Chapter 6
The next morning, I went back to the warehouse.
I needed to talk to The Reaper.
I found him alone in the training room.
Sitting on the ring apron. Staring at nothing.
"I know about your daughter," I said.
He stood up fast. Fists clenched.
"How do you know that?" he growled.
"Vincent is inflating the hospital bills," I said. "He's making us desperate on purpose. He's been doing it for years. To me. To you. To who knows how many others."
The Reaper stared at me.
His name was Marcus.
He told me about his daughter, Lila. Seven years old. Beautiful. Brave.
He told me how Vincent had approached him when she was diagnosed.
Offered to pay for everything.
In exchange for one fight.
Then another.
Then another.
Until he was trapped.
"I've killed three men in that ring," he said quietly. "Men who were just like us. Desperate. And I have to live with that every day."
He looked at me.
"Tomorrow night, I'm supposed to kill you. Vincent told me the crowd paid extra. A death match. If I don't do it... he cuts off Lila's treatment."
I sat down beside him.
"What if we don't fight?" I said.
"We have to," he said. "Vincent has cameras everywhere. Security everywhere. If we don't give the crowd what they want... we both die. And our families die with us."
"Not if we give them something better," I said.
I told him my plan.
Mickey had connections. Friends in the media. Friends in the police.
If we could get evidence to them...
If we could expose the whole system...
Then maybe we could all be free.
May you like
Marcus listened.
And slowly, he nodded.
