. Kim attacked first with a flying round house kick, which I easily blocked and countered with a sweep timed with her landing. She rolled away, picking up a piece of stray wood that was lying around. She attacked quick and precise, the wood quickly bruising my arms with each block until the perfect swing came and I was able to break the piece of wood, grab a hold of Kim's arm and flip her.

Our sparring match continued, our moves getting faster the more heated our match became. I would occasionally hear a gasp here and there from the crowd as one of us did a particularly difficult move. It felt great; it was like being in a tournament again. It made me feel alive. I finally saw an opening in Kim's defense and took it, sending a swift kick to her chest, knocking the wind out of her, our sparring match brought to an end. The crowd of people was staring at us in awe. It was still strange to me that these people knew nothing of karate, an art I have dedicated my life to.

"You see!" Gale spoke as I gave Kim a hand. "We have no reason to fear the same fate as 13!" The crowd cheered. "Let's help get our tributes home and then fight for our freedom!" Once again the crowd cheered as Gale led us away.

As we exited the Hob, the sounds of the cheers disappeared. Looking around, I saw that the Peacekeepers were almost done and a good majority were already back at their usual post. "Let's check my traps before the mandatory viewing of the Reapings."

Remaining silent, we slipped past the fence that was off again now that the train was well on its way to the Capital. Gale and I grabbed our bows, Kim her throwing daggers. She had gotten them about a month after we arrived. It was her first purchase from the Hob and far from her last.

"We're going to have to get the other Districts with us," I said, checking the restraint on my bow.

"Leave that Katniss," he replied, pulling his quiver over his shoulder.

"How do you expect Kat to get to the other Districts?" Kim asked, flicking her wrist, practicing the movement for her daggers.

Gale shook his head laughing. "If I know my Catnip, she'll do something during the games that she feels is the only right thing to do. That action will inadvertently offend the Snow and undermine the rule of the Capital. That same act will push the Districts to their break and they will start thinking. She doesn't know the power she has on people. One of her strongest strengths and biggest weakness." He gave a soft smile heading down a game trail. "And the Capital and Snow have no idea their greatest threat is on the way."

"You don't think that's putting a lot on her?" Kim asked.

"It's Catnip's job, she either succeeds or she doesn't. Either way, it's time we brought an end to Snow and the Capital."

I remained quiet. I hadn't expected that to come from him. Everything that I have seen of him and Katniss, I had always assumed they were more than just friends. Maybe this was his way of coping, I'm not sure. I don't know Katniss as well as Gale does, but she had to focus on keeping her and Peeta alive and find a way to get them both back to District 12. Now Gale also expected her to somehow find a way to unite all the Districts and she didn't even know she needed to do it. Would Kim be able to do it if the roles had been reversed? Would I be acting like Gale if Kim had been the one to go? But there was something else weighing heavy on mind. District 13.

"Hey Gale," I called. "What's District 13? I thought there were only 12."

Gale stopped, turning to face us. "District 13 no longer exists. They rose up and rebelled against the Capital. In response to the rebellion, the Capital dropped bombs on District 13, completely destroying it and killing all inhabitants. In order to keep the remaining 12 districts from rebelling, the Capital created the Hunger Games, to show that no one can defeat the Capital. Each Hunger Games is a reminder of what happened during the rebellion."

Well that was comforting. That would have been nice to know before the devising of the plan. "What's to stop that from happening again?" I asked.

"We'll have the other Districts support."

"And if we don't?"

Gale was quiet for a moment. "Things will get interesting." He turned back around and started back towards his traps.

Well that was reassuring. I didn't want Kim to be in danger, but for the first time since we arrived, I knew why we were brought here. We were here to help free the people of Panem. We were here to end the Hunger Games.

AN: Please review