Chapter12; Secrets Creeping In
Sam pounced on Daniel knocking him to the ground. She had straddled his mid section and had her hands wrapped around his throat, preparing to choke the life out the worthless bastard.
"Sam, I didn't come here to hurt you" he choked. She tossed her head back letting out that wicked laughter Riddick had seen the day before in her office.
"Daniel, knowing you're alive hurts me" she told him.
"Sam..." he tried to speak.
"Look Daniel. I have a fucking problem with you being here. You may enjoy coming to Matthews grave and laughing at it but I find it disgusting" she said.
"I've never laughed at Matthew or his death" the man said hoarsely.
"His death" Sam sneered. "You mean his murder" she said tightening her hands on his throat.
"Matthew wasn't murdered, he took his own life" Daniel reasoned with her.
"You gave him no other chance Daniel. When you delivered your message you sentenced him to do what he did" she said vengefully.
"I don't know what you're talking about" he said close to unconsciousness.
"Don't you dare pass out on me you weak son of a bitch" she said jabbing her knee into his side.
The man choked and sputtered. "You disgust me Daniel, so tough and mean on the outside and so gutless and worthless inside. You weren't worth the spit and dust it took to create you" she said.
In a flash his rage overtook his body bringing on a surge of power and he knocked her back. Startled by his suddenly ability Sam was stunned long enough that it gave Daniel the upper hand. He pinned her down.
"Look you snotty bitch I'm sorry your lover boy decided to end his own pitiful life, but don't you ever blame me or take it out on me. It was his own choice and the man was a coward to the end for the decision he made" he said to her.
Sam growled and writhed beneath him. Riddick was ready to bolt and slit the man from groin to throat but felt he had to wait for the right moment to make his entrance.
Daniel looked down at Sam even being restrained against her will and wearing a scowl she was still as beautiful as he remembered. Skin almost alabaster but had the glow of warm honey from the sun and heat. Hair a red flame that matched the passion and spirit inside her. Eyes the faintest shade of green and full firm lips.
Sam saw the lust in his eyes and it sickened her. Don't let him see it bothers you or he'll win she told herself. She looked at him and spoke "Tell me Daniel, does all your best work come from such evil doings?"
He looked at her with pure hate. She knew where to strike that was for sure.
"I wouldn't know what you meant by that" he stated evenly.
"Oh sure you do, you enjoy watching the rage and hate in me and you should, you created it" she said.
"I had nothing to do with what you became, and I had nothing to do with Matthew Parks suicide" he said evenly.
"Whatever it takes to help you sleep at night" she said nonchalantly.
Daniel slammed her back against the ground jarring her body. "You won't defy me again Samantha!" he screamed.
"I'll die mocking and defying you Daniel" she vowed. He struck her head sharply, the blow throwing her vision into spirals.
Riddick couldn't stand by any longer. He shot out of the forest and darted after the man. Suddenly Daniel felt himself being struck from behind knocking him off Sam. The second his weight left her body she shot away from him.
"I think you should leave the lady alone" a gravely voice spoke.
Sam and Daniel both jerked to see who the person was. Sam almost drew her breath in seeing Riddick.
"Who the fuck are you?" Daniel said standing threateningly close to the man.
"Someone who doesn't take well to a innocent woman being beaten on" Riddick said in no particular tone.
"Your the guy from the community building, the one looking for Sam's mom" he said realizing he knew the man.
"Where's your daughter? Waiting in the trees to strike in case her dear daddy gets to much on his plate no doubt" Daniel sneered.
Riddick stared hard at the man. "Sam, your mom sent me to get you. Suppers ready" he said looking at her. She just stared at him confused. "Jacks at the house with her and Dillion waiting on us" he said. Sam nodded, realizing he was backing away from the current situation. They both started walking off together.
"Hey big fella, don't you think you've got some unfinished business here?!" Daniel called after them.
Riddick turned and looked at the man. "No I don't think I do, I have what I came after" he said turning back to Sam.
"Don't think you can charm that one. She's colder than steel and a disappointment to any man who gets unlucky enough to woo her into the sack" Daniel said.
Riddicks back stiffened but Sam laid a hand on his arm. "Don't he isn't worth it" she said quietly.
"Don't tell me a man like yourself has let himself get pussy whipped by some dike" Daniel said seeing their intimate exchanged.
Riddick turned and knocked him to the ground. He turned back to walk with Sam and said "No he isn't worth it, but you are. Let's go", then started walking.
"Thanks" she said to Riddick after they'd gotten down the road a bit.
