** Author's note **
Wooo this chapter is really long! I really wanted to make up for the time I took to write this, and the last chapter.
This is the longest chapter so far :D
It took me a while :( ...but here it is
Sooo enjoy ! :)
~KP
Lana's POV
"There's no like or dislike, were all in this together." I answered leaving Jack a bit confused. Riddick turned and smirked at me. Come to think of it I didn't really hate him, but I wouldn't say that I liked him either. I just don't know what to say really. His presence was annoying, but unusually calming, and soothing sometimes despite the fact that he's a wanted criminal.
'This is just wrong I shouldn't be thinking about him!' I thought shaking my head.
"All praises be Allah, for his many blessings to us." Imam spoke as he raised his glass in the air. The water was muggy, and clouded, it wasn't the crystal clear water you find back home...or anywhere but at least it's water.
"Great I'm parched" I claimed as I grabbed a glass, followed by Riddick, and Jack.
"Jack?" Aisha asked looking surprised.
"What?" Jack asked. Everyone's jaw dropped to the floor. I didn't even notice his new look when I was talking to him earlier.
"It's the winner of the look-alike contest." Paris said sarcastically as he pointed at Jack. Jack had given himself the same haircut as Riddick, and even got a similar/smaller pair of goggles to wear. He looked like a miniature version of him!
"Since when did we have a barber?" Aisha asked amused, as I giggled along with her making Jack frustrated.
"Well I like it!" He responded stomping around, then finally sitting next to me.
"I wouldn't get too attached if I were you Jack" Boone ordered. He and Johns, gave Riddick an evil look creating tension in the room between all of us.
"Alright that's enough" Fry stood up stretching her arms to her sides. Everyone sat down, but Aisha came up to me.
"I need to talk to you, follow me." she ordered giving Riddick a dirty look.
'What's happening? What happened?' I thought I was so confused. I followed Aisha all the way to the data room. She paced around for a few minutes, looking at me, then the ground, then blankly ahead, she would repeat this a couple times before she finally spoke.
"What did he say?" she asked as I sat on a metal stool.
"What did who say?" I asked confused watching her pace around again, she wasn't making any sense.
"Riddick. Who else? Johns said he saw you two together...he's been around you awfully a lot lately" she stated.
"He didn't said anything...he rarely speaks...What's this about anyways?" I demanded.
"I don't like how he stares at you. Like a piece of meat…He looks like he's just waiting for something…a moment...I'm your big sis and I don't want anything happening to you" she choked.
"You don't like the way he looks at me? Sis if you haven't noticed he kinda looks at everyone the same way. Just relax nothing's gonna happen, you know that I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." I stated, smiling. Right before she had anything else to say Fry, Paris, and Shazza walked in followed by Boone, Johns, Riddick and little Jack.
"We'll finish this later" she nodded, as she walked up to Boone planting a kiss on him.
'Urgh' I gawked rolling my eyes.
RIDDICK's POV
"Who were these people, anyways? Miners?" Paris asked.
"Look like geologists" Shazza concluded picking up a rock sample with pliers and examining it. I took my goggles off and started cleaning them with my wife beater.
"You know…an advance team that moved from rock to rock." She said handing the sample to Paris.
"Nice of them to leave so much stuff here. But why'd they leave their ship?" Fry asked placing her hands on a table and leaning over it. Everyone stared at her for a moment in silence.
'Does she really think these people left all this stuff here?'
"It's not a ship. It's a skiff, and it's disposable really." Johns finally spoke pointing his finger at her while he placed his drink down on a table.
'An outdated one'
"It's more like an emergency life raft, right?" Paris asked placing his glasses on his forehead, wiping his sweat away.
"Yeah. They probably had a big drop ship take them off the planet." Shazza smiled.
"These people didn't leave. Come on. Whoever got Zeke got them. They're all dead. You don't think they'd leave their clothes on hooks...photos on the shelves.-" I smirked, putting my goggles back on and quickly glancing back at Lana. She wasn't paying attention. Looked like she was day dreaming, something was different about her...
"-Maybe they had weight limits. You don't know" Shazza interrupted, looks like she's still in denial.
