“Crystal.”
“Good. Then we better get going, your flight leaves in two hours. Oh, and by the way, you might want to buy a winter coat when you land in Minneapolis. It is February after all.”
4
Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport
NIKI STOOD IN LINE near the front of the plane, waiting for the passengers ahead of her to exit. It wasn’t until she stepped onto the jet bridge that she felt the frigid temperatures of a Minnesota winter. Instantly, goose bumps broke out over all exposed skin not covered by her short-sleeve shirt. Collar was right: she needed more layers, many more.
In her twenty years on this earth, she’d never seen snow falling. She’d witnessed snow in Colorado during her training in the mountains, but it was summer snow, dirty snow, that had been sitting there for a long time. This was different. As she peered out the glass of the door from the jet bridge, she saw tons of pure white flakes drifting gently to the ground. She didn’t linger, as the cold air was too much to bear.
Once inside the terminal, Niki searched for baggage claim. She hadn’t packed much considering Collar’s call for immediate action.
She flew United, putting her at gate E3. She followed the signs and the masses who appeared to be heading in the correct direction. She was surprised at how neat and clean the airport was, as well as by the large number of shops, a veritable mall inside an airport. From the moment the freezing air hit her arms coming off the plane, she knew she had to find a store that sold a heavy jacket.
To her surprise, it seemed most did. She went inside the first prospective store and purchased the heaviest parka she could find. This should do the trick. The coat was thick, black, and hooded, and with faux animal fur wrapped around the hood. I’ll fit right in, she thought, but in fact, that couldn’t have been further from the truth. Everything about the coat screamed tourist and unnecessary. But she had no time to waste searching for something else. She needed to move on. She had no idea who was about to meet her, or where. The only instruction Collar gave her was that someone from the athletic team would find her.
With her newly purchased coat in hand, she followed the escalator down to level one, then searched the screen above for her flight number. Her baggage was being lowered on carousel 11. When she arrived, the bags were already spinning around the circle. That was fast, she thought, but as she waited, watching several bags come and go, hers was nowhere to be found. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” Niki said to herself as the rotating stopped. She found the customer service counter at the opposite end of baggage claim.
When she approached the airline representative, she said, “Excuse me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” the woman said.
“Is this . . .”—Niki pointed to carousel 11—“Is this where the bags from Miami International came from?”
“Let me check.” She typed information into her computer. “Um, no, actually your flight’s bags have been moved to carousel 7. It’s just down there.” She pointed in the opposite direction.
Niki smiled and said, “Thank you.”
As Niki walked toward carousel 7, a young man was standing to the side holding a sign that said Chase Crane.
Really? Is this necessary? On the other hand, she figured it probably was best in order to conceal her real identity.
She squared him and said, “I’m Chase.”
“You are?” he questioned. “I mean, nice to meet you.” He stuck out his hand. “Rory.”
She shook it vigorously, and he seemed surprised by her grip strength. “That’s quite the handshake you’ve got there.”
“My dad always said it’s what makes the man.”
“Or woman in your case.” He grinned.
Niki simply stared at him.
He quickly changed the subject. “So . . . do you have any bags?”
“Just one.” Niki pushed on her toes to look over his shoulder. “Speaking of, it’s right there.” She moved around him. He followed her without her realizing it. They both reached down at the same time, but she cut in front. “I got it.”
“Oh, sure, sorry.” He held up his hands to excuse his chivalry attempt.
After Niki lifted her bag, he waited, but she didn’t know why. “After you.”
“Oh, yeah, right,” he said.
As Niki followed, she wondered why he seemed so uncomfortable with her. What’s with this guy? He seems a bit edgy. She wanted to put him at ease. “So, what’s your story?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, why did your coach send you to pick me up?”
“I volunteered.”
“You did? Why?”
“’Cause it’s not every day you meet a future Olympian.”
Niki chuckled halfheartedly. If he only knew . . .
“Are you serious?” Collar did say they wouldn’t know her real identity. Deep down, though, she wanted to tell him the truth. She was no world-class athlete. For sure not an Olympian.
They pushed through the first of the double doors, and instantly Niki felt a rush of cold air blow over her body. The shock stopped her in her tracks. She continued slowly through the second set of sliding doors, and then felt the full brunt of mother nature’s wrath.
“Holy shit!” she said.
“First time to Minnesota?” Rory grinned.
The hairs in her nostrils felt like they had frozen, and the wet humid frigid air took her breath away. She couldn’t reply.
“It’s okay, you get used to it.” Rory came close and tapped her on the shoulder.
“I could never get used to this.”
“Well, you better. It won’t warm up for about two months.”
“Two months?!” If that was the case, Niki hoped this thing would be solved and she would be back on a plane within the week.
Rory continued on, but Niki moved even more slowly. Even wearing her new parka, she shivered from the cold. It wasn’t the coat’s problem, though; it was the thin pants she wore. The biting wind tore through the material and made her legs feel like frozen stones as she walked.
