Rating: R mostly for language
Genre: Drama/ a little comedy to break it up
AN: Sorry that I took so long in updating my computer was down.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the concepts of characters from PB
Part 4
"You bastard," came a whisper from the door way of the living room.
The trio, who had been closely watching the news for any mention of the Hunter- Gartzner, was pretty shocked to see a very disheveled Anissa. She looked distressed and her hair was sticking up in different directions as if she had been running her hands through it. Seeing her like this worried Imam greatly.
"Anissa?" he asked but he didn't know if she heard him because she never tore her eyes away from Riddick. Imam got closer to her and saw something silver gleam in her right hand "Anissa!" he said more urgently as he came to the understanding that she was tightly gripping a knife in her hand. "Child, what is wrong?" he slowly inched closer trying not to startle her.
"He killed him," she said in a deathly calm whisper as she pointed the knife at a seemingly very composed Riddick.
"What do you speak of?" Imam was confused and looked back and forth from Riddick to Anissa. "Mr. Riddick, what does she speak of?"
"How the fuck would I know?" Riddick's jaw clenched and unclenched as he glared at Anissa "You should tell you little girl that making accusations like that could find her skinned alive" He growled as he stood ready to take anything that she had to offer.
"I know what I'm fucking saying!" She screamed for the first time letting the pain and distress show in her voice "You killed him! You strangled him, threw his body in a dumpster, and took his vessel ship!"
"Who the fuck are you talkin' about!" Riddick roared truly getting aggravated.
"My husband, Lieutenant pilot Samuel Fergusson! You killed him!" Her voice broke as she screamed this.
A half hour earlier
It only took a couple of minutes before Anissa discovered that "Riddick" was not Jack's long lost father, but Richard B. Riddick the galaxies most wanted mass murderer, highjacker, and escaped convict, who was currently living in her home. She felt an array of emotions as she read article after article and viewed picture after picture of his handy work. The first thing she felt was guilt and many thoughts rand through her mind 'How could I have lusted after that monster?' was the most persistent as she looked through his file on The Companies Database. Soon after, the fear settled in as she thought of her daughter coming home from her sleep over in a couple of hours 'How could I have been so stupid to let my father storm back into my life with strangers with out first asking questions and now I might have sealed my daughter's fate' hot tears ran down her cheeks as she ran and quickly closed and locked the door moving the side table in front of it. Her hands trembled as she ran them through her hair, her eyes racking the room until they settled a dusty filling box on the top shelf of the book case.
She had a feeling that she was over looking something important and that something was in that dusty old box. She dragged the side table away from the door and settled it in front of the mahogany book shelf. She climbed on top of the desk and stood on her tip toes reaching for the box trying to edge it off the top. Her forehead started to glisten with perspiration as she struggled until she finally got it off, and lowered her self to sit Indian style on the desk with the box in front of her. The box contained awards that Samuel had obtained throughout his career, some papers that he held onto that wouldn't have been valuable to anyone else, but to him were very important. There were also a couple of small souvenirs from their honeymoon on Para Isle and their marriage license. At the bottom of the box was what Anissa was looking for. She pulled out the articles that had reported Samuel's murder; there were only two published by The Company the first telling about the tragedy and the second revealing his murderer… and that was what she was looking for:
"Lieutenant Pilot Samuel Fergusson was brutally murdered on Ursa Luna-- dubbed by common criminals as "Slam City"—after he delivered the routine supplies to the prison. He was attacked by the infamous mass murderer and socio path Richard B. Riddick. Riddick is a highly dangerous convict whose record exceeds all others on The Companies most wanted list. If anyone should come into contact with him they should remain cautious and remain at a far distance. The Company advises individuals to contact law enforcement as soon as possible if you sight this escap-"
Tears streaked Anissa's face as she lowered the article back into the box and closed the lid. She was shocked. She couldn't stop her hands from trembling as she replaced the papers in the box and put the lid over the top. She felt nauseous and ran towards the waste bin emptying the contents of her stomach. She came up wiping her mouth and felt the anger envelope her. Her logical side told her that Riddick would kill her before she even got to inflict any pain on him and that she should just hide in the office and call the law enforcement, but the anger drove her into believing that she needed to let him know that she wouldn't let him get away with it. So she grabbed the antique military switchblade that Samuel had kept in the right lower drawer of his desk and made her way to were Riddick was. Leading her into her current situation….
