Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"Alright guys great practice. Let's hit the showers and get to the film room. Depth chart will be posted in twenty."

Dillon let the water wash over him as he thought about the upcoming game in Oakland. Sitting at 6-7 with a two game losing streak is not where they wanted to be. His thoughts drifted to Pablo Parker and his return to action. What did it mean for Dillon? Surely Dillon would still get the start and Parker would work his way in. Right?

"Powers! You gonna stay in there all day?"

"Naw man I'm done." Dillon answered as he snapped out of his daze.

He toweled off and dressed quickly, heading for the film room. As he approached the door he saw the depth chart had been posted.

"Mother****er!" He cursed under his breath as he saw Parker's name above his.

He felt his blood boil as he entered the film room and took his seat. Nothing sunk in during the film study, he was too preoccupied with his rage.

As soon as they were dismissed Dillon stormed out of the facility and made a bee line for the parking lot. He slammed the door and pounded his fists on the steering wheel.

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

Ring-ring.

Ring-ring.

Ring-ring.

Dillon awoke in a daze and fumbled for his phone.

"Hello?" He mumbled.
"Yo you alright D?" Ronnie asked, obviously in a panic.
"What? Yeah I'm fine. I was sleeping."
"Turn on the news!" He shouted.
"Why?"
"Just turn it on man. ****s going down!"

Dillon found the remote and clicked the TV on.
"Which channel?"
"Any of em!"

He flipped to the local news channel and sat up as he saw a reporter outside of the Dolphins' training facility.

"What the ****?" He asked himself, the TV and Ronnie all at once.
"I dunno man we was just going past and I saw a ton of police and ****!" Ronnie answered.

Dillon watched in awe, trying to figure out what had happened. Just as they cut back to the reporter Dillon heard a knock at the door.

"Miami-Dade police!" A voice on the other side shouted.
"I gotta go man." Dillon said into the phone as he hung it up.

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"So you expect us to believe that you had absolutely nothing to do with this?" The officer asked, obviously he didn't believe Dillon.
"No sir. I told you, I left right after film and went straight home."
"Witnesses say it was Ronnie Powers' white Tahoe that was used in the attack. We still haven't found it and Ronnie has an alibi."
"It wasn't me." He said for what felt like the five hundredth time.
"Well you just sit right here and see if you remember." The officer said as he stood up and left the room.

---

"Eyewitnesses state that Pablo Parker had just gotten into his Mercedes when a white Chevy Tahoe came speeding around this corner and slammed into the drivers side of Parker's car. The assailant then backed through this fence and sped off. None of the witnesses were able to identify the driver. Police are currently searching for the Tahoe. Parker has been taken to North Dade hospital where he is in stable condition. If you have any information please call the Miami-Dade police

---

"Well Mr. Powers you're in luck. The security guard said he saw you leave and we tracked you on traffic cameras. Looks like you weren't behind the wheel, but that doesn't mean you weren't involved."
"I wasn't. I'm telling the truth."

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"Stop pacing man, you're giving me anxiety." Ronnie said, obviously annoyed.
"I can't help it man, this is bull****."
"I know, hopefully they get this figured out so we can bounce."
"Once they find the Tahoe they'll figure out it was stolen."
"Yeah..." Ronnie's sentence was cut short as the two of them saw a familiar face being escorted by a pair of officers.
"Elisha!?" Dillon looked at Ronnie, who was speechless.

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"I just don't see her doing this all on her own."
"That's what she claims, we have no evidence that suggests otherwise."
"Something doesn't fit."
"Why not. She has motive."
"That's a pretty weak motive, don't you think?"
"I believe her. She wanted to keep Dillon in Miami. If Pablo is healthy then Dillon is the odd man out and he leaves."
"Seems like a pretty poor reason to me."
"He's a pro athlete. If she hangs on to him she's set for life. Plus I can tell she really loves him."
"How do you know that?"
"Call it women's intuition."
"Well we have to cut them loose with no evidence, but I'm not convinced."

