Chapter 20
The war was on it's way.
Later that night in bed Riddick propped himself up on an elbow his head resting on a meaty fist. Carolyn sighed turning over to face him.
"Why won't you tell her?"
"And why is it so important to you that I do? And for that matter, what's keeping you from telling her?"
"You've been together longer. She should hear it from you."
"Riddick, I love that little girl to the moon and back, but she's only been biding her time until she's old enough to go looking for you. We had our first real argument when I initially told her that I wasn't going to go after you." Carolyn said thinking back to that moment.
"I know, she told me."
Carolyn climbed out of bed to stand by terrace doors looking out into the night. "If she knows we're married, she'll only be that much more hurt when you run this time and I may not be able to keep her from leaving and she's all that I've got."
Slipping out of bed, Riddick padded barefoot across the wood floor laying his hands on her shoulders. Shrugging his hands off her she turned to face him. "Just do us all a favor and leave now before she gets anymore attached than she already is."
"Is that what you really want, Carolyn?"
"Yes, it is."
Riddick stood in front of her in all his naked glory rocking back and forth on his heels staring at her.
"Well, too bad." He told her crossing his arms over his chest.
Carolyn narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean, "Too bad"?"
"Do you remember that talk we had about saving lives and owning souls?"
"What the hell does that have to do with anything?"
Riddick leaned over her uncrossing his arms and took a finger gently jabbing it in her chest. "Mine." He grunted.
"Excuse me?" Carolyn asked with a disgusted look on her face.
Riddick chuckled and made his way back into bed getting comfortable. "Carolyn you might as well face it. You're stuck with me."
4 months later~
Carolyn and Jackie were finishing things up in the school, storing things away, not knowing when they would be used again. Unlike Riddick, who had much to Carolyn's surprise had actually stuck around, the school semester had come and gone. Carolyn had made the decision to close the school indefinitely. They all knew it was just a matter of time before some Merc wanting to make a name for himself came looking for Riddick. And, while she and Jackie might be choosing to live that kind of life she couldn't take the chance of something happening to one of her students.
Hearing a noise out in the hall, Carolyn got up from her desk. "Did everything go alright? I wasn't expecting you back so soon," she called out stepping into the hallway where several men carrying weapons met her. "Can I help you gentlemen? I'm afraid you've caught me unawares."
Flipping out a piece of paper and holding it up to her face the grin that appeared on the mans face made a shiver run down Carolyn's spine. "Looks like we've found us a Queen, boys."
While Carolyn and Jackie were closing the school up, Hicks and Riddick took the girls into town to see them on their way. Afterwards, they were to stop by Imams and pick up Ziza to bring her out for the day. While waiting for the last of the girls to depart, Riddick got Hicks attention. Three transports were speeding out of the hub.
"What do think that's all about?" Riddick asked suddenly feeling very uneasy.
"Could be anything." Hicks said stubbing his smoke out on the bottom of his boot. "No need to borrow trouble. Come on. This is their flight," he said motioning to the last three girls. Seeing the girls settled they waited until they had fully departed before making their way to Imam's.
Lajjun opened the door to them, Ziza in her arms. "Oh, thank God you're here! Imam is waiting for you in his study."
Alarmed the two men looked at each before making their way to the study. Imam was on a video call with Sheik Abdullah. "They're here now, thank you for your help," he said ending the call. Omeed and Badran are on their way to the villa right now. I have been unable to reach Carolyn or Jackie."
"What's the situation?" Hicks drawled out.
He slapped down a paper on the desk in front of him. "This went out over the wire late last night."
"Well Fuck!" Riddick bit out stomping towards the door.
"The Queen of Shives?" Hicks whistled. "Carolyn is going to be pissed." He said picking up the paper, tucking it into his pocket on his way out. He had barely taken his seat before Riddick hit the accelerator and they were off.
Omeed and Badran met them a mile out. Riddick skidded to a halt beside them before jumping out.
"Six men with weapons. Three inside, three out. They have Carolyn inside the house but we haven't seen Jackie."
"Ok, this is what we're going to do," Riddick said issuing orders.
Carolyn was on her knees in the foyer running a tongue over her split and swollen bottom lip. She could feel the side of her face swelling up as she spit out a mouth full of blood on the floor. Bruises dotted her ribs and arms and dried blood ran down her chin onto her chest. They had searched the school and then dragged her here stripping her down to her blouse and underwear under the pretense of searching her for weapons. One of the men was now sporting half an ear after searching a bit more thoroughly than Carolyn appreciated and leaving her with what little clothes she had on nearly falling off her.