"I know you don't prep your emergency ship unless there's a fucking emergency." These people really had no idea.
"He's fucking right-" Jack agreed, snapping Lana outta her little world.
"-Watch your mouth" Johns yelled making Jack take a step back.
"Jaaack" Boon called out actin' like he was his dad, raising an eyebrow and pointing his finger at him.
"He's just saying what we're all thinking." Fry defended the kid.
"So what happened? Where are they?" Fry asked me.
"Why don't you ask Zeke?" I smiled, throwing Shazza off. She stood up and started charging towards me with fire in her eyes. I just leaned against the wall and smiled as she got closer…then Lana stood up and stood in her way.
"Stop" she said looking at Shazza, with an emotionless face.
"Why? Do you have a good enough reason as to why I shouldn't rip him apart?" She spat while I chuckled at her. She grew madder and tried pushing Lana.
"I was there! That's why! I was almost killed too!" she yelled in a shaky voice throwing Shazza back making her stop.
"Ali?! Ali!? Has anyone seen the little one? Ali?" Imam came running in, making everyone's head snap towards him.
"No…why?" Boone asked. Lana's face went from red to pale.
'Mmmm' I sniffed around.
'Fear' I smiled. This was the first time I smelt fear on her.
"Has anyone checked the coring room?" I asked smiling, everyone stood up and ran towards the coring room, and Lana was the first one out.
LANA's POV
I ran to the coring room, and was the first one there. I heard the engine roar as I looked through the window. Creatures hung from the ceiling, while the boy wandered around.
"Ali!" I called out tapping on the glass. He couldn't hear me! The creatures started to sway around while Ali looked up at them.
'Shit!' I thought, I started panting, until I saw an opening to the container from the window. I quickly ran around back, and found it near the bottom corner. I laid flat on my stomach and started crawling my way into the container. The creatures started swarming and headed right towards Ali. I stood up and started running towards him.
"Ali!" I yelled after him but it was too late he ran into another room and closed the door. The creatures glided past the door and headed towards me screeching, my eyes grew wide as I ran towards the opening that lead me in. Then I thought.
'What am I doing? What about the boy? Are you really gonna leave him when he needs you? Come on you're better than that!' I fell flat to the floor letting the creatures pass over me. When I popped my head up at the main doors I saw Johns looking through the window at me, then he backed away. Quickly I shot up and ran into the room where Ali was, letting the door close behind me. He was hiding in a corner, with tears roll down his cheeks as he shook in fear.
"It's ok. Come here, I got you." I reassured, walking up to him with my arms wide open. He tightly wrapped his arms around my waist and started crying and praying to Allah, but the doors started to shake.
'Fuck! I forgot to block it! If he's prayin' he better pray harder' I thought as I crouched down hugging him, covering his body with mine hiding under a piece of scrap metal. The doors swung open as those creatures flew in.
*Bang!* a gunshot went off.
"ALI! ALI!" Imam called out as the creatures attacked the thin piece of metal digging into my back.
*Bang!* another shot was fired scattering the creatures back into the main room.
"AHH!" I heard Imam fall to the floor. Then I heard no more screeching.
"No" I whimpered.
"Ali?" Imam cried.
"HERE!" Ali called as he looked up at me with red eyes, he started crying even harder. Imam came running towards us. I let go of the boy and sat against the wall, watching Imam come over and hug his boy. Tears rolled down my cheeks, in happiness. The boy was reunited with his family who loved him. I noticed my breathing getting slower, pain pierced my skin as my vision blurred.
"Thank you! Thank you so much for saving my boy! May Allah bless you" Imam thanked as he cried tears of joy.
"Anytime Imam" I smiled wearily. I saw other figures enter the room.
"Thank god" Aisha sighed.
"Where's Lana?" Boone asked as Imam looked at me.
"Are you ok?" Imam asked scared.
"Lana!" Aisha yelled making her way to me.
"She's hurt" Ali sobbed.
"Come here. Get up lemme see." Aisha tugged at my arms.
"URGH!" I grunted.
