Page 32 of Gamechanger

And just like that, we were off. Ideas flew back and forth, each of us building on the others' suggestions. Blaise's tactical knowledge surprised me – clearly, he'd been paying more attention in team meetings than I'd given him credit for. Sergei's years of experience provided a solid foundation for our wildest schemes, tempering our enthusiasm with practicality.

As we talked, I could feel the weight of our losing streak starting to lift. We weren't just three mismatched players anymore. We were becoming a unit, a force to be reckoned with.

"You know," Blaise said after a particularly heated debate about power play strategies, "this might actually work."

Sergei clapped us both on the shoulders, nearly knocking me off balance. "Of course it work. We are Lumberjacks. We chop down all obstacles."

I couldn't help but laugh at the corny metaphor, but I felt it too – a sense of renewed purpose, of hope.

"Alright, let's run through this one more time before Coach gets here," I said, sketching out our new formation on the ice with my stick.

As we walked through the plays, our excitement grew. By the time Coach Fraser's whistle cut through the air, signaling the start of official practice, we were ready.

The puck dropped, and I exploded into action, my skates carving sharp arcs in the ice as I raced towards our defense. Sergei's voice rang out, clear and commanding, "Now, Rookie!"

I cut hard to the left, leaving my defender stumbling. The puck slapped against my stick – a perfect pass from Sergei. Without breaking stride, I crossed the blue line, the defense scrambling to adjust to our new formation.

Blaise was there, exactly where we'd planned, his stick cocked and ready. I didn't even need to look – I just knew. The puck left my stick, sailing through the air in a crisp pass.

The sound of Blaise's shot echoed through the rink – a resonant thwack followed by the satisfying ping of rubber hitting metal. Top shelf, where mama hides the cookies, as Quinn would say.

For a moment, silence reigned. Then Blaise's whoop of triumph shattered it, and suddenly Sergei was there, crushing us both in a bear hug.

"Holy shit," Blaise laughed, his usual cockiness tinged with genuine surprise. "That actually worked!"

"Language," Sergei and I chorused, but we were grinning too hard to mean it.

A sharp whistle cut through our celebration. Coach Fraser stood at center ice, his bushy eyebrows drawn together in a look of bewildered irritation.

"What in the name of Gordie Howe was that?" he barked.

We skated over, a mix of pride and apprehension churning in my gut. Sergei spoke first, his accent thicker than usual in his excitement.

"New strategy, Coach. We think—"

"I don't recall asking you to think, Volkov," Fraser cut him off, but there was a glint in his eye that I'd never seen before. He turned to me. "This your idea, Novak?"

I swallowed hard. "It was a team effort, sir. We all contributed."

Fraser's gaze swept over us, lingering on Blaise, who for once looked more eager than arrogant. After what felt like an eternity, the coach's mustache twitched.

"Run it again," he said gruffly. "Let's see if it was a fluke."

We shared a quick glance before taking our positions. This time, the entire team was watching, a palpable energy crackling through the air.

As I crouched for the face-off, I caught Fraser muttering under his breath.

"Well, I'll be damned. They might actually have something here."

***

I slid into the booth across from Moose, and the vinyl seat squeaked slightly under my weight. The café buzzed around us, the clinking of cups and murmur of conversations creating a cocoon of noise. It was perfect for a clandestine meeting between secret agents.

"Agent Knitter," I said in a low voice, fighting to keep a straight face. "I trust you weren't followed?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Moose's mouth. "All clear, Agent Speedster. Though I did have to lose a tail by ducking through Mrs. Kowalski's begonia garden."

I snorted, picturing Moose's hulking frame trying to sneak through our older neighbor's prized flowers. "Well done, Agent. I'll be sure to note that in my report to HQ."

---