Chapter Twenty-One.
Kyra's POV
Damn kid, you're stubborn. I can't help but smile to myself. You're just like me at that age. I can't believe you fucking dared to pull a knife on me when Baldy touched your girl. Stupid really, you just didn't realize it at the time. So now I have that sorry ass piece of metal in my pant legs. Hell no am I going to give you back that weapon! That knife isn't going to do much against those who'll mess with you and your girl.
I reach for my shivs, and pull them out. I look at them for a fraction of a second before deciding. I know…I have to.
"Take these." I hold them up to this Andy kid. There they are, dangling on the edge of my fingertips, waiting to be taken. Look at you kid. You probably can't even believe what your own eyes are seeing. Black shivs. Beautiful black shivs. Deadly black shivs.
"What are they?" Poor kid, he's new to street life, that's for sure.
"They're going to help you survive, kid."
I watch the smile that lightens up his face. I start to smile back, but quickly stop. I don't know why, but I just can't be completely happy that I'm giving away Riddick's only useful gift to me. Andy takes the shivs in his hands and cuts them through the air. I immediately want to take them back, but something else stops me. I become aware of a bracelet that rests on his arm. It's rubber. It's inexpensive. It's slightly hidden. It's there for a reason.
"You know Blaze." It's not a question, it's an observation. I wait to see what the kid's going to do.
The boy doesn't even look at me, he merely nods his head in response. He heard me alright. He just can't stop looking at the shivs with awe. I made the right choice. I know it then. I made the right choice in giving him my shivs.
"Kid, I need you to tell him something for me." I'm sure of this. I need to see Blaze.
"What?" Andy's looking me in the eyes now.
"Tell him…tell him I want a meeting."
"Okay."
Silence. Smart kid, he's waiting for it. Waiting for the code.
"Tell Blaze, different time, different place."
The kid's eyes go wide at that. He knows Blaze personally, it seems, or he wouldn't have known the meaning for that code.
I watch as Andy puts the shivs in his pant legs and takes his girl's hand. He starts to walk away, but stops and turns.
"Thank you."
I nod. A few years back and that was me. Only, I had no one. There are two of them now. Two more that Blaze has to look after. I watch as they walk away.
I'm so engrossed in the kids' departure I've failed to notice your intense stare at me.
"What?"
I can tell that there are so many thoughts swirling through that brain of yours. Damn it, Riddick, just pick one.
"Hotel. Three blocks. Stay close. Stay silent."
You're pissed. You're disappointed. You're worried. I don't even know which one of the three you actually are. Yeah Riddick, I'll listen and do what you say. As always, what you say has merit, so yeah, I'll follow.
Riddick's POV
Fuck woman. What have you done?
"Turn here." Run swiftly, stay silent, keep to the shadows.
Three blocks. A lot can happen in that span of time. Stay alert, and stay hidden.
"Winters, slow down."
"Keep up or fall behind." Run faster woman.
Good, you're keeping up. Only two more blocks to go. Think. How do I explain the seriousness of what you just did? A fucking link – you gave the kid a fucking link to your past. Stupid woman. Stupid, inexperienced woman, who's going to get my ass killed. Fuck.
"Winters –"
"Stay close and stay silent. You've got those two orders, so shut the fuck up."
What the fuck are you doing now? Wanting to hold my hand? A little late for that woman.
Fine. Hold my hand, but keep up!
One more block. Hurry. Need to hurry.
Holding hands. The two of us. We're probably the only ones strong enough to truly hunt him down and you go and – forget it. It's over. It's in the past. No use thinking on it. We're here.
"Go. Check. Us. In."
"Fine. I'll. Go. Do. That."
Fine? Is that anger in your voice? Funny, you got nothing to be angry about. Me? I got everything. All that I did, all that I prepared for, was undone the second you left a neat trail for your buddy to follow. A trail that links you and me to your Uncle.
Look at you talking to the man. Leaning on the counter like that. That man better control himself, you're mine.
"About time."
"Whatever Winters. We're in room 261, at the end of the hallway."
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
Did you just growl? "I go first. You follow."
"Fine."
There's that tone of voice again. We'll settle this inside.
"Silence." I've got to make sure there are no listening devices in the room. Neat little device I brought with me in my bag.
"Clear."
"Good, cuz Riddick, you better start talking and you better do it NOW!"
"ME? What's there to talk –"
"FINE. I'LL TALK. Don't you EVER, AND I MEAN EVER, give me orders like that again. I've taken a lot from you Riddick, but I'm not going to take that domineering shit. You want a woman who'll cower under your authority and take all that shit you've been throwing my way, be my guest and go find one. I WILL NOT be treated like CRAP. If you're angry at something I did, we'll discuss it, but you've no right to treat me like shit. I WON'T take it anymore. I won't stand for your shit anymore."
"Lot of words you've just said. Sure you're done?"
"Riddick, I don't want to talk with this side of you, but if I have to, I'll do it."
"Do what?"
"I'll reason with your darker side."
"Really? Think you can control this side of me?"
Kyra's POV
Fuck, why does everything have to be about control with you? That shit isn't healthy. Get the fuck over yourself, Riddick.
