When Riddick gained consciousness he was hit by the smell of despair, fear, hopelessness, and under that the smell of blood. He was back in Butcher Bay. He opened his eyes and they were immediately drawn to an elderly man sitting in the corner of the cell, he had long gnarled hair and looked primitive, but in a fatherly or wise man kind of way.

"Hi Shaman." Riddick said sitting up in the cot and running a hand over his throbbing cranium.

"Hello Riddick." Shaman said nodding at him. "I heard that you were back and just had to see it with my own eyes."

"Word travels fast huh?"

"Very fast. So what did you do to get back here? Who did you kill?"

"No one." Riddick said and Shaman perked an eyebrow at him. "Really."

"Then if not that. What?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Riddick said bowing his head.

Bobby's pregnant! What the fuck am I doing here? I should be with her! He thought and Shaman cocked his head, as if hearing his thoughts.

"You are conflicted. Why?"

"See previous answer." Riddick said looking at him.

"You know you can tell me anything Riddick."

"Yeah I know, but I have to get over what I know before I tell you." He said and Shaman nodded.

"It's about a girl isn't it?"

"You are far too smart."

"I don't get out much, for obvious reasons, so I read."

"So..." Riddick started, lying back on the cot and putting a hand behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. "Who else knows I'm back?"

"Not many people, just the inmates that saw you get carried back in. So about a dozen or so." Shaman said and Riddick shrugged looking back up at the ceiling.

"Not bad considering how many there are in this hell-pit. Anything change?"

"Security is tighter now, thermal scans in the ceilings. Making escape impossible."

"Really?"

"People have tried Riddick, believe me people have tried. The guards are now told to shoot to kill on sight."

"Well damn. I have to get out of here Shaman, I got some business on the outside."

"Does it have something to do with the girl?" Shaman asked and Riddick nodded, he knew that Shaman could see him through the perpetual darkness. He was a lifer, been in here since he was around Riddick's age. Your eyes permanently adjust after a while, wasn't as good as a shine job but you could see. "Still don't want to tell me?"

"Like I said, I gotta get over what I know before I tell you. But when I do get over it, you'll be the first and only one to know. I know you won't tell anyone. Unless you changed as well in my absence." He said looking over at him.

"My hair is longer." Shaman said after a long silence and Riddick snorted.

"Any newbies get carted in while I was away?"

"Not many, but yes. One claiming that he's a better killer than you."

"No shit? Young kid?"

"Yes." He said and Riddick snorted again, this time without humor.

"Figures. How old?"

"Maybe mid to late twenties."

Just like Bobby. Riddick thought with a wince, moving his eyes back to the ceiling.

"You are conflicted again. Still thinking?"

"Yes."

"Then I will leave you to your thoughts." Shaman stood and headed for the cell door. In Butcher Bay, prisoners could walk around freely; guards were only there to guard the entrances and to stop a fight.

"Shaman?" Riddick asked suddenly and he stopped.

"Yes Riddick?"

"Fate's a bitch." He said and there was a creak as he rolled over onto his side.

"You know that better than most people, I'm afraid." Shaman said and left, closing the door behind him. Riddick thought for a very long time, he listened to the sounds of the prison. Closing his eyes he conjured up Bobby's image and smiled, he heard her voice, the sound of her laughter and suddenly those were more precious that anything else.

Pregnant, she's pregnant with my child. He thought, the smile faltering. Why didn't she tell me? Was she afraid that I wouldn't want it? Why would a mass murderer want a kid, right? Why didn't she just tell me?

"Well, well, well. Look who's back, boys." He heard and rolled onto his back seeing a group of inmates outside his cell.

"If it isn't the puny little punk who couldn't keep his mouth shut and ended up getting beat down almost everyday, mostly by me." Riddick said and the man in front flared. "What the fuck do you want?"

"Heard you were back. How was life as a D-Man?"

"Simple. Now fuck off." He growled a sound could not possibly be human, it had to come from some kind of wild animal. It jogged the punk's memory and he huffed, walking away, the inmates following in his wake. "The more things change, the more they stay the same." He said shaking his head; his headache was long gone by now.