“Come in, T.K.,” says Ted, holding open the door. The gesture gives T.K. some indication of this deal’s importance to Monreves. He hasn’t opened a door for T.K. in nearly five years, ever since a mutual decline in prosperity dulled the distinction between agent and client. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

“We’ve already met,” says Sarah Lauffler, the girl from the Pro-Am Golf Tournament in Atlanta. Idly puffing a pipe, she sits comfortably in the last vestige of Ted’s salad years, a fluffy overstuffed chair.

“Miss Lauffler,” says T.K, “Kind of far from home, aren’t you? How’s your brother?”

“Nonexistent,” she replies. “I must apologize for my charade in Atlanta. I wanted to meet you informally. I wanted to get a feel for your true character before you found out what I do and erected a misleading facade.”

“What exactly is it you do?”

Ted answers for her. “She’s going to do a long feature article on you, T.K. For a national magazine.”

“Which one?”

“EBS” says Sarah bluntly before Ted has a chance to couch a more gradational reply.

“Ted, you’re kidding me.” T.K. spreads his hands out imploringly from his sides. “That’s the magazine of the End Blood Sports group. They’ve been against street football from the day it was born. There’s no way that magazine’s going to print anything positive about me. I won’t do it. I can get all the bad publicity I want on my own.”

“T.K.,” Ted answers, “Miss Lauffler has assured me she’s not interested in character assassination. She wants to do a straightforward personality profile of a professional street football player. If it turns out to be flattering, which in your case I don’t see how else it could, that’s the way she’ll write it. I believe her. Honestly, T.K., I don’t think you’ve got a thing to worry about.”

“Damn right I don’t, because I’m not going to do it.”

“I’m afraid you don’t have any choice.” Ted spreads open his hands the same way T.K. had. Imploringly. “I’ve already signed the contract. Back out, and EBS can sue us both for what little we’ve got left.”

Ted turns his back to T.K. “I’ve got a wife and three kids, T.K. I’ve got medical bills, food bills, clothing bills, the rent’s coming due. EBS paid me cash on the line.”