Man in Black/Young William/The Riddle of the Sphinx

William visits James Delos twice while the latter is confined in a stylish apartment to cure an unspecified disease. The two visits are identical: William brings James a bottle of liquor, which James pours for the both of them and which William refuses to drink. James asks him when can he get out of confinement, to which William replies that they are monitoring him and that they must run some tests in order to release him. He specifies that the test consist in a conversation conducted with a familiar face, and reveals himself as the chosen interlocutor. After a few questions, James asks again when is he going to get out, and William proceeds to hand him a folded paper, which James reads attentively.
It is revealed during the second visit that the paper contains a complete log of the answers James gave in the course of the conversation; it is also implied that this conversation has happened numerous other times. James understands that he is a host and that the real James is dead, but seems nonetheless still anxious to get out; William brings him up to date about the Delos family, telling him that his wife had a stroke and that his granddaughter is "whip-smart" and "capable." When William tells him that he is going to be kept in observation for a while more, James insists that he is ready to go, but begins to malfunction visibly. William walks out of the room, which is kept under observation by an external assistent, and gives his okay for the termination of this version of the project. As William walks away, the host and the room are set on fire.
Category:Tabview Character Plot