Asunder

by Tonnie Johnson

  Varick rubbed his head, beyond tired, he didn't get any sleep and now he would have to deal with his father... or not. 'Why the fuck should I go?' he thought pissed off. His feelings conflicted, she wasn't the best mother, there were times he loved her and hated her but she was still his mother. He shook Hazel hard but she wouldn't wake from her slumber. 'Great.' he thought lifting her up and carrying her to the packed van.

  It was an hour of traveling on the road when Hazel opened her eyes. The sun shined brightly in her eyes which now sported sunglasses, and the world seemed to go by in a blur.

  She wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. "How did I get these?" She pulled off the glasses.

  "It's better if you keep'em on." He said looking at her through his own pair which Hazel gifted to him. "And we're going to the airport to possibly to be turned into lab experiments. In case you're wondering where we're going."

  "Well, that's not very optimistic."

  "This coming from you?"

  "I can't be all doom and gloom. I need a bit of hope. When you leave I plan take this van and look for Luc, I know where a few of his friends stay so I can look there first, and there's always the possibility he's not in the country, if so then I'll siphon gas and head West, maybe go to Arizona or something. I'm sure if anything terrible happens there I'll still have access to electricity for ten years."

  "Is that really what you want? I don’t feel right just going off to some possible safe location while you’re still in this shit. Besides, even if everything he says is true, I don’t even know him. And something tells me I might not like him. I doubt I could handle being shacked up somewhere with him for long."

  "And if they come after---"

  They screamed as the van wobble from the weight of the heavy body, this time, armed with a thick blade Riddick sliced through the roof of the van.

  "Hold on!" Varick flipped the van off the road crashing it into a ditch. They gathered their weapons climb out the open window. The truck Riddick came from slammed hard into the flipped van causing them to dive for cover.

  Michael pressed on the brake skidding the car to a halt before he would crash into the flipped vehicle. He spotted a man and woman run off in the distance but he had no idea what sent their van tumbling out of control. The fact they could run away from that was a miracle.

  Jaggers swarmed with the long-locked hulking beast man, he charged in their direction behind knocking the lesser creatures from its path. Michael stepped on the gas, going around the van and passing the creature along with boarded up shops and piled cars. They thought they were in the clear when it leapt high and landed in front nearly tilting the car in a flip. Michael stopped the car, and they got out blasting the beast until it picked up Luc and slammed him through the glass of a nearby gun shop. Shane flung a grenade and grabbed Michael.

  "Fire in the hole!" Shane yelled, and they ran into the shop. Luc picked himself up, and they tossed racks and stands at the door hoping to stay the advance of the fiends on the other side. However, no noise from the creatures outside came near and the thumping of the monstrous man retreated. They didn't know why or how, but it was enough to make them laugh with relief. Luc slid down the counter. He panted and his limbs felt limp and he wanted to find a nice soft bed and rest, but now was not to time for that he needed to breathe, to collect his thoughts before rising to leave.

  A metal pipe smashed through the side of the shop window skidding across the dirty checkered floor. Luc, Michael and Shane stood with their guns, ready to fire on the potential threat. "Just give us one fucking second to relax." Luc ranted before he saw her, and the moment he did he lowered his weapon, the cloud which hung over him dissipated. "Hazel?!"

  "Luc!" Hazel said shocked and relieved.

  "This is him?" Varick looked the other man up and down. 'I can take him.'

  "Why are you here?" He was surprised but also angered if she had come out there looking for him. And the man with her... He was tall and intimidating and the way his sharp eyes took his measure sent him on edge. Even more so because of the hateful tattoos he openly sported. As far as he was concerned this man was a danger to her and he won't allow it.

  Varick watched the exchange between the two, he noticed that Luc was tense and angry and he didn’t like it directed at her.

  Luc continued to ask her for an answer to her presence here but Hazel was reluctant to speak.

  When she remained quiet and apprehensive he marched over to get answers from her but he didn't expect her companion to aggressively intercept pushing him hard and protectively away.

