This chapter is a little intense. I strongly condemn r*pe and do not agree with any of the viewpoints of Danny written below. Neither should you. We do not excuse monsters. We don't become them. We remain human, even when life dares us not to.
Chapter 17 : Prey
** Star City University campus, late night **
Danny Hayden checked his Rolex—11:52 PM. Perfect timing.
Danny Hayden crouched behind the dumpster in the alley adjacent to Starling University's main campus, his breathing shallow with excitement as he watched groups of female students walking back to their dorms after late-night study sessions.
At twenty-six, he'd perfected his hunting grounds—the poorly lit pathways between academic buildings and residential areas where security cameras had convenient blind spots and campus security made predictable rounds.
His father's police captain badge had taught him valuable lessons about power, authority, and the beautiful simplicity of systems that protected those who knew how to work them. Captain Robert Hayden of the Star City Police Department had been Danny's hero, his mentor, his shield against consequences for over eight years of predation.
But Danny had learned his lessons well. The Hayden family understood that rules were for other people, that badges and uniforms were magic talismans that transformed crimes into "misunderstandings," victims into "unreliable witnesses," and rape into "he said, she said" situations that juries rarely prosecuted successfully.
He'd been watching Maria Santos for three days, learning her new patterns. The broken little bitch thought she was being clever, varying her routes, staying in public areas. But Danny had resources she couldn't imagine. Campus security footage, student ID tracking, even her library computer logs—daddy's connections reached everywhere.
Danny had been perfecting his method for eight years, ever since his eighteenth birthday when his father had explained the facts of life with brutal clarity: "Son, there are two kinds of people in this world—wolves and sheep. The sheep think the system protects them, but the system is run by wolves. As long as you're my boy, you're protected. Just be smart about it."
Being smart meant choosing victims carefully. College girls from out of state whose families weren't connected to local politics. Working-class girls who couldn't afford lawyers. International students who were afraid of deportation. Girls with drinking problems or mental health issues whose credibility could be questioned in court.
Being smart meant learning the system's weaknesses. How evidence disappeared from lock-up. How case files got misfiled or accidentally destroyed. How witnesses could be intimidated into changing their testimony or failing to appear in court. How district attorneys could be convinced that certain cases weren't worth prosecuting.
Being smart meant understanding that r*pe wasn't about sex—it was about power. The power to take what you wanted from someone weaker. The power to destroy innocence and replace it with trauma. The power to walk away clean while your victim spent years in therapy trying to rebuild her shattered psyche.
"Predictable," he murmured, lighting a cigarette as he watched her exit the library. Same oversized hoodie, same nervous glances, same pathetic attempt at confidence.
The sociology building was her next stop—always was on Thursdays. She'd hole up in the study room until 2 AM, pretending to work while actually just hiding from the world. From him.
Danny smiled. She had no idea how much worse her life was about to get.
The past few days had been delicious. Maria jumping at every shadow, checking over her shoulder, that constant edge of terror in her eyes. But she was getting too comfortable. Starting to think maybe he'd lost interest, maybe daddy's threats had been enough.
Time to correct that misconception.
He followed at a distance, savoring the anticipation. This was the best part—the hunt. The moment when prey realized they'd never actually escaped.
Maria's pace quickened as she noticed his footsteps. Danny grinned wider. She was learning.
"You can run, Maria," he called out softly, just loud enough for her to hear. "But you can't hide forever."
She broke into a sprint.
Danny laughed, not bothering to chase. Why rush? He knew exactly where she was going—the sociology building had security cameras, but they'd been "malfunctioning" for weeks. Amazing what daddy's connections could arrange.
He took his time, enjoying his cigarette. Let her think she'd gotten away. Let her feel that brief moment of relief before he shattered it completely.
The building was dark when he arrived, but he knew she was inside. Probably in the third-floor study room, probably crying. They always cried when they realized the truth—that there was nowhere to run, no one to save them, no system that would protect them from people like him.
Danny had been doing this for years. Portland, Cleveland, Detroit—always the same pattern. Find the vulnerable ones, the ones who couldn't fight back, who had something to lose if they talked. Break them down slowly, methodically, until they understood their place in the natural order.
And if they got too difficult? Well, accidents happened. Suicides were surprisingly common among traumatized college students.
He found the study room easily—dim light seeping under the door. Danny paused, straightening his jacket, checking his appearance in the window's reflection. Important to look good for these moments. First impressions mattered afterall.
He paused outside,savouring the anticipation. This was always the bestpart-the moment when prey realized they'd never actually escaped. When they understood that all their precautions, all their little attempts at safety, were just illusions.
The door wasn't locked. Of course it wasn't. Maria was too broken to think clearly anymore.
She was sitting at the far corner, back to the door, hunched over her books. The same position he'd seen her in for days—small, defeated, trying to disappear.
"Hello, Maria," Danny said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. "Miss me?"
No response. She didn't turn, didn't even flinch.
"You know," Danny continued, moving closer, "I've been thinking about our last conversation. About how ungrateful you were. How you tried to involve people who couldn't help you."
Still nothing. Usually they were begging by now or atleast crying.
"The silent treatment? Really?" He laughed. "That's fine. We have all night to work through your attitude problem."
He reached out to grab her shoulder, to spin her around so she could see his face, see the promise of what was coming—
The figure turned on its own.
Maria's face looked back at him, but the eyes were wrong. Too calm. Too knowing. Like she was seeing something fascinating instead of terrifying.
"Hello, Danny," she said softly.
But the voice was wrong too. Not scared. Not broken.
Almost... pleased.
Danny's hand froze inches from her shoulder. Something was very, very wrong.
"I've been waiting for you," Maria continued, and when she smiled, her teeth seemed too sharp in the dim light. "We have so much to discuss."
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○ The MC's shapeshifting ability only requires a sample of the target's DNA—unlike in Prototype, where consuming the victim is necessary. However, he doesn't gain any memories from the transformation.
○ I know I haven't gone into detail about his powers yet, but that's intentional. I plan to reveal his abilities gradually, piece by piece. He may receive power-ups in the future, but they'll stay consistent with the pacing and logic of the story.
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Advanced chapters on patre*n
DC : Architect of Vengeance
patre*n*c*m/Lord_Meph1sto