Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich. Champions League Semi-Final.

The First Leg. Away.

Bayern were the German champions. They were a machine. And they had Harry Kane.

His old captain. His friend. Now, his enemy.

"Mr. Finch?"

Alex looked up. Maya was standing there. She was holding a stack of books.

"Are you calculating the probability of stopping Harry Kane?" she asked, sitting down.

"It is... difficult," Alex admitted. "He knows us. He knows the Hurricane. He knows how I play."

"Then you must change how you play," Maya said simply. "Introduce a new variable."

"A new variable?"

"Chaos," Maya smiled. "Entropy. Do something unpredictable."

Alex thought about it. Unpredictable.

"Thanks, Maya," he said. "You are smarter than the manager."

"I know," she said, opening a book on quantum physics.

The flight to Munich was quiet.

Alex sat next to Jude.

"It will be weird," Jude said. "Playing against Harry."

"He will try to score," Alex said. "He is a professional."

"He will try to kill us," Mark said from the seat behind. "He knows my weakness."

"What is your weakness, Speed?" Jude asked.

"I am ticklish," Mark whispered. "If he tickles me during a corner... I am finished."

Alex laughed. "I don't think Harry Kane's strategy involves tickling, Mark."

The Allianz Arena was a glowing red spaceship in the night.

The atmosphere was intimidating. German drums. Flags. Noise.

Alex stood in the tunnel. He was the Captain. He wore the armband.

Harry Kane was standing at the front of the Bayern line. He was wearing the red of Bayern. It looked wrong.

Harry saw him. He walked over.

He hugged Alex.

"Professor," Harry said. "You look good with the armband."

"I am just keeping it warm for you," Alex said.

"No," Harry said seriously. "It is yours now. You earned it. But tonight... I am going to make you work for it."

"I am ready," Alex said.

They walked out. The Champions League anthem played.

Alex looked at the Bayern team. Musiala. Sané. Kimmich.

And Harry Kane. The best striker in the world.

The whistle blew.

Bayern started fast. They were at home. They wanted to dominate.

Musiala was dancing. He dribbled past Jude. He passed to Kane.

Kane shot.

Ramsdale saved it.

"Close him down!" Alex yelled. "Don't let him turn!"

But Kane was clever. He dropped deep. He pulled the Arsenal defenders out of position.

In the 20th minute, Kane got the ball in midfield.

He looked up. He saw Sané running.

He hit a perfect, long pass.

Sané caught it. He crossed.

Musiala was there. He tapped it in.

GOAL.

One zero. Bayern.

The stadium erupted.

Kane didn't celebrate. He just walked back to the center circle.

Alex watched him.

He is playing like me, Alex realized. He is the playmaker. He is dropping deep.

Alex looked at Jude.

"Jude! Stop marking the space! Mark him!"

"Mark Harry?" Jude asked.

"Yes! Follow him! If he goes to the toilet, go with him!"

"Got it," Jude said. "Operation Stalker."

The game changed.

Jude stuck to Kane like glue. He was strong. He was fast.

Kane couldn't turn. He couldn't pass.

Arsenal started to grow into the game.

Alex controlled the midfield. He passed. Zip. Zip.

35th minute.

Alex got the ball. He saw Mark making a run.

But Davies, the Bayern left-back, was fast. He was tracking Mark.

Alex didn't pass to Mark.

He saw Antoine.

Antoine was standing still.

Alex passed to Antoine's feet.

Antoine did a flick. A backheel.

To Alex.

Alex had continued his run. The "Give and Go".

He was on the edge of the box.

He shot.

Neuer saved it.

But the rebound fell to Mark.

Mark didn't miss.

GOAL!

One one.

Mark ran to the corner. He did the "Kane Celebration". The jump and punch.

"DISRESPECT!" Mark yelled, laughing.

Kane looked at him and shook his head. He was smiling.

Halftime. One one.

The locker room was calm.

"Good response," Steve said. "Jude, you are doing a great job on Harry. Keep it up."

He looked at Alex.

"Professor. They are blocking the middle. Kimmich is sitting on you."

"I know," Alex said. "It is crowded."

"So go wide," Steve said. "Switch with Antoine. Confuse them. Create chaos."

"Entropy," Alex whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing, coach. Physics."

Second half.

Alex moved to the left. Antoine went to the middle.

Bayern were confused. They didn't know who to mark.

The game opened up.

In the 60th minute, Bayern scored again.

A corner. De Ligt headed it in.

Two one.

The crowd roared. Bayern were on top.

Arsenal were tired. The season was long. Their legs were heavy.

But they didn't give up.

75th minute.

Alex got the ball on the wing.

He cut inside.

He saw Kane. Kane was defending. He was in his own box.

Alex looked at Kane.

Kane looked at Alex.

Alex faked a shot. Kane blocked.

Alex dragged the ball back.

He saw Jude.

Jude was making a late run.

Alex chipped the ball.

A soft, delicate chip to the back post.

Jude was there. The Power.

He jumped. He towered over the defender.

He headed it.

GOAL!

Two two.

Jude roared. He flexed his muscles.

Alex ran over. "The Power and the Brain!"

The game ended 2-2.

A draw. Away from home. It was a great result.

Alex walked off the pitch.

Harry Kane walked with him.

"You are annoying," Harry said. "You learned too well."

"I had a good teacher," Alex said.

Harry swapped shirts with him.

Alex held the red Bayern shirt. Number 9. KANE.

"See you in London," Harry said. "I am coming home."

"We will be waiting," Alex said.

The bus ride to the airport was happy.

Mark was wearing a Bavarian hat.

"I am German now!" Mark yelled. "Ich bin schnell! I am fast!"

"You are loud," Bastian grunted, but he was smiling.

Alex sat next to Jude.

"We did it," Alex said. "We survived."

"We thrived," Jude corrected. "Two goals in Munich. We are giants."

Alex looked at his phone.

A text from Maya.

"Probability of Arsenal reaching the final: 65%. Probability of Mark losing that hat: 99%."

Alex laughed.

He closed his eyes.

One more game. One more win.

And they would be in the Final again.

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