AN--A subspecies human is a being from a colony that has been transplanted from Earth for enough generations that its inhabitants are no longer strictly classified as "homosapians". They may have evolved certain characteristics over time not typical of a human from Earth or from a more recently established human colony.
"All. The. Fucking. King's. Horses. And...I hate her, I hate her, I hate her! Ahhh, bitch!" Jack growled, just about ready to break the offending door down. She gave it a good solid kick, only to find that it was made of a very hard material. She hopped a couple times, holding her foot, barely able to keep herself from screaming her rage and frustration so loud the neighbors would come running.
She'd returned to Riddick's house after an hour of exploring the nearby area, only to find when she got back that Shella had deactivated her access to the front door's scanner.
Soon after she'd arrived Riddick had programmed her handprint into the scanner so she could unlock the door. And now both Riddick and the witch were at work and Jack's hand print wasn't freaking registering. And the worst part was that it was still only nine thirty in the morning. She was going to be locked out all day!
"You bitch! I know you did this, it was working last night! Ah, I hate her!" Having not learned her lesson the first time she kicked the door with the other foot, however not quite so hard this time.
"Got a problem sugar?"
Jack's head snapped around as a smooth voice touched her ears. She instantly became suspicious because she hadn't noticed anyone walking up. Yet there he was, just a handful of feet away from her, standing with his back perfectly straight and his hands clasped behind him. It was Mr. tall, dark, and handsome himself. A smirk that might've been mistaken for cocky was gracing his strong features, but somehow it suited him, fit his style. A pair of black sunglasses matched his leather jacket, faded jeans, and black work boots; never mind his thick shock of obsidian colored hair.
Jack really couldn't help but stare at him, blinking once or twice in disbelief.
Who did this guy think he was? The Fonz?
"I'm fine," Jack half-snapped. She didn't care if this guy was hotter than anything but Riddick, she wasn't going to fall into his lap all damsel-in-distress like.
He shrugged. "Alright, you're fine. I was just wondering if you knew that Mr. Costello works at the Sampson Inc. firm downtown. I figured if you did you could just go call him, ya know? Maybe then he could help you get into his house. I assume that you're not trying to rob him, right?" he asked, chuckling.
Jack couldn't help but smile a little too, forced to admit to herself that this guy who was paying attention to her was pretty damn good looking. And even though she didn't necessarily want it to...her body was definitely noticing. "Yeah, thanks...whoever you are."
"Always question people who know more than they should, especially if they don't willingly provide you with a full name when it's appropriate."
"Conte, Dom Conte," the man said politely, stepping forward and out of his military-rest stance to offer her a hand to shake.
Jack paused, having almost forgotten that shaking hands was still customary among humans from Earth. She'd only seen it actually done once, when Paris shook hands with Riddick back on T2. Both of them were from Earth though, so this man must be as well.
She took his hand, shaking it cautiously. "Jackie al-Walid, nice to meet you."
His grip was firm, but pleasantly cool. "Nice to meet you too, Jackie."
"Call me Jack," she said, hoping she sounded at ease. Cause she wasn't.
"If you run into someone who knows far more than they should, and they do give you a full name, that means that you're probably fucked because they're a true professional. Especially if they're really on the level, they don't miss a beat. But, on the other hand, they might just be an incredibly self-confident but ordinary person. You just can't be too careful..."
He's got cool hands Riddick, what's that mean?
"So, how do you know so much about Rick anyway? You live around here?" she asked, casually motioning to indicate that she meant the neighborhoods nearby.
Dom just smiled, briefly inclining his gaze towards the ground as a sign of modesty, or possibly shyness; Jack wasn't entirely sure which. "Ah, something like that. I got a friend who lives down the street a ways. Kid named Mike Daniels who mows the lawn for Mr. Costello sometimes. I came over here to see if he was home. I was gonna ask if his company's going to have any part time jobs this fall for a kid like me. Looks like I'm gonna be on this planet for a while, so I figure I might as well start planning ahead."
Jack nodded, accepting his story. "Ah huh. So, you in college or what?" she asked. A kid like him? The guy looked twenty three at least!
Conte chuckled. Dang, Little Red Riding Hood was smart. He was willing to bet his charm won her over eventually, but from the sound of it Riddick had taught her well. Before he'd gone soft.
"Na, I never made it out of high school. I'm just not that bright I guess. I'm something of a drifter, going around from place to place whenever I feel like it. I have to live out of a ship, but other than that it's great. Oh hey, are you eighteen yet? I was just wondering cause if ya are then it would be way cool if you'd get me and some of my buddies some liquor," he said, trying to put her at ease by letting her know they were approximately the same age.
Jack examined him skeptically, cocking one eyebrow. "You think you would get carded? Just how old are you Mr. Conte?"
