《Street Hawks》


 The Penalty

    Tyler stepped forwards, pacing himself on the shortly cropped grass. He rubbed the toes of his boots into the ground and felt his studs tear the earth. He twisted his neck from side to side and listened to it crack from the stress he was currently under. He flipped the ball in his hands into the air then slammed both hands into the side of it, making a loud slapping sound.


    He bent over and placed the ball lightly on the ground, spinning it slightly before him onto the white dot that marked where he was to take his kick from. He looked up at his target, searching for any kind of opening. Something that would show him what to do. The whole season was coming down to this one kick.


    He straightened his back again and looked back at where his team mates stood at the halfway line. They looked as nervous as he felt. All the effort the whole team had put in for the last five months was coming down to one little kick.


    He paced slowly backwards, away from the ball, away from the goals that were his target. He kept his eyes focused on the ball. He didn''t want the goal keeper distracting him as he was thinking. Though at the top of his vision he could see the goalie testing his gloves and planting his feet.


    The game had ended in regulation time with one goal each, forcing it into overtime. Even overtime hadn''t separated the two teams, with neither of them scoring. With this being the final for the season, the top two teams in the league facing off with each other to decide who is worthy of wearing the crown of victory, the game had gone into penalties.


    David, Terry and Gavin had all come before him, placing the ball squarely in the back of the net. Only Dennis had missed his shot, the goalie getting his fingers to it and pushing it into the post. Dennis had been devastated. But it had been all good. Scott had saved two of the oppositions goals, out of their five attempts. This rested the entire match squarely on Tyler''s shoulders now.


    He was ready though, he had trained long and hard for a moment like this. It was the kind of moment that would define him as a player. He bounced on his feet for a moment, waiting for the referee to blow his whistle signalling that he could take his shot. The screech of the whistle came.


    Tyler started off slowly, then moved quicker and quicker, getting to running speed in the few short steps he had before he reached the ball. His left foot planted just to the side of the ball, and the goalie crouched a little. His right foot swung down, toes pointed at the earth, arms swinging to keep his balance. His foot connected with the ball.


    It seemed to happen in slow motion to Tyler and everyone watching. The ball absorbed the impact, squashing into a funny oval shape before exploding in the direction of the goals with a force unequalled. It span in a blur and was heading straight for the goalie. But then it started to lift and slide off to the right. The goalie sprang from his feet, his hands reaching out for the ball, stretching and hoping, knowing this was his moment to shine too.


    But he had been a little too slow to react and the ball entered the goals and stood spinning in the top right corner of the net before slowing and settling on the ground with a few bounces. Tyler looked stunned for a moment, then raised his arms before him in victory, crying out his triumph and turning to face his team.


    They started running down the pitch towards him, screaming with him, their voices all merging into a roar. They reached him and lifted him into the air for a few moments before dropping him unceremoniously to his feet again. They clasped hands and knocked shoulders to each other in turn, rubbing some of the younger players on the head, smiles all around. Their hard work had now paid off.


    The referee blew the whistle, signalling the goal and the end of the game. Their opponents walked dejectedly off the field towards the dressing rooms while Tyler and his team were swamped by the crowd that was watching them play. It wasn''t a huge crowd, not like an English Premier league final. But the University Cup also pulled a crowd. Almost the whole University had stopped to watch them play. It was the first time in many a year that the Emerald University had been in the top eight, let alone the final. It was a joyous day.


    Slowly they made their way back to the dressing rooms, pushing through the crowd of students. The dressing rooms were a plain affair, a brick walled room, a few showers, and a bench around the wall. Their bags were piled everywhere and everyone went off to sit at one part or another of the bench.


    ¡°Was worried he had you there Ty,¡± David called from across the other side of the room, ¡°He nearly got his fingers to it.¡±


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    Tyler looked up at him as he dropped a sweat drenched sock onto the floor next to his worn out boots.


    ¡°Ah, he had no chance. You know you can count on me.¡± He let out a huge grinned and looked around the room.


    Jeremy nudged him in the side with an elbow from next to him on the bench.


    ¡°But you''ve got Scotty to thank for making that final save to give you the winning kick.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Scotty had that all planned. I worked it out with him beforehand, letting the first three in to keep it interesting, then saving the last two to bring my final kick to the forefront. You know as well as I do that he could have saved them all.¡±


    ¡°Little conceited there are we Tyler?¡±


    ¡°Not at all, just putting the praise where it needs to be. Scotty did all the work, I just swung my foot,¡± his face took on a more sombre look as he looked over at Scotty who was getting ready for a shower, ¡°But what happened with that goal of theirs? Strange for you to let one in like that. I didn''t see, so it¡¯s not my spot to call.¡±


    ¡°Ah, its fine Ty. Was partly my fault, partly our defenders. They shouldn''t have let the bastards get so close to the goals in the first place,¡± Scotty turned and watched as all the defenders faces turned red and looked down at their dirty boots, not matching his eyes, ¡°The ball spun oddly, I think the player miss-kicked it. I got my hand across to hit, but couldn''t get a grip. And suddenly there were three of them bearing down on me, with the ball near the tips of my fingers. I didn''t stand a chance.¡±


    ¡°No worries Scotty. Come on everyone, give it up for our keeper. Doing a bang up job all through the season. I hope he sticks around next year.¡± This prompted the team to let out three cheers for their keeper.


    ¡°I''ll be here, don''t you worry about that. But what about you Ty? Our star striker? Was there a game this season you didn''t score a goal in? Will you be here next season? I think the team would be lost without you. Where would our main tactic go?¡± He spread his hands in the air as if rolling out a banner, ¡°Kick the ball to Tyler.¡±


    This let out a roar of laughter from the rest as they started one by one to get into the showers. There weren''t enough for everyone, so some had to wait for others to finish before they could wash the sweat of hard work from their bodies.


    Tyler dropped his head and shook it slightly.


    ¡°You know Scotty, I am not sure at the moment. Aaron is pushing the folks to make me study harder. They want me to get a degree, and he doesn''t think I am working hard enough to get one. He wants me to be more like him. Damn it''s hard being a twin and being so different. He''s all books books books.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean, but you can¡¯t let your brother push you around like that. Move out, find a place of your own.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t afford it. There''s gotta be some way I can work around them though.¡±


    ¡°I am sure there is. You just need to find it¡±


    ¡°Damn Aaron.¡± Tyler slammed his hand onto the tiled wall of the shower and let the water fall over his head. He needed to come up with a way to allow him to play soccer next season. He had time to think on it though.


    *          *          *


    Aaron closed the lid of his laptop and stood up. He gently packed it back away into its case then pushed his glasses back onto his eyes properly. The game had been enjoyable to watch and he was now the last to leave after finishing the part of the assignment he was doing.


    He knew his brother had some skill, and he was show classing here today. But he still had a long way to go. Aaron though, wanted so much to be out on that field, kicking and sliding and slamming into each other like the rest were. But his studies were more important at the moment. He knew where his future lie. He wished his brother could see that too.


    Sydney might be a big city, with high rises and hotels and apartments and so on. But it wouldn''t give him the chance to go after a soccer career, not like if he was in Europe or South America. He needed to start using his brain more, apply himself to his studies. Like Aaron had.


    Aaron watched as his brother walked out of the dressing rooms surrounded by all those that were his friends. That had been one of Aaron''s prices to pay. He had lost all his friends to his study. He couldn''t do any of the things he used to. But he had seen at the end of high school what needed to be done. And he was now doing, reaching for that spot where he could stand firm and hold tight against what might happen.


    Tyler was still flitting in the wind. But at least he was having fun doing it.

 Signing Up

    Tyler pushed the door to his room open wearily and dumped his sports bag just inside. He let the door swing shut, but it caught on his bag. He kicked it out of the way. He looked around the room with groggy eyes. It was just as he had left it of course. The bed unmade, the computer on, music blaring loudly. Though the music was at the acceptable household level. He wouldn''t cross his mother when it came to the music.


    He collapsed onto the bed after drawing the curtains open to the night sky. It was almost midnight. Which was earlier than he had expected to be home, but he was exhausted none the less. They had spent all afternoon celebrating their win, and the start of the night too. Most of them had continued the celebrations, but Tyler and a few others had left.


    There was something troubling him, and the party wasn''t helping him figure it out. It wasn''t about next season, that could wait ''til the New Year. But he was already starting to feel bored, and the season had only just ended. What was he going to do? He needed the game to keep him from getting restless.


    He got up from his bed and sat down at the computer, moving the mouse to get rid of the screen saver. He opened the Internet and starting searching the web for anything that might stop his boredom. After an hour or so of what seemed like endless trawling he found something interesting.


    The web page flashed up in front him quickly, popping up out of nowhere. He thought he had his pop-up blocker on, but that wasn''t bothering him now. The flashy title of the page was drawing his attention. It was a flyer for a competition.


