Mal cursed fluidly in chinese while the rest of the crew watched him uncertainly.

"Sir—" Zoe began, but Mal held up a hand.

"So the Doc's got himself nabbed. Do we know where he's been taken?" he asked curtly.

"Sihnon has a central station for the authorities. He'll be there," Inara responded.

"It's dark," River whispered. Mal didn't have the time to pay attention to her ramblings and focused on Inara.

"Have you ever been in there?"

Inara shook her head regretfully. "No."

Mal leaned against the table, trying to think of a way out of this one. This was the last time they pulled a job in the Core.

"Sir, there's a good chance that they'll get Simon to talk," Zoe said solemnly.

Looking surprisingly lucid, River swung around to face Zoe. "No. Simon's strong. He is silent."

"Regardless of Simon's strength against any of their more brutal methods, the Alliance have resources and can use truth serums, and possibly other more advanced techniques. It may take a while, but Simon will reveal something," Book interjected.

Mal saw Jayne cast a sidelong glance at the Shepherd, but didn't comment.

"We have no way of getting in there." Zoe's voice was quiet, probably in an attempt to soften the blow for River.

"What about the underground movements?" Wash piped up. "Remember? Simon said that was how he got River out of the Academy."

Mal blinked and then allowed himself to smile, just a little. Good thing one of them had a decent memory.

"Alright. Wash and Inara, you two find some way to contact them. Kaylee I want the layout of the station. Zoe, figure out the nearest moon or asteroid or whatever that we can hide Serenity. Hao ma?"

His crew set to work, but Mal could still feel the weight of the whole gorram affair on his shoulders. It would be so easy to leave Simon to his fate. The job was finished, they had their money. So easy just to leave. If they stayed they might lose everything. But . . .

"This is going to be difficult," River murmured. Mal flinched. He hadn't realized she had stayed behind.

He offered her the ghost of a grin. "Well. Since when have we ever chosen the easy way?"

River's eyes found his, piercing through him. "Give my brother back to me," she said, lightly, like she was commenting on the weather. But behind her words was iron and fire. And Captain Malcolm Reynolds found himself slightly scared of a teenager, which was ridiculous.

"We'll get him back, River. Promise."

Something in River's gaze eased at that. "Tai hao le," she murmured, turning and drifting out of the dining area.

Mal didn't want to consider what she'd do if he broke his promise.

Simon opened his eyes. And wished he hadn't, the light was too bright, he couldn't focus, couldn't move.

"He's awake."

"Simon Tam." A face blocked some of the light, and Simon would've sighed in relief, but the man's face had an emptiness behind it. "Tell us where your sister is."

Simon dragged his eyes away from the man's face, cataloging what was going on. Restrained—Alliance, then. Job on Sihnon—he had finished his part and walked down the street until he had seen a hospital. Hesitated at the entrance—recognized and captured. Well, at least he had the whole picture, then. Though things weren't looking all that fantastic for him.

The man grabbed Simon's chin, forcing him to focus again. Simon distractedly noted the blue gloves. Two by two, hands of blue. Things were starting to make sense.

"Where is River Tam?"

Simon smirked, an expression he hardly ever used. "I dunno. Maybe you'll find her in your pigu." It was like he was channeling the Captain.

To his surprise, the man with blue gloves didn't react in anger. Instead, his gaze was calm and calculating, and Simon felt fear ripple through him.

"We shall begin with a small dosage," he said calmly.

Simon didn't say anything, just tried to read the label on the syringe. The man was quick, however, and Simon felt the slide of the needle in his arm and nothing more. He was just beginning to relax when something else pierced the back of his neck and stayed in, metal teeth biting into his skin.

It was like fire and ice, slipping through his spine, agony ripping through his nerves. The drugs must have targeted his nervous system, possibly also affecting his spinal fluid, judging by the placement of the injector.

"Tell us where your sister is."

Simon didn't even have the strength to choke out a refusal. Instead, he just whimpered with the pain and closed his eyes.

The underground group was difficult to find and even more difficult to convince. The only way they communicated was through a coded system that made it difficult to get a clear picture. And, in the end, all they could guarantee was a blackout for twenty minutes at the security location, plus some Alliance weapons that wouldn't raise any eyebrows.

