Waiting

"A few minutes left..." The supervisor checked the time on his watch, knowing that if John didn't arrive on time, this would be like the last chance the order had given him.

Wiston, who was standing beside them, was nervous. He couldn't see John anywhere, and the first rays of sunlight seemed to be emerging.

But at that moment, a man with a dog arrived, followed by John and Caine, who came together like old friends. Marquez, who couldn't believe what was happening before his eyes, felt a bit of fear at this point. The sense of death—that bad luck Antón had been talking about.

The supervisor smiled, picked up a book from the table, and looked at the two men who would engage in a duel to the death. At that moment, as the sun rays grew stronger, the supervisor raised his hands and said, "And so we begin."

Anton, as a witness of the light association, stood up to show some respect to these people who would die today—some of them, of course.

The men beside him raised trays, each containing two pistols for those who would risk their lives today.

"We seek the truth and will endure the consequences," said the supervisor, raising the cup and drinking the contents.

Everyone drank, repeating the supervisor's last words: "The consequences..."

Antón watched as everyone prepared. This duel had to be without any kind of protection, so the jackets had been removed.

At that moment, two antique pistols were handed to the respective people who would participate in the duel. "Gentlemen, take your positions."

John looked at Caine, and as they turned their backs to each other, Caine said, "I'll see you in the afterlife, brother."

"Thirty paces."

Antón, for some reason, felt a bit of excitement. Seeing two friends try to kill each other isn't a pleasant sight. He knew that perhaps both understood what they had to do, playing with the arrogance of the man who had darkened them in this place.

As both took their positions, Márquez and Wiston proceeded to deliver the shot that would end the other's life if they won this duel.

The Marquez looked at Caine and said, "Just remember your daughter."

"Screw you!"

John looked at Wiston, who had come closer to his side.

"What a perfect sunrise..." Wiston gazed at the landscape without expressing anything more than his words.

"Any last words, Wiston?"

"Have fun as always."

John nodded, found his gaze on his friend, whom he had to kill to survive, and his thoughts turned to him. All this was worth it.

"Are you ready, Mr. Caine?"

Caine nodded in response.

"Are you ready, John?"

John nodded without showing much expression.

The supervisor placed his hand over his chest and said, "I commend your souls to God. We begin as we end. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

"Fire!"

Bang!

Two distinct shots rang out simultaneously, and without looking at the result, Antón knew that both had missed.

Knowing that neither was dead, Caine signaled with his hand, and the supervisor said, "Twenty paces!"

Taking aim again, both fired when signaled, and both were still alive.

"Wounds a bit more severe; Caine could die," said Antón, watching as a blind man was in a death duel with pistols.

"Ten paces."

Taking aim again, both friends hesitated; all those thoughts from the past came to their minds, but they all knew John was playing.

"Those who cling to death live."

"And those who cling to life die..."

"Fire!"

Bang!

This time, Antón could clearly hear only one shot. John hadn't fired, something only a few noticed.

"Prepare an ambulance," said Antón Mariano to John, still on the ground.

Akira said nothing, watching as Marquez took a step forward and said, "By sponsoring him, he claimed the coup de grâce."

"Hand me the weapon."

Caine looked at Marquez and asked, "Is my daughter free now?"

"Exactly. Your daughter and you are free now."

Wiston scoffed when he saw how Marquez was preparing to shoot and said, "He's an arrogant idiot; he didn't shoot."

"Consequences!" said John, aiming at Marquez's head.

Antón stood up from his chair, walked over to where John was, and said, "May you fully recover..."

"I don't think..."

"You will." Antón said as he used his divine energy to ensure John didn't die.

At that moment, the supervisor approached and said, "Your obligations to the order are fulfilled; now you are a free man. And you, sir manager, will be reinstated, and all your demands will be met."

"And this matter for today is settled; have a good day."

Antíoco signaled to his men and said, "Take them home, accept their demands, and make sure that if they want to die, they do it."