Theo scoffed. Ripley set his hands on his hips.
“And you’re here to make us understand it?”
“Donovan’s not at the top of this food chain,” Roman replied.
“We know that,” I told him.
There was an immediate change in his demeanor. His eyes shifted my way.
“Then you know exactly what happens,” he began slowly, “if you were to release everything.”
“No, what?” laughed Ripley. “What’re they going to do? Come after us?” Palming the knife, he made jazz hands, dramatically. “Chase us around the fucking world?”
Roman turned away in disgust. He shot Colson a deadly look.
“Seems like your dog is off his leash.”
Ripley dropped the knife and sprang. It happened so fast, none of us could prevent it. He reached Roman in three quick strides, but it was already two strides too late.
There was a sidestep, followed by a knee, and Ripley ended up on the floor. That didn’t stop him though. In one fluid movement he hooked Roman’s ankle with one foot and kicked out with his opposite leg. Roman grunted in pain as he fell sideways, ending up on his hands and knees.
“Ripley!”
Ripley rolled onto the intruder with terrifying speed. In that instant, I knew he’d gone down on purpose, to take the fight to the floor. It was his area of expertise. It’s what he knew best.
Ripley mounted him easily, wrapping his legs, pinning his shoulders to the floor. He brought his arms back…
“RIPLEY STOP!”
Colson’s voice shattered the stillness, just sharp enough to prevent disaster. The big fighter stopped the first of his wrecking ball fists, mid-swing.
“Let him up,” barked Colson. “NOW.”
Reluctantly, and with intentional delay, Ripley eventually relented. He pushed off hard against Roman’s chest, sending a message before climbing back to his feet.
“This is exactly what I mean,” Roman growled, brushing himself off. “You can’t be trusted with men like this working under you.” He lifted his nose Ripley’s way. “They’re too reckless. Too much of a liability—”
“This man doesn’t workforme,” Colson interjected. “He works with me.”
“So you’re a team now?” seethed Roman.
“A team entirely of Donovan’s creation,” I jumped in. “He’s the one who shoved us all in the same fucking boat, then tried to sink it.”
The man finished brushing himself off and considered this for a moment. His resulting expression told me he’d ceded the point.
“We could’ve released everything at once, if we wanted to,” I continued. “But you’ll notice we haven’t.”
“And that’s by design?”
“Yes,” said Colson. “We’re choosing our targets.”
“To burn Donovan,” said Roman. It wasn’t a question.
“Yes,” Theo affirmed. “And not the rest.”
The man in the hallway studied Theo carefully. He didn’t seem entirely convinced.
“If you don’t think I know who’s who,” Theo said acidly, “you’re gravely mistaken. I’ve found the hidden partitions. I’ve unlocked everything — and I do meaneverything —that your people are worried about.”
