Chapter 9: The Locker Room Eavesdrop
Andres had been frustrated by the lack of progress in discovering who was behind his assault. The attack had left him in a coma, and he was determined to uncover the truth. Jannela, always supportive, suggested they try to gather information by sneaking into the locker room of Andres’ mortal team. 
Using their invisibility powers, they hoped to overhear conversations that might provide clues about any potential enemies or motives behind the attack. They chose a particularly critical day: the day of a crucial match where emotions would be high and secrets might slip.
---
The locker room was bustling with activity. Players were getting ready for the game, their conversations a mix of strategies, jokes, and occasional complaints. Andres and Jannela slipped in unnoticed, their forms completely invisible to the mortal eyes.
“This feels so strange,” Andres whispered, his voice barely audible to Jannela.
She nodded, even though he couldn’t see her.
“We need to stay focused. Listen carefully.”
---
They moved closer to a group of players who were talking near the lockers.
“I can’t believe we’re still dealing with this,” one of them, a tall defender named Marcus, said.
“Andres was our best player, and now we’re struggling without him.”
A midfielder, Jake, shook his head.
“Yeah, it’s tough. But we have to pull together. We can’t let what happened to Andres break us.”
Andres listened intently, feeling a mix of pride and sadness at their words.
“Do you think there’s any chance he’ll come back?” asked another player, Sam.
Jake sighed.
“I don’t know, man. The doctors say it’s up to him now. He has to fight to wake up.”
---
Moving on, Andres and Jannela edged closer to the coaching staff, who were huddled together, discussing the game plan.
Coach Ramirez looked worried.
“We need to keep our heads in the game. The guys are still shaken up by what happened to Andres, but we have to stay strong.”
Assistant Coach Miller nodded.
“Agreed. But have we made any progress on finding out who did this? We need to know if there’s a threat to the team.”
Ramirez lowered his voice.
“I’ve heard rumors. Some say it might be related to a bet gone wrong. Andres was a high-profile player, and he had a lot of attention on him.”
Andres’ eyes widened.
“A bet? I never got involved in gambling.”
Jannela whispered,
“We need to find out more. This could be the lead we’re looking for.”
---
As they continued to listen, they caught snippets of conversations hinting at possible suspects. Some players mentioned a shady character named Tony who had been seen around the stadium. Others speculated about rival teams that might have had a motive to harm Andres.
In a quiet corner of the locker room, two players were having a more candid discussion. They were lower on the social hierarchy of the team and often talked more freely when they thought no one was listening.
“I heard something weird the other day,” said one of them, a young forward named Eric. “You know those guys who hang around the stadium? The ones with the fancy cars and suits?”
“Yeah, what about them?” asked his friend, a defender named Pete.
“Well, I overheard one of them talking about Andres,” Eric continued. “Something about making sure he ‘stayed down.’ I didn’t catch the whole thing, but it sounded serious.”
Pete frowned. “Why didn’t you tell the coaches?”
Eric shrugged, looking nervous. “I don’t know, man. Those guys give me the creeps. I didn’t want to get involved.”
Andres clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger. “So it wasn’t just random. Someone planned this.”
Jannela placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “We’ll get to the bottom of it, Andres. Let’s keep listening.”
---
They moved closer to another group of players, who were discussing the upcoming match. Among them was Ryan, one of the team’s veteran players.
“I just hope we can pull this off without Andres,” Ryan said, sounding resigned. “He was a pain sometimes, but we need his skill on the field.”
Another player, Matt, nodded. “Yeah, his arrogance was a bit much, but he could play. I heard some people didn’t like that about him.”
“What do you mean?” Ryan asked, curious.
“Well, I overheard some guys talking about teaching him a lesson. I didn’t think they’d actually do anything, though,” Matt replied.
Ryan looked alarmed. “Who? Who was talking about that?”
Matt hesitated. “I don’t know their names. Just some shady characters I’ve seen around. Maybe they’re the ones behind this.”
Andres felt a chill run down his spine. “This is bigger than I thought.”
Jannela squeezed his hand. “We’re getting closer. We need to find out who these people are and why they targeted you.”
---
As the players began to leave the locker room to head to the field, Andres and Jannela slipped out with them, careful to remain unseen. They needed to process what they had learned and plan their next steps.
Once they were outside, Andres turned to Jannela, his expression determined. “We need to find this Tony guy and those shady characters Eric mentioned. They’re our best leads.”
Jannela nodded. “Agreed. But we also need to be careful. We don’t know how dangerous these people are.”
---
Over the next few days, Andres and Jannela conducted their own investigation, using their invisibility to gather more information. They followed up on the leads they had overheard in the locker room, finding out more about Tony and the other suspicious figures.
They discovered that Tony was a bookie with ties to the criminal underworld. He had a reputation for making sure bets went his way, by any means necessary. Andres’ high-profile status had made him a target, and when Andres refused to throw a game, Tony decided to take drastic measures.
---
Armed with this information, Andres and Jannela knew they needed to take action. They couldn’t confront Tony directly, but they could gather enough evidence to expose him and ensure he faced justice.
One evening, they followed Tony to a meeting with his associates, using their invisibility to remain undetected. The meeting took place in a dimly lit warehouse, with Tony and his men discussing their illegal activities.
“We’ve got to keep the heat off,” Tony was saying. “That kid Andres is still in a coma, but we need to make sure no one connects us to what happened.”
One of his men nodded. “We’ve been careful. No one’s talking.”
Tony scowled. “Good. Because if anyone does, they’ll regret it.”
Andres clenched his fists, anger boiling within him. “He’s not going to get away with this.”
Jannela placed a hand on his arm, calming him. “We need to get this information to the authorities. They can handle it from here.”
---
With the evidence they had gathered, Andres and Jannela approached the celestial authorities, explaining the situation. The authorities assured them that they would investigate and bring Tony and his associates to justice.
As they left the celestial realm, Andres felt a sense of relief. “We did it, Jannela. We found out who was behind it.”
Jannela smiled, her eyes filled with pride. “We make a great team, Andres. Now we can focus on our own mission.”
Andres nodded, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “Let’s get back to training. We’ve got a tournament to win.”
---
Their journey had brought them closer together, and their bond was stronger than ever. As they returned to the celestial stadium, they knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together, united in their quest for justice and victory.