Hello and welcome to the next part of the story where we are FINALLY getting some plot back! Yay! Before we get on to the story, I'd like to say thank you to my reviewer, SeanHicks4. You had PM turned off, so I just wanted to say, again, thank you for reviewing, and it's okay if some of it was a bit out there for you. I don't mind you saying that. Just thank you for taking the time to say something! Moving on, as always, thank you to my reviewer, KatsatheGraceling for her invaluable help. Onto the story!
Kaylee sighed as she plopped down at her desk. She had come in twenty minutes before Simon and River would enter the hospital and was already tired. She pulled her cross out of her pocket and started to play with it. She had been doing it quite a bit since they had left Ana's.
"Dr. Pond? You're needed for a Ms. Reiger," the tablet informed her.
This was it. She stood from her desk and went down to the lobby. She passed very few people on the way down. She did nod to Dr. Vasquez as she passed and he gave a small wave back from where he was talking with two men she didn't recognize.
"It's just a basic psychiatric exam followed by a brain examination, routine for this patient," a nurse explained, shoving a data tablet in front of her face. "Normally one of the other doctors would handle a case like this, but the patient's records indicate that she prefers females."
"Thank you," Kaylee said amiably, taking the tablet. She scrolled through the pages, pretending to read the false information. "The poor child. It seems as if she's been suffering from these maladies for quite a while."
"Since birth, from what I can tell," the nurse agreed. "Must be hard on her family, having to pay for these sorts of appointments every few years."
"They must be managing somehow or she wouldn't be back here again," Kaylee said. She walked over to the bed where River was sitting in a hospital gown with a jumpy Simon standing next to her. His eyes wouldn't quit flashing between the other doctors and patients.
"Mr. Reiger, it is good to meet you," Kaylee said, shaking his hand. She leaned in a bit closer. "You know, you could try to look a little bit less guilty."
She leaned back again. "I'm Dr. Pond. I assume this is Ms. Reiger?"
She grinned down at River who barely acknowledged her, preferring to play with her hospital gown.
"Everything seems in order," Kaylee said, looking down at her tablet while Simon nodded, understanding her double meaning. "It should just be a basic exam and we'll get you out of here within the hour."
"Sounds good," Simon agreed, calming down know that Kaylee was near.
Gently, Kaylee helped River into a waiting wheelchair and rolled her out of the room. Once they were in an empty hallway, Kaylee began to speak.
"Any problems with admitting her?"
"No," Simon grinned. "They barely even glanced at the ID card once I told them she had been here before. God bless Ana for getting us those unused ones."
Kaylee smiled at the last miracle Ana had pulled off for them. She and Simon had been debating the best way to get River in when Ana had come up to them, offering an Alliance registration card for a village girl who had died a couple of years past. She had explained that while it was required for all births to be registered, they rarely, if ever, reported deaths. So, according to the card, this girl was still living and breathing. It just so happened that this girl also had a male cousin close in age who had been killed in a hunting accident. Ana had humbly asked the family for their ID cards. Between knowing that they were for Kaylee and her friends and their lack of need for them, the family had given them up, not even needing a promise for them to be returned.
"Here we are," Kaylee said, opening the door to the Diagnostic Ward with the specialized equipment and turning on the lights.
Simon wandered over to one of the machines and ran his hand down it, sighing. "It's been ages since I've seen tech like this."
"We don't have time for you to get freaky with med equipment, Simon," Kaylee called and he blushed fiercely. "Let's get this over with."
While Kaylee helped a quiet River into the reclined chair, Simon turned on the machine. As soon as River heard the humming sound, she immediately started squirming.
"No! No more needles," River moaned.
"No needles," Kaylee promised. She gave Simon a look. She didn't care if there actually were needles involved, but he better deny it now for River's sake.
"No needles," Simon promised. "Lie back."
River, calmed down, did as he asked. Kaylee watched in fascination as a holograph of River's internal systems appeared before them. Simon used his hands to manipulate the image until only River's brain remained, close up, so Simon could examine it easier.
"You're going to have to explain what's going on here. I may be a trained Doctor, but the last time I went to med school was fifty years ago. This is a bit out of my field," Kaylee grimaced.
"Fifty years? And they still hired you?" Simon asked, examining his sister's brain.
