Lifeline

Chapter 19

Riddick reached out slowly, wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling her backwards against his chest as he sunk deeper into the shadow. She started to reach for a gun, but he snatched her elbow, shaking his head slightly as she turned to glance at him quickly. Her eyebrow rose, but his face was stern. Footsteps came closer, and his arm tightened around her waist. He felt her breath slow, as well as her heart rate as the guard appeared, pausing to glance at the shadow they hid in. He stood there for a moment, just staring, before they heard someone call out. The guard's head turned sharply toward the outburst.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming," he returned, sending one lingering glance into the shadow before shaking his head and moving on. When the sound of his boots crunching on the gravel disappeared, Chikage let out a shaky breath. Riddick gave her another squeeze around the middle.

"If you'd killed him," Riddick whispered.

"I know," she whispered back, cutting him off with a nod of her head. "They would have known something was up, even if we'd hidden the body. Riddick nodded, glancing over her shoulder. "Map." Chikage's eyepiece flickered to life, and Riddick watched her go over the floor plan she'd uploaded.

"There's a door around the corner," Riddick said quietly. "Maybe he left it open." She nodded, pulling herself from his grasp. Her feet moved slowly, her boots setting down on the ground silently as she neared the corner. She risked a peek into the light and turned, nodding once at Riddick standing behind her. As she took another step into the light, she held out a hand, silently telling Riddick to stay where he was. His eyebrow rose, but he complied, sinking back into the shade of the wall as she ventured out to try the door. She couldn't help but swear as the keypad came into view.

"Comm," she whispered. A quiet beep sounded in her ear as the patch went through, and then she heard Riddick's voice.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

"Keypad. I have to try to crack it," she answered.

"We can try another door." She shook her head.

"All the other doors are guarded right now," she said quickly. She called up the thumbnails of all the cameras, finally patching in the four covering her side of the building. As she dug through her pockets, she glanced around her and at her eyepiece display. Her fingers finally found a packet of jammers, and she stuck it between her teeth while she searched for the charger. It fell from her hands with a quiet thump into the dirt, and she swore to herself, picking it up and dusting it off before clipping it to her belt. Riddick glanced around the corner, watching her fingers tremble as she struggled with the zip on the plastic back containing the jammers. Finally, she extracted one, zipping the bag up again before clinching it between her teeth as she flipped a switch on the box clipped to her belt. It hummed for a moment, a red light blinking before turning solid as the humming stopped. As her fingers neared the box, the jammer flew from her fingers, drawn to the magnetic box. He watched in fascination as she felt along the keypad with one hand, pulling a small screwdriver from a pocket with the other hand. Her fingers continued to move over the keypad box. All of a sudden, all her movement stopped, and her breathing quickened. Finally she snapped out of it, frantically fighting with the screwdriver as she worked a screw loose. Riddick's brow furled, and he took a step into the light, just past the corner. Gravel crunched somewhere past Chikage, and he stooped to the ground, moving toward her quickly.

"Chi, leave it," he commanded quietly. She shook her head, reaching for the jammer still stuck to the box on her hip. He grasped her elbow, but she wrenched it free, casting him a glare as she inserted the jammer into the hole left by the removed screw, pushing it in until they both heard a click. The footsteps came nearer, then paused as a radio crackled. Just around the corner, one the other side of the building from where Riddick had once been, they heard someone talking. Only 150 meters separated them from that corner, and Chikage's eyes closed as the jammer did its work, slowly increasing its magnetism. The footsteps started up just as the keypad went dead after a whir and a click, and she pushed it open. She pulled the jammer from its place as both of them slipping inside as the footsteps resumed, the door shutting behind them as the guard appeared from the shadow of the corner. It was dark inside, and Riddick stood there for a moment, taking in the room as Chikage slid to the floor, her back against the wall. She heaved a sigh and stood.

"Well, that was fun," she whispered. Riddick's chuckle, low in his throat, echoed through the deserted room. It was only filled with large metal boxes, all locked, and Chikage reached across the top of one, grasping the edge as she pulled backwards, stretching her shoulders. "Map." Riddick called up his map as well, and they both stood there in silence as they looked for a way in. "Should have figured out a way to get internal surveillance," she murmured. Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she ripped her mobile from its place on the back of her pants.

"What?"

"The termyte," she whispered, tapping quickly on the face of the unit.

"The what?"

"I sunk an electronics termyte into the radio tower. If they have a surveillance system hooked up to the generator powering the keypads and radios, I might be able to patch us in to the system," she explained quickly. He nodded, glancing over his shoulder at another door.

