Free Web NovelChapter 323: Playing God In The Game Of Men
[BREAKING NEWS: JUDGE DAMIAN HILL SURVIVES ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT]
A female reporter stood before the camera with the snow-covered mountains behind her. Police lights flashed across the dark road leading to Damian’s Chicago mansion, painting the trees red and blue while officers moved through the property in heavy winter jackets. The mansion itself stood in the distance, its front entrance damaged, several windows shattered, and yellow police tape stretched across the driveway.
"Good morning. We are coming to you live from the Black residence outside Chicago, where Judge Damian Black survived a violent assassination attempt late last night. According to authorities, a heavily armed group attacked the residence shortly before midnight and engaged in a prolonged gun battle with Judge Black’s personal security troops before forcing their way into the mansion."
The footage shifted to a security recording from outside the estate. The image was grainy and dark, but the scene was clear enough to make the scale of the attack obvious. Several armed men moved through the snow with rifles raised while gunfire flashed around them. Damian’s security troops fired from behind stone pillars and parked vehicles, then slowly retreated toward the mansion as the attackers continued advancing.
Bullets tore through the darkness in both directions. Glass shattered from the outer windows. Stone chipped apart beneath the attackers’ feet. One security guard fired several shots before pulling another wounded guard backward toward the entrance, refusing to leave him behind even as bullets struck the walls around them.
The reporter’s voice continued over the footage. "The attackers appeared determined to reach Judge Hill personally. Despite meeting resistance from the security team, they continued pushing forward and eventually reached the front entrance of the mansion."
The video showed the attackers gathering near the front doors. One of them kicked the door open while another fired into the hallway. The security troops inside returned fire immediately, forcing the attackers to scatter behind the walls and furniture near the entrance. The footage became unstable as bullets struck the camera’s housing, but the sound of gunfire continued without pause.
The screen then changed to home camera footage from inside the mansion. The hallway was filled with smoke, broken glass, and scattered shell casings. Two attackers rushed through the entrance with rifles raised, firing wildly toward the upper floor. A security guard appeared briefly behind the staircase, returned fire, and disappeared again.
One attacker was struck in the shoulder and collapsed against the wall. Another attempted to pull him away, but a burst of gunfire forced him back. He fell moments later, his weapon sliding across the marble floor.
The footage moved to another camera near the living room. Three attackers had pushed deeper into the mansion, firing toward the security troops as they moved from room to room. The security team continued retreating, drawing them farther inside while returning fire from cover. The attackers believed they were cornering Damian’s guards.
Instead, they were being separated.
One of the attackers ran into the dining room and fired toward the far end of the room. A shot rang out from somewhere outside the camera’s view. He staggered, dropped his rifle, and collapsed beside the table.
Another attacker tried to retreat toward the hallway, but a bullet struck his leg. He fell hard, dragged himself across the floor, and raised his pistol toward the security troops. Before he could fire again, another shot struck him in the chest.
The final two attackers made it into the main hall, their faces hidden behind masks as they fired blindly toward the staircase. One was struck in the neck and dropped immediately. The other continued shooting until his rifle clicked empty.
He turned to run but a bullet struck him in the lower back.
The attacker collapsed near the entrance, screaming as blood spread across the marble floor. He tried to crawl toward the open doorway, but his body gave out before he could reach it. Several security troops surrounded him with their weapons raised, forcing him to drop the pistol still clutched in his hand.
The reporter returned to the screen, her expression grim. "Authorities have confirmed that every attacker involved in the assault was killed during the gun battle except one. The surviving suspect was seriously injured and later detained by police. He is currently receiving treatment under armed guard."
The screen showed blurred footage of an ambulance leaving the property while officers stood around a stretcher. The wounded suspect was barely conscious, his body covered in blood, his hands restrained as paramedics worked to keep him alive.
"According to an officer on the ground, the surviving suspect was questioned several times after being detained. The officer claims that every time he was asked who sent them, he gave the same response. He reportedly named Richard Hale of the Black Sheep Firm, Richard Hale’s son Victor Hale, and several political figures connected to the Victor Hale case."
The screen shifted to photographs of Richard Hale, Victor Hale, and several public officials. Their names appeared beneath their faces while the reporter continued speaking.
"The officer also claims the suspect became frustrated when investigators continued asking the same question. He allegedly told them that if they could not hear him properly, he would write down every name himself."
A short clip appeared on the screen showing the injured suspect lying on a hospital bed with officers standing around him. His hands were restrained, but a detective held a notepad near him as the man struggled to write. The camera did not show the names on the page, but the reporter’s voice made the implication clear.
"Police have not yet confirmed whether formal charges will be filed against Richard Hale, Victor Hale, or the political figures named by the suspect. However, the attempted murder of Judge Damian Hill has now been directly linked to the case he is presiding over."
The footage changed again, showing Damian entering the courthouse weeks earlier beneath heavy security. Protesters stood outside the building. Reporters crowded the entrance. Lawyers moved through the crowd with tense expressions while black vehicles waited along the road.
"Judge Black has faced repeated pressure since taking control of the Victor Hale case," the reporter said. "There have been threats, attempts to intimidate witnesses, political interference, and now a direct assassination attempt against the judge himself."
The reporter stared directly into the camera as the police lights continued flashing behind her.
"Many are now asking whether Judge Hill has become the last hope of justice in a system that has been weakened by money, influence, and fear. If wealthy men can send armed killers into a judge’s home simply because they do not like the direction of a case, then the question is no longer whether the justice system is corrupt. The question is whether there is anyone left willing to stand against it."
The broadcast returned briefly to the mansion, its broken entrance still surrounded by police tape and armed officers.
"Judge Damian Hill survived," the reporter said. "But this attack has made one thing clear. The people behind the Victor Hale case are no longer trying to win in court. They are trying to make sure the court never gets the chance to speak."
