Undercover Tailback Read Online Free Page B

huddle, tell Spike
     to keep the ball on the ground. Tell him to use Fabian as often as possible.”
    Parker joined the Kudzus’ huddle.
    He told Spike what the coach had said.
    “Okay, okay,” said Spike. “But you guys have to open up those holes. We’ll start with Dynamite Black.”
    Fabian clenched his fist. He was ready to run with the ball.
    Again, as soon as the signals were out of Spike’s mouth, the Leopards bore down.
    This time they stopped Fabian for a loss of five.
    On the next down, the Kudzus got lucky. The Leopards were so eager, they were offside before play began.
    The penalty gave the Kudzus a little breathing space.
    But not enough. Spike handed off to Parker on the next play. He was tackled as soon as he got the ball.
    In fact, it felt like the entire Leopard squad was on top of him!
    Huey helped him to his feet. “You okay, Parker?” he asked. The short, rugged center was used to pileups. He knew what it felt
     like to be on the bottom.
    Parker brushed the dirt from his hands. He shook off the muscle aches.
    “I’m all right,” he said. “But something really weird’s going on. They’re on top of us before we get a chance to run our plays.
     You know what I think?” he continued. “I think they know them! And this is how. …”
    He quickly told his teammates about seeing someone run out of Coach Isaac’s office with a camera. He described the desk with
     the open playbook and the gator replica holding it in place.
    “Then what?” asked Moose.
    “The coach came in, and I told him what happened,” said Parker.
    “Did he say anything? Did he think someone was stealing our plays?” asked Cris.
    “Uh … not exactly,” answered Parker.
    “And you never saw the guy’s face or anything?” asked Tripp Collins, the Kudzu offensive right guard.
    “No, I told you, just his back. ’Sides, he was wearing a hood,” said Parker.
    “You tried to catch him, but he got away?” asked Huey.
    “Yeah, you see, there were a million kids —”
    “Parker, you’re so full of baloney,” Cris interrupted. “When are you going to knock it off and start telling the truth?”
    “Hey, we’ve got a game to play,” said Spike.
    The referee was starting to pace up and down. They broke from the huddle just in time to avoid a penalty for delaying the
     game.
    Spike had called for a pass to Cris.
    Cris pushed past his blocker and raced down the field. As he hit his mark, he turned. He could see the ball spiraling down
     right at him.
    As Cris reached for the ball, a Leopard safety streaked in front of him and grabbed it. Luckily, the receiver went offside
     right afterward — or there might have been another Leopard touchdown on the scoreboard.
    That interception was no lucky break! thought Parker. Their defense knew where Cris was going to be. They always know what
     we’re going to do. It has to be that guy with the camera!
    Parker straggled back to the Kudzus huddle.
    “Listen, guys, I’m telling you, they know our plays!” he insisted.
    But no one paid any attention.

5
    T he Leopards held on to the ball for most of the second quarter. But the Kudzus defense kept them from scoring again.
    At the end of the half, the Leopards were ahead 13-0.
    In the locker room, Coach Isaac gave his team a pep talk. “I don’t know what’s wrong with you guys,” he said. “You’re making
     a few mistakes, but there’s something else. …”
    Parker was pretty sure he knew what that something was. But he’d already tried telling the guys, and they had laughed at him.
     Why should the coach listen?
    “You’re not connecting. You’re always a few seconds behind,” the coach continued.
    Or the Leopards are a few seconds ahead, thought Parker.
    “This half, don’t give them an extra inch anywhere,” said the coach. “We have to get on the scoreboard fast — build some momentum
     — really get the steam up. All right, let’s see you guys play some football!”
    They burst forth from the locker