"Alright, Mr. Devonshire," Benny replied politely to William, nodding as he retrieved a document from his briefcase and handed it to the still-shaken Judge Roberts.
"Judge Roberts, I'm Benny Gard, Colonel with the CIA. This is an immunity agreement for Mr. Wesley Gibbs, an undercover operative for England."
"To hell with documents!" Roberts snapped, her voice trembling with residual fear. "First, tell me what the hell is going on. Why is someone trying to kill me? And how did you all just happen to show up in time to save me?"
Seeing her on the verge of losing control, Benny sighed and put away the document. Calmly, he explained, "This was pure coincidence. We came to see you for official business, and we only discovered the bomb thanks to Mr. Devonshire."
Benny stepped aside as William raised his wrist, showing off his watch with an exaggerated display. "You might've heard of my bomb-detection watch," William said, lying with a straight face. "If it hadn't been for its warning, I wouldn't have come in. My position is… somewhat delicate, after all."
The truth was, saving Judge Roberts was part of a larger plan, which also conveniently allowed William to clear Wesley's criminal record from a shootout involving his father, Cross, and Fox.
The group stared at William's watch, momentarily stunned. Then realization dawned: they'd heard of this ultra-expensive gadget that had recently gained fame in New York's high society. Its million-dollar price tag meant few could afford it, but today's events might change that for those who could.
Noting their thoughtful expressions, William exchanged a knowing look with Benny, who once again handed the document to Judge Roberts.
"Ma'am, over the past few months, the CIA and England's Kingsman have been investigating an assassin organization. We're nearing the end of the operation, and Mr. Devonshire hoped you'd sign this to clear the criminal record of our undercover operative, which was a byproduct of his mission."
Nick mulled this over and then said, "So, you came here for the judge's signature, and Mr. Devonshire's watch detected the bomb, which led to you saving us by chance?"
Benny nodded. "Precisely."
"Still," Nick countered skeptically, "shouldn't clearing a record go through us first?"
"Apologies," Benny said, pulling another set of signed documents from his briefcase. "The lead prosecutor has already approved it. Judge Roberts' signature is the final step."
Nick skimmed the papers but then raised another question. "Why was this man wearing gloves capable of withstanding an explosion?"
This query made both Judge Roberts and Bruce Mack pause, doubt creeping back into their minds.
"You mean these?" William grinned as he pulled an identical pair of gloves from his pocket, slipping them on. Without hesitation, he drew a gun and shot himself in the palm.
"Dammit!" Judge Roberts and her secretary instinctively ducked, while Nick and Bruce flinched, though they managed to maintain their composure.
"Relax," William said, holstering the gun. "These gloves are part of a ballistic-protection suit I developed. Regular bullets and small explosions can't penetrate them. My team and I wear them as standard gear."
As the tension in the room eased and William put away the gun, the group cursed him silently for scaring them twice in a row. In their rattled state, none thought to question how he had bypassed courthouse security with a firearm.
"Alright, I suppose I owe you my thanks," Judge Roberts finally said, forcing a smile despite lingering doubts. "Thank you for saving me."
After exchanging pleasantries and waiting for Roberts to calm down, William gestured for Janet and Benny to step out and dismiss the curious guards who had gathered.
With the guards gone and Janet instructed to keep quiet, Benny returned to the office and handed over the prepared documents.
Having been saved, and finding no fault with the provided materials, Roberts didn't hesitate to sign Wesley Gibbs' file.
Since learning about the $4 billion Clyde Shelton mentioned, William had paid less attention to Wesley's situation. However, leaving Wesley embedded in the Brotherhood of Assassins risked an outcome similar to the movie's events.
After two days of deliberation, William decided to remove Wesley from the Brotherhood, eliminate the organization's assassins, and send Wesley to Kingsman for formal training as an agent.
Saving Judge Roberts also served another purpose: strengthening ties with Bruce Mack and Brian Mills.
A favor as significant as saving someone's life could pave the way for smoother interactions in the future, as long as their interests weren't at stake. For Brian Mills, who had political aspirations, this was a significant advantage.
As for Clyde Shelton's vendetta and whether Roberts or Bruce Mack were good people, what did it matter to William? If they weren't good, that made things even easier.
Moreover, William had been contemplating how to eliminate Clyde without leaving any trace.
Sensing the room's uneasy silence, William decided to steer the conversation toward Clyde's ten-year history. Feigning contemplation, he finally addressed Nick, "Based on my understanding of Clyde Shelton, this assassination attempt on Judge Roberts is almost certainly his doing."
"Impossible!" Nick exclaimed. "He's been locked in solitary confinement."
But as he said it, Nick recalled how William and Benny had visited Clyde earlier, demonstrating an unusual familiarity with him. They even seemed aware of his actions when he dismantled Clarence Darby.
Nick quickly pressed, "Mr. Devonshire, are you saying someone on the outside is helping Clyde? Can you tell us what Clyde has been through all these years? And why your agency took an interest in him?"
William shrugged. "Sorry, Nick. You know the rules. Without proper authorization, your clearance level and job scope don't grant you access to that information."
"Damn it," Nick muttered, frustrated. "Why worry about clearance now? It's just us in this room. Judge Roberts was just attacked, and Bruce Mack and I are responsible for this case. None of us will leak any secrets."
"Alright," William said, feigning reluctance. "To really understand Clyde's background, you'll need details from Benny, since their cooperation with him is more extensive."
Turning to Benny, he added with a sly smile, "You take it from here."
------------------
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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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