"I still don't understand," Charles said, "I mean, it seems like you wanted this to happen."

     "My reasons are my own," Adam replied.

     "What reason could you have for breaking out of prison in the middle of the night during the trial, taking the judge's daughter, and hanging her upside down in her nightgown from the tree near the road where everyone could see her? You even returned to the prison the next morning," Charles said. "And then, you fired your attorney when he tried to get a mistrial because of the judge's bias. It seems to me you wanted it to go here. You even requested that you be moved to the top of the list! Now, here you are. In a few minutes, they're going to take you out that door, down that hall, strap you in the chair, and electrocute you. What possible reason could you have for that? THEY don't even really have a reason to be killing you!"

     "You'd better go. You know you can't miss the end to this story," Adam replied.

     As Charles walked down the hall to the viewing room, he went over what he knew in his mind. Adam Smith, or Black Cloth, had been accused of 1,014 counts of kidnapping over the past 10 years. He is an extraordinary individual, possessed of the uncanny ability to freeze individuals in place. His lucky had always seemed amazing up until now. Three months after the trial, he was being electrocuted. Why did he want to die now? Charles stopped at the door of the viewing room to show the guard his press pass.

     Entering the viewing room, Charles looked to see who was here. Besides the various witnesses for the event, there where four individuals of note, at least to Charlie. First and second were Samuel Harden and his son, Andrew. Samuel had been compelled to testify against Adam, even though he felt indebted to him. Adam had kidnapped Andrew and demanded a $200,000 ransom for his safe return. The entire incident made Samuel realize how much his son meant to him, and how little time he had spent with him. He and his son now had a much stronger relationship because of Adam.

     Third was Alexander Lasker. President of Lasker Chemicals, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. "What would he be doing here?" Charles wondered. Alexander Lasker merely sat with an intense look about him. Something strange was going on.

     Fourth was Jennifer Askton. Perhaps the rumors were true. Jennifer was the daughter of Jennings Askton, current President. People had begun to talk about them after the fifteenth time she had been kidnapped. According to Charles' records, she had been kidnapped a grand total of 217 times, yet a ransom was never paid for her return. Here she was now, almost on the brink of tears. Obviously, the rumors were true.

     Charles took his seat as Adam was brought in. As he was strapped in, a tear slid down Jennifer's face. Tension filled the air as the last seconds to midnight ticked away. At the first stroke of the hour, the executioner dropped the lever, and electricity surged through Adam's body. As his body jerked and twitched, Jennifer through herself against the glass separating the two rooms, sobbing helplessly. Adam's body gave one final twitch, and a wisp of smoke drifted up from him.

     With a final sob, Jennifer suddenly turned and grabbed a gun from a guard's holster. Before anyone could even blink, she put the gun in her mouth. As the guard lunged for it, she pulled the trigger........

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