“Drago?”
He turned to see an older man, leaning on a cane.
“Mr. Vent?”
“David, please, come to my office.”
They entered the office, and Drago gave a nod to Carlos, who turned on his little machine that would track if there were any listening devices in his office.
David’s brow rose up, looking a little shocked.
“He’s all clear. Nothing on him,” Carlos said.
The door was already closed.
“Do I even want to know what this is about?” David asked.
Taking a seat, Drago stared at the man. “Do you remember me?”
“I’ve never met you before?”
“Probably thirty years ago, you came down to a gym. You had a warrant to search the premises. I don’t know what for, but you asked me what I was doing there.”
“Fighting,” David said. “That’s all I could get out of you. Then that fucker stopped by and I was kicked off the premises. I had a good hunch what he was into. Was getting the paperwork together for an in-depth search when I was struck down.”
“I was an underground child fighter,” Drago said. “I was used to make money fighting other kids. Sometimes to the death.”
David sat up. “Wait, what?”
“I’m not an idiot. I heard many of the bosses talk about you. I’ve even heard a few things since then. Even with your injury, you wouldn’t have stopped looking.”
They stared at each other, the silence ringing around the room.
David rapped his knuckles on the desk. “I didn’t stop.”
“You can trust us,” Carlos said. “We’re part of that ring.”
“You didn’t come to me.” David looked from one to the other. “You’re not kids now. You’re full grown men.”
“We know what Randal Aiello is capable of. Talking gets you killed. He took your promising career and shafted it with a single blow, forcing you behind a desk, unable to help those that needed it.”
Drago saw that he’d hit a nerve, and he hated it. He didn’t want to hurt this man.
“Why are you here after all these years?” David asked.
“We need information, but it has to be done quietly.” Carlos stepped forward, opening up the file on Belle. It had the picture of her as a child as well as her of an adult, including the latest pictures of her beating. “Her child was stolen from her, and we have reason to believe that someone, a politician, is responsible for nearly ending her life.”
While Carlos showed the paperwork on the crooked official, and Drago filled in the blanks, explaining the timeline and especially with what Belle had told him.
David didn’t look surprised by the accusation.
“What do you know?” Drago asked.
“Look, I need this job. I’m not ready for retirement just yet.”
“I can pay you a salary that is double what you’re on right now. You can walk out of this office, and help me, or I can walk and find someone else who is willing to make a difference.” Drago was done playing games with people and this organization. For a long time, he didn’t for a second think that anyone would ever be able to stop it.
Then he realized, it would only take one person. So far, he had three. Himself, Carlos, and Belle. Three people, determined, and ready to end it all. He didn’t want to hear of another child suffering, of them risking their lives for one greedy bastard.
David picked up the plaque that held his name. “There have been four women who have brought reports of rape, abuse, and physical violence, but each time we’ve tried to get a prosecution, they retract their statement with some crap like they were drunk or it was drugs. None of the charges have ever stuck. Without evidence, without a witness, my hands are tied.”
“Donald Ford has a history of this?”
“Yes.”
Drago sat back. “Then why would he be worried about Belle knowing?”
“These women were later found dead,” David said. “Drugs in their system, OD’d.”
“Convenient,” Carlos said.
“I always knew the fight clubs were bad news, but this goes much bigger. This is a sport to the death.” David stood up and limped toward the window. “I know for a fact there are several officers who are paid to look the other way.”
“I’m under no illusions about what I’m up against.”
David sighed. “What exactly is it you want? You want to blackmail a cop? Burn a politician to the ground? What?”
“I want to end it for good, David. Randal Aiello is huge in the underground. I don’t want to think of another child being taken in, trained, hurt, abused because he didn’t hit hard enough. It sickens me to think of anyone going through it again. I’m willing to give you the credit of breaking the case.”
This had all started with Belle being beaten in the ring by Deadman. He’d wanted to help her get her kid back, but it had unraveled into so much more.