Deal Breaker

The Meadowlands Sports Authority was built on useless swampland off the New Jersey Turnpike in a place called East Rutherford. From west to east stood the Meadowlands Race Track, Titans Stadium, and the Brendan Byrne Arena, named for the former governor who was about as well liked as a whitehead on prom night. Angry protests equal to the French Revolution had erupted over the name, but to no avail. Mere revolutions are hardly worthy adversaries for a politician's ego.

'Oh, Christ.'

Christian's car - or he assumed it was Christian's - was barely visible under the blanket of reporters. Myron had expected this. He had told Christian to lock himself in his car and not say a word. Driving away would have been useless. The press would have just followed, and Myron was not up for a car chase.

He parked nearby. The reporters turned toward him like lions smelling a wounded lamb.

'What's going on, Myron?'

'Why isn't Christian at practice?'

'You pulling a holdout or what?'

'What's happening with his contract?'

Myron no-commented them, swimming through the sea of microphones, cameras, and flesh, squeezing his way into the car without allowing any of the slime to ooze in with him.

60

'Drive off,' Myron said.

Christian started the car and pulled out. The reporters parted grudgingly.

'I'm sorry, Mr Bolitar.'

'What happened?'

'The guard wouldn't let me in. He said he had orders to keep me out.'

'Son of a bitch,' Myron muttered. Otto Burke and his damn tactics. Little weasel. Myron should have been looking for something like this. But a lockout? That seemed a tad extreme, even by Otto Burke's standards.

Despite the posturing, they had been fairly close to signing. Burke had expressed strong interest in getting Christian to minicamp as soon as possible, to get him ready for the season.

So why would he lock Christian out?

Myron didn't like it.

'Do you have a car phone?' he asked.

'No, sir.'

It didn't matter. 'Turn back around,' Myron said. 'Park by Gate C.'

'What are you going to do?'

'Just come with me.'

The guard tried to stop them, but Myron pushed Christian past him.

'Hey, you're not allowed in there!' he called after them. 'Hey, stop!'

'Shoot us,' Myron said without stopping.

They strode onto the field. Players were hitting the tackle dummies hard.

Very hard. No one was holding back. These were tryouts. Most of these guys were fighting for a spot on the team. Most had been high school and college superstars, accustomed to unadulterated greatness on the field. Most would get cut. Most would not allow the dream to end there, scrounging other teams' rosters for a possible opening, holding on, slipping endlessly, dying slowly all the while.

A glamour profession.

The coaches blew whistles. The running backs practiced wind sprints.

Kickers were knocking down field goals at the far goal post. Punters boomed slow lazy arcs high into the air. Several players turned and spotted Christian. A buzz developed. Myron ignored it. He had spotted his target, sitting in the first row on the fifty-yard line.

Otto Burke sat like Caesar at the Colosseum, that damn smile still plastered to his face, his arms spread over the seats on either side of him.

Behind him sat Larry Hanson and a few other executives. Caesar's senate.

Occasionally Otto would lean back and award his entourage a comment that brought on aneurysm-like fits of laughter.

Myron!' Otto called out pleasantly, waving one of those tiny hands.

Come on over. Have a seat.'

'Wait here,' Myron told Christian. He climbed the steps. The entourage, led by Larry Hanson, stood in unison and marched away.

61

Myron snapped a salute at them. 'Hut two, three, four. Right face.' No one laughed. Big surprise.

'Sit down, Myron,' Otto said, beaming. 'Let's have a chat.'

'You haven't been returning my calls,' Myron said.

'Did you call?' He shook his head. I'll have to get on my secretary about that.'

Myron let out a deep breath and sat. 'Why was Christian locked out?'

'Well, Myron, it's pretty simple, actually. Christian hasn't signed his contract yet. The Titans don't have time to invest in someone who may not be part of our future.' He nodded toward the field. 'Do you see who's here for a tryout? Neil Decker from Cincinnati. Fine quarterback.'

'Yeah, he's great. He can almost throw a spiral.'

Otto chuckled. 'That's funny, Myron. You're a very amusing man.'

I'm so glad you think so. Mind telling me what's going on?'

Otto Burke nodded. 'That's fair, Myron. So let's talk frankly, shall we?'

'Rationally, frankly, whatever you want.'

'Great. We'd like to renegotiate your client's contract,' he said. 'Downward.'

'I see.'

'We feel your client's value has depreciated.'

'Uh-huh.'

Burke studied him. 'You don't seem surprised, Myron.'

'So what is it this time?' Myron asked.

'What is what this time?'

'Well, let's start with Benny Keleher. You invited him to your house, plied him with booze, then had a cop arrest him on his ride home for drunk driving.'

Otto looked properly shocked. 'I had nothing to do with that.'