Morph

Chapter 17: Traitor

Carmine isn’t sure who’s aboard his compound, but he has an idea. Either Jack lied to him about killing Saia and Ryan or she has no idea she had a stow-away on her ship. Either way he intends of capturing who ever is roaming the station unwelcome. One way to flush them out is by doing a complete compound search. In order to this, he needs to inform all military personnel and there’s a possibility that it may reach their attention and they would flee. Nope, not the way to go. Standing in front of the command center Carmine battles with his decision.

“Orders Sir?” a cadeet interrupts his deep thoughts.

Only see one way, we’re going in, guns drawn and blazing “We have an intruder on the premises, I want a full scale alert. I want them caught unharmed” he storms out to join his fellow officers in the search for the intruder.

The loud howling of the alarms makes it hard for me to concentrate. I try not to panic as I enter the code to release Jason. Nothing. Frantically I enter the series of alphanumeric digits again. An irritating buzzard signals, letting me know the combination I entered is wrong. Impossible! Desperate, I start ing ing on the glass to wake Jason up to no avail.

“Move” Riddick says in a low husky voice. I can’t turn to look at him, I’m still typing madly at the pad.

“MOVE!” he hollers, losing his patience. Aggressively he pounds on the pad, shattering it to pieces, spark fly all around us. The glass door whooshes loudly. Riddick runs inside and effortlessly scoops Jason into his arms.

“Follow me” my voice small and nervous. We enter an adjacent room, sort of a testing laboratory. I tell Riddick to lay Jason on a metal table. Rummaging through the cabinet I wha what I’m looking for. My eyes meet Riddick’s pexed xed look. “It’s OK, it will wake him up” Riddick nods and moves to guard the door. Carefully I open the small black bottle. Quickly I sway it side to side underneath Jason’s nose. His eyes begin to flutter and I hear him moan. Riddick’s attention is back on us. Jason’s OK. My smile is wide, but inside I’m scared shit-less.

“Hey kiddo, you OK?” I ask, holding back tears. My fault, he’s going trough this because of me, my fault. He nods slowly, still drowsy from the drugs. His eyes close momentarily.

“We gotta go, Jack” Riddick says strictly. He grabs Jason and we head out down the corridors. I make a detour to the records vault.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Riddick asks, frowning.

“I’m going to get the files” he shakes his head as if to dismiss the thought. No time to argue.

“Listen to me, the launch platform is probably swarming with tarytary police. There’s no way you’ll get inside the Maddox without being noticed. I have to create a diversion for you” Riddick bites his lip and looks down at Jason. “Trust me d!” I!” I finish with a huff; he nods towards the direction we were walking. Jason tells Riddick he wants to walk and he puts him down. Riddick warns him to stay close to us.

Ducking and dodging any officers we come across, we reach the docks. One problem though. Right in our path to our home free, stands Carmine and six more officers, all heavily armed. I can hardly make out Carmine’s words.

“Find them, I want Riddick and the child brought to me alive.” He yells out his commands to them. “Anyone who disobeys my orders, I’ll shoot myself!” with that they scatter into different sections, leaving only two officers watching the docks.

Riddick slowly crouches out of sight, shiv on one hand, plasma gun in the other. Jason tugs on his arm, but Riddick doesn’t look back at him, he’s in combat mode.

“Uncle Richard?” Jason asks a little frightened. Instinctively my hand goes around his shoulders.

“Stay here, both of you” Riddick growls. Jason and I both know what that means. I turn Jason to face me, trying to spare him from witnessing the bloodbath that’s about to occur.

“Hey, you’re going home, OK? I bet your momma will be happy to see you, huh?” he smiles and gives me a tight hug. Behind him I can see the last guard go down in a bloody mess. My eyes close tight and I stand, grabbing Jason’s hand and running to Riddick. He’s wiping the blood off his shiv on what seems to be the only dry spot on the guards’ pants.

My eyes do a quick inventory of the ships on deck. The fastest, the most heavily armed, the most updated ship we need. My eyes stop at one in particular.

“That one” I say pointing at it, it has everything we need to get back to Remora.

Riddick gives it a once over, “Nice! Lets go” he says satisfied. But we don’t get very far.

“Riddick! Stop right were you are” Carmine commands and my heart goes frigid. I can see Riddick turn around and faarmiarmine and the guards. I stare at the ship I chose seconds ago. So close and yet so far. Finally I turn around. At first all I can see is Carmine’s betraying eyes.

Before I realize it I’m speaking, “You lied to me, you bastard.” Now I can feel his eyes on me.

“Looks like you lied to me also. We have a traitor among us,”sayssays looking around at ‘his’ guards. He turns his gaze on Riddick who’s looking indifferent; something he does extremely well.

Carmine grips his gun a little tighter before speaking this time. “We just keep having these complex meetings, don’t we Richard?”

Riddick cocks his head to the side “Oh, I don’t know, I’d rather call them dysfunctional family meetings. Wouldn’t you Bruce?” a slight snicker in his voice, his expression still blank.

Wow, first name basis? There’s definitely a long history between these two. I have to remind myself to ask Riddick later.

“It’s done Richard. Give yourself up and I promise the child won’t be harmed.” A part of me wants to scream at Carmine ‘You lying sonofabitch’, but something tells me this is Riddick’s game. As if he had read my mind, a sly grin appears on his face.

Scratching hild hld head with his shiv he says, “My nephew here thinks different, Bruce. Please believe me this is far from done” Jason reaches for Riddick’s hand. I catch a glimpse of fear in Carmine’ eyes.


To be continued...