Seeing the obvious sign of intrusion, Riddick hurriedly moved closer to the all leading up to his unit. Without hesitation, he also took out the knife he had taken from his senile and kept it ready.
Then, with cautioned steps, Riddick slowly began to creep closer his unit. Upon reaching the entrance, he took out a slender looking smart phone and used it’s camera to peek into the room.
‘The doorway is clear.’ As Riddick confirmed this, he sneakily opened his door wider and quietly made his way inside.
Once inside, he immediately scanned around for any signs of intrusion but couldn’t spot any. After the incident regarding the explosion in the streets, Riddick was especially on edge.
A part of him didn’t even want to go further into apartment because of potential risks. After all, if he really was the target of the attack in the street earlier, then who was to say that his home wasn’t bugged or rigged to explode.
However, before he could decide on a course of action to take, he looked toward his shoe rack and noticed a set of shoes that weren’t there before, neatly tucked away.
Still cautious, he inched closer to the shoe rack and examined the shoes briefly. At the soles of both shoes, he found the initials N.S neatly carved into the material and his expression changed from concern to irritation.
With furrowed brows, he dropped the shoes nonchalantly on the floor and walked into his unit’s living area/kitchen. There he found a man seated comfortably on a lone sofa watching a holographic projected TV.
Although Riddick’s apartment looked better on the inside, the man present still looked completely out of place. He possessed an incredible stature, far more imposing than even Riddick’s.
Immediately Riddick entered, the man’s steely blue eyed gaze on him… but it lacked all hostility. Rather, it was better to say it looked oddly joyous, like a friendly polar bear.
This strange similarity was only further supported by the man’s long white hair, tied into an oddly fitting ponytail that accentuated his full beard of same color. *Haha* “There he is, look how big you got.”
The man immediately showed a wide smile and stood up to greet Riddick with wide arms. Riddick however didn’t share the same level of excitement, looking as nonchalant as he did when he woke up.
“That tends to happen when you don’t see someone for nearly 3 years Nikolai. Especially after leaving without a word.” Riddick shook his head and just sighed before taking off his jacket and tossing it on a nearby coat rack.
He then just entered the kitchen area and began washing his hands. At that time, Nikolai lowered his hands and also sighed in response, although he still bore a wide smile and showed an expression that looked genuinely happy to see Riddick.
“I’m not good with goodbyes little comrade, *sigh* you must really be upset if you’re calling me by my full name. C’mon, you know I wouldn’t just vanish without a good reason.” Nikolai pleaded, approaching the kitchen area and leaning against a nearby wall.
Riddick’s expression didn’t change as he gave a side glance at Riddick and responded, “I know, which is why after 5 months I just assumed you were dead. I even had to look into all your ex-wives in case one of them
“Flashed?”
“That’s what people my age in this area use for slang instead of kill. You pick up a few things after having to adapt to area for that long.”
“Hmm, all my ex-wives?”
“All of them,” Riddick promptly, as if to add emphasis to that particular.
Even Nikolai looked a bit shocked by that revelation, but soon showed a look of excitement again. “That must’ve taken you a while, it’s a long list. Oh! That’s right, does Delarosa still talk about me or mention my name?”
“She does?”
“Really?”
“Yea, in about 7 incantations and 4 curses each day. Just what did you do?” Riddick finished washing his hands and just looked at Nikolai with his head slightly tilted.
“Goes to show that women just can’t live without me. Besides, you don’t really believe in that whole mystical sophistry right?” Nikolai completely shrugged off the question and the seriousness Riddick posed in his question.
Riddick however didn’t seem bothered by it, as if it were something he was used to and even expected from Nikolai.
“I didn’t until seeing her and her goat.”
“You saw Cristiano Messi II?” Nikolai questioned in disbelief.
“What? No, an actual goat. It could walk on two legs and speak Latin.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t just a drunk alien immigrant? Those fellas get up to some weird things down south.”
Riddick just shook his head helplessly and reached for cabinet, reaching for a box of cereal to prepare himself a bow. “If you say so. By the way, you owe me 40,000 credits for your funeral.”
