Title: Devour
Author: Onyx Wildcat
Fandom: Riddick/PB -SongFic-
Rating: R for Language and Mild Violence
Characters: Jack and Riddick
Chapter: One Shot -SongFic-
Disclaimer: I do not own Riddick or anything else pertaining to the Riddick Universe. This is merely for entertaining the masses of sillies that are as bad as me. The Song 'Devour' by Disturbed belongs to them.
Summary: A debt is repaid...
Archive: Ponders Ask and I'll think about it
Feedback: Oh yes I would seriously love it!!
Onyx's Note: I was sitting back last night looking through some lyrics and found myself listening to the song Devour by Disturbed because the lyrics seemed to click. Then I decided to write along with it... The plot is definitely different for Jack and Riddick and you'll see why. And as always, I hope you enjoy:)
She watched the man, in all his dangerous entirety, sitting on his throne of metal and chains. Though he was restrained, he sat with the air of a king, reigning over his land of bars and lies. "Riddick, let me help you." She said softly as the room seemed to swell with darkness, as though wanting to devour the light within her heart.
"Heh…save it sista." He growled and kept his open gaze away from her curious eyes. "You're just here to humor me. So let's skip the part where you think you can save me and do us both a favor by going back through that door you just walked through."
Gritting her teeth in her tightened jaws, she tried to keep her emotions in check. He didn't seem to recognize her. Jesus has it been that long Riddick? How could have forgotten me? Can't you hear it in my voice? Feel it in the way I'm not afraid of you? "Look, you know I could have easily skipped this assignment to come here today. I saw your rep sheet. I know what you're capable of."
This caused him to tilt his head up in her direction, his eyes suddenly closed. "Baby you have No idea what I'm capable of." The grin on his lips seemed to twist the sadistic tone in his low voice, which should have seriously unnerved her. "The real thing is more terrifying then anything you've been led to believe by reading a manuscript. I'm not one of those misguided heroes lady." Riddick's voice trailed off as he opened his eyes to catch her gaze. "I'm a monster."
Gods…Had it really been that long? It's amazing how those silver, blue-fire orbs seemed to bring so many emotional waves through her. But she was trained for this, she had made herself ready for the day she would look into those shined eyes again. Yet, she wasn't counting on her heart to betray her. She sucked in a slow breath and sighed. "No Riddick, you're not a monster. You proved that when the H-G crashed on T2…"
There was a long pause, allowing the silence to swarm around them, nearly suffocating any hope dancing in the air in its overwhelming embrace. Riddick was taken back by the last thing that dripped from her lips…and it wasn't just the words…it was the sound of a voice…he had somehow forgot… Well, until now. "…Jack?"
A shower of painful relief flowed through her tense system as that old name flowed effortlessly from his lips. "Yes Big guy…it's Jack."
"How long has it been?" His voice had taken on a different essence. It was, softened, dark and tortured. As if strange emotions had weaved through his breath, revealing the conflict deep within, even if it was against his own wishes. "You were twelve right?"
"It's been seven years." She answered in a quiet voice and took a silent step toward him through the inky black darkness around them, "and I was fourteen."
Riddick's head tilted as she approached, his eyes focused entirely on her delicate features. "You're twenty-one? Damn…been a long time kid."
"I figured that's why you didn't recognize me." She replied and felt some of that old excitement swim through her. Remembering how it felt the very first moment he had acknowledged her back in that room with Carolyn Fry. That's when a mischievous smirk danced across her lips. "And I gotta ask…" She paused and stood just three feet before him, locking his gaze, "…where the hell can I get eyes like that?"
She watched as his intense features began to mold and shift, melting into a face that had haunted her dreams. A face that suddenly swept electricity through her veins. It was that infamous grin. "You gotta kill a few people."
This caused a soft chuckle to escape her as his smirk turned into a guilty smile. "Yea…good memories." Jack sighed softly, thinking aloud.
"Didn't know you thought a near death experience was a good time." He chimed in a dry tone and watched her straighten up. "You're into some weird kink, Jack."
She rolled her eyes and smirked. "Still a smart ass." Jack mused and watched as his eyes sparkled, a familiar shimmer in the depths of those luminescent irises.
"Well it's been fun…" Riddick's face and voice went stone cold, as though any emotion he had just revealed had been killed by his inner darkness. "But I think you should high tail it out of here."
"Wrong big guy. I'm still here to help you, remember?" Jack shot back quickly, thrown aback by his sudden mood shift.
