The Darkness Is Mine

Ghost Me

Noir sat by her mate and listened to the humans take his advice. Foolish humans, never trust a killer...trust her. She laughed when she heard Fry trying to explain what was down there. She guessed they finally had their proof that it wasn't Riddick that killed the traveler.

A shadow fell over the Riddick's. Neither looked up knowing it was Johns the moment he stepped in the ship. Not to mention Johns had a strong smell of addiction that cling to him.

"Found somethin' worse than me, huh?" Riddick couldn't help but taunt the junkie wannabe cop. "We're movin'. And I'm just wondering if I shouldn't lighten the load right now."

Now their eyes meet. Johns cocked the shotgun and pointed it at Riddick's head. Noir wasn't worried, the man might be high, but he knew he wouldn't survive hurting Riddick.

"Woof, woof." Riddick mocked taunting him. Noir watched the bounty hunters movements carefully ready to jump if necessary. Lucky for him he raised the shotgun and shot the chains instead. A good decision for his life.

What Johns couldn't have known was Riddick was only still chained by choice. Did these humans really believe that with the place they had escaped that a single chain into a hull would slow them down if they didn't want to be?

"Want you to remember this moment, Riddick. The way it coulda gone and didn't." She rolled her eyes at how powerful Johns thought he was.

"Say that again." Riddick said, ears slightly ringing from such a close shot. "He is boasting like a child." Noir summarized for him. Johns looks scared shitless to hear the voice of the notorious woman. He quickly hid his fear trying to take control of the situation again.

"Here's the deal. You work without the chains, without the bit -- without the shivs. You help us get off this rock...." Johns started only to be scoffed at.

"For what? The honor of goin' back to some asshole of a cell?" Riddick yelled. "I wouldn't mind." Riddick ignored the quiet words of his wife.

"Truth is, Riddick, I'm tired of this head-up shit. I wanna be free of you and your scary ass wife as much as you wanna be free of me." Noir's head tilted. Johns almost sounded honest...almost.

Suddenly new future scenarios came to the two furyians. Paths to take and choices to be made. It seemed this path would lead them to the most chances of a clean escape. Riddick looked at his mate from the corner of his eye knowing she had seen the paths shift as well. She nodded slightly showing she agreed with the idea in Riddick's mind.

"You'd cut me loose, Boss?" Riddick mocked.

"Only if we all get outta this alive. And there may be a way."

He offered a hand to help Riddick up, to seal the deal. Riddick sat looking at the hand. It was obvious that Johns didn't realize what a slight he had just given Riddick. That action alone proved to Noir that Johns was pray and not a predator.

"My recommendation: Do me. Don't take the chance that I'll get shiv-happy on your wannabe ass. Ghost me, Johns. Would if I were you." Riddick said honestly. She looked at the shaky man. Must be the effects of withdrawal.

"If you were me, I'd kill us both. C'mon, you wanna sit at the grown-up table or not?" Johns said extending his hand again. Noir smirked knowing Riddick wouldn't let the gesture drop twice. In the space of a heartbeat Riddick reached out for the hand -- and grabbed the shotgun with his off-hand.

A blur of movement was all the human saw. Johns was now staring into the eyes of his own shotgun. "Want you to remember this moment." Riddick reiterates.

He pumped the shotgun, spitting blue shells over Johns. He dropped the emptied gun, took his wife's hand and walked away.

-_-_-_-_-

The human survivors had started the trek for the settlement. Fry and Imam lugging the power cell from the original ship between them, but the real load was shouldered by Riddick. Promoted from murderous monster to beast of burden he had told his wife sarcastically.

"So just like that. Wave your little wand and they're one of us now." Noir didn't like the little creature that smelled of alcohol.

"Didn't say that. But least this way I don't have to worry about falling asleep and not wakin' up." Johns yelled back. The Riddick's smirking at how he assumed this.

"Well, I feel we owe Mr. Riddick amends." This one Noir likes. He and his sons were highly religious, something she didn't understand, but seemed like decent people...for humans.

"Oh, right. Let's all line up and beg his forgiveness. Right you are." She still hadn't forgiven that one. No one touched her mate. She wouldn't be sad if one of the creatures took her first.

"At least give the man and woman some oxygen...." The holy man pleaded for them.

"He's happy just bein' vertical. Leave him be."

"So I can talk to him now?" The girl pretending to be a boy asked. Noir didn't like children but this one was mostly tolerable, and it seemed to worship Riddick.

"No." The others all said at once.

The small one dropped a wine bottle. Trailing, Riddick collected it as it rolled in his path.

"Paris P. Ogilvie. Antiquities dealer, entrepreneur." It introduced itself. Once again a hand was held out to Riddick. This time in greeting which was more acceptable.

Riddick took the small sweaty creature's hand and shook it. "Richard B. Riddick. Escaped convict, murderer." He said with a smirk. "And this beautiful creature is my wife Noir Riddick. Escaped convict, thief, murderer, lover." He said the last part winking at her.

Instead of returning the bottle, Riddick opens it and drinks before handing the last of the bottle to his wife. Paris hurried to catch up to the others.

"You know, if I owned Hell and this planet...I believe I'd rent this out and live in Hell." Noir wanted to laugh. This weak creature knew nothing of Hell if he thought this was bad.