Age of Nox

Chapter 13

Riddick watched from above as Toombs reached Jack's side, slipping an arm around her waist. She immediately responded, leaning into him and nuzzling his shoulder. A growl accompanied with a smoky puff of air emitted from Riddick and he knew that somewhere, he was jealous. He couldn't understand how Jack would ever find comfort in his embrace, in a merc's arms. But when he saw Jack's sweet smile from his perch on the roof of the building, when he saw her gently kiss Toombs, he knew that her feelings should be the last thing he should question.

He followed them back, not sure whether he was doing it to make sure Jack stayed safe or doing it just to watch her after all this time. The snipe pictures hadn't done her justice. When he had seen her standing in the snow, neither he nor his beast could ignore her natural beauty. There was indeed an air of danger to her, but that made her all the more attractive.

His head was bowed when the door to their ship closed and he breathed deeply, wondering how different it could have been he hadn't abandoned her all those years ago.

"Doesn't really seem all that cold anymore, does it?" Jack wondered aloud as she shed her coat, taking out the heating replacement part.

"Hm, give ya three choices as to why it isn't." Toombs stretched his arm out and caught the extra fabric of Jack's sweater, using it to pull her to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, content to simply be held.

After a few calm seconds, Jack buried her face in his shoulder, gripping to him tightly. He knew she was thinking about Riddick, about what had just happened. He could only hope he could distract her from it.

"Jack, hey, look at me." He pulled back slightly and at first she didn't, her stubborn nature keeping her head down. But as he rubbed the back of her neck, she looked up and he saw open worry in her eyes. "This doesn't change a damn thing and he can take care of himself, you know that."

"What if he gets to you? I mean," she swallowed and breathed shakily, "I don't think he will, but I don't want something to happen to you. I don't want anything to happen to you, Toombs. You're the only person who has ever stuck with me and now with this, I don't know what I'd do if you got hurt because of me."

"And you don't think I can take on old badass?" He was happy to see her smile at that. "You don't got to worry 'bout me, Jack, promise."

When she looked at him again, he saw something different. It was a thoughtful look, but he saw something burning behind it, but he couldn't identify it. It was a look he knew that only women could have, an all-knowing one. It was completely silent in the cold room as she pushed his coat off his shoulders, the fabric pooling on the ground.

More clothes followed and soon Jack was standing only in her pants and bra, her skin exposed to the cold air. Toombs pulled off his shirt as he followed Jack to their room and reached for her hand, unable to be physically apart from her.

She sat facing him on the bed, her legs around his waist and ankles locked behind his back. As he kissed her, moving from her lips to her neck, he nimbly undid Jack's braid and he marveled at how soft it was. Her growls and mewls spurred him on and he gently lowered her to the mattress, one hand behind her head and the other at her waist.

She propped herself up on her elbows and responded to his kiss, pulling him down on top of her as her head went back to the mattress. Toombs slid the straps off her shoulders, wanting her to take off the garment. As if listening to his thoughts, she easily unhooked it and tossed it to the floor. With new territory to explore, he left her lips and moved down. He couldn't understand how she was so sensitive and responsive to every touch, but he did take full advantage of it. She had gone too long without pleasure, too long with this tension.

"Raiding party isn't a half bad idea," one of them said, setting down his glass on the table.

"Aye, but some fight more viciously when their home is threatened, better we catch them unawares in the open." Another voice joined in.

An argument soon broke out but was silence when doors were slammed open, spilling outside light into the dark room. All looked up to see a heavily breathing man, looking excited.

"Well, what's this about? Didn't you ever learn some manners, like knocking?"

"You don't just knock with this sorta info." The newcomer let the doors shut behind him as he walked to the table. Pulling a file out of his coat, he tossed it to the table and pictures spilled out.

"Holy Christ almighty, that better be who I think it is." The first voice broke the silence.

"It's the old bastard, no doubt." The newcomer confirmed it.

"What's this got to do with our new catch?" Another voice asked.

