238 Ultimate Lure

Pederson's fingertips were slightly moist, his heartbeat had slowed down, almost stopping, and the sound of blood flowing filled his ears. His nerves tensed to the extreme, making his senses hyper-sensitive, where even the slightest rustle could make his skin crawl—

He was so tense he could barely breathe.

The smooth first half had allowed him some relaxation, but the sudden turn in the second half made him sharply aware that the real test was upon him:

What to do after your ace in the hole has been exposed early due to a strong counterattack from the opponents?

Across the field, Pederson looked at his teacher Reed as if he were looking up at a high mountain.

It had previously been mentioned that before becoming the coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, Reed had been the head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, but that hardly sufficed to describe Reed's relationship with the Eagles.