"How many jammers do you have?" She glanced up, following his gaze to the door.

"That one's locked too?" He only shrugged, and she returned to her mobile as he walked to the door, testing it. It gave, and he stopped pulling as it creaked slightly, peeking out of the small crack he'd made.

"Clear," he said quietly. She nodded, wincing as a shrill squeal invaded her ears. Riddick grimaced as well, letting the door swing shut as his hand went to his earpiece. For a moment, she'd thought an alarm had been triggered, but they were getting some kind of interference with their mobiles. The squealing stopped, and they both let out a heavy sigh. "Interference?" She nodded. "Anything we can do about it?"

"Turn off your audio," she said with a shrug. "But that means no comms. The system's supposed to compensate automatically, so it shouldn't happen again, but there's noguarantee." He grunted, returning his attention to the door.

"How long will it take you to patch in their surveillance?"

"Couple more seconds, if it's still powered up," she answered. After a moment, she clipped the mobile back in place. "It should be up in a few minutes." He nodded. "Still clear?" Another small nod. He let the door close again and turned to her, his mouth hanging open as though he wanted to say something. "What?" His mouth closed. "Riddick, what?"

"This building is huge. How the fuck are we supposed to find her?" She blinked a few times at the tone of his voice. He sounded almost desperate. Her eyes closed slowly, and she leaned her head on his shoulder.

"We'll find her, Riddick." He nodded, cupping the back of her neck as he pulled her closer against him. "If we have to look in every fucking room in this place, we'll find her."

"Let's think about this for a minute," he said quietly, pulling his mobile from its clip. He pulled up the floor plan. "If you were holding someone hostage, where would you keep them in a place like this?" Her eyebrow rose as she lifted her head to look at him.

"Small room," she answered slowly. "Internal, no windows. One entrance." He nodded.

"That's what I was thinking." He held up his mobile for her to see as well. "Okay, here's the operation center," he said, pointing at the screen. "This over here is the recovery area, and there's a small storage closet here." She nodded.

"Doubtful it's a closet." Riddick nodded.

"I know, but listen." The wheels started turning behind her eyes as he adjusted the view of the floor plan. "There's a security booth here. My guess is that it's got glass windows on each wall so they can see out but no one can see in." She nodded slowly, hearing a single quiet beep. He did too, and he glanced at her quickly.

"Termyte's up and running," she said, pulling her mobile out as well. "You keep spinning there, and I'll see if I can get a visual." He nodded, and they crouched behind a pile of metal crates, both working quickly. "Riddick," she said slowly. Riddick turned his head, his eyes lingering on his mobile for a moment before focusing on her. He followed her gaze down to her mobile, and a growl pierced the air. His nostrils flared slightly, cheek twitching, and she turned off her unit's display. "Let's go get her," Chikage said gently. He nodded, standing slowly as he pulled her up with him. "Riddick, listen to me," she said quietly. His head turned away from her, but she reached out to grasp his chin, turning him back toward her. "Keep your temper in check." His eyebrow rose. "I can set something up for when we leave," she continued, nodding slightly as his forehead crinkled in confusion, "but until then, there's no revenge." She paused to lick her lips. "Don't go loud unless you have to, remember?" He nodded a little. "We get her out safe, and then it's payback." Another small nod, and she headed to the door, opening it a crack as she peered out, cringing as it creaked loudly in the process. She felt him behind her as she moved quickly and quietly along this room's wall, thankful that the power hadn't been restored yet. As they neared the entrance to the hallway, she slowed, a small amount of light emanating from the left. She poked her head out into the hallway slowly, and, finding it deserted, the rest of her body followed, heading toward the light.

A long wall of glass made up the right wall, concrete the left, and Chikage felt a shudder run over her as her eyes fell on the operation tables. They looked more like torture tables, straps connected to hold the patient down, and utensil trays still pulled up, the tools laid out as though they'd been in use recently. She shivered again, and kept moving, forcing herself to turn her attention to the hallway in front of her. Following the map projected through her eyepiece, she turned left down the next hallway, still creeping forward slowly, cautiously.

"Riddick, something doesn't seem right," she whispered. Her steps halted when he didn't respond, and suddenly she no longer felt him behind her. She glanced over her shoulder, then walked back to the last hallway she'd been down, but he wasn't there either. "Shit." She shook her head, deciding that he'd found a better way to get there and would meet her. After a moment to calm her heart beat, she continued on.