RIDDICK's POV
Yet again she managed to get herself into trouble. If she keeps this up she won't last. I heard her grunt, then I smelled it…that bitter sweet copperish sent of blood. Everyone swarmed her like a pack of mules. I stood behind everyone shifting towards the side to get a better look at her. She looked weak. Boone picked her up and threw her over Johns shoulder. Small metal shards stuck out her back, and there were scratches all over her arms and legs. As if she already had enough injuries, why not add more? Imam and the boys headed out to pray, and right before we left Boone pointed out the cellar hole.
"Hold on" Johns said putting her down. As he ran a level up with Shazza and Fry. Her sister came and stood right beside her for support.
LANA's POV
Johns, Fry, and Shazza went up a level while me, Boone, Aisha and Riddick stayed at the lower level. Riddick placed his goggles on his forehead, and looked down the hole. He didn't looked to surprised. He placed his goggles back on and just stood there. Boone and Aisha helped me walk closer to the hole so we could get a better look.
RIDDICK's POV
'Human bones.' Is what I saw, and it wasn't just a couple of bodies, but hundreds. Johns pulled out a flare and threw it down the hole reviling what I saw to everyone else.
'Bet they didn't see this coming' I smirked.
"Other buildings weren't secure. So they ran here. Heaviest doors. Thought they'd be safe inside. But they forgot to lock the cellar." I explained. They'd be too dumb to figure it out themselves. They came back down the metal stairs that lead them up. Shazza, and Fry were the first ones down. Fry ignored everyone and walked towards Lana to help her stand.
'Since when did they start being friends?'
"Here" Shazza came up to me, tossing her breather at me as I caught it in midair.
"What it's broken?" I threw it towards the ground pissed.
"No. There are still a few hits. Actually you are solemn. Tried to say that I'm sorry" She kicked it back towards me. Johns came down the stair and stood behind Shazza.
"Ok. Let's board this place up and get the hell outta here. Come on princess" Johns said throwing Lana over his shoulder again. I placed the breather over my shoulder and followed everyone to the bedroom container.
LANA's POV
"I can walk you know" I argued.
"And miss this opportunity?" laughed Johns as I huffed at him.
"I hate you." I spat.
"Awe how sweet" He chuckled. Johns lead me to the bedroom container and placed me on the bed faced down. Imam and his boys were the only ones that stayed outside. Fry and Shazza came running in with medical supplies and Paris…well Paris brang his booze.
"Whatever those things were, they seem to stick to darkness. So if we stick to daylight, we should be okay." Johns pointed out.
"Well there are three suns, and there is no "night-time" around here. I'm pretty sure were fine." Aisha said as she cut my shirt off from the back while unclipping my bra. She undressed all the older wounds while Shazza started picking at the shards. Aisha cleansed all the wounds, dabbing alcohol on them. It felt weird to be watched by everyone else. It was really uncomfortable. I whispered to Aisha to send all the guys out, butt...
"Wait don't we have the?-" Aisha asked.
"-Yeah" Boone said cutting her off.
"Hey Johns you mind gettin' Lana's ruck sack for us?" he asked Johns. He glanced at Riddick, then left.
"We shouldn't what if someone else needs it?" I asked.
RIDDICK's POV
"It's ok me and Boone have it to remember? We both have five left "she answered.
"Yeahh I see that both of your injuries have healed really quick." she agreed. Johns came back with her ruck sack and handed it to Aisha. She started digging threw her clothes, supplies, and products until she pulled out a case that held six mini syringes. Lana wrapped herself in a towel. The sister took two out of the case and injected Lana with them, one in the arm and the other in the opposite leg.
"You know the drill" Boone ordered petting her head.
"Suree" she said wearily.
"I'm gonna stay with her" The sister spoke sitting next to Lana.
"Who's gonna help with the ship? Make Riddick stay" Johns said with fire.
'Expecting me to kill her? I don't kill for no reason.' I growled.
"NO! He is not staying anywhere near her" she growled.
"I'll stay too." Jack volunteered.
"Ok the boy will stay with both of them. He likes him anyways." Johns suggested.
"It's ok Aisha." She spoke.
"Come on, stop stressing her out she'll be fine within an hour, Johns will make sure of it." Boone said picking her up and walking her towards the door.