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"They didn't even make an offer?"
"Nope. Nothing."
"****ers!" Dillon exclaimed, shocked that he didn't even get a courtesy offer from the Dolphins. It was official, he was now a free agent.
"Don't even sweat it D, the offers are gonna roll in like crazy."
"Yeah?"
"Definitely. You're gonna be one of the most sought-after free agents out there."
"Even with.." Dillon started to ask, thinking about Elisha and the mess she had created for him.
"That ain't even a thing man. They all know that crazy bitch did that **** solo." Reggie cut him off, knowing where he was going.
"Well. Who do you think will make offers?"
"We're gonna get a ton of em man. New England for sure."
"**** that! Too cold."
"*****."
"Hey wherever I go you're coming too. You want to live in the ****ing arctic man?"
"****, nah man too cold." Reggie joked as the two began to laugh.
"Where else?" Dillon asked with excitement in his voice.
"We're just gonna have to wait and see, there will be a bunch of 'em though."

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"Dillon! Yo Dillon!" Reggie shouted before he'd even shut the front door behind him.
"What?" Dillon answered from the couch.
"I got a list."
"A list?"
"All the teams that want you to visit."
"How many?"
"Uh... a lot. Like fifteen I think."
"Holy ****. I can't visit fifteen ****in' teams."
"No ****. We gotta narrow it down."
"To how many?"
"Maybe like five, six."
"Alright, let's hear the list."
"All of 'em?"
"Yeah. Hit me."
"Alright. Oakland, Houston, Denver, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Detroit, New York... the Jets, Saints, Falcons, Patriots, Chargers, Panthers." Reggie stopped for a minute and looked at Dillon who had a smile on his face. "Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Carolina and Dallas."
"Holy ****!"
"Told you man. Everyone wants you're ***."
"How am I going to narrow it down?"
"I dunno man. That's on you."
"Some agent you are, I knew I should have hired Rosenhaus." Dillon joked.
"Man **** you and Rosenhaus." Reggie joked back.
"Seriously though."
"Well let's eliminate the teams you're definitely not interested in first."
"I don't have much interest in Jacksonville, plus I'd probably have to split time with MJD."
"True." Reggie nodded as he crossed off the Jaguars.
"Cleveland..."
"Yeah, they suck. Good fans though."
"They don't seem to have a plan. Always rebuilding."
"Cross 'em off?"
"Yeah."
"Gone." Reggie said, crossing off the Browns.
"No to Tennessee."
"Ok. Tennesse, gone." Reggie crossed off the Titans.
"How many is that?"
"Still got twelve left D." Reggie laughed.
"New England really is too cold. Plus without Brady who knows what they'll be."
"They went 7-9 last year. Not terrible."
"Too cold."
"New England, off the list." Reggie crossed out the Patriots.
"Not the Jets."
"No Jets, down to ten now."
"Any suggestions?"
"I don't like Jerry Jones much in Dallas, plus Romo hung it up. Carolina doesn't have any money."
"Ok. Get rid of both of them."
"Dallas and Carolina. No and no. Eight left."
"Man. This is tough."
"You think this is tough, wait til you've had all you're visits and we're deciding who to sign with."
"****."
"Eight left, let's get it down to six."
"Read 'em again?"
"Oakland, Houston, Denver, Detroit, New Orleans, Atlanta, San Diego and Pittsburgh."
"I bet Pittsburgh is cold as **** too."
"Probably."
"So much history there though."
"Keep 'em or cut 'em?"
"Let's keep 'em for now."
"Alright."
"Houston still got Arian Foster?"
"Yeah."
"Cross them off."
"Done."
"Who does San Diego have at runningback?"
"Uhh. Andre Ellington."
"Hmmm. How many left now?"
"One less than the last time you asked. Seven."
"Think we can visit them all?"
"It'd be a hell of a trip."
"Help me out then."
"New Orleans roster is looking pretty shabby man. They were 5-11 last year, lot's of old players and not much cap space."
"That city though."
"Yeah, great atmosphere."
"San Diego is beautiful."
"Definitely."
"What do you think of Detroit?"
"The team or the city?"
"Both."
"The city is a wasteland. The team is improving but..."

Dillon and Reggie went back and forth for hours, trying to eliminate teams. At the end of the day the list was still at seven teams.