---

Riddick followed Chikage into the hall, squinting slightly in the dim light pouring through the glass walls. He broke out into a sweat, shivering as he suddenly became cold. His brows furled as he moved toward the wall, reaching out slowly to slide open one of the doors. It gave without a sound, and he entered the operation center slowly. An unfamiliar feeling crept into his stomach, and he stared down at his hands, which were now shaking violently. His eyes darted around the room, memories suddenly flashing into his mind. He swallowed thickly, creeping toward a table as muffled voices came back to him.

"It's rather progressive, Dr. Stevens." Despite his best efforts, his eyes wouldn't open. He felt drugged, like someone had dropped him into a jar of molasses. "I don't know if he can pull through." His brows furled unconsciously. A pair of blue eyes stared down at him, female fingers running over the small amount of fuzz growing on his head.

"He's the strongest we have, Marie," a male's voice said. "If anyone can, it's him." She nodded, a slightly pained expression running through her eyes. "Are the straps secure?"

"Yes, sir," she said quietly. "Everything's set up just like you asked."

"Good. Let's continue then." Through the fog, Riddick heard metal clinking and twitched, suddenly realizing he had no control over himself with the exception of his mind. It hit him then that he'd been anesthetized, but not enough to knock him out completely. He whimpered.

"It's okay," came Marie's soothing voice. "You'll be just fine Richard." Another small whimper, and her hand returned to his scalp, running over his head lightly.

"Syringe, please, Marie." He heard more clinking.

"Do you think it'll work?" she asked. The doctor made a harrumph type sound, and Riddick tried to yell, but his mouth didn't work. A bit was placed firmly between his teeth.

Riddick wiped his forehead with the back of a hand, trembling fingers running over the tools laid out with care on the utensil table pulled up next to the operating bed. He let out a shaky breath, letting his fingers trail over the white cloth draped over the metal cot. His brows had been drawn down for so long they now trembled.

Riddick's arm instinctively twitched, trying to evade the thick needle invading his skin, but he was strapped down so securely he couldn't escape anywhere. Marie's fingers continued trailing through his buzzed hair, and she whispered quietly to him, trying to calm him. His teeth clamped down onto the bit, his brows furrowing deeper as the pain intensified. He let out a growl, echoing off the metal walls as the pain became too much to bear. The needle continued, and the groan choked off into a weak whimper as the needle finally stopped its invasion. He felt tape press onto his skin and wind around his forearm, probably holding the needle in place.

"Marie?" Dr. Stevens' voice asked. Riddick heard himself breathing heavily, the silence broken by an occasional moan as he adjusted to the sensation of the long needle traveling through his arm. It jerked as he heard a click, and he grunted, feeling the metal in his arm wiggle a little as Dr. Stevens ran the tube he'd just connected to the needle in Riddick's arm to a machine. Stevens took the 7 inch needle Marie handed out to him, and paused to stare at her face. "It'll be okay, Marie," Stevens said quietly, adding a nod for emphasis. Riddick heard her clothing swish as she walked around his head to his other side, running her fingers lightly up and down his upper arm. "Set up the transfusion, please." Marie nodded, turning away from the man lying on the table to hang a bag of clone blood on a stand, attaching a line and IV needle. The wheels squeaked as she guided the contraption to his side, and her fingers wound around his without moving the arm still holding the needle. His fingers twitched tighter around hers as she poked the back of his hand, inserting the needle. He felt a warm hand on his other arm and twitched, but Dr. Stevens shushed him. "It'll be over in a minute, Richard," he said, and Riddick felt himself swallow.

---

Chikage glanced around the corner and swore mentally. Three guards sat outside the security booth, one reading a newspaper, and the other two playing a game of cards. The one with the paper had a ring of keys clipped to a belt loop, and she glanced at the door, squinting as she tried to make something, anything out behind the tinted glass. Nothing but reflection of the room. She bit her lip and backed up, sliding to the floor in the darkness. Several pockets on her cargo pants were opened, the snaps pried open slowly to avoid a sound, and she searched them quickly. Finally, her fingers closed on a circular device, and she pulled it out quickly, turning it over in her hands several times. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips as her hand returned to her pocket, extracting a tiny syringe. She bit down on the cap covering the needle and freed the syringe, jabbing the needle into her thigh and depressing the plunger, biting the cap harder to fight the groan as the liquid burned. The seconds ticked by on her wrist chrono, and she pressed a button on the round object, sliding it through the door before counting again. A few groans echoed into the hallway, and three bodies slumped in their chairs.

