Chapter 4 by LongRider
Mal almost fired when Jayne strode right back out of the barn.
"Where are they?" He called to Jayne after peaking into the barn. It was empty.
"That's what I'm gonna find out." Jayne called back. Mal turned back to see Zoe calmly checking the area for anybody they missed. Not that they expected to. Good thing we were followin'. Jayne shot just about anything that moved. Mal took out his comm.
"Albatross? We're just gonna take a little longer here." He had barely finished speaking when River replied.
"Got that. Tell Jayne Officer is awake." Before Mal could ask the pilot to explain herself, Jayne was dragging the still bleeding Lieutenant out of the house by his broken nose. Mals own nose ached in sympathy at the pincer grip Jayne had on the man.
"Care to share Jayne?" Zoe asked from her sweep of the area. The Mercenary just smiled that smile of his that always made the hairs on Mal's neck stand on end. This ain't gonna be pretty.
"Going to have a little chat with this hundan in a quiet spot." Jayne twisted his grip on the squawking Lieutenant as he dragged him into the barn.
xxXxx
First Lieutenant Morgan watched as the huge man named Jayne dropped a table down in front of the chair he was tied to. When he spied the amount of blades and tools on the table he tried to jump up and run away.
The huge man just watched as he struggled against his bonds. He wasn't going anywhere. All he could do was stare into the eyes of a man who looked at him with no interest, no regard for his continued survival.
The huge man picked up the largest knife he had ever seen. He couldn't help staring at the way it gleamed in the light. He watched as it was tested for sharpness. Examined for any nicks or scratches. Nearly went cross-eyed when it was pointed at his face.
"Now that I've got your attention, I want you to think about one thing." First Lieutenant Morgan could feel muscles in his body tense as his throat suddenly went dry. He looked from the blade tip almost touching his nose to the huge man wielding it.
"Think about what this blade could do to you if I don't get the answers I want."
xxXxx
Mal was busy dragging the body of the young soldier Jayne had killed in his mad dash to the Cobb home.
He and Zoe had been clearing the house of dead bodies for the last few hours while Jayne had his "little chat" with the Commanding Officer of the now dead platoon. When Jayne hadn't come out of the barn they had moved on to moving the remaining corpses that littered the Cobb's land into a pile by the house.
The whine of a mules engine warned them of the new arrivals.
xxXxx
Sheriff Teague scratched an old scar as his deputy brought the mule to a stop outside the Cobb's place. The Alliance Commander who had contacted him had said that they were waiting for a transport ship to set down in the area and would appreciate it if he would be a good officer of the law and not come anywhere near the site until after they signalled him.
What the Commander didn't know was that Teague had a history with the Cobb's eldest son and if there was any possibility that it was Jayne Cobb they were waiting for then he wouldn't pass up the opportunity to finally get even.
Early in Teagues stint as Sheriff he had fallen foul of the Cobb's. It had started when he had been visiting all of the local families for what he dubiously called "campaign contributions". Everybody had paid for the protection he provided.
Everybody but the Cobbs.
Expecting to find a poor, contrite family who were impressed and awed by his power and position. Sheriff Teague had had the fright of his life when a gorram GIANT of a boy had gleefully hoisted him up by his ears, forcing him to stand on tip-toe, so that the man of the house could explain that the Cobb's didn't need no protection and that this would be the only time he would get a free pass for his lousy manners.
Humiliated and with ears stinging, Teague had come back with his deputies to teach one Mr. Eli Cobb who was boss on this planet.
And again the gorram Cobb men had sent him back humiliated.
To this day Teague could not sit comfortably. All because one Jayne Cobb had shot him in the ass, the bullet going through and through each cheek. Teague scratched one of the four scars again as his only remaining deputy followed him onto the farm.
It didn't take long to find the Cobb's eldest. Teague spotted him leaving the barn. How he had dreamed of this day! He would arrest him, take him to the jail and if Jayne Cobb was shot in a foolhardy escape attempt? Well that was his own fault for going against the law.
"JAYNE COBB! YOU ARE HEREBY BOUND BY LAW . . ." But before Teague could draw his gun an explosion of pain flared from between his legs.
Looking down he saw the splash of red oozing out of his inner thigh, he looked up to stare at the business end of Cobb's smoking gun.
"Walk away Teague! Or the next one'll take off your man parts!" Said parts had gone incredibly cold and Teague felt now would be a good time to leave.
Unfortunately for Teague, his one and only deputy, who had never been a smart man, made a sudden move.
xxXxx
"Two more for the pile sir?" Zoe asked as Jayne holstered Boo. Mal, too stunned to speak, simply nodded.
He and Zoe moved towards the latest addition to Jayne's body count while the man in question marched back to Serenity.
xxXxx
River had been waiting for Jayne to come back to his bunk. She needed to have this conversation in private. She could only pick up bits and pieces from Jayne and those bits and pieces put together a frightening picture.
"What ya doin' in my bunk?" Jayne asked when he spotted her sitting on his bed.
"Need to know." She replied, hoping against hope she was wrong.
"Family ain't here." Was all Jayne offered, before pulling out a box from under his bed. For once River actively tried to read him. But instead of finding the information she needed, she found an impenetrable wall. As if sensing her attempt, Jayne eyed her warily, as if sizing her up for the first time.
"Made you an offer, said he could insure their safety if you gave them the Girl." Rivers eyes burned holes in his back as he moved around his bunk, refusing to look at her.
"They got my family." River angrily pulled open a draw and yanked out the orange and yellow hat Jayne's mother had sent him months ago. Close to tears, she yelled.
"Family would never ask this!" Jayne just shrugged.
"Family would not approve!" The tears were now falling.
"Maybe." Jayne finally looked at the Girl holding his hat.
"Rules! Can't do this! You made a promise!" Jayne silenced her with a look.
"Ain't got a choice." Jayne stayed out of Rivers reach. Wincing when she screamed at him.
"BLUE HANDS JAYNE! NEVER TRUST! BLUE HANDS DESTROY ALL THEY TOUCH!" When Jayne pulled out a huge duffle bag, River caught a sliver of his thoughts. When he noticed her eyes widen, Jayne knew he had been read.
River scrambled off the bed, leaping lithely into a kick aimed for Jaynes head.
"Eta kooram nah smech!" Jayne spoke the words with practised ease.
And caught a boneless River before she crashed to the deck.
xxXxx
The next time Mal spotted Jayne, he was carrying a huge duffle bag, no doubt full of gear, to the barn. Guess he's getting really creative with that purple-belly.
Mal had thought his Merc had gotten all there was to know out of the Alliance Officer. So when Jayne pushed the Lieutenant out of the barn and started for the field, Mal had to know why.
"Jayne, there a reason why you're takin' him for a walk?" Jayne didn't break stride as he answered.
"Alliance boat is pickin' us up in ten." Mal's bark of surprise escaped his mouth without his consent. By reflex he reached for his gun.
Jayne had always been faster.
The bullet he fired caught Mal's thigh just above his holster. Mal had one brief moment of shocked thought. So today's the interesting day. Before his leg buckled and he crashed to the dirt. He'd always known Jayne would be pointing a gun at him someday. He'd kinda hoped to die of old age first.
"So, you gonna kill me now?" Mal managed to snarl, it was two parts hurt, one part anger.
With his gun aimed at his Captain, Jayne growled.
"Don't follow me."
Mal watched the best tracker he'd ever known disappear into the fields. Silently vowing to shoot the big idiot if they ever met again.
It wasn't until Zoe dragged him back to Serenity for some of Simon's fancy stitchin' that they noticed it wasn't just Jayne who was gone.