'What the fuck are you talking about?" Riddick cocked his head to the side watching the rusted knife in her hand closely 'Amateur' he laughed ' did she really think that she would be able to fight me, she's lost her fuckin' mind…Sorry Holy Man I guess I'm gonna have to slit you daughter's throat'
Anissa couldn't believe that he had the audacity to laugh at her. Blinded by anger she screamed savagely and lunged at him, but he was too quick snatching her arm spinning her around and pinning her to his chest with the knife held firmly against her throat.
Jack and Imam screamed in unison as the event played out not exactly sure what to do. "Stop it, you're fucking hurting her!" Jack screamed not crazy enough to get any closer.
"Well that's the fucking point kid" Riddick growled blowing hair away from Anissa neck as he spoke giving him a better view at the pulsating skin. He dipped the sharp edge of the blade closer to her skin to draw a little blood. The hissing sound and her escalated breathing excited Riddick and urged him to lick the side of her neck. She bucked hard trying to get him off of her, but only succeeded in a longer shallow lit across her neck. She screamed at this.
"Stop this foolishness now!" Imam's voice cracked with nervousness "Let us talk this out instead."
"Hey, don't start fuckin' hollerin' at me! Your crazy bitch of a daughter is the one that came attackin' me. I warned her of the consequences." He said this while tightening his hold on her.
"Please, Mr. Riddick" Imam was desperate "She has been nothing but kind to us, to you since now, please."
Riddick smirked at Imam and after a few tense seconds pocketed the knife, pushed Anissa to the floor, and lounged back on the couch. Anissa held her bloody neck as hot tears of shame and embarrassment flowed freely.
"You're a monster!" she screamed "You deserve to be locked up in a cage some where like the animal you are you stupid shit!" This got to Riddick because the cool, calm, and collected façade that he put up was crumbling and the vein on his forehead was pulsating.
"I didn't kill your God damn husband! Some other lucky fuck got that privilege!"
"You're a liar! I don't believe the words of an asshole!"
"I don't give a fuck what you do or don't believe! I'm givin' you the facts. Stranglin' isn't my fucking style you look like a smart bitch you should have seen the pattern during your research. I go for the sweet spot top of the lumbar. I've killed plenty in my life time one more wouldn't care to me, but I got to tell you I didn't kill your man! I was still locked up when the poor fucker was killed, heard about it on the inside; heard that the company had him assassinated, somethin' about him over hearing the wrong conversation. "
"How would you know about this?" Anissa didn't want to believe anything coming out of his mouth.
"You keep a close eye and an open ear about what the guards are chattin' about when you're on death row." There was a long silence as Anissa digested everything that he had told her. Her intuition told her that he was telling the truth, but her logical side said that he was still a murderer and leopards don't change their spots.
"Anissa, I don't believe that he killed your husband we should burry the issue"
"Burry the issue? That would be something that I would expect from you" Imam was shocked by the venom behind her words "I am not gonna burry anything have you forgotten that he is a MURDERER?" She stressed the last word pointing to Riddick. "You have always been so selfish… I guess no matter how much God that you have found the same old Raymond McBride is in there, still hustlin', still thinking about how you gonna get by, fuck everybody else! Did you think once before bringing him into my house and exposing him to my life how much danger that would put me and my child through?" Imam had nothing to say to that "Of course not"
She stared long and hard at Imam before saying: "I want you and him out of my house."
Jack protested "I'm not staying here without Riddick or Imam!" but her protest went unacknowledged.
"Anissa wait" Imam said as she began to make her way out of the room ignoring him "Will you just listen!" three heads snapped towards his direction. They could feel the anger and desperation as he said his next words.
