"Yes. I won't let him turn this into another contest about who can control the audience."
Daniel was silent for a moment.
"Then perhaps you're finally ready to finish what we started."
Mara ended the call and returned to the training schedule.
The showcase was six days away.
And for the first time since entering Northbridge, she was no longer preparing merely to defend herself.
She was preparing to uncover the truth.
The following morning, Adrian discovered that the archived recording had been referenced in more than one internal document.
The first record was a short email sent five years earlier by an employee of Richard Vale's organization.
The second was a storage request.
The third was a message marked confidential.
All three referred to the same file.
None identified its current location.
Adrian printed the documents and placed them inside a folder.
He had spent years believing that technical knowledge could solve almost any problem. If a position failed, he analyzed the mechanics. If a strategy failed, he studied the pattern. If an opponent surprised him, he examined the footage until he understood the mistake.
But this was different.
The more information he found, the more questions appeared.
He needed someone who understood the old organization.
Someone who had been there.
Marcus answered on the fourth ring.
"Adrian Cross. That's a name I haven't heard in a while."
"I need your help."
"That sounds serious."
"It might be."
Adrian explained the connection between Northbridge and Richard Vale, then described the archived recording.
Marcus went quiet.
"You've been digging into Daniel Ellison's case?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because Mara Ellison is training here."
Marcus sighed.
"Of course she is."
"You know her?"
"I met her once. Years ago. She was young, but she was already a better grappler than most people twice her age."
"Do you know what happened to Daniel?"
"I know what people said happened."
"That's not what I asked."
Marcus hesitated.
"I was working at one of Vale's events when the incident occurred. I didn't see the entire demonstration, but I saw what happened afterward."
"What did you see?"
"A camera operator arguing with a supervisor. The operator insisted that the recording showed something different from the official account."
Adrian sat upright.
"Who was the operator?"
"His name was Peter Shaw."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know. He left the organization shortly afterward."
"Did he keep a copy?"
Marcus was silent.
"Marcus?"
"I heard rumors that he did."
Adrian wrote down the name.
"Can you contact him?"
"I can try."
"Please do."
The possibility of an independent recording changed everything.
It could also reveal why Richard Vale had been so determined to keep it out of circulation.
But evidence alone would not guarantee justice.
Adrian knew that from experience.
Years earlier, he had watched a talented student lose an opportunity because an influential coach disliked him. There had been no dramatic scandal, no formal accusation, and no single decision that could be challenged.
Adrian had said nothing.
He had told himself that he was too young to intervene and that someone else would eventually correct the situation.
Nobody had.
Now he wondered how many people had used the same excuse.
That afternoon, Mara attended a meeting with Victor and the event organizers.
The showcase schedule had been finalized. There would be several demonstrations, followed by controlled grappling exhibitions featuring invited athletes.
She immediately objected.
"I agreed to participate in a technical exhibition. I didn't agree to become the main attraction."
"It's simply a promotional phrase."
"It's a phrase that changes the meaning of the event."
"We're trying to generate interest."
"Then advertise the event honestly."
Steven folded his hands.
"Ms. Ellison, people respond to stories. Your recent performance is an excellent story."
"My performance was a training assessment."
"An impressive one."
"That doesn't make it entertainment."
Victor shifted uncomfortably in his chair.
Steven glanced at him.
"Victor, surely you understand the importance of publicity."
"I understand the importance of accurate publicity."
The coordinator's smile weakened.
Mara noticed the exchange.
For the first time, Victor was openly disagreeing with someone representing Vale.
It was a small step, but it mattered.
Steven closed his folder.
"We'll review the wording."
"Thank you," Mara said.
After the meeting, Victor walked with her toward the training floor.
"I should have stopped the original announcement," he admitted.
"Yes."
He winced.
"You don't make it easy to apologize."
"I'm not trying to make it difficult. I'm trying to make sure the apology means something."
Victor nodded slowly.
"I've spent a long time telling myself that maintaining the academy required compromise."
"Sometimes it does."
"But not every compromise is harmless."
"No," Mara agreed. "Some simply make the next compromise easier."
Victor stopped near the doorway.
"Do you think I can fix this?"
Mara considered the question.
"You can start by telling the truth about what you know."
"And if it costs me the academy?"