---

Marie shushed him as he let out another shaky groan, watching the needle reach the end of its journey into his body. One of her warm, soft hands cupped his cheek, her thumb trailing back and forth over the stubble as she continued to whisper to him.

"You know, Marie," Dr. Stevens said quietly, a hint of a smile lilting his voice, "he's a soldier. He's probably not used to being cooed at."

"He's a soldier yes," Marie snapped, "but he's a soldier going through pain I couldn't imagine." Riddick couldn't help but snicker, though it quickly turned into another grunt as the click and wiggle started again.

Riddick stared at the large machine standing next to the operating bed, blinking less frequently than normal. Sweat glistened on his skin, his breathing shallow and eyes dilated. His whole body trembled now, as the memories finally came flooding back as a single coherent vision. He shook his head, his jaw clenching, and turned away from the machine for a moment before curiosity got the better of him. A clipboard hung on a small hook at the back of the machine and he reached out to it, flipping through the pages slowly.

"It's set up," Dr. Stevens said quietly, nodding at Marie. She blinked, pursing her lips for a moment before turning her attention back to Riddick. He felt her lips press against his forehead for a moment before she moved away from him. Beeps followed the buttons she pushed, and the tube running from his right arm filled with blood as it ran into the machine. The lights flickered as the machine continued its work, an electrical hum filling the room. Dr. Stevens' shoes clicked as he exited the room, but paused in the doorway. "Marie." She stared over her shoulder at him. "Take care of things and return to your quarters." Riddick heard her take a breath, but she didn't say anything. He figured she'd nodded. The room fell silent again, save the hum of the machine, and Riddick shivered. He felt her presence still in the room and grunted, trying to talk around the bit to no avail.

"Are you cold?" she finally asked. He tried to nod, but it didn't work, so he just whimpered again, hoping she'd get the message. She ran her fingers over his face lightly, lingering on the eyelids he couldn't make obey his wishes, and she moved away from him again. After a moment, he felt a thin sheet fall over him, and the trembling slowed. "I'll be back to check on you in a few hours," she said quietly. He whimpered again, wishing she would stay for some reason, but she disappeared. After a while of struggling, he gave up, the restraints too tight and too strong for him to get out of. His left arm started burning as his right grew colder. The machine continued to hum.

Riddick had to lay the clipboard on the table to be able to read it, he'd started shaking so badly. The words blurred on the page, and he realized his eyes were watering. He stifled a sniffle and wiped his nose with the back of a hand, unable to leave his reading material. Some of the words he didn't understand, but he was starting to see the whole picture now, and he was torn between being terrified and enraged.

---

Chikage stood, peering into the room cautiously. The three guards were passed out, halfway falling off their chairs. The one with the newspaper had vomited, the slime covering his lap, and she grimaced. Keys were snatched from his belt loop, and she approached the door.

"Jack?" she called quietly, pressing her hands to the metal doors. She tried the knob, and wasn't surprised to find it locked. "Jack, are you in there?" Behind the door came a clunk and a muffled voice, and Chikage's breathing quickened. Her fingers shook as she tried the keys, swearing at each one that didn't work. "Jack, I'm coming, honey. Hold on." Another muffled voice, and a key finally slid into the lock. Chikage froze, waiting for a moment before turning. The knob gave, and she pushed the door open. A small, thin girl was tied to a metal chair, which itself was chained to a desk that had been soldered to the floor. Chikage sighed. The girl stared up at her with large, green eyes, widened even further in fear. Her clothes were torn, nearly hanging off her body, and her skin was covered in bruises, new and old, and dried blood. "I'm here to help you, Jack," Chikage said gently. The girl nodded quickly, eyes still wide, and Chikage pulled another small syringe from a pocket. Jack started trembling. "I need you to trust me, okay?" A slight, wary nod. "I had to gas the guards, and I don't want you to pass out, too. This is an antidote." A more confident nod, and Chikage smiled. "Needle's not too big. Had to give myself one a little earlier." Jack smiled around the gag between her teeth. Chikage gave her the shot, wincing as the girl twitched, and then untied the gag.

"Who are you?" Jack asked, her voice scratchy.

"A friend." Jack blinked, but didn't ask anything else. "Do you know who had the key to the chains?" Chikage asked. Jack shook her head slowly. "Shit." None of the keys on her ring worked.

---

"Richard?" Riddick moaned, drifting somewhere between conscious and unconscious as his blood cycled out of him, into the machine, and back into him. He heard her shoes move quietly across the floor toward him. His arm twitched as she touched him, tweaking the needle, and he grunted. She shushed him quietly, her hand leaving his skin as she moved toward the machine. "You're almost done, honey," she said quietly, printing out another reading. He couldn't be sure, but he'd felt like he'd been lying there for days. It had been three, actually, and those days weren't exactly the most comfortable he'd gone through.