“How do you do this?” Niki said as they continued to walk.
“You live here long enough, it becomes like a running joke.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, we kind of just expect it. People talk about the weather, it brings us closer together.”
“That’s strange.”
“Trust me, it won’t be the strangest thing you find while you’re here.”
“No?”
“No. Ah, there it is.” Rory jogged ahead and unlocked the doors to a white van parked up ahead. “Just throw your bag in back and hop in.”
Niki did as she was told, putting her bag inside, then moving to the passenger-side door. It remained locked. She jumped up and down to stay warm while Rory reached the power locks. “Hurry up, I’m freezing out here.”
Once he unlocked her side, she leaped in, wrapping herself tight as he turned on the van and cranked up the heat. He looked over at her and chuckled.
“What’s so funny?’
“Nothing.”
“No. Tell me,” she said forcefully.
“This is actually a warming-up from last week.”
“A warming-up?” She was befuddled.
“Yeah. Last week was twenty-five below zero. Well, windchill, at least.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me?”
“Not.”
Niki peered out the windshield and thought, Collar, what the hell did you get me into?
5
THE DRIVE FROM THE airport to campus took less than twenty minutes. As Rory drove slowly down the main street through campus, Niki stared out the window. Trees glistened with snow and icicles dangled, trapping the branches inside like hostages. This was a sight Niki had never seen before, but she loved how strangely beautiful it was.
Blasts of arctic white fell from the sky as Niki leaned on the window staring upward; every experience for her was new.
“Here we are.” Rory
spun the wheel and turned the car into a parking lot.
“What’s this?” The building was surrounded with windows.
“Our indoor training facility. Coach told me to bring you straight here, to get everything sorted out.”
“Sorted out?”
He shrugged, then slammed the shift lever into park. “Just doing what I’m told.”
“Do you always do what you’re told?” Niki said, but he offered no response.
Niki sucked in a deep breath before braving the cold once more. When she threw the door open, the bitterness cut through her parka. The wind had picked up since leaving the airport and tore through the fibers of her clothing and directly to her skin.
“Let me get your bag,” Rory said.
“Screw the bag. Let’s just get inside.”
Rory walked beyond the back of the van and led the way out of the miserable cold. He held the door open for Niki, and once inside, she felt the drastic change in temperature. Inside, it was a comfortable seventy-two degrees, about eighty degrees warmer than outside. After Rory shut the door, Niki glanced back at the falling snow.
“It sure is beautiful, isn’t it?” Rory noticed her staring.
“From here it is.”
From another room in the building she heard a collaborative echo of yelling.
“What’s that?”
“That would be practice. You wanna check it out?”
“For sure.” Niki was curious about these athletes. After all, she could have been one of them if she had pursued that path, but she had chosen another life.
As they walked along the corridor toward the training gym, Niki stalled when they came upon the first of many trophy cases. Huge three-foot trophies lined every shelf, and the case reached over twelve feet tall as it neared the ceiling.
“You guys must be good?” Niki read each trophy.
Rory walked back to her. “We are,” he said with obvious pride. “But these aren’t all our trophies. This is where the university displays the accomplishments of the entire athletic department.”
“I see,” Niki said, then started walking forward, taking mental notes on everything she saw.
“Shall we continue?” he said.
“We shall,” she mocked.
They didn’t walk much further before Rory turned the corner. The wide opening led into an oversized arena with a full-size indoor track around the perimeter. Inside the track was a multitude of other specialties, including a high jump bar and landing pad, a pole-vaulting station, and a triple and long jump sand pit.
As they continued into the arena, through the stands above them, Niki was in awe as she looked upward. The ceiling was easily over thirty feet high, topped with nothing but glass. The architect and designer had spared no expense when designing this coliseum of grandeur.
Niki wished she could describe the beauty of the space, but she didn’t have the words.
“There’s Coach.” Rory pointed to the center of arena.
Niki searched among the sea of athletes practicing their respective events. A relay team of all females sprinted around the track—maybe one Niki was supposed to be a part of. As they sped by, passing the baton, they paid no attention to her. These women, these powerful athletes were magnificent to watch. Their bodies were well-oiled machines, groomed for success in their sport.
Niki knew she was out of her league. Maybe she could contend with some of the athletes, the ones on partial scholarship, the ones who were on the cusp of becoming great, but the best athletes, the ones who competed in every single meet? No way.
Once another runner passed in front of Niki, Rory walked across the track, heading for his coach. Niki stared in wonder at all the activity around, but once she reached the inner circle of the track, it seemed most, if not all, of the athletes had stopped and were now staring at her instead.
They began to gather in groups, some whispering, some nodding in her direction.
Once Rory was close enough to be heard, he yelled, “Coach.” The man spun around. He was younger than Niki expected, maybe in his midthirties. He was tall, lanky, but not disproportionate.
