With nothing better to do, William finished his breakfast, got in his car, and drove to Bilton Prison near New York. At the prison's front desk, he presented a special invitation prepared by Sunday. After a routine check for dangerous items, the guards allowed him inside the execution chamber.
Once inside, William saw Rupert Mick trembling in fear, the prosecutor Nick Reese, and several civilians invited to witness the execution.
To be honest, William found the idea of these ordinary Americans coming to watch an execution baffling. It seemed like the ultimate display of having too much free time—accepting a prison's invitation to witness someone's death.
With mild amusement, he observed the group of solemn, tense men and women. He couldn't help but wonder how many of them might wet their pants once the execution started.
A short while later, the warden entered the chamber and addressed Mick, who was strapped to the execution table in a cruciform position.
"Rupert Mick, do you have any final words?"
"Yes, yes, of course, I do," Mick stammered, trembling uncontrollably as he spoke. "I admit that ten years ago, I made terrible mistakes. I shouldn't have gotten involved with the gray underworld, and I shouldn't have followed Clarence Dobby, that scumbag, to that poor man's house.
"But I swear to God, while I'm guilty, I shouldn't be the one lying here today. Clarence Dobby killed that woman and child. I was just a coward, hiding in the corner, too terrified to act. And now, all the blame falls on me while the real culprit roams free. It's not fair!"
Mick turned his gaze to Nick Reese. "I curse you, Nick Reese. You are neither an angel nor the embodiment of justice. You're a scoundrel who ignored truth and justice for the sake of your reputation. You'll go to hell, just like me, because you let the real killer walk free and sent an innocent man to die. God is my witness—everything I've said is true, Nick Reese. I'll be waiting for you in hell."
The room erupted in murmurs. What a scene this was! In America, there's a long-standing tradition of providing death row inmates with counseling to ensure they go to their deaths without bitterness or anger.
Now, however, all eyes turned to Nick Reese, the target of Mick's venomous curse. Even though Reese's dark complexion made it hard to read his expression, it was clear he was deeply troubled.
Reese pretended not to notice the stares of others, but the curse weighed heavily on him. What if Mick's words were true? What if he had indeed let the real culprit walk free?
But Reese quickly dismissed the thought. It wasn't uncommon for convicted criminals to lash out at him before their execution. This was likely just another attempt to unnerve him.
Turning to his colleague, Reese saw Sarah Lowell looking uneasy. "Sarah, if you're uncomfortable, you can wait outside."
"No, Nick, I'm fine," Sarah replied, forcing a smile. "I've been working with you for over ten years. I'm not a rookie anymore. Besides, you told me lethal injections are painless, like falling asleep. There's nothing to be afraid of."
Reese sighed and relented. "Alright, if you insist."
Still, Reese found it odd. In all their years working together, Sarah had never expressed interest in attending an execution. Her sudden insistence today was unusual, but Reese couldn't pinpoint why.
As Reese pondered, something caught his attention. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a man in the back row wearing a mask and baseball cap.
Over the years, Reese had attended every execution of criminals he had prosecuted. He had seen all kinds of spectators, but never someone so determined to hide their face.
Curious, Reese turned to get a better look at the man. Even from a glance, it was clear this was a young man wearing handmade clothes and a watch worth over a million dollars.
"What kind of wealthy young man wastes his time watching executions?" Reese thought, suspicious. Before he could voice his concerns, the warden interrupted.
"It's time," the warden said to the guards. "Begin."
"Oh, God," Mick murmured, staring at the ceiling lights as the guards moved into position. He knew his time was up.
Desperately, he looked around, trembling with fear. "Forgive me. I should have stopped it that night. Forgive me for my cowardice, Mr. Shelton. Forgive me…"
With a metallic click, a guard unlocked the execution machine. At the warden's nod, the switch was flipped.
The machine began injecting the lethal substance into Mick's body.
Under normal circumstances, Mick would have quickly fallen into unconsciousness, dying painlessly in his sleep. But thanks to Clyde Shelton's meddling, things took a horrific turn.
"Ah! Ahhh!" Mick screamed in agony as his body convulsed violently. Veins bulged across his skin, his eyes turned bloodshot, and his limbs thrashed against their restraints. For three full minutes, the room echoed with his tormented screams until his body finally went limp, dark red fluid oozing from his pores.
"Oh my God!" The onlookers were terrified. Some women burst into tears, while others fled, escorted by guards and men trying to calm them down.
Sarah Lowell vomited as she stumbled out of the room.
In the end, only a few people remained: two guards, the warden, Nick Reese, and William.
William smirked. With Sunday's help, he had uncovered details others had overlooked. Sarah Lowell wasn't just any assistant. She had played a pivotal role in Clarence Dobby's release ten years ago.
After Dobby's arrest, his men had threatened the forensic examiner and targeted Sarah Lowell's boyfriend. With both the examiner and Lowell—Reese's assistant—on their side, much of the evidence against Dobby was dismissed by the judge for "procedural irregularities."
As a result, Dobby avoided the death penalty. Instead, he was treated as an accomplice and sentenced to only ten years.
But Shelton's wife and daughter had indeed been murdered. To close the case, Rupert Mick was scapegoated as the primary offender.
Sarah Lowell's presence at Mick's execution wasn't a coincidence. Watching Mick's gruesome end and nearly vomiting wasn't just fear; it was guilt.
And William was sure of one thing: her guilt was just beginning.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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