Chapter Two: The Play You Fear

Kai refused to chase every sentence. He read structure first and listened only near the snap. He handed off against zone, then ignored a fake pressure and completed a quick pass for a first down. On the next play, the noise sharpened. *Left. Right. Don't come here. I'll lose him. His shoulder. The owner is watching.* Kai froze. A defender knocked the ball loose. Mountain shoved the rusher away and growled, “You don't daydream in the pocket.” Kai listened harder on the next snap and confused the safeties' thoughts. He threw left. Tyler crossed from the right and intercepted it. Sloane spread his hands beside the reporters in rehearsed disappointment. *One more mistake and the script ends,* Grant thought.