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"Welcome back to pardon the interruption. Let's talk about Dillon Powers."
"Let's do that."
"He's one of the most sought-after free agents in the NFL. Where do you see him landing?"
"Well that's a tough call, he has a number of suitors. Reportedly as many as fifteen teams have contacted him."
"Where would you sign?"
"You have to go after the money."
"Why the money? Doesn't winning trump the money?"
"Not anymore. Players can't afford to be loyal. The league isn't."
"That's true."
"Especially for a runningback. Realistically, this could be the last contract he signs. Careers in the NFL aren't long for runningbacks, he needs to cash in while he can."
"I still think you go where you have the best chance to win."
"Not at 22, you cash in at 22. When you get older you go somewhere to win."
"There are rumors that he has narrowed it down to a handful of teams."
"Yes. We're hearing a lot about Oakland, Denver, Detroit and Pittsburgh."
"Where does he go?"
"Well he is visiting all of them this week. I say go to the highest bidder."
"Who do you suspect that will be?"
"Oakland has a ton of cap space. Denver isn't far behind."
"Detroit and Pittsburgh can't offer as much."
"Right."
"What's the best situation for him?"
"Well Denver has an elite passer in Manning and a good corps of receivers."
"Their defense is just alright."
"Yeah. Detroit has a solid quarterback and a decent defense."
"Oakland was just 5-11 last year but they have some talent for sure."
"They've been aggressive in free agency lately."
"Pittsburgh?"
"The Steelers love to run the ball. They're aging all over. Keisel and Polamalu just retired."
"As we said Powers has visits with all four teams this week, I'm sure we'll know more shortly."

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"Jesus you packed a lot of ****, you know we're only gone a week right?" Dillon asked Reggie as he loaded another of his bags into the taxi.
"Uh yeah man, Oakland to start and we finish up in Pittsburgh, little weather difference there, you'll see."
"I'll just steal your **** man."
"Like to see you try me man." Reggie joked as he flexed his biceps.
Dillon laughed and waved his hand at Reggie. He looked around and took it all in, realizing that soon this wouldn't be home anymore. He took a deep breath of the Miami air and slammed the trunk of the cab.

---

"Reggie, over there." Dillon said, nudging Reggie and pointing to a man with a sign reading "Dillon Power" with a Raiders logo next to it.
"Hello Mr. Powers." The man said as they approached. "Right this way."
Dillon and Reggie followed the man to a limo and got in the back. It was a short ride to the Raiders complex and Reggie and Dillon stuck their heads out the windows as they approached.
"Nice place." Reggie said.
"Yeah, not too shabby." Dillon replied, nodding his head.

The limo came to a stop and the door was opened. Reggie and Dillon climbed out and were greeted by three men.
The first man extended his hand.
"Hello Dillon, Reggie. I'm Reggie McKenzie, the GM of the Oakland Raiders. This is Head Coach Dennis Allen and this is Mark Davis, team owner."
"Nice to meet you all." Dillon said as he shook hands with each of the men. Reggie did the same.
The two were given a tour of the facilities, introduced to more coaches and a handful of key players. The whole process was a bit overwhelming to Dillon, he wasn't heavily recruited out of high school and hadn't been drafted into the league. This was the first time teams had really been pursuing him like this. It was all a little overwhelming.

[NewscasterNews4]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

I say Detroit.

[djp73]

Re: Run Like Hell - The Legend of Dillon Powers

"What a ****in' week man." Dillon sighed as he collapsed onto the hotel room bed.
"You're telling me, been around the whole country it seems." Reggie answered as he poured them each a drink from the mini bar.
Dillon sat up on the bed and took the glass from Reggie as he extended it.
"To a new chapter." Reggie said and held up his glass.
"A new chapter." Dillon answered, clinking his glass against Reggie's before downing it's contents in one shot.
Reggie sat down in a chair in the corner and propped his feet up on the table.
"You wanna talk business or sleep on it?" Reggie asked.
"I dunno man, my head is spinning." Dillon replied.
"Yeah, I hear ya. Any initial thoughts?"
"I didn't get a great vibe from Oakland really."
"No?"
"Nope, can't really put my finger on it."
"Sometimes you have to follow your gut."
"Yeah."
"We should have Pittsburgh's offer tomorrow. Once we have that I'll tell you what they all are and we can get down to business."
"Ok. Sounds good man. Another?" Dillon asked as he pointed to Reggie's empty glass.