CHAPTER 4 — THE LAST ROUND
St. Gabriel's had been abandoned for nineteen years.
The building stood beyond the edge of the city, surrounded by dead grass and rusted fencing.
Its windows were broken.
Its walls were covered in vines.
But Henry knew immediately.
Someone had been there recently.
The dust near the entrance had fresh footprints.
Derek saw them too.
“Someone's inside.”
Henry nodded.
They entered quietly.
The hallway smelled of mold and disinfectant.
Old patient rooms lined both sides.
Most were empty.
Some still contained beds.
Derek stopped at Room 001.
The number was scratched into the door.
His hand trembled.
Henry opened it.
Empty.
But there was a photograph taped beneath the bed.
Derek picked it up.
His father.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Standing beside a hospital window.
On the back was a date.
August 14, 2012.
Derek stared.
“That was fourteen years ago.”
Henry nodded.
“He was alive then.”
They searched the building.
Finally, they found a basement.
Inside was a small room filled with monitors.
One screen was still working.
A video began playing.
Samuel Carter appeared.
He looked older.
Much older.
But his eyes were unmistakable.
“Henry,” he said.
Henry froze.
“If you're watching this, it means Victor has finally lost control.”
Derek stepped closer.
His father's voice filled the room.
“I know you will come looking for me.”
Derek's eyes filled with tears.
“Dad…”
Samuel continued.
“I need you to understand something.”
“I didn't leave you.”
“I never stopped loving you.”
Derek covered his mouth.
“I watched you grow from a distance.”
“Every fight.”
“Every victory.”
“Every mistake.”
Samuel smiled sadly.
“You became a better fighter than I ever was.”
The screen flickered.
Then Samuel's expression became serious.
“Victor doesn't care about winning fights.”
“He cares about owning people.”
“If you're seeing this, he will already know you've found the files.”
Henry looked at Derek.
Samuel continued.
“There's one final piece of evidence.”
“It's inside Blackstone.”
Derek frowned.
“The gym?”
“Yes.”
“Under the original ring.”
Henry's face changed.
“That ring was replaced six years ago.”
Samuel smiled.
“I know.”
The screen went black.
Derek stared.
“What does that mean?”
Henry suddenly remembered.
Six years ago.
The same year he had started working as a janitor.
Victor had replaced the original ring.
And Henry had never understood why.
Until now.
They returned to Blackstone before dawn.
Henry went straight beneath the ring.
He removed three floorboards.
Nothing.
Then he noticed a metal plate.
He pried it open.
Inside was a small hard drive.
And a photograph.
The photograph showed Victor Kane shaking hands with several boxing officials.
One of them was still active.
The current president of the national boxing commission.
Derek stared.
“This could destroy them.”
Henry nodded.
“If it's authentic.”
They connected the hard drive to a computer.
Thousands of files appeared.
Bank transfers.
Private recordings.
Fight contracts.
Threats.
Medical reports.
Everything.
Then Derek found a folder named:
CARTER — FINAL ROUND.
He opened it.
Inside was a video.
Victor stood in a room.
Across from him was Samuel.
Alive.
Healthy.
Older.
Victor said:
“You could have been the greatest.”
Samuel answered:
“I'd rather be honest.”
Victor laughed.
“You think honesty matters?”
Samuel shook his head.
“No.”
He looked directly into the camera.
“But people do.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
“You're going to regret this.”
Samuel replied:
“Maybe.”
Then he smiled.
“But you'll regret underestimating my son.”
Derek stopped the video.
He couldn't breathe.
“He knew.”
Henry nodded.
“He knew you'd come.”
Suddenly, the gym doors slammed shut.
Victor Kane walked inside.
He was no longer wearing handcuffs.
Behind him stood six men.
Derek stepped back.
“How did you get out?”
Victor smiled.
“Money.”
Henry looked at him.
“You never changed.”
Victor laughed.
“And neither did you.”
He looked at Derek.
“You have your father's eyes.”
Derek stepped forward.
“You kidnapped him.”
Victor's expression became cold.
“I protected boxing from men like your father.”
“You destroyed his life.”
“No.”
Victor shook his head.
“Your father destroyed his own life when he decided principles were more valuable than power.”
Derek raised his fists.
Victor laughed.
“Go ahead.”
Henry grabbed Derek's shoulder.
“Don't.”
Victor smiled.
“You see?”
He pointed at Henry.
“That's the difference between us.”
“What difference?”
Victor answered:
“You still believe fighting is about punches.”
He gestured toward the hard drive.
“It's about control.”
Henry looked at Derek.
Then at Victor.
“No.”
Henry stepped forward.
“It's about choosing when not to throw one.”
Victor's smile faded.
One of his men attacked.
Henry moved.
The man swung.
Henry slipped.
The punch missed.
Henry countered with a short body shot.
The man dropped.
Another rushed.
Henry pivoted.
A shoulder roll.
A step.
A sweep.
The attacker crashed to the floor.
Derek stared.
Even now, Henry barely seemed to use force.
He used timing.
Angles.
Balance.
Experience.
The third man came from behind.
Derek intercepted him.
This time, Derek fought differently.
He didn't chase.
He didn't rage.
He waited.
Just like Henry had taught him.
The man swung.
Derek slipped outside.
One clean counter.
The man fell.
Henry smiled.
“Now you're thinking.”
Victor backed toward the door.
“You think this changes anything?”
Henry shook his head.
“No.”
He pointed toward the cameras.
“It already has.”
Derek looked up.
The gym's livestream was active.
Every confession.
Every fight.
Every piece of evidence.
Had been broadcast.
Thousands of people were watching.
Victor's face went white.
Henry had planned it.
“Why?”
Victor whispered.
“Because you were never going to stop.”
Henry answered.
“So I made sure the world couldn't look away.”
Police sirens approached outside.
Victor turned.
His empire was collapsing in real time.
But before the police entered, Victor looked at Derek.
“You'll never be your father.”
Derek stared at him.
“No.”
He lowered his fists.
“I'll be better.”
Victor was arrested.
This time, there would be no phone call.
No hidden account.
No powerful friend.
No escape.
But Derek wasn't watching Victor anymore.
He was looking at Henry.
“You knew my father was alive.”
Henry shook his head.
“I suspected.”
“Where is he?”
Henry looked toward the screen.
The final video file had begun playing automatically.
Samuel appeared again.
“If you're watching this, Derek, there's one thing left.”
The screen showed a location.
A small boxing gym.
Hundreds of miles away.
Samuel said:
“Come home.”
Derek stared at the screen.
His father was alive.
And waiting.
May you like
Henry placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Let's go.”
