Chapter 5

Riddick— I wound my way carefully through the back streets of Anderville. Looking for a specific house, trying not to be seen. After I left Jess' I went out to the woods to get myself together and come up with a game plane. Jess' words still rang through my head:

…I'm sorry I prayed to God to protect you…

…Yeah I guess she's pretty done with me…

The entire time since I left 'Casper Place' I was trying to convince myself that I had done the right thing by Jess. Keeping her out of the loop and all.

…Damn this whole conscious thing to hell. It's for her own good dammit! She doesn't need to go an' get herself killed by fuckin' Necros. It's better this way…

…Keep tellin' yourself that Rich, you know that's only the half of it…

Oh great. My moral compass was back.

…And what's the other half of it oh wise one? …

Fuck, now I was talking to this thing.

…The other half is you don't want to see your child hurt-physically or emotionally…

I scoffed…Emotionally…

…Well emotionally hurt by anyone other than you perhaps…

…It ain't like that…

…Exactly. You don't want to see the pain in her eyes when she is forced to see the object of her child hood affections has completely forgotten about her. Very much like another young lady-

"Shut up!" I said out loud, and the voice stopped.

I stopped walking and checked out my surroundings. A nice little middle class neighborhood. I could tell that even just from the back alleys. There were children out in the streets riding bikes, spraying water-guns, and pelting each other with water balloons.

I slipped off my goggles in the soft glow of sunset and breathed in the scent of summer: sweat, chlorine, barbeque, damp ground, and heat. I exhaled slowly.

I needed to get laid.

I picked my path through garbage cans and discarded bikes till I found the house I was looking for. I hopped the fence and walked leisurely through the backyard and up onto the porch like I owned the place (in a way I guess I did) and went through the unlocked door.

…Interesting, people feel safe enough to let their kids play in the street and leave their doors unlocked…Guess Jess is doing something right…

I went in and made myself at home.

Layla Williams stepped out of her shower into the steamy bathroom and wrapped a towel around herself. She went over to the counter, propped her leg up, lotioning one leg then the other. She began to walk into her adjoining bedroom when she noticed the room was dark…

….I could've sworn I left the light on…

…and there were now candles lit in the corner…

…What the hell…

Layla almost screamed when she saw the figure of a rather large man sit up on her bed. The she saw who it was, and became more pissed than anything.

"Goddammit Riddick you scared the hell out of me? What the hell are you doing here anyways?"

Riddick smirked at her then stood, he was shirtless.

…Oh yeah, guess that can mean only one thing…

Layla Williams and Richard B. Riddick went back a ways. Far enough back with enough history that each trusted the other. Layla had been in an abusive relationship with a merc and had a child by him when she first met Riddick, who had just escaped from his first prison. They agreed to help each other, and when all was said and done, they split the bounty that was on Riddick's head and Layla never had to worry about the ass-hole merc again. She had promised to repay him in anyway possible…and had made good on that promise a few times. Riddick was now wondering if she was willing to help him out now.

"I had a little run in…"

"I can see that. With who?" Layla said, nodding to his bandaged side.

"…Necros."

Her eyes went wide with fear. Riddick waved his hand.

"They just want me. Come tomorrow I'll be off planet and they'll be on me, not Pulsi."

She didn't seem at all comforted by his words. He got up and went over to her. He put his hands on each side of the door frame and leaned in, tilting his head, to talk to her.

"You think I'd be here if I knew this planet was two seconds from oblivion?"

Layla sighed, he had point there. She dropped her head,

"I guess…I thought we were even Riddick, you and me." She peaked up, which she shouldn't have done, because his dazzling mercury eyes were right there waiting for her.

He held eye contact with her for a few moments, and then let his eyes travel lazily over scantily clad body. He took in all al of her. Remembering the planes and lines of her of her body. She had a curvy but petite build on her 5'6 frame. Her still wet dark brown almost black hair framed her face. She was beautiful, not in the Classic sense, but more in the New Age standard. Her bright honey colored eyes betraying her want.

"We are, I just wanted to see if you were down, for old time's sake Layla."

Damn it. She hated how his voice could still make her melt. Especially when he said her name.

"Damn you Riddick."

Knowing he'd won, Riddick gave her a grin that could make the Devil worry. And proceeded to tear the towel from her body. He laughed when she tried to cover herself.

"No use in that baby girl."

In one swift move he grabbed her around the waist and lifted her, setting her against the wall. He lifted one of her legs over his shoulder and sealed their mouths with a hungry kiss. Quieting any more of her protests.

Epilogue—

The next morning Layla drove the convict into the city, dropping him off at the park that was blocks away from the space port.

"Thank you Layla."

"Your welcome. Richard…Be careful. Try not to get into too much trouble."

He grinned evilly "Where's the fun in that?"

Then he disappeared into the shadows.