American comics: I am full of martial virtues and I love to be kind to others.

“I surrender.” Daniel raised his hands, his voice so weak it was almost inaudible, “But please tell me, how is Jason?”

“Jason is alright, Daniel.” Lynn tried to keep her voice gentle. “The bullet hit his shoulder, but there was no permanent damage. He’s in the hospital now and in stable condition.”

Upon hearing the news, Daniel's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground. Elisa could clearly feel the immense sense of relief welling up inside him, like a drowning person finally grabbing a lifebuoy.

“Thank God.” Daniel covered his face with his hands. “I was so worried I wouldn’t have aimed correctly enough, that I’d hurt myself too badly.”

Detective O'Connor stepped forward to handcuff Daniel. "Daniel Rodriguez, you are under arrest on suspicion of assault and insurance fraud. You have the right to remain silent."

“Wait a minute,” Lynn stopped O’Connor. “Let’s talk first. Daniel, I need your cooperation to tell us the whole story.”

Daniel nodded, tears streaming down his face. "I'll talk, I'll tell you everything. As long as Jason's alright, nothing else matters."

“Let’s go inside and talk,” Lynn said. “It’s not convenient to talk here.”

They entered the apartment where Daniel was temporarily hiding—an empty room that had apparently been lent to him by a kind neighbor upstairs. The room was almost entirely furnished, with only a mattress on the floor and a few plastic bags containing food and water.

Elisa surveyed the makeshift hideout, a wave of sympathy washing over her. "You've been hiding here for two days?"

“Yes,” Daniel wiped away his tears, “Mrs. Smith upstairs let me stay here temporarily. She didn’t know what had happened, she just saw how desperate I was and helped me.”

Lynn took out her recording equipment. "Daniel, I need to formally ask you some questions now. Do you understand your rights?"

“I understand,” Daniel said, sitting on the mattress. “I want a lawyer, but I also want to tell the truth now.”

“Okay, we’ll arrange a lawyer for you,” Lynn said. “But until the lawyer arrives, you can choose to remain silent, or tell us what you want to say.”

Daniel paused for a moment, then began to tell their story.

“It all started three months ago.” His voice was soft, but filled with pain. “I lost my job and haven’t been able to find work for six months. Jason is covering all the expenses, but his salary isn’t enough. Our debts are piling up, and the landlord is threatening to evict us.”

Elisa could sense the despair and shame in Daniel's heart as he recalled these events. He felt a deep sense of guilt for his inability to fulfill his financial responsibilities.

“Jason never complained, but I knew he was under a lot of pressure,” Daniel continued. “My depression was also getting worse, and the medical expenses were a huge burden. I started to feel like I was a burden to Jason.”

"Who came up with the idea of ​​insurance fraud?" Lynn asked.

Daniel lowered his head, his voice growing even weaker. “It’s me. I saw some similar cases online, and I thought… maybe this is our only way out. Jason just bought that insurance policy; if he’s injured in a crime, he can get half a million dollars in compensation.”

Did Jason agree?

“At first he refused.” Daniel’s tears started flowing again. “He said it was too dangerous and a crime. But I… I threatened to kill myself. I told him that if we couldn’t solve our financial problems, I didn’t want to live.”

Elisa felt a surge of guilt welling up inside Daniel. He knew it was wrong to pressure Jason in this way, but his despair at the time prevented him from thinking rationally.

"So Jason finally agreed to save you?" Lynn continued to ask.

“Yes,” Daniel choked up. “He said he couldn’t lose me, and if it was the only way, he was willing to take the risk. We spent two months planning all of this.”

"What are the specific plans?"

Daniel began to describe their plan in detail. He would go to the convenience store every day to "scout" the location, not to rob it, but to make sure the surveillance footage showed suspicious people frequently appearing there. They studied the optimal shooting angles to ensure they could inflict damage that appeared severe but wasn't actually fatal.

“We practiced a lot,” Daniel said. “Back in Jason’s hometown, his father had a farm. We practiced shooting with scarecrows until I could accurately hit the shoulder.”

"Where did the gun come from?" O'Connor asked.

“It was Jason’s father’s old gun; we hadn’t registered it,” Daniel admitted. “I knew it was illegal, but we had no other choice.”

Lynn took notes of this information while mentally calculating the possible charges. Illegal possession of a firearm, assault, insurance fraud—even considering their motives, these charges were enough to subject them to serious legal consequences.

“Daniel, I have to tell you something,” Lynn’s tone turned serious. “While I understand your difficult situation, your actions constitute multiple crimes.”

“I know,” Daniel nodded. “We all know it’s a crime, but we really have no other choice.”

“First, there’s insurance fraud,” Lynn began to explain. “Intentionally fabricating an insurance claim to obtain compensation is a felony, which can carry a sentence of more than ten years in prison.”

Daniel's face turned pale, but he didn't say anything.

“Secondly, there’s intentional assault. Even if Jason doesn’t prosecute you, intentionally shooting someone with a gun still constitutes a crime,” Lynn continued. “Finally, there’s illegal possession and use of a firearm, which is also a felony in New York State.”

“What about Jason?” Daniel asked worriedly. “What consequences will he face?”

“Jason, as an accomplice in the insurance fraud, will also face corresponding legal responsibility,” Lynn answered truthfully. “However, considering that he is a victim and was coerced into participating, the court may give him a lenient sentence.”

Alyssa looked at Daniel's distraught state, her heart filled with sympathy. "Daniel," she said, "if you fully cooperate with the investigation and truthfully confess everything, it will greatly help with sentencing."

“I will,” Daniel said firmly. “I don’t care what the consequences may be for me; I just hope Jason will receive leniency.”

