Madrid, Spain – Early May 2015
Coach Ortega watched Eli stretch.
No fatigue.
No soreness.
No hesitation.
He didn't ask.
Not yet.
Practice – Rhythm Drill
Eli moved first.
Luis followed.
Two others synced.
Coach Ortega paused.
"You're always early."
Eli nodded.
"I breathe early."
Ortega blinked.
Didn't reply.
Scrimmage – Internal Sync
Eli didn't speak.
Didn't signal.
Didn't direct.
But the spacing held.
The timing clicked.
The rhythm stayed.
Coach Ortega watched.
Brows furrowed.
Post-Practice – Office
Ortega reviewed game logs.
No missed rotations.
No late cuts.
No fatigue markers.
He circled Eli's name.
Paused.
"He doesn't rest."
He didn't write it down.
Next Game – Madrid vs. Prague Juniors
Eli played 34 minutes.
No fouls.
No turnovers.
No missed shots.
Coach Ortega watched every possession.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
He didn't ask.
Not yet.
Post-Game – Locker Room
Ortega leaned over.
"You ever get tired?"
Eli looked up.
"I breathe a lot."
Ortega nodded slowly.
Didn't press.
Private Gym – Midnight Circuit
Eli logged the game.
Breath delay: stable
Possession rhythm: clean
Coach suspicion: rising
Cultivation: masked
B-Side: silent
Eli Mercer's Private Post-Game Log
Team Score
Madrid Juniors vs. Prague Juniors
Final Score: Madrid 75 – 66 Prague
Result: Win
Eli's Private Stats (never shared)
Points: 18
Assists: 7
Rebounds: 5
Steals: 1
Turnovers: 0
Shooting: 7/7 FG, 4/4 FT
Breath Delay Sync: ✓
Cultivation Tier: Stable
B-Side Activation: Logged