Chapter 18 Monster

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Jace leaned back slightly, allowing the weight of the moment to settle in. The air in the room shifted as the realization dawned on the gathered coaches, reporters, and players. UCLA or USC—one of these two storied programs would secure the commitment of one of the top recruits in the nation.

A murmur rippled through the audience as speculation ran wild. USC, the powerhouse with an established program, boasting a history of national championships and a long list of NFL alumni? Or UCLA, the underdog in the middle of a major rebuild, but with the promise of a fresh start under Coach Baker?

Taking a deep breath, Jace reached out with his left hand, hovering over the golden USC Trojans hat. A hushed gasp filled the room as many believed the decision was made. Some of the USC staff even shifted in their seats, ready to spring up in celebration. But then, with a slight smirk, he moved his hand away, letting it hover over the UCLA hat once more. His fingers tapped the brim twice, drawing out the tension.

"At the end of the day, my decision comes down to where I feel most wanted—not just as an athlete, but as a person," Jace said into the microphone, his voice calm yet deliberate. "A place where I can grow, develop, and make an impact."

The room was silent, a collective breath held in suspense.

Jace grabbed the UCLA cap and placed it firmly on his head.

"The University of California, Los Angeles—let's get to work," he declared.

The room erupted into cheers, a mix of applause, chatter, and a few groans from the USC section. UCLA's recruiters instantly rose to their feet, exchanging fist bumps and nodding in satisfaction. Reporters rushed to get their follow-up questions ready, and cameras flashed in rapid succession.

Max Fisher the chief recruiter for the Bruins was the first to reach his side shaking his hand in joy just as Jace donned the total blue UCLA hat. "That looks good on you kid, you won't regret your choice."

"I know, you guys need this to work even more than I do," Jace responded with a polite smile knowing that he would be a key component to the rebuild of the Bruins. "Can't wait to get to work, pre-season training starts on the 1st of August, right?"

Max took him to the side away from prying ears before answering him. "Yeah, we're in the middle rebuild year and your commitment will make it easier for us to sign some decent talents. Yes, summer camp starts on the 1st, but you can move into campus on the 31st Just hit up your student rep and they will sort you out with classes and boarding.

"All good My big sis will sort out the logistics, The bruins had been my dad's dream for me, and I believe in Coach Bakers' vision so I'm all in Mr Moby Dick," Jace responded with a bright smile as he patted the shorter man's shoulder.

"Moby Dick?" Mr Fisher asked clearly not understanding how he managed to pick up that nickname. "Yh I'm basically the great white in this talent pool and you managed to wrangle with the best of them and get me to buy into your vision. Trust me that's not easy, I'm the type to get Nigerian scammers to send me money when they ring my line."

"Sigh, just make sure you turn that confidence into actual results. UCLA is patient since we haven't won a national championship since 45 but your name carries a certain expectation with it." He responded with a more serious expression causing Jace's laid-back demeanour to momentarily shift as he radiated a dangerous edge.

"Don't you worry, I'll make use of every chance given to me to show out," Jace stated with a reassuring tone not even considering failure as an option.

~~~

[UCLA The J.D. Morgan Center, J. Baker Office, 20:00]

"Burning the Midnight Oil I see?" Max said as he walked into the open door of the office gaining the attention of the balled dark-skinned man sitting behind the mahogany desk. He had been engrossed in player charts on one side and on the other where a variety of plays.

If one looked closer at the plays you would notice that most of them looked similar only changing by how far a player would move forward or how sharply he would make an in or out route. On the side were the names of players with notes containing some of their tendencies when running a route. The same was also true for the defensive side of the field as each player was dissected to the smallest detail.

"I heard the news you got Jace to commit to us," An elderly man dressed in a navy blue suit who looked to be in his mid-sixties stated with a neutral expression as he took a seat in front of the desk. Coach Baker Looked up for a stack of documents making eye contact with her man as he responded, "What brings you here Greg, surely my football program Isn't the only thing you gotta oversee,"

Greg merely sighed at his words before responding, "True, but your program had the biggest shake-up following the scandal." He replied with a tiered expression. "I have been on the phone with sponsors, Boosters, and even alumni, trying to convince them that the worst of it is over, but you and I both know that if we don't achieve any tangible results, the **** storm is just beginning."

"I know and we will achieve results, but it's going to be a gradual process, I plan on building a winning team in the span of 4 years. Heck if things aligned and everyone buys into this vision, I see us winning at least 2 chips," Coach Baker responded as he reached into his bottom drawer pulling out a bottle of Macallan single malt scotch whiskey and a single glass. Not bothering to ask he poured Greg a glass before standing up to pour himself a cup of tea from his thermos.

"You know it's weird that you spend good money on whiskey for someone who doesn't drink," Greg stated as he picked up his glass, swirling it lightly before taking a quick gulp.

"I promised my wife that I was done drinking, but everyone in this industry loves to drink to take the edge off. It's just easier having a bottle ready plus it keeps me honest knowing that I'm not drinking because I don't have anything available but due to my own choice." Coach Baker explained as he once again took his seat behind the desk taking a quick sip from his herbal tea which now strongly wafted in the air.

"Fair enough as long as you haven't lost your edge, I took a big risk hiring you upon taking this hot seat," Greg stated as he took another sip of his whiskey. "Don't get me wrong I live in your ability after all you turned a dying program in North Carolina in just 2 years winning them their first State championship. I'm just under a lot of pressure and need to know whether the guy I hired is the same one that I got running the most important program of the Bruins."

"Don't worry Greg I'm more focused than ever, I'll keep costs to a minimum and get us as far as possible, by 2025 we will get rid of that 63 million deficit. Just don't let any outside influence mess with my team no matter how big their pockets are, we win games and play more and get a bigger share of the broadcasting rights I understand my mission." Coach Baker said with a cold smile radiating the pressure of a hunter who was just waiting for his prey to step into his sights.

Slightly taken aback by his friend's gaze, Greg softly cleared his throat. "Fine, I believe you. About Jace, are you sure you want to build around him? James might be a scoundrel, but he knows football, and from what I heard, he didn't want Jace even as a walk-on."

"I wasn't sure about him either, but I took the time to get a look at him for myself both on and off the field and do you know what I found." Coach Baker asked with a slight smile prompting Greg to sit up ready to give a perfunctory answer. "The Kid is everything you heard, arrogant, confrontational, loyal and worst of all Angry at the world and at himself. No sane coach would want a ticking time bomb like him on their roster other than for his commercial value."

Taken aback by his words, Greg frowned and placed the glass back on the table, not even bothering to take a sip. "Then why?" he asked, his tone a mix of annoyance and genuine curiosity.

"Because he has a monster within him," Coach Baker stated with a wide grin. "Even with all his fault the way he sees the game is special, and from what I have gathered he has been barely trying as he had no one to push him after losing his coach and parents in the same year. Despite that, he has managed to remain top 3 within the state, I believe in his potential more than any player I've ever coached Greg."

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To Be continued...