Just then, Lynn's phone rang. It was a call from the hospital.

“Detective Hall, this is Dr. Johnson,” came the urgent voice on the phone. “Jason Parker’s condition has changed; he requests to see you immediately. He says he has something important to tell you.”

Lynn glanced at Daniel. "Looks like Jason is also ready to tell the truth."

“Does he know I’ve been arrested?” Daniel asked anxiously. “Not yet, but he probably has a guess,” Lynn said. “We need to get back to the hospital now. Would you like to come with us? You have the right to see a lawyer first.”

“I want to see Jason,” Daniel said without hesitation. “I want to apologize to him in person.”

“Okay, but before that, I must formally arrest you.” Lynn gestured for O’Connor to handcuff Daniel. “Daniel Rodriguez, you are under arrest for suspected assault, insurance fraud, and illegal possession of a firearm.”

When the handcuffs clicked shut, Daniel didn't resist. Instead, he seemed relieved, as if he could finally let go of the burden in his heart.

On the way to the hospital, Alyssa sat next to Daniel. Even without using her depth perception, she could clearly sense the young man's complex emotional state—relief, fear, guilt, and anticipation of seeing Jason.

"Do you regret it?" Elisa asked softly.

Daniel pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "What I regret is putting Jason in this situation. But if I could turn back time, and if we were still facing the same predicament, I probably would still make the same choice."

"Why?"

“Because I love him.” Daniel’s voice held no hesitation. “I’d rather go to jail with him than see him suffer because of my incompetence.”

Elisa was moved by this pure and intense love. In her perception, Daniel's words were completely sincere, without any falsehood or selfishness.

Upon arriving at the hospital, they went directly to Jason's ward. When Jason saw Daniel in handcuffs, tears immediately welled up in his eyes.

“Danny, I’m so sorry,” Jason’s voice trembled. “I should have been stronger and shouldn’t have let you do this.”

“No, Jason, it’s my fault.” Daniel walked toward the hospital bed, though the handcuffs restricted his movement. “I’m the one who dragged you into this mess.”

Lynn looked at the two young people, his heart filled with emotion. Even when facing serious legal consequences, they still only cared about each other's well-being.

“Jason, the doctor said you have something important to tell us?” Lynn asked.

Jason nodded, wiping away his tears. "Yes, I can't lie anymore. This whole thing was planned. Danny didn't force me; I participated voluntarily."

“Jason, don’t say that,” Daniel said urgently. “You were forced into it by me, remember?”

“No, Danny.” Jason shook his head firmly. “We’ve made a mistake, we can’t lie anymore. Detective, I want to tell you everything.”

Lynn took out the recording equipment again. "Jason, are you sure you want to make a statement without a lawyer present?"

“I’m sure,” Jason said. “I want to take responsibility for what I should.”

For the next hour, Jason detailed their entire plan. He admitted to being a co-mastermind of the insurance fraud, not just a victim. He explained how they chose the shooting locations, how they arranged the evacuation plan afterward, and how they fabricated their later testimonies.

“We knew it was a mistake,” Jason concluded, “but at the time we really couldn’t see any other way out. Danny’s depression was getting worse, and I was afraid of losing him. Money could be solved, but I didn’t know what I would do if I lost him.”

Elisa listened to these confessions with a mixture of emotion and pain. She could feel the deep affection the two had for each other, and at the same time, their sincere remorse for their actions.

“What do we do now?” Daniel asked. “How many years will we be sentenced to?”

Lynn considered for a moment, then said, “It depends on many factors. Your honesty, lack of prior criminal record, and any special circumstances will all be taken into account. But I must tell you the truth: you could face several years in prison.”

“What about the insurance company?” Jason asked. “Are we required to pay for the medical expenses?”

“Of course. You will need to reimburse all expenses incurred as a result of this incident, including medical costs, investigation fees, and so on,” Lynn replied. “And the insurance company will likely sue you for civil damages.”

The two young men exchanged a glance, and then Jason said, "We accept all the consequences. We just hope we can share the responsibility together."

“Jason, that’s unlikely,” Lynn had to tell them the harsh reality. “You might end up in different prisons, and even if you are released in the future, your criminal records will affect your employment and lives.”

The news plunged them both into silence. Elisa could sense the deep fear in their hearts—not the fear of imprisonment, but the fear of separation.

"Will we ever see each other again?" Daniel asked softly.

“There might be restrictions in prison, but it’s not entirely impossible,” Lynn said. “If you behave well, there might be opportunities for visits.”

Just then, a young female lawyer walked into the ward. She was wearing a well-fitting dark suit and carrying a briefcase.

“I am public defender Sarah Wilson,” she introduced herself. “I have been assigned to represent Mr. Daniel Rodriguez. Mr. Jason Parker also needs legal representation.”

“We want the same lawyer,” Jason said immediately.

“I’m sorry, that’s not legally possible,” Attorney Wilson explained. “Your interests may conflict, and you each need legal representation.”

"What conflict?" Daniel asked, puzzled. "We're doing the same thing."

“For example, if one party accuses the other of being the mastermind, the other party may face a lighter sentence,” Attorney Wilson explained. “To ensure your respective rights, the law requires you to have independent defense lawyers.”

Jason and Daniel exchanged glances again, then Jason said, "We won't blame each other. Whatever the lawyers suggest, we won't harm each other to reduce our sentences."

“That’s what I think too,” Daniel said firmly. “We need to share the responsibility.”

Attorney Wilson glanced at Lynn and then said, "I need to speak with my client privately. And Mr. Jason also needs to contact his lawyer as soon as possible." (End of Chapter)