Chapter One
I've never been a heavy sleeper, even in cryo-sleep. Actually, to be honest, I always found it to be harder to fall asleep and stay asleep when in the tank. Maybe that's the reason why Doc strapped me down, but I seriously doubt it. I'm strapped down because I'm a danger to myself. Apparently. It makes me laugh really. Doc thinks he knows everything there is to know about me just because he's been handed the oh-so glorious case file and he's done such extensive research into my background. Not to mention all the interviews with my peers and family. Humph, what the hell does he know about me other than other people's images they've forced upon me? I wasn't the only one, though. There were three of us total. One other girl and a boy. The worst part of all this? We're all connected. The girl, Tina, and I use to be best friends. She backstabbed me and I never looked back. We hated each other back then. It didn't change over the years. The boy, Paul, my ex-boyfriend, is another story altogether. If he never existed, if we had never met, things wouldn't have turned out the way they did. Of course, I never would have met him if that were the case.
There was a series of loud pops somewhere to my right. The sound of glass shattering, grunts of pain—the sound of death. I knew something was wrong, I knew long before anything started that something was going to go wrong. Helion Prime was a long ways away and a lot of things can, and will, go wrong on such a long journey. Opening my suede eyes I could see objects, maybe space rocks—meteor shards—wiz by, cutting through the steel of the ship. The captain, whose tank was diagonal from mine, was dead. 'The source of the grunts and shattered glass' I knew he wasn't the only one, but he was the first one I heard, the first one to die. I couldn't see everyone who had already exited their cabins but I could guess it was the crew. The only other person I could see stumbling about was the merc. Of course, everyone else thought he was a cop. I knew better. The look in his eyes, it was the same look the merc that was sent to find me when I disappeared had. Greed. Money signs flittering in front of his eyeballs. When mercs hunts you down, you're no longer a human to them. Oh, no. You're just a payday. Maybe that's why I felt so bad for the convict. I could just barely see him from where I was. A big guy. Well built in all aspects. Even covered with a black wife beater, black cargo pants, and combat boots, I could tell there were some serious muscles underneath. The chains that held him, I could laugh. There was no way in hell that those meager attachments to the cryo-tank could really keep him there. If he really wanted to, he could get out.
A loud clang next to my head brought me out of my thoughts and back to the current situation. I gasped when my binds unraveled and my door sprang open, my overall numb body falling to the floor roughly. Unlike the other passengers, I was doped up on anesthesia. Unfortunately for the Doc, he didn't give me a high enough dosage to knock my ass out—only enough to make it impossible for me to run again. I could only guess that I was lucky, the object that flew through my compartment didn't go through my head, though I can't say I would have minded much. Well, that's not entirely true. I don't give up easily. To me, life is nothing but a game and I hate to lose. However, be that as it may, I still was unable to lift or otherwise move myself from where I lay. I couldn't even move my arms to grab onto something when the opposite wall of the ship was ripped clear off. I noticed the merc leap forward and grab onto the post behind him. Me on the other hand, I wasn't so lucky. The whole room had become a giant vacuum. Anything that wasn't firmly set in place was getting whisked off into the orange tinted wilderness that lay just outside the ship. I heard it before I felt it. The metal grating against metal, the sound that made my ears want to bleed. It got louder and louder and before I knew it there was a sharp pain in my head and everything around me, all the sounds and the all sights, faded to black.
When I woke up, I was lying in the same place I fell. I could feel the pounding migraine hammering behind my left eye. It wasn't until I reached a shaky hand up to my forehead that I realized I could move again. I slowly eased myself into a sitting position. 'Baby steps, Hailz, baby steps' I told myself. Glancing around, I took in the devastation. A good half of the ship was missing and most of the former passengers of the ship were gone. The other containers were either sideways , still standing, or face down. It scared me a little to see that some of the remaining containers were leaking blood. Speaking of which, I could feel myself bleeding actually. Giving myself a once over I realized my left arm had a pretty good gash in it. I was lucky once again, I guess. The gash had barely missed my vitals on my wrist. Of course, I knew this wouldn't look good for the Doc, but I couldn't worry about him at the moment. My only thought was getting this piece of shit wound to stop bleeding. The bad thing about anesthesia, it thinned my blood. For someone who has Von Willebrandt's disease, thinned blood could mean death.
