Morning practices usually started at six at the campus gym for weights and cardio, but Wymack pushed it back to ten and called his team to the stadium instead. Neil drove because Nicky was in bad shape. Despite the few hours of extra rest, most of the Foxes had had enough to drink last night that they still looked bleary-eyed where they sat around the locker room. Aaron was conspicuously absent, but no one was surprised and Wymack didn't comment. Neil hadn't seen Aaron in the cousins' room that morning and assumed he was holed up with Katelyn somewhere.

"Let's talk about the season," Wymack said, because it was his job to keep them moving no matter what tragedy tried to set them back. "I spent most of yesterday talking to the Class I coaches about our situation, starting with Coach Rhemann."

Neil dimly recognized the name, but he was too tired to place it. The way the others perked up told him the man was important. Kevin, in particular, looked supremely interested to hear what came next.

"I've got a conference call with the ERC this afternoon to determine our status," Wymack said. "I don't know which way they're going to swing. Andrew's still enrolled as a student at Palmetto State. Easthaven and the registrar's office agreed this morning to let him finish the semester long-distance. That means he's still contracted with us, so we're within regs.

"This is a bit more drastic than having him benched with an injury, though. An injury is treatable and calculable. Andrew's current treatment isn't that black-and-white. But," Wymack continued, "Rhemann has taken our side. He offered to speak on our behalf if need be, and he's helped reach out to the others."

Neil finally recognized the name. James Rhemann was the head coach for the USC Trojans, one of the Big Three in NCAA Exy. USC didn't have Edgar Allan's flawless record, but the Trojans were known for their sportsmanship. They'd won the Day Spirit Award seven years straight and had yet to receive a single red-card: an impossible feat considering their long history and their ranking. It made sense Wymack would turn to them for help first.

"As of this morning, the vote across the Class I teams is almost unanimous," Wymack said. "They want us to finish the season."

"They—what?" Dan almost choked on it. "Why? They've never supported us before."

"Does it matter?" Matt asked. "If they'll fight the ERC for us, I'll take it."

"Maybe they're mocking us," Allison said. "We've knocked down too many teams in the southeast this year. They want us to play so we fail at last. They want to see us put back in our place. More fool them. We've still got Renee, and that's all we need."