    Sydney Street Soccer Summer Comp blared at him in flashy colours. He clicked the link and went to the page. He read it slowly, blinked a few times to make sure his eyes weren''t deceiving him, and read it again. He checked his instant messenger to realise that Scotty had logged onto his comp too. He double-clicked his name and started typing away.


    Tyler ¨C Scotty, good to see you on-line, you¡¯re just in time


    Tyler ¨C you wouldn''t believe what I just found


    Scotty ¨C Hey Ty


    Scotty ¨C It¡¯s late, make it quick, I was just getting some of my music going


    Scotty ¨C I am going to crash soon


    Tyler ¨C that''s ok, this will only take a moment


    Tyler ¨C check this site out


    Tyler highlighted the websites address and copied it into the chat he was having with Scotty.


    Tyler ¨C tell me what you think


    Scotty ¨C is this for real man?


    Scotty ¨C 100K for the winning team?


    Scotty ¨C this must be a hoax, there''s no way anyone would put that much up for a free competition


    Tyler ¨C won¡¯t hurt to look. I''ve been reading the rules. Reckon we can get 5 of us together? That''s the minimum team size.


    Scotty ¨C even if it¡¯s not for real, I''ll still give it a go. Will give me something to do over the summer.


    Scotty ¨C I am sure we could rope a few others in too


    Tyler ¨C well, we need a team name, and a home ground


    Tyler ¨C I do wonder though, how many teams will be joining it, must be hundreds


    Scotty ¨C I think they expected that too, starts out as a knock-out tournament, then moves into a ladder


    Tyler ¨C yeah, looks like the rules page is a little incorrect though, there''s only a few things listed there


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    Tyler ¨C and ¡°no shooting within the goal square, 3 metres from the middle of the goal¡±


    Tyler ¨C that''s it, there''s nothing else written there


    Scotty ¨C I''m sure it''s just a misprint


    Scotty ¨C Sign us up, won¡¯t hurt


    Tyler ¨C we need a name then


    Scotty ¨C I don''t care, I don''t think anyone else would. Just put in Hawks


    Tyler ¨C Hawks it is then


    Tyler ¨C we need a home ground too, that''s going to be a little more difficult


    Scotty ¨C does it say anything about what it can be?


    Tyler ¨C yeah it does, ¡°anything with a hard surface about the size of a basketball court¡±


    Scotty ¨C wow, that''s pretty open isn''t it


    Scotty ¨C what about the concrete court around the corner from your place?


    Tyler ¨C I''m sure that will do, I''ll type the address of it in


    Tyler went back to the web page and started typing a few things into it. A message popped up on screen, he clicked ''ok'' and then the web page shut itself down.


    Tyler ¨C I think it¡¯s done. A message popped up saying we would get the groups soon, then the web page shut down


    Scotty ¨C oh well, time for me to hit the sack then


    Scotty ¨C we''ll have to talk to a few people tomorrow and see if we can get a few to join


    Tyler ¨C no worries, cya


    Scotty ¨C yeah, cya


    Scotty logged out and Tyler thought it was probably about time for him to close his computer down. He logged off the internet and turned the computer off. He went over to his stereo and turned the music down to a soft murmur. As he did so he heard the soft tapping of a keyboard coming from the room next to his. He went out and knocked on his brother¡¯s door.


    ¡°It¡¯s open,¡± the call came to him in the hallway.


    He turned the handle and opened the door a little. The room was still brightly lit and his brother Aaron was sitting at his computer tapping away at the keyboard and moving and clicking the mouse.


    ¡°I''m going to bed now Tyler, what is it you want? I''m not helping you with your assignments this time,¡± Aaron stood, clicked his computer off, and took off his glasses. He put the glasses on his bedside table.


    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s nothing like that. I was just wondering...¡± He waved his hands around and let the words hang for a minute.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Aaron looked at Tyler but it was hard for him to focus and Tyler had the impression that he was looking at something else. He knew this wasn''t the case, but it was always a little bit eerie the way Aaron couldn''t see when his glasses were off.


    ¡°I''ve signed myself up for some indoor soccer. Are you interested in playing? You''re a brilliant player.¡±


    ¡°I have too much work to do,¡± Aaron shook his head, ¡°I want to get good grades. And anyway, you know I am no good without my glasses.¡±


    ¡°Get some bloody contact lenses then. You wouldn''t look so geeky if you did too.¡±


    Tyler slammed the door shut and went back to his own room, where he dropped onto the bed. He fell asleep fully dressed, trying to figure out who to recruit for his new team.

 Forming a Team

    Tyler woke late the next morning and had to kick himself out of bed. He rose groggily, wishing he hadn''t drunk so much during the celebration. It hadn''t really affected him during the night, but now it was hitting him like a sledge hammer. He took his head in his hands and then went over and pulled the curtains shut, stopping the glaring sun from entering his room and disturbing his already fragile state of mind.


    It was Monday, and he probably should have been at university an hour ago. No point rushing now, he was already late. He realised he was still in his clothes from yesterday. He walked over to the computer, flicked it on, and then started getting changed into some clean clothes. Grabbing the deodorant off the shelf and coating himself in it. He would have a shower in the evening, now he was just not in the mood.


    He spun his seat around and sat down at the computer, running his hand down his face trying to wake himself a bit. A message flashed up on the screen before he had a chance to do anything. He had received an email. Not entirely uncommon for him. He grabbed the mouse and opened the email so he could read it.


    The window opened quickly and he stared at it in shock. It was an email from the Street Soccer Competition, listing what group they were in for the knock-out and where and who they were supposed to play next. He ran his finger along the screen as he checked that he wasn''t mistaken, especially about the time of the game.


    He shrugged and quickly jotted down everything that he would need when he saw Scott at the university. Then grabbed his backpack, folder and rushed downstairs, his hangover forgotten. He jumped onto his bike and made for the campus grounds.


    He came to a sliding stop when he got there and locked his bike at the racks. He looked at his watch and realised it was now nearly lunch time. He had missed his first class, but there was another in the afternoon. He was sure they would understand him missing one class after their win yesterday. At least Scotty would be coming out of class soon.


    Tyler threw his bag over his shoulder and made his way to where his class should have been, to wait for Scott to come out. He didn''t have to wait long, within the moment the bell had rung and the class was filing out the door. Scott came out, saw Tyler, and grabbed him by the shoulder, turning him around and leading him down the hall.


    ¡°You are really gonna have to fix this. The professor told me that if you miss any more classes then you will fail. I know you don''t like school, but if you fail, you''re off the team as well, you know that.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I''ll be more careful next time Scotty. I just overslept because of the drink yesterday,¡± Tyler raised his hands before him as if to calm Scott down.


    Scott jokingly pushed him forwards and kept walking down the hall to where the lunch room was.


    ¡°So now we need to work on a team then for this thing you found. I suppose we could ask a few at lunch here. I think most of the team will be here. Though, some did stay longer last night.¡±


    ¡°We are going to have to act fast. I already have our group listing. Seems there''s about a hundred and thirty or so teams. They''ve divided them into groups of sixteen. Our first game is tomorrow night. Against a team calling themselves Raging Boars.¡±


    ¡°That''s not too bad then, we have a day and a half. When and where?¡±


    ¡°That''s the strange thing. It¡¯s at midnight at the abandoned youth centre in the western suburbs.¡±


    ¡°Well, right you are then. Midnight it is... Um, you serious? Midnight? At that crumbly old youth centre? Does the thing even have working lights anymore,¡± Scott was scratching his head in amazement.


    ¡°Yeah, if we miss the game we lose instantly and are out of the competition. It seems serious. The email even said they were providing two referees to each match. Thirty minute games, rules as per the website. It''s vague and precise.¡±


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    ¡°Suppose we only have one choice then.¡±


    Tyler stopped for a moment and tilted his head. ¡°What''s that Scotty?¡±


    Scott smiled at Tyler as he stepped into the lunch room, holding the door open for Tyler.


    ¡°Get three more players.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully as easily done as said,¡± he said as he entered the lunch room.


    The two of them scanned the sea of heads that were sitting before them when they noticed three people sitting with their heads down on their table, a tray of food pushed off to the side. One of the boys had even fallen asleep on his sandwich. Tyler and Scott looked at each other and nodded.


    They made their way through the sea of people until they had reached the table with the three sleeping boys. Tyler slammed his bag on the table and the whole thing jumped. The three boys woke with a start, all their heads popping up and looking around, a slice of bread still on one of their faces. Tyler and Scott couldn''t help themselves but laugh.


    ¡°Good look for you David,¡± Scott said to the boy with the bread on his face.


