Ch 3
"If it wasn't you, then who...who was it?" she shuddered, as her fear came crashing back into her, making her knees wobbly and weak.
"Don't know. Come on." Riddick replied roughly as he placed his goggles back on. Jack moved closer to his side looking anxiously into the dark room.
"Let's go; Imam's probably worried." Taking her hand, he gave it a little gentle squeeze and drew her forward. As they left the storage room, Riddick caught the scent of the mysterious man, as well as the shadowy figure as it disappeared around the corner.
Riddick looked back at Jack as she came to an abrupt stop. Her body was frozen in place, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. "You okay, Jack?" he spoke quietly, trying not to startle her.
"No...It can't be...No.." Jack whispered softly, her voice almost silent, as she moved closer to Riddick. As if his mere presence could drive the bad thoughts away.
Riddick heard her anyway. He looked down at her, and saw that her face held a look of absolute terror that drove a sharp pain into his heart. Riddick looked back up to where the man had just disappeared. 'He's going to die, slowly,' Riddick thought, pulling Jack closer he laid a comforting arm around her shoulders. He said nothing as they walked back to their room.
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"Where have you two been? I was becoming worried." Imam began to speak as soon as they walk in the door. Jack's face looked pale to him.
She tried to smile reassuringly when Imam looked at her, then moved away from Riddick and went to lie down on one of the cots in their small but clean room.
Imam followed Jack over to the bed to speak with her while Riddick reclined against the wall wondering what the Holy man was going to say to her, but more importantly what Jack would tell the Holy man.
"Jack, are you well chil....are you well?" Imam asked, stumbling over the word child. Jack answered with her eyes still closed.
"Yes, Imam, you can call me a child if you want." 'But I can never be one again' she thought.
"Jack, being called a child has upset you. I will not, and would not wish you any pain, or hurt." he said still pondering her sudden change in attitude.
"I know, Imam. Please just go away. I'm tired." Jack pleaded, her voice heavy with unshed tears.
"You can trust me with anything Jack. I will not judge you because of anything you tell me. Sleep well my... Daughter." Imam moved away from her cot and walked toward Riddick.
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Riddick could smell the sharp tears that were silently running down Jack's cheeks. He turned to Imam, his voice hard and demanding. "Keep an eye on her. Don't let her leave this room alone. Do you hear me?"
"What has happened?" Imam gripping his prayer beads nervously, keeping his voice quiet so Jack couldn't hear.
Riddick grunted. "Someone's trying to mess with this psycho fuck family and I'm not going to let that happen. How about you?" his goggle covered eyes drilled into the other man.
"Yes, we are a family." Imam nodded, as he slowly counted out his prayer beads. " The only family I have left. Allah help me, I will not let someone hurt us." Imam's eyes locked on Jack as she turned to face the wall, hiding her tears from them.
Seeing the acceptance in Imam's eyes, Riddick walked over to the cot were Jack lay.
"Jack, I'm going to the mess hall. Do you want anything?" as he stood over her looking down at her small body.
"No...thanks." Her voice was raspy.
Leaning down next to her ear, Riddick whispered in a hot and throaty voice, " We need to talk when I get back." Gently, he pressed his lips to her temple, inhaling her light scent. He stood up and walked out the door without a single glance at Imam.
Imam sighed as Riddick left, knowing full well that he was not going to the mess hall. Imam moved over to the only other cot in the room and laid down. 'Mr. Riddick will have to wake me when he returns if he wishes to sleep.' Imam thought. He looked over at Jack one last time. She had fallen into an exhausted sleep. He thought about covering her up, but he didn't want to wake her. Sighing again, he closed his eyes and fell into an exhausted sleep.
Riddick wandered the ship trying to pick up the man's distinct smell. Unfortunately he couldn't find it, but he had overheard some interesting news. Resting against the corridor wall, Riddick had listened to the conversation between a crewmember and someone who was obviously the captain.
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"I'm telling ya man, that guy has gotta be him!!" An irate crewmember went on as he paced the small office. Running his hand over his closely shaved head, the crewmember bit at his lip. The middle-aged man behind the wood desk didn't bother to look up at him.
"George, if that really was Richard B. Riddick do you [i]really [/i] think we would be alive right now?? I don't think so." the captain said smugly, with his superior attitude " Now get back to your station and you'd better be damn sure they don't see the methi crystal we're carrying. You get me?" the captain's voice rock hard.
"Yes, Captain." George said his voice squeaky.
"Good you are dismissed." The captain waves his hand toward the door, carrying on with his work.
[center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [/center]
'So someone had recognized me, to bad they would have to die.' Riddick thought as he walked the ship. 'Methi Crystal. One of the most dangerous drugs in the universe. Illegal in almost every solar system too.' Riddick smiled an evil smile. 'They would never report me or my small rag-tag group. Not unless they want the local law to get a look at their cargo.' he had just secured their passage and the crews silence.