"A man can change, Anissa! My God speaks of the power of redemption! That a man can change the wrong that he has done against God and those around him in the past with the promise of a better future. Man is but weak and he make mistakes, but should he forever be stuck under the devils thumb for the rest of his life? What is in the past is in the past and Man is too weak to change that, and all that I can promise is that Riddick has changed to a degree… and I have changed. If I am wrong the punishment that you give me can not be worse than that one that awaits me in the next life." Anissa, Imam, and Jack – though she tried to hide it—were in tears by the end of his small speech. Anissa knew that her father was referring to himself more than he was to Riddick and she believed that he had changed because the man she knew would have been too cowardly to lay out his emotions like that. She reached out and hugged him tightly.
Riddick couldn't believe it. He got caught in the middle of a fucking tear-fest 'Ain't this some bullshit' he sighed and wiped his face trying to clear away the frustration, but he had to admit he wasn't completely unfazed by the events that took place 'How could the Holy Man have so much fuckin' faith in me to believe that I have changed? Have I? Well I guess that I have a little 'cause I sure as hell wouldn't have saved anyone's ass before and I sure as hell wouldn't feel like I owe them something either. But is it that big of a deal? I am still a murderer; fuck this shit is annoying… I can't take this analyzing feelings shit'
He watched as Imam and Anissa separated and composed themselves. Anissa looked deep into her father's eyes and could tell that the long needed healing process was starting for the two of them. She turned her head and looked at Riddick who seemed to be caught up in his thoughts. 'I can't have listened to what my father had said about redemption and tell him to get out…damn it what am I doing? I doubt that he has turned away from his murderous ways, but he did save my father and the girl… and he hasn't killed me (though he left this cut on my neck). Shit I can't believe what I am about to do…'
"Like I had promised before you can all stay as long as you need to" Jack squealed at this and Imam smiled quietly while Riddick remained his stoic self "But I will be keeping my eyes on you" she said staring at Riddick's goggled eyes.
"Like wise" Riddick's remained stoic.
The four of them stood around in an awkward silence for a few minutes until Jack broke the silence. "Uh… is there a first aid kit around here some where…" Jack was motioning to her neck causing Anissa to remembering her bleeding neck.
"It is in the kitchen, cabinet nearest the pantry" Anissa replied and Jack left quickly to retrieve it. She looked around at the slightly disheveled room and remembered how she had left the office. "I would appreciate it if I had some help cleaning this place up before Brianna came home."
"Of course we will help" Imam replied.
Everything was back in order by the time Anissa heard the door bell ring. She fixed the turtle neck that she had put on to cover up her cut, and opened the door to reveal a very happy Brianna and Alexis, Mary's mother.
"Mom!" she hugged her "I had so much fun; you know they have a pool right, and then we went to the mall and had ice cream, and we saw a movie but It was real scary…" Brianna just went on and on with excitement.
"Well, I'm glad you had fun" she said cutting her daughter off "Thank you for having her over Alexis" Anissa said more grateful than anyone could ever know.
"Anytime, Mary had a lot of fun also. Christopher and I took them to see some horror movie "Tales of the Night" I hope you don't mind"
"No that's ok, as long as she enjoyed herself… I'll see you later you have a nice day," Anissa closed the door before Alexis could inquire about the turtle neck on a hot summer day. Anissa grabbed Brianna's sleeping bag and led her into the sitting room where Imam, Jack, and Riddick sitting patiently.
"Hi" Brianna was always an outgoing girl who never understood the concept of stranger danger no matter how hard her mother tried. That's why her mother had always kept a close eye on her; last night being the first sleepover she'd ever been on. She was just too friendly for her own good.
"Everyone this is Brianna" Brianna was a spitting image of her mother, but had a few traits that must have come from her father like her lighter complexion and dark brown eyes, and a smile that could light up a room. She was tall for a thirteen year old slightly taller than her mothers 5'6 frame. "This is Jack" Brianna beamed glad to see someone else about her age "And this is Richard"
"Riddick" He corrected abruptly looking at Anissa. Brianna giggled at the funny looking goggles that he wore "Why do you wear those funny looking goggles?" Brianna giggled again, and received a hard pinch from her mother in return. "Sorry" she said to Riddick looking down.
"And this is Imam… your…uh, your grandfather."