"What?" Johns spat.
"Just stick around, and keep her safe." Boone suggested, as Johns nodded. As soon as Boone and Aisha left so did Johns letting the tarp that hung over the doorless container fall behind him. There was little to no sunlight in the room. Figures. Jack sat beside Lana, and I sat in a chair, across the room from the bed. She just laid there, in her torn trousers, and combat boots, covered in a towel. This was perfect I slipped my goggles off and started scanning the room.
'Nothing' it was just the three of us.
"Sooo…" The boy said trying to break the silence, or should I say girl? I smelt her blood, she can dress and act like a boy all she wants, but no boy bleeds.
"How many people did you kill?" She asked.
"Jackk" Lana spat in a weak sleepy tone.
"More than you can count kid." I said. She wasn't afraid of me. She thought I was interesting. Big mistake kid. I don't care about no one. I stood up and pulled my goggles on to leave, and the minute I walked out I heard Lana getting up, and I heard her cries of pain. I didn't go back in I just stood outside with my back facing the tarp.
LANA's POV
"Umm…do you mind stepping out for a while? Oh and maybe get me some water?" I asked Jack sitting up wrapping myself in the towel. He understood exactly what I meant as he nodded.
"Ok" Jack spoke, turning and leaving. I walked over to my ruck sack and started digging through it. I didn't even notice him come in. Riddick just stood there, right behind me with a smug look on his face.
"Do you mind?" I asked.
"No. I don't" he smirked standing at ease.
"Leave." I demanded, but as always why would he listen to me? He just stood there and smiled.
"Just turn around then pervert" I rolled my eyes. He turned and chuckled. I wobbled to the back room, tripping over everything just to change.
"Why'd you save the boy?" Riddick asked me, as I slipped my bra on, and pulled on a black wife beater. I was grunting in pain, the cuts, scars, and bruises were gone but the pain was still there. Everyone in the military had a case of six mini syringes. When the liquid was injected into your body, the healing process would kick in. It would fight away any mild illnesses, and heal any injuries along the way. The only down side was that, it would make you feel extremely weak, and drowsy till the healing process is over, another down side was that after you heal, you'll still feel the stinging pain for a bit longer, reminding you that you're not invincible.
"Why wouldn't I?" I asked, coming out from the room, folding the towel. Riddick turned to face me, his arms dangled by his sides. Holding back my cries of pain he watched me as I walked over to the bed and neatly placed the towel back into my ruck sack. I started to back away when he caught my left forearm. I turned my head towards his face and looked at him in anger. He showed no emotion, he never displays any emotion on his face, he just looked at me.
"Let. Go." I warned, but he didn't listen. He just cocked his head to the side. I started tugging at my arm, but his grip got tighter. He knew I was weak, he knew he had an advantage.
"I'm warning you for the last time Riddick. Let. Go." I warned again, but he still didn't listen. I pulled my right hand back into a fist and charged it at his face, but he easily caught it with his other hand. He took both of my arms and held them behind my back with one hand, and took his goggles off with the other. He looked at me and placed the other hand on my neck, he looked like he was searching for something?
I tried a leg sweep but somehow he knew it was coming. He turned and tripped me. Making me land on the bed on my back.
"Urgh!" I grunted in pain, as I closed my eyes. He mounted me holding my hands down above my head. My eyes flew open, and he leaned in closer towards my face…
"GET OFF!" I screamed at him. I started squirming around trying to counter mount him, but he knew every move in the book. I just couldn't do anything. He growled at me as his grip got tighter and tighter, up to the point where I felt nothing but screeching pain.
"STOP!" I screamed and he released me.
"Sorry." His voice grumbled.
'What?! He said sorry? What the hell's wrong with him?'
RIDDICK's POV
'What just happened back there?' My animal side! I just can't control it with her around. She smelled like lavender and...Sweat...I don't know why, but I just wanted her. I want to make her scream my name…I wanted to claim her as mine…I tried to hold it back, my animal side. She gently rubbed her wrists. Then Jack came in with a glass of water and they headed towards the coring room to find Johns, I slowly followed behind her.
"Last one's twenty-two years ago this month." Fry said.
