40 The Ghost General

“Miss E, here’s your passport and boarding pass,” he said while handing her passport back after printing all the team members’ boarding passes. Traveling in a big group such as this bunch of kids, - online check-in is a God gift to humankind.

As their manager, it is his responsibility to do even this menial task to make sure that all of their players would be focusing on nothing but their game. Especially this game. It is the first part of the elimination round for the world championship.

A lot of changes had happened in the club, and one of the changes was for the first time he has to take care of a girl team member. A very beautiful one. The Big Boss broke his long time rule of not hiring a girl player for the team, to avoid any unnecessary trouble and disturbance in a group of boys at the peak of their testosterone growth.

But it seems they have nothing to worry about with the newest and the only girl member of the team. Miss E, blends well with the boys. She doesn’t catch much attention unless you stare at her face for more than two minutes and if you have the wish to be killed with her deadly icy stare.

The moment she stayed in the barracks of the WIZ club, the boys had the illusion that their days would be rainbow and butterflies, finally having a girl on the team. But their fantasy was shattered early on, because Miss E, kicked all of their asses whenever she enters the game floor.

The boys abandoned their dream of lovely days with her presence when they were all turned into a sacrificial lamb for her practice game. He grinned at the thought of how the members turned into a defensive move every time they have to play against Miss E.

No one wants to experience the humiliation of losing with a newbie, - sadly they all do, with the exemption of the two captains; Grand and DT are the only players that Miss E hasn’t beaten on the game, but the Big Boss believes she can do if she tried hard enough.

He finished distributing the last passport and boarding pass to the last member. He was shoving his passport on his back jeans pocket when DT called his attention.

“Ghost, have you seen Miss E?” he asked in his monotone voice.

“I handed her passport back a while ago, I didn’t notice where she went next,” he answered him, at the same time his eyes are darting like a hawk searching for his prey in the group of young men in black assemble. They are all wearing the team uniform, - all black with the logo of their team in muted silver. And in the sea of blacks, it comes to his attention that it was not just Miss E who was missing in the group, but also Grand!

“Don’t worry about Miss E, even it is her first time to join us in this competition, the Big Boss already said that she is still not going to play,” he assured DT, patting his elbow. This young man, much to his chagrin is taller than him.

“I’m not worried about her playing. She can handle herself well,” he said in a flat tone, his eyebrows are starting to meet at the bridge of his tall nose. “I just want to find her.”

“Well, you shouldn’t worry about that too. It looks like Miss E is with Grand.” he smiled as he took another swept over the group.

He watched DT’s eyebrows furrowed and his mouth turned into a thin line. ‘Not good.’ He is the team captain and it’s delicate not to bother him before a game. “I will find them soon. Go back to your seat.” he pacifies him hurriedly while cursing Grand in his head. ‘That casanova!’

If there is one member of their twenty-one members team that isn’t afraid to talk to Miss E, would be Grand. He is the certified womanizer in this hormone crazy bunch. He took a deep breath in annoyance, stepping away from the group, dialing Grand’s number. ‘Today is the day I will kill this womanizer.’

However, before his phone rings on its third ring, the bastard that he is searching spoke behind right behind him.

“Yo, Ghost Man, why are you calling me?” he asked innocently.

He inhaled the irritation that was forming in his throat seeing that Miss E was right behind him. She has a cup of lemon water in her hands. She looks so darn cute holding a yellow plastic cup, sipping her drink without a care in the world.

“You know the rules!” he gritted his teeth as he gently scolded Grand. ‘This bastard will get a beating once they are done with the competition.’ “Please refrain from staying away from the group.” he smiled, giving him a reminder.

Moving around the mood of these young boys is giving him a headache, but what can he do. It is his job and he loves it. Even when he can longer play in the international competition, he can’t let go of the adrenaline rush of this game.

“Miss E, if you wanted something to drink, let me know. I could get it for you.”

“He doesn’t need an old man hovering over her like a mother hen,” he said mocking their manager.

He exhaled deeply his air of annoyance, and let go of making sure all the members of the team are in topnotch condition mentally, physically, and emotionally before a game.

“You are asking for your life to be cut short, young man!” he snapped at his innocent-looking face, grinning mischievously at him.

He has to take care of all the mental and emotional aspects of these kids, but he’s about to lose his own mental and emotional state when he heard Miss E giggled next to him, he calmed down.

“By the way, Miss E, DT was looking for you,” he said, suddenly remembering the reason why he was looking for her.

“What for?” she asked in an icy tone.

“Uhm, that I didn’t know. But we only have few minutes before boarding time, you can ask him yourself later. You will be seating next to him on the flight.” He said feeling proud that he was able to do DT’s request to be seated next to her.

“Get me a new seat.” she snapped at him, leaving him behind with his mouth wide open in shock.

“Passenger of flight CA2901 JAM Air, bound to Seoul Korea, please proceed to Gate number, 221.”