"Fuck!" I swore, my eyes searching for anything that I could wrap the wound with. In my tank were the remains of my restraints. Not the softest material, but it would have to do for the moment. I grabbed it hurriedly , ripping it down off the hooks. Once I had torn the white cloth into strips, I expertly wrapped my wound. 'You have to be an expert if you've done this as many times as I have' I mused morbidly to myself. Once that was taken care of, I hauled myself to my feet, being sure to cling to the open door of my compartment—the only thing that had kept me from being flung out of the ship. I winced as I glanced towards the outside of the ship. It was incredibly bright and I could feel the heat wafting into the metal remains. I could faintly hear movement towards my left, also the voice of my doctor, Herald S. Crawford—one of the biggest pains in my ass. I glanced back and forth between the voices and outside before deciding I'd rather take my chances outside. I honestly didn't feel like dealing with people at the moment.
Sand. Sand and dunes for as far as the eye could see in three different directions. The last direction (though I couldn't tell you which) had strange spire-like structures protruding from the earth. I don't know what it was about those spires, but they gave me the creeps. I got a really bad feeling about them or whatever lay within them. I was right about the heat, too. It was blisteringly hot out. But that's not surprising really. Wanna know why? Three suns. This bloody planet had three fucking suns. I mean, what the hell? Can't a fair skinned girl catch a break? If three suns wasn't bad enough, while two were slowly setting, another was rising, this one giving off a blue hue. 'Maybe it won't be so bad.' I thought hopefully, 'Maybe that will cool things off, not having two fireballs in the sky.'
"There you are!" I internally groaned. Great, he found me. Doc, of course.
"Yay, you found me!" I muttered sarcastically.
"Hailey, you can't be out in the sun like this. It's not good for you, especially after a crash like that." I turned to face the middle aged man. Well, nearly middle aged. He was around forty-five or six and to be honest, wasn't that bad looking. His rich brown hair was somehow neatly combed to perfection and his tan skin was only slightly blemished with a small bruise on his right cheek. 'He must have hit it during the crash.' I figured. The man's murky green eyes watched me carefully and seemed to be taking in my appearance as I did the same to him. His usually pristine white coat was wrinkled and had collected black sooty smudges here and there. His tie hung loosely around his neck and his once dry-clean pressed light green shirt was missing a few of its tiny white buttons. The khaki pants he wore were slightly ripped around the hems and his left pant leg, just below the knee had a dried blood on it.
"You're a mess, Doc. Sure you should be worrying about me?" I smirked. I watched the man groan and give me an annoyed look.
"You're the mess, girl." I could only imagine. My black skinny jeans had a large hole where the knee once was on my right leg and another hole just below the pocket on the thigh of my left leg. My v-neck white t-shirt had its fair share of black smudges and dried blood, from my wrist I could only guess. I could only wonder what my hair and face looked like. "What did you do to your wrist now?" he all but accused me.
Immediately, I sneered and snarled at him, causing him to visibly pale. He knew he had struck a nerve. He also knew that out of the three adolescents he decided to drag along with him, I could potentially be the most volatile. "Don't fuckin' insult me, Doc. I'm really in no mood to deal with your psycho-analytical bullshit." I growled, as I stormed passed him and back into the crash ship.
"Hailey! Hailey, please!" he called after me, following me. I entered a room that seemed to have been the former utility room. Tied to a post was the convict from the cell, his extremely muscled back facing me. I could see the bit in his mouth and the black blind fold that covered his eyes. His wrists were cuffed behind him and his feet chained to the floor. It was absolutely inhuman, even for a convict—a murder. He was still human and in the same boat as the rest of us. Stranded on some unknown, uncharted planet. I walked down the short wreckage-cluttered passage until I stood before him. "Hailey!" Doc hissed harshly, "Get away from him!"
