Lifeline
Chapter 10
A soft rapping on the doorframe, as no door was hung, brought Chikage to a sudden wakefulness, sitting up in bed. She glared at the body backlit in her doorway and flopped back onto her pillow with a small whimper. A low chuckle prompted her eyes to open.
"We're landing in an hour. Get up," Riddick said quietly, knocking on the wall once more for emphasis. She sighed, stretching lazily with a groan before sitting up again, more slowly this time. Cold metal met her feet, and she gasped, wiggling her toes into socks quickly before trying again. He was back in the cockpit, leaning forward in his chair as he readied the ship for landing. She lowered herself into the navigator's chair and yawned.
"What time is it?" she asked. He glanced at her quickly.
"Ergon runs a 32 hour day," he said. "It's 1300 their time." She nodded, strapping her chrono onto her wrist after changing the settings. "Your clothes are clean, by the way," he added, glancing at the rumpled sweats and wifebeater hanging loosely on her body. She smiled, standing to return to the lower level to change. "Mind locking down for me?" he called a moment later.
"Got it." She locked things up as she headed back to her room, ducking in with her clean clothes over an arm. She dropped them on her bed, locked down the few things that needed it, and dressed quickly, jogging up the stairs to check the library and dojo. He glanced over his shoulder at her as he heard her boots thump up the stairs. "Clearance?"
"Private strip again," he answered, watching her strap in to her chair. She pulled the swivel keyboard over her lap, calling up the navigation programs. "Distance?"
"320 kilometers," she answered.
"You know, I don't really need a navigator," he said coyly. She turned to him, flashing a winning smile.
"Don't deprive me the honor," she quipped, winking. He shrugged.
"What's the angle then?" The keyboard clicked as she calculated the required angle of descent.
"Thirty degrees the whole way, baby," she answered quietly. "Keep her steady and you're good to go." She watched the altimeter count down, every now and then checking out the readings on her monitor. They hit a pocket of turbulence, bouncing around a little, and she called up the previous program. "Change to 34 degrees, bank right 14 degrees." He followed her instructions. "Adjust to 12 degrees right." She continued her typing. "Zero degrees right, 38 degree descent."
"It's a lot more interesting when I have to figure this shit out on my own," he said with a smirk. She stared at him for a moment.
"Do it yourself then," she said simply, pushing the keyboard away from her as she leaned back in her chair.
"I don't want to deprive you," he returned. She laughed, pulling the keyboard back to her.
"As long as you don't hit another bounce pocket you're set to land." He nodded, watching the runway near. "You know, it might be worthwhile to set up a security program with forged certificates and all," she suggested slowly. "Use public ports and capitalize on their security." He shrugged. "I mean, we both know private strips are nice, but there's no way we can be sure it'll be here when we get back."
"Yeah," he granted, "but since I'm too conspicuous I'll always be here to hold the fort." She chuckled, closing her eyes to enjoy the split second of freefall just before the landing gear hit the pavement.
"Nice," she whispered. He taxied to a slightly hidden corner of the lot and shut down all the engines except the generator. She released her harness with a click and stood, stretching her arms overhead as her back arched. "Where's your list?"
"You've got a mobile unit and a pack in that locker behind you." She glanced over her shoulder. "I uploaded the list last night." Her eyebrow rose.
"A virtual shopping list, huh?" He shrugged. "Interesting. What else is in the pack?"
"Check it out for yourself." She opened the locker, extracting the small backpack stashed there.
"Lockers?"
"Accessible but still secured," he explained.
"Smart," she said, unzipping the small pouch at the front of the pack. A small gun, extra clip, and a credit chip, along with a falsified identification card. She held the ID card up. "Will this check out?"
"Well enough to pass. No biometrics though."
"That'll raise eyebrows," she commented with a cringe.
"Check out the origination," he said, smirking as he pointed at the card in her fingers. She turned it over, laughing lightly.
"Nice. The one planet that refuses to even record biometrics." He grinned. "How much is on the chip?"
"Enough," he said quickly.
"Is it real money or ones and zeros?" His hard stare almost convinced her it was real. "So, um…" she unzipped the bag's main compartment, and she nodded. The mobile computer had a small pocket of its own to keep it accessible in the larger pouch, which also held a jacket and a baseball cap. "Look, Riddick," she said, pausing mid-sentence. He looked up at her, emotion hidden from his face, his eyes covered by his dark goggles to ward off the rays of sunshine trickling through the tree providing a little shade over the ship. "Now that my detail's over…" she trailed off, eyeing him warily. He sighed, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.
"Look, we'll talk about what happens after all this shit is over later, okay?" She nodded slightly, zipping the pack up again. A strap was hung over her shoulder. "That mobile has the IP address of this ship programmed in, so if anything happens, shoot off a message and destroy it. The jacket and hat are in case you need to change your appearance or whatever."