"Um why are you here" she asked?
"You left things a little to uncertain and undone for my liking" he said to her.
She nodded her head knowing she had. "But isn't it against regulations for you to travel, I mean you could be penalized or worse for breaking the rules" she said.
"I made a few calls and got a few strings pulled. I was allowed to make the trip with Jack in tow and have you continue work on my case at the facilities here" he said. She looked at him. "I spoke to your boss Louis already, everything is arranged and approved. You're still on my case and we still have work to do" he said.
She nodded again amazed at his ability and knowledge in the issue. "Thanks for coming here and thanks for what you did back there. That guy's an ass. I could have gotten it under control but I appreciate your help" she said. It was Riddicks turn to nod now. "So I guess it'll be a bit different, the work atmosphere that is, but we should be able to manage it" she said suddenly turning business like.
"Sam don't think I have become pussy whipped as your friend so kindly termed it. There's a lot left to say and I expect some answers" he told her.
She thought about it, knowing Riddick had witnessed a lot of different situations and glimpses into many avenues of her life. He did deserve answers and explanations and had His right to have them she just didn't know how to go about it. There was more to it then he could possibly know. He looked to her sensing her contemplation.
"You've had the advantage so far Sam, knowing all about me without me knowing. It's time to let me in on you and don't pull that shit about doctor patient rules and conduct, it won't fly well with me. You think you know me, but cross me woman and you'll experience things about me that no file or reports could have prepared you for" he said.
She swallowed and prepared herself on what to say.
"That's fair, but lets drop it for now ok. Let me get through dinner with my family and then I'm yours" she said. He nodded in agreement. "So where is Jack?" she asked.
"She's where I said she was, at your mothers house waiting for us. Actually she's probably still out with your brother Dillion picking wildberries. That's where they were headed when I left to take a walk" he said.
She stopped suddenly. "You've seen Dillion" she asked?
"Yes" he said aware of her sudden behavior change. What was that in her voice he heard everytime the boy was mentioned? "Interesting boy your brother is" he commented.
"Yes, he's our pride" she said softly.
"Mom I'm back" Sam said walking in the front door.
"Oh good dae, I see you ran into Mr. Bryce" she said.
"Please, like I said call me Gabe" he told her. She smiled
"Supper isn't quite done yet and the kids are still out picking wildberries. You could go try to gather them up if you like" she said walking over to the stove.
"Ok we'll be back soon then" Sam said going out the back door with Riddick following her.
"It's like trying to find a needle in haystack looking for Dillion out here sometimes" she said as they entered the forest.
"That way" Riddick said pointing to her left.
"What?" she asked.
"Jack's that way, and my guess would be so is Dillion" he stated simply walking in the appointed direction.
"How do you know Jacks that way? Did she leave signs or something?" Sam said looking around her.
Riddick turned and looked at Sam, "She's my daughter" he said as if it were an explanation.
"So what does that mean?" she said.
"It means she's my daughter and she's someplace with unaware of where she's at" he told her.
"So your instinct tells you where she's at?", she asked following him.
"Call it more of a sense, I just know where she's at, that same way some people just know when there's something wrong with their kids. Whatever is with Jack is with me" he said with emotion.
Sam pondered on it a bit. There was more to that ending comment then just knowing that Jack was on the left side of the woods. "Whatever is with Jack is with me" she ran it over and over in her mind. Whatever Jack carries he carries as well she thought. That's powerful stuff, to open yourself enough to carry the emotional load of your children as well.
"It's only fair" he said out loud startling her.
"What's only fair?" she asked him.
"That I carry what Jack does" he said. Sam stared at his back for a minute. He knew what I was thinking. Son of a bitch, how did he know what I was thinking?
"I wasn't aware you had a psychic link with people" she said. He laughed,
"I don't".
"Then how the hell did you answer a question that I hadn't asked out loud yet?" she asked him.
"Because I could read it in your expressions, I could hear it in your footsteps and I could see the way your manor changed. I learned a long time ago how to read people. It's interesting how you can find out so much from a person and have them not say a word. In my life I learned real quick, you can tell their hesitance or discomfort by their breathing. When a person lost in thought they walk differently. Just quietly observe people and its amazing what they'll tell you" he said.
"Ok answer me this. Why is it only fair you carry what Jack does?" she asked him.
He looked at her as if shocked she'd asked such a thing. "I don't see how it isn't fair for me to do that for her" he said.
"Sometimes there are some things people carry inside that no one else can understand, it's their burden alone. So why would you try to shoulder something from Jack that you don't understand?" she said.
