Onyx's Note:: I hope everyone is enjoying this...and please, leave feedback. You know how I'm infamous for sudden twists and turns? Brace yourselves...this story has taken on a Complete life of its own!
::Outside Perspective::
He watched her as she slept. Her body shifted and curled into a protective fetal position as he got up from the bed. Onyx seemed so peaceful, so…innocent. She was beauty beyond words…and she was His. Riddick felt an ache catch his breath. An old emotion he never thought he'd feel again… She's Mine. All Mine. He thought and found himself swallowing hard as small waves of electricity began to swell in his chest. Tears, something unknown to him, began to sting his sensitive gaze. The emotion was so strong it caused his chest to tighten with confused uncertainty. What would happen to her when he had to go back? Something he forgot to mention… Something he was so bent on telling her from the very beginning. How could he forget something so fucking important? Riddick let out a rough sigh and ran his palm over the newly grown stubble of his usually clean shaven scalp.
He needed some coffee.
Walking on silent feet he made his way into the kitchen and started a VERY strong pot of coffee. God, or Gods, whoever the hell they are, only knew how much he needed it. He had some planning, some calculating to do. And a way to figure out how he was going to explain to Onyx…His Onyx… That he had to leave. Soon. Could he take her with him? Would she leave everything she's ever known just to be with him? No…she had family. She had people who loved her. What did he have? Not a fuckin' thing, well that wasn't already dead and buried. Except for her…his Onyx. She was all he had and he was going to leave her behind. Was this going to rule his life? Leaving? But he wasn't running from her. He was on a timeline…and that time was about to run out.
"If I didn't know any better…" The voice ripped through his soul and caused him to jump up on his feet, ready for a fight. "I'd say Mr. Billy Bad Ass himself is close to cryin'."
That voice…sent chills of pure hatred through his veins when the last person he'd ever thought he'd see stood on the back porch, behind the screen of the open window. "Johns…"
"In the flesh sweet cheeks." He retorted in that do right voice, that boyish smile creeping over his lips as he fiddled with the lock on the back door, opened it and stepped inside, closing it behind him. "You caused one of those…what the hell they call'em? Oh yea, rifts when you ripped a whole in our universe just to get some pussy. I don't blame you, I always liked the broken ones m'self."
Riddick was in his face with a shiv at his throat. It happened in the matter of seconds. Tensed, and ready to slit his throat from ear to ear he let out a dangerous growl that in itself, was a sound of death. "Don't think I won't."
His eyes were wide but a smile crept over his face again. "You kill me Riddick and she'll have a dead body on her hands. What would her neighbors think? Oh, you didn't think about that did you? Whatever you do in this universe will have major consequences on her."
"Listen Merc." Riddick growled and watched his mouth tighten. "You're dancing on razorblades…what makes you think I won't hesitate to ghost your wannabe ass?"
Johns smirked and pushed his face forward. "Because you don't want anything to happen to your precious Onyx."
Riddick knew there was a hidden meaning there and felt his blood boil. "What you gettin' at Johns?"
"Let up and I'll tell you." He explained and felt Riddick twitch. "You want her to wake up and find us like this?"
Riddick growled in his chest and let go, the shiv in his hand clenched in a tight fist. "Talk."
Johns righted himself and fixed the collar of his shirt. "The company sent a team out lookin' for you. Decided to write me off as a costly expense. Didn't need me having another incident."
"Get to the fuckin' point Merc."
"Why don't shut your fuckin' mouth and let me tell the story." Johns barked back and watched Riddick's eyes shimmer with an essence of death. If he didn't keep his cool Riddick would have no problem ghostin' him. And that was not on his to do list. "You want me to keep this short then do us both a favor and wait until I'm finished." He said and waited for a reaction. When everything seemed cool, he continued. "Thing is Riddick, the company found the rip you created. And in about three days they're going to enter this world's orbit and track you and your pet down. Now before you start talkin', you should probably know that this ain't gonna sit too well the people that live here. They don't have the technology we have. Hell they don't know their shit from a whole in the ground when it comes to space travel. You see my point?"