"Or if it rains," she added with a small smile.
"Yeah, I guess." He paused for a moment. "Get what you need and get back."
"Why do I feel like a teenager getting ready to go on her first date?" she asked quickly, eyebrow arched. Riddick chuckled. "Do I have a curfew?" He leaned back in his chair again, scratching his eyebrow with his thumb. She flashed back to the poker table for a second, unable to stop the confident smirk.
"If you're not back by 1600 I'll get worried and send out a search team." She snickered.
"I'll send you a message if I think I'll be later than that," she said.
"It wouldn't be smart. Don't spend any more time in any one place than you have to."
"I know that, Riddick."
"This isn't security detail now, Chi," he pressed, his voice dropping in pitch. "I would bet one of Dave's goons squealed to Company and set us both up for Marcus and Amy's murders." She swallowed thickly. "There's plenty of places we could have gone from there, so I doubt there'd be a massive detail of Company monkeys or mercs looking for either one of us here, but play it safe." She nodded. "Be quick about everything you do, but don't look rushed. Don't stick out."
"I got it Riddick," she said a little too quickly.
"Look, this isn't Ops, Chikage," he insisted. "You're not hiding on a rooftop with a sniper rifle. All you have is that snub nosed 380 auto and your legs. If someone sniffs you out, you won't have the distance you would in Ops to get out. If you can't take a shot, get the fuck out and lose them." She nodded. "Don't anticipate anything happening, but be ready if it does." He glanced at the door, and she shifted the bag on her shoulder, staring at him for a moment before swinging it open and hopping to the ground. She started toward the large buildings jutting up on the horizon, pulling the mobile from her bag.
As she walked, she tinkered with the thing, learning the ins and outs of the system he'd installed so she could access it quickly if needed. A message blinked in the corner and she called it up:
Chi – there's a map of the city installed. I downloaded it from the Building Commission and uploaded it to this unit. The next message is my list.
She smirked to herself with slight shake of the head.
There's a little hardware shop on the corner. I highlighted it on your map. Stop there first. Pick up some accessories while you're in the area. It'd be a waste of that hot little contraption you were using last night. Make sure to load up. We'll make a couple of stops before we get there, so don't get enough to raise a flag.
Suddenly, she felt like she was playing a first person shooter spy video game, and chuckled out loud.
There's a duffel bag folded up in the bottom of your pack. I found a locker station in the middle of the city. Plenty of people, so it'll be safe. Don't carry too much at a time until you're on your way home. Get groceries last, and make sure you can get everything back without getting bogged down. If anything happens, drop it and run. I've got GPS on this thing so I'll know where you are, even if you have to blow the damn thing. The locator chip will blink. Make sure you take it and some firepower with you.
She stopped walking and stared at the last line, glancing quickly over her shoulder to where the ship was parked.
And hurry the fuck up.
Chikage turned the corner her mobile said led to the main square in town and let out a sigh of relief. At least twenty other people carried mobile computers and PDAs with them, constantly in use, and she instantly felt better about trying to blend in. The hardware store was just a block away, and she called up his list, smirking. Bells jangled, wound through the door to sound someone's entrance, and she paused in the doorway, cursing Riddick under her breath.
"Can I help you, miss?" A man asked, walking out from behind a counter as he clasped his hands behind his back. She gazed around the store for a moment, eyes flitting over skimpy lingerie hanging on racks and mannequins.
"I'm sorry," she said, whipping out her mobile again and rechecking her location. She stared back at the store employee in confusion. "My map told me this was a hardware store. I must have uploaded from an outdated database," she mumbled. The man's eyes darkened, and he turned to nod at a woman standing near a door on the back wall. "Follow me," he said quietly. Her eyebrow rose, but she obliged, watching the woman look her over quickly before taking the man's place behind the counter. He opened the door to reveal a small office, another door guarded by a keypad. Standing so he'd block her view, his arm moved, and she heard the beeps as he entered the code, the door opening with a swoosh of air. A grin broke on her face as he gestured for her to enter before him. "What are you looking for?" he asked, folding his hands behind his back again. She didn't need to look at Riddick's list again.
"Four auto pistols and ammo. A handful of clusters, a pack of jammers." He whistled quietly, and she stopped, blinking a few times.
"Going to war, are we?" A twisted smirk turned his lips, and she chuckled.
"Not really."
"Help yourself," he said quickly, adding a nod. She browsed through the massive collection of weapons, adding the figures in her head based on the going retails.
"How do your rates compare, just out of curiosity?" she asked, reaching out to caress a sleek pistol.
"For the average customer we run about the same as IGC retail," he said. "But a shopper such as yourself is rare, and with the list you've rattled off we could come to a compromise."
"And what kind of shopper would I be?" she asked, trying to keep the insult out of her voice. She hated getting discounts just because the storeowners were attracted to her.