I snapped my head in Doc's direction, which wasn't a smart idea really, but I didn't show that it only caused my head to ache more. "Why?" I asked rather deadpanned.
Doc sighed exasperatedly, however before he could respond, someone else did. Right behind me in fact. I don't startle easily, but even so, the merc gives me the creeps. "He's a murderer. He's dangerous. So I suggest you do as you're told and get going." The man slipped around me so I could finally get a good look at him. He wore the standard blue vest and pants of a cop, badge, hat and all. Under his vest was a white long-sleeve t-shirt. His sandy blonde hair was ruffled and his icy blue eyes sharp.
"Even so, you honestly believe that it's right to chain him up like some kind of dog?" I spat at him, my eyes narrowing.
"He's an animal." he spat back, narrowing his eyes in a glare to match mine. The convict lifted his head and seemed to be watching us as we fought back and forth.
"Gee," I started, rather sarcastically, "looks human to me."
The merc growled and got in my face. "He'd kill you in a heartbeat, if he got the chance. I'm just trying to keep your sorry ass safe!"
I shoved the man out of my face roughly, surprising him apparently. "One, don't get up in my face like you know me. Two, no one fuckin' asked you to, asshole." Turning on my heels, I shoved Doc out of the way and disappeared further into the wreckage, the good doctor calling after me. Ignoring the man, I wandered further until I came across a sad sight. It was the last two crew members. Well, actually the last crew member cradling her fallen comrade. Cautiously walking over, I laid a hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at me with tearful blue eyes. "It wasn't your fault." I told her. Her eyes watered up further and she bowed her head.
"It feels like it." she whimpered. "I-I shouldn't have—," she choked on the last part of the sentence.
"I don't know what you did or didn't do, but you can't blame yourself. Don't carry the weight of the dead." I patted her on the back and backed away from her slowly. "Take as long as you need to gather your thoughts."
There was nothing else in the wreckage other than empty tanks and dead bodies. So I chose to walk back outside. There were a number of people standing on top of the ship looking over the sandy expanse. "Feels like I'm a lung short, all of us." I heard a woman say.
"I feel like I just…ran or something." it was a child's voice, but I couldn't quite tell if it was boy or a girl. Glancing up I could only see a boy, so I assumed as much. Climbing up top, I took in the rest of the survivors. Immediately I noticed Doc and the other two patients, the Australian couple, the antiques dealer, the merc, and unfortunately my biological father. In the sand, not too far away were the holy man and his three students, humming and some shit. Religious people, I wondered how much faith they'd have by the end of things.
"There you are!" the boy cried happily, jumping down to the level I was on. He ran up to me and smiled brightly, "Doc, said you were somewhere around here! I'm Jack!" I looked him over as he waited expectantly for my answer. He was wearing khaki pants and some worn out tennis shoes. His shirt was a yellow color with brown horizontal strips. On top of that he wore a tan vest. His hair was oddly cut, though. Much like he did it himself in a hurry and shoved a tan paper-boy hat on backwards to hide the fact. He had pale skin like me and big brown eyes. 'Girlish eyes. I've know some boys to have girlish eyes, but these! I think there's more to this 'Jack' fellow than meets the eye.'
"I'm Hailey." I replied with a gentle smile. Jack seemed delighted by my friendly demeanor and took a stand by my side.
"Good to see another person has survived." said the Australian man. He looked like he was from the west Indies with his dark skin and wiry black hair. His black eyes were friendly enough to give people a sense of reassurance even though a look of caution seemed to be etched into his face. The woman to his right, could have been his polar opposite. A gentle smile covered her face, but caution clouded her eyes. A very confusing couple if I do say so myself.
"Yes, very good to see. I am Shazza and this Zeke." she commented, waving me up to stand with the rest of them. However, I shook my head, stating didn't have enough energy to climb up the rest of the way. To make my point I sat down where I was.