It was he who had his knee in her back at the moment and a hand full of her hair twisted around his fist trying to get Riddick's location out of her.
"I keep telling you I don't know who you're talking about. I am not the woman in that picture. And I don't know anyone named Riddick." She cried out as his other fist made contact with her ribs
"Get the bitch up off her knees" Marcum said coming in through the door behind them. "I got something that will make her talk" he said as Jackie went sliding across the floor, knocking her head against the stairs before scrambling upright next to the hall table, right where Carolyn needed to be.
Not quite on her knees or feet Carolyn scrambled to where Jack sat panting heavily, her eyes a bit glassy as blood trickled down from a cut on her forehead. "Jack, baby," she whispered pulling the girl to her. "Don't you touch her!" Carolyn yelled as Marcum came to stand over them, hands on his hips.
"Well, I don't know about all that." he said. "The boys and I might want to have a bit of fun before taking you in and collecting our reward."
Jackie whimpered, tightening her grip on Carolyn. "Let her go and I'll do whatever you want."
"Now Queenie, we can't just be letting her go. How stupid do you think we are?"
"Fine," Carolyn ground out. "Lock her in a room by herself and I'll do whatever you want, tell you whatever you want."
"Well, did you hear that boys'? Not only are we gonna have some fun, we're gonna get a double payday to boot."
"The kitchen," Carolyn mouthed to Jackie as Marcum grabbed her by her arm. Carolyn stumbled over Jackie's feet making sure her hands landed on the hall table where they had overlooked one of Riddick's knives. As Marcum pulled her to her feet, Carolyn used the momentum to swing around sinking the knife into his neck, blood pouring down her hand and arm as she pushed it in further screaming at Jackie to run.
Their boss's screams goading them into action, Marcum's flunkies went chasing after Carolyn as she let go of the knife and pushed the man away from her. Gunfire rang out as she dove into the dining room unscathed, making her way into the kitchen where Jackie was waiting for her by the stairs.
"Go, go, go!" Carolyn said pushing her up the stairs. "My room!"
They could hear the men chasing them as Carolyn slammed the door shut locking it. Heading straight to the armoire she opened the top drawer handing Jackie a handgun. "You get in my closet and you stay there. I'll draw them away."
"But Mom!" Jackie pleaded.
"Don't argue with me!" she hissed as the sound of a shoulder hitting her door could be heard. "Now go!" Carolyn whispered pushing her towards the closet.
Carolyn threw open her terrace doors and waited for the door to burst open. Making sure she was seen, she went running across the terrace, racing down the stairs only to cry out as her hair was grabbed and she was yanked back against a hard body, a knife coming up to her neck.
His rancid breath was hot on her cheek. "You little, bitch," he breathed in her ear just as she heard the sound of a shot being fired and she tumbled to the ground, blood spattered as the Mercs dead weight pinned her down.
Desperately trying to crawl out from underneath the body, Carolyn screamed as a hand clamped down on her shoulder before pulling the body the rest of the way off of her. She blindly started kicking and scratching before finally recognizing the voice of the man holding her.
"Hicks!" she said clutching onto him.
"It's over Carolyn, It's over."
Drawing in a breath she took a look around and saw Omeed and Badran standing near something large and black lying on the ground near the stables. Following her line of sight Hicks pursed his lips. "I'm so sorry, Carolyn"
She clutched his shoulder with a bloody hand. "Help me up the stairs. I need to get to Jackie. I don't know what all they did to her before they brought her to me."
Hicks nodded, helping her stand. Afraid to hurt her anymore than she already was, he wrapped their arms together and slowly helped her make her way up the outside stairs. Entering her bedroom they found Riddick propped against their bed holding a sobbing Jackie in his arms, a Merc with a bullet hole in his forehead nearby.
"Oh no," Carolyn sighed taking in the scene.
Hearing her voice, Riddick raised his head seeing his wife for the first time. She noticed the lines on his forehead pop out immediately as he got to his feet whispering something to Jack as he laid her in the middle of their bed. Making his way to her he stopped directly in front of her raking his eyes from tip to toe before pulling her into his embrace causing a sob to emit from her throat. Pulling back he leaned down kissing her battered face softly. Helping her across the floor he put her in bed next to Jackie. The girl instinctively turned to Carolyn calling out for her and Carolyn gathered her up in her arms.