“Wha- Oh” Before Nikolai could show perplexity, the holographic TV began playing footage from a funeral.
Nikolai showed a touched smile for a moment but soon narrowed his eyes and frowned. “Wait, why’s Jim there?”
“Isn’t he your best and longest informant?”
“Who cares, he’s always been jealous that I look like greek god despite being the same age as him. I always told the asshole back in the day when he showed off his technomancy ability. No wonder he looked like a ghost when I went to see him.” Nikolai just shook his head before realizing Riddick hadn’t gesture the TV to show the footage.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
“Wait a minute, have you-.”
“I still don’t have any powers Nik. Zoe must’ve just misheard a command, my smart-watch is damaged.”
“Damaged? Did you get into a contract this early in the morning?”
“No, just a pop-up bounty that nearly killed me.”
Nikolai let out a chuckle despite the obvious seriousness of Riddick’s words. “Looks like you and I have some stories to share little comrade.”
Riddick showed a helpless smile and turned for the fridge. “I’ll get some drinks.”
However, before Riddick could do just that, Nikolai stopped him and pointed at a large paper bag on the couch.
“Don’t worry little comrade, I brought Vodka, milk and cookies.”
----------------------------------------
It was now just a little over 10:43 a.m and the odd duo of Riddick and Nikolai were still chatting.
Riddick sat in a slumped manner, almost as if he was about to sleep on the sofa.
In contrast, Nikolai sat upright and spoke energetically, going as far as to gesture his hands to emphasize certain things.
“And just when he thought he had me, I cut the rope and let him drop into the Volcano before taking off with his wife.”
“So all this time you’ve been gone, you were just hunting down some people and fighting with a mega black market organization? Just what did they do to you to make you go that far?” Riddick asked curiously, though his expression remained nonchalant.
At that point, Nikolai’s big and wide smile faded and he looked quite defeated.
He let out a sigh and reached into his pocket before taking out a tiny pendant, one that clearly looked like it was on a collar.
“They killed Juan.”
Hearing the familiar name, Riddick also showed some flicker of sadness in his eyes, but his tone and posture didn’t change. “I’m surprised you went that far for a dog. But that’s probably not how you saw it I suppose.”
Nikolai put away the pendant and gave a slight nod before showing a smile again. “You’d need to experience it yourself to understand little comrade. But I’m glad to see your unfiltered honesty remains.” *Haha*
Riddick gave a slight shrug to the remark and showed a small smile in the corner of his mouth. “I don’t see myself as a pet person Nik. It’s hard enough taking care of myself.”
“In this economy? You’re damn right *spit*, I knew I should’ve invested in those weird sex A.I startups when they popped up.” Nikolai showed a look of mild regret as he agreed with Riddick’s words.
At this time, Riddick glanced at his damaged smart watch and saw that the time was nearing 11.
His eyes glanced in Nikolai’s direction as he sat upright.
“So, now that you’re retired, what do you plan on doing?” Riddick asked, a certain seriousness marking his expression, like this was what he truly wanted to know.
Nikolai also took a moment to adjust his posture before crossing his arms.
“Look Riddick, I know you said you only want to be CK until a reputable agency takes you in but… c’mon, it has been nearly 3 years. You’ve passed the best recruitment age for the agencies, that already tells any employer you apply to that you’re considered below average in the industry.” Nikolai revealed honestly, sounded a bit angry himself at the unfairness of the situation.
Hearing those words, Riddick was reminded of his reality as failed eclipse experiment. He didn’t argue, as he knew Nikolai’s words were spot on.
But a part of him didn’t want to relent, to admit that he really couldn’t make it as a superhuman powerhouse.
Nikolai then continued, “look, I’ve trained you myself and I can tell you there’s very few people as talented as you are little comrade. If the world cannot see that then you owe them nothing! Trust me, in this world, the only happiness that should matter is your own!”
As Nikolai emphasized this point, he reached out his hand and gave Riddick a strong pat on the shoulder.
