Dis: I do not own COR or BTVS. No profit is being made from this. Just havin fun.
Jamison sat down hard and reached over to take the ship off autopilot. He grinned, as he hit the play button on the rectangular device he had filched from his prisoner. He wasn't sure what it was called but the odd music that blared was strangely relaxing. He had rigged it to work thru the comp and now it blasted throughout the ship. He glanced back at his latest capture and grinned. He had been lucky in catching the off worlder when he had.
Jamison had walked into a bar and within seconds had the freak in his hands. He knew of at least four other mercs that had been searching for this one and they were gonna be pissed that he got there first. He chuckled darkly as he thought about the deadly wake it had left behind. As far as he knew, the freak had claimed to be from some planet no one had ever heard of. And had created some major damage trying to get home. After several months of terrorizing the locals on Riza 2, it had hitched a ride to the next system and began a kill spree the likes of which had not been seen in many years.
Jamison shivered as he thought how lucky he was to still be alive. It hadn't put up any fight. Almost as if it wanted to be taken. He shrugged his shoulders and thanked the unknown that he had chosen that planet to resupply on.
A low moan reached his ears from the back and he shifted the autopilot on again as he stood to go back to the hold. The freak's arms were incased in three inch thick, solid titanium arms bands that reached from wrist to elbow. The legs were similarly restricted from ankle to knee. Bands of the same were secured around the forehead, neck, chest and waist. He wasn't taking any chances after hearing the stories of the last merc that tried to take it.
"Finally waking up I see. Cryo controls woke me about an hour ago. I'll hook up the new needles so you get extra nutrients. Wouldn't want you to get sick on me before we get to our destination after all. Don't get a full bounty on a sick prisoner." He said with amusement. He tilted his head to the side waiting for the freak to open it's eyes or say something.
"What's wrong? You're usually full of threats and warnings about what you're going to do to me when you get free. Stupid really after letting me just grab you in that dive." He wondered if it would speak at all. "I got that mini comp thing of yours working. Can't you hear it? Come on, don't it remind you of home?"
At the word home, feral golden eyes flashed open. They seemed to have an demonic glow to them. Jamison swallowed down the lump of fear that had risen in his throat. Those were the eyes of a predator. And knowing the body count behind those eyes, he looked to the smallish hands that remained bound.
"Fuck. Thought this might've all been a dream." A gravelly voice emerged from a cryo sleep roughened throat.
Jamison straightened a little to regain lost status, seemingly from those eyes alone. "Sorry, baby. I still got you. And you're still a killer. Almost as bad as Riddick himself."
Dark brown hair shifted slightly, as the head was relaxed against the bulkhead behind. "Yeah, a killer. And who the hell is this Riddick I keep hearing about anyway?"
Jamison looked into those eyes again as he searched for mocking. "You really have no idea, do you?"
A raised eyebrow was his reply as he sat on a crate that held his food supplies. "Riddick is this badass killer. Been wanted for years and had most mercs around, on his tail since the beginning of his career. Course, he's also 'retired' a lot of mercs too. But they keep coming. Each wanting to be the one that gets him. He's been in and outta slams all his life and escaped all of them as far as the legend goes. Including Butcher's Bay. One merc by the name of Johns had him a few years ago but was never heard from again. And as Riddick was still alive last I heard, I guess he joined the list of retirees."
A dry laugh echoed off the bulkheads and sounded decidedly jaded from one who looked so young. "Yeah, I guess you could say we have a little in common. Course, I had straightened up prior to being sent to whatever dimension this is. And when I get home there is going to be one more death on my hands. Stupid meddling witches."
Jamison smirked. "Poor, baby. This home you talk about. Is this were you got that mini comp with the great music?"
A grunt of affirmation was his response. "Yeah. It's called an iPod, dumbass. The name is on the back."
"Big talk from someone bolted down to my ship. And, just so you know. You ain't never gonna see home again. The place we're going is a Hell like planet. So close to the sun that during the day the surface above the prison cracks and smolders with fire. And nothing can survive. Ah, Crematoria. Where all the good ones go."
If he thought to frighten his prisoner, he was very wrong. The genuine amusement from the laughter was puzzling. "A Hell like planet. Dude, I have been in the very mouth of hell. That shit don't frighten me."
Jamison stood with a scowl on his face. "Yeah, whatever. We're gonna be there in about two hours. I'll load you up with the needles, as a favor from me to you. Cause I don't think you're gonna get a whole lot of nourishment where you're going."
