The plan was a success. The ceremony was a disaster; first responders called, and the injured rushed to receive proper treatment.

As for Mark, he was quickly detained and questioned. I'm sure your parents were bewildered about why he would do something like this, but they were in for an even bigger surprise.

John was now lying in a hospital bed.

"Damn, did that bastard Mark have to shoot me in my stomach." John annoyingly stated. "I had to receive an emergency surgery because of him..."

He proceeded to check his phone. There was a message on his notification.

"Oh?"

He opened it, which revealed a voice-recorded audio. It was titled 'Interrogation Footage'. With a sly smirk, he played it.

"Why did you do it?" By the deep base of the voice, a man presumably asked. "It's not like you can get away with this, so don't waste our time and answer."

"I...I was ordered..." By the voice, John knew it was Mark. In the background, a static noise played.

"Huh? Ordered? By who?" The interrogator asked.

"...Tomas and Anna Hayes. They ordered me to do it." Mark softly responded.

"Huh? The social activist couple that's been pushing peace?" The interrogator asked in a confused tone. "Stop lying. We're not in the mood for your games! Hurry up and tell the--"

Suddenly, Mark released a loud sigh.

"It isn't a lie." Mark stated.

"Sigh, okay. Why would the activists order you to do it, then."

"I'm sure you guys know, but they believe heavily in everyone's well-being, which I greatly admire them for. However, some bastards defiled people's well-being...treating them like pawns." Mark explained. "When we heard that they dared to attend the president's ceremony...we just had to punish them."

"Are you...talking about the military officials that attended?" The interrogator asked in suspicion.

"Well, they're some of the few."

"So, they ordered you to murder and endanger the lives of numerous people, including the president...just to punish those people?" Asked the interrogator. "What the hell kind of fanatic mindset is that!?"

"...There's proof of them giving me the order if you still don't believe. They ended the lives of innocent people to create super soldiers. That apathy is useless for this world...and I share their sentiment." Mark explained.

"...I see. Well, let's investigate the evidence you claim to have." The interrogator stated. That was the end of the recording. John simply had a smile on his face.

"Good work, Corporal Wright."

Mark truly prioritizes his family over everything...how admirable. He even put on a good show in the interrogation. It was annoying he called me a bastard, but that didn't matter in the end. With that, your parents were incriminated successfully.

John and Harvey, fully recovered from being shot, were listening to the news on the television in Harvey's office.

"Good afternoon, my name is Valerie Madison, bringing you the 5 pm news. I'm sure you've all heard, but the magnanimous social activists, Tomas and Anna Hayes, may not be as forgiving as we thought." Valerie began. "Just this morning, they were indicted for organizing a mass shooting, which resulted in multiple deaths, injuries, and even near assassination of President Garfield."

"Oh, how they have fallen." John mockingly said.

"Their motivations seem to have stemmed from hatred towards the military for their disregard for human rights in creating the super soldiers."

Mark's 'confession' was then played on television for citizens to hear.

"The date of their court hearing has yet to be set," Valerie stated.

As you'd expect, there were many defending the Hayes still. However, their reputation was starting to crumble...but I wanted it destroyed...like they did mine. As the trial drew near, I used my military network to acquire a judge and some jury members...motivated by money. Bribing them to be biased against your parents was simple.

I did all that I could. Now, it was time to wait for the trial. However, a happy surprise came a couple of weeks before.

"Good evening, this is Valerie with your 5 pm news. There has been a grim update on the mass shooting. The perpetrator, Mark Wright, was found dead in his cell this morning. He seemed to have taken his life by hanging himself using the bedsheets."

You don't know how happy I was when I heard that! It seemed like Mark couldn't handle the guilt anymore. I was nervous because he was the only person who could have ruined me completely by confessing what happened. But he didn't! He truly cared about his family!

But, when I thought of his family, I realized they could be a nuisance. I've seen many families thoroughly investigate cases if their relative or a significant other they believe was a good person committed a serious crime. So, to keep them from potentially unraveling my plan, I used some 'trusted men' to silence them.

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"S-Silence them?" Harvey asked. "W-What did you do?"

"Oh yeah, I didn't tell you about that, huh," John said. "In summary, my men kidnapped, murdered, and discarded their remains."

"So...that's why they were reported as missing...for so long."

"Yes, anyways. Back to the story." John abruptly said, showing no sympathy whatsoever.

Everything was now in my favor. Your parents had no chance in the trial, and that was proven on the day.

The trial was a spectacle. Politicians, celebrities, and military officials including me were there to witness the trial. It felt like deja vu from the ceremonial event. It went just how I imagined, with your parents losing.

Sure, their lawyer gave valid points for the defense, such as how ridiculous it would be for the Hayes to attend the ceremony just to endanger themselves in the mass shooting or how the deleted messages of their plan with Corporal Wright could be falsified, but their defense didn't matter. The judge and jury were all bought by me, your parent's executioner.

The best part of the trial was seeing the despair on their faces...when they were found guilty and slapped with the death sentence. My long revenge plan...had finally been completed.

So, there was outrage in society. Although your parents' reputation was as good as done, their most die-hard supporters could not accept your parents' conviction. With that said, crime rates continued to be an issue.

