Chapter 1 - The Old Man Entered the Cage
The music stopped when Elias Ward stepped through Combat Club.
Hundreds of spectators had gathered for the gym’s biggest fight night. Cameras surrounded the cage, sponsors occupied the front rows, and a giant screen displayed the undefeated record of Ryan Cross—the fighter everyone in Richmond called “The King.”
Ryan stood beneath the lights with his gloves raised.
When he saw Elias, he laughed.
“You actually came.”
Elias was fifty-five, with silver beginning to show in his close-cropped hair. He wore plain black trousers and an old gray sweatshirt. Nothing about him looked impressive beside Ryan’s expensive fight gear and championship belt.
Claire Ward stood near the cage entrance.
Her face showed no visible injuries, but fear had followed her into the building.
Ryan pointed at Elias.
“This is the man you said I should be afraid of?”
The crowd laughed with him.
Elias looked past Ryan and toward his daughter.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
Claire took a slow breath.
Then she raised a small silver drive above her head.
Ryan’s smile vanished.
Elias had not entered the gym to fight him.
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He had come to make sure Ryan could never hurt or threaten anyone again.
Six weeks earlier, Claire had called him from a locked bathroom.
