#norbertsmom

Author:@norbertsmom​

Prompt: I’d like to request a prompt for my birthday 04/20

When journalist Katniss Everdeen is taking hostage by a group of terrorists she was investigating, a Special Force unit of four men is dispatched to free her.

Peeta Mellark is part of the unit.

A relentless pursuit begins between her kidnappers and the group of soldiers who risk their lives for her. Specially a blue-eyed soldier [submitted by @alwayseverlark​] 

Rating:M for mentions of abduction, human trafficking, violence, and future smut.

Summary: Investigative reporter Katniss Everdeen is looking into the disappearances of young men and women from the outer districts. When she herself disappears, Peeta Mellark and he fellow Special Forces unit are call in to save her.

Takes place in an AU universe where the 10th Hunger Games were the last. Coriolanus Snow never became president. Katniss is still from District 12, but without the misery and starvation.

Author’s Note: Happy birthday, @alwayseverlark​. Here’s part one of your birthday fic. I’ll have the rest of it posted soon.
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Katniss settles down at her computer with a half-eaten sandwich in her hand, as the screen comes to life. Her sister Prim’s bright smiling face fills the screen and Katniss can’t help but smile back at her.

“How was your day, Little Duck?” Katniss asks before taking a big bite of her peanut butter sandwich.

“Clinicals are kicking my butt, but I love it. How’s your day going? Any leads on the disappearances?”

“The receptionist at the orchard wouldn’t let me in to see the foreman, even though I had an appointment. Apparently they didn’t know who I was until I showed up or they never would have agreed to see me. She tried to tell me they had no records of missing employees. People just run off. Can you believe it?”

Prim shakes her head.

Katniss finishes off her sandwich and takes a big drink of water.

“When I pushed back and demanded copies of their employment retention records, the smarmy foreman came out of the office. He tried to tell me he’d love to help me, but he couldn’t possibly share employee’s private information.”

“What did you do?”

I reminded him that the orchard is owned by the district, and that retention records are public property and he is required to provide them to anyone who asks.”

“What happened then,” Prim asks with a smirk.

“Oh, you should have seen his face, Prim. It went ghostly white. Quite the contrast to the odd black facial hair he was sporting. But he quickly regained his composure and assured me he would have the records for me first thing in the morning.”

“Good. He probably never had anyone talk to him like that before, standing up for herself.”

“Probably not,” Katniss says. “I did talk to one of the employees. A young woman, about your age, named Rue pulled me aside as I was leaving the office.”

“What did she tell you?” Prim asked excitedly.

“She gave me the names of a few people to look into. She knows for a fact that a few have gone missing. She had a friend named Thresh who would never leave his sister and grandmother all alone. And one of her former classmates disappeared right after she got accepted into college. She and her family had been saving for her tuition for years. She left everything behind.”

“Yeah, those both seem pretty suspicious. You think the foreman is in on it?”

“Oh yeah. That’s why I set up a camera outside his office. Want to see what going on there? I can share the screen with you.”

“Sure,” Prim said, excitedly. “Let’s see what you got.”

“Don’t be too excited, Prim. Investigating is slow going. Sometimes nothing happens for days,” Katniss says as she get the split screen set up.

“I know, but I’ve only ever seen home in District 12 and school in District 4. I’d like to see the world like you do, Katniss.”

The view on the screen is dimly lit because it’s nearing sunset. The trees in the background sway in the wind, but otherwise, there’s no movement.

“See, pretty dull. Nothing going on,” Katniss says.

“It’s still nice. Look at that orchard. It must smell heavenly, all those fruit trees,” Prim says dreamily.

“Definitely better than twelve,” Katniss agrees with a chuckle.

A young woman comes into view on the screen.

“That’s Rue,” Katniss says, “The young woman I talked to earlier. I wonder why she’s going to the office at this time of day. She should be home with her family. She told me she’s the oldest of six and helps her mother out with her younger siblings.” Katniss clicks a key on her keyboard. “There. I just turned on the sound so we can hear too.”