He smirked, "I've already had my psych evaluation kid. Unless you plan on somehow breakin' me outta these chains, which I doubt," his voice was harsh, almost sarcastic. "It was good catchin' up, glad to see you're doing well for yourself."
Jack narrowed her eyes at him, "is that your way of telling me to go?"
"Wow you're a quick one." Riddick retorted and furrowed his brows. "Now scat kid, enjoy your freedom while it lasts."
She remained silent for a moment as they kept their eyes locked. She knew he wanted out, knew he was itching to break those restraints. Why didn't he catch on to the fact that she was there to help him? That she had studied her ass off to get a degree in criminal profiling as well as psychology, just so she could get into the system and find him… To set him free. She was indebted to him for saving her life back on the rock. Jack was set on returning the favor. Riddick why the fuck do you have to be so damned thick headed? She knew he would never ask for help, the man had pride and was infamously stubborn. Jack knew better then anyone…because in those shined eyes…she saw herself looking back at her.
Still enough
Although I know you're not begging
Still as the thoughts running through your mind
Still enough
Although I know you're not begging
Give me a reason to make you mine
"Nice try, but you'll find I'm not easily persuaded. In fact…" Her voice lifted and faded away into the humid darkness around them as she stood right in front of him, pulled something out of her pocket and crouched down before him. "I'm bustin' you out." Jack grinned and dangled something that was the essence of his survival. The very keys to his freedom. "What do ya say? Ready to jump orbit and make tracks?"
He eyed the keys in her hand and narrowed his gaze. "What you playin' at kid?" Riddick was weary. This was just too easy. It didn't sit right with him. Nothing was ever this easy…there was always a price to go with it.
"I am your ticket out of here, it's really not that complicated." Jack answered thoughtfully, and understood why he wasn't all too eager to just go along with it. His life was always a struggle, and for an opportunity like this, an easy ride to freedom, wouldn't feel right to him. Riddick was a paranoid creature, and had every reason to be. "I mean it Riddick, there's no strings attached. I unchain you and lead you out of this place to a ship I have docked nearby. We get in, jump orbit, and you're free."
"What about the twenty or so guards waiting out there with gauges?" Riddick chimed, seeking some kind of hidden motive in those large eyes. It was strange, she seemed to be holding her soul open to him. But if she had gotten to this position in her young life, then she may have been trained to deceive even the best deceiver. Let'em think she was on their side, get'em to open up to their darkest secrets with those innocent eyes…only to nail them when their back was turned. One thing Riddick had learned, men were dangerous, but women were deadly. Brain over brawn. Women were ruthless and vindictive while hiding it behind a loving smile. That's why he firmly believed in that old saying, 'never underestimate the wrath of a woman scorned.'
"Damn it Riddick, trust me on this." Jack snarled softly and reached out to his chained ankles when he jerked his body harshly, causing her to jump. "You stubborn asshole I'm not going to cash in on you. I am actually here to save your ass. A life for a life? Ring a bell?"
I will devour you
Take all the pain away
I cannot stay my hand
From reaching out so that I can
Empower you
For all eternity
It seems to ease my mind
To know that you've brought
Meaning to my life
He eyed her carefully, his mind whirling with possibilities. "You tellin' me you're going to jeopardize everything you've ever worked for just to give me freedom?" He looked her up and down and let out a dark chuckle. "That's sweet kid, really, but it ain't realistic. I'm a psycho-fucked killer and that's all I'll ever be."
Jack narrowed her eyes. "Riddick…just shut up." She grunted, grabbed his ankle and unchained the shackles. She heard him growl deep in his chest but ignored it. She had dealt with more then enough wannabe slick shit killers in her time to find it almost amusing.
"Jack I'm not playin' this game." Riddick threatened in a low growl and watched as she openly ignored him and went to start on the chains locked around his wrists. "You unleash me and you don't know what I'll do to you…"
She knew he was trying to fuck with her. Frankly it was becoming irritating. "I'm not buying it." She shot back and unleashed both wrists and stood up. First mistake.
Riddick had her pinned against the wall before she even had time to react. Left hand holding her head against the cold brick as his right hand held her throat in a silent warning that all he had to do was squeeze and that would end it. "In all your studies with convicts haven't you learned not to unleash a monster?" He snarled in a deep, inhuman growl filled with a deadly promise. It's interesting what truths can be revealed when you hold someone's life in your hands. If she was telling the truth, this was the moment he'd be convinced.
