Your Heart Outside Your Body

The Signal

The mood in District 8 was grimly triumphant.

Will watched the kids in the school, who were all energized by the fact that not only had Finn and Kurt survived another night, but they'd taken on the Career pack and won. True, they'd lost their ally and that was terrible. But then, that was one more tribute down, and one more step closer to one of them winning. And if Finn or Kurt won the Hunger Games, it meant a better life for everyone for the next year. Usually, District 8 tributes didn't make it much past the first day. And usually they didn't get gifts like pain medicine.

It didn't make watching any easier, though, Will thought as the school turned the televisions on for the lunch hour. In fact, Will had a feeling that all this hope was going to make the fall worse in a few days. He kept his mouth shut about that, though.

It was a slow day on the Games, and as a result the station kept replaying the attack. There was something off about the constant replays and no interviews- Will had sat through enough Games to sense the different rhythm. It dawned on him around lunch time, as the teachers watched in the cafeteria with the students.

"They haven't interviewed the mentor for District 10," he said to Mercedes, who was watching next to him. "Don't they usually do that by now?"

"Yeah. What's up with that?" Mercedes looked extremely perplexed.

They found out right before the lunch hour ended, when Caesar Flickerman came on. "It's a sad day here in the Capitol," he informed them, "and a sad day for the residents of District 10. Tragedy almost struck today when the Gamemaker Hamish Quently was attacked by a fan who was most disappointed in the outcome of the opening day. Fortunately for Hamish, District 10 victor Wes Graven was standing nearby and gave his own life to protect him."

"It was terrible," Hamish Quently said into the microphone shoved in his face. "He just came right at me, something about how much money he'd lost."

Caesar winced sympathetically. "Let's let this serve as a reminder to all our citizens to only bet what you can handle. And thank you to District 10 for the sacrifice that saved one of our citizens." He abruptly veered off to another topic, leaving Will and Mercedes staring at the television.

"Mr. Schuester?" Mercedes said. "Does it seem a little strange to you that the District 10 victor died right after his tribute did?"

"Yeah," Will said slowly. "It does. And that they're not giving it more coverage."

"You don't think the Capitol killed him, do you?"

Will made a motion for Mercedes to keep her voice down. "I don't think so," he said in a low voice, and he meant it. "If the Capitol killed the mentor of every tribute that died, they'd run out of mentors really quickly."

Mercedes frowned. "Something's still not right. It's just too close in timing."

"It's the Capitol," Will sighed. "When is it ever right?"

"I've been thinking, Mr. Schuester," Mercedes said, moving in closer. "I've been thinking about what Mr. Hummel and Mrs. Hudson want to do. And the more I think about it, the more I think they're right. We can't just sit here and watch. We've got to do something."

"It's not that simple, Mercedes," Will said, looking around nervously to make sure no one was listening to them. "And we're only one District."

"Yeah, but it's got to start somewhere, right? And Mr. Schue, they're going to kill Kurt and Finn. I can't just sit here and do nothing. And what about you? You care about what's happening. I know it."

"I care, but-"

"But what, Mr. Schue?" Mercedes asked, crossing her arms and glaring at him. "You've had to watch so many of your students die. You're saying you wouldn't stick it to the Capitol if you could? They probably won't win, but maybe they'll start something that could win. Someday."