Chapter 29: The Trap
Gale needs to know what the Capitol is hiding. It is not obvious, but by all accounts it is huge. In order to set his trap he needs to have another meeting with Paylor to discuss an idea that might just get the Capitol Rebels talking. Her reaction to his plan will help him determine just how much she knows and how much she might be hiding. It hurts Gale to think that the people he trusted could betray those who fought so hard to create the New Panem. It hurts him even more that they are willing to betray Katniss.
Paylor still has no idea that Gale has interrogated one of her prisoners. It might not be long before word gets back to her, but for now the prisoner is being kept in isolation so that should give him more time. He had thought he would be back in District 12 by now, but he knows that his first priority lies here, and with Katniss.
Gale enters the Presidential Palace and prepares to meet with Paylor. After waiting outside her office, he is eventually called in to see her.
"Gale. I thought you might have gone back to District 12 by now" she says.
"No, I decided to catch up with a few people while I was here and think I've come up with a plan which might just get the Capitol Rebels talking" he says.
Paylor looks surprised and a little annoyed. She has already informed Gale that they are doing everything they can in relation to what happened to Katniss. She hasn't asked for his input and is not going to let Gale tell her how to do her job.
"Gale, I have already told you that we are doing everything we can to find out who is behind the incident with the rose bush. Unfortunately, we are not making much headway at the moment". Gale knows this is because they are not really trying.
"This idea should boost your chances of getting these people talking" Gale says.
"What are you suggesting?" asks Paylor, sounding frustrated that Gale will not take "no" for an answer.
"Let's up the ante by informing the prisoners that the Government intends to establish another Games, but one using members of their families, as a way to generate a response".
Paylor looks shocked. He can't be seriously suggesting a repeat of the Games. She knows this was one of Alma Coin's tactics at the end of the Rebellion in order to avoid too much bloodshed. Gale is suggesting the idea for an entirely different reason. Coin had secured a majority vote of four in order to implement the barbarity again. In fact, Katniss Everdeen was one of the Victors to vote in favour. She has to tread carefully here. There was much more at stake than Gale realized.
"Gale, another Games is not an option. Part of the reason for the Rebellion was to finally bring an end to the Games. Regardless of who the protagonists might be, there is no way we are going to establish another Games just to secure information from the Rebels".
"Exactly how much do you want to get information from them?" asks Gale.
"Not enough to institute that barbarity again" she answers.
Gale did not expect her to agree. He knew she had not been serious about questioning the Rebels and, though her reasoning seems valid, there is more to her refusal than meets the eye.
"Is there something you are not telling me, President Paylor?" he asks.
For a moment she appears fearful, but then quickly regains her composure to answer him.
"No. There is nothing more you need to know or that I can say. Good day, Gale".
He has been dismissed and knows he will have to keep digging to get the answers he is looking for.
Katniss and Annie have organized themselves for their walk to Prim's grave. Katniss doesn't know why, but she decides she is going to bring her bow and arrows with her this time. If there is a threat, she will not be caught off guard the way she was the last time. Although, an arrow was not going to be effective against an invisible enemy. So as not to alarm Annie, Katniss tells her that she is thinking of walking a little further, into the woods, in case there is something she can catch, some game to bring home for the dinner. Annie accepts her explanation and agrees to take Prim in the sling for her. Katniss does not want Prim near her weapon. It is too dangerous.
They begin their walk and it is another beautiful summer's day. A good day for hunting, thinks Katniss. They talk about the wedding and the plans her and Peeta are making. Katniss tells Annie that Peeta won't reveal anything about the cake to her and she plans on surprising him with her wedding dress as well. Katniss knows that postponing the wedding was the only thing Peeta could do in the circumstances. She hopes they will be able to continue making their plans very soon.
As they approach Prim's grave, Katniss can see the dead flowers still lying beside it. Neither herself, nor Peeta, had been back since that fateful day. Thankfully, there is nothing more to see on top of the grave, and Katniss is greatly relieved. She didn't realize how she had been holding her breath until this moment. Annie can also see the damage that has been done to Prim's grave and realizes what a shock it must have been for Katniss to find the rose bush when she had come here nearly 3 weeks ago. The Capitol were still playing their games, but in a more selective and secretive way. That made it all the more terrifying. At least with the Games you knew what to expect. This was like guerrilla warfare. You never knew how, when, where these "attacks" would take place, but Katniss and Annie certainly knew why. No wonder Katniss had turned away from everyone she loved to try and protect them from Snow's vengeance, thinks Annie.
Thankfully, Katniss is making that connection again, much more rapidly than Annie had expected. It was Katniss' self loathing that had triggered her spiral into darkness. Snow had somehow made Katniss hold herself accountable for all the evil that he had engineered. The shock of the discovery had once again caused Katniss to believe she was the reason for the suffering of others. As a consequence, she had cut Peeta and Prim off which had created an even greater self hatred in Katniss. Beginning to make that connection with them again was the answer to Katniss facing her fears. It was her love for Peeta that had helped overcome Snow's evil before and Annie knew it would again. She was sure of it.
After sitting by the grave for a while and feeding Prim her bottle, Katniss asks Annie if she can wait with Prim while she walks into the woods to see if she can find any game. It is the first time she has been hunting in a while and she is entering the woods with renewed vigour. It's a much better day today.