Jonathan could not force people to save themselves. He felt that he inspired a lot of trust, so if others did not feel that he was telling the truth, it wasn't worth going any further.
Of all who heard his words, only three did not follow behind. Carter snorted, Terry squeezed his hand, and Valerie shook her head with contempt. They remained in the cold light of the hallway.
The others did follow him. Alex, Clear, Billy, and Tod walked behind Jonathan. Wednesday silently followed behind him, as she should, being his right hand in this sort of case that was new to her.
Jonathan opened a metal door. Inside, a narrow windowless room. Men in black were already there. They were holding other men; they were seated, blindfolded and gagged.
The scene smelled of dampness and old dust. Just seeing these people it was obvious they came from a nearby prison and by their gang tattoos they were not the best people in the world.
Jonathan closed the door after everyone entered and, seeing an agent, nodded for things to begin.
In the dim light, a guard removed the mask from one of the men. His name and past could be guessed in every tattoo and scar, in every look. Jonathan spoke and, while he did, the men in black pushed a table to the center. On the table appeared seven glasses of water. In each glass, a pale powder floated like moon dust.
"First of all, ethically you would be making this world a better place… But I understand that for people like you this can leave a deep mark, so I want you to know why these men are here." Jonathan pointed to the first; Wednesday held a smart tablet with his profile and gently read the information.
One by one, in front of them, the gagged men were named: "Raúl 'El Taladro' Perdomo. He led a gang that robbed and killed five people in a workshop. Sentenced to life imprisonment for multiple homicide."
"Miguel Vargas. Responsible for a kidnapping that ended in death. Extortion and coercion with fatal result. Life imprisonment."
"Efraín Soto. Led a fight that ended the lives of two innocent people. Sentenced for homicide to life imprisonment."
"Álvaro 'Las Manos' Cruz. Armed trafficking and torture; multiple victims. Life imprisonment."
"Hugo Medina. Set a house on fire out of revenge; three innocent children died. Convicted of arson and homicide."
"Sergio León. Devastated families with violent robberies and homicide in flight. Life imprisonment."
"Mario Ríos. Killed for pleasure in a street fight. Convicted of aggravated homicide to life imprisonment."
They were not names destined for compassion. They were names marked by the life sentence they chose to have and, luckily until now, they were not destined for a near death anytime soon.
Jonathan then pointed to the glasses. "Inside there is powder. Poison, to be exact. I'm not going to explain how it works. It doesn't matter. I only want you to understand the choice."
The students' hands trembled. Alex looked at the glass, then at the blindfolded man's face. Clear breathed shallowly. Billy swallowed. Tod clenched his fists until the knuckles paled.
"This is the next step." Jonathan then looked at Wednesday and she began to set the example. "If you wish to live, you must give the poison to those who are in front of you. One by one. Let them drink it in your presence. Let death receive its coin and let the judgment begin."
"You're asking us… to kill?" Alex asked, his voice broken. As if losing all his friends, brothers and coworkers weren't enough, now they had to take a life.
"I'm not asking for oaths of conscience." Jonathan replied calmly and said, "I'm giving you a way. It's brutal. It's your choice. You pay with another's blood so that yours remains free. That is the law that governs this."
Wednesday then untied the gag from the man in front of her and said: "I would prefer a weapon, but seeing that it's not appropriate then poison will do."
After giving him the poison, the first man began to convulse. Blood shot from every orifice of his body and after a few minutes, he stopped moving.
"If you comply… When the account is settled, The Order will assume the restitution. Your identity will be erased from public lists. You will be able to rebuild your life within the system: work, partial amnesty, a new task under The Order. No promises of glory. Minor matters. Security. A price to pay."
The silence grew heavier. The sound was forced breathing and the clock on the wall.
One by one, the survivors approached. Some hesitated; others closed their eyes and obeyed. They held the glass. They raised their gaze to the gagged man. The seconds stretched like ropes.
"Arghhh…"
There were no flourishes. No heroic speeches. Just the hand bringing the glass, the cold touch of the glass, the forced sip, and the cloudy water sliding down a throat that does not ask.
When the second man stopped moving and his eyes went out, a dull thud filled the room.
Jonathan collected the empty glasses. He looked at the survivors one by one.
"You have paid. The debt is marked. The Order will fulfill its part."
Wednesday bowed her head. Alex breathed for the first time without his hands trembling quite so much.
Outside, in the hallway, Carter was still arguing with Terry. Valerie watched with disdain. They did not know what had just happened in the closed room. They did not suspect the coin that had been delivered.
Inside, Jonathan closed his eyes for a second.
"Black sheep of the flock, let death decide your punishment. Divine justice came to you faster than you expected; rest in peace."