The stadium's seats were rapidly filling with green-clad fans. Security guards and uniformed staff were posted around the inner court and on each of the stairwells that cut up through the stands. The first row started a few feet off the floor, and a railing kept any excitable fans from interfering with the teams. Railing couldn't keep the noise out, but Neil let the jeers and shouts roll right over him.

Neil didn't see the Vixens, the Foxes' all-girls cheerleading squad, or their mascot Rocky Foxy. Belmonte's Terrapin mascot was already hard at it, though. He skipped up and down the inner court to rile fans up. The oversized mask he wore kept him from seeing the Foxes' arrival, but students pointed fingers and yelled warnings to him. He charged their direction as best he could in such a lumpy costume. He stopped a safe distance back from their benches to make a couple crude thrusts at them. Nicky was happy to return it until Wymack swatted him upside his head. The mascot ran off to triumphant cheers from students.

Andrew and Nicky had brought the stick rack with them at the rear of the line. Dan grabbed one end of it and pulled it between two of the away benches. She crouched to lock the wheels, then stood and snapped the tops open in rapid succession. Kevin was at her side before she was done. He pulled one of his racquets free, fingered the strings like they might have come loose on the drive, and went over to the court walls. He didn't spare the crowd a single look; all he cared about was right in front of him.

Neil took his racquet and went to stand at Kevin's side. The Terrapins were already settled on home benches on the far side of the court. They were smaller than Breckenridge's team, but still easily twice the Foxes' size. Neil twisted his fingers so tight around his racquet he heard it creak.

"Any advice?" Neil asked.

He didn't think he'd get an answer, but Kevin glanced over at him. "You're in for all of first half, so you have to pace yourself. I don't want you to score in the first twenty minutes unless the goal's right there in front of you. Pass, don't shoot. Keep the ball moving. When Dan comes on for me, go as hard as you can until the break.

"You'll have halftime and the first twenty minutes of second half to rest. Get your wind back, get back on the court, and give me everything you have. If I think you're holding back just because you're tired I will throw you off the court myself. I want you dead on your feet when the final buzzer sounds."

"Okay," Neil said. He knew it was a touchy subject, but he couldn't help asking, "Do you think Andrew's going to take his medicine for second half?"

"No," Kevin said sourly. "He pushed the last dose up thirty minutes. He thinks he's going to ride it all the way to the end."