Chapter Four: The Seven-Million-Dollar Reserve

On the first series, Duke deliberately cut his route short. The safety remained, two defenders struck Lin, and the pass fell incomplete. “Accident,” Duke said. Lin did not argue. On the next snap, he exchanged positions with the tight end and pulled the safety inside himself. Eli launched a forty-two-yard pass over Duke to backup receiver Harris. Touchdown. The crowd chanted Lin's name although someone else had caught the ball. [CRITICAL ROUTE CONTRIBUTION. CLUTCH POINTS +3.] [CLUTCH LEVEL INCREASED TO 2.] [UNLOCKED: ROUTE PREVIEW. PREDICT THE HIGHEST-VALUE ROUTE THREE SECONDS AHEAD.] [ACTIVE COST: GRADE-B FUTURE TALENT.] With fifty-one seconds remaining, Harbor City trailed 23–20. Steel City showed a six-man red-zone pressure.