Treacherous

Bell stepped off the ship into the tall grass and kept walking. Ships circled overhead. The wind they created whipped the grass around her legs and her hair and clothes around her. Shots started firing from the inconspicuous bunker in front of her. Bright streaks in the dark night, some just barely above her head.

She had a moment of doubt. Riddick and Vaako had tried to make her stay behind. Each dressed in their finest battle armor, looking big and dangerous, and beautiful. They’d been about to lead a troop out to this very bunker, without her.

Not likely. She hadn’t given their pathetic suggestion the bother of a comment. This close, she could feel her kids. Nothing but death would keep her away now.

So she’d walked out of the ship, unescorted, unguarded, virtually unarmed. She’d never thought for one second that they wouldn’t run along to keep up with her. But here she was, dozens of yards into her trek and still alone.

Now she was within sight of the building. Not so inconspicuous this close up. A drab concrete type shelter, huge metal doors, and guard posts. The guards were at their posts.

She watched them as they noticed her walking at them, and felt insanely stupid. No armor, no weapon, no chance, right? They took aim on her and she was a breath away from hitting the ground, either by her own will or another’s.

Jerked back and spun, then muffled explosions were booming all around her.

She was quick to determine where she was. Held tight to a body, the arm holding her armored. The chest at her back pressing her down was equally armored. He’d turned his back to the gunfire to protect her in the lee of his body.

Bell turned her head to stare directly into Vaako’s pale eyes. Wide eyes, a gasp of understanding from him as their faces were just an inch apart. She had to have looked like a fish to him, she mused.

Riddick drew her attention as he bumped her front, literally sandwiching her between them. “Bell, you’re fucking stupid. Bravado will get you killed.”

She shoved at him, but only hurt her hand. “You can’t leave me behind!”

He stared at her hard, unfazed by the shots firing around them. She couldn’t feel him clearly. There was too much chaos, both literally and emotionally.

Finally he turned and motioned to someone. Two soldiers came forward. “This is Farr and Alkon. Stay with them.” Then he turned to the two Mongers, “Keep her back and close. I wanna be able to see her. Carry her if you have to. If you lose her, don’t bother reporting.”

Both men nodded solemnly, the gravity of the warning evident. Bell felt a little guilty for forcing Riddick to lay such a burden on them. But just for a second.

The entire force moved forward as soon as Riddick stepped out of the circle they’d formed surrounding the small building. They closed the circle, effectively swarming the small compound.

All were dead inside the guard post. Damage to the building and their walls of protection showed that they’d been unprepared for Necromonger firepower.

A single shot from one of the gravity guns broke stone and metal alike. They were inside.

Now the bulk of their force stayed outdoors, coming inside in pairs to bolster their defense and keep the route they forged clear.

There was little resistance inside once they reached the main level of the compound, which had to be a couple dozen feet below the ground. Obviously Militia had thought the Necromongers wouldn’t be after anything in this facility. It was only moderately defended.

Riddick strode forward without fear. Guards surrounded him, but he appeared to not notice them, and it sure as hell didn’t slow him. Bell was jogging to keep up with them.

Rooms cleared as they passed, some with barely a glance and a Lensor scan. Bell shuddered every time she had to look at the hideous creatures. Unfortunately they did like to look at her. Programmed to pick up on the different frequency of heat from ‘breeders’, her presence really got to them.

A branch separated off the hall and there was a bit of a powwow as they decided how to treat it. Only Vaako knew their goal and the importance of it. Splitting up would mean just sending Mongers, and then they could end up a kid or two short.

It was a short hallway, so Riddick left most of the troops at the intersection and went to search it with just a handful of guards.

Bell looked into one of the rooms they’d cleared before she’d gotten there. Nothing special. Until she saw a face looking back at her.

It was Ramsay, shoved into some kind of clear locker. Not the target, but she wasn’t about to leave him behind.

The two guards followed as she ran to him. Her hands hit the glass hard, wanting to revive him, wanting to see him move some little bit. Was he operative at all?

Eyes slowly opened, and after just a second he gave her a smile. His mouth moved like he was talking to her but she couldn’t hear him.

She yanked at the door latch but it wasn’t cooperating. The guards! “Open this. I want him out.”

They looked at each other, then at her.

“Now!”

Farr, at least she thought that one was Farr, stepped forward. A thick blade shoved into the crack and in a second the door popped open.

She smiled, but then gave Ramsay all her attention. He was strapped in, the straps holding him up. “Can you walk?” she asked as she started undoing the lower straps.

“I have been powered down. I will only burden you. You should leave me.”

Tears wet her eyes in an instant, “Shut up! I’m not leaving you.”

He smiled sadly as she stood before him again. “I am just a synthetic, Bella. You are free. That is the best I could hope for.”

“No, Ram. I’m gettin’ you out of here. And if you don’t shut up I’ll power you the rest of the way down.” To her guards, “Get me someone. He has to be carried. Take him straight to the ship.”

“Necromongers, J? What have you been up to?”

