The Mentor. (Cato Hadley)

Chapter One.

Some may call me petty, I call it vengeful. At least, that's what I tell myself as I smack Cato Hadley across the face. "Whoa," he says, placing his hand on the red mark left on his skin. "That's not the hello I was expecting."

"You kissed Glimmer in the arena," I say, a blank look on my face as I stare at him. Now that I know he's safe, I can be mad. When I didn't know if he was alive, I couldn't be mad.

"You haven't seen me in a year and that's what you're worried about?" His tone is serious, but the smirk on his face shows otherwise. With a chuckle, the blonde presses a kiss to my forehead, pulling me into a hug. "It was Brutus' plan, to sort of counteract Peeta's star crossed lovers angle."

"And you thought Brutus was the best one to listen to?" As I glare at Cato, I hear Plutarch clear his throat behind us. "Sorry, are we interrupting something important, Plutarch?"

"Yes, actually," his eyebrow raised as he stares at Cato and I. "Wouldn't you like to hear about District Thirteen?"

"District Thirteen?" I'm confused, that much I'm aware of as Plutarch mentions the forgotten district, the one lost in the First Rebellion. A lot of Capitol folk went broke due to the loss, the Snow family included - as my customers have told me.

"Wouldn't you like to know who owns this hovercraft? Who rescued you from the arena? Where we're headed?" As always, Plutarch's words just arise more questions. What?

I look down at the unfamiliar military uniform Cato is clothed in, my eyebrows furrowed. "Is that where you've been?"

My eyes meet his as I ask my question, the blonde nodding. "For awhile I was hiding out at a Capitol citizen's home, she belongs to the Rebellion. Then Plutarch managed to get me out while everyone was preoccupied with the Victory interview."

I have so many questions, and not one of them is being answered right now. How in the hell did District Thirteen survive those bombings? What the hell is going on? I'm led back to the room Katniss and I barged into before, resuming my seat next to Finnick. In a mind blowing fashion, Plutarch tells me the truth about the First Rebellion, and the history of District Thirteen.

District Thirteen. We were led to believe that they had been eradicated, dead, since the bombing destroyed everything above ground. Plutarch told me the truth of the matter, what had actually happened to District Thirteen. Whether or not it was the actual truth, I guess I won't know until we make it to our destination. Plutarch said that much like the Capitol keeping the secret of District Two being the military district under the cover of masonry, District Thirteen had a secret export as well. Under the guise of graphite mining, the district had actually been the hub of nuclear weaponry. They had an instrumental role in the First Rebellion, funding most of it. While both the Capitol and District Thirteen were on a stalemate, nuclear war a distinct possibility, they struck a deal in order to not completely destroy the country of Panem. District Thirteen was to stop helping the other districts, and quietly pull away from Panem. In exchange, the Capitol wouldn't bother them - and they could be an independent country.

Plutarch made a point to tell me how the Capitol leaders figured that without outside resources and the exports of the districts Thirteen would die out in a couple years. The independent district was in no shape to come at the Capitol once again, until recently. Specifically, the year of Finnick's Hunger Games. Then, they somehow made contact with those that would help, and preparations for the Second Rebellion began.

Thirteen was bombed, that was not a lie, but not before every citizen of the district made their way underground to bomb shelters - where they now reside. I wasn't filled in to the logistics of how exactly they got Cato out of that arena, Cato himself doesn't remember. He was initially attacked by the mutts, the scars littering his torso prove that. But, when the hovercraft came to take the body of the District Eleven male, Plutarch and the rebellion members took Cato too. The 'Cato' that was viewed being killed by Katniss' arrows, was a mutt created by Plutarch himself. It was a well calculated plan, that they apparently didn't know if it would work until it did. Cato then was placed in the custody of a Capitol citizen, who was able to sneak him through tunnels to a hovercraft that brought him to District Thirteen.

Ever since, he's been a well-respected member of the military force of the district. He tries his best to explain to me the lifestyle, but ends up telling me that it's easier to understand when you're living it. And that, is extremely correct.

"They completely bombed District Twelve," Cato explains as I feel the hovercraft begin to land. "Gale is telling Katniss about it now. The second she sent her arrow into the force field, the power was cut off in Twelve. The bombs dropped, killing most of the population. Gale got those he could out, we picked them up after three days." Gale, I recognize the name. He's Katniss' friend, the one that Snow has been advertising as her cousin.

"Wait," a sudden thought hits me as I remember an important part of District Two. "If they bombed District Twelve for Katniss' act, what about Two? What about my family?" I don't have the closest relationship with those I do call family, but they still are my family.

His head drops, and I know he has news he doesn't want me to hear. "Your mom, Marcus, Caelia, and Lucilia all got away before Snow ordered the assassination." I stare blankly ahead at his words. My family has been assassinated. Because of me.

"When?" I ask, refusing to make eye contact with the former tribute. The rescue just happened, and Snow's focus was clearly trained on District Twelve. When did he kill my family?

"Right after your training score was televised," I close my eyes tightly. This was the plan all along, this is exactly what Snow wanted. In the event that the ruthless Marblyn Rivers came out of the Third Quarter Quell alive, Snow wanted me to have nothing.

"How did they get to District Thirteen?" Just like before, each piece of information given just causes more questions.

"I had told the President of Thirteen that I refused to do anything until they got Celeste out. They pulled some strings, got Celeste, just as the news of your father's death was ringing through the district. Plutarch called in a favor to one of the Peacekeepers I know, those four were the only ones in the house when he got there." With a heavy sigh, I give Cato the welcoming he was probably expecting in the first place.

For the first time in a year, my lips are pressed against those of Cato Hadley.