Devilc's Den

Heated Rivalry'verse.



"I just want to say that we've got your back," Wiebe said, breaking the silence that had descended ever since Luca had climbed in the passenger seat.

It took Luca a moment to sort through the jumble of words in his mind, most of them frustrated and furious, but this wasn't Wiebe's fault. It wasn't his fault. It wasn't Xavier's fault. It was the fault of that giant asshole brigade that never seemed to get the beat down they so desperately needed. Maybe he should have been a defender. They were expected to settle scores with their fists. Except .... Realizing he needed to say something before it got too strange, Luca replied, "Thank you, Coach. I want to know what the plan is. I want to go after these -- these --" No. Living well was the best revenge. He heard himself say, "Roger Crowell called me. What should I do about that? Not talking to him ...."

"Is not an option." Wiebe said, scowling. The light changed and the clouds overhead chose that moment to let loose with slushy drops half way between rain and snow. Over the drone of the wipers, Wiebe replied, "How do you feel about talking to him with me and Bood as the Player's Association Rep in the room?"

Luca felt a weight lift off his shoulders. "I would like that. Yes."

+++++++

With shaking fingers, Luca dialed the number and, as expected, got Crowell's executive assistant. "Let me put you on hold to see if he's available."

Luca half-prayed that he wasn't, but no, the sooner this was taken care of, the better. "He has 15 minutes free in his schedule. I'll connect you right now."

"Luuuuca," Crowell's oily voice came over the speaker. "Thank you for getting back to me so quickly."

"If you are going to call me by my first name, is it okay that I call you by your first name?" Luca asked.

This was not part of the plan he had worked out with Bood and Coach Wiebe, but something about Crowell's schmoozy tone just irritated the hell out of Luca.

There was a short pause, then, "I would prefer to be called Mr. Crowell, Luca --"

"That is fine, Mr. Crowell, but you will please call me Mr. Haas, then, yes?"

A longer pause followed. So long that Luca thought the call might have dropped. Bood grinned over the table at him, eyes gleaming. Coach Wiebe's expression echoed Bood's.

"Very well. Mr. Haas. Now, as I was saying --"

"I think, before we go any further, Mr. Crowell, I have my Coach and a Player's Rep in the room with me. We must be clear about these things."

"Yessss ... we must be clear about these things. Coach Wiebe, Mr. Boodram. Good to hear from you." Crowell sounded anything but pleased.

Luca took a breath and got ready to speak, but Wiebe made a time out signal with his hands and Bood scribbled something on the pad he was using to take notes, and held it up for Luca to see.

Bood: Give him rope

And a stick drawing of what Luca supposed was a gallows with a hangman's noose.