More pictures were tossed out and a hand reached out and picked one up. It was a romantic scene, two lovers holding each other. But it was saddened by another figure, watching from a distance. A very identifiable figure.

"What are you gettin' at?"

"We get her, they both come. Think about it, the bounty for Riddick, Toombs and Caliber? We'd never have to even think about working again."

"Sounds good to me. What do ya say, boys?" He raised his glass up and all the other glasses followed. "To fortune!"

"To fortune!"

The glasses clinked and for a moment there was silence, the glasses slamming back down to the table breaking it.

She awoke to a steady heartbeat beneath her ear. It didn't take her long to place where she was, but a blush crept up her cheeks as she remembered the night before. Trying to ignore it, she raised her head and looked up at Toombs, who slept on, oblivious to the world. But he still had one arm securely locked around her waist. His other hand was entwined with hers and rested over the blankets.

Jack lay her head back down on his chest and just as she was going to close her eyes, she felt him move and begin to wake up. It was probably on a subconscious level that he felt her move and to make sure she was alright, he woke too.

Her green eyes watched his open, the focus taking a bit of time to kick in. Jack smiled softly at him as he finished waking up, his arm falling from her side when she sat up and leaned over him, one arm on each side of him.

"Mornin'," he sat up and without warning, took her head in his hands and kissed her. She pulled away breathless, with a slight glare in her eyes.

"I'm thinking it's more like afternoon." She finally replied, scooting closer to him. Toombs pulled her up onto his lap and leaned his head against her bare shoulder, never feeling more content as she kissed his head and rubbed her hand through his hair.

"Hm," he rumbled, sending vibrations through Jack. "This vacation was a good idea." He heard her snort.

"Remember whose idea it was, too." They sat in silence for a little longer until she spoke again. "We can't hide in this ship forever, you realize."

"We can certainly damn well try." He sat up again and looked up at her. "Right, Riddick."

"There isn't one reason for you to be jealous. You know," she pushed him down to the mattress, moving her legs to straddle him. "I completely belong to you." She leaned down and kissed him, her tongue snaking its way into his mouth as she pushed her hips into his.

"Jack," he breathed heavily after they pulled apart. "At this rate we just won't be able to get off this damn ship."

"And I don't give a damn," she kissed him again.

The sun had set and the cold winds whisked through the streets, stinging any exposed skin. This left the area mostly empty, people preferring to stay indoors in the warmth. Yet one stood on a corner, looking nearly like a statue but small puffs of air were the only sign that this person was alive. He turned his head and watched as another figure approached.

The oncoming person lifted their head and tried for a weak smile but nothing came. Continuing to walk, the figure didn't stop until it had reached the corner.

"Jack," he grunted.

"Riddick," she nodded politely. "I'll follow you."

Nothing more was said as she silently walked behind him, her pace never faltering. They both moved swiftly, as if the snow weren't there at all. After many minutes of walking, turning corners and checking larger empty streets, Riddick opened a small door that he himself barely fit through and Jack followed, not needing to check to know that no one was there. She would've felt it.

He shut the door behind her and as she took off her coat, she heard the thudding of bolts and locks. Riddick came around from behind and stood on the other side of the small wooden table that was the only piece of furniture in the room. A door about the same size she had come in through was at the back of the room, but it was dark and she couldn't see in.

"Have we even lost the civility of using chairs, Riddick?" She teased warmly and it broke the tension in the room.

"Well without a princess to serve, there didn't seem to be a need for such…"

"Frivolities?" She finished the sentence for him, looking around the warm room. "How does it stay this warm with no fire? Or electrical heating?" Riddick watched as she pulled off one glove and ran her hand down the wall. "Ah, this is reinforced clay, there are heating tubes behind?"

"You always figured it out on your own," he answered, shouldering off his coat.

"Indeed," she pulled off the other glove and took the pair and pulled it through her belt. "Thanks, by the way."

He looked up at her and finally a real smile broke through on her face and his beast purred contentedly at the sight. Riddick broke the scene by moving into the other room and bringing out two collapsible stools. Jack smirked as he set them up, go figure he would have something that was never permanent, no even chairs.

