Chapter Five: The Walls Have Ears

Eli stepped back. Kai heard his fear: *Does he know I practice until my fingers bleed? Does he hear my mother's debt calls?* Every unspoken truth became a needle. Kai ripped off his helmet. “I'm sorry.” Mountain left his captain's band on the table and walked out. That evening, locker-room audio appeared on sports radio. Roy complained about contracts. Mountain threatened collective refusal. Kai exposed the injury. The headline read: NEW STARTER SPIES ON TEAMMATES AS STORM SPLITS. Sloane called an emergency meeting. “The team will investigate the recording. For transparency, everyone must authorize a device review.” He pushed the same document toward Kai. “No.” “Then reporters will wonder what you're afraid they'll find.”