    David brought his hand up to his face and felt the bread. He pulled it off and slapped it down onto his sandwich. He looked up at Tyler and Scott, Tyler towering well over Scott. His eyes were groggy with sleep still.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Tyler slapped his hands on the table beside his bag.


    ¡°We''ll make this short, sharp and sweet. The three of you have been recruited into an indoor soccer team.¡±


    The three of them looked at each other and shrugged.


    ¡°OK then, that was easy. David, Dennis and Gavin, be at the run-down youth centre in the western suburbs at midnight tomorrow,¡± Tyler turned to leave when he heard a stifled cough from behind him. He turned back to face his three recruits.


    ¡°Midnight seems a bit crazy doesn''t it?¡± Dennis sounded a little confused.


    ¡°That''s what I thought, but that''s what the draw said. It¡¯s a knock-out tournament for the first round. We need to win our first four games to advance. I thought you guys would give us the best chance at that. Scotty here in the goals, and the four of us on the field.¡±


    ¡°OK, sounds fair, two midfielders, a forward and a defender. But why midnight?¡±


    ¡°I ask myself that too. But I have no answer for you.¡±


    ¡°Fine, we''ll be there. But you owe us.¡±


    ¡°How does a hundred thousand sound if we win the whole competition?¡±


    Their eyes opened wide. ¡°You''re serious bout that are you?¡±


    Scott grinned at the three of them, ¡°I saw it myself on the website. Just make sure you show up and we''ll be fine. Bring your game.¡±


    The three looked at each other again, grinning widely, and nodded enthusiastically at Tyler and Scott. Then the three of them fell back asleep. Tyler placed the paper with the information about the game on the table, in case the boys thought they were dreaming. Then he and Scott went to get themselves something to eat.


    ¡°As easy as I hoped it would be, Scotty. Can¡¯t believe they just accepted like that.¡±


    ¡°Ty, money can make anyone''s head turn. Let¡¯s just hope they are there on time. I don''t want to be made to look a fool.¡±


    ¡°Well, we''ll find out tomorrow night though. I don''t have any classes, so I won¡¯t be coming in.¡±


    ¡°I''ll rub the time into their minds when I see them tomorrow. Just hope we win our first game. Would be so sad to lose in the first match and be out of the tournament.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t lose with the five of us on the field.¡±

 The First Game

    Tyler pushed open his window as his alarm started going off. He cursed silently under his breath and leant over with one hand to turn it off. The window pulled his hand down into its crushing embrace as he flicked the switch. He stifled his cries of pain.


    With the alarm now off though he pulled the window open again and climbed through. He dragged his bag after him and then silently closed the window. Slinking away into the night he made his way to where Scott was waiting with his car, so the two of them could head off for their first game.


    He clenched and unclenched his hand to try and get feeling back into his fingers.


    The nights were starting to warm up, with the onset of summer, but they were still a little chilly. Running around would warm him up though. Even so he was wearing some running shorts that came just above his knees, and a tight fitting training top. Over this he had a light jumper and his soccer boots hung over his shoulder with their laces tied.


    He threw them into the back seat and lowered himself to fit into Scott''s car. His knees cramped against the dashboard and he tried to put the seatbelt on but to no avail. He dragged his bag up onto his lap and prepared for the ride.


    Scott started laughing at him as he did every time he got into the car. Tyler''s six foot odd frame wasn''t built for hatchbacks, whereas Scott''s five and a half foot frame was. Scott was dressed in similar attire, his bag on the back seat. He put the car into gear and they started off to their first match.


    ¡°Why did you have to have such a small car?¡± Tyler twisted and turned to find a better way to sit.


    ¡°You''re the one who asked for a lift,¡± he said as he changed gears, ¡°so don''t complain too loudly. Save that energy for the game.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all good, it¡¯s all good. Just don''t want to injure myself before we play.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wouldn''t worry about that. Instead I would suggest not wearing those boots of yours for the match.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡± Tyler turned in the seat, moving one leg up, the other down, and looked at his boots.


    ¡°Oh, no, go ahead and wear them.¡± Scott sat in the seat chuckling the rest of the way to the youth centre.


    When they got there and stopped the car they noticed a few other cars about, and their three team mates came over and joined them. Dennis was wearing his soccer uniform, with the exception of having his running shoes on.


    David had dressed himself in some jeans and an old t-shirt, runners on as well. He yawned as if everyone was keeping him up past his bed time. Whereas Gavin was in similar clothes to Scott and Tyler. They all grabbed their bags and made for where everyone else seemed to be going.


    ¡°Well this will be interesting,¡± Tyler spoke to the others as they walked, ¡°I hope you''re all ready for our first taste. You better get ready to David, it¡¯s not far off twelve.¡±


    ¡°More prepared than I could be Ty.¡±


    Tyler stopped and turned to look at him.


    ¡°But, um, don''t you need to go get changed?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, no. I think you guys went a little over the top. But I''m surprised you didn''t gel your hair Ty.¡±


    Tyler rubbed his hand through his hair and had the look of forgetting something. ¡°Knew I forgot something.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get in anyway, we only have five minutes before the match starts,¡± Scott started walking again, trying to force the others to move on. They did so and soon they were standing on the polished wooden floorboards that were the old basketball court in the youth centre. The five of them went off to one side to throw their bags down.


    Tyler threw off his shoes and quickly laced up his boots. He grabbed his pads from his bag like Scott and Dennis were doing, and shoved them down into his socks. Then he tied his socks off with a length of electrical tape. He stood, and jumped a few times. Then started stretching.


    A short man in a black and white striped top moved into the court, another followed just behind him. They dropped a soccer ball into the middle of the court and looked at both ends at the goals that were set up. Once they were happy with how everything was they nodded. The short one raised his arms to get the attention of the two teams.


    Tyler looked down the other end and saw the team they were facing. They were big bruisers. All of them were tall, if not quite as tall as Tyler was. But each of them was solid, and it would take some force to knock them over.


    ¡°They look like a bunch of union players,¡± Tyler said jokingly to his team. They looked down and then looked at him.


    ¡°I recognise a few. They are union players,¡± Gavin nodded glumly.


    ¡°OK players, can we have your attention. Seems a few rules were missed on the website. It was quite hastily put up and sponsors were surprised at the amount of replies they got. But here they are,¡± the referee spoke loudly and clearly so that all in the court could hear, ¡°firstly, the goal keeper cannot score from inside the goal circle.


    Secondly, there are to be no weapons or foreign objects. And lastly, all teams are allowed a two minute time out in the case of injuries and the like. Now we have thirty minutes, and the boundaries are clearly defined by the basketball court lines. If the ball goes out, it¡¯s a kick in from where it went out. As the Hawks are visiting this court, they get to kick off.¡±


    He blew his whistle and backed away from where the ball was placed in the centre of the court. The Hawks moved into their positions. Scott went into goal, slapping his hands together inside his gloves to get the blood flowing. Dennis held back just outside the goal circle. David moved off to the left and Gavin went and stood beside the ball. Tyler hung a few paces behind Gavin, twisting his foot on the floor.


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    A long, droning whistle sounded and the game was under way. Gavin tapped it forward slightly and moved out of the way. The Boars, as their opponents were called, started charging down on the ball. Tyler took two quick steps forward, planting his foot beside the ball and let out an almighty kick.


    It sailed and spun and collided with the back of the net with force. The Boars were stunned. Tyler, on the other hand, lost his balance on the slippery floor, his foot flying forward and he crashed to the ground hard, landing on his back. He groaned.


    Gavin moved over to help him up, laughing all the while.


    ¡°I told you not to wear them,¡± Scott called down from the goals.


    While the Hawks were laughing though, the Boars were still standing stunned. They looked at each other then looked at the ball in the goals. Their goalie hadn''t even had a chance to move. They scratched their heads and brought the ball back to the centre. The whistle blew again allowing them to restart.


    They tried the same thing, tapping the ball forward and then having another player run and kick it at goals. The Hawks stood there watching as the ball sailed well wide and high, hitting an old backboard that was off to the side.


    ¡°No extra points for getting it in the net,¡± Gavin called out to them.


    ¡°Well, we gotta try something. You guys look like you''re a class above us.¡±


    Scott grabbed the ball and gave it to Dennis, who was standing ready to kick it back into play. Gavin and David took off to the other end, as did Tyler. Dennis kicked the ball and Tyler tried to turn, but his boots came out from under him and he crashed to the ground, sliding for a few metres.


    Meanwhile the ball sailed over the heads of the Boars to where David caught it on his chest. He let it drop, then lobbed it towards the top of the goal circle, where Gavin easily collected it on his head and slid it into the back of the goal for another point.


    David and Gavin congratulated themselves, then went over to help Tyler up.


    ¡°Go and change back into your runners mate.¡±


    Tyler just shook his head and persevered.


