CHAPTER17COC

CHAPTER 17

The rooms fetidness was a mixture of human body fluids...blood and vomit, excrement and urine.
The prosaic stench of torture found in many a place of horror.
Zar had smelled them before. Both on herself and others. It wasn’t a stink one soon forgot. Because when a person was tortured, and lived through it, they never forgot the exact moment when the body’s control was stripped away.
When the pain became too much, the bowels evacuated, the urethra opened and the stomach heaved. It was almost as if the body’s companion liquids felt they had to follow the flowing blood. And no matter how much the person tried to get their mind past the horrific agony in an attempt to control their baser physiological functions, the flesh would not cooperate. It simply let loose.
Zar knew by the smell exactly what she would find. Richard. Maybe alive or maybe dead. Maybe alive and better off dead.
She had waited concealed for almost an hour watching Miriam’s ship. Not sure if the merc had already left to try and beat some sense into the stations routing computers and personnel.
While the interminable wait dragged on, her mind drifted. Back to the last time she remembered being happy. It was the morning before Miriam had attached the vid disc to the apartment door. Before life had become a hopeless and painful drudgery. Something she just did for the sake of the kids. When it had once been filled with so much more.
Richard had come home late from long hours of searching for Toni and Leffner. She half remembered him slipping into bed with her. Curling around her sleepy, warm body. Taking for granted the feeling of being the most dear thing in the world to him. Expecting the security his body, and the strength it provided, to be there forever. Never dreaming that would be the last time they shared their bed in love.
She’d awoken as he brought her to climax. His flesh deeply imbedded in hers. The soft hair of his chest rubbing against her back. Breath heavy against her ear as his fingers fondled her woman’s heart with tenderness and purpose. Pushing against her as she sleepily arched back with pleasure. Feeling the jump of his body as he met her in that precious and rare place where only the two of them existed.
They’d lain entwined that way for long minutes. Enjoying the elementary pleasure of togetherness. Relishing the life, and love, that was theirs. Neither had said a word. It hadn’t been necessary. A simple embrace had expressed everything that needed to be communicated.
The memory had brought tears to her eyes and a restlessness to her body. Unable to sit still any longer and let the pain-filled memories lash her already bruised heart.
She’d decided Miriam had left before she got there and moved to break into The Hollerste. Walking toward the ship she had had to do some quick thinking when the mercenary had suddenly rushed out of the ship. Luckily she had kept her work uniform on and just faked checking on a pallet of goods not far from the ship. Miriam had come with in two feet of her, but obviously was too pissed to be much aware of her surroundings and the people in them. She’d passed Zar without so much as a look backwards.
Heart beating wildly at the close call, Zar had proceeded more carefully after that. Checking out her surroundings completely to make sure nothing seemed out of place or set for a trap.
Finally she’d decided it was clear and approached the main door to the ship. Using a filched dock decoder to open the portal. Holding her breath as she had stepped inside. Waiting for the telltale claxon announcing to everyone with in four floors that The Hollerste had been unlawfully breached. But thirty seconds passed and no alarm had sounded. Miriam must’ve figured that since she couldn’t get the ship off the station, no one else could either.
And the more disturbing thought. That Richard was not in danger of escaping.
Her breathing and heart rate had slowed down to a somewhat more normal state.
Until she made her way to what was obviously a cargo room.
The door opened softly onto the dimly lit room. Only one set of overheads illuminated the large chamber.
Almost immediately the stench had hit her. And she’d known.
Richard was in this pit of Hell. She’d been too late.
A small part of her screamed to run from the ship. To refuse to see what she was sure was beyond the pallets of supplies and hanging tie back ropes. Knowing there was heart tearing horror and grief under the lights the glowed so softly.
But the stronger part of her refused to run. The part of her that needed to know what her new reality was no matter the cost.
Slowly she made her way around the obstacles. Clutching tightly at the traveling bag that held some credits, food and a couple changes of clothes for her and Richard. All bought and packed hurriedly after she had parted from Audrey and Hill. Done when there was still at least a tiny hope for Richard. Back before she had inhaled this foul odor of despair.
She kept her eyes on the floor defensively. Trying to soften the visual blow.
Three feet after the last group of boxes she saw the blood. A small rivulet had snaked toward the supplies. Now it was congealing and dark. A dim part of her mind, a part that kept itself separate from the ugliness surrounding her, wondered how long it had been there before it had started to dry.
And suddenly she couldn’t NOT look anymore.
Raising her eyes, she saw him.
A whispered prayer escaped with a sob as she took in the sight before her.
PLEASE GOD! LET HIM BE DEAD!
Spread eagle on a bench, naked under the light, his hands, feet, chest and throat were restrained. Blood from around the edges of the medi-bands and chains dripped to the floor. The wounds easy to distinguish due to the deathly pallor of his skin.
