Chapter 6
“Come on, Doc said it’s time for you to wake up.” Trent nudged her in the side.
Jack groaned as she opened her eyes to the lights above her in the Med Lab. Fear and panic set in and all grogginess was left behind. She tried to move but found her hands were held to the table by the restraints. “Arrgh!! Let me out of this!!”
Trent smirked to her. “Don’t worry everything went smoothly. They already disposed of the nuisance you had.”
Jack let her head fall back against the table as she closed her eyes, she could feel her heart breaking. A few tears slipped down from her now closed eyes as turmoil raged throughout her. She felt Trent leaning over her and undoing the restraints. They have to pay. I want them to pay. I want to feel their blood on my hands, hear them beg for mercy they’ll never get. Once he freed her hands he pulled her into a sitting position, getting ready to attach a new pair of restraints. She opened her eyes and growled as she shoved him backwards with her weight. It caught him by surprise and she had him pinned against a tall cabinet, her forearm pressing into his throat.
He moved his hand towards his gun slowly. She growled at his gesture and yanked the gun from his side, flinging it across the room. Trent peered at her wide eyed now. All the humanity had drained out of Jack’s eyes, and as far as she was concerned, her soul. She didn’t care anymore, she just wanted to make them suffer for the pain they caused her. The look in her eyes was nothing but animalistic rage.
“Scared of me now?,” she spoke slowly as her other hand opened a drawer. She gave him a feral grin as she pulled a scalpel from the drawer. Trent was starting to shake and her grin widened even more. She could smell it now, … his fear. He was scared to death and she reveled in it.
She played the smooth side of the blade over his cheeks, careful not to cut him… yet. She moved her arm down slightly, leaning up to whisper in his ear, her voice a mere whisper. “You should be…,” she laughed softly as she made a slight cut on his cheek. He flinched from it but mostly from fear. She smiled at him slowly, “I think I’ll kill you slowly…,” her voice lowered a tad, “… more fun for me.”
Trent went to protest, to call out for help. Jack growled and raked the scalpel through his clothes on his side, slicing deep into the flesh then pulling the blade up quickly. Trent sucked in a breath and shuddered as he felt the blood flow down his side. Jack grinned, almost sadistically, to him, “Mmmm… I’m not even started yet ‘dear’…”
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When the doctor opened the door to the Med Lab he came to an abrupt halt. The sight before him was gruesome. Blood covered different parts of the room and Trent laid on the table face down and cut open, his innards partly on the table and floor. Blood was pooled on the table and dripping off at the foot of it. Trent himself was covered in blood and his clothes had many cuts in them.
“How nice of you to join us doctor…,” her voice was calm as she stepped from behind a row of shelves. Blood matted her hair and cheeks, an insane grin plastered on her face.
The doctor stumbled back out the door and managed to close it just before she slammed her body against it. She hissed at him as she glared through the small window on the door. It looked like Mr. Archer was right. She had completely lost it… and the body inside that room proved it. The doctor pressed the COM button on the console by the door. “Send down some men. We have a hostile in the Med Lab. We need to move her to solitary.”
It took a total of four guards to hold her down as they put restraints on her. Once her hands and legs were securely locked in them the doctor walked up to her. “You’re starting to prove uncooperative Ms. Reed.”
“You treat me like an animal I’ll act like one!,” she spit venomously back at him.
He made an unpleasant face at her. “Then we’ll cage you like one until you cool down. …Put the bit in her mouth.”
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Jack wasn’t sure how many days she’d been left in that room. Her hands were held by restraints that fell from the ceiling and her feet were chained to the floor, leaving her immobile. The bit had worn the skin at the corners of her mouth raw. The time she’d spent in the room so far had shown her that there was a beast in every human. And she learned how a monster could be made, from the numerous beatings she was given by various guards. Each paying her back for killing Trent.
She couldn’t remember when she’d last had a sane thought. The only thing that filled her mind was vengeance and rage. They’d provoked a dangerous animal when they took her baby. She knew now that she wouldn’t let them take the last person here that meant something to her… her kitty-cat… her Sil.