    The game continued much as it had started. The Hawks kept piling on the goals with their simple passes and shots, finding unmarked players and getting it past the goalie with ease. On the occasion the ball travelled towards the other goals Scott caught it with ease and brought it back into play. Tyler kept sliding this way and that, not able to keep on his feet for too long.


    Eventually he called a time-out. The scores were at eight to nothing and there seemed to be about five minutes left. The Hawks all came together over near their bag, where Tyler ripped off his boots and put his runners back on.


    ¡°I hope the rest of the teams are like this,¡± said Gavin jokingly to his team-mates.


    ¡°I don''t think they will be. But we got lucky this time. I just hope our other three matches are just as lucky. If we can beat these knock outs, then the real fun will start,¡± Tyler finished tying up his shoes and stood, testing how they moved on the ground.


    The whistle blew and the game was restarted. Which wasn''t a pretty sight for the Boars. They went from facing three competent players to facing four, and three more goals were put away in quick succession, two of them by Tyler.


    The whistle blew to signal the end of the game and the Hawks let up a cheer. The teams shook hands and then separated. A referee walked over to each team.


    ¡°That''s it for the game then. Hawks beat Raging Boars eleven to zero. We''ll take the scores in and you''ll find out your next match very soon. The sponsors want these knock outs over in a week.¡± With those final words the referee turned and walked off, taking the ball with him.


    The Hawks left the centre feeling great as the Boars trudged away. They quickly said their goodbyes then Scott dropped Tyler back off at home.


    ¡°Hopefully I find out tomorrow about our next game,¡± Tyler waved to Scott as he departed.


    He opened the window again and climbed through, only to find Aaron sitting in his computer chair.


    ¡°So, have a good game?¡±


    ¡°Why do you assume I was out playing something?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Aaron spread his hands wide and shrugged, ¡°it could be the sports bag and soccer boots. But that would just be a wild guess.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re cleverer than you look,¡± Tyler dumped everything on the ground as he usually did, ¡°fine, fine, just don''t tell mum and dad.¡±


    ¡°Look, you''re old enough to do what you want. We are both twenty. I just urge some caution. You might not know what you¡¯re getting yourself into. And your grades better not start slipping.¡±


    ¡°HA! My grades can¡¯t slip any more than they have.¡±


    ¡°OK, I''ll go now. Just be careful next time. I won¡¯t be hiding any of this from the folks. If they find out you''ve been playing street soccer at midnight, let it be on your head. It''s just a friendly warning.¡±


    With that Aaron got up and left the room, leaving Tyler to collapse on the bed. He rubbed his knees and elbows, where his sliding had caused him to get some burns from the wood. He wouldn''t be wearing his boots again, that''s for sure.

 Sailing Through

    The end of the week came around fast and the weekend started off well.


    On Thursday night they had gone out again as a team, Tyler forgoing his soccer boots for a sturdy pair of runners. The team they had played were a bunch of high school students, only just on their learner licences.


    The Hawks had continued in the fashion of the first game and came out all guns firing, scoring a goal right off the first tap. Their opponents didn''t play much better than the Boars had in the first game, and soon it was obvious that the Hawks were running away with the game. Goal after goal slammed into the back net and the Hawks proceeded to the next round in grand fashion.


    The third match was played just the next day, on Friday. It was the Hawks toughest game so far, but still not enough to cause them to stall. They rolled through it in fine fashion beating the opposition by six goals. Scott still had a clean sheet, saving everything that came at him, that is, when the opponents managed to fire shots at him.


    The Hawks were on a roll and feeling good about themselves. Aaron hadn''t annoyed Tyler again about the games, but every morning after a match he gave Tyler odd looks and sometimes shook his head. Saturday morning was no exception.


    ¡°Look, Aaron, we have another game on Sunday night,¡± Tyler sat down beside Aaron at breakfast, ¡°Why not come along and cheer me on?¡±


    ¡°Well, firstly, because I actually have school to attend the next morning, and studies to do. And so do you.¡±


    Aaron shook his head, turned away from Tyler, and then stood, picking up his laptop from the floor and left the house. Tyler just sighed, it was so depressing seeing his brother act like this. He knew his brother was trying to study hard, but he also knew how much he missed being on the field. Aaron was skilled with the ball. Maybe not as powerful a kick as Tyler, or as precise as David from a cross. But when Aaron got the ball close to his body he could do some amazing things.


    Tyler just wished he would accept the offer to play on the team.


    The game came around quickly, played at the Hawks home ground this time. The basketball court was lit by the street lights. And unlike their first few games, this one had a crowd gathering around it.


    They hung around the outside of the fence, some sitting, some standing. People of all sorts. Tyler entered the court in some kind of awe. The crowd was nothing compared to the University games, but he hadn''t expected so many people to turn out for a street soccer game at midnight. He looked through the crowd, but couldn''t find Aaron. He was probably at home studying.


    Tyler shrugged and did a few stretches while they waited for their opponents to show up. Scott, David, Dennis and Gavin were already here, and the only people missing so far were the other team. But it didn''t take them long to appear.


    They strode onto the basketball court with their heads held high. They didn''t look like the last few teams the Hawks had played. The Funny Bunnies they had called themselves, and Tyler had dismissed them as being another team full of high school students in the game for a joke. But these guys looked serious. They looked like soccer players.


    Scott nudged Tyler in the ribs.


    ¡°Recognise them Ty?¡±


    Tyler looked at them closely, then he noticed the emblem on the shirts they all wore. He chuckled, bending at the waist and holding his stomach.


    ¡°They can¡¯t seriously think they will beat us? They came dead last in the University ladder. We smashed them last time we saw them.¡±


    The referee''s came onto the field and placed the ball in the middle. The crowd roared and the whistle blew, getting the game under way. The Bunnies tapped the ball forward and then passed it back. As they were visiting the Hawks home ground they had the first tap.


    They took the ball backwards right to the goalie, and then they came forward with it again. They passed it between each other with skill and precision. They brought it right down beside the goals, then flicked it back to the top of the goal circle. One of their players got there and twisted his leg so that his foot came up backwards and beside his hip. He connected with the ball squarely and it shot at the bottom left corner of the goals.


    Scott managed to get a hand on top of it and pressed it into the ground, stopping it dead. He pulled it into himself and then threw the ball back out. He called over to Dennis.


    ¡°Don''t make the mistake of underestimating them. This isn''t a soccer field, and this isn''t grass either.¡±


    Dennis nodded at him, realising after the brief encounter and shot at goal that this wasn''t going to be like when they played normal soccer against them.


    The Hawks kicked and flicked and twisted and jumped and managed to get the ball back up the other end, but their opponents marked them closely. A few quick passes though and they had their own shot on goal. The ball moved with speed, but the Bunnies goalie got his fingers too it and knocked it wide, straight to the feet of one of his team mates.


    Tyler shook his head in disbelief. The game continued in this fashion for the next twenty minutes. The Hawks taking a shot, then the Bunnies taking a shot, then the Hawks again. But every time the goalies saved it.


    The Bunnies and the Hawks were starting to get desperate. They were deadlocked and the time was quickly running out.


    The Hawks got the ball down the other end and David crossed it from the corner to Gavin. He collected it on his head and shot it down. The goalie moved to block it, but just outside the circle it landed straight on Tyler''s foot as it was swinging through. The force of the header combined with Tyler''s kick rocketed into the goalie, he caught it on his chest and was lifted into the air and into the back of the net.


    The referee''s whistle blew, they had scored a goal, breaking the deadlock and putting them in a good position to go through into the ladder competition. They celebrated and then prepared themselves for the onslaught that was about to come. And it came with a force unrelenting.


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    The ball ricocheted between the players and Dennis dived forward. He flicked the ball from between them and sent it sailing for David. The time was quickly running down. The ball landed at David''s feet and they were on him. Two slid at him from either side, entwining his legs with theirs. A Third came and took the ball, passing it down to the forth.


    The two holding David''s legs twisted and the crack as his bones broke was clearly audible. He screamed and the Hawks stopped playing. The Bunnies continued though, and the ball was quickly down near the goals. They took a shot, but as they did the whistle blew, signalling the end of the game.


    Tyler and the others rushed over to David, crowding around him. As they looked they noticed his left leg was broken, twisted in an odd direction. The bone hadn''t broken the skin though. He screamed again in agony. The crowd ignored him though and started dispersing as the game came to an end and the referees announced the Hawks as the victors.


    The Bunnies collapsed to their knees as the shot they had taken scored after the whistle. They slinked off, utterly deflated. They ignored what had happened to their opponents though. And soon the five Hawks were standing in the basketball court alone.


    Tyler and Gavin lifted David and carried him to Scott''s car. They placed him in the back gently, and then Scott, Tyler and David drove to the emergency room at the nearest hospital. Dennis and Gavin watched solemnly as the three drove away.