  On pure impulse, he reached for his gun, gripping it, and from his peripheral Michael and Shane raised their weapons. Varick also had his hand on his gun. The only one who didn't was Hazel who kept a mellow hand on the arm of her companion.

  "Everybody calm down." Hazel spoke with a soft tender voice addressing everyone in the room. The tension eased for a moment.

  Luc released his grip. "Where were you? What happened? I was looking all over the city for you. When they wheeled you away, I didn't know what to think, I tried to follow, but I didn't try hard enough."

  Hazel turned away unable to look him in his eyes. Luc backed away, he knew with no words needing to be said. He hated himself for his own selfishness, his eagerness to protect her had impeded being there for her. "I'm so sorry." she said. "My mom and your parents. I saw them. They killed them at the hospital."

  Luc took her in his arms in a warm embrace, happy to see her safe and with him again. He spent most of his time worried about her, thinking about her, and now having her here in his arms he didn't want to let go, but he did, taking the measure of her companion and wanting him as far away from her as possible, and he too seemed to keep his dangerous eyes fixated on him. Luc maintained focus on his sister who needed him. "No, I'm sorry." He released her. "Why are you here?" He added after a pause to emphasize his mistrust. "With him?"

  Before she could respond a loud crash spraying debris and the two-ton vehicle flew in fast. Luc reached for his sister only for her companion to grab her fast diving to the other side of the room leaving him to dodge low.

  Riddick smashed his way to the forefront and sat down a large box filled with nearly every heavy weapon collected, his one good eye darted around the room until he zeroed in on Varick.

  "What the hell is that?!" Luc exclaimed.

  "An old friend." Varick said. "Riddick this is Luc. Luc, Riddick."

  "Charmed."

  They fire their guns hitting the massive muscled flesh with a barrage of bullets that only seemed to anger him more. He charged for Varick swinging his blade in reckless abandon not giving a damn if anyone else was caught in the whirlwind. Shane jumped over the half-ruined counter grabbing a pump action shotgun and after loading it he pumped several rounds into Riddick's knees. The massive beast brought his weapon down smashing the glass cases in what was left of the shop.

  Luc delivered a solid blow with his own set of high kicks while Varick and Michael fired at every part of the enormous body. Riddick lifted Luc by the throat intending to crush one 'bug'.

  Hazel ran fast, pulling a knife from her sheathe and climbing Riddick's back she drove the blade into thick flesh until she reached the back of its neck stabbing at the hulk over and over again until he released Luc who hit on the floor gasping for air.

  Riddick pried the girl away, flinging her light body into Michael who jumped high to deliver a blow only to catch the girl and stumbled back with her in his arms.

  The arduous battle continued with each member contributing but none able to strike him down. Luc stumbled and reached into the broken case grabbing a set of connected grenades. "Get back!"

  Varick grabbed Hazel pulling her away as the others dove for cover just in time. The explosion toppled the ragged building spilling dust and debris into the street. Varick helped Hazel up and hurriedly slipped on the glasses which had fallen off her face.

  "Are you okay?" Luc coughed running over to check on Hazel's
well-being.

  "Yeah, a bit banged up but fine." She replied straightening the glasses on her face.

  Luc wanted to hug her again but thought better of it, he had to remind himself of what she thought of him, a friend, not a brother. He would have to remedy that soon, now more than ever. After all, they were all each other had at this point. "Let's get out of here."

  "We're headed to the airport." Varick said wondering if it would be best to break away from the group beforehand. The way he saw it, Hazel finally found him, her Luc, and therefore their journey would end here, better if he ended it now and walk away.

  "Why?" Michael asked curious. "There are no flights carrying civvies out of here."

  "He has family waiting for him there." Hazel explained.

  "There's enough room for all of us." Luc gestured toward the car.

  "You guys are going there too?" Hazel asked.

  "Yeah." Shane nodded. "Jonathan's in trouble. We're going to Montréal."

