I sit at the table alone, well sort of alone, Molly's mother joins me, disgusted at the place she once called home. The Capitol Army Acceptance gala buzzes around us. My parents weren't healthy enough to come and ever since the last bombing where Dare was almost killed, no one has been allowed to leave or enter Thirteen.

People dance around me as trumpets sound.

Ever since the Capitol "saved" me, I have been given the special treatment, extravegant galas, large feasts, I was even crowned "Victor." Along with Max of course, and Jonny well he is "dead" as far as the Capitol knows.

Three people approach me.

"They are approaching." I whisper into my mic, diguised as a flower in my hair.

"Good." Max's voice echoes through my brain.

"Turn the earpiece down please!" I whisper back.

"Katniss!" The little girl shouts.

"Close." I smile, "Rosie Mellark, her daughter."

I look up and find a boy staring at me. I just glare back, confused.

Something about him is different from the other boys I have met here in the Capitol.

The way his jet black hair glistens in the light, the way his green eyes go big when he looks at the little girl, and his frekles that aren't artificial as most kids here.

Even his clothes are different. He isn't all dolled up as most Capitolheads... He wears a sports jacket, jeans and hightops.

I frown not being able to put my finger on the exact reason why he is different.

"I am Chariton, and this is Arabella." He smiles.

His father introduces himself, but I don't pay attention, I just keep staring at him, trying to figure out what is so different about him.

"Katniss!" Arabella says again.

"Yes?" I say smiling.

"Look!" She points at her hair.

"Very pretty! You know, I have a brother who is about your age! He is very cute, just like you." I tickle her belly, right as Ceasar enters the stage.

He does his usual introduction, boring the heck out of everyone not Capitol born.

I am just about to kill myself when He walks on stage.

Looking exactly the same as before yet different.

"Rosie?" Max's voice rings in my ears, "Rosie you need to move to the balcony. The troops are about to enter the building"

I stay completely still.

"Hello, and welcome. I am Chariton Aerolight, the game-makers son, and I would like to thank you all for your future service, and your sleflessness. You will be protecting our nation, and it's future. This is something we cannot thank you enough for, but we will try. You have our gratitude and, thanks. I wish luck and good fortune in all you do. Goodnight." I run towards the balcony.

"He isn't what I thought. Max, he is a Capitol-head... Just like them all!" I whisper into the mich when I make it to the balcony, the Capitol lit up against the night sky.

"What?" His voice echoes.

"Max, I am calling code red. Max I am breaking down." My heart starts racing, "Max you need to get Gale!"

"Rosie, calm down!" I breath.

I stick my hand in my purse searching for my anxiety medication my doctor gave me before I left.

I hear something roll and go to pick it up searching the shadows.

I grip the item and reach it toward the light.

"The box." It is still wrapped just as it was the last time I saw it.

"Rosie, are you there?" Max's voice echoes, I don't answer mesmorized by the cardboard box infront of me.

I grab the lid and open it slowly.

I read the note calmly.

Rosie,

Happy 14th Birthday! Thought you'd miss this.

~Max

It is written in squiggley letters. I smile and tuck it into my purse.

I stare once again at the box unwrapping the item inside from tissue paper.

"The pin." I say just above a whisper.

In a flash every memory comes back overwhelming me.

I drop the box and grip the pin super tight.

The Reaping, the train, everyone staring, my Mockingjay Dress, my interview, shining like the sun...Flashes of Max smiling, the training room and Finny's face projected in the sky. Molly falling to the ground, me shooting Stella. Stella her slick grin and attitude. My ankle aching and the hallucinations that kept getting worse. The bagels with apples. Maddie's kindness. Her body gnarled and swollen. The razor under my tongue, the flick of my wrist jabbing it into my heart. Max's face. The hovercraft. The last memory I have is Stella's face.

As the memories fade, I am left with a feeling... A feeling of heartlessness and discomfort. A feeling so icy and exciting, my body fills with energy.

"I remember." I say astonished.

"Hey! You there! Hello?" A voice says from the other side of the balcony.

I stay silent.

"Hello?" The voice says again.

"What?" I snap, my voice sharp.

"Uh, Um... Hi!"

"Get lost." I say back.

"Well I am going to do exactly that." The voice says, "I am going aren't you coming?"

What?

I turn my head and see two figures, through the shadows.

"Didn't I tell you to get lost?" I shout.

"Yes you did, doesn't mean I'll listen." A new voice says.