“Ni—” she started, but then finished with, “Chase Crane.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Chase. Coach Braxton. Can you let me finish up here? Practice is almost done.” He looked at his watch. “Give me say . . . five minutes?”
Niki nodded in agreement.
“Alright, everyone.” He clapped his hands together. “Bring it in.”
All the athletes broke from their perspective duties and jogged toward their coach, then took a knee in front of him.
Niki moved in from behind, close enough to hear what he was saying to his team.
“Great practice tonight, guys. I think we look sharp. Ready to compete at this weekend’s meet.”
Niki turned her body, dipping her head to the ground to lean in with one ear. When the coach stopped talking, she looked up to see everyone staring up at her.
Coach Braxton turned from his athletes to Niki as she walked closer into the circle. “Ah, I can see you’re all wondering who this young woman is. Well . . .” He stepped toward Niki with his arm out toward her. “This is Chase Crane. She just transferred. I want you all to give her a nice warm welcome.”
Niki awkwardly waved, unaware he was going to make her introduction then.
“That’s it for tonight. Get a good night’s rest. You’re going to need it. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
The athletes rose from the floor. Most stared awkwardly at Niki, but only two, both guys, came over to introduce themselves right away.
“Hey, Chase, I’m Craig and this is Jazz.”
“Jazz?” Niki said.
“It’s a nickname.”
“I see.”
Then a line began to form behind the two men. Not like Niki would remember each person she met, but she wouldn’t have to; these names weren’t important to her mission. Rory waited last in line. She’d shaken over a dozen hands before Coach Braxton showed up. “Shall we go talk in my office?”
“Sure.”
“It’s this way.” He held his hand out, and began to walk, and Niki and Rory followed.
The walk to his office was far; in fact, it was in the basement, below the track itself. When they arrived at the door, he turned to Rory and said, “I need to talk with Ms. Crane alone for a minute.”
“No problem,” Rory said.
Coach Braxton smiled, allowed Niki inside, and shut the door behind them.
The office wasn’t big, maybe 120 total square feet, but the walls were filled with memorabilia. Most of the pictures on the wall were former or current athletes competing in their specialties. One woman specifically stuck out to Niki. The picture was of a hurdler. Blonde. Beautiful, but it wasn’t her striking looks that struck Niki; it was her perfect form leaping over the hurdle. Niki had never seen such flawless technique.
“Ah, that’s Giselle Anatolle. She was a stud. First team all-American three years in a row.”
Niki moved on to the next picture. Another woman. “And who’s this?”
“Belinda Peppers. Dominated the steeplechase. Would you like to take a seat?” He offered her one of the chairs opposite his desk.
Niki stepped away from the wall of fame and sat in the cushioned chair.
“So,” he started, then stared at Niki, as if he expected her to start the conversation.
“So?” she said.
“Tell me about yourself.”
Is this guy kidding? What does he know? What did Collar tell him? He’s got to know I’m not a real runner, right?
“Uh, well, I’m . . .”
“You’re what exactly?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I’ve been told you would be inserted onto my team as a matter of national security, but that’s all.”
“Oh, yeah that, well . . .”
“What does that mean exactly, national security?”
Niki grinned, enjoying the fac
t Collar trusted her enough to do this. But truth was, she didn’t know how all of this would work out. Sure, she could pose as an athlete, maybe even hold her own for a while, but what was that supposed to prove? How were the men responsible for these abductions going to find her, single her out in a crowd of hundreds of athletes?
“I guess it means, I’m here for a very specific reason.”
“What reason is that exactly?” he asked again.
Sorry, boss, but that’s not your concern. “That’s need to know.”
“Oh, I see. Meaning, you won’t tell me.”
“More like, I can’t.”
“So, what am I to do with you then?”
“That’s up to you, I suppose.”
“I was told you were a world-class athlete. Is that true?”
World-class may have been overselling her ability. “I can hold my own.”
“Good. Because I can’t in good conscience put you out there to take someone’s spot if you’re going to stink it up, but I guess we’ll see how you do tomorrow.”
Niki may not have trained as much as his athletes had, but she had the drive, the competitiveness to give it everything she had, and she was probably the only candidate in all the government agencies who could fit the profile of “college athlete material.”
“What’s tomorrow?”
“Your first practice.”
Niki held her breath. It’s not that she was nervous, but the last thing she wanted to do was embarrass herself. “What time?”
“We start at five p.m. sharp. Upstairs on the track. What’s your best event?”
Niki thought back to high school; it was the only thing she had to go off of. “Two hundred meters.”
“Perfect. I’ve got just the girl for you to go against.”
“Go against?”
“Yeah, she was only all-conference last year, but she’s improved dramatically. She was listed as preseason all-American. But if you’re truly world-class, I’m sure you’ll blow her out of the gym, right?”
Niki gulped. Collar, I hate you.
“Anyway, that’s enough chitchat for tonight. I’ll have Rory bring you over to your dorm.”
Third Degree Page 3