As he set the IV's into each arm, he tried to reason out the utter lack of fear in those golden eyes. But no answer was forthcoming and he sat back down in his seat. Crematoria was just ahead and lucky for him the delivery gates were shrouded in darkness for another hour. Course that meant it was damned dark outside. He maneuvered and coaxed his ship to fit into the narrow channel and finally came to an abrupt stop as his hooking gear caught on a large outcrop of rock a few hundred feet back. As he looked back towards the entrance as it closed, he got a funny feeling. While he knew that he was now safe inside the docking bay from the deadly rising sun, he wasn't so sure that that was what he should be worrying about.
"Alright, killer. Time to go to your new home." He held a plasma gun to the prisoner's head with one hand and with the other injected a serum into a secured arm. "Now, that's just a little Nexial. It will paralyze your limbs so I can get you bound. Don't worry though. It wears off after three or four hours."
Not a word was uttered as the serum kicked in and Jamison released arms and then legs. He rebound them with magnetic locking arm and leg cuffs. A shock collar went around a slender neck and he smirked at his meal ticket. "You know. The bounty for you. . .I'll be able to take a few years off. Bet if I was sensible, I could retire. But where's the fun in that. Maybe, I'll try for Riddick next. Hell, I caught you didn't I."
"I hate to wet the paper for you Jamison, but I let you catch me, you dipshit." An amused voice reminded him.
"Yeah, but that's not what the records are gonna show or what the rumors will say." He answered back.
He brought over a hover board and placed the still paralyzed prisoner onto it. "These things are great. Saves me from having to throw you over my shoulder. It would be a long ride. Gonna be one anyway thru the utility shaft. Cause no bounty is worth riding that fucking death coaster. But don't worry, while it may take a little longer, the shaft is perfectly safe."
He grabbed a hold of the handle of the board and walked off the ship. He didn't see the prisoner cart but assumed that it was at the bottom. Perhaps another merc was down there and he could begin his bragging. That thought put him in high spirits as he hauled up on the divided door to the shaft, forgetting that he hadn't seen another ship. It was a tight squeeze but once he was situated he closed the doors and jerked the lever down. Jamison smiled as he thought back to the first time the Slam boss had let him in on the secret of the shaft. It had been built before the prison was. And used as the entrance until the other had been built. Only he and the guards knew about it. Well, the supply ship too. But after his first terrifying ride on the regular cart, he swore he'd never do it again.
He resisted looking into those eyes as he hummed to the song stuck in his head. Magic Carpet Ride, I think it was called. He had brought the iPod along to show it off and let the others hear the strange music. But the feeling of foreboding that he felt before had begun to take over his thoughts.
Two hours later, the shaft lift came to a slow stop and he opened the doors. Dragging the board behind him, he walked down a short hallway. When he got to the main room, he stopped. An unnatural fear made his hand shake as he reached for the handle. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before wrenching it open despite his inward terror.
Behind the door was a horror. The comp room was shot up and there were blood stains on the floor. No guards, no bodies.
"What the hell is going on here?" He wondered out loud. He secured the prisoner, still atop the hover board, to a set of holding rings in the wall. He walked over the computer and tried to open the video files. He didn't get much except to see that the merc named Toombs had been arguing over price on a bounty. After that the tape was fuzzy. He wondered if any paperwork remained. Glancing over to his capture, he was surprised to see those golden eyes wide and alert. As if the freak could sense something he couldn't. He glared for a second and went back to his search.
Finding what he wanted under the overturned table, he started skimming through the names of the last arrivals. So deep in his search was he, that he didn't hear the low grunts and deep breaths behind him.
"Holy shit! Toombs got Riddick. Holy fuck, that slimy prick actually caught him." Jamison was speechless. "Riddick must have reaped a damn fine bounty. Pity to have to share it with three others. Still don't answer what the hell is going on around here though."
"No, but I bet this Riddick wasn't to happy with being caught."
He turned around so fast at the voice right beside his ear that he lost his balance and fell. Golden eyes stared down at him as he felt the seed of fear in his stomach explode. "What the hell? How did you get free from the magnacuffs? Fuck that! The serum should have kept you down for another hour at least."
The small shrug was his only reply. "What can I say? I've never really played by the rules. Even when I was pullin' for the good guys." Those eerie eyes held him in place as he thought to move for his gun. "Don't even think about. I let you live. I could have had your throat slit and bled out before you noticed I was even there."
Jamison realized the truth of those words and nodded slightly. He moved to stand from where he had been kneeling and the now free prisoner took a step back. He noticed that a dagger had been found somewhere and was being casually spun in the palm of one hand. "Alright. I won't shoot. You don't slit. Deal?"
Long brown hair moved slightly with acknowledgment. "Deal. Now, what the hell happened here?"
