Loud voices and shouting filled the arena first, then the reporters and fans in the venue erupted in an instant, whoops, gasps, and raucous chatter exploding through the crowd.
Neo jerked his head up, his eyes wide with stunned disbelief. "What?"
The testing officials herded them backstage. Cold sweat beaded on Neo and his teammates' foreheads before they even realized it. They had poured blood, sweat, and tears into this competition, after all.
The lead inspector spoke, his tone as grim as a judge handing down a death sentence. "Neo, your urine test came back positive for sedatives. Your competition results are void. You are banned from all official events for life."
Neo's legs buckled, trembling so hard he could barely stand. His teammates stared at him, slack-jawed, and for a second
