Nick Reese stepped out of the interrogation room, only to be met by his boss, Bruce Mack, who quickly stormed up to him and hissed, "Why didn't you at least hear what Clyde wanted to say?"
"Damn it, Bruce, do you really think that guy is going to confess?" Nick retorted angrily. "You saw it in the surveillance room; he's just playing with us. He knows we don't have any evidence, and he's trying to make a deal. Something's definitely off here."
"Even if something is off, we should at least hear what kind of deal Clyde is proposing. It's our only shot at finding a flaw in his plan. Otherwise, after 48 hours, we'll just watch him get bailed out," Bruce said firmly, staring at Nick. "We both know this bastard has already slaughtered two people. If he gets out and kills again, you and I are packing up and walking out the door."
Nick, frustrated by the lack of evidence, had no choice but to take things as they came, hoping to find some useful clue in Clyde's next move. "Alright."
A distinct beep from the prison's automatic door system interrupted their conversation. Nick, Bruce Mack, and the warden turned toward the sound, watching curiously as a group of people in military uniforms and suits entered.
The man in the lead stepped forward, pulling a document from his briefcase and handing it to the warden. "Warden Jamie Purslin, I'm Benny from the C1A. We're here to see Clyde Shelton."
"C1A?" The warden took the document and glanced at it, puzzled. "What does Clyde Shelton have to do with the C1A, the English intelligence agency, or this... Kingsman organization?"
"Apologies, that's classified," Benny said curtly, pointing to the document in the warden's hand. "All you need to do is verify the authenticity of this document with your superiors and follow orders. Everything else is irrelevant—and none of your business."
The bluntness of Benny's words infuriated the warden, who clenched the document tightly. Still, going up against the authorized C1A didn't seem like a wise idea. He decided to let it go.
Taking a deep breath, the warden walked to the desk in the monitoring room and made a call to his superior. A short while later, he returned, visibly displeased. "Fine. You have permission to see Clyde Shelton."
"Thank you," Benny replied, retrieving the authorization document and heading toward the exit.
Bruce Mack and Nick exchanged a glance, then immediately followed the equally curious warden out of the surveillance room. Standing in the corridor, they saw the men in suits about to enter the holding area to meet Clyde. Suddenly, Nick Reese called out, "Wait!"
Everyone turned to look at Nick in confusion. Ignoring their stares, Nick fixed his gaze on a masked figure in the group, stunned for a few seconds before shouting, "No way, you're—"
"Quiet," Benny interrupted sharply before Nick could finish. He pulled out the authorization document again. "This file explains everything. Who we are doesn't require your confirmation."
He added, "One more thing, Mr. Nick Reese. The C1A's work involves extensive confidentiality. Unless you have clearance like us, even as New York's chief prosecutor, I suggest you keep your mouth shut."
Nick wanted to argue, but Benny made it clear that they were authorized and didn't owe him any explanations. If Nick spoke out of line, he'd only bring trouble upon himself.
"Alright, fine. You're in charge," Nick said reluctantly.
The warden, who had been expecting some drama, rolled his eyes when Nick backed down. He waved at the guards, signaling them to step aside. "Let them through."
William, the masked man, smirked and gestured for Nick to follow.
Nick hesitated for a moment but quickly caught up with William. "Why are you here? Who is Clyde Shelton, really?"
"Come on, let's talk inside," William said, patting Nick on the shoulder before leading the group toward the interrogation room.
The warden, noticing Nick tagging along, seized the opportunity to follow under the pretense of escorting the group to the interrogation room.
With the warden accompanying them, the group passed through four security checkpoints without issue. At the final checkpoint, William turned to the others and said, "Wait here." Then he entered the interrogation room alone.
After instructing the guard inside to leave, William removed his mask under Clyde Shelton's curious gaze. "Mr. Shelton, I'm William Devonshire. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Upon recognizing William, Clyde's expression twisted briefly before settling into calm neutrality. "So, the rumors about the underworld are true."
"What rumors?" William asked as he sat across from Clyde. He glanced down to locate a switch, then deactivated the room's surveillance and recording equipment. Unsatisfied, he pulled out his phone, tapping a few buttons. "Alright, the room is now secure. We can speak freely. Now, back to the topic—what rumors?"
"They say your ancestors were all part of England's special services, and that much of what you've been doing this past year is tied to espionage. I didn't believe it at first, but..." Clyde pointed to William's phone. "Seeing that and you coming here, I can't deny it anymore."
"Haha, it seems your life has been quite extraordinary to uncover such secrets," William chuckled.
From the start, William had been monitoring Clyde's heartbeat and expressions. It seemed the memory-clearing serum and his magic had worked; Clyde's memories of their previous encounter had indeed been erased.
"Ever heard of Kingsman?" William asked.
Clyde shook his head in confusion.
"No matter. I'll explain," William said with a smile. "Kingsman is an independent intelligence organization. We handle matters related to the royal family, noble security, and England's national interests."
He handed Clyde an official badge. "So, rest assured, we're not interested in how you plan to exact revenge. If you're inconvenienced right now, you can simply answer my questions, and any targets you need dealt with can be handled by us—as long as your information proves valuable."
"Wait a minute," Clyde said, staring intently at the Kingsman emblem on the badge. His eyes widened in realization. "I've seen this symbol before. Damn it, those suit-clad thugs were your people."
Before William could respond, Clyde muttered to himself, "It all makes sense now. The rumors about your incredible combat skills, like taking down dozens of mercenaries during your first operation in Black Mountain, must be true. You've clearly been trained by a spy organization since childhood."
"Suit-clad thugs? It seems your adventures have indeed been remarkable," William remarked with a smirk.
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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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