Jamison turned back to the sheets. "It looks like Toombs, another merc, nailed Riddick and brought him here. After that I don't know. But with his reputation, I wouldn't be surprised it he decided that Crematoria wasn't his style."
"Well, what do we do now? Cause I ain't going back to bein' your prisoner." The statement was said with serious conviction and Jamison knew that he had to rectify the situation fast. He would never be able to take the freak on hand to hand. And he was sure as hell that the stories of it being able to move faster than light were not far off. He'd go for a shot only to see the dagger sticking out of his chest.
"I don't know. But we're going to have to stay here for another 8 hours at least. The sun is on this side of the planet now and there's no leaving." He wondered if he could trick the freak into going down into the prison some how. Maybe if he could angle a push just right towards the prisoner drop.
Those damn eyes were glaring at him as he plotted. He realized that they had probably taken in all exits, dangers and possible weapons. Perhaps, he'd have to go down as well and then incapacitate before making his own escape.
Moments later his choice was taken from him. A rush of air was his only signal as he was grabbed and hurtled toward the open drop doors. One arm wrapped around his neck, one arm with a strong hold on the chain and then they were dropping towards the prisoner cells. Seconds later they hit the bottom.
"What the hell are you doing?" He screamed.
"Don't think I didn't see your eyes looking for a way to drop me down into this hole. I just wanted to remind you of our deal. We go down together. We go up together. Unfortunately, I need you. I can't get off this hunk of rock without you to fly that thing you call a ship. And you need me because you want to live." The sardonic answer was whispered in his ear and despite the circumstances, he was a little turned on by the warm breath.
"Dude, don't even go there. Not if you were the only other person on the planet. Wait, you are the only other person on the planet. And yet, the answer is still, no."
Jamison returned the barb with a dirty glare. "Well, we're down here. Now, what? All the cells seem open. No prisoners, no bodies. . .Oh Shit!"
Golden eyes met his at the terror in his voice. "Oh shit, what?"
"The hellhounds. They can survive a long time on very little to eat. If they attacked the prisoners, maybe the guards as well and if they've stored what they didn't eat right away. . .They could still be alive." He had forgotten the hounds in his searching of the computer room.
"Hmm, sounds cool. What do they look like?"
"What kind of freak are you?! They are not cool. They have hard armored scales that cover their body. Razor sharp teeth and change color when on the hunt. Vicious bastards. Why do you want to know? Morbid curiosity?" He couldn't even bring himself to inject humor into his last statement. He shivered with fear as he moved towards the chain that would bring him back to the comp room.
"No. But I bet they have glowing eyes, right?"
"Yeah, I think so. Haven't seen or wanted to see one that close. How did you know?" He stared at the brunette.
"Cause there's one behind you right now." There was definite amusement in that voice now.
Jamison turned slowly and saw a huge hellhound ten feet behind him. And the rest of the pack waiting in one of the cells behind it.
"Now, the way I figure it. That's the alpha male. Coming to see the threat to it's pack. Or to scope out the food sitch. And if what you said is true, then maybe one of us is enough to feed the pack for a while. Now, you're what. . . three times as big as I am. I'm thinking that that male knows you'll make a much better meal."
The male stalked slowly towards Jamison and without being able to stop it, he felt warmth running down his leg. The male sniffed and drew back it's head at the acrid smell but continued moving towards him.
"Please, help me." He wasn't above begging at this point.
"I really wish I could big guy. But no sense in both of us dying at once. I'm hoping that no other mercs know what happened here and show up at some point. Then maybe talk my way onto their ship. I can probably make it about two months or whatever passes for months in this dimension, if I get the supplies off your ship."
Jamison grew angry for a second. "You son of a bitch. They'll kill you too and I hope they rip you apart slowly."
The bitter laugh was unexpected. As was the deep growl from the throat. "They won't kill me."
Jamison scoffed even as the male grew closer. "You're not invincible."
The wanted criminal smirked. "Not completely, but they won't kill me."
"You're out of your mind. They're starving."
"Maybe. But, I'm not prey to them."
With that, the male leapt onto Jamison and he screamed in pain. It was cut short as the male twisted it's head sharply and a loud harsh crack echoed off the rock walls. The others came out and in contrast to their fierce appearance and nature, started devouring the kill slowly. The male stepped back and raised his head.
"No thanks. I'll get something from the food supplies. But he has something of mine in his pocket." The drop of a head slightly to signify acceptance to the male's dominance over his pack. The alpha female of the pack stared at her for a long minute before dropping her head to the woman slightly. Acceptance of a dominant female. She moved to retrieve her iPod from the now dead merc."Poor Jamison. You would never have understood. It's an animal thing."