"Next time you interrupt me... I'll go for the balls."
Hearing William's words, Carl, already writhing in agony, felt a deeper wave of dread wash over him as he understood the ominous threat. If he dared to speak again and if William truly intended to shoot him there... the ensuing pain would be beyond anything he could endure.
To exacerbate the situation, Adam smirked from the back while Delmar quipped, "Woah... I'd tread lightly next time, Carl. Don't want my future dead sperm to perish so quickly now." His words carried a more sinister undertone, but Carl, overwhelmed by pain, failed to grasp it. He remained silent, unwilling to risk further provocation.
Meanwhile, Carly turned ashen with fear. The man she had believed would rescue her from the wretched life she had endured was now incapacitated, and the terror of what might befall her next loomed large in her mind.
But William didn't allow her to dwell on her thoughts. "Where was I?... Oh yes, the police."
"You went to the police, and instead of providing you protection, they delivered you right into the hands of those who murdered your parents." He suddenly clapped his hands sharply, causing Carly to flinch in fear. "And that's when your tragic tale began."
"The gang members took you and subjected you to their whims, day and night, without granting you a moment's peace. They exploited you, waited for the next batch, and then used you again, correct?" William questioned, but Carly remained mute. Whether it was out of fear or the harrowing memories flooding back, she didn't respond.
William didn't wait for her acknowledgment. He pressed on, "Then one day, someone took an interest in you and extracted you from that hellhole. To him, you were like a broken bird, bereft of hope... and the one thing that captivated him was the look on your face." He pointed at her. "The very same look this guy here fell for as well. And I have to admit, it was a shrewd investment.
He certainly reaped the rewards after putting you to work where you are now."
"And that concludes your story, right? Or is there more?" William asked, but once again, Carly offered no response. He glanced back.
"Yep, that's the gist of it, boss. What followed wasn't much—just people screwing each other over and the security guy double-crossing you," Delmar added.
He placed his hand inches from Carl's face, almost touching him, but then his hand stopped as if it had met an invisible force field. Carl observed this and realized how foolish he had been.
"This is an invisible barrier that I activated just moments before you regained consciousness. I knew that no matter what happened today, even if I somehow decided to spare you—which would never happen—you'd try to kill me," William explained with a deranged smile.
"This is also why I was confident enough to sit here, unflinching, and not give a damn about what might happen."
Carl mustered a bloody smile as he croaked, "So it takes a 'Cough' 'Cough' Goddamn invisible barrier for you to sit in front of me. Talk about cowardice."
William's face briefly contorted with anger, but just as Carl began to feel a flicker of satisfaction, William's expression morphed into laughter. "You really think a weak taunt like that would faze me?"
"I may be young, but I'm not as naïve as you assume." He grinned and asked the increasingly frustrated man, "Now, is there anything else you'd like to attempt? Because if there is, do it quickly—you don't seem to have much time left," he said, gesturing toward Carl's gaping wound.
Carly looked at the wound and pleaded, "Ple-please, at least stop his bleeding. He'll die if you don't."
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she begged William to save Carl. "I know I have don—We have done many terrible things to you, but at least heal him... you can do that much in exchange for him protecting you this long."
"Protecting me? The guy deliberately slacked off on his job. Actually, it seemed like he wanted me dead," William mused aloud before looking at Carl. "So, Carl, did you really want me dead?"
Carl didn't respond, and William didn't pursue the matter. Instead, his hands began to glow with a white light that spread over Carl, healing him.
Carly's eyes filled with gratitude, but before she could thank him, William said, "Don't thank me just yet. I didn't heal him because you asked me to."
"I want him to live long enough to tell me everything."