After a few minutes pass and Rue does not come back out of the office, Katniss starts to worry. “Where is she? I think something is going on. I hope she doesn’t get in trouble for talking to me. I’m going to go after her. See if I can help, or at least find out what’s going on.”

“Be careful, Katniss. This isn’t a District mayor skimming tax dollars. This could be very dangerous.”

“I know, Prim. But I can’t just sit here and watch. I have to go check on Rue. Make sure she’s okay. If it makes you feel better. Keep watching the screen. You can see and hear me when I get to the office and hopefully come back out with Rue.”

“And if you don’t?”

“Call Uncle Haymitch. He’ll know what to do.”

Prim sits back and bites her nails as she watches her sister leave her apartment. All thoughts of the test she needs to study for long forgotten as the minutes pass. It seem like hours as she waits for Katniss to show up again on the other side of the screen.

Katniss finally appears and Prim lets out a sigh of relief.

Katniss quietly walks up to the office window and peers inside. She looks up at the camera and shakes her head, mouthing the words, “can’t see anything.” She then walks over to the screen door and turns the knob. It opens, so she walks inside. Quietly closing the door behind her.

Katniss is now completely out of view behind the closed screen door.

Prim holds her breath as she listens for any sound from her sister. She hits record, just in case.

After a few minutes, low voices start coming through, but they are too quiet to hear. Prim turns up the volume on her computer as far as it can go, and she finally can make out the voices.

“A little early for your documents, aren’t you, Miss Everdeen?” a snarky male voice asks.

“Am I?” Katniss asks. “I thought you said to come back tonight?”

“Now, now, Miss Everdeen. Don’t lie. Why are you really here? Looking for someone?”

“Do you have someone here who can answer my questions?”

“Don’t play coy, Miss Everdeen. I’m aware you spoke to Rue Stenberg after you left my office. Did you see her come in here on the camera you planted? Yes, I know about your camera, Miss Everdeen. Don’t worry. I’ll give you all the information you want. You’ll get to see where our tributes are taken, firsthand. You can be the star of your very next story. Well, if only you were to make it out alive.”

Scuffling can be heard. Katniss comes running out of the door. She quickly looks up at the camera.

“Katniss!” Prim screams as she watches her sister swiftly run away, followed shortly by two Peacekeepers and another man. The man directs the Peacekeepers to split up, each going in a different direction, then calmly turns around and walks back toward the office. He stops at the door and looks up at the camera. He points his finger at the camera, then raises his thumb, making the symbol of a gun as the corner of his lips slowly raise into an evil grin.

Minutes later Katniss burst into her apartment. “Prim, are you still there?”

“I’m here, Katniss. I saw them run after you on the screen. They could be there any minute. Get out of there.”

Katniss scrambles around her apartment, gathering her things as she tells Prim, “They got Rue. I know it. I could hear her muffled cries. They tried to grab me, but I got away. I gotta get out of here. I’ll get some help from, from, I don’t know where. I gotta go.”

“Go, Katniss. I’ll call Uncle Haymitch, let him know you’re coming. Get out of there, go see him.”

“I’m going, Prim. I’ll come back for my computer when it’s safe.” Katniss throws her backpack over her shoulder and heads for the door. “Good luck at school, Prim. I’ll talk to you soon.”

“See ya soon,” Prim says as Katniss opens the door to leave.

There, standing at the door, are two Peacekeepers and the man with the beard. “Going somewhere, Miss Everdeen?” the bearded man says before one of the Peacekeepers hits Katniss on the side of the head and she’s knocked out cold.

“Katniss!” Prim screams, but quickly covers the camera on her computer as the man with the beard looks up at Katniss’ computer. He smiles that evil grin again before turning back to leave. Prim watches in horror as her sister is dragged away.