Hickham saw more fury than fear in his quarterback’s eyes.

Cole unwrapped the cloth and raised his bloody hand overhead. There were two gaping holes where his fourth and fifth fingers should have been. Gasps swept the crowd.

Cole said, “I just want to show you what we’re up against tonight.…People who would do something like this without a second thought to keep us from winning.” He twisted the hand slowly under bright fluorescent light. “I’m also here to tell you that they’re gonna have to take more than two of my fingers to keep me from leading you onto that field tonight.”

Hickham heard the pain in Cole’s wavering voice.

Cole continued, “But I also want you to realize that it’s gonna take a hell of a lot more than popcorn and cheerleaders for us to pull out a victory. It’s kill or be killed tonight, Jackrabbits. I hope to hell you’re all with me.”

The explosions occurred as soon as he finished the statement.

And blood rained down from the rafters.

CHAPTER 4

TOUCH my balls,” Booker Flamont whispered hungrily.

“Touch your own balls,” Nina Hernandez replied, pushing him off her. She stuck her Bubble Yum back in her mouth and came off the bed, rehooking a neon pink bra strap under her skintight tank top.

Booker watched with longing as she inched her miniskirt back down over a pair of red lace panties with the Rolling Stones’ tongue-and-lips logo on the crotch. “I don’t see what’s the problem,” he said.

“I want to take things slow.”

“Slow? We’ve been together three weeks!”

“First of all, we’re not together. And second, you haven’t even taken me out or anything.”

Booker came off his parents’ bed feeling the need to punch something breakable, but he managed to calm his temper. “So if I take you to a movie Saturday night, will you let me go further?”

“I don’t like movies.”

“Well, whatever. We’ll play putt-putt or some shit.”

“Putt-putt? I think not-not.”

Booker took her hand. “But…I think I love you.”

Nina jerked her hand back. “What-ever.”

This is how it had gone for most of their fledgling courtship. They had first become acquainted in the Elmwood Heights after-school detention program. Booker had been midway through a six-day stint for urinating in the teachers’ lounge water fountain, and Nina was serving three days for smoking in the drama room prop closet. Nina would soon be granted an early release on good behavior, but not before Booker had made his move, offering to carry her books to study hall at the end of her first day.

They had wound up making out in the janitor’s closet on the way.