Chapter 19 - THE EMPIRE CRACKSRoman Drake was arrested eleven days later.
Not for Ethan.
Not initially.
Financial crimes.
Illegal gambling operations.
Witness intimidation allegations.
Conspiracy.
Investigators moved carefully.
News crews camped outside courthouses.
Sports networks debated how much of modern boxing had been corrupted.
Darius held a press conference.
He admitted three of his fights had been manipulated.
He admitted accepting Roman's help.
He did not excuse himself.
"I was scared," he told reporters. "Fear explains decisions. It doesn't erase them."
Cole watched from home.
Darius's title record would be reviewed.
Some sponsors abandoned him immediately.
Others waited.
Fans split into camps.
Cheater.
Victim.
Both.
That was probably the closest thing to truth.
Ray cooperated too.
Victor entered negotiations through his attorney.
Cole refused every interview request for a week.
Then Maya convinced him to speak once.
They chose a national sports program.
The interviewer asked, "Do you believe Roman Drake killed your brother?"
Cole paused.
"No."
Maya watched from off camera.
Cole continued.
"I believe Roman threatened my brother, tried to buy him, and helped create circumstances that pushed him into a terrible decision. Other people failed Ethan too."
"Including your current trainer?"
"Yes."
"Your former manager?"
"Yes."
"And Ethan himself?"
Cole's eyes tightened.
"Yes."
The interviewer seemed surprised.
Cole continued.
"My brother was brave. He was also human. He stayed in a fight he should've left because he thought quitting meant Roman won."
"Would you have done the same?"
Cole thought of Round Seven.
"Before this week? Maybe."
"And now?"
Cole looked into the camera.
"Walking away from somebody else's trap isn't losing."
That clip went viral.
But the investigation produced something darker.
Several names in Ethan's files belonged to people far more powerful than Roman.
Maya showed Cole one evening.
"Senators?"
"Former."
"Casino executives?"
"Some."
"Promoters?"
"Several."
Cole looked at the pages.
"Roman wasn't lying."
"About not being the top?"
"Maybe."
Maya closed the folder.
"Then let investigators do their jobs."
Cole smiled.
"You're enjoying telling me that."
"Very much."
He looked at her.
They were sitting alone in her apartment.
Takeout containers between them.
For the first time in years, there was no emergency.
Cole said, "You ever think about us?"
Maya froze slightly.
"That's subtle."
"I'm a boxer."
"Fair."
He continued.
"I do."
Maya looked at him.
"Thinking isn't the hard part, Cole."
"I know."
"The hard part is being there when things aren't dramatic."
"I know."
"When nobody's threatening you."
"I know."
"When there's no championship."
Cole smiled.
"You're making this sound less exciting."
"It's supposed to."
He reached across the table.
She let him take her hand.
Nothing more.
May you like
That was enough.
For now.
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