    ¡°What was wrong with those guys? They didn''t even offer to help.¡±


    ¡°I suppose that''s the way of the game Ty. Maybe we should drop out.¡±


    Through his agony he screamed at the two of them, ¡°No you bloody don''t! I am not going through this pain for you to bloody quit on me!¡± He cursed loudly. Tyler and Scott shrugged at each other. ¡°Just stop talking and get me to the bloody hospital!¡±


    It didn''t take too long and they were soon there. Carrying David inside and organising for a person to see him. The doctors were quick, getting his leg back in place and getting a cast around it. They said he would need to be in the hospital overnight at least, but most likely he would have to stay there a few days. He wouldn''t be able to do anything with that leg for a while though.


    Tyler and Scott went into the room where David was lying down. He was drenched in sweat and huffing loudly.


    ¡°God-damn that hurt.¡±


    Tyler and Scott came to stand on either side of him.


    ¡°Um, Dave, you sure you want us to play on?¡± Scott asked in gentle tones.


    ¡°Of course I want you to bloody play on. We won all four games now, that last one was close, but we friggin made it! All you have to do now is show those other nine teams exactly how good we are.¡±


    ¡°OK Dave, we''ll go on. But we''ll need to find someone to replace you while you''re out of action.¡±


    ¡°I am sure someone else from the team will be happy to play.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight man, we better get going, it¡¯s starting to get early in the morning,¡± Tyler nudged Scott and two of them left the hospital and headed home. Where Tyler climbed into his window glumly and saw Aaron sitting on his computer chair again.


    ¡°I saw what happened Ty. I did warn you.¡±


    Tyler just nodded and went and sat down on the bed. ¡°David doesn''t want us to stop, even though we thought about it. We need another player. Are you sure you don''t want to?¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t play Ty.¡±


    ¡°That''s ok, I am sure there''s others on the team who would be willing to play.¡±


    ¡°Do not ask anyone else on your team Ty. You won¡¯t be able to compete against the other teams in the final ten. I''ve seen them all. Right now, even if David wasn''t injured, you wouldn''t be able to compete. They stand so far above you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean you''ve seen them?¡±


    Aaron opened his laptop up which was sitting on his lap and span it around to show Tyler. He clicked a button and replays of other games started up. Tyler''s jaw dropped as he watched some of the other games get played out. He lifted his hand and pointed at the screen.


    ¡°You''re sure that who we are going to play?¡±


    The stream of images stopped and Aaron started to speak to him again, trying to draw his attention.


    ¡°I''ve watched all your games. They have been streaming them live. And I just watched all the games of the final ten. They have the skills that you lack. Your soccer team is made for soccer. Big field, grass, running, long crosses. You just won¡¯t be able to stand up to the onslaught of these other teams.¡±


    ¡°But you could Aaron. You''d be able to show these guys up.¡±


    ¡°But I am not playing. I will help you though.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I''ll help you find the players you need to fill your team. I know of at least four people who you could use on your team and would help you win.¡±


    ¡°OK, fine. Who are they then?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I''ll take you to see one tomorrow afternoon after University. But it¡¯s up to you to recruit them.¡±


    ¡°Do I know any of them?¡±


    ¡°Not a chance. I do have a life outside study and the University you know.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you do, do you?¡± He laughed at the thought, then his grin turned into a frown as Aaron''s screen saver came up on the screen. Tyler pointed at the screen and his frown turned into fury. Aaron quickly closed the laptop and put it behind his back.


    ¡°Look Ty, it¡¯s just a screen saver.¡±


    ¡°But did you have to use that? I know you said you watched all our games, but did you have to keep a video of that and use it as your screen saver? Now, out of my room, before I get mad. I need sleep. I''ll see you tomorrow if I calm down after this.¡±


    Aaron quickly left, running a hand through his hair and laughing all the way back to his room. Tyler fell down onto his bed and pulled off some of his clothes ready for sleep.


    ¡°Why did he have to use a video of me falling on my butt as his screen saver? I really shouldn''t have used my boots in the first game,¡± he muttered as he drifted off to sleep.

 A New Player

    Tyler walked along the concrete footpath that wound its way through the park. He bit down on the granny smith apple he was carrying and cast his eyes around for his brother. With a soccer ball under his other arm he strode on down the path to where Aaron was sitting at a bench, tapping away on his laptop, facing the waves of the ocean.


    Tyler sat down next to him but he didn''t stop his typing. So Tyler looked around at all the people that were here at the park along the beach front. There were all sorts about. People sitting down studying, others out for a stroll, some doing that yoga thing everyone was crazed about, a few throwing a Frisbee about and yet more kicking a soccer ball around. These last must be the where his new team mate was going to be coming from.


    He stood up and went to walk over to them, but Aaron''s hand snaked out to grab him on the shoulder and his firm grip pulled Tyler back down onto the seat. He may spend all his time studying now, but Aaron had lost none of his strength. But as Aaron had pointed out during the night, there was much that Tyler didn''t know about his brother.


    It was nearly three years since they had left high school, and since then things had changed quite drastically.


    ¡°Just sit down and wait.¡±


    ¡°I was just going over to the guys playing soccer. See which one you wanted to join my team.¡±


    ¡°They would be a waste of your time, Ty,¡± he looked up from his laptop and glanced in their direction, ¡°they are not why I brought you here.¡±


    ¡°Then who is?¡±


    ¡°All in good time. They won''t be here for some time yet. I want to explain a few things before I point them out to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so they are already here? Fine then, tell me what you have to say then.¡±


    ¡°Right now I need you to shut-up, pay attention to me, and watch the screen,¡± he twisted his laptop so that Tyler could see the screen a bit easier, ¡°as you can see here I have the list of the teams you will be coming up against. This is the final ten. As they were being broadcast live over the internet, quite a few people have been watching them. And then there''s all the people who came to see the games played. Your turn-outs were poor at best. Some of these teams played to crowds squashed like sardines.


    And with so many people watching them, betting sites have opened up. I made a little bit betting on you for the first few rounds. But have a look at the odds here, next to your names. This is the likelihood of you winning the tournament based on performances so far. I didn''t come up with these odds, so don''t go getting angry with me.


    I tend to agree with them though. You don''t have what it takes to play street soccer. Or more to the point, you don''t know how to use your abilities to play it. You could be a great player, but at the moment you''re not. Neither is David, Dennis nor Gavin. Scotty has the skills, but that''s probably because he''s a goalie first and player second.


    But David is out of action for quite a while now. And you need a new player. You wanted to get a player from your soccer team? But that''s just the problem. You play field soccer. You are used to heaps of space, being able to run a lot, dribbling the ball, crossing it, and even having time to think about what you¡¯re doing. Street soccer is different. Street soccer is about reflexes, split second decisions, technique and skill. Strength and speed do play a role too, and that''s why you could be good. But you don''t have the rest.


    And you don''t know how to show-boat your skills either.¡±


    Tyler put his hands out in front of him, ¡°Wait, what''s show boating got to do with anything?¡±


    ¡°Kicking a ball won''t score you goals. You need your own individual styles, your own special techniques. That''s one reason I brought you here today. The person I think would be good for your team has two special techniques which are quite worthwhile.¡±


    ¡°OK then, so why are we put at a thousand to one to win the tournament?¡±


    ¡°Because you don''t have the skills I was talking about. See these three teams? Everyone predicts so far it will be a battle between them. I had a look at them and their games. The first is called Heaven Sent. They knocked out the grade A indoor soccer champions of last season. Take a look at this shot from their last game,¡± he tapped the space bar and short video started to play.


    There were a bunch of girls on the screen, playing at some location unknown to Tyler. They got the ball at the back and the three others all started zigzagging back and forth in front of the goal. The one with the ball fired it straight at the goals, where it was intercepted by the other three. Tyler couldn''t keep his eyes on the ball, it flickered like light between the other three as they kept running in their strange pattern. All of a sudden the ball was in the back of the net.


    ¡°That''s their Many Headed Serpent Strike. Takes a great goalie to keep up with the ball. And yes, they are a bunch of girls, probably a year or so older than us. Stop ogling them and listen up. The next highest ranked team is called Shadow System. They are just as interesting as the girls,¡± he hit the space bar again and the next video showed.


    A player had the ball in his half, it was quick and simple, he pulled his foot back and struck the ball squarely. As it made its way to the first defender the ball seemed to vanish from sight. The camera moved around erratically for a moment, then it settled as the ball reappeared just in front of the goals. The goalie didn''t have any time to react. Tyler blinked.


    ¡°The Shadow Ball. Almost invisible. But I slowed the image down and you can see it moving. It''s fast. But the team you''re going to have to watch out for mostly just calls themselves Light. You''ll have to watch this next clip closely,¡± he started the third clip.