  "Of course, I'll help!" Hazel said eagerly.

  "No, I'm gonna contact Six and tell her to put you on a flight to Europe, we have plenty of safe houses in several cities you can use." Luc said getting in the car.

  Varick and Hazel squeezed in the back with Michael once again at the wheel and Shane planted in the passenger seat.

  The parking lot was pandemonium as hundreds of people camped out in the parking lot creating a make shift shanty town. They lit barrels to keep warm, RVs, tents, and just plain old sleeping bags were the houses of the day. The military had set up a checkpoint, removing all weapons from high profile personnel before sending them to a series of medical tents. Doctors and nurses scurried in the safe space each equipped with bio containment gear.

  "So much for parking in a lot." Michael sighed knowing the military vehicle was gonna be stolen or confiscated by the time they got back... if they returned. 'Can't think about that now.'

  They got out the car and looked at the military men and women turn hapless survivors away.

  "Think they'll let us keep our weapons." Luc asked prepared to flash his badge if needed.

  "Only one way to find out."

  Shane took a deep breath at the sight of the large plastic tubing extending from the entrance to the drive way. Several guards stood at the entrance to the plastic tubes, assault rifles in hand.

  Varick couldn't see a single way around them and he wasn't desperate enough to see this so-called father of his to subject himself to a military inspection, he pulled Hazel aside. "There's no fucking way we're going through that."

  "I know but, it's the only way in." She replied worried and wanting to keep her condition a secret from Luc for as long as possible. She could bear it if he turned on her now.

  "Hey, what's the hold up?" Michael called to the two who had lagged the most.

  Hazel and Varick watched the small lineup form near the opening and didn't like it at all.

  "Hazel?" Luc was next to call out and Hazel obliged much against Varick's prodding and the two caught up with the others.

  "You two would have to give up your weapons." Luc explained. "There's only so much Six can do."

  "Sure, though most of these are yours." Hazel placed them in the green bin the covered woman sat on the conveyor belt.

  Luc reached for the long-barreled revolver. "That's mine, thanks." He said before walking through the detector.

  "This isn't good." Varick said to Hazel under his breath.

  "I know..." She replied under her breath.

  They continued through the tubing which led to lined up medical tents. A nurse approached with a clipboard and explained to them the procedure for inspecting them of any signs of infection. Hazel knew their chances of escape was next to none should they get caught and she hated herself for complying this far and possibility getting herself and Varick killed or worst.

  A white-haired man in his fifties approached, gaunt of face and lean with a clean near immaculate blue suit on, he commanded the small space he was in as he waved them through. "They are clear to enter." He said without missing a beat.

  They all looked at the slender well-dressed gentleman; dumbfounded yet followed him anyway with a collective sigh of relief.

  "Six has that kinda pull?" Michael looked around the near empty airport once they entered.

  "Maybe." Luc shrugged. "At least we don't have to deal with an annoying inspection."

  Hazel and Varick looked to one another thanking their lucky stars at the save and followed the group inside.

  "Varick?" The man spoke with a distinct German accent.

  "I'll be over there." Hazel pointed to a row of seats where Michael, Shane, and Luc were settling in.

  "So, the creepy looking guy knew him." Luc said observing the man escorting Varick away. He didn't like the look of him and the way he could get them through unchecked bothered him. 'If it's too good to be true, it probably is.' was his motto. The man was obviously someone important or at least, he had connections to someone important, important enough to bypass protocol, and why would he want them to bypass the inspection?

  Hazel sighed, unsure of what to do or what to think. She feared that would be the last time she saw him. She tore her gaze away and cracked her knuckles. "So, when does your flight to Montréal leave?" She asked Luc.

  "It's not going anywhere until your flight is ready."

  Hazel chuckled. "This place is surrounded by military, and only certain people are allowed inside, I think I'll be fine, although you wouldn't have this hold up if I was going to save Jonathan with you."

  "Nope." Michael shook his head. "This isn't a game."

