Seconds Before Execution

Synopsis

Before the execution, I asked for a glass of water. The officer handed it over impatiently. I made a show of drinking slowly, taking a sip after a sip. On the fourth sip, I deliberately lifted the tip of my tongue, exposing the tattoo I'd kept hidden for fifteen years. It was the identification code my captain had personally etched onto me all those years ago. Just as I expected, the officer's face twisted in shock. "Stop the execution!" he shouted, his voice booming through the execution chamber. For fifteen years, I lived undercover as a drug dealer, forced to watch helplessly as my comrades died one after another. In my final moments, someone finally saw who I really was. I smiled, but the tears kept streaming down my face.