Riddick jogged the gray, empty hallways back to their room. When the door opened, he saw that both Imam and Jack were asleep. Imam looked peaceful, but Jack was curled into a tight ball against the wall, whimpering slightly. Riddick locked the door and turned off the lights.
Removing his goggles, he walked over to Jack's cot. Gently, he removed her shoes and lifted the covers over her before removing his own shoes and climbing into the bed. Not wanting to frighten her, he made no move to get under the covers. He laid on his back looking that the ceiling and listening to Jack's breathing.
Jack's breathing changed. Moving only his head, Riddick looked right at her face with his glowing eyes. ' The site of me had evoked fear into the hearts of men. How would she react? Would she fear me? I don't think I could stand that.' Riddick's own thoughts bewildered him.
'He's in my bed. I didn't hear him coming, I can't run he will find me. What am I going to do?' Jack thought. The heat of his body pressing against her front, pushing her beyond fear. Her mind recoiling, imagining the grasping hands that dug painfully into her arms, the hot rancid breath down her neck. Her body trembled as she squeezed her eyes tighter together.
"Jack."
Riddick's deep, soft voice called her back from her memories. Jack looked up into those glowing eyes searching for a haven from the pain.
"Are you afraid of me?" His voice soft and quiet.
"No." came her quick response as she bit her lip and looked away. "I didn't hear you coming is all."
Rolling up on to his side facing her, Riddick didn't miss the small flinch from Jack as she moved closer to the wall.
"Or are you just afraid of any male that happens to be in bed with you."
Jack shook her head, refusing to answer. 'I can't, I promised, I can't.' Jack thought to herself over and over again. Trying to find solace in the mantra.
"Answer me, Jack." His voice was still soft, yet now it was also demanding.
" I can't, I promised, I can't." Jack whispered out loud, closing her eyes.
"Who made you promise?"
Opening her eyes Jack replied. "I don't want to remember Riddick...it hurts so bad." A single tear traced its way down her face.
"Come here, Jack." Tenderly, he pulled her into his strong embrace. "Let it out, baby, let it out." he whispered softly in her ear.
Those words, so familiar to Jack, brought the memories rushing to the surface. She tried to push them away, but they are too much. A sob escaped her throat, and she buried her face in Riddick's chest, crying.
"If it wasn't you, then who...who was it?" she shuddered, as her fear came crashing back into her, making her knees wobbly and weak.
"Don't know. Come on." Riddick replied roughly as he placed his goggles back on. Jack moved closer to his side looking anxiously into the dark room.
"Let's go; Imam's probably worried." Taking her hand, he gave it a little gentle squeeze and drew her forward. As they left the storage room, Riddick caught the scent of the mysterious man, as well as the shadowy figure as it disappeared around the corner.
Riddick looked back at Jack as she came to an abrupt stop. Her body was frozen in place, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open. "You okay, Jack?" he spoke quietly, trying not to startle her.
"No...It can't be...No.." Jack whispered softly, her voice almost silent, as she moved closer to Riddick. As if his mere presence could drive the bad thoughts away.
Riddick heard her anyway. He looked down at her, and saw that her face held a look of absolute terror that drove a sharp pain into his heart. Riddick looked back up to where the man had just disappeared. 'He's going to die, slowly,' Riddick thought, pulling Jack closer he laid a comforting arm around her shoulders. He said nothing as they walked back to their room.
[center] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [/center]
"Where have you two been? I was becoming worried." Imam began to speak as soon as they walk in the door. Jack's face looked pale to him.
She tried to smile reassuringly when Imam looked at her, then moved away from Riddick and went to lie down on one of the cots in their small but clean room.
Imam followed Jack over to the bed to speak with her while Riddick reclined against the wall wondering what the Holy man was going to say to her, but more importantly what Jack would tell the Holy man.
"Jack, are you well chil....are you well?" Imam asked, stumbling over the word child. Jack answered with her eyes still closed.
"Yes, Imam, you can call me a child if you want." 'But I can never be one again' she thought.
"Jack, being called a child has upset you. I will not, and would not wish you any pain, or hurt." he said still pondering her sudden change in attitude.
"I know, Imam. Please just go away. I'm tired." Jack pleaded, her voice heavy with unshed tears.
"You can trust me with anything Jack. I will not judge you because of anything you tell me. Sleep well my... Daughter." Imam moved away from her cot and walked toward Riddick.
[center] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [/center]
Riddick could smell the sharp tears that were silently running down Jack's cheeks. He turned to Imam, his voice hard and demanding. "Keep an eye on her. Don't let her leave this room alone. Do you hear me?"
"What has happened?" Imam gripping his prayer beads nervously, keeping his voice quiet so Jack couldn't hear.
