Chapter Three: Number Ten for the Bottom Club

She leaned against the frame and waved a match recording. “Also, your anticipation for those ninety seconds was identical to Antoine Reyer's five years ago. Not similar. Identical.” Lin watched her. Celebration songs grew louder at the other end of the corridor. Emma closed the dressing-room door and dropped the latch. “You'd better start at the beginning,” she said. “Because three minutes ago someone entered the club server, and they're searching for whatever you just uploaded.” At the same time, on a training pitch inside the secret complex, the real Vega completed his tenth set of shuttle runs. A stranger's crowd suddenly roared through the implant in his ear. The synchronization board displayed a message: NEW HOST—FIRST MATCH COMPLETE.