"What are you doing?" Marie's head snapped around toward the doorway to see Dr. Stevens standing there.

"I'm checking on him," she said slowly, her eyebrow arching slightly.

"Don't." Her head cocked to the side. "You knew getting into this that you were not to become attached to any of the candidates."

"I'm not, Michael," she insisted.

"Marie." Warning tone.

"God forbid someone check on him to make sure he's still alive," she snapped. "We've spent fifteen years on this project, and we finally found someone strong enough to possibly make it through, and you're worried about me getting attached to the candidate?" She made a huffing noise, and Riddick suddenly felt dirty. He'd thought she was consoling him because she cared that he was in so much pain. "I'm attached to the project, Michael," she continued, her voice tightening. "I left my life behind to work with you on this, and I've invested just as much time and effort as you have, if not more."

"Marie." Apologetic tone.

"Don't lecture me on how to care for a patient, Dr. Stevens. We all know nurses have better bedside manner than doctors anyway. Your job is to do the procedures, and my job is to make sure the patient pulls through, so let me do my fucking job," she spat. Riddick heard her heavy breathing, and couldn't help but mentally smirk for a moment before the pain returned. Stevens was quiet for a moment.

"Just be cautious, Marie," he warned gently. "These aren't the soldiers you've worked on before."

"I know that," she said, voice slightly sullen.

"I'm not sure you do," Stevens said slowly. "You were never given full disclosure for a reason, Marie." She sighed. "Why do you think you've not been allowed in the rooms when they're not restrained?" No answer. "These aren't people, Marie," he continued. "These are Company property. Expensive Company property, to be more accurate. Highly specialized, highly skilled, and highly treacherous. Don't get any sympathetic ideas."

"Sympathetic ideas would jeopardize the project, Michael," she said quietly. Riddick heard the machine beep and the hum stopped. "It's finished."

---

"Comm." Jack glanced up at Chikage as she paced the room, pressing the earpiece further into her ear. "Comm.," she repeated. "Fuck."

"Who's here with you?" Jack asked. Chikage glanced at her quickly, then averted her eyes to search for a key.

"It's not important right now," she said quickly, ruffling through drawers. "We need to concentrate on getting you out of here before they wake up or someone finds us."

"They don't know you're here?" Jack sounded surprised, and Chikage smiled.

"No, not yet." She sighed. "Fuck this." Jack's eyebrow rose slowly as Chikage drew a pistol, screwing on a silencer.

"What…?" Chikage shook her head, grasping one of Jack's wrists and holding it out as far as the chains would allow. Jack squeezed her eyes shut, turning her head away, and the pistol fired. The action was repeated on the rest of the chains, leaving the cuffs around Jack's wrists and ankles. Chikage helped her to her feet slowly.

"How long has it been since you got to walk?" she asked gently. Jack rubbed her head, frumpling her hair further.

"I dunno," she mumbled. "A week, maybe." Chikage winced.

"Okay, let's do this slowly then. Follow me closely, and let me know if you need to stop." Jack nodded. "You know how to use one of these?" Jack looked down at the hand Chikage was holding out, her eyes darting back up to the dark yellow eyes staring down at her. She reached out slowly, taking the pistol from Chikage's hands gingerly. Chikage watched for a moment as Jack turned the gun over in her hands a couple of times before pulling the slide back and flipping the safety.

"I think I can handle it," Jack said quietly. Chikage smiled slightly and nodded.

"I'm Chi." Jack nodded.

"Jack."

---

Riddick flipped through the remaining pages on the clipboard, pausing as his name appeared at the top of one. His fingers ran down the paper as he scanned, and his eyes skipped to the bottom of the page, two signatures scrawled at the bottom, one scratchy and uneven and one curly and legible. He growled quietly, ripping the page from the clipboard, folding it neatly, and stuffing it into his pocket.

"I've updated the chart," Marie said quietly. Riddick heard more metal clinking and groaned inwardly. Dr. Stevens nodded in satisfaction. "We'll have to run some more tests, I'm sure, but it looks like it's going to take."

"Good," came Stevens' stiff response, followed by the shuffling sound of papers. Another, smaller needle invaded Riddick's flesh, and his leg twitched as he grunted. "Oh, stop," Stevens snarled.

