Read Online Gang Tackle by Eric Howling - Free Book Online

rapid-fire questions, each one making Coach Fort more and more steamed.
    “Get off the field!” he shouted, his arms spinning like a windmill.
    “Not going to happen,” Jamal said. “The players are staying in position until everybody sees our message. Until everyone knows we want you gone.”
    The cameraman moved right in front of Coach and zoomed in for a closeup.
    “Get out of my face!” Coach shouted, pushing the camera out of the way.
    “There’s only one way to make it stop,” Jamal said.
    “What do I have to do?”
    “Quit.”
    Coach Fort looked like he was going to explode. He grabbed both sides of his head. “All right, I quit. But don’t think for a second that you’ve won. You may have started this war, but I’m going to finish it. Finish all of you.”
    Coach Fort turned and stormed off the field, his suit jacket flapping in the breeze.
    The camera zeroed in on Coach as he lumbered away, then panned back to Jamal.
    “We did it!” he called across the field to the players.
    The Saints kickoff squad ran cheering to the sideline even before they had kicked the ball.
    The Rams stood and watched. They looked confused. So did the referee. So did the crowd. No one could figure out why Southside was celebrating. The Saints were cheering like they had already won the game.
    “See ya later, Coach!” Rico shouted, pumping his fist in the air.
    Carlos let out a whoop. “I knew we could do it!”
    “Sweet!” Malik yelled.
    Jamal made a T with his hands. “Time-out!” he called to the referee.
    “You have sixty seconds before the game starts again,” the ref said. “And remember you still have to kick off.”
    “It’s great we got rid of Coach Fort,” Darnell said. “But now we’ve got another problem. We need another coach.”
    “And we need him now,” Rico said.
    “What’s your plan for that?” Eli asked.
    Jamal smiled. “Plan C coming up.” He raced over to the stands. “Coach Kemp, welcome back.”

Chapter Sixteen
    Jamal was surrounded. The opening school bell was about to ring and half the team was still huddled around his locker.
    “What a game, man!” Rico said.
    “I still can’t believe we won.” Malik couldn’t wipe the giant grin off his face.
    “It doesn’t get any closer than twenty-one to twenty,” Davey said.
    Rico held up a single finger. “One point is all it takes.”
    Eli turned to the winning quarterback. “That was an awesome pass, Big D.”
    Darnell grinned and waved him off. “It was nothing, bro. I was just doing what I do. You know, making perfect throws with just seconds to play against the best team in the league.”
    “It’s a good thing you were playing QB and not me.”
    “Yeah, we can thank Coach Kemp for that,” Darnell said. “It sure is good having him back.”
    “Anybody forgetting something?” Jamal asked.
    “Like what?” Rico joked. “The guy they featured on The Sports Channel last night? The guy they showed beating his coverage and blazing into the end zone to make a diving catch with just one hand?”
    “Yeah, that guy,” Jamal said. “It was a pretty awesome catch if I do say so myself.” He pounded fists with Darnell to thank him for the sweet pass.
    “It wasn’t quite as awesome as the video they showed before your catch,” Eli said.
    “You mean Coach Fort going crazy on the sideline when he figured out our secret message?” Malik asked.
    “I thought he was going to have a heart attack right on camera.” Darnell pretended to be in pain, grabbing his chest with one hand.
    “He sure got out of there in a hurry,” Eli said.
    Malik laughed. “I didn’t know he could run that fast.”
    “Waddle is more like it,” Rico kidded.
    Suddenly the speakers in the hall crackled with a school announcement. “Would Jamal Wilson please report to the principal’s office.”
    “What’s going on?” Darnell asked. “You haven’t been hanging with the Southside gang again, have you?”
    “No way.” Jamal shook his head.