Two of a Kind

Chapter 7:


Jack stared at Riddick's passive expression, more distressed than before she'd made her revelation. She felt exhausted, alone and really angry. As they sat there in silence Jack's anger began to grow and grow then before she could stop herself, she erupted;

'How could you leave me behind!!' She screamed. Before she knew what she was doing, she'd thrown herself from where she was sat and launched herself at Riddick. Kicking, biting and punching as much of him as she could get her hands on - she was only vaguely aware that Riddick did very little to block the attack, but Jack didn't care as she kept on her tirade, screaming obscenities at him.

Eventually she began to tire and felt Riddick place his hands firmly on her arms - she looked a mess - her hair had come undone, and she had a big shiny bruise on her cheek where he'd punched her earlier and finger marks on her neck. Riddick knew he had scratches all over his face and a cut lip, but he wasn't bothered, all his attention was fixed on the broken woman in front of him. He felt more guilt than he'd ever felt before, made worse when Jack's eyes welled up and she broke down completely, hanging her head in shame. Riddick, not used to comforting anybody, brought her body slowly towards him and pressed her against him; when he felt her put her arms around his neck and cling to him, he put his own arms around her and held her there. He didn't know what had happened to her, but Riddick wanted to know, he wanted to take care of her - a feeling he'd not experienced since the last time they'd been together.

Jack's sobs eventually diminished into small whimpers; Riddick picked her up and walked towards the bedroom. Entering he saw that there were 2 berths, one above the other, placing Jack in the top one he covered her in a blanket, marvelling at his own gentleness. He watched as she curled up and was asleep within seconds.

Riddick had been dozing in the cockpit for several hours when he heard Jack pad into the room; she walked over to the kitchenette and proceeded to heat up some sort of pre-packaged food. Riddick quietly listened to her movements, wondering what had happened to her, when the smell of cooked food assaulted his nose. He listened to Jack eagerly pull off the outer coating and take a few mouthfuls of the unappetising food. He then heard Jack slam down the food
‘Shit.’ She mumbled, before turning towards the sink and violently throwing up. Once Jack had cleared her stomach she wiped her mouth and stood up to come face to face with Riddick. Not entirely sure of his reaction she just looked at him waiting for him to say something.

‘So are you gonna start talking?’ Was all he said before returning to the cockpit. Jack followed him dejectedly, knowing that this would be an extremely painful subject to talk about especially to someone who was always hostile. Riddick sat in the chair and turned it to face her. Jack took a few deep breaths before sitting down, not looking at Riddick she began to speak; knowing that reliving all these painful experiences would somehow make her stronger.

‘Well after T2 eventually I regained my voice in hospital and began to make an improvement; but I became more violent and they didn’t want to put me in a home – stupid fucks didn’t care that it was in self defence. I only ever lashed out if they turned off the lights – the other kids realised that I was scared of the dark and taunted me with it by shutting me in darkness – I reacted by attacking anything that moved.’ Jack began in a monotonous tone. She stared at the floor and Riddick watched as her eyes clouded over – only her hands balled into fists at her sides showed any indication of her discomfort.

‘Anyway the situation had gotten so bad that the hospital couldn’t cope and released me in the public, even though I was underage. I spent a few months stealing and bare knuckle fighting to get enough money to eat, lived the underground of an armaments factory – fucking rats were bigger than I was; so one night I’d won a fight against this big pirate, anyway this guy noticed me – Zazick was his name and he ran the fights. He had other lines of business too, brothels and smuggling, that kind of stuff – so anyway he looked after me.’ Riddick raised an eyebrow.

‘No not like that, I was never a whore. Zazick used me in the fights; it really worked, he would make sure I was alright and I would make him loads of creds. Eventually I married him; he was totally different from…any man I’d met before, he was the complete opposite of…well of you.’ Jack said waiting for his reaction, her eyes raised defiantly at him; Riddick’s own face remained enigmatic.

‘Anyway I spent 6 years married to Zazick, I started off fighting, but as he grew in business and power I became the hit-man he’d hired out. I liked the work though, it gave me a chance to satisfy my needs. But Zazick, well it turned out that he was a real piece of shit – only looked out for himself- hey I spose he WAS like you!’ Jack smirked at Riddick who merely growled a warning.