Oh no… you boys won’t her. Once a mother cat’s been provoked,
a fight to the death is sure to come soon enough. I just have to bide my
time… wait and watch… observe my prey… learn their weaknesses…
then silently, like the noble hunter… go in for the kill.
Chapter 7
It had been nearly a year since Jack was first brought to Slam. She’d also killed and injured numerous guards who looked at Sil wrong or tried to touch her. All her sessions with the “good” doctor had ironically benefited her.
All the gene splicing had increased her senses. Though during the middle months she nearly went crazy from the increase in all her senses at once. Colors faded to only faint hints in black, gray, and white. But her favorite thing was being able to see in the darkness and have her eyes adjust automatically to various levels of light. She’d never be blinded that way.
She’d neglected though to tell the doctor about her newest discovery. It seemed she was getting some rather sharp canines. All the better to tear out someone’s throat. She also noticed her nails curving slightly into points on both her hands and feet. It hurt when she put shoes on so now she just discarded them under her cot. She looked to Sil who was sleeping soundly. She listened to her deep, slow breathing and the slow beating of Sil’s heart. Jack smiled down her faintly, looking out for Sil kept whatever humanity Jack had left, if any, intact.
Jack shifted her gaze to the cell door as slight curls brushed over her shoulders. Her hair had grown out quite a bit. She’d gotten the doctor to cut it back to her shoulders once but now it fell to her shoulders from its ponytail. Jack figured it must be one of the side effects of the experiment. She was glad when he stopped the gene splicing sessions so he could monitor her adjustment to her new senses.
Her pale lips pulled back into a dark smirk as she crept silently to the front of the cell. She’d found that she’d become amazingly agile and limber… like a cat. And oddly enough to her fascination the doctor had told her that some of her genes were spliced with a predatory cat. He never would tell her which ones though. But when he’d told her the keyword ‘some’ she knew just how much of an experiment she was. Nothin’ but a guinea pig.
But today was, as the doctor had put it, the day they’d see what she was really capable of. Today she was getting thrown in the Pit with twenty-five murderers who, each, were promised freedom and a full pardon if they brought them her head. Jack knew how bogus a deal like that was. If by some off twist of fate she was killed, she knew her killer would more than likely be terminated than freed. Desperate people do desperate things.
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Nova sighed as she watched the newest member of their crew check their course. In two days they would reach Lison 2. Then her stepfather and Riddick would go round up Mike Ceit, the relief warden being sent in. It had taken them about four months to crack the new scrambled codes before they could figure out where her stepsister was.
Damn he’s fine… Nova nibbled on her lip a bit as she drifted into thought. The whole time he’d been aboard he’d been quiet and sad. Nova thought it was because he was lonely. And to Brian, her ex’s, disapproval she’d offered to share his bed more than once. Every time though he refused her and told her she was barking up the wrong tree. None of that stopped Nova though. She was going to find a way to make that man hers.
“See somethin’ interesting?,” came the deep voice that made Nova want to drool.
Nova snapped from her thoughts as she looked at Riddick who had turned around to face her. She smiled charmingly at him. “Course I do.”
Riddick smirked a bit at her. She was older than Jacklyn was and he could tell she never hid her interest in him. He’d told her before he wasn’t interested but it seemed the girl wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Then you better clear your mind and get focused. I don’t want *anyone* screwing up this chance.,” his tone was stern and calm.
Nova flushed a bit, her cheeks reddening. Riddick just grinned to her faintly. He found it amusing how easily he could push her buttons and make her angry. Nova gave him a glare and shifted her gaze down to her console. When she did happen to glance up there was Riddick standing in front of the console. He leaned over it slowly, resting his hands atop it. Nova’s breath caught in her throat and she couldn’t make her move even if she had wanted to.
“Jacklyn means a lot to me. She’s helped me in more ways than one. If anyone screws this up for me… I’ll kill ‘em.,” his silver blue eyes burned into her green ones as she sank back into her chair.
