Step One

Jack's POV

Kim and I were in the Square watching the mandatory viewing of the Games. The Everdeen's and Hawthorn's were no with the rest of the crowd, we had tried finding then when Madge told us that the families of the tributes usually watched in the privacy of their homes. Apparently very few District 12 tributes survive the initial blood bath.

It was a surreal moment when the screens flickered to life. We got a panoramic view of the arena, none of the tributes had arrived yet.

"This is great!" I exclaimed quietly to Kim, my hopes rising as I took in the arena.

Kim shot me a glare. "Great?! How the hell is this great? You know how many teenagers are about to die? Possibly Kat or Peeta?"

I shook my head, she was only focusing on the first surface of the situation. "Look, Kim," I pointed up to the screen, "really look."

She rolled her eyes. "I see it, Jack. A big forest with a lake. It's still –," she stopped realization entering her eyes. "A forest!"" She yelled happily, clapping both her hands over her mouth as the people around us looked at her. "Sorry," she said to the crows softly as their eyes slowly turned away.

"Exactly," I whispered into her ear, her cheeks slowly losing the redness of embarrassment. I took Kim's shoulders to face me. "These Games were made for her. She can do it." I pulled her into a hug. "Time to prepare for war," I whispered in her ear, some fear entering myself as I realized what was truly ahead of us. I glanced back at the screen as a countdown began after all the tributes rose out of the ground, and just like that, my hope vanished and fear for the first time in my life, took front seat.

All the tributes were eyeing the supplies and each other. The so called "Careers" had their eyes trained on Katniss. She wasn't aware of it, or at least didn't seem to be. She seemed to be somewhere else all together. I can't even begin to imagine what must be running through her mind. All I knew was that she really needed to focus now. She needed to be the hunter.

Kim grasped my arm. "What is she doing?" The gong had gone off and the result was definitely not what I had been expecting. In fact, I think it safe to say that no one in District 12 had expected it.

It was complete chaos, everyone running every which way, blood being sprayed here and there as tributes dropped with all sorts of wounds. But the thing I hadn't suspected was the way Peeta and Katniss reacted. Peeta had charged straight forward, complete determination on his face. Katniss, well, Katniss hesitated. And then it hit me, it made perfect sense now.

"She's a hunter, Kimmy. She's used to stalking, complete silence, not complete chaos and loud noises. She's not sure how to react." The screen focused in on a group of four, one of which was Peeta, two from a Career District, and the other I believe from District 6. I could feel the tension in the crowd as we all waited for the inevitable, except, it didn't come, well, at least not for Peeta. One of the Careers handed Peeta a sword and gestured towards the weeping tribute from District 6, and with one smooth motion, Peeta plunged the sword in and out, the tribute following to ground grasping at the gaping hole in his stomach. Without a look back at the dying boy, Peeta followed the two careers, getting pats on his back. "The real question is what the hell is he doing?"

Kim was staring in shock as the camera followed the retreating pack of Careers with Peeta amongst their ranks. "Is he….did he….what is he….is he…." She looked up at me, tongue tied. "Is he with the Careers?" she barely whispered the question.

I shrugged, not sure what to think as the camera snapped back to Katniss as she retreated into the safety of the trees. "Maybe Katniss and him came up with some kind of plan, like implementing a spy into the ranks to kill them off one by one."

Kim shook her head as they showed the bodies being lifted into the hovercrafts. "I don't think so, Jack. I don't think Kat had a hand in this. Maybe Peeta has a different plan, or maybe he's trying to make people feel sorry for Katniss so they'll sponsor her."

Now that was interesting. "What do you mean?"

Kim sighed a laugh, obviously not so surprised anymore, convinces she'd figured it out. "He just told all of Panem how he has this huge crush on her, now he's joined the Careers. Who will the Careers try to target first?"

I see where she was going. "Katniss."

"Correct. Ultimate betrayal, lead her enemies to her, sponsors will rally to her aid."

"Or he's trying to lead the Careers away from her, keep her safe, give her a better chance."

Kim shrugged, grabbing my hand. "We will have to wait and see how it plays out, but I've got a plan on how to communicate with the other Districts," she gave me her smirk as we started to walk away from the Square.

"Let's go find Gale and you can fill us in." She stopped in her tracks, looking down at the dirt road. "What's wrong?"

She chewed her lip nervously before looking up at me. "That's just it Jack. I don't think we should fill Gale in. I don't think he should have any more to do with this. He's in too deep, it's too personal."

"But that will work for us. These people know him, they will follow him, they will believe in him."

