"Shit," I said to myself before rushing outside. I ran to the group huddled around the other ship piece. Zeke was mumbling to himself.
"I thought it was him. I thought it was Riddick," he kept saying over and over again. Shazza was holding him close as Paris and Jack were walking back and forth. It didn't take me long to sum up what had happened.
My brother had caused so much fear in these people about Riddick that they shot an innocent man because of their fear. I turned away from the bloody body and looked back toward the ship. Someone was sitting in a deck chair on the top of the ship drinking alcohol. I turned back to Jack.
Several minutes later, Zeke returned to his work, as did the others. I walked back to the ship with Paris.
"This Riddick character has got us all spooked," he said casually.
"My brother tells me that he murdered many. That Riddick is the murderous impulse we feel in our guts every time someone pisses us off. That Riddick will be the death of us all."
Paris turned pale at the thought. I continued walking, a little smile showed on my face. Maybe now that jerk will shut up.
A scream wiped the smile from my face. I paled now. I turned, running toward the sound. Oh no. Shazza was right in front of me. When we reached the hole where Zeke was supposed to be burying the dead people. Shazza pulled back the tarp covering the hole.
The smell of blood filled our noses. Shazza looked up and I followed her gaze. There was Riddick standing on the other side of the hole. He took off in the other direction. Shazza and I followed. It wasn't long before we reached him and found Johns beating Riddick to the ground. The goggles Riddick was wearing were in Johns' hands. Before I could stop her, Shazza rushed off toward the fight. She began kicking Riddick. I stood back in shock over what was going on. Shazza knocked Riddick out long enough for Johns to get some chains on him to lead him back to the ship. I walked over to the sight. I noticed Riddick's weapon on the ground. I picked it up and looked it over. There was no blood on it, or on Riddick.
I followed Johns back to the ship and, after he tied up Riddick, asked him what was going on.
"Riddick didn't kill Zeke," I told Johns as he secured Riddick's arms. "There was blood all over that hole, but none of Riddick or the weapon he had in his hand."
"Doesn't mean he didn't do it," Johns replied turning to me. My brother looked like he was ready to kill.
"I'm sorry, but there is no way that Riddick could have done it. The body is missing, there is no blood evidence, nothing can tie Riddick to this."
A fist connected with my face, slamming me to the ground at Riddick's feet.
"Listen here Liz, if you ever try to undermine me again, then remember this: I am your brother and I am in charge of him. Don't believe that he could be innocent. I told you what he is guilty of and he will pay the price." He kicked me then, knocking the air out of me. "Don't you forget that little girl."
Johns left then. I grabbed onto Riddick's knee trying to regain my footing.
"I wouldn't get up just yet if I were you," Riddick said. I looked up into his darkened face. I couldn't see the features in his face, nor his eyes. I just sat there, with my hand on his knee, staring up at him. Slowly my breath came back to me, but I hardly noticed.
My eyes were on Riddick. He wasn't looking down on my or anything. He was just sitting there, letting me get my breath back. He was all man, everything on him big and hard. Even with his hands chained up, I felt like I was his prisoner.
A sudden yank of my hair brought me back to reality. "What the hell is wrong with you girl?" Johns yelled at me. I stayed where I was, lying on the ground. Johns lifted his foot and placed it on my neck. He slowly began to apply pressure.
"I should have killed you when I got the chance, little sis," he said to me. He moved his foot and I got up slowly. As soon as I was standing properly, he shoved me into the nearest wall. Before I could turn around he had his body pinning me to the wall.
"You know," he said, "we aren't really brother and sister. Just cause your pathetic mother tricked my father into marrying her so you could be born into a good family, doesn't mean we are related. We don't even share the same blood." His arm slipped around my waist, his hand resting just below my breast. "I could take you if I wanted and no one would ever have to know."
His hand covered my breast just then, I shoved him away and tried to run. He grabbed my arm and pushed me down to the floor. I instantly began backing up. He was standing over me, with anger and fire in his eyes. I was scared.
Before I knew it I had hit something hard. I closed my eyes fearing the worst, and then a pair of legs surrounded me from behind. I scooted up between Riddick's legs. I looked up at Johns. He looked angry, but he wasn't coming toward me again.
"Riddick," he said, "let her go. She is none of your concern." The legs just wrapped tighter. Johns' eyes flashed in rage. He moved forward and grabbed one of my legs. Quick as a flash, Riddick swung his legs out, connecting with Johns arm.
Johns dropped me instantly. "Fine then, I'll just see to my needs later."
As soon as Johns was gone, Riddick released me. I stood and looked at him. "Why did you do that?" I asked curiously.
He turned his head toward me and looked at me. His eyes were still covered, but I could feel them on me.
"I didn't want to see what Johns had planned," he said finally. I nodded and turned to leave. "I can see now why you believe death would be better than life." His words stopped me in my tracks. I turned back to him. He turned back away from me. I sighed and walked away, passing Fry on her way in. I didn't stay to listen to Fry and Riddick, my mind was too filled with thoughts.