    There was a shot taken on the goals, it flew hard and fast but a foot appeared in mid-air and caught it, holding it dead in the air. Then it moved backwards, the ball staying with the foot instead of falling off. Tyler knew there was no way he could do that. Then the leg rotated itself so that it threw the ball high in the air, where another player was already waiting. He did a back flip and brought both his feet down on the ball. It flew to the right, then curved back to the left, then all of a sudden curved back to the right again. The goalie grabbed it. He held it for a moment and then the ball seemed to dissolve into light. Another ball was in the back of the net, bouncing.


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    ¡°That''s one I can¡¯t figure out yet. But I will. And as you can now see, you don''t stand a chance as you currently are.¡±


    ¡°That was some amazing shooting, there''s no way I could replicate that. I didn''t even think there was any way to do that.¡±


    ¡°Hence why they are three top ranked teams. There''s two you have a good chance to beat. And the rest you can beat if you get the right players. You will struggle with those three though. I don''t think there is any way for you to beat them. But your next game is what matters. You need a fifth player by Wednesday night. That gives you this afternoon, tomorrow and Wednesday itself to get them on your team.¡±


    ¡°OK, ok, ok, who the hell is it?¡± his head flicked around again trying to figure out who it might be.


    ¡°I''m glad you brought your ball. She''s right behind us. And the ball will give her an opportunity to prove she has what it takes.¡±


    Tyler looked at Aaron with shock, ¡°SHE??¡±


    ¡°Yes, Tyler, girls are just as good as guys, didn''t you see that first clip I showed you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you just took me by surprise, now which one is she? There''s so many behind us. Is it the one sitting by the tree studying?¡±


    ¡°Turn your head right.¡±


    ¡°Not one of those blonde girls sitting in a circle chatting.¡±


    ¡°No, further right again.¡±


    ¡°One of those doing yoga in the group?¡±


    ¡°You went too far, back to your left. She''s alone, not in a group.¡±


    ¡°You seriously mean that little girl doing the very slow martial arts.¡±


    ¡°She''s only little because she''s Asian. And she''s doing Tai-Chi. Now, her name is Yu Chang. Or Chang Yu in Chinese. Just call her Yu though. Now, get your ball and throw it at her, try and hit her.¡±


    Tyler stood, then looked down at Aaron, still sitting on the bench and looking out at the ocean.


    ¡°No way. I won¡¯t hit a girl.¡±


    Aaron gave a little laugh. He put the laptop off to his side and span around in his seat, flicking his foot out to knock the ball out of Tyler''s hands and onto the ground behind the bench.


    ¡°Fine, if you¡¯re too scared, watch this. But you''ve got to get her to join your team, I''m not helping you there.¡±


    He leapt over the back of the bench and in two short steps had rocketed the ball directly at Yu. She didn''t seem to have noticed, but as it came closer her head dropped and she twisted, slowly lifting one foot into the air while the other remained steadfast on the ground. The ball touched the back of her head and then rolled onto her back. All the force seemed to have come out of it, but it was still moving at speed.


    Her foot rose faster this time, until it was starting to go vertical, she twisted and turned her body and the ball curled itself around her left leg and then up on top of her foot, where it sat there spinning. Her leg was now directly vertical, with her other foot on the ground, doing the splits.


    Tyler stood amazed. He was seeing something similar to those video clips of Aaron''s but live. Aaron was smiling as if he had seen this before and Tyler looked at him.


    ¡°She comes here a few times a week. And sometimes those guys kick their ball towards her so she will do something funky for them. She calls this move the Dragon Twister. You might want to step back a bit, this one is mine. I want her to do her other move too, so I''ll need to do something special for her.¡±


    She twisted her body, her legs not moving, her black hair spraying out wide like a windmill. Tyler could now clearly see a golden Chinese dragon tattooed around her shoulder and right arm. Her body then unwound itself and her right foot flew from under the ball and her left foot flew from the ground, rotating on the spot. Her right foot landed in the exact spot where the left had gone from and the outside of the left foot connected with the still spinning ball.


    It flew off wide out to Tyler''s left, but it arced sharply and was soon heading straight back for them. Tyler took another step backwards. Aaron wasn''t even watching the ball though, his feet moved a little, but he was busy watching as Yu started her slow moving Tai-Chi again.


    ¡°Now or never Ty.¡±


    The ball came straight to his feet. His right foot flicked out and then hooked it behind him, taking most of the heat from it and popping it up just beside his left leg. His right foot then came back around the front and he twisted and flicked the ball to his right. He turned the twist into a full blown spin, legs tucked together, arms closed on his chest. Suddenly his left foot planted itself on the ground again, his arms spread wide for balance and his right foot came in a wide arc to connect with the ball.


    It flattened as the force was transferred into it, then it took off, flying just above the ground, skimming the top of the grass. Tyler stood amazed at what his brother had just done. He knew his brother was good, but not a show off. The ball kept travelling low until at the very end it seemed to kick itself up into the air, without ever touching the ground.


    But again Yu seemed blissfully unaware of the ball. As it lifted into the air though her right leg flicked forward, allowing it to run up it. Her left leg then came around, catching the ball between her thigh and calf. Her right knee then knocked the ball above her head and forward a bit. He leaned forward, placing her hand on the ground and brought both her feet above her head. She moved fast, almost like a break dancer, hitting the ball with a foot then springing both feet back onto the ground.


    The ball travelled high and then seemed to drop quite quickly, picking up speed as it went. Aaron simply just placed his foot on the ball as it hit the ground before him. It span, dirt flying up everywhere, trying to get away, but he held it firm.


    ¡°That''s the Diving Dragon. Quite difficult to stop, the topspin on it is quite amazing considering she uses the bottom of her shoes. The rest is up to you now Tyler.¡±


    Aaron took his foot from the ball, picked up his laptop and left. Leaving Tyler to stand beside his ball, looking at it stuck halfway into the ground. He tried to dislodge it, but couldn''t. Then he looked up at Yu, who was back doing her Tai-Chi, not a worse for wear or even acknowledging what had happened.

 Acquiring Yu

    Tyler bent down to examine his ball. It had dug itself halfway into the dirt of the park ground due to the speed at which it had been spinning. If Aaron''s foot hadn''t been on top of it, the ball would have likely shot across the ground at high speeds. Tyler was amazed. He knew his brother was good, but he obviously didn''t know how good. He didn''t think there was any way he could have stopped the ball by himself.


    He kicked it a few times, until it eventually dislodged from its position. A hole was left in the ground, the edges of it polished smooth. It didn''t look like it had been dug out. But it certainly didn''t look like it should be there.


    Tyler just ignored. He picked his ball up and looked around to see if anyone was watching. When he was sure no one was really paying attention to him he made his way over to Yu.


    She was still doing her Tai Chi, completely oblivious to what was going on around her. She was probably about five feet tall and was wearing a tight fitting t-shirt and small shorts. The shorts seemed to accentuate her legs. Tyler shook his head, he wasn''t here to admire her, he was here to try and convince her to join his team.


    He stood just off to the side and coughed to get her attention.


    Still she continued the slow, precise movements that seemed to be what this Tai Chi was about. It looked like she was doing a martial art but very, very slowly. Sometimes she seemed to hold her legs in the air for ages.


    Tyler waved his hand before her face.


    No reaction. He looked at her closely. Her eyes were shut. Not tightly, more like she was just ignoring her surroundings. Tyler considered this for a few moments. Had her eyes been shut when she had been kicking the ball with Aaron? He couldn''t remember, she had been too far away from him, and the ball had had most of his attention. This was amazing. She was amazing.


    Never before in his short life had Tyler imagined this kind of stuff was possible. His coaches had all told him about how to kick a ball, how to get the most out of his power and accuracy. But everything he had seen today, on the laptop, what Yu and Aaron had done, it was all unconventional. They didn''t just line the ball up, take a few steps back, then kick it.


    They used the side of their feet. They span before they kicked. They used little flicks to position the ball. It all seemed to happen so fast. Their feet moved in a flash. They used their whole body to get maximum power behind it. The laptop had even proved that they could kick it with enough force to make it move beyond the ability of the eye to follow it.


    If even just those three teams could do stuff like that, then his team stood no chance. There had to be some way to get Aaron onto their team. Studying couldn''t be the only reason he wasn''t playing. Maybe there was something else behind it. Tyler realised how little he knew about his brother now.


    ¡°Yu?¡±


    She ignored him still.


    ¡°Excuse me? Your name is Yu right?¡±


    ¡°Yes it is,¡± she still didn''t stop what she was doing. She didn''t seem to have much of an accent, maybe she had been born over her. It wasn''t unheard of.


    ¡°Would you mind talking to me for a minute?¡±


    ¡°Yes I would. I''m obviously in the middle of something,¡± her voice was taking on an agitated tone.


