FIRE ON FIRE ( cato hadley! )

chapter forty-three

——☆ FIRE ON FIRE
chapter forty-three: district two

AS THE HOVERCRAFT touched down in District 2, the group prepared themselves to exit and move to the safe location. Today they were going to meet with the other commanders and elite personnel to strategize and execute a plan that will ensure District 2 joins the rebellion.

When the doors opened, Lilia and Cato walked down the ramp in silence, staring at the the atmosphere around them. Or what was left of it.

After the rebel bombings, District 2 had been completely reduced to ash, ruin, and smoke. Only a select few buildings remained.

"You know, I used to love this place," Cato muttered, his eyes fixated ahead.

Lilia turned to him. "What do you mean?"

Cato's gaze swept across buildings, looking at the remnants of his home. "District 2 was everything to me. I trained my entire life to win the Games and bring pride to them. I was their golden boy. And the Capitol...I loved them too."

Lilia's eyes widened slightly. She had known Cato was loyal to the Capitol in the past, but hearing him admit it now, here in the middle of a rebellion, caught her off guard.

"I loved the Games, the fame, the status. I know I told you that my act was all for show, but...the Capitol really did make me happy. They gave me everything I ever wanted. I didn't see what was happening right in front of me..."

Lilia stayed quiet, waiting for him to go on.

"When the rebels first captured me, I was so mad," Cato said, shaking his head as if still trying to process the person he once was. "I didn't want to hear anything they had to say. I thought they were weak, pathetic people who couldn't handle the Capitol's strength. I hated them for trying to take me away from the only life I knew. But then..."

Cato's voice grew quiet for a moment, and he turned to look at her with his deep blue eyes. "Then I saw you."

Lilia's breath hitched. "Me?"

"Yeah," he said, his voice quieter now. "When I saw you on the Capitol screens, and watching what they did to you...it all changed for me. The girl that I loved most in this world being used like a doll. After that, it was like a switch flipped inside me."

Lilia felt a lump forming in her throat as memories of her time in the Capitol came flooding back to her mind. They weeks spent in the cell, the quiet, cold, hungry nights filled with distant screams. The beatings. The kicks, punches, broken bones, bruises, scars. The endless nightmare she couldn't wake up from.

Cato sighed, finishing, "That was when I realized how wrong I'd been. About everything. Everything I thought I believed in. The Capitol, the Games, all of it. It was just a lie. They don't care about any of us. They never did. Not me, not you, not anyone."

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, Lilia swallowed hard, her voice shaky when she finally spoke. "Cato..."

"That's why I'm here now," Cato spoke firmly, his eyes locking with hers. "Not for the rebellion, not for District 2...but for you. Only you."

Cato had professed his love for her before, but hearing him say this, knowing that he had defied everything he had ever known for her, made her realize how much he truly loved her.

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After being escorted to one of the standing buildings, the group was situated around a large table with a holographic map of District 2 at its center. At the side, President Coin watched virtually from the screen as the group discussed attack strategies.

Standing at the front of the table, Commander Lyme spoke, "President Coin, we're indebted to you for the reinforcements. But I'm not sure that anyone outside of two knows what we've been up against..."

Briefly pausing, Lyme leaned forward and selected a space in the map, broadening its size.

"This is the Nut. The Capitol's headquarters for all offensive operations. It's manned by both military and civilian personnel from District 2. As you can see, the fortress lies so far beneath the bedrock, it's untouchable. Yesterday, we attempted to take the northeastern gate. The enemy countered from higher up and we were forced to pull back. We took heavy losses."

On the other side of the table, a man asked, "Could we create a decoy? Send troops towards one gate, launch a staggered attack on another."

"Whose troops do you propose as a decoy, Commander?" Commander Paylor asked.

On the screen, President Coin spoke, "We have Katniss and now, Lilia Conway. Don't underestimate them. We could use them to erode support. Together, they may be able to sway some of the loyalists."

Lyme shook her head. "You've been underground a long time, Madam Coin. This isn't like the rest of Panem. Support for the Capitol runs deep here."

In an instant, Cato Hadley stepped forward, looking around at the group. "Look, I know these people. If anyone's going to make a dent in their morale, it's me. If I can talk to them, I'm sure I can get some of them to think twice about their loyalty."

A murmur of agreement spread through the room as Cato's words resonated with them. Even the commanders seemed to appreciate having someone who was familiar with the District 2 personnel take on this role.

"You think you can actually convince them to switch sides?" Paylor asked.

Cato nodded. "I know I can.

"Alright, Cato," Paylor agreed. "If you believe you can make a difference, then we'll support you in this."

"Hang on, how are we going to get him in the Nut without them attacking?" Lilia asked.

Beside her, Gale Hawthorne replied, "We can't, which is why we need to draw them out, instead of putting him in. Would it be enough to disable the fortress instead of taking it?"

"What do you have in mind?" Commander Lyme asked.

"You think of it like a wolf den. You're not gonna fight your way in, so you've got two choices. You trap the wolves inside, or you flush them out. If we can't attack straight on, then couldn't we use our hovercraft to strike around it? We'll use the mountains. We'll hit weak spots in the peaks..."

"We could design the bomb targets in sequence using seismic data," Beetee continued.

Then, the rest of the group joined in, quickly forming the attack plan.

"Trigger avalanches."

"Block all exits, cut off their supplies."

"You make it impossible for them to launch their hovercraft."

"Bury them alive."

"We'd forfeit any chance to control the weapons."

"Yes, but we'd face a weakened capitol."

"What about the civilians?"

The topic of civilians made the entire group pause for a moment. It was clear that if they blocked every tunnel, those inside would be sentenced to certain death.

Finally, President Coin spoke, "I suggest we try the avalanche, but leave the train tunnel alone. Civilians can escape into the square, where our armies will be waiting for their surrender."

"We should have every available medic standing by," Palor assured.

"And if they won't surrender?" Commander Lyme asked.

Beside Lilia, Cato Hadley's lips formed into a tight smirk. 

"I'll take care of that," Cato finished.