Zoe tossed Jayne the load of guns. "Better get a move on," she said before running up to the bridge.

"Gorram feds aren't gonna make this easy," he muttered, handling the odd guns.

Mal laughed bitterly. "Yeah, Jayne. Tell me something I don't know."

"We going in?"

Mal glanced sidelong at him. "You coming?"

Jayne shrugged. "Might as well."

"You serious?" Mal frowned, remembering Ariel.

Jayne tried and failed to look nonchalant. "I owe the Doc for the times he's patched me up."

Sighing, Mal pulled on the Alliance uniform. "Well, don't screw up. We fail, we lose everything."

Jayne grinned, big and full of false confidence. "Let's do this thing."

They loaded into the shuttle and took off, just Mal and Jayne. At least, that was the plan.

"Tide's going out."

Jayne whirled, gaping. He and Mal exchanged glances.

"River, you can't be here," the Captain said.

She crossed her arms across her chest. "Tough."

Jayne shrugged at Mal. "I ain't babysitting her."

Mal pointed at her. "You follow our lead."

River nodded solemnly. "I'll help you find him."

"The pain will stop, if you will only answer our question," the man with blue hands murmured.

Simon forced his mouth into a grin. "No."

"Very well." Another syringe was prepared. "You will have no choice in the matter. This will ensure your cooperation."

Simon closed his eyes, praying that it wouldn't work. If he gave up River, he lost everything.

"What ship have you been traveling with?"

Absently, Simon thought of the odd movie that was centuries old, from earth-that was. He had watched it as a child, before he had wanted to be a doctor. "Millennium Falcon," he murmured.

The man frowned. "We will try an increased dosage."

There was an immediate spike in the pain. The machine on Simon's neck dug in deeper, and there was the pinch of another needle in his forearm.

Simon shuddered.

"Where is your sister?"

"Wo bu zhidao," Simon muttered, unable to get his eyes to focus anymore. When everything went dark, he figured it was just a side-effect of the drugs.

A loud bang went off, a beam of light shooting into the room, and the man was suddenly replaced by his little sister.

So they had moved on to hallucinations. Must've over-dosed him.

"Ge ge. We'll swim through the waves."

"You . . . you can't be here," Simon slurred.

Other voices confused him further. "Jayne, get him. River, keep a lookout."

The pain in his neck intensified as the small metal teeth were roughly pulled out. "Sorry, Doc," a voice muttered. Jayne's voice? Simon was really confused. And then the main needle was pulled out, the pain grew overwhelming, and Simon fell into blackness.

"What's wrong with him? Is he gonna be okay?"

"Kaylee, not now. We're gonna need a hardburn, I need you in the engine room," Mal said sharply. Kaylee wilted, backing out of the door, eyes lingering on Simon.

"Easy, put him down." Book settled Simon's head at the top of the bench while Jayne kept a hold of his feet. "Do we know what he was dosed with?"

"No," Mal said shortly. "We don't."

"Can we knock him out?" Jayne muttered. "I don't like the look of 'im."

Simon was panting, eyes rolling in his head, fingers twitching.

"Not until we know what they gave him," Book said firmly. Mal nodded in agreement.

"Unknown . . . can't give me anything. Won' help, might make it worse," Simon slurred, eyes focusing on Book.

"What's it doing to him?"

"It's got to be some kind of advanced torture," Zoe murmured. Her theory was confirmed as Simon arched off the table, a terrible choked cry ringing out.

"Gorramit, Jayne hold him still."

"Captain, we have to know what the Alliance knows. Do we need to run?" Zoe asked.

Mal exchanged a glance with her before leaning over Simon. "Hey. Doc, I need you to focus. What did you tell them?"

Simon's bloodshot eyes managed to find Mal's. "Didn' tell . . . couldn't make me. Don' know anything."

Mal sighed heavily and stood straight again. He once more looked over at Zoe, who shrugged.

"Tell Wash to push until we make it to any border moon. Once Simon's a bit more here we'll figure it out for sure."

Zoe nodded and made her way out of the med bay.

