Beastly Bonds

Chapter III

With a surge of strength and mostly faith in herself, Jack launched herself off the rock and leapt to the ramp, barely catching the walkway. Recollecting her surroundings and thoughts as she hung, she swung herself back and forth before completing a back flip, landing on the ramp in a crouch. Quickly standing, Jack walked away towards another ramp leading farther up. She continued this until she reached Tipner's cell, where Krent stood guard. Slipping in, she found Meth to be awake and stuttering his thanks to Tipner, who smiled and patted the boy's shoulder in response.

"You should be thanking Kyra as well." He spoke, making him turn around on the table and go slack-jawed.

"You saved me?"

"I did. Can't remember?" She asked, moving closer to him. He shook his head.

"Everything happened so fast. Thanks." He mumbled, swinging his legs over the edge of the table. Jack moved forward and gripped his knees with her hands, making him wince slightly. "I'm ok now." She gripped tighter, making him quietly whimper.

"You're feeling that pain. You are in no condition to go prancing around out there. If you ask Tipner nicely I'm sure he'll let you stay for a while. Until you're fit and healed." She said, nodding towards the old man.

"No need to ask, boy, you're welcome to keep an old man company." He said, sitting back into the well-worn seat. Meth nodded silently as Jack moved back, letting him test his leg. Sure enough he stumbled, only to be caught by her strong arms and led to the edge of the 'room', where she let him sit on the ground and stretch out his leg.

"Take it slow, Meth." She advised, walking around the table to talk to Tipner, whose eyes had closed. Shaking his shoulder lightly, Jack waited for him to reawaken and respond to her. A few seconds passed before he did that and gave her a look of distaste. Offering a weak smile in return, she offered her hand, which he took, letting her pull him to a standing position. "Stay here, Tipner and I need to talk." She ordered to the boy, who had been watching them out of the corner of his eye. With a nod he tried to find a more comfortable position while Jack called Krent in to watch the boy and keep him company. As she and Tipner exited the cell, they turned left, towards Jack's cliff. He followed in her silence, having a feeling this was something important. When they reached the end of the ramp, Jack turned to offer Tipner to hold onto her back while she climbed up. She tried not to think how that sad look flashed in his eyes, signifying that he also knew he was too old to be climbing the steep rock of Crematoria. As he held onto Jack, she noted he was experienced in knowing how to old onto her without choking her at the same time. As she reached the top, she gave a quick glance over the edge and found to her relief that it was still empty. Pulling herself up was no problem and apparently neither was pulling up Tipner at the same time. He easily unattached himself from her and found a comfortable spot to sit. He took in his surroundings as Jack did a security check.

The small area was quite dark, littered with few signs of life. At most there was a well-worn area where she must've used to sleep and a few etchings into the stone nearby. There was a deeper cave that she used for longer rests, but it was very hard to spot easily and even harder to get into. The natural formation of the rock provided many twists and turns in a five foot length that women could easily get through, but clearly much more difficult to men. Tipner didn't want to know how a man would fit in one of the areas, where the sharp rock could, with no trouble, do serious damage to the more delicate areas. He looked at the etchings, some of them names while others seemed to be verses of sorts. Making a mental note to ask Kyra who 'The Holy Man' referred to, Tipner turned his observations to the being itself, eyes glittering dangerously as they surveyed the area around her cliff. It was no wonder she had picked this hard to reach spot, seeing how she was the only female in Crematoria. Female human at any rate, Tipner added, wondering how many hormone-crazed men had attempted to climb that steep cliff only to be (what he imagined) viciously beaten and thrown off the other side, where the drop went straight down to where the miners worked.

"Alright, I think it's safe, Kyra." He suggested, seeing her body tense and relax as he spoke. With a final few seconds of observing, she turned around and nodded. "I see. A thorough job, I have to say. Nor a bad place to live. Your cave is…very nice as well." He gestured to the opening in the rock that was a safe haven for a woman and a torture chamber for a man. Jack chuckled at his ungrateful stare directed towards the sharp rocks.

"Tipner, I think I can do it." She spoke, moving closer to him and settling down, keeping direct eye contact with him. He was confused as to what she referred to, so he kept silent, furrowing his brow. "I mean escape." She whispered. To speak of such dreams and hopes was almost forbidden, seeing how every attempt resulted in a massacre of the inmates. Tipner immediately wanted to leave, knowing it was pure folly, but the determined hope and flare in Kyra's eyes made him stay.

"How do you suggest this?" He questioned, breathing deeply.