"Riddick, I wouldn't dream of controlling you. But I won't let you control me either. I've –"
"Shut up!"
"No."
"Do you know what you've done?" Shocking! I've done something you don't like! Join the club, Riddick.
"Tell me what you think I've done, Riddick."
"You've made a tidy trail that leads back to you and me. A nice trail for Psycho with a Degree to track us, hunt us and come find us."
'Psycho with a degree', who the hell is that?
"I've left no bread crumbs for anyone to follow Big Guy. Since you're referring to hat meeting I've set up – well it has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with me and my past! So you can just stay out of it." I know I'm completely telling you the whole truth, but the way you're acting – I'm not going to either!
"Who's Blaze?"
Don't think I haven't noticed your fisted hands, Baldy. I'm just choosing to ignore them. Who's Blaze? What are you, jealous?
"He's a friend. A friend who helped me out when I had no one. A friend who gave me food and let me work –"
"Work as what?"
"Don't you fucking dare! Don't you judge me in any capacity! I worked as a money counter!"
There's silence now. Your thinking.
"You owe him?"
Your voice changed. The animal is no more.
Riddick's POV
So, he's a friend of yours. Can he be trusted or was he just taking advantage of young runaway girls? I'm calmer now, but he's lurking just beneath the surface.
"I don't owe him, Riddick. I…I just need to see him. He knows everything that goes on here. Everything. He probably knows about my arrival here. Hell, he probably even knows about you!"
"You shouldn't have said that last part Kyra."
"Yes I should've, cuz you aren't going to kill him."
"You're so sure."
"There are so many fucking things I've never been sure of in my life, but I know that you don't kill people unless you're backed into a fucking corner that you fucking can't get out of!"
You sure say fuck a lot.
"I haven't gone hunting in awhile."
"You don't hunt people, Riddick."
"No?"
"No you hunt crazy ass humans, and sick fuckers, but never people."
You've baited this conversation nicely. I'll bite.
"What's the difference?"
"The difference is that people have this common trait of…being good…for the most part. People are real human beings who have a clear distinction of what is right and wrong, and generally do the right thing for the right reasons. People are harmless."
Interesting. "So what are we?"
"We're people who know right and wrong…we just do what we have to do when the need arises."
"You're full of shit."
"Yeah, maybe."
"Kyra, you messed up."
"How?"
"You left a trail for your Uncle to follow. We got 24 hours on this heap before I can access the ship. We go meet your friend, and after, we leave."
"What did you come here for?"
"To buy us some time." And other things, but now it's even more dangerous to get them.
"He's going to have the solar system packed with his stupid ships."
No shit. You Uncle is one determined fucker. "I'm going to speak with Hayden."
"He here?"
"No. But he's easier to talk to while grounded like this."
"You need to access something?"
We've never discussed your computer abilities. "You any good?"
"Not really. I'm just above average. Haven't touched a compute…since slam."
I nod, understanding. This talking stuff out is new. I'm not satisfied yet. There's just one more thing pissing me off. I start to inch my way closer to where you're standing. You're not moving away – that's progress.
"Why'd you give the kid your shivs?"
Kyra's POV
I was wondering when you were going to question me about the shivs. How do I explain this to you?
"He'll need them more than I will." Please let that be enough.
"How so?"
Great, more questions.
"I've got you."
Why are you looking even more pissed than moments before.
"You've got me? Crazy woman!"
"I'm not crazy! That kid's weapon was crap and you know it. I guess the Jack in me wanted to help, and the Kyra in me knew that the only way to help him was to give him the best weapon possible. A weapon that you made, qualifies as being the very best, so I gave him mine!"
You're smirking. How dare you smirk at me! And you're moving closer. Stay away before you find my show up your –
"Still can't figure out whom to be?" Cute Riddick, real cute.
"I know who I am, Baldy."
"And who would that be?"
"Aislin Winters. Ha."
With that, you cover the remaining distance between us and wrap your arms around my waist. Damn. You're hands are warm and enticing. Here I thought I'd be pinned to the wall for calling you Baldy.
"You called me Baldy again."
"No." Stop massaging my ass! Think Kyra! Think about something else.
"No?"
"Okay fine, maybe I did."
"Maybe?"
"Okay fine, I did."
"And?" I can't help it. I wrap my arms around your neck and lean into your massive body.
"And what?" I mumble.
You're shaking your head. At least I think you're doing that. "You still haven't learned."
More riddles. "Learned what?" I like listening to your heartbeat. So steady, so even, so utterly Riddick like.
"I don't like nicknames."
No kidding, Baldy. "And?"
"And now I want you to do something for me."
I pull back to look you in – damn it! You've got your goggles on. I use one hand to take them off. Wow. There shinny. And look at that, you're giving me a full on smile. Sexy. Oh. I like where this conversation is heading. "What do you want Riddick?"
"Two things, actually. I want two things."
"What specifically do you want me to do, Riddick?"
Your eyes darken real quick. Oh shit. He's back.
"I want you to get your shivs back."
"And the other?"
"I want you to kill Blaze."