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The test had gone well, at least in Jack’s opinion. She’d come back bloodied and carrying twenty-five scalps for them. She’d also handed over the knife she had scalped her victims with. She was taken to the Med Lab and cleaned up, then ushered into a conference room. She was chained to a metal chair that was bolted to the floor. At least they were learning.
The door opened and Jack shifted her gaze to it. In walked Military and GOV personal. She quirked an eyebrow as they were all seated. Then in he came…, the blue eyed devil, Phillip Johns. She couldn’t help but let a grin form on her lips, the points of her canines showing.
“As you can see gentlemen so fat the splicing has proven successful in boosting movement and attack speed.,” the doctor said smiling.
“Maybe so Doc, but ever stop to think before you tampered with her?” Phil scratched his cheek as he peered at the doctor. The sight of the girl now unnerved him. She looked like a wild animal. “What you did was give her an advantage over you and the men here.,” he stated bluntly, his eyes never leaving hers.
“Mr. Johns… why exactly are you here anyway?,” the doctor peered at him annoyed.
“So you don’t make a stupid mistake and decide to send her,” he pointed to Jack, “off to a warring planet where she can escape.”
Jack laughed a bit. “What do you care Johns? You’d hunt me down for the money just the same.”
The doctor looked infuriated as he peered at Phillip. But before he could tell him anything Phil broke in. “Damn right I’d hunt you down again girl. You’re nothing but a menace to society like your idol Riddick.”
All Jack could do was laugh deep and heartily. A sly grin crept across her face. “Haven’t found him yet,… have you?”
Hushed whispers flooded across the room. Phil just glared at her. She shook her head slowly. “You won’t find him. No one will…, except maybe me one day.,” she paused, “And don’t worry… I’ll visit you and be sure to pay you back for everything…”
Chapter 8
Dimitri smirked over to Riddick as he sat in the pilot’s chair. The man was intimidating but he looked awkward in the uniform. “Man you jus’ dun know strange ya look.”
Riddick looked up to him, mirrored shades hiding his eyes. “That’s where you’re wrong.,” he smirked a bit, “Feels kinda weird to be wearing the monkey suit instead of looking at it.”
Dimitri gave a hearty laugh and shook his head. Of everyone aboard the VOXCON he got along with Riddick the best. Mainly because they had the ‘You don’t fuck with me, I don’t fuck with you’ attitude asserted between themselves. “You glad we’re getting’ yer girl back?”
Riddick looked to Dimitri with a slightly shocked look on his face. He hadn’t told or hinted to anyone that Jacklyn was ‘his’ girl. He peered into Dimitri’s black looking eyes. He thought that Jacklyn was never his girl; instead he felt it was the other way around. He was hers. He knew part of him would always belong to her, if not all of him. “That obvious?”
Dimitri smirked to him as a strand of auburn hair fell loose from his ponytail. “Only ta someone who ain’t blind. I saw tha way ya smiled when we cam up wit’ the plan.”
Riddick shook his head and laughed as he took his seat across from the door of the transport. He strapped himself in and looked to Dimitri, giving him a firm nod.
Dimitri turned around and began pulling the ship away from the dock of the space station. “Please buckle your seatbelts and make sure your trays are in their upright and locked positions. We’ll be arriving Nebula Slam 452 in under two hours.”
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Jack leaned down and whispered in Sil’s ear. “We’re gettin’ outta here kitty-cat, but you gotta do your part.”
Sil nodded silently to her and sat up on the cot, then standing up slowly. Jack looked to the front of the cell sharply. There were coming to take her for more tests but today was the day. Today was the day they were gettin’ the hell outta here. There was a transport coming with a relief warden on board. Jack moved to the front of the cell and waited, Sil hiding behind her.
The guards opened up the door and she stepped out slowly. Sil darted from behind her and took off running down the hall. The guards, as planned, diverted their attention to the escaping girl. Jack sprang into action, wrapping an arm about one guards neck, jabbing her claws into the flesh. She hissed and pulled her hand to the side in a rapid motion. Her claws tore deep gashes in the flesh of his neck, the smell of blood and death filled her nostrils. The other guard stood staring wide eyed at Jack, knowing his death was about to come. Jack grinned, she knew she’d scared him shitless, she snatched the gun from his trembling h ands and leveled it at him.
