“You think you're some hero?”

“No.”

“You think you can save everybody?”

“No.”

“Then why are you doing this?”

Thomas looked at him.

“Because somebody has to.”

Preston laughed.

“You're a janitor.”

Thomas nodded.

“Yes.”

“You don't have money.”

“No.”

“You don't have influence.”

“No.”

“You don't even have a family.”

Thomas's expression changed.

Preston noticed.

“That one hurt, didn't it?”

Thomas looked at him.

“You should be careful.”

“With what?”

“Assuming you know what hurts someone.”

Preston stepped closer.

“You know what my father says?”

Thomas waited.

“He says men like you exist to clean up after men like us.”

Thomas looked at the mop.

Then back at Preston.

“Your father is wrong.”

Preston smiled.

“Prove it.”

He walked away.

Thomas watched him disappear.

Then he noticed something.

Preston had left his phone on the counter.

Thomas did not touch it.

He didn't need to.

The screen lit up.

A message appeared.

WAREHOUSE. TONIGHT. BRING THE DECKER PROBLEM.

Thomas read it.

Then took a photograph of the screen.

The Plan

That night, Thomas, Mara, Ortiz, Dmitri, and Elena met in a safe apartment.

They had enough evidence for arrests.

But not enough to reach Richard Harrington.

Ortiz explained why.

“Harrington has lawyers who will destroy this in court.”

Mara shook her head.

“Not if we find the financial records.”

Thomas looked at Elena.

“You said there was a private office upstairs.”

“Yes.”

“Can you get in?”

She nodded.

“Maybe.”

Thomas looked at Dmitri.

“I need you to do something.”

“What?”

“Keep Apex open tomorrow.”

Dmitri stared.

“Why?”

“Because Preston expects me to disappear.”

Dmitri understood.

“You want to use the gym as bait.”

Thomas nodded.

Mara looked at him.

“That's dangerous.”

“I know.”

“Thomas.”

He looked at her.

“You promised me six years ago you were done.”

“I was.”

“And now?”

Thomas looked down at his hands.

“I was wrong.”

Mara was silent.

Thomas continued.

“I thought being invisible meant I couldn't hurt anyone.”

He looked at the seven photographs.

“But being invisible also means you don't stop anything.”

Nobody spoke.

Thomas stood.

“Tomorrow, they see me.”

When the Janitor Stood Up

The next day began normally.

Apex opened at six.

Members arrived.

Music played.

Coffee machines hissed.

Trainers shouted combinations.

Nobody knew that federal investigators were watching from unmarked vehicles outside.

Nobody knew that Thomas had spent the night planning every possible entrance and exit.

Nobody knew that Richard Harrington had already activated his people.

At 11:17 a.m., Preston arrived.

He walked directly toward Thomas.

“Still cleaning?”

Thomas looked up.

“Still talking?”

Preston smiled.

“Tonight.”

Thomas nodded.

“Tonight.”

Preston walked away.

Dmitri approached.

“You okay?”

“Yes.”

“You don't look okay.”

Thomas smiled faintly.

“I haven't looked okay since 2009.”

Dmitri laughed.

Then the laughter faded.

“Tom…”

Thomas looked at him.

“Be careful.”

Thomas nodded.

“I will.”

The Warehouse

At 10:40 p.m., Thomas entered the warehouse alone.

He wore his old black jacket.

No uniform.

No weapon visible.

No backup.

At least that's what Preston believed.

The warehouse lights came on.

Preston stood inside the cage.

Cole and Brett were with him.

Richard Harrington stood near the office.

Thomas stopped.

Richard looked him over.

“So.”

Thomas said nothing.

“You finally decided to stop mopping.”

“I was asked to come.”

“You were.”

Richard smiled.

“You've caused me considerable inconvenience.”

Thomas looked around.

“Seven people disappeared here.”

Richard's smile faded.

“That's an accusation.”

“It's a fact.”

“No.”

Richard stepped closer.

“It's a story.”

Thomas looked directly at him.

“Where is Daniel Price?”

Richard's expression changed.

Only slightly.

But Thomas saw it.

“You knew him.”

Richard didn't answer.

Thomas continued.

“You knew every fighter.”

“Careful.”

“You knew where they went.”

Richard looked at Preston.

Preston stepped into the cage.

“Dad.”

Richard nodded.

Preston looked at Thomas.

“Let's settle this.”

Thomas shook his head.

“No.”

Preston laughed.

“You came all this way.”

“I'm not fighting you.”

“Scared?”

“No.”

“Then fight.”

Thomas looked at him.

“I've fought men better than you.”

Preston's face turned red.

“Get in the cage.”

Thomas didn't move.

Richard nodded.

Two men grabbed Thomas from behind.

He reacted instantly.

One attacker hit the floor.

The second was disarmed.

Preston stared.

Thomas stepped into the cage.

Not because he wanted to fight.

Because he needed Preston where he could be seen.

The hidden cameras were already transmitting.

Preston attacked.

Fast.

A right hand.

Thomas slipped.

A kick.

Thomas blocked.

Preston attacked again.

Thomas moved backward.

He could have ended it.

But he didn't.

He wanted Preston to keep talking.

“You think you're better than me?”

“No.”

“You're nothing.”

Thomas remained silent.

Preston threw another punch.

Thomas caught his wrist.

“Your father uses your anger.”

Preston froze.

Thomas released him.

“He knows you'll do what he wants.”

“Shut up.”

“He doesn't respect you.”

Preston attacked wildly.

Thomas avoided every strike.

“You're not his son in this room.”

Preston swung.

Thomas stepped aside.

“You're his weapon.”

Preston screamed.

He charged.

Thomas moved.

Preston fell against the cage.

Thomas could have broken his arm.

Instead, he stepped back.

“I'm done.”

Preston stared.

“You can't leave.”

Thomas looked at him.

“Watch me.”

Then the warehouse doors exploded open.

Police entered.

Federal agents followed.

Richard Harrington's face went white.

Mara stepped inside.

Ortiz behind her.

“Richard Harrington,” Ortiz shouted, “you're under arrest.”

Richard looked at Thomas.

“You.”

Thomas nodded.

“You made one mistake.”

Richard glared.

“What?”

“You thought nobody saw me.”

Richard's eyes narrowed.

Thomas continued:

“Everybody saw you.”

The screens above the warehouse suddenly lit up.

The financial records.

The videos.

The photographs.

The seven missing fighters.

Everything.

Live.

Richard stared.

“You think this proves anything?”

Mara smiled.

“It proves enough.”

Then a voice came from the back of the warehouse.

“I can prove the rest.”

Thomas turned.

A man stepped from the shadows.

Older.

Thin.

A scar across his cheek.

Thomas stopped breathing.

“Daniel?”

Daniel Price smiled.

“Hello, Captain.”

Thomas walked toward him.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Thomas pulled him into a hug.

Daniel whispered:

“You came.”

Thomas closed his eyes.

“I should have come sooner.”

“You couldn't.”

“I should have known.”

Daniel shook his head.

“You were trying to survive.”

Thomas stepped back.

“Where are the others?”

Daniel looked toward Ortiz.

“Three are in safe houses.”

“And the rest?”

Daniel smiled.

“Waiting for you.”

Thomas looked at him.

“Why me?”

Daniel's expression became serious.

“Because they remember the man you were.”

Thomas looked down.

“I don't know that man anymore.”

Daniel shook his head.

“Yes, you do.”

He touched Thomas's shoulder.