After hearing about Riddick’s time while he’d been away, Nikolai truly couldn’t help but feel this way, as he had for some time now due to his own experiences.
But if experiences and passing them on was all it took to progress, humanity would have become a truly peaceful and fair race.
But humans are flawed, and the desire to try something, even if bad, shall always exist.
This was especially true for young and ambitious minds. Only when they tasted failure and adversity for themselves, would they understand the true nature of the world.
Despite being so young, Riddick had come to understand a harsh and cold truth about the world… and its unfairness.
It often led to him muddling through life just surviving. Hoping to achieve that one greatest desire, only to be denied even the chance to try.
At this moment, Riddick’s eyes flashed with some resentment and pent up anger.
Nikolai was ready to hear a casual remark on the matter from Riddick, as he had before. But this time, Riddick just looked at his damaged smart watch and then the small apartment he lived in.
“Maybe you’re right.” He muttered distantly, as if his thoughts were focused entirely on something else.
Nikolai gave Riddick another tap on the shoulder and spoke firmly.
“Look Riddick, I’ve lived a fulfilling life and made great memories as a CK. It does not define who you are and I’m not saying it will. But it atleast gives you opportunities no other path can in this day and age.”
Riddick turned his head and looked at Nikolai before gesturing that he look around.
“If I was any good as a CK, I’d have been atleast in a better place, don’t you think?”
To this pinch of sarcasm, Nikolai just laughed and gave Riddick and even harder tap on the shoulder as a wide grin appeared on his face.
“That’s why I’m here, I want to leave you my heritage as a CK.”
Hearing Nikolai’s seemingly straightforward statement, Riddick showed a look of genuine surprise, although brief.
“You want me to become Overwatch? Shouldn’t that be something that falls to Adessa?”
Nikolai promptly shook his head at Riddick’s question.
“No, a CK’s heritage represents everything that I stand for. As Overwatch, I believed only in fulfilling my own happiness and needs, no matter how my actions affected others. Adessa may be my blood, but she chose her own path, simple as that. You though, you’re walking down the same one as mine but with help… from a friend who wants to see you find your own happiness as well.”
Riddick couldn’t help but feel inwardly moved, despite his lack of a grand expression of emotion.
Nikolai had helped him when he had nothing to gain in return many times before. And he was doing so again, expecting nothing but to see his young friend find happiness.
As he thought about this life changing offer, he remembered something.
“Give me until midnight to give you answer.” Riddick thought to himself for a moment before giving this response and standing up from the sofa.
For people pursuing their dreams or goals, it was never easy to give up. Although commonly neglected, it was something you could see in our everyday lives.
You, on one perspective, could see someone with terrible talent in a certain field and think they will never logically make it.
But in that person’s view, they are so consumed by their dream, that they fail to see the harsh reality of life.
Riddick had found himself at this juncture. A juncture where most wouldn’t see any meaning in living anymore.
At this juncture, Riddick felt only emptiness, hence the desire to ponder deeply on it.
Nikolai didn’t say anything more to convince Riddick and just nodded in satisfaction.
“Alright. I’ll be in the city until tomorrow so feel free to contact me on this temporary contact.” Nikolai reached into one pocket and took out a slim card.
Riddick accepted it without inconvenience and tucked it into his pocket. As he did this, he also brought out the knife he had picked from his attacker and showed it to Nikolai.
“By the way, does this look familiar to you? It almost got me killed today.”
Nikolai casually lifted the knife from Riddick’s palm and examined it from different angles.
“Well it’s definitely a cult but I’m not sure which one. Most likely just another rising extremist group against the Church Of The Machine God. They’ve popping up in droves ever since that religious summit in Val Nish City. I’ll check it out just in case, at least it will keep me busy.”
Nikolai tucked away the knife into his pocket and decided to show himself out.
The duo exchanged light nods and parted ways there, Riddick remaining alone in his apartment.
However this silence didn’t last as a glitchy Zoe suddenly reported, “*kssh* Reminder Riddick, *kssh* you marked meeting with Specs at 12:00pm important. You have less than one hour until the meeting time.”