The strong stood at the top.
Everyone else existed to make them look stronger.
That evening, Milo had been waiting near the edge of the mat when Bryce called him forward.
"Hey, kid."
Milo looked around.
"Me?"
"Yeah. You."
Milo approached cautiously.
Bryce smiled at the livestream camera.
"Everybody say hello to our newest little fighter."
Several students laughed.
Milo glanced toward Garrett.
Garrett was standing near the exit.
"He's not a fighter," Garrett said.
Bryce turned.
"Didn't ask you."
Garrett's jaw tightened.
Milo looked embarrassed.
"Sorry."
Bryce waved him closer.
"Come on. Let's see what you've got."
"I don't train."
"Everybody trains."
Bryce grabbed Milo's wrist.
Garrett took one step forward.
"Let go."
Bryce smiled.
"Relax, delivery man."
Garrett stopped.
Bryce looked directly into the camera.
"Tonight's lesson is about confidence."
Milo tried to pull his arm away.
Bryce tightened his grip.
"You're too tense."
Then he threw him.
Milo hit the mat badly.
His shoulder took most of the impact.
He cried out.
Garrett moved.
The entire gym seemed to change around him.
He crossed the room in three seconds.
Bryce stood over Milo.
"Get up."
Garrett reached his son.
"Don't move."
Milo was clutching his shoulder.
"Dad..."
Garrett looked at Bryce.
"What did you do?"
Bryce shrugged.
"Teaching."
"He's twelve."
"He needs to learn."
Garrett stood slowly.
"I think we're done here."
Bryce laughed.
"No. I think you should stay."
He pointed at Garrett's clothes.
"Actually, I think this is funny."
Several phones came up.
Bryce saw the cameras.
"Let's make this interesting."
Garrett didn't answer.
Bryce walked closer.
"You think because you're some big tough dad you can walk into my academy and tell me what to do?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Garrett looked at Milo.
"I think you should let my son go."
Bryce laughed.
"You don't understand how this works."
Garrett did.
Better than Bryce could imagine.
He simply did not want to.
Not anymore.
But Bryce kept talking.
He mocked Garrett's job.
His clothes.
His cheap van.
His quiet life.
He called him a delivery boy.
Then he shoved Garrett's shoulder.
Garrett didn't react.
Bryce smiled.
"See?"
He turned toward the camera.
"Some people just need to know their place."
Garrett looked down at Milo.
"Can you stand?"
Milo nodded through tears.
Garrett helped him up.
Then Bryce stepped in front of them.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Garrett stopped.
The gym went silent.
And Bryce made the mistake that would destroy everything.
He laughed.
"Unless you're planning to fight me."
Garrett looked at him.
"No."
Bryce grinned.
"That's what I thought."
Garrett's eyes moved to Milo's injured shoulder.
Then back to Bryce.
"Not unless you make me."
The Scarred Man
The next morning, Milo's shoulder was worse.
Garrett called the school and kept him home.
At the clinic, the doctor confirmed a dislocation.
There was no permanent damage.
But there would be weeks of physical therapy.
Milo sat on the examination table with his arm in a sling.
Garrett stood beside him.
"I'm sorry."
Milo looked confused.
"For what?"
"I should have taken you home."
Milo shook his head.
"It's not your fault."
Garrett looked at the floor.
His phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
BRYCE WANTS YOU BACK TONIGHT.
Garrett deleted it.
Another message appeared.
FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED.
He deleted that too.
Milo watched him.
"Who was that?"
"Nobody."
Milo frowned.
"You always say that when it's somebody."
Garrett almost smiled.
"You're getting too observant."
"I learned from you."
That hurt more than Milo knew.
That evening, Garrett returned to the academy.
Not because Bryce had invited him.
Because Milo's shoulder had been injured there.
The gym was packed.
Cameras were everywhere.
Bryce was already broadcasting.
"Welcome back," Bryce said.
Garrett walked inside.
Milo wasn't there.
Garrett had left him with a neighbor.
That had been deliberate.
Bryce stepped forward.
"So the delivery boy came back."
Garrett said nothing.
Bryce smiled.
"You here to apologize?"
"No."
"Then what?"
Garrett looked around.
"Where is your instructor?"
"I am the instructor."
"No."
Bryce frowned.
"You looking for somebody?"
"Someone who knows what he's doing."
The room became silent.
Bryce's smile disappeared.