Target Center – Diagnostics Wing
June 24, 2016. 9:12 a.m.
Elias sat on the exam table, spine straight, eyes forward.
No phone. No earbuds. No reaction.
But inside, he felt the weight.
Not fear.
Not pride.
Just the quiet pressure of being unscouted, uninvited, and now—unavoidable.
Dr. Leland entered with a clipboard and a practiced smile.
"You nervous?"
Elias looked up. His voice was soft, but clear.
"I'm curious. You're about to tell me what I already know."
Dr. Leland blinked.
He hadn't expected a voice.
He hadn't expected calm.
Scan Room – 9:34 a.m.
The MRI tech ran the sequence twice.
No errors. Just unreadable results.
• Bone density: 2.3x above elite athlete average
• Joint wear: zero
• Muscle symmetry: perfect
• Neural response: fast, smooth, unforced
Dr. Leland frowned.
"You've never been injured?"
Elias nodded once.
"I've been hit. I've never broken."
The tech glanced at the screen.
"You're not aligned with anything we've seen."
Elias stood.
"Then maybe I'm not the one misaligned."
Internal Report – 10:12 a.m.
The Timberwolves' medical team submitted a sealed report.
"Subject exhibits no signs of prior injury, fatigue, or asymmetry.
All metrics fall outside standard deviation for known NBA profiles.
Recommend no physical restrictions.
Recommend immediate gameplay observation.
Psychological note: subject exhibits extreme silence and non-reactivity."
Elias had read the draft before it was sent.
He added a note at the bottom.
"I'm not silent. I'm listening."
The GM read it.
Then deleted the psychological line.
Recovery Room – 10:47 a.m.
Elias sat alone.
No towel. No water.
Just memory.
A trainer entered with a clipboard.
"You're cleared."
Elias stood.
Then paused.
"Do they expect me to talk?"
The trainer hesitated.
"I think they expect you to perform."
Elias smiled—barely.
"Then they'll be disappointed. I don't perform. I calibrate."
He walked out.
Not fast. Not slow.
Just enough to let the room feel his absence.