Chapter 57: Came Looking for Trouble

Ricardo headed out at dawn to play fixer, the kind who brokers shady backroom deals. As Evan Showyer put it: If someone can be co-opted, co-opt him; if not, crush him so thoroughly he'll never get back up. Not out in the open, of course, but somewhere discreet-where a maiming or an "accident" wouldn't raise too many questions. Ricardo had never liked Alex Hayde, not just because Ms. Yoppe had promoted him, but because trouble followed Alex everywhere. Ricardo was a sly old fox if there ever was...