"Ok. Is there something special about that Caroline?" Johns asked.
"I don't know…There could be-" She ran out and towards the data room. Johns and Lana took a look at each other and followed her along with me and Imam. Fry started spinning around the solar model of the plant's system, until she landed on the twenty-two year mark.
'Total Darkness' I smirked. I knew I had a chance of survival because of my advantage over the dark.
"An eclipse" Fry whispered. Shocked, everyone stood there for a moment, Imam rubbed his beard, Johns leaned against the wall, and Lana just stared down at the model with Fry as she spun it around side to side.
"You're not afraid of the dark are you?" I smiled. Fry and Lana looked at me with blank expressions. Then Fry turned and walked out with Johns. Lana and Imam stuck around a little longer. Lana started spinning the model around to see how long the darkness would last, she passed the twenty-two year mark and got to twenty-three, then twenty-four, and then she gave up.
"God." She gulped.
"These are the creatures that devoured everything on this planet, including the hundreds of people in that cellar. We need to get that skiff up and running now if we're to survive this." she spoke.
"May Allah help us all." Imam said looking down at the model and rubbing his chin. She turned and faced me, she didn't say anything she only looked at me with her mysterious chocolate brown eyes, her beautiful golden brown skin, and pitch black hair. I took a step towards her but she stepped back and walked out of the container.
'Wonder what she was thinking?' I thought as Imam watched me.
"She seems afraid" Imam spoke.
"Isn't everyone?" I asked walking away.
LANA's POV
"How's it going so far?" I asked Boone and Aisha, walking into the cafe for a drink.
"Great. We took a break earlier." They smiled, as Aisha winked at me.
'When did they? How? eww…too much info.' I thought as I made a disgusted face.
"What?" she laughed.
"First, I didn't need to know that. And second, I was asking about the skiff." I said as I counted with my fingers. Aisha and Boone laughed.
"Hey maybe you should hook up with Johns? He seems pretty interested." Aisha suggested
"Ew. Hell no!" I disagreed. Me and Johns? Why would I want to lose my virginity to a prick like him?
"Whats going on with the skiff?" I asked once more.
"Everything's fine with the skiff. It'll work we just need four more power cells that's all." Aisha explained laughing.
"Then why isn't anyone heading back to get any?" I asked worried.
"They weigh about 35 kilos each Lana. We can't carry them back, their too heavy. Besides were working on the wings right now. When Shazza fixes up the solar sand kat, we'll go" Boone explained.
"There's going to be an eclipse" I gulped.
"What?" Boone asked shocked.
"Yes. An eclipse. Complete darkness. A thing those creatures like. That's why we need the skiff up and running, or who knows what'll happen to us…I'll go check on Shazza and the sand kat. We need to leave" I said walking away before they could reply back.
'I have to get those power cells. What if we die' I said to myself.
'They're the most important things right now.' I approached Shazza who was working in the garage, which was located near the skiff.
"You got that running?" I asked.
"Almost." She informed.
"When you get it running come see me, were gonna go get the rest of those power cells." I stated.
"Alright" She agreed.
RIDDICK's POV
I stood outside next to the skiff and listened in on Fry's and John's conversation.
"He hasn't harmed us. He hasn't even lied to us. Lets' just stick to the deal." she said.
"He's a killer" Johns warned.
'That's right' I smiled.
"The law says he has to do his bid. There's nothing I can do about that." he explained.
'What law Jones? You only want me for the money.'
"You're dancing on razor blades here." She explained.
"I'm not gonna give him a chance to grab another ship. Or slash another pilot's throat. Not on my watch." He threatened her.
LANA's POV
I headed back towards the skiff to find Riddick shaving his head outside. Then Johns stepped outta the skiff all of a sudden. He was shaking, and spitting as he held the skiff with his hands and bent over.
"Bad sign." Riddick spoke scraping his tool on a bucket.
"Shaking like that in this heat." He smiled.
"I thought I said no sh-shiv-shives" Johns said as he started hocking.
"This? This is just a personal grooming appliance." he said holding it up.
"Johns I need to talk to you." I said walking up next to him.