"What's inside of Jack is inside of me, not because I shoulder it for her but because I shoulder it with her. It exists within us both" he said.
Sam started to say something when Riddick suddenly froze. She bumped into him. "Hey, what's...?" but she silenced when she saw the intent look on his face. A shudder went over her when she saw terror sweep over his face.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Jack she's in trouble" he said.
He seem to be focusing and concentrating so hard, but Sam suddenly said "In trouble what do you mean in trouble" she asked?
"She's afraid" Riddick said.
Then a rippling scream pierced through the air. Riddick was 50 paces ahead
of Sam before she'd even snapped back enough to start running. She pounded
her feet as hard as she could into the ground trying to catch up. It was
almost impossible, he swept through the trees with such speed and agility
while she struggled dodging the branches and briar patches. Then suddenly
another scream rippled through the trees, it was Dillion. She knew it was.
It was followed but what she could only think was Jacks cries. She and Riddick
both reached the clearing at the same time.
Jack was on the ground with Dillion laid in her lap. She was crying and talking to him frantically. He seemed to be dazed and choking on something.
"Dillion, Dillion what's wrong? What is it?" Sam heard as she rushed towards him. She scooped him up into her arms, Riddick was crouched next to her instantly trying to examine the boy for wounds.
"Dillion, Dillion its Sam, what's wrong?" she asked calmly pushing his hair back from his face. The choking had subsided but he seemed lost in a trance.
"He was picking berries and talking and suddenly he just started gasping and fell over, it was like he was fighting something but nothing was there. When I got over to him he was trembling and gagging" Jack said trying to calm her tears.
Riddick laid a hand on Jacks shoulder and she looked up at him not knowing what to do. They both looked to Sam. She was trying to sooth him by whispering quietly in his ear and rocking him back and forth. Suddenly he shot straight up and gasping for air. Then he let out another howling scream, he clawed at his throat and started kicking and screaming. Sam clutched him tight as his little body flailed around helplessly. Riddick was at a loss not knowing what to do.
"Fight it Dillion, fight it!" she started screaming. The boy clawed at the air while strangling sound escaped his throat. Then suddenly he stopped and fell motionless in her lap. His little body laid there lifeless and weak.
"Fight Dillion, you hear me! Listen to me! You fight it, you're in control! It's not real Dillion, it's not real!" she screamed. The little boy's body didn't respond. She grabbed his shoulders shaking him still screaming.
"Dillion it isn't real, its in your mind, you're letting them control you if you give in. You're in control, you can do this. Now fight damn it, fight!" she screamed.
Riddick walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her. She shoved him off. "Let me see him" Riddick said. She shot a wild look at him. He still reached around her cradling her and the boy in his lap.
"Jack" he said and she walked over to them. She crouched in front of them. Riddick and Jack both closed their eyes concentrating hard. Sam just looked around helplessly still trying to jolt a response from Dillion.
Suddenly Dillion started choking and rasping while trying to speak.
"Dillion, Dillion its me Sam". He started slipping away again. "No damn it, don't let them win. Fight with everything that's in you!" she screamed.
"The blood, so much blood" he rasped. Then he started clawing at his throat again choking. "I can't breathe" he gasped.
"Yes you can Dillion" she said firmly.
"The scars are healed, the wounds are closed, just breath" she said.
"No, no they aren't. You're lying!" he screamed collapsing again.
Jack gasped. Riddick opened his eyes and saw blood staining his arms and hands. It covered Sams shirt. He looked at Dillion. There was blood seeping from wounds at the boys neck and shoulders.
"No Dillion" she screamed. "No don't give up, it isn't real unless you let it be" she said to him.
The bloods flowed intensified making deep red pools around them. His eyes shot open, they were wild and blood shot and choked and gasped. He shot up lunging at Riddick.
"I'll kill you, you son of a bitch you fed me to them!" he screamed in a terrorized voice.
Chapter 13; Ghosts in my Head
Riddick was so startled by Dillions words he barely had time to react before
the boy was on him. It was a difficult situation for Riddick. He couldn't
fight
back, he knew he'd hurt the child and he knew it wasn't the child he was
fighting. There was something inside the boy that was coming after him.
"Dillion stop!" Sam screamed as Riddick moved back from the boy.
"You! You fed me to them, you let them eat me!" Dillion screamed enraged.
Sam tried to stop Dillion but he shoved her away with force. Jack too was stunned by the child's sudden threats and comments.