Jack launched into detail of her encounter with the alpha feline, her discovery and search of the hidden pathway to the crew's main room. She had not yet told her plan, but he had a general idea of what it was going to consist of. It wasn't a bad idea at all and nothing remotely like that had been attempted, at least in his memory and Tipner had been in Crematoria for over twenty years. He motioned for her to continue after he had digested the information.

"If I can become close enough to the alpha and maybe even some of the others, I could lead them to that doorway. I checked the metal, they could easily slice through it, no problem. Also I highly doubt they would have trouble following the scent of the crew. Right up into the main room, kill and eat the crew and we're free. We can use that freed passageway to get to the transport to the skiff. We take the skiff, take off and that's that. Sure there are some flaws in the plan, like the amount of people who might follow us, or the cats that could still be in the main room when we get there. But I think we can do it, Tipner. You, me, Litman, Krent and Meth. The five of us could take this on and do it. We don't have much to lose, you know." She finished, having trouble figuring out exactly what he was thinking of her escape plan. She was almost positive it would work and she could get Tipner out, which would be amazing. In her view he had no right to live his life in this shit hole, no matter what he had done.

"And what makes your plan so much better than all the other failed ones?" He emphasized 'failed', making the beast within Jack cringe slightly but then roar back with defiance.

"I'm using something they use against us against them. They would never expect it. Plus, we have the added advantage that the cats hate them and really don't have much against us, besides meals that run." Jack added, making Tipner smirk slightly.

"Just you, me, Litman, Krent and the boy? Why him?" Tipner asked, wondering what her attachment was to him.

"The kid isn't even a legal adult yet, I'm not letting him stay here. No fucking way." Jack said, an even conviction audible in her voice.

"He could end up like you, you know. Slaved out, wild-"

"Not when he's with us. Don't even think it, Tipner. The kid's coming whether you like it or not. My escape plan, my rules, my crew." Jack growled out. Secretly she was relieved to have him question her and remind her of all the possibilities of failure.

"You think Krent and Litman are gonna want to watch some kid's back while they escape?" He asked, receiving a blood-freezing glare from Jack, who looked ready to throw him over the edge of the cliff if he asked another question.

"It's not a matter of wanting to. Like I said, everything will be done according to me. I want out and I know the people who I want to escape with. We will look out for each other. Besides, I don't think it's the kid you should be worried about." She replied coldly, making him wince. She was clearly referring to him.

"I'm an old man, Kyra, why take me? I'll be a-"

"If you don't close your fucking mouth, you'll be the next sacrifice to the cats. You're coming and that's final. So is Meth. I don't want any more questioning, so you can get your ass off my cliff." She snarled as an unidentifiable glint shone in her eyes.

Later when Tipner sat in his cave, watching Meth stretch his leg and Krent and Litman talking quietly outside he knew he remembered that fear-inspiring glint from somewhere. Bringing his hand up to his face, he lightly traced the socket of his blind eye, wishing he could see fully. He knew if he had all of that dangerous glare he would be able to figure out where it was from. The woman, once Jack, now Kyra, had been through a hellish life and only had a short time of happiness. That had been when she was with Riddick, who had previously been her idol and savior, now just a shadow that lingered near her all the time. Whether she knew it or not, every time she used her hand-made shivs, she performed with it exactly like him. She held herself like he did, entirely unpredictable and extraordinarily smart, exactly like that hidden intelligence predators held. He wasn't surprised that she had been able to face down one of the cats, they were the same being except in different physical forms. Riddick would've been proud, if not impressed. Then suddenly it snapped. That glare, it was Riddick's. He remembered it from his one encounter in Butcher's Bay.

While the drugs had slowed him slightly, their effect was small on his strong body. Tipner groggily opened both eyes and in a few seconds the fog cleared, revealing the entirely huge steel structure of Butcher's Bay. To mercs walking in front of him, two behind him. He could take this, but where would he go? By mistake he pulled to stretch his arms and legs and all the restraints on him shook and cranked to life. The two mercs in front spun around with stun guns and leveled them at his chest. The two in back prodded him with the guns to keep him going and Tipner refused to move. Then, suddenly, without warning, he turned and started at the mercs behind him, who freaked and almost dropped their stun guns. The two in front rammed the back of his head with the butts of their guns and Tipner shook it off in less then a second. He wasn't supposed to be here, that he knew and he was going to fight to get out of here.

Spotting the largest merc, Tipner stepped forward and smashed his skull into the man's head and as he stumbled back, he ducked and placing his neck between the merc's legs (as much as he hated to be there), he stood and purposely fell backwards and down, hearing yells of pain and various cracks and crunches. Running forward while the other three mercs were in shock as to what happened to the other, Tipner reached a wall and to find the closest door lock. Fisting his hands while still in the steel restraints, he swung his doubled fists into the door lock, hitting the restraint lock mechanism perfectly and opening the door. He quickly stepped into the room and saw the three remaining mercs run towards him as the door closed. Breathing a sigh of relief, Tipner shook off the hand restraints and looked around to see what was in the room.