Moving closer, the shallow cuts to his chest became visible. As did the angry bruises and welts marring his body from shins to sternum.
She finally focused on his face. Having delayed as long as possible. Knowing that it might retain the terror and pain of his last moments.
He was blindfolded with a thin, blood darkened, silky cloth that came off easily enough. Closing her eyes tightly, Zar counted to ten before finding the courage to look.
His eyes were blessedly closed. Almost looked at peace.
There was a bit in his mouth. Tightened to cause as much discomfort as possible. Small scabs crusted around his lips from the cuts it had inflicted.
Small streams of blood had dried on his cheek from shallow slices.
But a wide band still gleamed wetly from the side of his left eye.
Knowing she had to look, Zar’s hand shook as she reached to gently open the lid.
IT WAS GONE!!!
The eye had been cruelly dug from the socket. Leaving swollen, butchered flesh in it’s place.
Falling to her knees in anguish, Zar retched the bile that had been sitting in the back of her throat since she’d entered the room. Adding her own smells of grief and horror to the rooms miasma.
The sounds of her vomiting almost drowned out the small moan.
Astonishment ended her body’s reaction to the sight where her own willpower hadn’t been able. Shakily she wiped her mouth on her work overalls. Refusing to turn her eyes to Richard. If she looked at him, she’d have to deal with the horror of the man she loved being alive in that torturous condition.
But the moan came again. Stronger this time. She couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Unsteadily getting to her feet, she walked slowly over to him.
He was definitely alive.
And from the increasing movements of his head and torso, coming around to consciousness soon.
The Profearaben healing him even of these hideous wounds. His stubborn, and sometimes unwanted, ability to survive the unsurvivable dragging him to the surface.
Emotions warred within her. Part of her joyful that the man she loved still lived. The other part in agony over the realization that not even death could come easy to him. For a millisecond she considered putting him out of his misery right there and then. But dismissed the thought as quickly as it had come. She just wasn’t that ready to let him go.
Grabbing her bag she brought out a water canteen. Letting the water moisten and loosen the scabs around his mouth. Carefully Zar lifted his head. Disconnecting the bit cutting into his mouth. Once that was off she threw it across the room. Extending her hand slowly to touch his face.
His eyes raised at her soft touch. Revealing one shining eye and one empty and angry socket.
“Zar?”
His voice was scratchy. She suspected from the bit and the screaming he surely must’ve done when Miriam had broken him.
Not trusting her regular voice to get past the knot of tears that were lodged in her throat she whispered back, “Yeah, it’s me.”
The tears wouldn’t hold back any longer. They coursed down her face, blurring her vision. Quiet sobs slipping past her weakening control.
Unable to see clearly with just the one orb, Richard nonetheless knew what the sounds meant. He’d caused her to cry enough times to know. It wasn’t hard to imagine what made her break down this time. He had a strong idea of what he looked. The cuts, bruises and various body fluids adorning his body were bad enough. But Zar had seen those on him before and would know how to cope.
No, it was the missing shining eye that would send her over the edge into a paroxysm of crying. The site of it must be nauseating. He figured he was lucky that it didn’t really hurt that much yet. Must be the shock. Still he couldn’t stand the sound of her crying. But how could he ask her to stop when she had every right to cry.
He’d brought her world down around her head. She deserved to cry if that’s what she needed to do. Besides, he just didn’t have the energy to comfort her. It was taking all his remaining strength to put into action the plan he had. The plan that would keep her safe. Another woman was NOT going to die for him.
His eye moved around. Surveying the semi-darkness beyond the circle of light they occupied. “We still in Miriam’s ship?”
Recognizing his tactic for what is was, a silent plea for her to stop, she brushed the tears off and said, “Yeah. But don’t worry. I have her on a wild goose chase. She’ll be gone a while.”
He gave a smile and said, “That’s my smart girl.”
Looking around the cargo bay Zar asked, “Any idea where I can get something to cut those chains?”
“I felt you.”
Whipping her head back towards him at the unexpected response she frowningly asked “What?”
“In the service tunnel...with Leffner. Did you finish him?”
“No and yes. I left him there to die. It should be over by now. But what happened, it wasn’t a...I don’t know, a...it wasn’t me just imagining it? Richard, how’d...”
His eyelids closed wearily. “Let’s forget about it for now. We’ve got other things to worry about.”
Zar didn’t want to let it go. Nothing that extraordinary had ever happened to her before. She’d never felt so....connected...to another human being. Not even her daughter.
“But did it ever happen before? It’s never with me. How’d you do that?!”
Raising his lids he stared with his one remaining eye at the ceiling.
“Yeah, once before. But it’s not important now. Getting you out of here is.”
“Not important?! How can you say...”
