I saw several quadrocopters with an even buzz soar up and whirl over the stadium during test flights. Sometimes a drone would descend very low to the fleeing crew and, as if a large, clumsy gadfly began to circle around, without reducing the sinister black eye lens from the running athlete and her rider.

The same thing happened on the power exercises before dinner, where the operators dexterously scurried among the coaches, taking pictures of brilliant sweat from different angles and, like chickens, seated on the bars of the perch, reddened by the strain of women. It was evident that it was not the first time that they were shooting such an event - their indifferent views expressed almost no interest in the naked athletes themselves. Only technical details and the organization of competent lighting - all of which were really focused professionals in their field.

Nervousness of the staff, willy-nilly, was passed on to the female athletes, which is why they stumbled more often during the race, and in the gym, in general, they constantly received fines from the dropped out sleeves. Acne did not put much pressure on the athletes, realizing that this is a characteristic excitement of the participants before an important event, which for some determine the chance of getting rid of imprisonment as soon as possible.

Irina has not seen the Doctor for a long time. It seemed that he was not on the island. She understood that the preparation for the qualifying round was going on, but how many days exactly before it nobody told her. Damir also disappeared. The only one whom she saw now from morning to evening was Andrei, but he did not communicate with her at all. The guy really treated her like a mare. He also continued to take care of her, trying to create maximum comfort and purity of her content, but he, as before, did not try to communicate with her. In the evenings, he sometimes brought a bottle of hot water and, wetting her feet, carefully rubbed her soles of the feet with some smelly fat. Irina baldela from this procedure, after which she fell asleep in low socks, in which he left her for the night. During the training sessions, the jockey tried to ignore extraneous fuss and concentrated on Irina’s condition and the results of the races.

In the evening, after weight lifting, the sportswomen, as usual, were freed from capsules in the rectum, and then taken to the red house. Irina's heart sank, Glancing at her friends over bondage, she saw several women also change their faces and began to look around in a strained way. As it turned out, the athletes were led to a short photo shoot. Several photographers from the newly arrived group in one of the large bright studio rooms began to take pictures, now and then explaining which position to stand or sit down at.

The last day before the qualifying round began, as always with a long run, during which riders gathered in the dining room, where Nurik spoke to them at breakfast.

- Attention all! Now I will tell you briefly how tomorrow's qualifying round will be held. He began to speak loudly, walking slowly between the rows of tables. - If you have questions, ask, I will answer. You can continue to eat. I will speak...

He cleared his throat a little and continued:

- So now you will distribute the already printed program. Everything is written there. Therefore, I am in general ... Today there is no training. And after lunch we all go to the hotel. If anyone does not know, there is a lower level of the floors, where there are rooms for staff. One of the floors is completely yours and your athletes. Boxes Who was already, he probably remembers - there is clean and comfortable.Dinner will be there, then prepare the horses and go to bed early and have a good rest. In the morning rise, as usual. Horses in the medbox - we weigh and we also weigh ourselves, after which an easy jog on the stadium. Control console, not a gun ... Washed - back in the box and took a breakfast. Themselves, too. And at ten o'clock the first race is eight kilometers. These are ten laps. Only three groups of six. Clear? So, at the beginning of the first, the second group and about three are the first. A tote will be organized, so there will be a lot of people. Tourists, vacationers and so on ... the competition will be broadcast to the rooms via the local area network. Do not pay attention! Focus on the result. First place - the maximum score.

Nurik uncorked a bottle of narzan and, wetting his throat, continued to tell:

- In the evening we come back here, back. And since the morning everything is the same, only on velomobilyah. Forty kilometers. It's more than two hours away. There will not be many spectators here, only those who need it, well, and ... especially important people. Also, three stages of six velomobiles. All the same as with the races. The best time is the maximum score. Then the points are added up and only six participants remain. Only six are allowed to the third stage, do you hear me?

- Why did they change the scheme? - loudly asked one of the jockeys, before the result was considered the final. There was no dropout ..

- Because the rules have changed. What can I say. We ourselves recently learned, but we received a letter from the confederation. There is a change. Well, we also changed the selection scheme. Any more questions?

- There is! - shouted, standing up, the guy at the far table, - and what to do with what did not pass? Home?

- No, why go home? Stay as usual until the end of the season. Vacationers a lot. They need entertainment, rental, arrivals ... So, you are finalizing a contract and then we say goodbye. Then there will be new arrivals, look, maybe you will like something, take it up to the future. Who knows? More questions? Not? Well, then go back to your business. Do not forget the printouts.

The riders silently began to rise from the tables and noisily talking, They went to get food for the "horses."

Athletes have already finished their morning jogging and came to their senses, huddling together in a pile near the old shed with inventory. Irina leaned back on the sun-drenched lawn, with her hands up and eyes closed. Andrei bent over her and fastened the leash, slightly pulled up. Nine shuddered in surprise, but when she saw her rider, she quickly jumped up and started walking after her. After breakfast, it was not possible to sleep, as the athletes were again taken first to the physical examination to Zhorik, and then to the fitting to Lyubov Vasilyevna, where a very long time they picked up new shoes. These were the same strange sneakers with a claim to glamorous elegance, consisting in a strongly raised backdrop. The discomfort was barely compensated by a shock absorbing sole, orthopedic insoles and good quality materials. Sneakers were measured on white compression socks, emphasizing the strong tan pumped legs.

After lunch, everyone was quickly harnessed into a double carriage and headed in a large cavalcade towards the hotel. “Horses” were not driven, realizing that each of them had to carry with them at least one hundred kilograms or more without taking into account the weight of the gigs themselves. For the last crew were two cargo carts filled with various equipment of the film crew and a huge Vasilievna chest. Irina already understood that they were going to the hotel for the qualifying competitions. So, finally, the qualifying competition! The first step to freedom! She didn’t feel the weight of the stroller attached to her belt at all, despite the fact that quite a full-length operator in chameleon glasses with a big black bag over his shoulder sat next to Andrey. A carnivorous man gazed at the athletes' buttocks swaying a meter and a half from him, mentally drawing various fantasies with her participation in his excited brain.

“Number Nine,” he mumbled quietly and looked at Andrei. “Good?”

He nodded silently.

- Think you win? - winked operator.

- I think yes! Like everyone, I guess.

- Listen, do you personally get something from a win? Well, the prize is there, I do not know ... loot?

Andrey nodded again:

- Something perepadet.

- Money?

- Yes, money.

The man perked up:

- And how much, if not a secret? Ton five? Ten?

- The secret. - the rider was his rider. - In general, the main thing is the victory itself! Not money.

- Do not tell me ... - the operator dreary, turning away. - Although, to each his own.

Soon the procession reached the large gates that were open in advance so as not to create delays. Uniformed guards looked at the long line of carriages with interest until they disappeared away.

They stopped in the backyard of the main building and, after disembarking passengers, began to unload the women, then went down to the lower floors of the hotel and distributed them to the boxes. There was absolutely nothing to do, and considering that Nine was used to sleeping around during the day, she took a shower and sat on the bed, quickly fell asleep and slept until the very evening, before the rider woke her. He took her to the medbox, where she removed the gag, earplugs and removed the capsule. Half an hour later, she was eating up, uncommonly sitting at the table, a boiled turkey with corn grits and coarsely chopped fresh vegetables. She drank down the meal with yogurt, she leaned around the tiny box, and then went to the toilet and turned for a long time, until suddenly the lights went out in the box. She pulled on a tight sheet and gradually disconnected.