Dom shrugged, again turning his gaze downward, pretending to place his concentration on scuffing the cement with his boot. "Ah, I look older than I am. I'm subspecies human, so I grew up a little faster than most of my friends. Physically, anyway. But really I'm only seventeen. I know I look like twenty, but a lot of these places card anyone who looks under thirty. Too many penalties if they do get caught selling to minors, ya know?"
"A subspecies human that came from Earth?" Jack asked, wondering if she was going to need to start running and screaming bloody murder in another second or two. Her muscles tensed as she prepared to fight or fly.
Conte furrowed his eyebrows a bit, but yet somehow kept his slightly amused look about him. "When did I say I was from Earth? I don't honestly know where I'm from. I got bounced around so much after my parents died, I just sort of lost track."
Internally Jack groaned.
Way to go Jackie girl, brilliant move. Dredge up bad memories for this poor guy who's just trying to help you by acting all suspicious. You know, this just might be why you never made any friends in school.
"I'm sorry Dom, I—I used to be a runaway. It's hard for me, to trust people. My parents are dead too," she confided softly, hoping that made it better. Maybe she could identify with him, maybe they could even be friends. If she didn't screw it up first.
He smiled, shaking his head at her. "Hey, it ain't no big deal. You're talking to a permanent runaway, having you be suspicious of me seems normal. When I talk to people who just accept every word I say I almost feel like I'm stealing from them..."
"I know, it's like you could snatch their ID, their wallet, and their pass-card without them ever noticing or suspecting you'd done it, and it would probably take the poor fool days to figure out they'd been had, right?" Jack finished for him, feeling a strange calm wash over her upon finding a kindred spirit. The fact that she was locked out of Riddick's house was temporarily forgotten.
Dom laughed. "So you weren't just a runaway, you were a thief too. I guess that comes with the territory. You think you're good enough to pick my pocket?" he challenged lightly, and Jack decided right then she was going to give it a whirl before she let him get away.
"Oh, I'm so rusty I doubt I could," she said, shrugging a bit. "I got taken in by a holy man four years ago, and for some reason all my bad habits eventually went out the window after that. I used to steal Rid-Rick's wallet all the time though, before he left to move here. It was my favorite game," she remarked softly, her eyes slowly glazing over with the memory.
Dom watched her from behind his shades as she sadly reminisced. Good thing she couldn't see his eyes, he had a feeling she'd notice that they were cold, calculating. They did at times serve as a window to the fine line between genius and insanity that lay within him. Since she did seem to be a girl with a head on her shoulders it would probably be in his best interest that she not see what they really looked like. She'd likely notice that they never missed anything, even when he seemed to be looking away. Not much got past Dominic Conte. Not even her little slip. It seemed that 'Jackie' was very aware of the fact that Rick Costello was Richard B. Riddick. All the better for him. And the more she trusted him, the more she would tell him. Going on about her past was perfect.
Don't get attached. The Beast inside him growled. In response he almost let down his carefully constructed wall. He almost allowed the displeasure of that thought to show through on his face. Almost, but not quite. His control was perfect. That was why he was the best.
Can't get attached if I don't have a heart, they don't call me Le Diablé for nothing you know... he silently answered the darkest part of his being, and for the moment it was satisfied.
He'd allowed several seconds of silence to pass, usually a thing to be avoided with young informers at all cost. He was supposed to keep her feeling comfortable while she was with him. Fortunately she too was lost in thought, either that or she was staring at him because she found him attractive. Perhaps a little bit of both.
"So, what would you say to taking the bus downtown?" he asked off the cuff, his trademark smile slipping back into place. Time to get back to playing the game.
Jack startled back to attention. "Huh? Oh, what for?" she asked. She'd been lost in thought for a moment. Lost in thoughts of how Riddick might've started out like Dom, wondering the galaxy like a runaway.
She couldn't quite pinpoint exactly why, but for some reason it felt okay to trust this Conte guy.
Don't be coy Jackie, you know why you trust him. It's cause he's cocky and smooth. Cause he's like Riddick used to be. Another round of hero worship, hmm Jack? Can't have that happen, doubt your heart could take it.
Conte shrugged. "Well, I wanted to ask Mr. Costello about getting a job, and you want to get back in your house. I don't have anything better to do today, so I figured we could go together. Besides, I could give you a tour of downtown. Of the parts of downtown I know anyway," he said invitingly, and Jack smiled back at him.
"Yeah, that would be great," she said as she stepped down off the front porch and fell in step with her new escort.
Conte smiled, offering his arm to her, like a gentleman might, thinking that it was all too easy.
Just like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Except this might be the one girl in the galaxy who'd actually like the wolf better than her grandmother.
