Chapter One: The Human Passing Machine

Marcus took the snap. The corner surrendered outside leverage and the safety leaned left before the throw. Kai heard the intent before he saw it. Marcus's pass drifted left, Eli was jammed, and the safety intercepted it. “Route depth!” Marcus shouted at Eli. “Did you use the playbook to level a table?” *If everyone watches him, nobody watches my shoulder.* Kai could expose Marcus and clear a path to the starting job. Instead, he looked at Eli swallowing blame that was not his. “It wasn't the route,” Kai said. The field quieted. Marcus turned. “The Arm speaks.” “Tyler gave up outside leverage. The safety moved early. The ball should've come down to the back in the middle.”