When the punch came, King was expecting it. He ducked to the side, feeling the breeze of Alexander’s fist pass his face. The fist smashed into a metal support beam behind King. A loud clang accompanied by the crack of breaking fingers rang in King’s ear. The missed blow would have normally been enough for King to take the upper hand in any fight, but Alexander didn’t react. Nor did he react to the perfectly placed punch King delivered to his side. Instead he took King’s arm, spun him around and pinned him against the support beam. The impact split King’s lip and the pressure on his arm would soon snap it. He fought against the pain.

“Don’t be stupid. You can’t win this fight alone,” King said.

The pressure increased.

“And your secrecy is compromising my mission.”

“Your mission? You’re a fool to think yourself my equal,” Alexander said between clenched teeth.

“I don’t consider myself your equal,” King said. “But unlike you, I’m not alone.”

The barrel of a handgun tapped against the back of Alexander’s skull. “Hey,” Queen said. “Remember me? We met a few years ago. I never did get a chance to thank you for the help, but if you mess with my boy here, I’m going to thank you by putting a bullet in the back of your skull. And please don’t fool yourself into thinking I’m incapable of hacking off that handsome head of yours and burying it in the sand.”

Alexander tensed for a moment before releasing King. He stepped back and eyed Queen. “I do remember you. You’re as charming as Rook.”

King saw Queen tense. The confrontation between him and Alexander had been brewing and needed to be worked out. But Alexander would regret lighting this fuse with Queen. “Any word on him?” King asked, stepping in.

Queen looked at him. “Not a peep.”

King turned back to Alexander. “You’re welcome to stay on with us, but you need to toe the line. If I sense you working another angle from this point on, I’ll drop you from the team.”

Alexander stared at King for several seconds before smiling. “You’re lucky I like you, King. I agree to your terms.”

The look in the man’s eyes revealed the agreement would last only as long as it continued to serve his needs, but King was okay with that. The reverse was true as well. He needed Alexander’s knowledge and resources to track down and stop Ridley, but when they’d accomplished that, he would leave the man behind.

Seeing the confrontation ebb, Davidson stepped forward. “Um, excuse me, but did you say you had a new sample?”

Bishop handed him the jar full of gray material.

“Is this from a golem?” Davidson asked.

“Formerly known as Richard Ridley,” Knight said. “Now known as Richard Hunk-of-clay.”