Two soldiers came in and they eased Ramsay out, but only one was needed to carry him. “I’ll explain it later, Ram. Take him straight to the ship. He’s important to me.” The guard nodded and then was gone.

Bell stepped out into the hall just after Ramsay and turned to see Riddick looking at her. Dark goggles followed Ramsay behind her, then were on her, his blank stare showing nothing of himself. She quickly wiped her eyes and moved towards him, but by then he was moving away. Fuck him! she thought. He might not want to deal with his demons where Ramsay was concerned, but she wasn’t about to leave him behind. He’d been her friend and confidant for years. Synthetic or not. And she had to smile when she considered that Ramsay was literally the father of one of her children.

They’d reached the end of the hall, completely cleared now, and started back. Suddenly Riddick stopped, his head dropping forward suddenly. Of course everyone else stopped as well, half with eyes on him, half having enough sense to protect him.

Head still down, Riddick turned his head and literally started walking. Back into one of the rooms they’d cleared. He moved faster now, head coming up. A shelf at the back crashed as he shoved it aside, revealing a door hidden behind.

“Blow it,” he ordered, stepping back.

“Riddick!”

He held his hand up to her. Was she supposed to trust him? What if he hurt one of her kids?

The blast revealed a short empty hall with just one door at the end. Bell was practically frantic in her relief.

“Stay,” Riddick ordered, and moved into the hall alone.

Just seconds later he returned carrying a thrashing, crying baby.

Bell shoved forward until she could reach them. Thea started screaming when she saw Bell. She practically threw herself out of Riddick’s arms and he had little choice but to let go or hurt her. Bell was there to catch her.

She held her tight and began rocking her. The child was obviously terrified. She was just sixteen months old.

“That’s enough, Bell. Get her out of here. We’ll get the boys.”

Bell smiled, now supremely confident that he’d do just that. “Thank you.”

He nodded, but then was moving past her. “Farr, Alkon! Take them out. Take another twelve at the door. Want her on the ship!”

Bell followed slowly, whispering to Thea. The poor girl was nearly hysterical, but was at least just clinging to her and not fighting being held. “S’okay, Thea. Big loud guy is Daddy, kay? You’re safe, baby.” She kept up the whispering, repeatedly saying the girl’s name, hoping to comfort her.

Riddick was already moving down the hall when she got there to be escorted out.

The trek out was uneventful. Fighters in the sky were making sure nothing came close, while a thousand or more men on the ground had the place surrounded, repeatedly.

Their ship had moved closer, to within the circle, so Bell was back on board in just minutes.

Ramsay was there, strapped in. He smiled at seeing Thea. “Is she okay?”

“I don’t know, Ram, but she’s safe for now.” Thea was still bawling, making quite a wet spot on Bell shoulder as she hiccupped and slobbered. “She’s young. Maybe she’ll forget.”

Ramsay shrugged, “More importantly, she is Furyan.”

Bell grinned, “Yeah, she’ll be fine.” She sat beside Ramsay and in just minutes Thea was easing down. Had to be exhausted. How much crying could a child do?

“How long has it been?” Ramsay asked.

She’d turned Thea, cradling her against her shoulder as the girl started dozing. “Not long. Took us in June, and its only July now. Five, six weeks.”

“How long have you been free?”

“They dumped me not even two weeks ago.”

He smiled, “And you aligned with the Necromongers and pitted them against the Militia already? I am impressed.”

She smiled in return, “You’ll be even more impressed at the truth.”

They were silent for a minute or so. Thea was quiet now, seemingly sleeping.

“So, what did they do to you?” Bell asked.

He smiled weakly. Was he in some sort of synthetic pain? “Cleaned me out, scanned memories, and then just powered me down.” His eyes wouldn’t meet hers.

“Couldn’t keep them from learning where Riddick was,” she filled in.

“I am sorry, J. There was nothing I could do.”

She shook her head, “S’okay. You couldn’t stop it, and it doesn’t matter any more. Riddick got off U.V.6.”

His eyes met hers, wider now than they’d been. Had that been what was bothering him? Guilt? “Power me down then,” he said, sounding almost excited. “You have to take out the tracking system. Take it all out.”

She watched him closely. They could do it, but it was risky, especially taking out so much. His memory or even programming could be erased in the process. “Are you sure?”

“Bell, I love you. I love these kids. I do not wish to put anyone in danger.”

She nodded, “Okay, but not now. They already know this much. Tracking you to where we’re going won’t change anything. But later…” She left it unfinished. They’d have to shut him down eventually.

“Where is Riddick if—“

Bell’s loud gasp cut him off. She sat up straight, but let her eyes closed. Then a smile slowly formed. “He has them. They’re safe.”

“What?”

She felt disconnected, accept for the child in her arms. Bell opened her eyes to see Thea staring up at her. She’d obviously felt it too. This was stronger than anything her boys had ever conveyed, which had been basically nothing, and even stronger than Riddick’s touches. They had to be together.

Just a minute later the pilot appeared on the catwalk above them. “My Lady, we’re taking off. The rest have boarded other ships.”

Bell just nodded. My lady?