"Michael," Marie warned, sending him a look over the rims of her glasses. He glared at her for a moment before returning to his work. A small vial of blood was taken from a vein in Riddick's thigh. Most of the accessible ones in his arms had collapsed by now, or were too close to collapsing to be messed with. Dr. Stevens took the vial to a centrifuge and started it, Riddick concentrating on the whirring of the machine as Stevens' boots thumped toward him.

"Let's take these out, Marie." Riddick's breath caught in his throat, and the anxiety returned. He felt her eyes on him and felt the prickling of a nervous sweat break on his skin, his nerves already tingling in anticipation. Marie's hand settled on his arm as Dr. Stevens' fingers closed on the needle. The tubes had already been disconnected when the initial transfusion had been completed, but the needles had remained, just in case the process needed to be repeated. Riddick's brow creased as the withdrawal began, and a growl turned into a whimper as the tip of the needle neared the surface of his skin. A steady stream of blood ran down his arm, pooling on the table and dripping onto the floor before Marie could press a wad of gauze to it and tape it down. The action was repeated on his other arm, and Riddick was trembling violently before it was over. Through his eyelids, he saw the lights flicker off, feeling Marie stay behind to watch him for a moment, and then he was alone again.

---

Chikage took Jack's hand and led her through to the hallway, tugging a little more firmly as Jack lingered to stare at the guards still passed out on the floor. She ducked into a closet, waiting until Jack was safely tucked behind her before closing the door. "What are you doing?" Jack whispered. Chikage shook her head, pulling her mobile from its clip.

"Shit."

"What?" Jack leaned in to look at the display on the mobile unit, seeing two blinking dots, one blue and one red. "What's that?"

"Come on," Chikage said quietly, cracking the door open and peering out. She slipped out into the hallway, pulling Jack closely behind her. They crept through the maze of hallways slowly, pausing at every junction to check every direction before continuing on. The blue dot had remained in the same place on the GPS map the entire time, and Chikage was getting nervous.

---

Riddick closed his eyes, shivering despite the rising heat in the absence of the air conditioning, which ran off the regular power supply Chikage had fired the branch into. He leaned heavily on the operating table in front of him, the muscles in his arms flexing as he supported himself.

"How are we doing this morning?" Marie asked, sashaying into the room quietly. He groaned around the bit, still firmly between his teeth, and she clicked her tongue at him. "Your vitals are doing much better than we anticipated, Richard." A grunt. "Are you hungry?" He fell silent, clenching his teeth on the bit in a rhythm. "You've not eaten in a week, Richard," she said quietly, adding a small sigh. "We've had you on an IV, but I imagine your stomach is quite unhappy with us for that." A small moan. "I'll bring something by in a little bit," she said, flipping through his charts. "After dinner." He drew a sharp breath through his nose, catching another whiff of her as she passed him to hang his chart on its hook. She stopped at his side, leaning on her hands placed next to his shoulder. "I can't imagine what you're thinking, Richard," she said quietly, letting her fingers trail down his arm lightly. "Though Dr. Stevens thinks I'm completely oblivious to the medical use of operatives here," she continued, peeling the tape from around his elbow, drawing back the gauze to check the healing of where those needles once were. "But I know what goes on. They don't tell you anything because you all signed a waiver allowing them to do with you as they see fit." She sighed, rifling the hair on his arm as she replaced the gauze. "I can't pretend I don't support the projects," she said, reaching over him to check the other arm's progress. "I do, completely." Another heavy sigh. His cheek twitched as the palm of her hand settled against it. "I just wish they let you know how important you all have been to the rest of humanity." Riddick growled in protest, but she shushed him softly, running her thumb over his lower lip. "You yourself have saved thousands of lives, Richard," she whispered. He felt her weight shift as she bent down to press her lips to his forehead before she was gone.

---

Chikage motioned for Jack to stay hidden in a nearby shadow as she moved slowly toward the opened door of the operating center, pausing after each foot was placed in front of the other. Her gun was held at her side as she advanced cautiously, eyes darting around until she saw him, leaning against one of the tables. She glanced back at Jack, who was staring down the hallway before turning back to him.

"Riddick?" she asked quietly. Jack's head twisted sharply toward the open door as she hugged her knees more tightly to her chest, eyes welling up with tears. Chikage took another step closer, repeating his name. A muscle in his shoulder twitched, and she swallowed. "Riddick, we have to get out of here."