"We have to leave tonight, Carolyn." Riddick said taking in her bloody face.
"I know. Go do what you need to."
He squeezed her hand and picking up the dead body left the room. She held Jackie till the girl fell asleep and crawling out of bed made her way to the bathroom where she stood under the scalding water letting the sound of the shower muffle her cries.
Riddick found her standing in front of the bathroom counter, a pair of shears in one hand and a long clump of blond hair in the other. Picking up a comb from the bathroom sink he took the shears from her hand and began to even out her hair in the back. "I always did like the curls," he said leaning down to kiss her bare neck.
"Hicks took Jackie to help her pack. I need you to get dressed and pack anything that you want to take with us. We won't be coming back."
He bound her ribs that while probably not broken, hurt like a bitch, before helping her get dressed. Leaving her saris behind Carolyn packed the rest of her clothing and boots along with her jewelry, a few trinkets, photos, plexi-pads and the quilt off her bed, which had been a gift from Lajjun. Looking around she decided that everything else could be replaced.
Riddick took her bags and carried them down the stairs as she met Hicks at the door to Jackie's room. The girl was standing in the middle of her room looking like exactly what she was; a lost little girl. Carolyn shuffled into the room and wrapped her arms around the girl. "Sweetheart, it's time to go."
"I know," she sniffed.
"Jackie, do you want to stay here with Imam and your friends? It may be a long time before we're settled."
"No, we're a family," she whispered with a sad smile on her face.
"Ok," Carolyn answered steering her towards the door.
They skirted bodies covered with sheets in the foyer meeting the men outside beside one of their bigger transports. "The Sheik and Imam are at the bank. The bank manager was convinced to open to them this evening due to the horrible tragedy that happened here at the school today."
Carolyn cocked her head waiting for Riddick to continue.
"Unbeknownst to Ms. Fry, her daughter and hired hand, they recently hired on a known convict by the name of Richard Riddick. When Mercs converged upon his location at the Montgomery School for Girls this afternoon everyone was killed in the resulting firefight. There was one lone survivor, Ms. Jackie Fry who is the sole inheritor to her mother's estate. As her de-facto guardian as stated in Carolyn Fry's will Abu Al-Walid has decided to send her home to Taurus 3 in order to be with family during this stressful time."
"Here, put these on." Hicks said handing Carolyn and Jackie dark hooded robes before picking up a gas can and heading back into the house.
"We'll only have a few minutes to stop at Imams to pick up the cash and say our goodbyes. Do you understand?" He asked Jackie.
"Yes daddy."
"Come on, in with you then," he said pulling her hood up over her head and helping her up into the vehicle.
Stopping at the front door Hicks lit a match and threw it onto the hallway, the gas immediately catching fire. Coming to stand next to Carolyn he laid a hand on her shoulder. Even more than Riddick, he knew how much she was truly losing. Giving her shoulder a squeeze he climbed into the driver's seat.
"We need to go, Carolyn," Riddick said softly coming to stand next to her.
Nodding she took his hand and walked away from their home.
Parking in an alley near Imams home they were let in through the back door by Imam himself.
"Come, come," he said ushering in them into the study where the Sheik stood waiting with two large carpetbags of money.
The Sheik held out his arms and Carolyn instantly went to him. "It is wonderful to see you Carolyn, however I am afraid that we shall no longer be traveling the same path."
"You and your family have been so kind to us. I can never thank you for your generosity."
"No thanks are necessary between friends." He said with a kiss to her forehead. "May Allah always be with you."
"And with you," she whispered in return blinking back the tears as he moved amongst the others saying his goodbyes before taking his leave.
"Carolyn, would you like to say goodbye to Ziza? She is sleeping but we can wake her if you wish."
"Oh Gods, no!" she said with a sob. "Give her this," she said placing an object in his hand "and make sure she knows how much I love her," her tears fully falling now as Lajjun embraced her.
"Carolyn, We have to go," Riddick said taking her by the elbow and gently pulling the women apart.
"Have faith that we will see each other again," Imam told the family that he had been through so much with, as they slipped out of his house into the night. Opening his closed fist he picked up the dainty silver necklace lined with stars. Pulling his wife close to him he sent up a silent prayer for his friends.