[ The question strikes a chord in him, and it's with certain difficulty that he tries to maintain the eye contact. It's not merely a choice that he's familiar with, it's a choice he's made in the past, with all the others that are no longer by his side. ]

When one person takes it upon themselves to be the sole judge of human lives.

[ His voice seems quieter, somehow. ]

What makes you think there is no other way?