The Hunger Games: Death of the Mockingjay

Chapter 7

As promised we all had clean things by morning. Gale said there was nothing out of the ordinary back at 12 and that there was no reason to think there would be an attack but after what happened in the Capitol it's clear that no one is safe.
For the next few days nothing really happens. I spend my days wandering around the military complex while the kids are in school and in the evening we sit around the table and have dinner together. Most days Peeta doesn't get home until after the kids have gone to bed although most nights Rue fights to stay awake until he gets home. She misses her father and the times that they spent together at the bakery. She's still happy enough to spend time with me but deep down she wants to spend time with her Dad.

When it was officially announced that Peeta had taken over the Presidency on an interim basis the kids were massively excited and proud of their Father. At the time neither of them realised what sacrifices would have to be made and after just a short time the questions started. "Where's Daddy, and when will he be home?" they kept asking. To be honest I didn't know how to answer them, I knew what it was like to be married to the President, I'd been there before but for the kids this was something new for them to get used to.

After about a week I finally get called to command. It's the first time I'd set foot in the military brain of 13 since the end of the war. When I step inside I find many familiar faces waiting for the briefing to start, old friends and allies from much darker days. Everyone's chatting in groups waiting for the meeting to start. Gale smiles and nods at me  as he sees me walk in, he's talking with Cato, Steph Cohen and her husband Alek. While on the other side of the table another group stands around Beetee which consists of Haymitch, Commander White, Plutarch (who's leaning against a cane) and Flux who commands the Rapiers.
Steph spots me stood awkwardly by the door and comes over to greet me.

"Hey old friend, long time no see" she says as she hugs me.

"It's good to see you too Steph, you look fantastic"

It's the first time I'd seen either Alek or Steph since we attended their wedding some 5 years ago. It was a simple affair conducted in District 2 where they both came from. It's funny but at the time it almost seemed as if marriage wasn't something that they were that bothered about, that they were happy just being 'together' but they'd tied the knot anyway. Since then Alek had continued to run the country's airforce while Steph had pursued a career in the media with her father Caesar Flickerman, but now the very real threat from the Brotherhood connected her and Alek to the games and now they're as much at risk as me and Peeta.
The room hushes as Peeta walks in the room with his two guards behind him. He kisses me on the cheek and smiles as he passes on his way to his chair at the other end the table. The others all take their places but don't sit down until Peeta has taken his seat.

"Good morning everyone, thanks for coming" he says warmly. "Now, I know it may seem that we've been doing little since the bombing in the Capitol but Plutarch and his spies have been pretty busy"

Peeta looks to his right to Plutarch who continues.
"Okay, so we're all aware of the Brotherhood of Retribution and what their purpose is. Now I've managed to find out some more details about how they operate and what they hope to achieve. For the most part they're a group born from the hardship of living in the sprawl, they're intensely loyal and have nothing to lose, have no money, no prospects and little or nothing to live for, their only goal is to kill everyone who had a hand in the demise of the Games"

"But how are they financed, the explosives they used, the guns. If they have no money then how can they get hold of these weapons? asks Peeta.

"We're not sure and I'm still trying to find out who's financing their operation. An examination of the bomb scene in the Capitol points to a well planned and executed attack, the explosives used were top of line, we don't know how they got hold of them"