Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 550(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
"This isn't a team," Neil said. "It's a cult."
"Get out," Jean said, and parked in the open spot his teammates left for him.
Neil grabbed his bag and climbed out. Jean walked him to the door and put in another numbered password. The light over the keypad flashed green, so Jean tugged open the door. Instead of going in, he looked back at Neil.
"Take a look at the sky. You won't see it again until you leave."
"I've seen it," Neil said.
Jean's smile mocked that bit of defiance and he gestured for Neil to precede him. The door had opened to a stairwell going down. Everything was painted black. The only light and color was a red tube of light down the middle of the ceiling. It wasn't quite bright enough. When Jean slammed the door behind them Neil almost tripped down the stairs. He put a hand to the wall for balance and slowed down. At his back, Jean didn't rush him.
He counted steps, wanting to know how deep they were going, and made it to twenty-six before the stairs dead-ended at another door. Jean reached past him to put in a third password, and Neil stepped into the Ravens' living quarters.
"Welcome to the Nest," Jean said.
"Cult," Neil said again.
Jean ignored that and took him on a tour. This space was originally built to house visiting teams, but Coach Moriyama gave it to his Ravens instead. If the Ravens weren't in class or on the court, they were supposed to be down here. At first glance, it wasn't a bad setup. The Nest was spacious and well-stocked. Neil passed two full-sized kitchens, a lounge complete with a bar and pool table, and three dens with TVs. A long hall connected the social quarters to a weights room, and another hall took them to the dormitory.
A sign on the wall indicated Black Hall was to the left and Red Hall to the right. Neil looked both ways but honestly couldn't tell them apart. It wasn't worth asking about, so he followed Jean into Black. All of the bedroom doors were open, so Neil peeked in as they passed. The bedrooms were almost as big as the suite Neil shared with Matt and each one was outfitted with only two beds.
The Nest had the potential to be everything a college athlete could want—except for the low ceilings and the dark decor. Color was fleeting, and usually showed up only in shades of red. Everything else was black, from the furniture to the sheets to the towels draped over desk chairs to dry. The shadows were sucking the air out of the room and Neil was suddenly keenly aware of the weight of the stadium overhead. Neil wasn't claustrophobic, but he thought two weeks down here might change that.
"Here," Jean said, and motioned for Neil to follow him into the last room. "This is where you will be staying. You should be in Red with the rest of us, but the master has made a special allowance. He knows you require Riko's personal attention."
"I'm not rooming with that sociopath."
"If only you had a say in the matter."
"Whose place am I taking?" Neil asked, because both sides of the room were already decorated.
Jean stopped by one of the nightstands and gestured for Neil to come closer. "Look and see."
Neil moved up alongside him and regretted it almost immediately. Postcards of faraway cities both foreign and domestic were taped to the walls. Beneath each one were scraps of paper. Kevin's now-familiar scrawl listed dates and explanations for the travels. Most of them were games. Some indicated photo shoots and interviews. Books lined the shelves built into the headboard and Neil knew from skimming the spines they were Kevin's. Kevin was majoring in history for reasons Neil couldn't understand; these dry titles were the sorts of things he would find fascinating.
It gave Neil chills to see his space preserved like this. It was like Kevin had gone out on an errand, not that he'd transferred to another team entirely.
"Riko's in denial," Neil said. "Someone should tell him Kevin isn't coming back."
"You don't know anything," Jean said. "Put your things down and let's go."
Jean didn't wait for him but left. Neil dropped his duffel on Kevin's bed, spared a wary glance for Riko's side of the room, and caught up with Jean down the hall. A flight of stairs took them up one floor to the Ravens' locker room. Jean didn't give Neil time to look around but pushed him through a back door into the inner court. They came out right near the Home benches.
It was the Sunday before Christmas and the Ravens were on the court in full gear. Two line-ups were playing a rather brutal scrimmage while the remaining nine Ravens watched. Heads turned as Jean stepped up alongside the armored nine, and the Ravens looked past Jean at Neil. Their expressions ranged from cold disinterest to open hostility. Neil wasn't expecting a warm welcome, so he kept his attention on the court.
It wasn't long before a buzzer sounded and called an end to the match. Riko's team won by a three-point margin. The two line-ups met at half-court to critique each other's performances. The subs joined them to share what they'd noticed from the outside. The huddle lasted a good fifteen minutes, but finally the Ravens clacked sticks and filed off the court.
Riko pulled his helmet off as he stepped through the court door. "Luke, close down the scoreboard. Martin, get the lights. I have a guest to tend to, so take an early lunch. The master will be by shortly to check progress, so have your papers ready for him. Afternoon practice will start at the usual time."
The Ravens moved like a black river around Jean and Neil. Riko stopped in front of Neil to consider him, but summarily dismissed him in favor of Jean. "Show him his things. I will deal with him when I am showered."
Jean inclined his head and held the door for Riko. Riko went one way, so Jean and Neil went another. Jean brought Neil into the changing room and opened an oversized locker on the end. Neil obediently looked inside. The locker was packed with Raven gear. It wasn't until Jean shoved the jersey at him that Neil understood, because the name emblazoned on the back was JOSTEN.