Chapter Five

The ambulance driver had not been impressed when Casteel had told him where she wanted to go.

Did she know that he was not a taxi-driver? he had said.

Of course she did.

Did she know that her friend might not last such a long trip?

"Did you know I'm a Merc? she said, her eyes drilling into his through the rear-view mirror. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Casteel took advantage of his unease. "Do you know what I'll do to you if you don't take me where I want to go?" she asked, her voice laced with menace.

She watched him swallow nervously. Watched his gaze wander over to the bloodied, still body of the girl on the stretcher. Sweat was beginning to form on his forehead. He looked at Casteel and then back at the girl.

"Is she dangerous?" he said.

Casteel laughed, a dry, cold laugh, "the girl?" she said, "hell no. It's me you should be worried about. Falstone Private Hospital. Now."

She turned back to the girl. The medics attending her were staring now.

"You have a problem?" she asked.

"Uh, well, yeah. Yeah I do. Falstone is ten minutes from the hospital we're en route to. This girl needs urgent medical attention."

"And she'll get it," Casteel said, "at Falstone".

"Miss, in my opinion-"

"I don't recall asking for your opinion." she said, "now listen carefully, because I'm not in the habit of repeating myself." Casteel glared at the medic, "we are going to Falstone. While we are in transit, you will do your best to stabilise the girl and you won't contradict me again. Because then I would be forced to think that you are telling me how to do my job. Are you telling me how to do my job?" she said.

"No Maam." The medics replied in unison.

"Good. Now, what are you going to do while we are on our way to the hospital?" she asked.

"Stabilise the girl." they said.

"Great," Casteel said, "now we're cooking."

Riddick was beginning to wonder if the Holy Man had sent him on a wild goose chase. He had canvassed fourteen of the seventeen hotels in the city that he thought Jack might stay at. No luck. With only three remaining on his list, the odds of finding her weren't good.

He followed his now wrinkled tourist map through the seedier parts of town and into the slightly less-shabby areas. His next destination a 'comfortable budget apartment' complex, according to the brochure, anyway. Riddick knew better, but he was gambling that Jack would take the leaflet at face value. And so he was heading for the Northvilla when a man collided into him, almost knocking him to the ground.

Riddick regained his balance, but guy who had smacked into him hadn't been so lucky. He was rolling around on the ground screaming, clutching a broken and bleeding arm. Riddick didn't recall hearing any bones breaking, so he had to guess that someone else had broken it. And judging by the way that the man had been in a hurry, Riddick figured he was on the run from someone. Riddick stalked away, leaving the man moaning and crying in the street. If he was being chased by the law, Riddick did not want to be around when they swooped in.

He arrived at the Northvilla to find it surrounded by cops. *Fuck* he turned to walk away when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going buddy?" a gruff voice asked.

Riddick turned to face two officers glaring at him.

Casteel had allowed herself a few moments to relax her body and think of her game plan, when a sharp beeping noise bought her back to the now.

"She's flat-lining," one of the medics called out.

Casteel looked at the monitors that had been attached to the girl. The information on screen did not bode well for the girl.

"Gentrel Public is a minute away," the driver called through the window between the cab and the treatment area.

Casteel felt the ambulance lurch, changing direction.

"Falstone Private. Do not go to the public facility." she shouted at the driver.

"Look, I'm calling the shots now. The girls gonna die-" he protested.

"Falstone Private is the only place where the girl will be safe. And you too. The sick fuck that did this will look for her and he will track you all down to find out where she is if we go to public. There's too much of a paper trail. Go to Falstone." she said, her hand finding her shiv.

"But-"

"No buts. If you value your lives you will go to Falstone. Go to public and you'll be dead by the end of the week." She looked at the medics working franticly on the girl. The monitors told her that it looked hopeless. The public hospital may save her, but at the expense of three lives was not acceptable.

She was relieved when she felt the ambulance resume its original course. She could only hope now that the girl would survive the ride.