‘Don’t piss me off Jackie – you’ve got a major weakness there.’ He rumbled clenching his fists and nodding towards her belly. Jack, despite herself, covered her stomach with her hand – she was getting bigger now there was definitely a curvature on her normally flat belly. Riddick watched as she examined her stomach – he couldn’t take his eyes off her as she stroked her stomach, despite himself he found himself thinking that she was beautiful. He shook his head and stared at Jack.

‘So…this Zazick is he the father’ Jack’s revery instantly stopped as she snapped her cold eyes on his, they sharpened instantly ‘Of course he’s the fucking father, I’m no slut Riddick!’ Riddick continued, an odd sensation was beginning to take over – he was seething that she was someone else’s and that she was having his kid; this was a serious complication to his plans.

‘So where is he – why were you being taken to the slam?’ Jack stunning eyes lost even more of their shine as she looked downwards.
‘As I said…Zazick wasn’t nice, when I was younger he used to…well he didn’t like me not being a good girl…but he looked after me and that’s what mattered. Well anyway he wanted more power on New Mecca…become a proper gangsta you know?’ Jack smirked

‘Well the only guy really stopping him was Cranian, so Zazick decided he wanted him removed, but such a high powered shit was bound to get serious attention – Zazick knew that the assassin would be caught or at least hunted throughout the galaxies, so he picked me. I wasn’t what he wanted in a wife – not quite willing enough to worship him and he was more than aware of how much more respect I was getting than he was as I actually did the dirty work. So he decided he’d kill 2 birds with one stone….anyway the job went off without a hitch and then I realised who it was….I-..I-I’ve never been that angry in my life – now the two men I’d ever trusted had left me in the shit, but even with you, I was just a kid who had nothing to offer you…but Zazick – we hadn’t had a good marriage, but he betrayed me – ……….’ Jack stopped, her eyes dulling as tears prickled at the edge. She flexed her hands and took a deep breath. Riddick remained impassive, but a slight frown had appeared in his forehead and his jaw was clenched with unusual tightness.

‘Anyway he knew my fear and so had rigged the attack so that once I finished I would have 2 routes of escape – inside or out in the night. He made sure all that alliance officers were waiting inside so I was trapped…dumb asshole, after 6 years you’d think he’d know a bit bout me, but he just thought it was some childhood thing – no one knows about stuff on T2…well except you – he just assumed the scars were from fighting. He didn’t realise that I’d do anything to survive; so anyway being faced with this decision I becme possessed like I had been on T2, it was like I wasn’t human anymore. It probably sounds stupid.’ Jack looked at Riddick once again, a slight softening in his glare, showed her that he could empathize.

‘I killed all 30 of the alliance scum and then I hunted Zazick down slowly.’ Jack had begun growl in her voice, her eyes glazed in memory. ‘I ghosted all his fighters and heavy men and then…I hunted him down and ghosted him….The ironic thing is that once I’d done I realised the stupid fuck wasn’t that pathetic in the sack and had gotten me pregnant. Quite ironic.’ Jack stopped.

She’d never been so open with anyone – it was the most uncomfortable thing ever – but she was beginning to trust Riddick, gods know why. He sat there watching her, after telling him everything, Jack had shown trust that Riddick had not felt since – well since he’d last been with her on T2. This time though, he felt that he needed to stick with Jack, she was in too much of an emotional state, was vulnerable and very dangerous. Sat there Riddick tried to convince himself that he wanted to look after Jack for her own good and his safety; but she was still hot and Riddick admired her – he could have laughed at himself. Richard fucking Riddick admiring a fucking woman!

‘So’ He growled, smiling slightly ‘Your guy was bad at screwing?’ Jack raised her eyes, surprised at Riddick’s reaction – she knew he was only teasing her in his own way and she was thankful that he didn’t want to discuss it any further. She raised her eyebrow and stood up.
‘Yeah…but it was ok – I just lay back and thought of you’ She strolled from the room back to the bedroom to sleep, smiling as she felt Riddick’s growl reflecting desire and frustration rumble through the skiff.