Birth of a Villain

{New Subquest acquired}

{Kill Intruders 0/3}

Click!

The door slowly opened, and a big black arm holding onto a semi-automatic pistol slid into the room and aimed toward the bed.

Slowly, the hulking figure slid into the room, his massive figure illuminated by the blinding lights of lightning, its deafening rumble masking the sound of a gunshot.

{Killlllllllllllllll!}

Bang!

Dylan pulled the trigger in sync with the deafening lightning, the flash revealing the final moments of the man who walked into the room.

He saw it, the ski mask exploding into a blood mess of mixed brain tissue. His body jerked in the opposite direction, crashing against the door.

{Hehehehe hehehehehe!}

Dylan's eyes revealed a fierce violet hue as he watched the corpse slide down, leaving behind a bloody trail.

{Kill Intruders 1/3}

"That white boy plays with sticks!" A voice rang from the other side of the door, drowned in the defeating sound of his semi-automatic rifle.

Ratatata-tatatataa!

A hand stuck into the room, unleashing a deadly barrage in Dylan's direction. The glass wall behind him shattered under the fierce assault; if Dylan had been standing, he would have had more holes in him than the Swiss cheese in his fridge.

Laying directly underneath the fleet of bullets, Dylan was temporarily deafened, but he didn't move from his position because of the voice in his head.

{Don't move ... don't panic... All good things take time} The voice was as clear as ever in this chaotic situation.

Dylan held his breath, his body soaked with sweat. A few seconds in, the bullets stopped.

"Get up here, quick!" The voice said, his footsteps were fainter.

{Go!}

Without hesitation, Dylan lunged towards his hand while he pulled out his flashlight from his pocket. His thundering footsteps alerted the retreating assassin, forcing him to freeze in his tracks.

The man shifted his attention back to the door, his rifle aimed at the door. A blinding light shone brightly in the darkness, forcing the man to close his eyes while pulling the trigger.

Ratatata-tatatataa!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

--- Black Star's POV ---

Black Star ran out of the kitchen, his narrowed gaze fixated on the light flashes coming from the staircase. He cocked his gun, welding it with two hands as he tiptoed upstairs.

He knew they had made too much noise already, and one of Dylan's neighbors must have called the police already.

Furthermore, he barely had a few minutes left to finish the job and get out.

"That White boy play with sticks... get up here, quick!"

"Scoop!" Black Star screamed, running up the stairs.

Buzz!

As soon as Scoop's figure came into view, the blinding light came and the deafening sounds followed. It happened so fast, there was no time to retreat.

Black Star had only one choice, shoot!

From behind, Scoop's figure acted as a shade to the light and a shield to Dylan's bullets. While it was faint, Black Star could spot Dylan's figure hidden in the darkness.

His friend's body was already rattling from Dylan's bullets, Scoop's shots missing by a mile. Fortunately, Black Star was in a much better position.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

----

Anchor: "Good morning, Chicago. We begin today with breaking news from the Near West Side, where a violent home invasion late last night left one man hospitalized and another suspect still at large."

Cut to footage of Dylan's apartment building, yellow police tape stretched across the entrance. Officers can be seen speaking to neighbors and securing the area.

Anchor: "Police were called to an apartment building on West Randolph Street shortly after midnight. Gunshots were reported during what officials are describing as a 'targeted attack.' The victim, 28-year-old defense attorney Dylan Morningstar, was shot three times during the altercation but managed to fight off his assailants."

The screen shows a file photo of Dylan, a professional shot of him in a suit and tie, alongside the caption:

'Victim: Dylan Morningstar - Defense Attorney.'

Anchor: "According to authorities, Morningstar acted in self-defense, fatally shooting two intruders. However, the third suspect escaped the scene despite suffering a gunshot wound. Police are urging the public to come forward with any information that could lead to the capture of this individual."

Cut to Detective Harris giving a statement to reporters outside the building.

Detective Harris: 'We believe this was not a random attack. Mr. Morningstar was targeted, and we're working to determine the motive behind this violent incident. Thanks to his quick thinking, he managed to protect himself, but we still have an armed and dangerous suspect on the loose.'

Anchor: "Morningstar was rushed to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery. As of this morning, his condition has stabilized, and he is expected to make a full recovery. Officials say the victim is cooperating with the investigation."

Footage cuts to neighbors being interviewed.

Neighbor 1: "It's terrifying. You think you're safe in your own home, and then something like this happens. Thank God he survived."

Neighbor 2: "He's a good guy, quiet, keeps to himself. I hope they catch whoever did this."

Back to the anchor in the studio.

Anchor: "Authorities have not yet released the identities of the intruders, but sources indicate they may have connections to a larger criminal network. No additional details have been confirmed at this time."

The screen flashes with a police hotline number.

Anchor: "If you have any information about this case or the whereabouts of the third suspect, you're urged to contact the Chicago Police Department at the number on your screen."

Anchor smiles faintly as the tone shifts.

Anchor: "In other news, today's weather forecast promises clear skies and warmer temperatures, a much-needed reprieve for the city. Stay with us for more updates on this developing story and other headlines."

Dylan sat on the edge of his hospital bed, the dim light from the morning sun filtering through the blinds.

His hand trembled slightly as he reached for the remote. His eyes twitched at the irritating soft beep of the heart monitor beside him.

His breaths were shallow, his chest tightly wrapped in bandages As the television turned off, his reflection stared back at him briefly on the black screen.

Dylan's face was pale, his normally sharp features dulled by exhaustion and the toll of last night's violence. He winced, his other hand instinctively clutching his side.

"God, dammit, that was exciting." He mumbled under heavy breaths, a crazed smile blooming on his lips.