James led them into the heart of the complex. David and A.D. were thrown into separate cells, facing each other. Jane was being dragged towards another cell, but Sharleen intervened, stopping the guards. "James, what are you doing?" she demanded.
"Sharleen, you have both of them," James said. "She can stay with me."
"But?" James began to protest.
"Please, Dad, for me!" Sharleen pleaded.
"Okay, take her," James conceded, though he added, "But be careful!"
"Okay, Dad," Sharleen replied.
From his cell, David called out to A.D. "A.D.! What do we do now? We'll die here!"
"Don't be afraid," A.D. replied, his voice calm.
"You're confident Sharleen will do that?" David asked, a hint of desperation in his voice.
"She will," A.D. said. "If she doesn't have another plan."
"What? You didn't tell us!" David exclaimed.
"Because I didn't want to leak the information and I couldn't say that it would also succeed," A.D. explained. "Let's see what happens."
Just then, James entered with some guards. He went to David's cell first. "Oh, my dear man, you've come," he sneered. "Long time no see, but don't worry, now that you're here, we'll make a long relationship. You'll die slowly, slowly. But for now, you can rest. First, I have work with him." He gestured towards A.D. "Hey, kid! Last time, we couldn't serve you because you ran, but don't worry, now we will fulfill our desires." He turned to his two guards. "Give him some special service."
The guards entered A.D.'s cell and began to torture him. From his cell, David cried out, "Please, let him go! Don't do that!" But the torture continued throughout the night, with only brief pauses.
In the morning, James returned. A.D. lay on the floor, covered in blood. James looked at his guard. "He's alive," the guard reported, "but he didn't say anything about the antidote."
"Okay, then kill him," James ordered casually.
"What!" David cried. "Please, spare him!"
"Oh!" James said, then to his guard, "Okay, let him be. It looks like if we let him, he'll die in some time on his own." James and the guards then left.
From his cell, David cried, "Are you okay, A.D.? Please say something."
A.D., with blood trickling from his mouth, lay on the floor. "I'm okay," he slowly whispered. "Don't worry, only a few hours left, then it will be over".