Had enough
Riddick, having the ego of a tyrant, failed to think that maybe she had come prepared. Which is exactly why she had hidden two black razor blades just between the gum and cheek of her lower jaw. With a smirk, she gently pushed one of the razors forward, gripped it expertly between her teeth and managed to whip her head to the right, slicing his upper left cheek bone with the precise angle in which to strike. It was all so quick Riddick was taken off guard, forcing him to release her. Giving her just enough leeway to maneuver out from under his arms and stand a few feet back, the razor sliding back into its hiding place.
She waited as he spun around and just looked at her. It was the first time she had ever seen him speechless. Checkmate big guy. "You done?" She asked softly and watched as just stood there, staring at her…brought his freehand to his face and felt the slight sting of the cut she left in his flesh.
Although I see you're not running
Still are the thoughts running through your mind
Dead to love
The path that you are now taking
Show me the reason to make you mine
He stepped forward, his eyes glistening with some unknown emotion when she brought her hand up, indicating for him to stop. "Not now Riddick. You want out, you've gotta trust me."
"Why should I?" Riddick retorted in a harsh tone and moved closer, looming toward her like a pissed off lion about to attack its prey. "You just proved to me otherwise with that little love tap."
"I just proved that there's a lot more to me then you think." She countered and realized she had to explain herself fast…before he cornered her again. "That was self defense Riddick, not a hidden motive. I'm done playing these games. You want out? You follow me. You want to stay locked up, then I'll just leave." Jack paused and crossed her arms tight under her breasts. "Your choice."
He contemplated the statement with a crease in his brow. He had attacked her, provoked a response and got more then he'd bargained for. Weighing the options, he realized that she was willing to get him out. It was a very big risk for her to take. Here she was, working at the top at a young age, with her entire life ahead of her…now ready to throw it all away because of his worthless ass. Stupid kid… "You know the risks of aiding a wanted murderer, correct? You do this Jack and you can forget your life as a free civilian." Riddick let his words trail off and closed the gap between them to look deeply into her eyes. "You do this and you're going to be on the run for the rest of your life. Is this what you want?"
Jack locked his gaze, slipped her hand into her pocket and gave him a bittersweet smile. "Why else would I have worked so hard?" She chimed and brought her hand into view…holding his infamous welder's goggles. "Besides, better to work myself into the system then get thrown into Slam."
Riddick just shook his head and took the goggles. "Woman…I'll never understand how that mind works." He chimed with a slight smirk and slipped the goggles onto his head. "Right then…lead the way."
When she opened the door, he was all ready to get into one hell of a fight…but was shocked to find a line of corpses along the corridor's deck. "Uh…Jack, mind tellin' me what happened?"
Leaning over, she casually picked up two gauges that were propped up next to the door, handed him one and grinned innocently. "Let's just say I made a point take care of any loose ends."
Riddick took the gauge, a disbelieving furrow slithering over his brows. "Right…" He couldn't say anything else. Jack, his little admirer, turned into a killer? By the looks of the dead bodies, they had been taken out quickly and quietly. It looked as though they never knew what hit'em. It looked professional…not unlike the way he worked when he took up an odd job here and there. Had it really been seven years? It didn't even feel like it… Then again, a lot can happen in that amount of time. People change…
Jack sensed he was surprised at her work. He wasn't as impressed as she had hoped he would've been. Riddick almost seemed…disturbed by it. "Come on, we have about two hours to make it out of this place before the night crew come in to take their shift." She explained and held the gun as though she had done so from birth.
"I lead, you follow. Got me?" Riddick announced and she raised an inquisitive brow. "You may think you're in control, but this can change at any moment. Never assume a plan is air tight. So stay close to me and when I ask you a question, you answer it. Understood?"
"Fine." She shot between clenched teeth and motioned for him to move forward. "Just remember you're lucky. No one gets away with talking to me like that."
Riddick couldn't help the arrogant grin that devoured his mouth. "Baby, when it comes to me, you don't have a choice. Now start movin'."
They had gone through the small facility with ease. As two shadows dipping in and out of the darkness, they made their way out into the blessed night and turned a hard right into a patch of forest, just short of a hundred and forty-five feet of their destination. There was silence between them as they moved, the only time for conversation is when he'd ask which way, she'd answer and they'd continue moving. No small talk or bullshit commentary. Just focused on their objective. Get to the ship, break orbit and head out to the ghost lanes. Mercs never went that particular route. It took too long and by word of mouth, people always seemed to vanish if they slipped into the ghost lanes…hence the name.
