Marcus looked around.
He saw Neil holding his camera.
He saw Ben watching.
He saw Colin pretending to read a message.
And he saw Althea standing beside her mop bucket, waiting.
He could have stopped.
He could have said he was tired, that the shoot had run long, and that he had been rude.
Instead, he looked at Althea and made a decision he would regret for a long time.
"Fine. You want the floor? Let's make this interesting."
Elena frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Marcus stepped toward the center of the room.
He gestured at the open training space.
"Put the mop down."
Althea did not move.
"Why?"
"Come on. You seem pretty comfortable telling everyone what to do. Let's see what else you can do."
Elena's expression changed.
"Marcus, don't."
He ignored her.
"One round. Just one. You and me."
Ben looked up.
Neil lowered his camera.
Althea glanced at the wall clock.
"I don't fight people at work."
Marcus smiled.
"Then you're in luck. I'm not asking you to fight professionally."
"Good."
"Come on. A little demonstration."
"No."
"Afraid?"
Althea looked at him for a long moment.
Then she picked up the mop.
"No. Tired."
She turned away.
Marcus felt the room slipping beyond his control.
"That's what I thought."
Althea stopped.
Not because she had been offended.
Because she heard something in his voice that reminded her of a different room, a different man, and a lesson she had learned long before Marcus Vale became a champion.
She turned back.
"Listen carefully."
Marcus folded his arms.
"Now we're talking."
"I don't know what kind of night you've had. I don't know how long you've been training, how many cameras you've stood in front of, or how many people have told you you're special."
His smile began to fade.
"But none of that gives you permission to treat another person like she is part of the equipment."
Elena looked down.
Ben went completely still.
Althea continued.
"I'm not your opponent. I'm not your employee. I'm not here to entertain you. I'm here to do a job."
Marcus took a step forward.
"You're making a speech over a mop."
"No. I'm explaining something you should already understand."
He laughed without humor.
"And what exactly should I understand?"
Althea looked at him.
"That a championship belt doesn't make you the most important person in every room."
For a moment, Marcus could not find an answer.
Then Colin Price stepped forward.
"Marcus, we should wrap this up. The sponsor has an early call tomorrow."
Marcus ignored him.
He pointed toward the mop.
"Finish your floor, Althea."
She nodded.
"That's what I was trying to do."
She turned away again.
This time, Marcus did not follow.
But the moment had changed something.
Not because Althea had defeated him.
She had not even tried.
It changed because she had refused to play the role he had assigned her.
And Marcus, who was used to deciding how other people behaved around him, found that refusal harder to tolerate than an insult.
The promotional crew finally left at 10:41.
Elena stayed behind to help Althea move a stack of folding chairs.
Marcus had gone to the locker room.
Ben lingered near the doorway, holding his gym bag.
"Ms. Brooks?"
Althea looked up.
"Yes?"
He seemed embarrassed.
"I'm sorry."
She studied him.
"For what?"
"For laughing."
Althea leaned the mop against the wall.
"You don't have to apologize for someone else's behavior."
"I know. I just—"
"Then remember that next time."
Ben nodded.
She picked up the mop again.
He hesitated.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Have you ever fought?"
Althea looked at him.
"Why?"
"You didn't seem scared of him."
She smiled faintly.
"Being scared and being impressed are two different things."
Ben absorbed that.
"Right."
"Get home. You have training tomorrow."
He nodded and left.
Elena waited until the door closed.
Then she looked at Althea.
"That was a difficult conversation."
"It didn't need to be."
"Marcus has been difficult lately."
Althea pushed the mop across the floor.
"Then somebody should talk to him."
"I've tried."
"Try again."
Elena sighed.
"You make it sound simple."
"No. I make it sound necessary."
Elena watched her for a moment.
"How long have you been here now?"
"Eight months."
"And you still haven't learned to ignore him?"
Althea stopped mopping.
"Is that what you want me to learn?"
"No."
"Then what are you asking?"
Elena shook her head.
"Nothing. I'm tired."
"So am I."
They finished the floor in silence.
When Althea finally clocked out, the time on the wall read 11:08.
She collected her coat from the staff room and checked her phone.
There was a message from her daughter.
MAYA: You still coming tomorrow?
Althea smiled.
ALTHEA: Wouldn't miss it.
MAYA: You said that last time and got called in.
ALTHEA: Last time the pipe burst.
MAYA: Convenient excuse.
ALTHEA: It was a very inconvenient pipe.
A moment later, another message arrived.