The other guy, the antiques dealer nodded in my direction, "That's a nasty cut you got there on your forehead. You're lucky to be alive. The name's Paris." His glasses were cracked horizontally twice on his right lens and his clothes were rather odd. He looked light he was wearing a bathrobe and stripped pajama pants.
I snorted at the comment, "Heh, certainly a change." I nodded out towards the holy man and the kids, "Who are they?"
"Shouldn't you ask my name?" the merc snapped, a thin smile taking over his features to show his annoyance. "It's only polite."
"We've met." I stated blandly.
"The names Johns." he said rolling his eyes.
Ignoring him, I asked again, "Who are they?"
Jake answered me this time. "That's Imam and his boys. The little one is Ali, then there's Hassan and Suleiman." All I did was nod. Jake turned to me suddenly, "I heard you met Riddick!"
"Who?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows.
Jake looked at me like I was asking a dumb question. "You know, the guy tied up below us! His name's Riddick!"
Turning a hateful eye on Johns, I nodded, "Oh, you mean the 'animal'?" I sneered. Johns glared at me, but didn't say anything.
Everyone noticed the tension between the two of us. It was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. "So, what about the other four? Don't you wanna know who they are?" Shazza asked, changing the subject.
"Already do, sadly." I muttered. No one said anything after that. Sometimes I really love silence, honestly, I do. At that moment, however, I wasn't a fan. So, I got up, slid off the wreckage and wandered over to the storage hold.
"Where are you going?" Doc called out.
"Does it matter?" I countered. I heard the man sigh, but he didn't push it further. Not that I cared really. The door to the unit wasn't locked and it was easy enough to push aside. Well, enough so I could slip through. The lights were out, which sucked, but I didn't care. I knew where I was going. The good doctor had gotten a locker not too far from the entrance for our shit. I didn't bring much, enough to fit in a small off the shoulder bag. It was all that I owned to be perfectly honest. The hospital I was institutionalized in had provided me with the bare essentials. Finding the locker I shoved the door open and walked into the dark room. I hated the feeling of not being able to see. My hearing is incredibly good, which is not always a good thing. There are some things people just shouldn't hear. 'Good thing I strapped my bag to wall beside the door, then.' I happily mused to myself as I grabbed the black bag and pulled door shut once again. Turing around, I came face to face with Paul. His black curls stuck our wildly and his blue eyes stared down coldly into my own suede blue. Paul, the only male I'd ever admit to being frightened of, I was currently alone with in a dark storage container. "What do you want, Paul?" I snapped, backing away from the six foot two twenty year old, right into the steel door I just closed.
Paul leaned forward, his left arm blocking me from slipping past him. "Shouldn't be wandering off by yourself." he hissed, his deep voice low. Stepping closer, he dropped his arm and grabbed my injured wrist instead, "Wouldn't want you to hurt yourself again, would we?" he asked innocently, as his grip intensified.
Pain surged through my arm, causing me flinch. The pain was dizzying and I found myself slightly light headed. Instinct took over as I rammed my elbow of my free arm into his temple, causing him to yelp and let go. Instantly, I slipped passed him and up to the door. "I have two arms, moron." With that I took off, just as everyone else started coming in.
Doc stepped in front of me, "Where are you going now? You can't be running off on your own."
"None of your damn business!" I snapped at the man. I knew I was being difficult with him, but personally I didn't care. It was his own fault for involving him.
"Hailey, you should respect your elders. He's only trying to help you. We all are." That's who I'm talking about. Mr. Micah J. Rudino. My biological father. His hazel eyes stared degradingly down at me. His pale skin was flushed from too much sun and his short obnoxiously styled jet black hair had bits of debris stuck in the gelled spikes.
His comment though, it really pissed me off. Getting right up in his face, I snarled, "Help? When have you ever helped me? Try not to lie to yourself too much. You might actually start believing it."