"Do you have any idea what it's like to be eaten alive? I thought you were
a heartless fuck before when I'd find the corpses you'd leave after visiting
somewhere, but at least you let them die quickly" Dillion screamed still
going after Riddick.
Riddick was shocked. He kept maneuvering around the child but he couldn't escape the words Dillion spoke. It was like a ghost from the dead haunting him, he'd seen this hate before in nightmares. Carolyn coming back from the dead haunting him, screaming the blame for her death to him as he thought he deserved. But this wasn't Carolyn it was something else. Riddick was too caught up in his thoughts to see what Dillion was doing, never a good sign. Letting your guard down insured a defeat. His eyes scanned for Dillion.
"NO!" he heard Jack scream.
Dillion had gone down to his knees breathing hard and choking on the blood that still flowed from his body. Sam calmed down a bit thinking he was coming down from whatever was inside him. Jack was peering at the child when she saw a wicked gleam from his eye, horrified Jack saw the boy pick a blade from his sock and unfold it. A shine glared from the corner of the knife's edge. Suddenly as Dillion started to stand looking in the direction of Riddick. Jack realized what he was going to do. As Dillions arm reared back to plummet the knife towards Riddick Jack screamed, jumping up from her previous sitting position.
"NO"!
Riddick and Sam's heads both seem to clear instantly at Jacks cry and both of their eyes locking on Dillion, but they were too late. He had drawn his arm back aiming the knife at Riddick. Then with exact precision shot the knife at him like a dart.
It was as if watching everything in slow motion and not being able to react quick enough to stop it. The second the cry had left Jacks mouth she was already scrambling towards Dillion. When he released the knife in flight Jack threw herself in it's path, blocking its destination to Riddick.
"NO"! Riddick screamed as the knife pierced into Jack and she dropped to the ground. Within seconds he was next to her taking her in his arms. Sam was next to Dillion trying to talk reason to him but he still fought her relentlessly. When Riddick had reached Jack, he saw that the knife had embedded itself in the fleshy pocket below the left shoulder socket. It's missed her heart he thought, but it was just above it. That knife was aimed to kill though, he could see that just in estimation. Jack was shorter than him and it struck above her heart, if it had made it to him it would have plunged itself directly into his.
Blood flowed freely from the sensitive flesh causing it to pool in the crook between her collarbone and neck. He knew the knife was dangerously close to her heart and probably piercing many veins or even worse, it could have pierced one of her arteries.
"Jack" he said cradling her in his arms.
She looked up at him, "I couldn't get your attention soon enough" she said softly.
"Damn it Jack, you know to never put yourself in harms way, I've taught you that" he said trying to fight against the emotions flooding his voice.
"You also taught me to protect what's mine" she said to him. He stopped fighting it and let the tears fall freely. She closed her eyes.
"No Jack, you aren't getting rid of me that easily" he said standing.
He looked towards Sam; she was trying to soothe Dillion who had started coming out of his trance. The blood stopped and the wounds on him were starting to close up.
Riddicks eye caught a wound on the boys' back though. A long stripe stretched across the back, red blood still stretching from his right shoulder down to his let hip in a clean cut. Riddick's eyes narrowed in realization, he knew that cut because he made it!
"Johns" he said under his breath and Jacks eyes fluttered open.
"What?" she rasped. Riddick looked at her,
"Hold on baby, just don't talk or move" he said.
"Sam"
She turned at the sound of Riddick's voice. It was then she saw he was holding Jack and blood was dripping from them. She paled in realization that the blood was coming from Jack and not from the blood Riddick had on his arms from when he was holding Dillion. The knife stilled poked from the girls body.
"Oh God" she whispered and scooped Dillion in her arms. Together they rushed back to the house.
When Brianna heard the front door open she turned smiling to tell them supper was ready. She gripped the counter to keep from falling from what she saw. Gabe was carrying his daughter in and a knife was shoved into her chest right near the shoulder, blood running from it. Then Sam entered the door holding Dillion both of them covered in drying blood.
"MOM!" Sam screamed, then saw her mother. "It's ok mom. Dillion is fine, it's Jack" Sam said frantically.
Quickly Brianna stripped the table of its dishes and motioned for them to lay Jack down. She was almost unconscious from the loss of blood. She moaned quietly and sweat was beading around her forehead.
"It's near her heart, that's why I didn't remove it in the woods" Riddick said as Brianna examined it.
"Samantha go lay Dillion down in my room, bring me a basin of water and towels" Brianna said. As Sam did as her mother asked Brianna was cutting Jacks shirt away from her body.