Sitting down, she breathed deeply. For years she had wondered if this would even happen, and if it did, what would she say? Jack had planned numerous dialogues, some angry, some pathetically sad and some just happy. But she couldn't even find a place to start.

"You've changed," he started and Jack couldn't be more thankful.

"And you haven't. Can't even begin to settle down," she gestured around her.

"That's where you're wrong, kid." He ignored her instant scowl at the nickname. "Won't tell you where, but I've got a place that I've lived in for more than a year."

"No wonder you've been completely off radar." She traced an invisible design in the grain of the wood table.

"You're making a nice fortune for yourself. Thinking about settling down?" She could tell he was making an effort, but there was definite interrogation behind the question. He wanted to know if she was going to settle down alone or with Toombs.

"We don't know yet," she could smell his jealousy at the word 'we'. "Toombs just has it in him to hunt, to be a merc. Things might change."

There was silence, the two of them basking in the heat of the room. It was comfortable, but strange. Jack wondered how civil could a conversation be between them after all that time, anyway?

"So it's true what the Holy Man said, you left the night you got there." Riddick wasn't looking at her, anticipating her fury.

"Damn straight I did. Walked through the rain, Toombs housed me and then after a series of…less than likable events, we were a team. We haven't split since," she emphasized certain words that became thorns in Riddick's beast's paws.

"Why didn't you stay? I told you stay!" He growled at her and became frustrated at her lack of fear.

"You were the one I wanted to stay with! You! I was angry that you didn't bring me with you so I hightailed it outta there and I'm fucking glad I did." She snarled back, figuratively baring her fangs.

"And now you're some merc's whore," Riddick spat.

Before the words had rested in the air for even a second Jack launched herself across the table and slammed him to the floor, with a handgun pointed at his head. As he began the move, he felt a boot blade dangerously close to beneath his belt.

"He isn't just some merc and I thought you wouldn't have been stupid enough to say that." She was furious and her beast roared within her.

"He's hunted me for more than half my fucking life, Jack, and you don't think I'll be pissed that you're screwing him!" He yelled and he knew he caught her off guard with such an exclamation. Her eyes iced over, but she didn't move an inch.

"Stay away from me, Riddick. And stay away from Toombs. You hurt me once, I'm not letting it happen again. If I ever want to see you again, I'll find you. I never want to be able to feel you watching me. Never." She spoke with quiet conviction, but her words cut all the same.

"Jack," he was cut off by her fingertips resting on his lips. He couldn't ignore how surprisingly soft they were, but he kept his silence.

"Just stay away. Please." She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them, he saw the glimmer of tears. Before he could make a move to comfort her, she raised her hand and slammed the butt of the gun into the side of his head.

Trying not to shake, she stood and grabbed her coat, clumsily fastening the buckles. Before she left she threw Riddick's coat over him, in case the heating went off. Biting her lip, she glanced at the darkened room. Thinking of Toombs, she resisted the temptation and swiftly left, the door locking shut behind her.

"Well, she's alone." A voice crackled in through the radio.

"We could get her now, she's far enough away from the ship and there's no sign of Riddick." Another agreed.

A weary sigh could be heard through the connection. After a few moments of silence, the voice spoke.

"Take her. Dart her first, there's no other way we can get her."

Sounds of set up could be heard.

"Permission to take the shot, sir." A voice finally came through.

"Permission granted."

Jack hurried through the dark streets, the moonlight only lighting up the snow so much. She was so eaten up by what had just happened that she processed the feeling of being watched too late. She slowed for a moment then felt a piercing pain in her neck.

Jack realized with horror that she couldn't even check to see if it was a dart. Her neck wouldn't move, her hands couldn't even grip a weapon, she was sure. As a strong wind blew by, she couldn't brace herself as she fell into the snow, hitting the ice patch hard.