“Zar, please. The Profearaben’s kicked in, but it still hurts like the fuck. And Miriam will be back. She has John’s instincts. She’ll smell something off sooner or later. We REALLY need to get you out of here now!”
Brought back to reality at the pain in his voice, Zar felt a flicker of shame. She’d been wandering in Enchantment Land while he continued to bleed and throb in agony.
“You’re right! Sorry. I’ll go look for some bolt cutters.” She turned away to start her search. Stopped by the sound of his voice from behind.
“Zar, hold off for a minute. Come here. Beside me.”
Walking back towards him, she looked into his battered face. It held a look she’d never seen before. Even in all the time he’d spent with her, she’d never seen him at peace. But that was exactly how he looked at that minute.
A shiver of unease skittered up her spine. Something wasn’t right here.
Kneeling down at his side she rested her hand on an uncut portion of his chest. Amazed at how warm he’d become in just a few minutes consciousness.
“You know she won’t give up till either I’m dead or in Slam.”
“It won’t matter what she does once we’re off Polaris.”
“Yeah...it will. I’d have a one in a million chance by myself. With you and the kids it’s nada. You...”
“I sent them to Imam.”
Zarifa Cholena hadn’t seen Richard Riddick speechless very often. More often than not, it was a mild sort of surprise he showed if anything at all. He was just too much of a self-control freak to let that kind of emotion give him away. But at her announcement his mouth fell open.
His reaction brought back the enormity of her actions. Sending away the two of the most precious beings in the galaxy to her.
Tears again gathered behind her eyes. Not wanting him to see her weak, she lowered her head.
“I knew that our chances were shitty. I didn’t want them to get caught in the fallout if, and or when, things went Miriam’s way.”
Richard continued to stare at her for long silent moments. Trying to digest the sacrifice she’d made to try and save him. He knew exactly how much Audrey and Hill meant to her. Growing uncomfortable as he remembered the huge sacrifice of another woman who saw him as something worth saving.
He wondered what they saw in him that made them willing to forfeit their lives and the lives of others to save him. Because he damn straight knew he wasn’t worth it. He’d told himself he’d make an attempt at a different kind of life after Carolyn’s gift so that her death at least meant something. Not because he really believed he could change into a decent human being.
He’d seen too many piss-poor excuses for human beings to know that just because a man walked the walk and talked the talk it automatically meant he was the real thing. It just meant he was a decent actor. Zar had made him want to be the real thing.
But deep down he always suspected that he never quite graduated from actor to human being. Especially when he’d let Miriam in. Would a ‘good’ man have allowed that to happen? He doubted it. That’s why he hadn’t really tried his hardest to escape Miriam when she’d come for him. He’d come far enough along the human trail to realize that he deserved most of what she was dishing out. And he’d be damned if he arrived in Slam City alive. Their little plaything back for more. Death held little power over him when it was the only other option.
The only thing he feared now was getting Zar captured or killed with him. When he first became aware of her, he’d thought he died and she was an angel. But the pain was too much for Heaven. And Zar wouldn’t be in Hell. So that meant that he was still alive. And a quick confirmation let him know that they were still in danger of Miriam. Which meant that Zar had to leave his worthless ass now. He wasn’t going to let her go down with him. That was the only thing that could make him tremble in fear. His one weakness.
But here was this woman who truly believed she loved him. Loved him so much that she was willing to give up everything she held dear in life for the CHANCE of saving his unfaithful, fake, sorry ass.
He just couldn’t fathom it. “Why?!”
Slowly raising her head she focused on his one good eye. Seeing his self-doubt in his own worth reflected back at her in his frown. Zar didn’t pretend not to understand the true meaning behind his question. He was asking why she sacrificed so much for him.
Rubbing her thumb gently over his bottom lip she smiled as she replied. “Because there was no one else to help you. Because I couldn’t let Miriam torture you like I knew she would. Because of when you stayed to fight Brenner when he caught us in that alley. Because of the kind of man you are. A good man, that fuck-up with Miriam not withstanding. A good father. A good friend. But most of all, because I love you. No matter what. I can survive without you. But I don’t think I really want to. Even if means giving up the kids.”
Slowly she lowered her lips to his. Tasting his blood and vomit. His uncertainty and self-doubt. He tasted her goodness and acceptance. Grief and fear. His lips warmed quickly under hers. And with an involuntary groan he deepened the kiss. Dueling his tongue with hers. The torture and pain fading away under the sweet flavor of one woman’s undeniable love and devotion. Her hope and faith.
Breaking contact Zar moved slightly back.
“Now, are you going to let the bitch kill me or are we getting out of here? Because remember what you once told me. That no matter where death takes me you’ll be right there at my side. Even if you have to fight God himself. I’m yours in life, death, whatever and wherever. Well it goes both ways. That means I stay here as long as you’re here. Crazy merc or no crazy merc.
So what’s it going to be?”