    ¡°Should I come back and talk to you later?¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I will want to talk to you later?¡±


    He bounced the ball between his hands. It was a little hard to talk with someone who wasn''t paying attention to you. Or had even looked at you once.


    ¡°Well, my brother seemed to think you might want to talk to me. I have request for you.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, you have my completely divided attention.¡±


    ¡°Undivided you mean right?¡±


    ¡°No, I''m more focused on my movements than you.¡±


    ¡°Right. Well, here it is. I''ve been playing midnight soccer. It¡¯s been quite interesting. But currently we are down a player and could use another.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess I am asking you to become our fifth player.¡±


    ¡°And why are you down a player?¡±


    ¡°His leg was broken during the last game.¡±


    Yu seemed to jerk a bit as she heard this, almost losing her balance.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yes, completely.¡±


    ¡°And you want me to take his place?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Bugger off,¡± she said in her most dismissive tone.


    Tyler turned to go but didn''t walk away, instead he just stood there with his back to her and continued talking.


    ¡°My brother reckons you have what it takes to compete in this game. And there''s a big prize at the end if we manage to win.¡±


    ¡°No prize could be worth having your leg broken.¡±


    ¡°Dave asked us to continue. To try and win this. I was going to find another of my soccer buddies to join us. But my brother says they stand no chance. He brought me out here today to see you specifically.¡±


    ¡°HA! He really thought I would join your team eh?¡±


    ¡°I expect that he did.¡±


    ¡°So you were testing me when you were kicking the ball at me? That last shot of yours was quite dangerous. If I hadn''t been paying attention I could have been seriously injured.¡±


    ¡°Paying attention?¡± Tyler barked a short laugh, ¡°but your eyes are shut.¡±


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    ¡°I learnt quite some time ago how to sense what was going on around me. And the power being emitted by the ball when you kicked it was like a shining beacon.¡±


    Tyler lowered his eyebrows in confusion. Things were getting weirder and weirder.


    ¡°You can sense the ''power'' of a kick?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that''s the best was to put it. I can feel the energy in the ball. Like an orange glow. And with that I can figure out where it is. But that last one did surprise me a bit.¡±


    ¡°And compared to your own shots? You can sense them too right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I can sense my own power.¡±


    ¡°So, compared to your own power, how were the shots?¡±


    ¡°Well, if I was to use some comparison you might understand. My shots were like a forty watt light globe. While yours were like the sun.¡±


    Tyler almost swore. He had seen for himself the power that she possessed.


    ¡°I think you were holding back though. It was full of energy, but didn''t release all its power. Were you testing me?¡±


    ¡°Look, I have to square with you. I didn''t kick the ball.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°My brother was the one who fired that shot at you. Both of them actually.¡±


    ¡°Oh... you have a brother? And he''s the one with that power? Do you possess that kind of power too?¡±


    ¡°No I don''t. I''m decent at regular soccer. But what I just saw you and my brother do was beyond my abilities.¡±


    ¡°Ah. So that''s why he brought you to me. You and your soccer buddies completely outclassed?¡±


    ¡°We managed to make the final ten. But he showed me some shots of the three teams predicted to vie for the top spot. They blew me away. I can¡¯t do anything like that. And I doubt my mates could.¡±


    ¡°Well then you''d need more than just me to win this thing then wouldn''t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes we would.¡±


    Yu fell silent, and Tyler turned around to see her still doing her Tai Chi, but with a small smile on her face now. He waited a moment to see what she was going to say, but she said nothing at all.


    ¡°So... will you play?¡± he asked her eventually, unable to wait any longer.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°No? That''s it?¡± He dropped his ball onto the ground and threw his arms wide. Yu just stretched her body out so that she was balanced on one foot, her leg straight behind her, and her body parallel to the ground.


    ¡°Yep, that''s it.¡±


    ¡°Come on, there''s got to be something I could do to get you to join.¡±


    She dropped her leg to the ground and opened her eyes. Standing up straight she put a finger to the corner of her mouth and smiled.


    ¡°Well, first, why don''t you drop down to your hands and knees and beg me to play?¡±


    There was nothing for it. Tyler needed Yu''s help. Aaron had pretty much told him that she was his only hope. He dropped to his knees, leaned forward a little bit, clasped his hands before him, and started begging.


    ¡°Please, please, please, would you join my team?¡±


    She started tapping the corner of her mouth with her finger.


    ¡°Pretty please with sugar on top.¡±


    Yu raised her foot and put it on his forehead. She pushed him backwards and he sprawled onto the ground.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Yu turned and took a few steps away, but Tyler got onto his fours and scrambled around in front of her. She shook her head a little and looked around to see that people had started staring at the two of them.


    ¡°Look, there''s gotta be something I could do to get you to play.¡±


    Yu lowered herself to a crouching position and brought her face close to his, still smiling broadly. She reached out and held his chin in her hand.


    ¡°Look, there''s nothing you could do for me specifically. But I''d love to have a date with this brother of yours. He emanates power. A power I can¡¯t sense in you. Is he playing on your team?¡±


    ¡°No he''s not. And I am sure I can get you a date.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he''s not? Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because he''s busy studying, but I do think there''s more to it than that. So, you play and I''ll get you a date with him.¡±


    ¡°You get me a date, then I''ll play.¡±


    ¡°You could bail on me. You play the next game, it¡¯s on Wednesday night, midnight. You play it, we win, and I''ll have you a date with my bro before the end of the weekend.¡±


    She seemed to smile even broader at that. She let go of his chin and rubbed his head.


    ¡°Okay, fair enough. See you on Wednesday night then.¡±


    ¡°Um, yeah.¡±


    Yu stood back up and walked around him. She seemed to bounce as she walked away, as if filled with an inner energy that put a spring in her step. It couldn''t be the prospect of a date with his brother could it. He lowered his head to the grass.


    ¡°Well, at least I''ll have her for one game,¡± he said to the ground, ¡°if we win that, then she''ll be gone. There''s no way I can convince my brother to date her.¡±


    He collapsed on the ground and rolled over, then spread his arms wide. Things were starting to become more and more difficult. But he just had to focus on the next game. One game at a time. Aaron said he had four people who might be suitable. Well Yu was one, so that left three if he couldn''t convince Yu to stay with them.

 Final 10, Game 1, Construction Site

    Scott''s car pulled up in front of a temporary mesh fence. He turned the lights off and stopped the engine. Tyler got out of the car and stood at the door looking inside the fence. He looked at Scott with his eyebrows raised.


    ¡°You¡¯re sure this is where our game is?¡±


    Scott pointed out into the construction site. Tyler looked where he pointed and saw a slight glow.


    ¡°I''d reckon that¡¯s where we are playing Ty.¡±


    Tyler just shrugged. There were some strange fields people were using in this competition. There were only nine games left before a winner was decided, and they had only drawn two home games. Though not that it mattered much. They had no real advantage at their home-ground, the concrete basketball courts near Tyler''s house.


    Dennis'' car pulled up a few moments later, and he and Gavin climbed out. They looked quizzically at Tyler, who just shrugged again. They nodded and looked up and down the fence.


    ¡°Ok then, so how do we get in?¡± Gavin asked.


    ¡°I suppose we walk around until we find a gap in the fence. We''ve still got a few minutes,¡± Tyler replied as he started walking down the fence line.


    The others jogged to catch up to him and together the four of them tried to find the entrance. Gavin was muttering to himself, and it was bugging Tyler a little.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem Gav?¡±


    ¡°My biggest problem is that last game David had his leg broken. What¡¯s going to happen tonight? I can¡¯t believe I am still here playing. If anything dangerous happens tonight though, I am gone. You hear me Tyler, gone!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a fair call Gav. I didn''t expect things to be this rough either. But we know now. We are prepared.¡±


    ¡°How prepared though? There¡¯s only four of us!¡±


    ¡°We have another player coming. She should be here. Aaron found her for us.¡±


    ¡°She? Are you crazy? You''d ask a girl to play this? And where is Aaron anyway. Why isn¡¯t he playing?¡±


    ¡°He refuses to play. And as to where he is, I think he went to see David in hospital and show him the game on his laptop.¡±


    ¡°That still doesn''t answer as to why there¡¯s a girl playing.¡±


    ¡°Why don''t you ask her yourself, she standing just over there.¡±


    As they made it further along they eventually came to where a section of fencing had been pulled away. People were filing in, and standing just outside was Yu. She was wearing a short dress that almost looked like an oversized t-shirt, a piece of fabric was tied around her waist. On her hands, wrists, forearms, feet, ankles and lower legs was what seemed to be bandages. She wasn''t wearing any shoes of any kind.