Her voice was frozen as was everything else in her body, so she couldn't shout when she saw armed men approaching her. Why the hell had she been stupid enough to knock Riddick out? He probably would've followed her and kept her safe. And Toombs, what was going to happen? Unable to even move the slightest, fear took over her mind and her tears stung the bloody and scraped jaw that had hit the ice.

Jack felt powerless when a blindfold was tied over her eyes and she was lifted. She wanted to scream as the hands touched her, moving her along and then putting her on a hard floor, probably the back of a truck. She couldn't hear an engine, but by then she was swallowed up in fear.

"Fuck, that's enough." Toombs grabbed his coat and added two extra blasters to the three he carried already. And taking a page of Jack's book, took a blade that he hid in his boot. He waited for the ship's door to close before venturing out, the cold biting at his face.

He took the streets that seemed familiar and looked for any sign of her. Toombs began to double back and do closer checks, looking in the snow for hints of anything relating to her. He couldn't find boot prints, much less anything definitive.

Crouching down, he was observing a snow patch when he smelled something.

Blood.

Moving across the ground, he saw it. On a patch of ice there was blood, freezing into the hard snow. Toombs pulled out a sealed test tube and scooped up the blood, stowing it on his belt. This was how he tracked bounties sometimes. To make sure that he was hunting the right guy. He couldn't see any other clues in the moonlight, but carefully combed through the surrounding area.

He hoped that he would go back to the ship and either Jack would be there or if she wasn't, this wasn't her blood. He stood and looked down at the area as a whole, looking for signs of a struggle.

Someone had been lying on the ground, but then there were many pairs of footsteps, not just one. Someone had been taken away. Toombs was about to crouch again to inspect one of the boot prints when he heard a crunch of snow behind him.

"Why the fuck weren't you watching her?" Toombs snarled, turning around. "I thought you were the big badass protector, Riddick. Why weren't you stalking her when she left?"

"Maybe because she fucking knocked me out," Riddick wanted nothing more than to shiv this bastard but if he did, then saved Jack, there would be problems.

"That's my babe, knew she was the best." Toombs smirked, but it faded as he looked down at the remaining blood.

"It's Jack's blood." Riddick confirmed his fears. "Something else…" he crouched and took a small amount of snow in his hand. He tasted some then spat it out. "They paralyzed her. My bet," he looked up at the surrounding buildings. "Sniper with a dart rifle. Took her out before she even knew it. Paralyzing with a fucking sniper, cowards."

"It works." Toombs added, his mind already working. "They kidnapped her, it's a trap. They want us."

"And her. We're the highest three bounties in the universe." Riddick tried to calm his beast. It was raging and pacing within in, wanting to find Jack.

He stared after the merc's back as he walked away, his mind deep in thought.

"Where you going, Toombs?" He called after him.

"To find her." The merc called back over his shoulder. Riddick caught up to him in a few easy strides.

"Without me? The fuck you can do it without me."

"Do what you want, but she's out there," Toombs rounded on him. "Paralyzed, probably freaking out because she can't do a damn thing to defend herself. I don't care about what happened, I care about what happens to her."

Riddick stayed silent as the merc started walking again, but he followed behind him. He knew he should not have doubted Jack's feelings. She hadn't chosen some famous merc, but someone who cared. A lot, by the looks of it. But he wasn't about to stand around and let Toombs get all the glory. After what he said, he'd be lucky if Jack would even talk to him once she was saved.

So! Finally! A chapter!

And now, as usual, I need your help to continue:

a) Riddick and Toombs go their separate ways and try to get to Jack alone

b) Riddick and Toombs duke it out and the winner (pick one) has his way in how to find Jack and then they settle down for a bit before they go after her so they can find where she is, while doing so, they open up a bit (awww)

c) There is detail of what is happening to Jack and she has flashbacks of a few moments with Toombs

Pick one! Pick more than one, just don't pick all three. You can combine or whatever, do as you wish. Just please pick one so I can write what you want to read. Hopefully everyone will agree, too.

NOTE: I am very busy right now, just totally all over the place and stretched thin. So updates won't be regular, I'm sorry. But hopefully they'll be just as good as if they were.

-Shamrock