Chapter 2

Lord Marshal Zhylaw surveyed Pulsi Major, the biggest planet in the Pulsi system. The system was home to The Empire of the Lost Children. About one billion children and their sympathizers on Major and several billion throughout the five planets. But Lord Marshal was thinking about one very special child. The pretty little girl who ran the whole thing. Oh, and her father of course. He was still very upset with Riddick for killing twelve of his men and giving him the slip back on Kila. Zhylaw had just wanted to have a chat with the infamous man. But why trust the leader of the Necromongors right?

…But the ornery little convict hadn't gone unscathed…

"Vaako!" The Lord Marshal called.

"Yes, my lord?" answered Vaako obediently coming over and bowing his head at his leader's side.

"As you know, your comrades failed to bring me Richard B. Riddick. I want you and our best tracker team to comb through Pulsi and bring him and his daughter to me…alive."

"You want me and fifty other men to go after an injured man and a teenage girl?"

"Don't dare question me Vaako!" Zhylaw's voice reverberated throughout the Necropolis. "Take it with the faith."

Vaako could feel the eyes of his peers on him: "Yes, my lord."

Zhylaw smiled, "There is no rush, take as long as you need."

This, Vaako knew, translated out to: 'Get this done yesterday.'

"But do be careful Vaako. The children are hostile little savages, as you know. Especially to those over eighteen."

Riddick- My eyes fluttered open. I was in a bed, a large bed. In a large bedroom. I was in nothing but my briefs with the sheet pulled up to my chest.

…Where's Angel?... I thought groggily, then my adrenaline started pumping, and I was immediately alert. I sat up and the wound on my side made my body scream in protest. I pushed past the pain, I've been through a lot worse.

…Where's Jess…Where am I? … What he fuck happened? … Ran through my mind as I started shifting my body and scanning the dark room with my goggle less eyes. I swung my leg out just as Jess walked into the room.

"Morning Sunshine-what are you doing! Stupid lay back down!"

She made me lay back and tucked my leg back in. She flicked on the light, I winced and she handed me my goggles.

"Do you know how long it took us to stop the bleeding? Shit, I hope you didn't open it I up…" She examined my wound "…no, it's good."

I had felt a wave of ease and relief at seeing that Angel—Jess—was okay. Something I wasn't use to feeling. I try to keep as unemotionally tied as possible, why I had begun to care so suddenly was beyond me.

…Maybe it's because she's your kid dumb ass! …Answered my conscious that was making itself present more and more these days. Especially since I found out Jack was now rotting on some hell-hole planet.

I shook my head and looked at the little girl who was crouching beside me and changing my bandages. I realize that she isn't so little. Jess is a beautiful girl if I do say so myself. I must have some strong genes because baby girl and I are identical. Except she's pretty and feminine and I'm a bit rough around the edges of course.

I became disturbingly aware of the fact my kid had filled out. And no, I ain't a fucking pervert. It's just that, looking at Jess' mature curves is giving me twisted sort of reality check. I realize that she's almost twenty, and that I'm getting old. It also makes me wonder how many punk ass teenage boys have tried to cop a feel.

I looked around Jess' room. It was covered with books and hundreds of pictures of Jess and other kids on the walls.

…All her loyal subjects…

Quite a few of them were of her and the Tish girl I had seen her with. But there was a framed photo with a bandana draped over it on the desk that Jess was now sitting in a chair by. It was an older picture, Jess looked to be about to be ten in it. She was standing with an older boy of about sixteen. They had on matching black bandannas and smiles for that matter. I recognize the boy from somewhere, but I can't place it. I look at Jess who had just been sitting there studying me, (I'm seeing more and more of my traits in her, and it's unsettling) and nodded toward the picture, and asked:

"Who is he? I've seen him recently…somewhere." A wave of sadness came over her features that made me uncomfortable and wish I hadn't asked.

"That was Mad Mike McPheron. And no, you haven't seen him recently. He died four years ago when the Necromongors destroyed the Dekron system."

I gritted my teeth when she had said, I glanced at the picture again. Then it hit me, hard.

…Vaako ! It was Lord Vaako, the goddamm Necromongor commander…

"Are you sure he didn't convert?"

She jumped up out of her chair, fists clenched, icy green eyes on fire.

"No! He would never join those minless-murdering-mother-fuckers! He took me in when no one else gave a shit! He was the epitome of insubordination and rebellion. " Her voice went low, almost like a growl. "Michael taught me what the true meaning of being a Lost Child was. He swore 'Death Before Conversion'!" Jess' eyes showed pure rage and sadness.

I softened my body language and turned my head away from her to show her I was ashamed for upsetting her so much. Even though I'm really not. I know when I'm right. Mad Mike McPheron is alive and he goes by Lord Vaako now. I looked back at her. She was relaxed even though her jaw was still working somewhat. It seemed like she had forgiven me for my error.

"Whatever." She said with a wave of her hand. "Go to sleep."

"I thought you said it was morning?"

"It is. As in one in the morning. Here's something to help you." With that she pulled a syringe out of nowhere and plunged it onto my arm. I felt drowsy immediately. But I fought off sleep to ask:

"How long have I been out?"

"Two weeks, you really needed rest."

…Two weeks! Shit! …

"Jess-"

"No, Riddick you need sleep."

"Jess its important-" My vision blurred and I couldn't hold my head up. I felt really relaxed all of a sudden. Whatever she had doped me with worked wonders. She smirked

"Night Poppa-Bear." She flicked off the light.

…Great now I have a nickname… And then I was out.

As I slipped into fuckin' La-La Land, I knew that the Lord Marshal's best tracker team was closing in on us. And it was going to be headed by Lord Vaako, because he knew the lay of the land. This ain't gonna end well.

Riddick-

I awoke to a blade on my throat. It was one of my own shivs. Jess was holding it nice and snug on my throat, not giving me a centimeter of wiggle room less I cut my own throat. Good girl. She didn't have to say a word. It was actual morning now, and the children would be up getting ready for school, she was warning me basically, saying:

"You're going to be around my people, my kids, you are not to harm anyone or I'll kill you in your sleep."

She removed the blade and backed up to the open doorway.

"C'mon Poppa-Bear, meet The Family."

Her eyes were cold and her body language was as inviting as a rabid dog with its hackles raised. Her stare was penetrating and chilling. It was my stare. I had given it to her.

My little Angel looked like a killer.