Before the Opening

Emma looked toward the bench. Mason sat at the far end in a blue training jacket, his left knee brace hidden under warm-up pants. He was not watching the giant screen or Brooks warming up. He was studying the field as if calculating the distance between every blade of grass. "If Hayes is smart, he won't use him," Emma said. "Tonight's opponent is Colombia, not a lower-division side. Those defenders will treat his old injury like a map." When the match began, the United States played like a commercial. Every Brooks touch in midfield drew cheers. Lucas beat men down the right. The lights were bright, the broadcast looked perfect, and sponsor slogans rolled along the boards: OUR TIME IS NOW.