Morph

Chapter 28: Meeting his maker.


Nate purses his lips and snaps his teeth. “Too bad. I was hoping I got too see their faces before they died. Guess watching the fireworks will have to do” Riddick hardly waits for him to finish, he’s pouncing on him before Nate can blink. His guards hear the commotion and come running to his side, but Jack and Deacon quickly have them surrounded and disarmed before they can react.

“You motherfucker!” Riddick growls. Riddick deliberates on using his powers on Nate, but thinks better of it; he’d be ready for that.

“You didn’t think I’d come unprepared, did you?” Nate snarls with mockery. “After all remember how that ended up the last time don’t ya Rid? Not so good for you, but it worked for me” Nate is holding the detonator for the bomb that he planted aboard the ship hours earlier. Too close to the ship; Riddick can’t take a chance.

“You set me up. I never intended to kill any of those people and you know it” Riddick begins to relax his muscles, the more in control he is of his body the better he can anticipate his opponents moves.

“Yeah, well what better way to catch the notorious Richard B. Riddick than to use his own powers against him? Shit, that was genius if I do say so my self” Nate is stalling that much is clear to Riddick, but for what?

“There were woman and children in that base, you sick bastard” Riddick recalls the day.

Six month after Riddick arrived in Kyiebu and met his twin brother Ryan, Alliance troops had invaded the planet. In an attempt to save his family Ryan had been murdered. Although Riddick never had been close with his brother, someway, somehow he knew the only reason they’d killed him was because he WAS Riddick’s brother; now it was onalonal. Riddick decided to take out the head of the Federation; Nate Jordan. After weeks of chasing and running, he’d finally cornered him inside a small base camp in on of Sigma 3’s moons. Riddick used his telekinetic abilities to set the place on fire. Only to find out later, the only inhabitants of the place were locals, many of which had been women and children.

“All of which were casualties of war, Riddick. Can’t you see? Take Jason for instance, his abilities are undermined by his incapability to control and/or understand them. I am willing to change that. I’ll train him, like I trained, you. I’ll teach him like I taught you.”

Riddick is inching closer to him. Riddick is overwhelmed with Nate fear. He holds in a smile that threatens to escape him, at least that’s a card he has up his sleeve. Better get this over quick. Jack remains patient, her time would come soon. All those years on the run with Riddick has taught her one thing, Riddick will let her know when to strike.

“So you came here to ghost me. Not a wise decision. Do you have any idea thingsings I could do to you by just standing exactly where I am now?” Riddick pauses to read the reaction on Nate’s face. He’s definitely reconsidering his actions. Riddick’s past gives him a lot of credibility.

“Yes indeed Riddick, but you won’t and I’ll tell you why. You live for the kill Riddick, if you can’t hunt and kill your pray with your own hands, it isn’t as satisfying is it?” Nate accuses watching Riddick’s glare, “And do you know how I know this Riddick? Because that’s how I designed you. Pure animal instinct, but better than that, the perfect killing machine.”

Riddick know’s he’s right, he can take Nate down right now, make him weak and vulnerable enough so he can pounce on him, but that won’t be gratifying enough. Jack sees Riddick battling with is decision and wants to call for him, but he calls to her first, using his mind he tells her that this is part of his plan.

“You saying you’ll fight me?” Riddick asks Nate, intrigued.

“That’s what I’m saying. No weapons, no mind tricks” Nate puts down the detonator and shotgun. Riddick pulls out his shiv and places it on the ground then kicks it away.

Both men begin to circle each other, both aware of the other’s combat skills. Nate waits for Riddick’ first move which comes as fast as lightning. Riddick punches him square in the jaw and Nate hardly even saw it coming. Nate stumbles back a little, but regains his footing quickly he knows he can’t be caught of guard with Riddick. Once again Riddick strikes and Nate tries to move out of the way but he’s too slow for Riddick’s kick to his rib. Nate doubles over and stumbles sideways, he recuperates quickly and goes back to circling Riddick. Nate knows that Riddick could have kept his assault and not given him a chance to recover, but he’s toying with him. Nate takes a swing at Riddick but hits nothing but air as he staggers towards the ship. Riddick hits him hard behind his neck, causing Nate to go sprawling to the floor. Riddick picks him up and begins pounding him relentlessly. Nate manages to slip away and put some distance between them. Slowly Nate reaches in the back of his pants, retrieving a blade. Jack sees the weapon, but can’t warn him fast enough. Riddick pounces once more, Nate swings the blade cutting Riddick’s arm. Without flinching Riddick looks at the blood gushing from his arm.

“Now why would you do that?” Riddick asks mordantly. Right before Nate’s eyes, Riddick’s wound begins to close; no more blood. Nate lets out a nervous laugh.

“You actually Morphed. It worked!” he actually sounds pleased. Riddick wonders what the hell he’s talking about, but he’s too angry to care. Riddick grabs Nate’s right arm and snaps the bone making an awful cracking sound, the blade falls to the ground and Riddick kicks it away to a safe distance. Howling with pain Nate falls to the ground holding the exposed bone in his arm. Jack winces and looks away.

“Isn’t this ironic Nate? That you die by the hands of your own creation.” Riddick moves behind Nate, out of his view. Nate knows he’s about to be ghost, but before that happens, Riddick must know.

“You are the first and last of your kind Riddick. Do you even know what you are?” he looks around him but can’t see Riddick, “You’re immortal... That’s right Riddick, you will never taste death, because that’s how I chose it. Before it’s all over Riddick you will morph into an indestructible, unstoppable, bloodthirsty killing machine. The thirst already started, didn’t it?” Nate asks squirming in pain. Riddick frowns, knowing what Nate is talking about. Jack and Deacon however remain clueless. “Let me guess, you’re losing control of it. How can you protect the ones you love from yourself Riddick? You can’t” Riddick can’t hear anymore, he chooses not to. Riddick throws is head back in laughter and moves in closer to Nate from behind, whispering in his ear.

“That’s were you’re wrong boss. I can and will protect them at all costs, even if I have to take myself out. I’ve wanted to meet my maker for a long time” Nate turns his head and stares into Riddick’s hatred filled eyes, seeing himself. “Now that I’ve met him, its time for you to meet yours” Riddick grips Nates head and snaps his neck.

The guards soon are on the ground motionless and Saia comes out from hiding. Riddick give a scolding look, she gives Riddick a sad smile. Jason comes out from hiding, he didn’t see what happened, but knows. Deacon heads inside the ship and locates the bomb, he takes outside and disarms it. Riddick tells Deacon to prep the hip and for Saia and Jason to wait for them inside. Jack moves closer to Riddick, unsure of what to say after everything Nate said.

“If what he said is true...” Jack places her finger on his lips.

“Let’s not do this now, OK?” he nods, but before they can board the ship Riddick begins to laugh like a maniac. Jack looks at him like he’s gone crazy.

“What in the hell are you laughing about?” Jack asks with her hands on her hips.

“We can’t leave” Jack gets a feeling of Dejavu.

“And why the fuck not?” she asks curiously.

“There’s someone here to see us ” he says pointing behind Jack as she turns around and stares wide eyed at their visitors.


To be continued...