Chariton.

"Of course. Because you are a Capitol born! You won't do anything we say! Your stupid country won't even stop to think how you effect us out in the districts!" I step out into the light.

"Rosie?"

"What do you want? Cause if I were you, I wouldn't make it long, this place is about to be blown to pieces."

"What?"

"I can't believe I am saying this, grab your sister and your friend and come with me."

He does as he is told and arrives back at the balcony right as Gale throws the ladder down.

We climb.

When we reach the hovercraft I run towards Max in the control room.

He pushes me in the direction of my chambers.

I change quickly into a black skin tight T-shirt, black jeans, a black leather jacket, and combat boots. I sturdy a gun on my hip and a knife in my boot.

When I return to the control room I find Chariton, Arabella and there lovely friend buckled into their chairs, everyone but Chariton looking confused.

"So what's a pretty girl like you doing getting herself involved in a nationwide war?" He asks smirking.

I move towards him.

"So you think I'm pretty?" I tease a smile tugging at my lips.

"Yeah, pretty mean."

"You know you are all exactly the same! You flatter us and then shoot us down with your ignorant sounding Capitol accents and well everything." I throw my hands up.

"Rosie?" Max says.

"What?" I scuff.

"Are you alright." He asks.

I reach into my pocket and fasten the pin on my jacket.

"Just peachy." I smile, "Back to my old self."

Max smiles and squeezes me tightly.

"Let go!" I shout, "I remember which means I am prepared to kick you ass if you touch me."

"Woah!" He says putting his hands in the air as if he is surrendering.

I smile and hug him gently.

"I didn't say I couldn't touch you!" I laugh.

"Um Rosie? If you two are finished, we could use some explaining." Chariton says rather jerky.

"Explaination, you are on my terf now and jerky remarks aren't accepted." I say smiling.

"Okay."

"Okay?" I am puzzled.

"Okay. You are right, I was acting like a jerk." I am confused at his words.

"Okay." I sigh.

"How can I help?" Chariton asks.

"What?" I look at him extra confused.

"How can I help?"

"Max?" I say calmly.

"Yeah." He answers.

"Get Chariton a uniform."

"What?" Max asks, "Rosie, he is a capitolhead."

"No Max I don't think he is."

I shoo Max off and wait for Chariton's uniform. When Max comes back I bring Chariton to the restroom so he can change.

He comes out of the Men's room after twenty-five minutes.

"It take you that long to put on a jacket and pants?" I ask.

"Yeah." He mocks my tone.

"Oh great, what did I get myself into."

***************************************************************************************************************

"Woah." I say as Chariton throws another knife at the target, it hits bullseye for the third time in a row.

"Yeah. My mom taught me how when I was younger." He smiles and throws another.

"My mom taught me how to fight too." I smile picking up some knifes.

"Yeah like you could do that."

"You wanna bet?"

"Fine."

"I bet you I could hit the target with these ten knives each time."

"Just to make it "harder" let's blindfold you and make it you have to hit one of the three targets in the bullseye each time." He smirks.

"Okee dokee. Watch and learn." I rip a piece of fabric from my shirt, and wrap it around my eyes.

I turn backwards, steadying my knife infront of me.

"Shoot." He says calmly.

I through the knife over my shoulder.

I hear a thump and a sharp intake of breath.

I turn back around and throw another.

Thump.

Breath.

I step three steps back and throw again.

Thump.

Breath.

I switch angles and distances for the next six, each time hearing the thump, and the intake of breath.

On the last one I back up all the way to the wall.

I run, jump and flip, throwing the knife in mid-air.

Thump.

Breath.

I remove the blindfold, to find Chariton staring wide eyed.

I not only hit the bullseye each time, I hit the bullseye over the eye each time.

Instant death.

"That-a-girl." Max comes up behind me wrapping his arms around me and spinning around so my legs flail through the air.

I tilt my head back laughing.

He sets me down, I teeter then catch my balance.

"Who are you?" Chariton asks looking blank.

"My name is Primrose Mellark. I am fourteen years old, I grew up hunting in twelve and went on to be the Victor of the Hunger Games, following in the same footsteps of my parents. I forgot the games, but never, I repeat, never forgot how to hunt. I woke up on the balcony, when I found this in my purse." I point at my pin, "I am trained in multiple weapons. I am what some people might call a weapon myself. I am lethal. I am Primrose Mellark the new and improved Mockingjay."

End of Book 1