On Wednesday morning, Helen finally called.
"We've confirmed that the file contains a timing-system override."
Daniel stood beside the kitchen window.
"What does it show?"
"The system recorded a manual reset at 9:43 p.m. The timestamp is consistent with the disputed portion of Michael's bout."
"Can it establish that the round was extended?"
"It establishes that the display was manually altered. We need to compare the record with the backup timing channel, the referee's report, and the available footage before drawing a conclusion about the exact sequence."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Of course."
"The account used to authorize the reset was assigned to Victor Sloane."
Daniel opened his eyes again.
"And the person who physically entered the command?"
"The system cannot identify that person."
"Could someone have used Victor's account without his knowledge?"
"Technically, yes. We haven't found evidence establishing that this happened, but we cannot exclude it."
"Has Victor been informed?"
"Not yet. We want to complete the preliminary comparison first."
"What's the next step?"
"We're examining the original video files. We have also requested records from the event's former broadcasting contractor."
A particular account had been used.
A round had continued beyond the sequence described in the official report.
Yet every answer opened another question.
Why had the official record been altered?
That afternoon, Daniel visited Blackstone and found Ethan training alone.
The young fighter was working on defensive drills, moving slowly through combinations while Raymond corrected his stance.
When Ethan saw Daniel, he stopped.
"Any news?"
Daniel told him about the timing log.
"So Victor's account was used."
"Yes."
"Then he did it."
"That's not what the evidence establishes."
"But his account—"
"Could have been used by someone else. We need to know who entered the command and whether Victor authorized it."
"You're still protecting him."
"No. I'm protecting the truth from assumptions."
"If we accuse someone before the evidence supports it, we give them an opportunity to dismiss everything else we discover. Precision matters."
Ethan looked toward the cage.
"My father used that kind of language when he wanted me to stop asking questions."
"Then pay attention to the difference. I'm telling you to keep asking questions. I'm also telling you to make sure the answers are accurate."
"Understood."
"Do you think Victor was responsible?"
"I think he knows more than he's admitted."
"That's not the same thing."
"No," Daniel said. "It isn't."
"My father called me last night. He said the committee was investigating the records."
"How did he know?"
"He didn't say."
"Did he ask what you told them?"
"Yes."
"What did you say?"
"That I would cooperate."
"Good."
Ethan hesitated.
"He told me something else. He said that if I continued, people would assume I was trying to destroy him because I couldn't live up to his expectations."
Ethan looked down at his gloves.
"Part of me wonders if he's right. Maybe I'm doing this because I'm angry. Maybe I want him to feel as powerless as I felt when I realized he'd lied to me."
"That may be part of it."
Ethan looked up, surprised.
"Motives are rarely simple. You can want the truth and still feel angry. You can love someone and still want them held accountable. The important thing is that you don't let those feelings decide what the evidence means."
"I wish I'd understood that before."
"So do I."
Daniel glanced toward the training floor.
"Keep working on your defense."
"What?"
"Your left side drops when you're tired."
"You really can't stop coaching people, can you?"
Daniel picked up his toolbox.
"I was giving you a maintenance observation."
"Of course."
Daniel walked away.
Behind him, Ethan returned to his drills.
He was still frightened of what the investigation might uncover.
But he was beginning to understand that fear did not have to determine what he did next.
Brent Haskins was living under his own name in a town three hours from the city.
The discovery surprised Daniel.
After six years of searching, he had imagined that the man who fought Michael might have disappeared into another country, changed his identity, or become involved in a world where questions were discouraged.
Instead, Brent worked as a maintenance supervisor at a distribution warehouse. He lived in a modest rented house, drove an aging pickup truck, and coached a youth fitness class twice a week.
That made Daniel's anger more difficult to manage.
Helen Brooks arranged the first contact through an attorney. Brent agreed to a formal interview but insisted that Daniel not be present.
The interview took place in a small legal office on the outskirts of the town. Helen and her assistant were present, along with Brent's attorney.