Riddick let the words sink in and knew there was something Johns wasn't gettin' at. "Never known you to be the type to aid a wanted killer with a bounty on his head." He stalked toward him slowly, backing Johns into the door. "Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that you just ain't here to help me out. That there's something in it for you."
"You want the truth you psycho fuck? I'm here to make sure those corporate fucks don't get what's rightly mine. And if I can't cash in on you, then no one will. Get me?"
"You think I'm buyin' that?" Riddick snarled and loomed toward Johns who was about to shit himself.
"If you don't hit orbit by daylight with your woman then you've just fucked her over. They Will be here."
"So you sayin', if they think I jumped planet they won't come here." Riddick let out a deep laugh that held no joy in it. "That makes about as much sense as you tryin' to help me out."
"Yes you thick headed bastard. If you leave, with her, back through that rip you came through, they won't come here." Johns explained for the second time and knew Riddick was just itchin' to slice his throat. "Their tracking devices only reach into This solar system while you're here. If you go back with her, the transmission will follow you."
Before Riddick could add his commentary Johns pulled out a small device from his pocket. "You see this? This baby is a prototype universal tracker. Look familiar?" He handed the small device to Riddick and saw the recognition dance across his intense features. "That's the same one that was planted on your ship before you jumped that wormhole. The same one that's giving off your location this very moment. Oh…and it has this added bonus. Anyone you come into contact with…say Onyx for instance? It will have her entire genetic profile on file. If it thinks she's here, even if you're not, they'll make a point to come and collect her."
"Explain to me how that works, exactly."
"Simple really. Your DNA. Nifty little device really, wish they made these back when I tracked your sorry ass… Anyway, you had to breathe on the ship right? It has this internal wiring that can actually find faint molecules in the air and deciphers them. Once this is established it releases a microscopic computer that attaches to its host the instant they come into three hundred clicks of it. And while you've been playin' Suzy homemaker that microscopic computer has been gathering data and transmitting it back to the device, which is sending it's data to the people tracking you. Makes a quick snatch and grab look like child's play."
Riddick had seen this device in his ship. It didn't look like anything out of the norm. He was so caught up on finding his way to Onyx he didn't stop to think of the possible repercussions of his actions. Looking toward Johns, he grinned that evil grin. "We leave before dawn, and you're comin' with us."
"That was the plan." Johns retorted in a catty smile, trying to hide the obvious fact that he just signed his death certificate. But he had a plan…he always had a plan…and by letting Riddick have his way, he would get exactly what he needed. Of course this wouldn't happen until they were back in their universe…and when that happened, he'd execute his plan.
"Where's your ship?" Riddick asked, the wheels in his brain turning at a high speed.
"I came in on an escape pod off shore. Made it look like an odd meteor crash. They won't find it. It's somewhere in the trenches by now."
He gave him a glare and new Johns wasn't lying. "So we've only got my ship?"
Johns gave Riddick a nod. "Yup, my ass is stranded here."
While they were conversing in the small kitchen…Onyx had long since woken up. As soon as the scent of coffee hit her nose she was up. And the last thing she expected to hear was Johns, a Merc, in her apartment explaining to Riddick that if they didn't leave by morning… She would end up another statistic. She waited until things had became close to normal and made herself known.
Wearing another pair of pajamas, hair pulled back in a loose bun on the back of her head, she casually walked passed them into the kitchen. She could feel their eyes burning holes into her back as she very calmly poured herself a cup of coffee. "So we leave by morning?" She asked in a calm tone, turned and leaned her back against the counter. Giving both men a quick glance she brought the cup to her lips, took a long drink and added. "That leaves us about… Seven hours to get my shit, get to where-ever you parked your ship and get out of here."
Both men held an expression of shock, and a hint of amazement at how cool and collected she seemed. She took a deep breath and let out a sad chuckle. "You gonna stand there and stare at me? Or are you going to get a cup of coffee? Because this may be the last time we have any…" She said and drank down the rest of her coffee and poured another cup.
This was some Strong Coffee. And damn did she need it.
-End Chapter Nine-
