Page 90 of Chasing Headlines
Seager snarled. He glared at the manager for a second, then turned. Hesitated. And he didn't strike me as someone to hesitate.
Shit, he’s about to—Before I could move to stop him, a trio of footballers caught up. One snagged their team captain’s shoulder, pulling him back around.
Fendleman stepped closer to me and leaned in. “Relax, they’ve got him.”
“He tried to set us up.” Seager struggled against a giant wall with spiked hair.
Lan whirled away from the manager, who seemed mostly incapable of getting the shithead traitor out of here. “Coop, come on, you know I didn't do this!”
Fendleman held an arm across the doorway. “Don't,” he said.
“Tell them, please.” Lan's expression, for all his vocal attempts at some kind of emotion—dead eyes met mine and gave away his whole game.
He just wanted to call attention to me. To help sell the trap he'd set up. Or tried to.Tried and failed.Glares turned my way, but I didn't care.
“I know better than most.” I crossed my arms. “Howguiltyyou are.”
“Boom.” One of the footballers made like he was dropping a mic. “That's right, sucka. Strikers stick together. You get outta here, nah. Go home and cry to your mama?—”
“That's enough.” Seager growled as a couple of security guards finally showed up. They ushered Lan out of the building.
“Strikers don't cheat.” Seager raised his chin as he glanced at me. “Not on my fuckin watch.”
I tipped my cap at him before he and his group walked away. Fendleman smacked the flat of his hand on the wall. “Dammit, Lan.” He groused and kicked the door. “Ourtrainer. Onmywatch.” The defacto team captain growled and swore as he moved back into our locker room.
Kinsley and Dereks mumbled something about letting the Striker offensive line ‘have a shot’ before filing in behind Fendleman.
As the football crew retreated, other athletes still milled about. A couple of guys dressed out in maroon soccer jerseyslingered with one of the female trainers. One hand on her hip, she frowned. Tall, curvy, she was hot. Not quite Milline hot—with her shorts and tennis shoes that said: 'do me up against the wall of the dugout,' but?—
And one of the soccer dudes was glaring at me. I took the hint and retreated to the locker room. The air compressed in our space. It felt heavy and grim. That administrator guy still breathed next to my locker.
“Relax. She's got this, 'mano.” Jimenez gripped my shoulder and flashed his over-the-top grin—the one that made me itch to wipe it off his face.
I nodded.
“They got Lan. That in there.” He waved at the coaches' bullpen. Cathy held her laptop up, pointing at the screen. “Is just a formality.”
Milline's hacker friend spoke as she drew her finger across the screen. I wished to hell I could read lips.
Coach Schorr threw his hat across the room. It collided with the whiteboard and dropped to the ground. He pointed at the Creeper dude, and barked the word: “Out.”
Wasn't hard to guess that one.
Then Coach turned on Milline. She capped her marker and crossed her arms.
It took a few seconds for the bullpen audience to find their way to the door. Schorr pointed and bellowed another, louder, “Now” that probably registered on the Richter scale. Creeper bolted. The Dean and the older lady hastened from the room. My unwelcome locker mate joined them as they exited.
Cathy crammed her laptop in her bag and shuffled toward the door. She turned the knob then looked over her shoulder.At Milline.My heart thumped in a wild, rushed beat.
Coach drew his blinds. And that's when I lost sight of her.
Cathy opened the door and ducked out. She glanced around. Jimenez drew near, and she smiled at him. Then her gaze lifted. She met my eyes and pursed her lips. She glanced, again, at the shuttered bullpen.
“He's pissed.” She hissed as she drew near. “I don't know how she's going to take it, but you owe her one. Fix it.”
Before I could ask what she was talking about, she beelined for the exit.
Murmurs and grousing. The creak and crash of lockers opening then shutting. I glanced around as the rest of the team appeared to return to normal. Minus Latske.