---

It had been three years since the ordeal at the medical facility when he was given a new trainee. Despite his best efforts, he'd never been able to find out what they'd done to him, but he'd become stronger and more efficient at everything he did since then. He was able to build more muscle mass, sleep less and lighter and still be able to function extremely well, and every one of his senses had been heightened somehow. His quest to find out what had happened to him had been put on hold when she was put under his supervision, and the broken memories just became more and more broken. He'd awakened in a recovery room after Marie and Stevens had used him as a lab rat, and from then on, memories came as nightmares or brief flashes, never anything cohesive enough to mean anything to him. It was only suspicion that led him to believe someone – he couldn't even remember names – had done something to him. But then she showed up and it was put on the back burner, all of his extra time going into training. Now, as he stood here going over the paperwork with the equipment surrounding him, he couldn't stop the memories from returning.

"So how'd they find you?" Yellow eyes stared up at him for a moment, and Riddick found himself grinning wickedly, noticing the corners of her lips turning upwards slightly as his grin widened.

"In the trenches on Airon," she said with a slight shrug. "Captain Davis showed up with his whole entourage and yanked me." She sighed, following as he turned down another corridor. Her eyes flitted over him quickly as he thumbed through the file he'd been given. "You know, brown isn't really your color," she said slowly, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Does it matter?" he asked, stopping to turn toward her slowly, tucking the folder under his arm. Her hands rose to rest on her hips, and she shifted her weight to thrust one hip out to the side.

"Just seemed like something you expected me to say," she said, expression suddenly serious. His eyebrow rose slowly.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean, Corporal?" Her eyebrow rose.

"I'm the only woman I've seen in this facility besides the secretaries, Lieutenant," she said firmly. "I'm willing to bet you think I'll wash out and end up back in the fucking trenches on Airon in less than two weeks." His brows knitted.

"Actually, I was giving you three," he answered. She sighed, shaking her head as she lowered her eyes. "Look, if it means anything to you, Corporal, you come highly recommended from Captain Davis. I've seen your file." Her eyes met his. "You keep that temper in check and you'll do fine." She raised an eyebrow at him. "I amyour superior." She blinked. "Remember that." She nodded, following him the rest of the way down the hall.

A year later, he transferred her from training to the field and expected another trainee. He walked into his office a week after she shipped out to find Davis in his office.

"Captain," Riddick said slowly, nodding once as he rounded his desk.

"Morning, Lieutenant," Davis responded, rising from the seat he'd taken on the corner of Riddick's desk. "I have one for you."

"Another trainee, huh? Thought the teams were full," Riddick said with a chuckle. Davis opened his mouth to speak, but Riddick continued: "Lose more in the field?"

"No, Rick," Davis said with a smile, taking a seat across from Riddick. "I've got orders to throw you back in." Riddick glanced up at him sharply.

"You're serious."

"As a fuckin' heart attack, man," Davis said, chuckling quietly. "Haber's been chewing on my ass for a week now trying to talk me into paying you a visit."

"Interesting."

"They need you down there, Rick," Davis insisted quietly. Riddick met his eyes again, questioning him. "Things are getting thick pretty quickly, if you know what I mean."

"So you want me in charge," Riddick guessed.

"No, I want you on our A Team." Riddick stared at him.

"The A Team, huh?" Riddick leaned back in his chair, rubbing the knuckle of a thumb over his chin. "That's a downgrade, Davis."

"Yeah, but you won't be cooped up in an office all day," Davis pointed out quickly, adding a confident smile.

"True," Riddick granted, cocking his head to the side.

"And plus, you've got your protégé down there."

"Corporal Pierce?" Davis nodded. "I thought she was in with Warrick's group."

"Nope," Davis said, shaking his head. "We transferred her the day after she got there."

"Can I ask why and get an answer?" Riddick asked with a grin, which Davis mirrored.

"Had a training drill and she blew everyone away." Riddick nodded, a proud smirk turning his lips. "She's on sniper detail on A." Riddick's smile fell in surprise. That was a huge step, going from a lower team to a sniper on the A Team.

"Wow," was all he could think to say.

"She's the best there is, Rick," Davis said seriously. "And you're the best striker we've got. I want both of you on the same team." Riddick fell quiet, toying with a paperweight as he thought it over. Finally, he tossed the paperweight back onto the desk and met Davis' eyes.

"When do I ship out?" He'd gone to his quarters an hour later, the entire contents of his office held in a small cardboard box under his arm. The box was tossed in the bottom of a closet and his clothes were folded neatly before being stacked in his duffel bag, along with other items he couldn't leave without, mostly necessities. Davis met him at the helicopter an hour and a half later.