I wondered if I could request funding from Garfield to revive my super soldier vision, but it seemed he also had the same idea.

Once again, John and Harvey were meeting the president in his lounge. However, instead of William, it was Garfield.

"I never thought we would ever be able to get funding for Project 'Zero'," John said.

"Yes, I understand the concerns William had with funding it." President Garfield replied.

Those concerns were obviously because of your parents' heavy influence on society. Now that they were out of the picture, nothing stopped the president from making the sensible decision.

"About the super soldiers, creating them wouldn't result in unnecessary deaths, right?" Garfield asked.

"Of course not. In creating the 'Blessed Slaughterer' a couple of years ago, we understood how to create a super soldier without dying. We just did not have the funds to do so." Harvey responded.

"I see, that's good then," Garfield said. "One more thing. I'd like to know exactly what Project 'Zero' is.

"Ah, Project Zero. It's named that way because that is what we want for a super soldier - zero room for anymore modifications." John explained. "While a super soldier is already a greatly modified human, we theorize that they can reach their complete limit if every part of their body has become extensively modified."

"Oh? That does sound interesting." Garfield said. "However, what are the odds that someone will survive that theory?"

"...Well, the chances are less than five percent," John added, to which the president frowned. "However, with more research, it would become more feasible!"

"I understand. I will fund your cause." Garfield stated, to which Harvey and John smirked. "However, under the condition that you don't put any test subjects under that project."

"...I understand. Thank you." John said with a cold expression.

There's always a catch, but at least I could continue my goal of creating super soldiers from years ago.

Throughout the years of Nathan's parents' imprisonment, they tried appealing their sentence numerous times. However, it was futile.

With my funding, I used the blessed slaughterer, and newly made super soldiers to deal with crimes. As the crime rates decreased, it seemed people finally came to their senses and understood that super soldiers were the true step to peace.

The best part was that everyone realized your parents were getting in the way. Their spouting of equality and empathy talk and their disdain for how the super soldiers are made, it was nonsense in the grand scheme of things, and they received more hate than ever before.

I did the same thing they did to me! I vilified them!!!

"The Blessed Slaughterer and Zombie have defeated S-Class criminal, Hell Spawn," Harvey told John in office.

"Heh, that guy was a troublesome individual..." John said. "But, he was no match for the super soldiers...just like the rest."

This lengthy 'battle' was now ending, as their execution date was set. I was lucky enough to take part in their execution, but before that, I wanted to speak with them...one last time.

In an interrogation room, John confronted Tomas and Anna. They were sitting in chains with their wrists handcuffed from behind, and their feet cuffed to the chair leg.

"Hello, guys," John said with a smile. "It's been a while since we've talked, huh."

"...Why are you here?" Anna asked as they both stared at him with malice.

"What's with those stares?" John sarcastically asked. "I was just wondering how you guys were doing...considering your execution is coming up."

"We do not want to see you, Mr. Walker." Tomas coldly stated.

"Yeah, I know you hate me. Isn't that why you tried to kill me?" John countered.

"We never--"

"Yeah, yeah. You never did it. That's what you've been saying the entire time. You've been pleading your innocence even though you did it."

"...It doesn't matter anymore," Anna interjected. "We have accepted death. Our only hope is that whoever orchestrated our downfall, whoever took innocent lives, will be granted no mercy."

There was a long pause in the room as John processed what she said.

Ha, your parents didn't even know that I was the one! How foolish could they be!

"The ones who have orchestrated this is you two." John continued. "You did irredeemable actions because of your hatred towards me, which is why you'll be executed!" They coldly stared at John as he mocked them. "If only you guys had woken up, and realized that this is the dawn of the super soldiers!"

"That is why...we will always hate you." Tomas calmly stated.

"Haha, likewise."

Now that I spoke to them, it was all over. I no longer cared about ruining them anymore than I already did. I would talk about the execution...but you saw that with your own eyes. However, when I saw you and realized you were their child, immense anger came over me.

To think that they ruined me and dared to have an offspring. I originally should have had funding for Project Zero from President William, but they ruined that, and up to this day, I couldn't put the theory into action. Judging by their faces when they realized their precious son would watch them die, I just had to ruin your life, too!

Immediately killing you was too boring, so used my network. I bribed people at school to bully you. I bribed your 'friend' to accuse you of rape. I framed you in numerous crimes. After getting tired of you, I bribed Judge Reid and the jury to sentence you to death for the murders you never committed. I even bribed your lawyer to not show, and planted fake evidence.

"Well, there you have it, Nathan," John said. "That was all the truth. Kinda long, but I'm sure you were interested till the very end."

There was a long pause, as everyone, even the super soldiers, had their heads down in shame.

"So...that's the truth...huh?" Nathan said. "Pfft!" He suddenly chuckled, surprising everyone.

"What's so funny--"

"I-Is that the truth?" Suddenly, a voice was heard, attracting everyone's attention.

"Rebecca!?" John exclaimed in surprise as Rebecca entered the room. With furrowed eyes and gritted teeth, she had a distraught expression written on her face.

"H-How could you...?"