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19<br />
I've never really seen Boggs angry before. Not when I've disobeyed his orders or puked on him, not even<br />
when Gale broke his nose. But he's angry when he returns from his phone call with the president. The first thing<br />
he does is instruct Soldier Jackson, his second in command, to set up a two-person, round-the-clock guard on<br />
Peeta. Then he takes me on a walk, weaving through the sprawling tent encampment until our squad is far<br />
behind us.<br />
"He'll try and kill me anyway," I say. "Especially here. Where there are so many bad memories to set him<br />
off."<br />
"I'll keep him contained, Katniss," says Boggs.<br />
"Why does Coin want me dead now?" I ask.<br />
"She denies she does," he answers.<br />
"But we know it's true," I say. "And you must at least have a theory."<br />
Boggs gives me a long, hard look before he answers. "Here's as much as I know. The president doesn't<br />
like you. She never did. It was Peeta she wanted rescued from the arena, but no one else agreed. It made<br />
matters worse when you forced her to give the other victors immunity. But even that could be overlooked in view<br />
of how well you've performed."<br />
"Then what is it?" I insist.<br />
"Sometime in the near future, this war will be resolved. A new leader will be chosen," says Boggs.<br />
I roll my eyes. "Boggs, no one thinks I'm going to be the leader."<br />
"No. They don't," he agrees. "But you'll throw support to someone. Would it be President Coin? Or<br />
someone else?"<br />
"I don't know. I've never thought about it," I say.<br />
"If your immediate answer isn't Coin, then you're a threat. You're the face of the rebellion. You may have<br />
more influence than any other single person," says Boggs. "Outwardly, the most you've ever done is tolerated<br />
her."<br />
"So she'll kill me to shut me up." The minute I say the words, I know they're true.<br />
"She doesn't need you as a rallying point now. As she said, your primary objective, to unite the districts, has<br />
succeeded," Boggs reminds me. "These current propos could be done without you. There's only one last thing<br />
you could do to add fire to the rebellion."<br />
"Die," I say quietly.<br />
"Yes. Give us a martyr to fight for," says Boggs. "But that's not going to happen under my watch, Soldier<br />
Everdeen. I'm planning for you to have a long life."<br />
"Why?" This kind of thinking will only bring him trouble. "You don't owe me anything."<br />
"Because you've earned it," he says. "Now get back to your squad."<br />
I know I should feel appreciative of Boggs sticking his neck out for me, but really I'm just frustrated. I mean,<br />
how can I steal his Holo and desert now? Betraying him was complicated enough without this whole new layer of<br />
debt. I already owe him for saving my life.<br />
Seeing the cause of my current dilemma calmly pitching his tent back at our site makes me furious. "What<br />
time is my watch?" I ask Jackson.<br />
She squints at me in doubt, or maybe she's just trying to get my face in focus. "I didn't put you in the<br />
rotation."<br />
"Why not?" I ask.<br />
"I'm not sure you could really shoot Peeta, if it came to it," she says.<br />
I speak up so the whole squad can hear me clearly. "I wouldn't be shooting Peeta. He's gone. Johanna's<br />
right. It'd be just like shooting another of the Capitol's mutts." It feels good to say something horrible about him,<br />
out loud, in public, after all the humiliation I've felt since his return.<br />
"Well, that sort of comment isn't recommending you either," says Jackson.<br />
"Put her in the rotation," I hear Boggs say behind me.<br />
Jackson shakes her head and makes a note. "Midnight to four. You're on with me."