What he saw was the boss of Butcher's Bay and a young boy standing near him. He was no judge of age, but he assumed the kid couldn't be over twelve years. Tipner chose a few choice curses and swears before he let the boss talk. Go figure it was this room he broke into.

"Your knack for escape that I hear so often about is clearly true. I believe after your little show that merc is going to be hospitalized for quite a while. Congratulations." The boss spoke, his voice like whiskey in a shot glass. Enchanting and beautiful to look at and observe, but once you've had enough of it, it burns and tortures your mind and body.

Tipner didn't reply.

"Forgive my manners, this young one here is Richard. Very strong for such a small lad, I must say. Although nothing quite as good can be said about his disposition. Enough of the chitchat, I believe you're here for a long stay?" He mocked Tipner and he had just had had about enough of it.

He looked at Richard, who with his head held high and strong, returned the look. No matter his personality, this boy was a force not to be tampered with, that Tipner immediately saw. He wondered what he was doing in Butcher's Bay and why he was with the boss, but he didn't have time to dwell on it as the door opened again and two of the mercs came in.

"YOU BASTARD!" One ran at him with a metal bar held over his head and Tipner easily ducked and launched the man off his back and onto the boss's desk. Backing up, he was relieved to be against a wall. At least his back was safe. The other merc looked at him sideways and sneered.

"Come now," the boss said, shoving the fallen merc off his desk and onto the floor, "that's no way to treat a guest. And what is the price of this guest, hmm? I'll be willing to pay 6.5 million."

Tipner noted how Richard's eyes briefly widened at this figure. Clearly he hadn't been in on the information of the new prisoner and was surprised at the price. He was distracted by the snort and angered yell of the other merc.

"6.5 my ass, old bastard! Crematoria offered 8.5! You shittin' piece of crap, we aren't giving him up for that kind of pay."

"Ah, but you will unless you want to make the trip to Crematoria. Not a pleasant one unless it's an evening flight." The boss said smoothly. Tipner was really starting to hate this man and wondered if Crematoria held worse or better bosses.

"We'll make the trip, if just to get away from this cheap prison." The fallen merc clarified, standing next to the other still angry one.

"That's a shame, gentlemen. Perhaps you can stay a few days and we can sort it out. Your…product can be put into a temporary cell not far from here." The boss offered, watching the merc's faces turn into agreement.

"Fine. But that price better go up, you limp dick or we're outta here and in Crematoria." The merc promised, roughly grabbing Tipner's arm to take him outside. He didn't realize that Tipner wasn't restrained and Tipner grabbed his arm and jumping up, placed his feet on the arm and landed it into the ground, hearing a satisfactory snap. Stepping back he drew back his fist and swung it at him, also breaking his nose.

"I don't need your fucking help to walk somewhere." Tipner snarled, his voice coming out low and rumbling. Shoving the bleeding man out of the way, he opened the door and looked behind him. "But I do need to know where this cell is."

"Richard, why don't you take our new guest to the temporary cell?" The boss commanded instead of asked, pushing the boy slightly forward. Without verbal consent, he walked through the door and past Tipner, turning left. Following him, he knew it was useless to make conversation with the kid, he was obviously the silent type. But it seemed that the boy was too curious to keep silent.

"6.5 mil? 8.5? Who the hell are you?" Richard asked, his voice just as low and growling as Tipners, although it sounded more animalistic.

"The name's Tipner. My turn, what the fuck are you doing hanging around Butcher Bay?" He asked, seeing that they had stopped at a cell.

"Boss is my uncle." He stated, stepping aside to let Tipner in. He walked in and looked around. Not too bad, he decided, although it wasn't a five-star suite.

"Parents?"

"Dead. Well, my father is."

"Mother?"

"With luck rotting away in a gutter on some shit planet." He said with malice.

"You killed your dad. Good for you." Tipner concluded, but was suddenly shocked by the icy beast-like glare that Richard gave him. It held so much power and strength that Tipner thought he could stare down just about anything and anyone. Or even just bore right through their soul, as he was doing now. He felt like parts of him were crumbling inside, just freezing up and shattering when blood pumped through it. But as soon as it arrived, it left, leaving the same curious but hard look from before.

"How did you-"

"Know? You got that same attitude I did, except I know my mother is dead. Absofuckinglutley sure. So, you wanna sit and chat?"

"I get a question. What's your last name?"

"Don't give it out. What's yours?"

"Riddick."