Shadows on the Sidelines

The evening sun bathed CF Igualada's training ground in golden light, casting long shadows across the field. Daniel stood near the halfway line, adjusting his socks as he listened to the coach's instructions. Today's session was crucial—the next match was against Vilanova i la Geltrú, a team known for its aggressive pressing. Coach Martínez had already hinted that Daniel might start, but his performance in training would decide everything.

As the team split into groups for a practice match, Daniel focused on moving efficiently. His time-perception ability had improved, but he still struggled to control it under stress. The last thing he wanted was to lose himself mid-game and get caught in a disorienting time-lag."¡Dale, Carter!" One of his teammates, Alex, shouted, passing him the ball.Daniel reacted a split second late, nearly fumbling the reception. He heard a few chuckles from the sidelines.Sergio, one of the more experienced players, smirked. "¿Qué pasa, Carter? ¿Demasiado lento?" "What's wrong, Carter? Too slow?"Daniel didn't understand the words, but the tone was clear. It was a challenge.He took a deep breath, adjusted his posture, and activated his power—just slightly. Everything around him slowed down for a brief moment, allowing him to control the ball perfectly before sending a sharp through-pass down the wing.The play ended in a goal, and the smirk disappeared from Sergio's face.Coach Martínez blew the whistle. "¡Bien! Así se hace." . "Good! That's how it's done."Daniel allowed himself a small smile. He was getting better at thisAfter training, Daniel walked toward the changing rooms, still feeling the rush of the game in his veins. He was confident he'd done enough to secure a spot in the starting eleven.Just as he reached for the locker room door, a strange feeling crawled up his spine—like someone was watching him.He turned around, scanning the area. The stadium's outer fence was lined with parked cars, and beyond that, the streets of Igualada were quiet. But near the far corner of the field, a figure stood beneath a flickering streetlight.A tall man, dressed in dark clothes, face obscured by the shadows.Daniel's heartbeat quickened. He didn't recognize him, but something about the man's stance felt familiar—like a predator watching its prey.And then, just as quickly as he had appeared, the man turned and walked away, disappearing into the night.Daniel exhaled sharply. Was he imagining things? Or was someone really watching him?One thing was certain—he couldn't let his guard down.The next morning, Daniel arrived at Academia Igualada feeling unsettled. The thought of the man outside CF Igualada lingered in his mind. He hadn't mentioned it to Mateo—there was no proof it was anything suspicious.But Sofia noticed immediately that something was off."You look… tense," she said as they walked down the hallway. Her light brown eyes studied him carefully. "Did something happen?"Daniel hesitated. "It's nothing."Sofia frowned. "That's a terrible lie."He let out a small laugh. "Just overthinking things.""Maybe," she said, unconvinced. "Or maybe something's actually wrong."Daniel appreciated her concern, but he didn't want to drag Sofia into whatever this was. She was already worried about him getting injured during matches. If she knew there might be people after him again, she'd only stress more."I'll be fine," he assured her.Sofia didn't look convinced, but she let it go for now.Somewhere, far from Igualada, a man sat in a dimly lit room, watching multiple screens filled with surveillance footage. One screen showed CF Igualada's training grounds. Another displayed the streets outside Daniel's school.His face was hidden in the shadows, but his voice was cold and commanding."He's improving," the man muttered. "But he's still not ready."A figure in the corner of the room shifted slightly. "Do you want us to take action?"The man's lips curled into a sinister smile. "Not yet. Let him think he's safe. When the time is right… we'll strike."