Madrid, Spain – Late May 2015
Eli Mercer packed nothing.
No gear.
No gifts.
No goodbye notes.
Just breath.
Morning – School Hallway
Luis walked beside him.
"You're leaving?"
Eli nodded.
"Coach said there's a camp."
Luis paused.
"You didn't tell anyone."
Eli shrugged.
"I breathe early."
Luis didn't reply.
Just nodded once.
Afternoon – Final Practice
Coach Ortega ran drills.
Eli moved first.
Luis followed.
Two others synced.
Ortega watched.
"You'll represent Madrid."
Eli nodded.
"I'll calibrate."
Ortega blinked.
Didn't ask more.
Evening – Relationship Arc
She met him at the park.
Same bench.
Same rhythm.
"You're leaving."
Eli nodded.
"Just for a while."
She leaned slightly.
"You'll still breathe?"
Eli smiled.
"Always."
Next Game – Madrid vs. Berlin Juniors
Eli played 28 minutes.
No fouls.
No turnovers.
No missed shots.
Spacing held.
Timing clicked.
Rhythm stayed.
No one tracked the shift.
No one asked about the camp.
Post-Game – Locker Room
Luis leaned over.
"They won't notice you're gone."
Eli nodded.
Private Gym – Midnight Circuit
Eli logged the transition.
Breath delay: stable
Possession rhythm: clean
Departure protocol: masked
Cultivation: invisible
B-Side: silent
Eli Mercer's Private Post-Game Log
Team Score
Madrid Juniors vs. Berlin Juniors
Final Score: Madrid 74 – 63 Berlin
Result: Win
Eli's Private Stats (never shared)
Points: 20
Assists: 6
Rebounds: 4
Steals: 2
Turnovers: 0
Shooting: 8/8 FG, 4/4 FT
Breath Delay Sync: ✓
Cultivation Tier: Stable
B-Side Activation: Logged