Simon's arm flapped around until it found Mal's arm. "Don't . . . don't let River see. Please."

Mal had never heard the young doctor plead before, and it was just wrong. It made him wonder if he had pled with the Alliance. "She's with Inara. It'll be all right," he said meaninglessly. Nothing was all right.

"I'll watch over him," Shepherd Book said softly. "He'll be in for a rough time."

Mal winced as Simon's head rolled, the tendons in his neck standing out from an unnatural tenseness, stained with the blood from the back of his neck. "I'll say. Also, wrap up his neck. Let me know if there's any changes, dong ma?"

Jayne was still standing at the foot of the table, awkwardly out of place. Mal took mercy on him.

"Jayne, you can go."

To his surprise, Jayne squared his shoulders and shook his head. "I'll make sure the Doc don't hurt himself."

As if to prove Jayne right, Simon suddenly screamed, an inhuman, painful sound that led to him thrashing and nearly falling off the table. Jayne and Book sprang forward, holding him down.

It took six hours for the drugs to make their treacherous paths through Simon. Mal had his hands full keeping Kaylee away, while Inara was busy with River. But the whole ship could hear Simon whenever the pain was too much and burst out of him in pained cries.

"He doesn't deserve this," Kaylee whispered, even as she focused on the engine piece in her hand.

Mal sighed, "I know."

Simon woke up. At least, he hoped he had woken up. If this was an illusion or some sick way of getting him to confess to the Alliance . . .

"Simon, you with us?" Wash was leaning against the counter, looking concerned.

"I . . . Wash?"

The pilot's mouth twisted up in a small grin. "Far as I know. Looks like the drugs are done torturing you. Should I get—"

"Simon." River was suddenly hugging him, and Simon made a small noise that was a mixture of surprise and happiness.

"River, you're okay? I mean, I thought . . . did you come in after me?"

She blinked at him. "Of course."

Wash stood. "I'll get the Captain. He wanted to talk with you."

Simon nodded distractedly, focusing on River. "You shouldn't've come in. They could've . . ."

"Shh. They didn't. And we got you." River looked at him worriedly. "You were in pain."

"Hey, doesn't matter," he murmured. "I'm fine."

"I dunno about fine, Doc. Didn't think you were gonna make it."

Simon blinked and focused on the doorway. "Captain?"

"I hate to be pushy, but we have to know, Simon. What did you tell them?" Mal moved forward to stand at Simon's right. River moved to half-crouch over Simon, seeming almost defensive.

"Nothing," Simon said. "We should be clear."

Mal frowned. "I'm serious. I'm not doubting you, but Book mentioned they might've used truth serums, and—"

"—I'm immune," Simon interrupted. For once, Simon had caught the Captain off-guard.

"How can you be immune to truth serums?"

Simon smiled faintly. "You've never wondered why I tend to run my mouth and say the wrong thing at the wrong time? I mean, a lot of that is just me, but I've been building up an endurance over the past months."

Mal paused, before crossing his arms. "Huh." Simon wasn't positive, but the Captain seemed a little impressed.

"The chances of the process of becoming immune to the drugs destroying your mental capabilities was forty percent," River whispered.

He raised an uncooperative arm and laid it heavily on her arm. "Hey, mei mei. I'm fine. And it saved us."

"I suppose we're in your debt, then," Mal said.

Simon shook his head. "It's the other way around, Captain. Always has been."

Mal gave him a unreadable look. "We ain't hanging around this area long. And we'll probably need a medic before long."

Simon nodded, blinking slowly, trying to stay awake.

"Simon . . . you did good," the Captain said, pausing at the door. "Rest."

"Thanks."

There was a relaxing quiet after he left, and Simon felt himself drifting off. Until River slapped him in the face.

"Ow! What was that for?" Simon yelped.

"You're not allowed to get kidnapped. Unless it's dinosaurs. Then that is excusable."

Simon blinked at his sister before grinning. "Promise."

A/N: Chinese words

Hao ma?-good?/affirmative?

tai hao le-great

pigu-bottom

wo bu zhidao-i don't know

ge ge-older brother

dong ma?-understand?

mei mei-little sister