Free AC05 - Death Mask by Kathryn Fox

timetable, repeating the title and time of each session. The day covered a number of serious topics, along with ‘How to handle an interview’, ‘Why charities are some of our most important work’, and advice on ‘Dressing to kill’ from a stylist.
    Anya noted the irony of a fashion session in a seminar on conduct. Still jet-lagged, she downed her second coffee, hoping the caffeine would kick in quickly. After heading straight to the hotel to check-in, she had had time for a quick nap and shower before starting work.
    She knew this audience would be difficult to connect with. Young male athletes were not used to sitting and listening for long periods unless it involved game strategies with their coach.
    From the number and distribution of coloured jerseys in the audience, all the teams had sent players to the summit. A larger proportion of gold, purple and green suggested to Anya that they were the colours of the New Jersey Bombers, who were in greater numbers because of their exhibition match against the celebrity All-Stars. A quick scan suggested ten or so players had been chosen from each club. The other audience members could have been administrators, trainers or team psychologists, for all Anya knew. The room was at maximum capacity.
    The amount of murmuring, groaning and shifting in seats made her think of high school students being told there was a test at the end of the lesson. Except that these few hundred men had left school and college behind them, and this course was for their benefit.
    ‘Settle down!’ A man with
COACH
emblazoned across his jersey stood from behind his front-row seat.
    ‘It won’t kill you to listen to what the speakers have to say. They tell me you might learn something useful.’
    Amid the mutterings, someone called out, ‘How come you don’t have to stay, Coach?’
    ‘Because I have real work to do,’ he responded, and left via a side door.
    Anya took a breath. Without support from men the players respected, the task ahead was made that much more challenging. The least the coach could have done was stayed for the first session, even if he was feigning support for the programme. His life would have to be easier if fewer of his players were arrested and charged with violent offences.
    ‘Our first speaker is a world-renowned pathologist and forensic physician who is going to talk to you about safe sex, an important aspect of sexual behaviour,’ the emcee announced. ‘Please welcome from Australia, Doctor Anya Crichton.’
    A cheer went out within the group and a number of themen hooted like adolescents. She wondered if they were expecting a stereotypical Australian woman – blonde, suntanned and long-legged.
    Anya took to the makeshift stage to more cheers and wolf-whistles. Without responding, she plugged in her PowerPoint presentation and pulled up the slide of a pustulating, ulcerated lesion on a barely recognisable penis.
    She switched on the microphone.
    ‘What you see here is a result of unsafe sex.’
    The contorted faces and grimaces in the first few rows showed the image had the desired effect, until someone further towards the back called out, ‘I thought safe sex meant locking the car doors and making sure the handbrake’s on?’
    Chuckling spread like a wave across the group.
    ‘Or the girl’s father doesn’t have a shotgun.’
    Raucous laughter continued. Anya changed slides and, as the crowd snickered, she identified one of the comedians, who was still being slapped on the back by surrounding admirers.
    Tall, broad shoulders, slumped in the chair, one elbow leaning on the shoulder of the player to his right. Wavy blond hair and blue eyes.
    ‘You are?’
    ‘Pistol Pete Janson. At your service.’
    ‘Mr Janson, if you value your career, it’s worth taking this lecture seriously. Sexually transmitted infections could prevent you from playing, or worse. And they can also infect your wives and girlfriends.’ She paused. ‘How many of you think about that