Chapter 11

Waking up to find she could barely open her eyes due to a big, bright, white light that was right over face. She groaned and swore under her breath as she tried to cover her face with her hands and found that she could not. Her hands were being held down at her sides and she couldn't move her legs or sit up either. As her eyes adjusted to the light she tried to look around as she heard footsteps coming towards her.

"I am so glad to see you awake my dear!"

"Wish I could say the same! Oh Shit you know what! No I can't cos I wish you would drop dead instead!"

"You do have a wicked tongue on you though, and I do like a woman who speaks her mind . . . "

Reaching to touch her face, Gabriel stroked her hair and then caressed her cheek as Riley struggled to turn her face away. She was even more beautiful than he remembered and it had been sometime since he had been in the company of an attractive woman. Glad now that he had not killed her and lost his chance to be with her. His hand moved down her neck to her chest. He licked his lips as he thought about the fun that they would have together once he had re-programmed her to be his partner. For now at least until he got bored with her and possibly found another new toy to keep his attention.

Back in the prison cell Riddick sat alone, he had already worked out how he would escape. He just wasn't leaving till he had his final moment with Drake. Choosing not to think about Riley and believing she could look after herself he focused on his own agenda. The main door opened and a young man came in, his hair was mouse brown, short and spiky. Wearing a dark blue uniform, he appeared to have a tool belt as various items jingled as he walked towards the bars of the cell.

"I have looped the cameras and only have a few minutes available to talk with you"

Riddick turned his head slowly and looked over at the young man. His face stern in acknowledgement he might as well hear what this guy has to say.

"I'm listening, but first I need to know something . . . Who are you?"

"My name is Jay . . . Jason"

"Oh . . . your Riley's friend, you are supposed to be dead u know?"

"I might as well be Gabriel has re-programmed me just as I knew he would. But I . . . . . prepared myself for that, set up a way for my brain to bring me back and retain my personality. I know it worked because I set it to activate when I saw Riley. Unfortunately it would seem that Gabriel has found a way to counteract my own programming as I can feel everything that I am being erased from my mind slowly."

Riddick didn't say a word he just looked at Jay, the guy was tough and being brave despite his situation. He could see now why Riley wanted to look out for him. His lack of emotion angered Jay he didn't want Riddick feeling sorry for him. Jay felt that he had bargained with the devil and he had to pay the price for that.

"I don't need your help Riddick; or your pity but I do need you to help Riley get away from this place"

"Why would she need my help?"

"I have rigged the self-destruct mechanism for this whole complex to go off in 60 minutes. I want Gabriel to burn in hell for what he has done to me and so many other people using my knowledge!!" Jay said as he gripped the bars of the cell tightly.

Before Jay knew what was happening Riddick had grabbed him through the bars in a vice like grip, that he could not pull himself away from. Riddick's plan for escape was fucked now he had to make his move sooner than he had wanted to. Why the fuck did these guys like to blow people up so fucking much shit . . . He thought.

"Open the damn gate!!"

"Only if you are going to help Riley"

"Jay I could kill you right now where you stand and go about my business with great ease!"

Hating the fact that this guy had the cheek to even try to control him he gripped Jays head even tighter. He was tempted now to bang it against the bars to show Jay who really was in control here. Feeling his head almost about to burst from Riddick's vice like grip he gave in and opened the gate to set Riddick free.

After unlocking his chains and giving him back his goggles he pleaded for Riddick to help Riley. Riddick didn't want to abandon her; he owed her for saving his life at the bar after all. But it really wasn't his fight and he believed that she could take care of herself.

"I'm not interested in your fight with Gabriel, but I do owe Riley for my life so I'll do what I can"

Jay struggled to smile as he staggered a little. The pain from his continued reprogramming was increasing, and he figured he didn't have much time left now. Beads of sweat were forming on his forehead and his vision was getting a little blurry. He was determined to hold for as long as he could for Riley's sake.

"I am glad that Sin has someone like you to help her"

"Sin? Who are you talking about? . . . Oh you mean Riley?"

"Sorry that was my nickname for her when we were growing up cos we always got in to trouble. Which she always somehow managed to get us out of"

He smiled to himself glad that he could still remember those moments for now. Riddick put his goggles on as he watched Jay for a moment and felt like putting the poor guy out of his misery. But he knew full well that was not what he wanted.

"Where did Drake take her?"

"To the basement level, two floors below us and the self destruct device is a floor beneath them"

Scoping out the area upon his arrival, as he pretended to be unconscious unnoticed by the guards. Riddick knew that there was an elevator outside at the end of the corridor. They left the room and headed for the elevator. The corridor was dimly lit with dark black grey walls. Jay was just managing to keep up with Riddick's fast pace. A buzzing sound then emanated from Jay, he looked down realizing that Gabriel was demanding his presence. Just then the elevators came alive with the sound that someone was coming. Both Riddick and Jay hid down one of the hallways off the corridor. As the doors opened none other than Drake stepped out with Rax close behind him.

"This is the moment that I have prepared for Rax I'm gonna take Riddick apart piece by piece!"

Drake laughed loudly and Rax looked back at him not amused he was still nursing the broken arm that Riley had given to him the night before. Watching from their hiding place having just slid up his goggles to his forehead Riddick smiled a sly grin. He was now looking forward to wiping the smile off Drakes face. Jay grabbed Riddick's wrist only to be met with a horrific look from Riddick.

"Be careful with Drake he's tougher than he looks . . . Gabriel modified him"

"I figured as much"

"He's a cyborg now . . . Part man, Part machine. I have to go to Gabriel now Riddick he's calling for me"

"Why? Is that him buzzing you?"

"Yes . . . He more than likely wants to show me to Riley . . . To torture her"

"Go . . . keep him distracted . . . I have a loose end to tie up here"

Looking at Riddick, Jay knew the man was serious and he no longer doubted his trust. He reached down to his tool belt and removed a sharp shiny handled object.

"Here . . . Hope that this can help you. It's a shiv that I made it has a sharp acidic edge that will cut through almost anything"

"As long as it does what I need it to do"

Taking the weapon he replaced his goggles and Jay accepted that this was as close as he was going to get to hearing a thank you from Riddick. Jay waited for Riddick to signal that he could go as he then headed down an alternate corridor and disappeared from Riddick's view. Crouching down with his back to the wall Riddick lay in wait, he needed to be careful as he didn't want to give Drake or Rax the chance to raise the alarm.