  "Six will take care of everything for you, you'll have plenty of money, you can go shopping and sightseeing. It'll be fun." Luc assured her.

  "You won't be there." She sighed.

  "I will be, after we save Jonathan."

  Varick followed the man to an empty terminal where a tall blonde-haired woman dressed in a white flashy suit waited. And if the man wasn't the enough, the woman surely made him feel out of place. She flashed a smile you would see in a toothpaste commercial.

  "Mr. Reiniger. How lovely it is to meet you. My name is Veronica, and this gentleman is Hans." Her voice carried a slight German accent.

  "Yeah, so where are we going?" Varick looked around but saw no one else around. It never occurred to him until just this moment that this Hans could be his father. 'But he sure as shit ain't saying it... okay stop assuming.' He didn't know what to expect a trap or a greeting, he figured if anything went down he could take the old man and the woman if he needed to.

  "Montréal. However, this place is so inefficient. Our plane needs to be fueled before we can depart and someone else is taking up our place, but don't worry, we're pulling strings as we speak." She smiled again. "In the meantime. You are free to purchase some new clothing and anything else you would like."

  "Yes." Hans spoke up. "And I see you've brought a lovely young lady with you. Feel free to purchase her something. Veronica and I will wait and call you once we are prepared to depart, and if there is anything you need, do not hesitate to call us."

  "Okay." Varick watched them depart to the first-class lounge area before heading back, he was confused, he was expecting... something else... he didn't know.

  Luc and Hazel sat and talk, about everything, everything that happened before they reunited, she lamented about losing the sword to which Luc laughed and promised to get her a new one, even if he had to find one himself. Hazel was reluctant to reveal her infection and the small changes made to her eyes, she was afraid, did not understand what she was becoming, or whether it would be for better or worse but she didn't want to burden him, not when he would have to go out and risk his life again. She also wasn't prepared for the possible backlash. 'Would he accept me?'

  She was down, that much she couldn't hide and Luc suddenly stood and set up his laptop nearby without saying a word in response to Hazel's constant inquiry about his actions, he smiled like a Cheshire cat as he
typed something in the search. Then it donned on her what he was doing, something that always made her laugh and forget about her troubles.

  "No!" She yelled then settled into a fit of laughter.

  "Oh yeah." Luc grinned. "It's happening." he stood up once the music played to a young Lorraine Bracco's character confronting a younger Peter Dobson before he breaks out into a dance. Luc followed the moves perfectly causing Hazel to turn red faced a burst out in a fit of laughter before standing up to perform Lorraine Bracco's moves.

  ♪'Whoa Oh, give me somethin' to believe in...'♪

  The pair danced around, each move in sync and both of their faces red from embarrassment and laughter until the song ended and they ended off in a pose with an arm reaching for the sky. They laughed and hugged each other and all of her fears and doubts dissipated for a moment.

  "So how do you feel now?" Luc asked wiping his tears.

  "I wanna crawl into a hole and die now." Hazel giggled. She noticed Varick sitting down away from Michael and Shane, his brow cocked at the display of the two prancing about the lobby.

  Luc sighed. "Then it worked." Anything to dispel her blues was worth any embarrassment.

  "I'm gonna get some water." She said walking away and Varick stood to catch up with her when Michael guided him back to his seat, he was surrounded by the men and sat back in his chair waiting for the probable fallout.

  "You might wanna hang back in that seat a little while longer." Michael said not liking what he was seeing develop between Hazel and this 'young man.'

  "Varick Higgins, twenty-two years old, six-three, one hundred and seventy-five pounds. Member of Spinnen Falle an active Nazi Street gang, German for Spider Trap. Main rivals are the 12th street hoods. Mother Martha Higgins. Younger brother Steven Higgins. Address 19592 Maple Court." Luc sprouted off the background as though speaking to a criminal he already had in his sights.

  "Twenty-two years old." Michael repeated.

  "Now that's an interesting number." Shane included.