"C'mon, Lieutenant." Davis gestured toward the helicopter and Riddick grinned, tossing his duffel to a nearby Private.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied with a smile.

"We have to get out of here." Riddick turned sharply, pistol drawn and shaking as he pointed it at a pair of yellow eyes. "Riddick?" Her brows furled as her hands rose slowly, and she took a step back. He blinked a few times, shaking his head as he lowered the gun. "Riddick, we have to get her out of here."

"Jack?" She nodded slowly, glancing over her shoulder. "Wait, how long have we been here?"

"Forty-five minutes, Riddick," she said, shaking her head in confusion. "We have to leave now," she repeated. He nodded. "Just so you know, she doesn't know you're here. I didn't want her freaking out on me when I was getting her out." Another small nod, the hand holding the gun hanging loosely at his side. "Are you okay?" she asked after a beat.

"We have to talk later," he said, walking toward her. Her eyebrow rose, but she nodded, following him out the door. Jack's eyes widened as he appeared and she took a breath to say something but he shook his head. Her mouth snapped shut and she nodded, scrambling to her feet. "Stay close," he instructed, leading the way down the hall toward the door they entered through. They halted when the lights flickered on, ducking into the storage room where the metal crates were. Chikage swore, but Riddick only walked to the door leading to the courtyard and reached out to the handle.

"Riddick, if the power's back on you'll trip the alarm," she said quickly. Jack glanced up at her before looking back to Riddick.

"I thought you jammed it," he said.

"Yeah, but it doesn't work forever," she said quietly, glancing at the door. A shadow swayed in the crack between the floor and the bottom of the door, and Chikage held out a hand, nodding toward the movement. Riddick motioned for Jack to crouch behind a pile of boxes as he moved to the door. The lights flickered again and then went out, and Chikage let out a breath slowly, reaching for her nightvision glasses as the door creaked. A sickening crack echoed off the walls, and Chikage heard Riddick's quick breath as he walked back to her side.

"Now," was all he said, and she nodded, hearing Jack clamber out from her hiding place to follow. He paused at the door, glancing back at Chikage. "Can you jam it from the inside?"

"Is there a keypad?" He shook his head. "No."

"When the door opens, run. Don't stop until you get into the woods," he instructed. Both she and Jack nodded and he reached for the door. A shrill buzzing began as soon as he turned the handle, and all three of them bolted, hearing boots pounding behind them.

"Chi, my legs," Jack gasped, falling to the ground in a heap.

"Shit. Riddick!" Chikage called.

"I got her. You keep going," Riddick commanded through gritted teeth as he turned to retrieve Jack. Chikage glanced over her shoulder, her heart pounding in her ears as she saw the guards gaining on them. Riddick was still stooped over Jack, trying to help her to her feet, but she kept collapsing. Chikage slid to a stop as she heard clicks, turning quickly as the guards armed their weapons as they ran toward Riddick and Jack. Riddick swept the girl over his shoulder and started off at a full on run again. "Go!" he bellowed, pointing to the woods. Chikage took off again, her boots crashing through the thin brush as she neared the forest. A shot rang out, then three more, and she grabbed a nearby tree to stop herself. Two guards had fallen, and Jack was taking aim again. Chikage managed a small smile as another fell to the ground, and she continued on to the ship.

Her lungs were burning when she got there, her knees nearly turned into jello, but she struggled up the ramp and up the steps to the cockpit to prep the ship. Riddick broke through the forest just as the engines roared, and she heard the hydraulics kick in as the ramp was closed. Harness in place, she waited, hearing a pair of boots thump up the stairs.

"Ship's ready," she said quietly, watching Riddick take the seat next to her.

"Good," he answered with a nod. "Jack, strap in."

"Where?" Chikage turned to look over her shoulder at the girl standing in the middle of the cockpit, her arms wound around her middle tightly as she shivered.

"There's a pull down chair behind you," he said quietly, flipping switches and pushing buttons. "Hurry up." Chikage glanced at him sharply, but he was concentrating too hard on takeoff, so she let it go. "Chi, change the IP address if you can." She nodded, pulling out her keyboard. "And call up the radar." Another small nod. She glanced over her shoulder to throw Jack a reassuring smile, but it fell quickly. Jack was strapped in, her legs pulled up to her chest, and she was just staring down at her toes. "Can you encrypt the IP right now?"

"It'll take me a while if you want me to watch the radar," she said slowly. He glanced at her as he steered the plane around to take off.

"Send the radar up to the main monitor and work on the IP," he said. She nodded, and the cabin fell silent.