"Let's put it this way," he said slowly, licking his lips. "There's not a thing in the galaxy that is sexier than a beautiful woman who hides an arsenal well." Her anger gave way to amusement, and she chuckled, feeling the blush rise in her cheeks. She pulled two pistols from the wall and set them on the center table before crossing the room to select two more pistols of a different model. "You know your weapons," he commented quietly.
"And I have expensive taste," she added, nodding. He chuckled. "Do you have any EMP bombs?"
"The shelf to your left," he answered, pointing. She made a clicking noise with her tongue in satisfaction as she picked through the collection, setting seven on the table. His eyes followed her every movement as she zigzagged across the room, the pile on the table growing. He started loading her selections into boxes, and when she'd added the last item, he piled them into a bag and took a deep breath.
"What's the damage?" she asked, keeping her eyes on him as she fished through her bag for the credit chip.
"What would you say about twenty five hundred for a starting price?" She smiled.
"I'll give you twenty one," she answered. A grin flashed at her.
"And she bargains as well," he said, shaking his head. "You know, list value would be around four thousand, dear."
"I know that." His eyebrows rose. "I added as I went. Twenty three?"
"Sold," he said with a wide smile. "The missus will bruise me, but I'll tell her I have a feeling you'll be back for more." Her smile fell slowly.
"I can't promise that, but I will definitely remember this place in case I need to." He nodded in approval, and she handed him her chip. Convenience was the motto of the place, she noticed, as he ran the chip from inside the arsenal room. A price that high would raise eyebrows if it'd been run from the lingerie store and someone was there to overhear. She slid the sack into her backpack and took the chip back from him, slipping him a wink before exiting back to the lingerie room, thanking the woman behind the counter, his wife if he'd been truthful, with a bright smile as the door bells jangled on her way out.
---
After getting lost twice following the complicated and detailed map on her mobile, she finally got a locker, slipping the new items into the metal box and locking it, making sure the key wouldn't fall out of her pocket as she walked away, shrugging her pack into place over her shoulder. She paused in the middle of the square, glancing around at the names of the shops surrounding her. Her chronos showed 1400 planet time, and she sighed. Might as well, she thought with an devious grin.
"I thought I said not to get enough to bog you down," Riddick scolded, hanging out of the cockpit door. She grinned.
"I didn't," she quipped, tossing the duffel bag up to him before hoisting herself up next to him. "The duffel was the light stuff. Groceries and shit," she explained. "Backpack was the heavier, more important stuff," she added, wiggling her eyebrows as she gestured toward the bag slung over her shoulders.
"You know you have to show it all off, right?" She nodded, taking the duffel back as she crossed the room toward the stairs, hearing the door latch and lock before his boots thumped behind her. The groceries were placed in their bags on the kitchen counter, backpack deposited on the kitchen table, and she heard it unzip as she abandoned it to unload the duffel in her room. Random clicks emanated from outside her quarters as she ripped tags from her new clothes, hanging some on the stationary hangers in her closet and folding others to go in the small drawer chest built into the foot of her bed. "Chikage?" she heard him call. After stalling to drop her unmentionables into the top drawer, she poked her head out into the hallway. He was standing in the middle of the kitchen, still staring at the small armory she'd acquired. "It's a good thing I sent you to get all this stuff," he said slowly.
"Why's that?"
"Because if you got everything at one hardware store, and I went instead I don't think I'd ever leave that place." She chuckled.
"Speaking of the hardware store, you could have warned me, you know," she said, leaving her room to re-inspect her selections.
"Warned you of what?"
"I walked in and thought I was lost." His eyebrow rose. "They've got a front store and a back store," she explained, leaning back against the edge of the kitchen table. "The back store is where they keep the cool stuff."
"And the front store?" he asked quietly. She noticed his gaze drop slightly for a moment as she licked her lips, before returning to her eyes.
"Just a fuckin' lingerie store," she said with a snicker. His lips twitched into a quick smile.
"Most girls would prefer the front store," he remarked quietly. She shrugged a shoulder, watching him reach out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyes broke from his, focusing on the weapons scattered across the table.
"You want me to go ahead and start loading these bad boys up so they're ready to go or wait until later when I'm bored?" she asked, oxygen suddenly hard to find. He noticed her tense as he took a step closer to her, wondering if the personal bubble thing was a chronic issue.
"Wait until later." Her eyes closed as she felt the vibrations of his voice, his breath hot against her skin. She swallowed, opening her eyes slowly, still staring at their new weapons. He glanced down at her hands, the knuckles whitened at the force of her grip, his eyes slowly trailing back up to her face. She inhaled sharply as his lips pressed against the side of her neck, her pulse racing against his skin. Her hand flattened out across his chest after a moment, and she pushed him away, leaving the table to walk back to her room. He blinked a few times in confusion, finally rubbing a hand over his head and turning back up the stairs to the cockpit. What the fuck just happened?