Thirty-two minutes had passed when they finally arrived at her ship. Riddick was actually impressed at this. It was one of those rare agile star jumpers that hunters drooled over. Very hard to find, and for a good reason…only assassins had their hands on these babies. Wait a minute…only assassins had these type of ships. Riddick gave Jack a long hard look as she opened the hatch and waved him inside. Looks like we've got a lot of catching up to do... He thought to himself and followed her inside.
-An Hour Later-Ghost Lanes-
Jack had left the main deck to go into her quarters and change. Riddick decided to take a look around while he waited. Knowing her, being a female, ten minutes meant a half an hour. It felt strange that he was walking around this extremely expensive ship, Jack's ship, after she broke him out. There was a great deal of questions she was going to answer. There was a lot of little things that weren't adding up in his head as he made his way down another long passage and found himself in an area that seemed out of place. Clean, metal walls, a black sparring mat in the middle of the room and a large viewing window at the far left. It looked like some kind of dojo.
"You found my favorite room." Riddick turned to see Jack, dressed Very differently then when he'd first laid eyes on her. When he first saw her, back in that fucked up interrogation cell, she wore brown slacks, a white blouse and wore her hair up in a bun. Very professional, lawyer type.
Now… Tight gray pants, snug fitting long sleeved gray top, and silent stepping boots. She was dressed like a ghost. And her hair, now fell down her back in a long braid. Riddick had to keep himself in check that this wasn't the little girl he knew so long ago. Girl had beautiful muscle definition and the right amount of curves to call her a vixen. The look but don't touch type.
I will devour you
Take all the pain away
I cannot stay my hand
From reaching out so that I can
Empower you
For all eternity
It seems to ease my mind
To know that you've brought
Meaning to my life
"Few things don't add up." He began as she sauntered into the room, her gait very different from when he first laid eyes on her. She held an air of death around her, close to her, drenching her like a veil of poison. She definitely wasn't a little girl anymore. "This is an Assassin vessel."
Jack nodded and cut him off, "figured you'd notice sooner or later."
"What the fuck is going on kid? I'm gone for seven years and you turn into a killer?" His voice swelled with anger as he glared down into her eyes as she stood in front of him. "This was not the kind of life I wanted for you. Did I not tell you to stay with Imam? Did you not listen!" He roared and she didn't flinch.
"You were gone Riddick. I had no one."
"You had Imam." He shot back through clenched jaws and watched her cross her arms, still as calm as before.
"Riddick, in case you haven't noticed, I'm nothing like him. I never was. I never wanted to live in New Mecca and become some Susie homemaker." She explained and watched the muscles twitch in his jaw. "So instead, I went out on my own. Decided to push myself through school, got noticed by a few people in college. Got taken in and trained as an Assassin. Made damned good money, and vowed that I would save your ass the first chance I got. That's the short and sweet version." Jack said with a sigh and started walking toward the large window, her eyes transfixed on the streaming lights as stars dashed by in the pitch black of space. "I grew up Riddick, let go of the past…but I had to repay the debt." She paused and turned her eyes to him. "I swore that I could never live with myself if I couldn't somehow repay you."
Run, to where the smallest ray of light will never find you
Run, to where you will not need to shield your eyes
Run, away from all the soulless, heartless fiends who hound you
Run, away and let your memories go blind, when I…
"Let me get this straight…" Riddick started toward her and paused just as he stood to her left. "You got some wild hair across your ass on New Mecca, did well in school, got recruited into being an assassin just so you could one day…find me and cut me loose?"
She nodded and he just looked at her. "You did all of this…because of me?"
"Is it finally sinking in?" Jack mused as a small smirk started at the edge of her lips and saw the confliction on his face. "I wanted more then anything to give you something for what you did for me."
"I almost left you on that planet Jack…" Riddick's voice dropped to a low and guilty tone…
Jack uncrossed her arms and placed her right hand on his chest. "But you didn't Riddick…" She paused and gave him a warm smile. "You brought meaning to my life... You gave me a reason to live."
I will devour you
Take all the pain away
I cannot stay my hand
From reaching out so that I can
Empower you
For all eternity
It seems to ease my mind
To know that you've brought
Meaning to my life
-The End-