All It Took

15.Jeff

I'm Free (Heaven Helps The Man) // Kenny Loggins

Five uniformed police officers descend on the team as we're moving into the tunnel. Regin, Deke and Dave, all at the front, stop short. Frank is nowhere among the authorities. I guess as an undercover agent, he can't be seen.

"What's up?" one guy asks from the back. Murmurs start to build, speculation. A few whispers float around, rumors already starting. It's only been seconds and the tension is about to boil over.

"Reign Benson, you're under arrest."

I can't tell which cop says it, but the second he does, Reign starts a tirade.

"What the fuck for? Don't fucking touch me. You've got nothing!"

As a unit, the five officers step toward Reign. The rest of us behind the chaos step back, parting like the red sea. All five cops surround him, working to subdue him, but he's not making it easy. Reign, in full helmet and gear, drops his head and shoulders and presses forward. He takes out two cops with the maneuver, knocking them flat on their backs. But the other three close in on him. Deke and Dave don't make a move in any direction. Smart. But I wonder when it'll be their turn. Those two have doped as much as Reign has. The cops are flanking Reign, two each holding his arms behind his back.

"Reign, best let them do their job." Coach gives his calm direction from the side. It must get through to him because next thing I know, Reign is marched back into the locker rooms in handcuffs. He eyes me as he walks by. I hold his gaze. I'd tell myself that I shouldn't worry about him, but I'm not dumb enough to believe it.

The cops lead Reign right out of the locker room to what I assume is a waiting patrol car.

"McKinley, you're starting. Miller, you, too." Coach slaps his clipboard. "Leave this in the locker room. Go out there and show them what we can do."

Matt glances back at me, confused most likely. My best friend has had his own trauma to deal with. I never let him in on mine. But now we're both in a place to lead this team. He nods to me. I do the same. And we leave the tunnel to the game awaiting us.

***

The game is going as good as can be expected after the shock we had in the tunnel. Most of the guys are taking it in stride, leaving it behind us to focus on winning. It's almost half time and the score is close, 24 to 21 in Northern's favor.

Declan is still playing.

I figured he'd have been picked up the same way Reign was. Isn't that why Frank chose this game, the fact that we're playing each other on our turf? It would be easy enough to grab both guys before game time, haul them away and clean up the mess later. But for whatever reason, they only grabbed Reign.

Twenty seconds on the clock until end of the 2nd quarter. We have the ball. Matt calls for the play, we line up and hike. I run like hell, finding a pocket. Matt launches the throw. I'm under it. I stay under while watching for the defense. The ball sails into my waiting hands. I clutch it, cradle it to me and turn, ready to plow ahead. I'm met with a brick wall. Declan.

He takes me down, but I refuse to let the ball slip out of my fingers. If I hold onto it, this will be 1st down on the ten-yard line. The goal is in sight. Declan is on top of me and I half expect a kick to the face, but I get a gut punch instead.

"What happened to your QB, scrub? Don't see him on the sidelines."

Fuck. I don't want to be the one to tell him. Instead, I lock my arms across the ball and dig in, waiting for the ref to pull him off.

He shoves my shoulder into the grass as he gets up. I follow once his weight is gone. When I get my bearings and see that we did indeed get the 1st down, I turn toward the huddle.