"But look how he's already been acting, and the Games just started. I understand he wants Kat home, but he will go to any cost for her."

"I thought that was the point. So she can show the people of Panem that the government can be defeated."

Kim shook her head. "She'll only be able to do that if both of them make it home alive."

"And Gale is only concerned about her coming home alive."

Kim nodded, glancing back at the screen as they showed the footage from the blood bath again. "Think about it Jack. He's not the right leader for this rebellion." She was quiet for a moment before a look of complete determination and seriousness took over her facial features. "Kat is my friend, and I want her to come back, but let's be honest. This," she gestured to all of 12. "is not our home. Our home is in Seaford, our friends, our family, are in Seaford. We are here for a reason and you told me, you Jack, told me that you knew why, it was to end these horrible games and free Panem from Snow. That can be achieved whether or not Kat and Peeta make it out alive or not."

"Are you saying we should give up on Katniss?"

"Of course not. I'm saying we can use her victory or death to our advantage. If Kat dies out there, yes we'll be sad and I will mourn her, but Gale, he will be completely defeated. He's too personally attached to the situation to have a leadership role. He could jeopardize the whole rebellion by letting his personal feelings take center stage."

"But we don't even know if that would even happen."

"It already has, Jack! You heard him the day of the Reaping. It only matters if Kat makes it back, he'll do anything for her, but is that who you would want to follow into war? Cause that's where this is all leading! You just said it, you just said to prepare for war. Would you want Gale watching your back in the middle of war if Kat doesn't make it? Or if Peeta makes it and Kat doesn't?" She shook her, sighing deeply. "Don't you get it? We have no personal connection here. We can make the wisest decisions."

"But Kim, the personal and emotional connections are the reasons why people begin to rebel in the first place. If we take him out, how are we gonna rally the forces and get them ready to fight and lead them into battle?"

She rubbed her temples, obviously getting frustrated. "Fine, but I think he should just be here for morale, not making any strategies."

"So you want to take over as the head leader or whatever?"

"No, Jake. I think you should take over."

I started leading Kim back to our home as I noticed a couple Peacekeepers looking at us. This was not something that needed to be discussed in public. "We'll talk to Gale," I said in tone that would prove I was not going to change my mind. I bit my tongue as I heard Kim's frustrated sigh. I knew this wasn't over, but we couldn't just cut Gale out of this. We also couldn't rely on Katniss, as much as I hated to say it, Kim was right, whether she lived or died, it would be an advantage. She had unknowingly become a pawn for our rebellion that was literally thrown together within minutes after the Reaping. How could that fall apart, right?

"I really hope you don't come to regret this, Jack," Kim whispered as we slipped out the hole in the fence. If Gale wasn't out in the woods yet, he would be soon, there was no way Gale was just going to kick back after watching Peeta join the Careers. And if he hasn't seen it, then there was only one reason for him missing a mandatory viewing; hunting out in the woods. We would find him one way or other and a long talk was sure to follow.

I watched Kim quickly climb a tree that was next to one of Gales traps. It had a rabbit in it still, so we knew he'd be coming this way eventually. It was crazy how much someone could change within a year. Kim has always been strong and not one to back down in anything he truly believed. But she has never been so, whats the word, outdoorsy? I was seeing her in a whole new light.

I really missed Seaford and my friends. I want to get home. Will Kim go back to the way she was before we somehow ended up here in Panem? Would I want her to?

"You comin' up or just gonna chill down in the weeds?" Kim asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I grabbed a knot in the tree and started to climb, sitting on notch in the branch next to hers. We could see the game trail perfectly, there was no way Gale would slip by us. "So Kimmy, this plan of yours, can I get a clue?"

With a shrug, she answered. "It's simple really. Who's the only two families in District 12 that have phones that work?"

Working phones in District 12? Ok, I must have really missed something. I have never seen anyone with a phone, mail, or any type of transportation. Save the train of course, but the train was only for transporting the coal to the Capitol and for the Games of course. Not for casual travel.

Kim laughed, I couldn't help but smile, her laugh just did that to me, it was like hearing your favorite song on a bad day, just lightens you up. "Really Jack? Haven't been paying much attention, once again. The Undersee's have a phone. The Mayor needs to keep in contact with the Capitol."

Well that made sense, I guess. "Who's the other one?"

"Haymitch," she said plainly.

"The District drunk?"

Well, yeah, but more importantly, the District Victor, the only District Victor."

"Ok, so the plan?"

"Getting a hold of a phone."

AN: Comments, reviews, negative or positive, always welcome. Thanks for reading, hoping to update soon