"Not now." he said as he struggled to walk away, while Riddick chuckled.
"What's so funny?" I spat at him.
"All of you" He smirked looking at me. I turned and started walking. He was acting strange.
'He's defiantly planning something I can feel it in my gut.' I walked up the ramp to the skiff to find Fry checking the systems.
"Hey" I smiled.
"Hey, I see you're healing well" she smiled back from the pilot seat.
"Yeah...Sooo how's it coming along?" I asked her sitting in the passenger's seat folding my legs up.
"Good" she replied as she got up and started looking around.
"Fry…we need to get those power cells." I said.
"Yeah, not now I need to see if this power cell will work or not" she stated as she turned the skiff on. I sat there in silence as she flipped switches, turned handles, and pushed buttons. I didn't understand much. I watched the screen to see what she was doing, she was slowly checking functions, and damages. She then pushed a button that pulled the skiff's ramp in, closing it. Man this thing was ancient, pushing buttons and flipping switches in order to get something done. There were no giving commands, and no holographic controls or diagrams to get what you needed done.
"Thank you" she said as she looked at the screen and spun her chair around before she stood up and froze. I watched the screen trying to understand what it displayed.
"Looks like were a few shy. Power cells" said Riddick.
'How'd he get in? When'd he get in? I didn't even notice him…' I was shocked, he moved around like air.
"They're coming." she replied without looking at me. I didn't bother to move I just looked straight ahead.
"It's strange, not doing a run-up on the main drive yet. Unless, unless he told you the particulars of my escape." He said placing something down.
"I got the quick-and-ugly version." she trembled, pushing buttons.
'What did Johns say?' I wondered.
"You're worried about a repeat." I could feel him smiling.
"It has entered our minds." she confessed pushing more buttons, as he stepped closer pushing down platforms.
"I asked what you thought" his voice rumbled.
"You scare me Riddick. That's what you wanna hear, isn't it? Now can I just get back to work?" she asked sarcastically as she turned in my direction.
"I've been meaning to catch up with you alooone. Unrestrained."
'He thinks their alone?...He doesn't know I'm here?'
RIDDICK's POV
I knew she was there. I can smell her scent, hear her heart beating, and her breathing. Letting her think that I didn't know she was there made it a lot more fun as I heard her slide down into the chair as she started sweating, she tried her best not to be seen. But her best wasn't good enough.
"You think, you think Johns is a do-right man? You think I could trust him to cut me loose?" I asked holding the metal bar above me as I stepped closer to Fry.
"Why? What did you hear?" her heart started beating faster along with Lana's.
"Well. I guess if it were "trickeration" he'd just "X" me out. Huh? He'd kill me. Then again…I am worth twice as much alive. Or you didn't know that? Your Johns ain't a cop." I leaned in next to her ear.
"He's got that nickel-slick badge. And that blue uniform." I switched to her other ear.
"But he's just a merc. And I'm just a payday. That's why he won't kill me, you see? The creed is greed-" I switched back to the other whispering.
"Don't waste my time. We're not gonna turn on each other, no matter how hard you try." she said grinding her teeth, she sat back down in her chair.
"I don't truly know what's gonna happen when the lights go out. But I do know once the dying starts…this little psycho-fucked family of ours is gonna rip itself apart." I smiled placing my elbow on Lana's chair and stretching my other arm out on Fry's chair, leaning down looking at Lana as she looked back at me.
"Didn't it already?" Lana asked. I chuckled at her, and stepped away.
"Ever wonder why Johns shakes like that? Ask him. And ask why your crew pal had to scream so painfully before he died." I said opening the hatch and walking out as I felt both of their eyes on my back.
LANA's POV
"We need to talk to him" Fry demanded.
"You go. I'll go get the power cells" I suggested.
** Author's note **
Thanks for all of you who added this story to your favorite's list, and for following my story.
And a special thanks to BlackCatDemon113, Sarah, babydake93, and rukoitalian65 for the great reviews! :)
All of you who have favored/followed/and wrote reviews, get me motivated to keep on writing !
Thanks a tone! For enjoying my fanfic so much!
Stay tuned for chapter 8! :)
~KP