    ¡°Hi Yu. Hope you brought your shoes for the game, we start soon.¡±


    ¡°I am ready to play, just worry about yourselves.¡±


    The other players all turned and looked at each other. Scott was the first to comment though.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the get up?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, you mean clothes? This is what I wear for my mixed martial arts classes. I thought it may be appropriate here.¡±


    ¡°So, are you sure you want to play?¡±


    ¡°Tyler promised to get me a date with Aaron if I helped you guys win.¡±


    All three of them laughed and Tyler blushed.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re expected to help us win?¡±


    ¡°I don''t see how we can lose. I checked this team up on the Internet. The site was hard to track down, but eventually I found it. These guys have a huge home ground advantage here. This place is crazy. Follow me.¡±


    She turned a bounced her way into the construction site with the four guys in tow. Dennis, Gavin and Scott were conferring with each other quietly while Tyler was just following close behind her. Soon enough though they came to where the glow was coming from. It was from spotlights set up around the top of their court.


    The court which was part of the construction site. It had a concrete floor, and concrete walls, and was set down into the ground. It must have been the basement of whatever building was going up here. People had gathered all around the top. Inside there were four columns rising from the ground. And it seemed the goals were concrete elevator shafts at either end of the field.


    Five burly looking blokes were standing down one end of the field, and to official looking referees were standing in the middle. Tyler and his team climbed down the ladder that was leaning against the side and walked out to where the referees were.


    ¡°Good, now we are all here,¡± one of the referees said as he rubbed his hands together eagerly, ¡°the goals are the openings in the elevators. The ball is out of bounds if it lands on the ground above. That means you can run around the back of the goals too.¡±


    He dropped the ball and two of them sprinted for the ladder. Scott moved back to his goals and the other team¡¯s goalkeeper stood in his. Tyler looked at the columns. They made a little square in the middle of the court, and equal distance from the walls on both sides and the same between themselves. They also stretched up another story and were about half a metre wide.


    ¡°Well, this is going to be interesting. Never played with obstacles.¡±


    Tyler walked over and put his left beside the ball. He looked over at the referees who were now pulling the ladder up. Gavin looked across too and started running at them.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Gavin yelled as he got closer, but he was too late. He jumped, but couldn¡¯t quite reach the ladder as it went over the edge. The referees looked down at him, smiled, and blew the whistle.


    Tyler forgot about everything else and just swung his foot hard and fast. The ball absorbed the impact and shot off, curling up to the top right of the goals. The goalie though just batted it aside and it bounced into the back corner of the court.


    The other team recovered the ball and passed it between themselves for a moment, no one making any real move forward. Then one of them kicked the ball and it curved off to the right. It bounced off one of the columns and flew to the left hand side before beginning to curve again. Scott dived and grabbed it.


    ¡°Damn, going to have to watch for that.¡±


    Scott rolled the ball out to Gavin who looked around at what to do. He passed it to Tyler, but they were on him too fast. Tyler raised his head and saw Yu standing behind their goals, her eyes closed, and waving her hand for him to kick it to her. He brought his foot to it and pelted it straight for her.


    Scott was about to go for the ball when he realised it was going well wide and left it alone. Yu though, as she had done at the park, lowered her body and raised her leg. The rolled up onto her back and around her leg.


    The opposition were a little shocked as she twisted her body and swapped the position of her feet. She connected squarely with the ball and it travelled much as it had done at the park. It flew out wide, very wide, and curled around the outside of the columns before squaring itself back up at the goal.


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    The other teams keeper was still standing looking at the column it had curled around when it lashed into the upper corner, and bounced around the inside of the shaft. The whistle blew and the Hawk''s were one goal ahead. Tyler smiled at Yu while the others just let their jaws drop in disbelief. The other team all gathered around their goal to confer.


    Play continued back and forth for a while until the opposition nodded to each other. One of them got the ball in the middle of the court and flicked it up high into the air, directly between the two far columns. Tyler, Gavin and Dennis all tried to find people to mark as the ball came down.


    But before it reached its peak on of the other players started bouncing from one column to the other, getting higher and higher. All of a sudden he twisted in the air and brought his foot down on the ball while down a backflip. He landed on the other column and made his way down the same way he had gone up.


    The ball shot down to the ground just before Scott. He prepared himself to catch it, but it stalled for a moment on the ground then shot off like a rocket between his legs and into the goals. It rolled into the back and then up the back wall and shot high into the air and out of the shaft. It landed just in front of Scott as the whistle blew.


    The scores were even now, and nearly a full two thirds of the game was gone. Hopefully the Hawks could do something miraculous. They brought the ball back into play and for a little while they were taking shots on the goal. The keeper managed to catch hold of one though, and threw it high into the air.


    The move followed exactly the same as it had before with the player scaling the sides of the column. But this time when the ball shot at the ground Dennis was there. He slid along the ground and curled his foot around the ball just as it stalled. It then moved and started dragging him towards the goals. He had his other foot on the ground though, and his hands too, and he managed to hold his ground after only being dragged a foot or so.


    He rolled sideways after the ball stopped and Scott grabbed it, rolling it out to Gavin. Dennis looked exhausted from the effort he had just given, but he got up anyway and moved off to the side. Gavin and Tyler moved the ball around themselves until Tyler tried to pass it back to Yu. But it was intercepted and shot for the goals.


    Scott saved it though and threw the ball up to Ty. He tried passing it to Gavin. The clock was starting to run down and they were all tied. Both side were starting to get desperate. As Gavin got the ball one of the opponents slid and took his legs out from under him. He then flicked the ball into the air again, but this time closer to his goals.


    Tyler looked up and saw the player holding onto the top of the shaft. His team mates were running forward and Yu and Dennis were both heading to block them. The player propelled himself from the top of the shaft in a flip and brought his foot down hard on the ball, sending it flying for the same spot the other two had gone. He landed lightly on his feet just before Gavin who was trying to get up.


    The ball shot forward and stalled again. Dennis put his foot over it and braced for the drag. The opposition players put themselves in front of Dennis. He looked backwards to where his foot was around the ball and saw smoke rising from the concrete. Then the ball took off, right at Dennis'' face. He shut his eyes.


    Tyler watched though as Yu gingerly put her foot down before his face and directed the ball up it, turning as she did. The two players rushed at her, they had been expecting the ball to come straight to them after hitting Dennis in the face.


    But Yu caught the ball in between her thigh and calf and punched it up with her other knee. They dived at her. He reached forward with her hand and placed it on top of one of the opposition heads as she brought her legs around the top of her to hit the ball in her Diving Dragon move. She connected with the ball as she knocked the guy¡¯s head on the ground, then she lowered her feet and connected with the privates of the other guy who had slid at her. Both cried out in pain.


    The ball shot flat at the goals, keeping about head height. The goal keeper reached his hands forward to catch it, a smile drawing on his face as he realised at least they would go into sudden death extra time. But as the ball was supposed to enter into his hands it dropped suddenly and stalled on the ground between his feet, where it then shot off and into the goals, doing much as their shot had done, jumping out the top of the shaft.


    The whistle blew twice. The first marking the shot as a goal, the second to end the game. Tyler jumped for joy. Yu did a handstand and splits. Scott walked out and helped Dennis to his feet, his eyes still held tightly shut. Gavin walked over to Tyler though and pushed him.


    ¡°I''m out. I told you before the game. This is too dangerous.¡±


    Tyler lifted himself off the ground.


    ¡°What did you push me for?¡±


    ¡°To try and knock some sense into you before you get seriously hurt. They tried to take Dennis out this game. Who is next? Me? Scott?¡± Gavin was waving his arms around.


    ¡°Fine, you don¡¯t want to play? We don¡¯t need you, I am sure I can find others who would be more than willing to join in.¡±


    Gavin spat at Tyler''s feet and walked off.


    ¡°Damn, he''s my ride home,¡± Dennis said jokingly.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine Dennis, you can cram into my car,¡± Scott pat him on the back.


    Yu came up to Tyler and put her hands behind her back, and bounced a little in front of him.


    ¡°Look, I helped you win. Now you have to get me a date with Aaron.¡±


    ¡°Fat chance of that,¡± Scott said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you roped her in with that? Aaron hasn¡¯t dated anyone since high school.¡±


    Yu looked at Scott then turned furious eyes back to Tyler.


    ¡°You promised me a date with him if I helped you win. Win we have, both goals scored by me I might add.¡±


    Tyler held his hands out in front of him. ¡°And a date you will have. I have to talk to him anyway about finding us another player. That¡¯s two players in two games we have lost. Maybe I''ll bring him out to the park tomorrow to talk to him, you can come and have a chat too.¡±


    ¡°You better be there,¡± she shoved a finger in his face, just under his nose, then turned and stormed off.


    ¡°Well, Ty, seems like we have a win up our sleeves. I hope it goes just as well next game.¡±


    ¡°So do I Scotty, so do I.¡±