I was half way back the ship when someone else stepped in front of me once again. 'Really? This is getting rather annoying.' Her raven hair, perfect as ever, hung around her shoulders and down her back. Her hateful brown eyes looked at me in disgust. Funny, that was my current expression. "Get out of my way, Tina." I sighed, not in the mood to deal with Asian girl's shit.
"Don't you mean my way? If you hadn't noticed I was walking here." she chirped like a little bitch.
"You're wasting my time." I commented dryly.
"I think it's the other way around." she scoffed, "Why don't you run along now, little girl." She gave what she apparently thought was a cute laugh and walked around me. Rolling my eyes I continued on my way to the ship. "Oh, are you going alone?" she asked me suddenly.
Turning towards her, I cocked an eyebrow. "What's it to you?"
She shrugged her slender shoulders and gave me an 'I really don't care' look, "Next time, don't miss." That's all she said. She didn't have to explain. I knew she was referring to my bleeding wrist. I shook my head and turned around, not giving her the satisfaction of a reaction. Once inside the ship I went back to where my cryo-tank was. Sitting down I opened my bag to see if I could find anything to rewrap my wound with. I found a coil of bandages at the bottom. Just as I was pulling my hand out, it bumped into something plastic. Grabbing that too, I pulled it out of the cloth confines only to smile happily at the liquid in my hand. I forgot that I had brought an extra bottle of green tea with me. I loved the stuff. I always felt so much healthier when I drank it. That got me thinking. 'I wonder if Riddick's had anything to drink?' It was a weird thought, I knew that. Why should I be concerned about a man that would or could kill me? 'He's still human and still has human needs.' That thought in mind, I got to my feet and walked back down the passageway to where he was.
Or should I say was supposed to be. I was a little unnerved by the fact that he wasn't there anymore. I saw him earlier with my own eyes. He was CHAINED to the floor. Looking down I realized the restraints had been cut through with something. Glancing to my right, I could only guess it was the torch lying discarded. "Well, hot damn. He's a smart one. Not that I didn't figure he was." I muttered. Looking up at the post I realized that there was a gap in the metal. "Holy sh-!" I cut myself off as I gasped. Unless he's double jointed in the shoulders that had to have hurt a good deal. I couldn't help but reach up and touch my own shoulder as I envisioned him twisting his massive arms around in their sockets. "Geez dude, really?" Taking a step back, I felt my back collide with something very solid. I gasped and whipped around, only to once again mentally chide myself as the room seemed to spin. Two rough, strong hands caught my elbows and kept me in place. Looking up, my breath caught in my throat. Riddick. His eyes were still covered only this time with a pair of black goggles. For a moment neither of us moved. We simply stared at each other. Finally he took a step back, though his hands didn't move. It was as though he was still trying to steady me, but I don't honestly know. Slowly he let go of my elbows, never moving his gaze from my face. Well, that's what I guessed at least. I couldn't see his eyes behind the shinny plastic of the goggles. Riddick and I stood there a moment more before I finally broke the silence.
"I-I-uh-I wanted to see if you had had anything to drink since we got here." I stuttered out. Wouldn't you? I mean this guy is gorgeous! Caramel colored skin, completely muscled, chiseled chest, I'm sure, and handsomely structured face. I could only imagine what his eyes were like. 'I wish I knew…'
Riddick raised an eyebrow at my comment. "Oh, is that so?" his voice rumbled. A smirk played at the edges of his lips, almost as if he thought it was amusing that I was concerned about him!
"Well, gee, don't you sound excited." I rolled my eyes in annoyance. I placed the water bottle filled with the green tea on the ledge next to me, never taking my eyes off Riddick. "It's tea, don't know if you like it, don't really care, but it's a hell of a lot better than nothing at all. Take it or leave it, it's your choice." I took a step back, to put more room between him and me and started to walk away.
"You should take care of that arm of yours." he commented lowly. I realized right then and there I loved the sound of it. It was so low and gravely, so sensual. It was suiting of a man of his stature.
I turned around to reply, only to realize I was alone and the bottle of tea was gone.