Thick Tension
The air was thick with tension. The heroes and military forces huddled in their various positions, attempting to make sense of the chaos unfolding in the warehouse.
Bahlah, once their confident ally, had become an unpredictable variable. Through his earpiece, they repeatedly tried to reach him, but there was no response. He was deliberately avoiding their calls, trying to put distance between himself and Demon.
Tap… tap… tap.
The sound of boots echoed faintly on concrete.
On a rooftop overlooking the scene, Delta stood poised, his rifle loaded and ready. He glanced through the scope, eyeing Demon in the distance. His finger hovered over the trigger.
Through the comms, Delta's voice came through, calm but focused.
> "I'm in position. Ready to take the shot."
Lexy's voice crackled over the radio, her tone sharp.
> "Not yet, Delta. We need Bahlah's go-ahead before you pull that trigger."
Delta gritted his teeth, frustration bubbling to the surface. He glanced at the target again, the bead of his scope resting on Demon's chest.
> "I have a perfect line of sight on him. This is my chance."
> "I said wait, Delta!" Lexy snapped, her voice rising with authority. "One minute. Stay calm."
A growl of frustration escaped Delta's lips, but he begrudgingly nodded.
> "Fine. One minute."
---
The Observation Room
Meanwhile, in a nearby office, several heroes were gathered, watching the events unfold through the security feed. They exchanged uneasy glances as the tension mounted.
"I feel bad for him," one hero murmured, his eyes focused on Demon's image on the screen. "He's just a kid. This might not even be his fault."
Another hero, older and battle-worn, shook his head.
> "He might be young, but look at what he's done. What he's capable of. He's no child."
Sky, a student with wide eyes and an eager face, leaned in.
> "He thinks he's in control, but he has no idea what's coming for him."
Back on the rooftop, Delta exhaled slowly, watching the seconds tick by. Tick... tick... tick.
> "One minute's up," Delta's voice came through, a clear tone of finality. "I'm taking the shot."
> "Go ahead. Take it," Lexy ordered.
---
The Trigger Pull
In the observation room, Butcher listened intently, a sense of anticipation lingering in the air.
> "Things have been going smoother than expected," he thought, his gaze briefly shifting to Bahlah, who appeared more nervous than he had ever seen.
Confusion rippled through Butcher's mind, but he brushed it aside.
He turned back toward the screen just as Delta's rifle came into focus again. The tension in the air was suffocating. Everyone held their breath.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
The sound of his heartbeat filled his ears.
---
Bang!
The sound of the shot rang out.
Crack!
But to everyone's surprise—it missed. The bullet zipped past Demon, narrowly missing him.
A stunned silence followed.
> "God… He's a beast," Delta muttered in disbelief.
Lexy's voice came sharp through the comms.
> "How did you miss, Delta?"
> "I didn't miss," Delta replied, his tone shaking. "He dodged it."
Everyone froze. How could Demon have moved that fast?
Butcher slammed his hand on the wall.
> "Delta! Take another shot!"
But before Delta could respond, a calm voice cut through the tension.
> "Wow, that was a close one."
---
Demon Moves
Demon's voice was casual—almost amused—as if the shot meant nothing to him.
He stood with a knowing grin on his face, his red eyes glinting like molten lava.
> "Looks like you've got an uninvited guest, Bahlah," he said lightly. "Or should I say, an invited guest I wasn't expecting."
Without warning, Demon moved—whoosh!—his hand shooting out and grabbing Bahlah by the neck.
He lifted him off the ground effortlessly.
Bahlah gasped, his face turning red, his boots kicking helplessly in the air.
> "How many people are hiding, Bahlah?" Demon whispered, voice playful but cold. "Can you tell me?"
Bahlah struggled, foam gathering at his lips as the pressure tightened.
Gasp… gasp…
He thought bitterly, If this is how I'm going to die, things are not going as planned, what s he doing.
---
The Undercover Students
Suddenly, a shout cut through the air.
> "Get him!"
A group of undercover students stormed into the room, surrounding Demon. Weapons raised, hearts pounding.
One of the female students grinned wildly.
> "You're completely surrounded. There's nowhere to run."
Demon dropped Bahlah to the ground with a soft thud, his movements deliberate and calm.
He glanced around landing on the tranquilizer, red eyes scanning.
> "They don't want to kill me… they want to capture me," he muttered under his breath.
He chuckled quietly. Void and the rest should hurry up.
The students whispered among themselves, eyes darting nervously between one another.
One hot-headed student couldn't wait any longer. He lunged forward, foot slicing through the air.
Whoosh!
Demon caught his leg mid-air—effortlessly—and swung him into the wall.
CRASH!
Bones cracked on impact. The student slumped unconscious, sliding down the wall.
Demon blinked in mild surprise.
> "Huh… what was that?"
Capper's voice broke the silence, full of fury.
> "You bastard!"
He rushed forward, fists clenched, ready to attack.
Thump… thump… thump.
The sound of his charging footsteps filled the room.