“Now… you’re gonna do what I say. Open that cell.” She gestured over to where Ren and Ash stood.
The guard moved to it slowly and keyed in the code. The door opened slowly. “Ash get the other guards gun. Ren lock this guy in the cell.,” Jack handed her the gun before moving up the hall to Sil.
They’d managed to get to the main level without being detected so far. She moved toward the Med Lab and hurried the others in before following them. She turned to see the doctor’s surprised face.
“Well, well, well… glad to see you’re so happy to see me, Doc.” She smirked at him. “Ren you wanna do the honors or should I?”
“Oh no. I can handle him.” Ren grinned to Jack then the Doc. “This is for Sil and all the others you hurt.” Ren held the trigger down as the doctor’s body shook from side to side as blood spilled through his clothes.
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Riddick drifted in his thoughts about Jacklyn. He wondered how she’d held up in the Slam. He only hoped he wouldn’t be too late to save her. She meant too much to him for him to lose her now. He couldn’t lose her. He didn’t know what would become of him if she had died or the Slam had broken her spirit. He didn’t think he’d stay who she helped make him if she was gone. He knew he wouldn’t.
If Jacklyn was dead then all the good in his life would be gone. He knew he’d snap. He’d kill again for the sake of killing, just to feel blood on his hands and see fear in the eyes. He would turn into even more of a monster than he was to start out with. He ran a hand over his scalp then put the navy hat back on his head. Hang on Jacklyn… I’m coming. Please God… let her be alive.
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Alarms were blaring throughout the Slam, lights flashing red. Jack did her best to block out the noise. Bullets clanged against the wall every so often from the hallway in front of it. Jack growled a bit to herself. They were starting to piss her off. They had to get past here to make it to the transit dock. Jack also knew if they couldn’t find a way to get across son they’d be as good as dead.
Ren looked to Jack and nudged her. “I’ll give you guys covering fire. You head for the transit and get them outta here.”
Jack blinked as she looked at Ren. She opened her mouth to protest but Ren moved in the open and began firing. Jack narrowed her eyes and yelled at the other two girls. “Move!!!”
The three ran past the open hall as Ren continued to fire. When Ash got across she stopped and turned to look back at Ren. Jack shoved her around and pushed her forward. “Keep Moving!!!!”
Jack knew Ren wouldn’t make it. And she would get the girls outta here, just like Ren asked her to. Jack could hear more gunfire then the thud as Ren fell. Jack rounded the corner and stopped. Sil and Ash were pounding on the hatch door. They gave Jack a worried look. “Move back. Stay against the wall.”
Jack slipped to the console and checked. She smirked a bit. They were a little early; the transit was just now docking. “Get ready to run in after me. Ash once we’re in hit the button to your right to close the hatch.”
Ash nodded to her slowly as they moved out from the wall a few steps. Jack stepped in front of the hatch, listening to it hiss as it slowly opened. Riddick waited impatiently behind the hatch, glancing down a moment and tugging the wrinkles out of his jacket. Jack saw the boots and got ready to slam the man back. Their leaving depended on it. The door locked into position and Jack leaped forward with a yell, slamming her weight into the man. She knocked him back into the seat behind him, her prickly nails clasping at his neck, one purposely over his jugular.
Riddick didn’t move as he felt his attacker press something against his neck. He peered through the mirrored shades at the woman above him.
“Close the hatch!!,” Jack barked to Ash as the gunfire got closer.
Riddick couldn’t believe his eyes. It was Jack. While her attention and gaze were elsewhere he turned his head to look at a stunned Dimitri. His booming voice echoed in the transit, “GO!”
Jack looked back to the man sharply, a snarl on her face. She pulled the shades off his face with her free hand. Her blue eyes met his silver-blue ones and recognition dawned on her. She let her hand drop from his neck as she stood up and moved away from him. Riddick…
Chapter 9-12