Riddick grunted. "Someone's trying to mess with this psycho fuck family and I'm not going to let that happen. How about you?" his goggle covered eyes drilled into the other man.
"Yes, we are a family." Imam nodded, as he slowly counted out his prayer beads. " The only family I have left. Allah help me, I will not let someone hurt us." Imam's eyes locked on Jack as she turned to face the wall, hiding her tears from them.
Seeing the acceptance in Imam's eyes, Riddick walked over to the cot were Jack lay.
"Jack, I'm going to the mess hall. Do you want anything?" as he stood over her looking down at her small body.
"No...thanks." Her voice was raspy.
Leaning down next to her ear, Riddick whispered in a hot and throaty voice, " We need to talk when I get back." Gently, he pressed his lips to her temple, inhaling her light scent. He stood up and walked out the door without a single glance at Imam.
Imam sighed as Riddick left, knowing full well that he was not going to the mess hall. Imam moved over to the only other cot in the room and laid down. 'Mr. Riddick will have to wake me when he returns if he wishes to sleep.' Imam thought. He looked over at Jack one last time. She had fallen into an exhausted sleep. He thought about covering her up, but he didn't want to wake her. Sighing again, he closed his eyes and fell into an exhausted sleep.
Riddick wandered the ship trying to pick up the man's distinct smell. Unfortunately he couldn't find it, but he had overheard some interesting news. Resting against the corridor wall, Riddick had listened to the conversation between a crewmember and someone who was obviously the captain.
[center] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [/center]
"I'm telling ya man, that guy has gotta be him!!" An irate crewmember went on as he paced the small office. Running his hand over his closely shaved head, the crewmember bit at his lip. The middle-aged man behind the wood desk didn't bother to look up at him.
"George, if that really was Richard B. Riddick do you [i]really [/i] think we would be alive right now?? I don't think so." the captain said smugly, with his superior attitude " Now get back to your station and you'd better be damn sure they don't see the methi crystal we're carrying. You get me?" the captain's voice rock hard.
"Yes, Captain." George said his voice squeaky.
"Good you are dismissed." The captain waves his hand toward the door, carrying on with his work.
[center]~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [/center]
'So someone had recognized me, to bad they would have to die.' Riddick thought as he walked the ship. 'Methi Crystal. One of the most dangerous drugs in the universe. Illegal in almost every solar system too.' Riddick smiled an evil smile. 'They would never report me or my small rag-tag group. Not unless they want the local law to get a look at their cargo.' he had just secured their passage and the crews silence.
Riddick jogged the gray, empty hallways back to their room. When the door opened, he saw that both Imam and Jack were asleep. Imam looked peaceful, but Jack was curled into a tight ball against the wall, whimpering slightly. Riddick locked the door and turned off the lights.
Removing his goggles, he walked over to Jack's cot. Gently, he removed her shoes and lifted the covers over her before removing his own shoes and climbing into the bed. Not wanting to frighten her, he made no move to get under the covers. He laid on his back looking that the ceiling and listening to Jack's breathing.
Jack's breathing changed. Moving only his head, Riddick looked right at her face with his glowing eyes. ' The site of me had evoked fear into the hearts of men. How would she react? Would she fear me? I don't think I could stand that.' Riddick's own thoughts bewildered him.
'He's in my bed. I didn't hear him coming, I can't run he will find me. What am I going to do?' Jack thought. The heat of his body pressing against her front, pushing her beyond fear. Her mind recoiling, imagining the grasping hands that dug painfully into her arms, the hot rancid breath down her neck. Her body trembled as she squeezed her eyes tighter together.
"Jack."
Riddick's deep, soft voice called her back from her memories. Jack looked up into those glowing eyes searching for a haven from the pain.
"Are you afraid of me?" His voice soft and quiet.
"No." came her quick response as she bit her lip and looked away. "I didn't hear you coming is all."
Rolling up on to his side facing her, Riddick didn't miss the small flinch from Jack as she moved closer to the wall.
"Or are you just afraid of any male that happens to be in bed with you."
Jack shook her head, refusing to answer. 'I can't, I promised, I can't.' Jack thought to herself over and over again. Trying to find solace in the mantra.
"Answer me, Jack." His voice was still soft, yet now it was also demanding.
" I can't, I promised, I can't." Jack whispered out loud, closing her eyes.
"Who made you promise?"
Opening her eyes Jack replied. "I don't want to remember Riddick...it hurts so bad." A single tear traced its way down her face.
"Come here, Jack." Tenderly, he pulled her into his strong embrace. "Let it out, baby, let it out." he whispered softly in her ear.
Those words, so familiar to Jack, brought the memories rushing to the surface. She tried to push them away, but they are too much. A sob escaped her throat, and she buried her face in Riddick's chest, crying.
