Mockingjay: What If......

Chapter 1-Gale

All of the characters in this story belong to the wonderful and imaginative Suzanne Collins. Hope you enjoy!

Warning: I was like 12 when I wrote this, it's a little cringey!!! Feel free to laugh at me 😂

As I walked by Coin's office, I heard voices. I crouched down and put my ear against the wall, listening. The first voice was Coin's. "Have you loaded the cargo onto the hovercrafts?" She asks.
Another voice responded, "We picked up the cargo last night. Not one bomb escaped our grasp. The ships are loaded." The voice sounded familiar to me, but I couldn't put a name or face on it.
Coin spoke once again. "Good. Commence with repainting the crafts. And make sure the Mockingjay's sister is recruited for the medical team that we will send in after the bombing."
The voice chuckled. "We would have it no other way, President Coin."
I crept back down the hallway and boarded the elevator. I pondered what I had just heard. What were these bombs, and what were the for? Why were hovercrafts being repainted? Who did that voice belong to? How did Prim and Katniss fit in to all of this? I got off the elevator and walked right into Beetee. "I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed, "my mind was wandering."
"That's alright Gale," he said, "so was mine." He continued. "You know those bombs we designed?" He asked, "the ones based on human compassion? All ten crates full of them disappeared from my workshop last night." I knew all too well who had taken them. I told him what I had overheard.
"I think I might understand," I say, "Prim means more to Katniss than anyone else in the world. If Coin were able to somehow hurt Prim and make it seem like Snow's doing....."
"It would push Katniss' hatred of Snow past the extreme," finished Beetee, "and she would do anything to get revenge. The question is, why does Coin feel like she needs to push Katniss' hatred even farther? Snow already tortured her friends, and he hijacked Peeta, her boyfriend. Why would she need more motivation? "
I stiffened at the word "boyfriend". Even if I didn't show it, I still have feelings for Katniss. I think she may still have feelings for me, to. Everything was going great for us until that Mellark kid came into the picture. I had been planning to deal with him, but Snow did it for me. If Katniss still loved him now, after he had tried to kill her, I had no chance. However, if I saved Prim's life, would there even be a choice?
"I think," I said,"that Katniss, like many others, suspects that Coin may have ulterior motives for overthrowing Snow. She is still pondering whether or not to help Coin achieve her goal."
"My friend," said Beetee, "neither you nor I must tell Katniss this plot that we have uncovered. She has enough to worry about without knowing that her sister's life is in danger."
I laughed, though there was no heart in it. "You need not worry about me, my dear friend. I would sooner confront Coin about this matter than be in Katniss' line of fire when she finds out."
"Oh, Gale," said Beetee, "the thing I worry about is that it may come to that."
"I suppose we'd better hope it doesn't," I said, "but for now I'm going back down there to see what else I may find out. If I can't get any more information, I may actually confront Coin."
"Good luck," said Beetee, "and don't get yourself caught. Who knows what Coin would do to you if she caught you eavesdropping outside her office."
I got back on the elevator and went down to the tenth floor. My temporary credentials got me past security. I first went into Katniss' office so I wouldn't raise suspicion. I heard noises in the hallway, so I looked through the peephole in the door. A few high ranking officials were entering Coin's office. I crept down the hallway and crouched in the shadows next to the wall.
Coin spoke. "Thank you for joining me, gentlemen," she said. "We are gathered here today to discuss disloyalty within would our troops. One of my informants from the capitol has alerted me to the fact that miss Katniss Everdeen, the mockingjay herself, has been communicating with Snow. She has been relaying to him our every move."
I don't believe what I hear. She's accusing Katniss of treason? What proof does she have? Oh, right, as supreme dictator, she doesn't need proof! That rotten, scheming.....
Coin starts again. "I think we need a little....show to prove to Katniss who's side she should be on."
"What are you suggesting?" asked one voice. It was the voice of Plutarch Heavensbee, former head gamemaker and now Coin's right hand man.
"My contacts have informed me," continued Coin, "That Snow will offer shelter from our attacks in his own mansion. However, he will actually be gathering the children and locking them up in pens like livestock. What is to stop us from dropping bombs into the pens? Our weaponry personnel have manufactured bombs that explode twice, allowing time for medics to reach the wounded."
"After the bombs are dropped, we will send in a medical team. Katniss' sister, Primrose, will be on that team." This was the mysterious voice that I had heard before. "When the bombs explode for the second time, all the medics, including Primrose, will be dead."
Plutarch spoke again. "Don't you think murdering Katniss' sister is a bit harsh? I should think that..."
"I will not be questioned!" Yelled Coin. "If you do not agree with my methods, you may join the other traitors in the dungeon!"
I heard gasps as she revealed a well kept secret. There had been mysterious disappearences of those who had become restless. Anyone who became tired of district 13 rules and regulations was thrown in the dungeon. Coin either accused them of treason or simply stated that they disappeared in the night.
"That goes for the rest of you as well," said Coin. "You are all being watched very closely, and if any one of you tells a single soul these things, you will be eliminated accordingly. Now, let us discuss more pleasant matters."
That was all I needed to hear. I had to do something. Beetee had left for district 2 soon after we had spoken. He would be there for a few weeks. I didn't think I had that long, but what could I do on my own? Coin's security was state of the art. I should know, I had helped Beetee design it! It couldn't be breached without setting off all kinds of alarms.
All the hovercrafts also had their own alarm systems, so I had no chance of stealing or disabling the bombs. I had no choice but to confront Coin. I took a deep breath and headed to the administrative desk to make an appointment.