Return of the Mockingjay

Chapter 55

I take Cato back to medical then head over to command. This is the first time I've seen some of my friends since I went into the arena and when I walk through the door Ellie and Plutarch come over and greet me.

"Katniss!" Says Ellie excitedly as she throws her arms around me.

"Hey Ellie, its good to see you" I say as she releases me.

Plutarch steps forward and awkwardly shakes my hand. "Welcome back to 13 Katniss. I know you'd hoped that the war would be over but we're not far from victory, I'm sure it'll all be over soon"

"Yeah, lets hope" I say as I take a seat next to Peeta.

Looking round the table I greet the others. Sat next to Peeta is Ellie, with Lyndon, Alek, Beetee and generals Atticus and Darius sat across from us, Plutarch chairs the meeting from the head of the table.

"Okay everyone, I'll just take a moment to bring Katniss up to speed on the state of the war"

Plutarch turns to face me "Katniss when you went into the arena the whole complexion of the war changed. No doubt you've been told some of this but a wave of sympathy for you spread across the country like wild fire. Some of Wolfe's soldiers turned against him and he was forced to flee the Capitol before his own troops seized him"

"And now he's at site 2?" I say

"Yes, that's where we think he's gone. Other than that the country is pretty much ours, we hold 11 Districts with only district 1 and 2 still to be taken.

"But how did you get me out of the arena, I was in District 1?"

"That's right Katniss, but that was just a rescue mission to get you out. We only went in with a small squad" replies Lyndon.

"So what happens next?"

"At the moment we're trying to get Wolfe, it's difficult and so far we've no idea how we're gonna get into site 2. It's almost an exact copy of District 13 what with its nuclear capabilities but all the entrances are guarded by soldiers loyal to Wolfe. This war could end up in a stalemate with no real winner"

"Can't we attack with hovercraft or bomb him?"

"No, if we did that he'd just retaliate and attack us, we could all end up dead" says Peeta.

"So now you can understand our problem Katniss, the country is almost ours but we'll never be truly free of him while Wolfe still holds his finger over his launch button"

I turn my head to the sound of a 'tap, tap' from the other end of the table. Sat in the shadows is Gale gently tapping his fingers on the table deep in thought. How did he get there, I didn't even hear him come in!

"You said that site 2 is almost an exact copy of 13?" he says locking eyes with Plutarch.

"Yes that's correct, an older district 13 that is. This installation has been updated somewhat in the last 75 years. It's possible that Site 2 has been improved but it's based on the original district 13"

Gale turns to look at Lyndon and the Generals. "So if Site 2 is the same as this place then why can't we use Wolfe's plan against him, turn the tables on him?"

"What do you-"

"You're thinking of using the drill" says Beetee interrupting Plutarch.

"That's it exactly, we take his super weapon and turn it on himself. We drill our way into site 2, if the entrance is heavily guarded then let's make our own way in" says Gale.