"Crowley likes to keep all of my fake ID's updated. They think I graduated a few years ago and partnered with an experienced doctor on Persephone before coming out here," Kaylee shrugged. "Now can you please explain?
"Do you see here?" Simon asked, zooming in on one section that was slightly discolored. "They… They opened her skull and cut into her brain."
"Why would they do that?" Kaylee asked. "She would've been healthy at the time. There is no tumor, no need to biopsy anything."
"But look," Simon said, twisting the image, showing another discolored part of River's scan before turning it again and showing a third area. "There are multiple areas of scar tissue. This wasn't just one time, this was over and over."
"My God," Kaylee gasped. "You don't think they were trying to… Dissect her or something while she was alive, do you?"
"If they knew she was a prophet, it's definitely possible they wished to figure out how she received her visions," Simon said grimly, turning the image again before pausing. He zoomed in to another part of River's brain. Kaylee could see what caught his attention. The image was so discolored it didn't look like anything was wrong since the whole area was the same. "Oh my God…"
"What's the matter?" Kaylee asked, scooting closer. "Why is that area so much worse?"
"Her amygdala is stripped."
Kaylee's mind reeled. The amygdala. The area that allows you to affect emotion and it's connection to memory. "But… Why? I mean, what could they gain by her not being able to suppress emotions? Or perhaps affecting her memories that go with the emotion? It still doesn't make sense!"
"I don't know," Simon frowned. He started muttering to himself as he began to transfer the information onto a data pad. "We've spent enough time here. It shouldn't take this long to do a basic mental scan."
"I'll lead you guys to the entrance," Kaylee confirmed, helping River off of the chair.
Simon finished up downloading the scans and they made their way quickly out of the room. The whole way back, Kaylee babbled on about random medical conditions whenever they passed somebody. She helped them out to their getaway vehicle and gave Simon the keys.
"Go on, I'll catch up. Let me erase any signs of you guys being here. It's better not to leave a trail."
Simon nodded and Kaylee didn't stay to watch as they went off. If she had, she might've heard River start to tremble and moan, clutching her head.
"What's the matter, mei-mei?" Simon asked over the roaring wind.
"Two by two, hands of blue! Two by two!" River cried.
"Ms. Pond! A moment of your time," Dr. Vasquez called.
Kaylee didn't let her frustration show as she turned with a smile on her face. "What can I do for you, doctor?"
"There are a couple of people who want to ask you some questions. If you would follow me to my office."
"What's this about?" Kaylee asked as she fell into place beside the other doctor.
"Frankly, I ain't got a clue," he shrugged. "They came asking if we'd had some young girl who apparently had some big condition and I said that you had a girl fitting their description earlier. From the way they were speaking, it sounds like this girl could be dangerous."
Kaylee felt her blood run cold at his words. "And… who are these people with?"
"The Alliance," Dr. Vasquez said. He chuckled, mistaking her look of panic for one of surprise. "Yeah, I know, I can't believe they're all the way out here either."
Kaylee forced herself to chuckle along as they made their way to his office. As they entered, two men stood, both clasping their hands behind their backs.
"Hi, I'm Dr. Amy Pond," she said brightly, feigning innocence. She held out her hand, but neither one shook it. She let it drop.
Dr. Vasquez cleared his throat and led her to a seat.
"Amy Pond," one of the men mused. "How… biblical."
"How so?" Kaylee asked with a tight smile as she took a seat. The others followed suit.
"Oh, don't mind our musings," the other man said casually. "Now, we have a couple of questions to ask you."
"Ask away," Kaylee said through another forced smile.
One of the men took out a picture and put it on the desk. Kaylee's brow furrowed as she noticed the blue latex gloves he wore. "Have you seen this girl?"
Kaylee examined the photo. The photo had obviously been taken while River was still at the Academy. Her hair was stringy and her eyes held a haunted look. Her skin was deathly pale.
"She looks familiar…" Kaylee hesitated. She had a feeling these men would know if she was lying, but she couldn't give River away.
"Perhaps you've seen her before?" the first man asked. "Such as your patient earlier?"
Kaylee put on a confused look. "That girl was way healthier than this one. Her hair was full and she wasn't as skinny. And that look in this girl's eyes, I don't think I'd forget it."
"This girl is a fugitive from the Alliance, Ms. Pond," the second man said darkly. "If you have seen her, we must know."
"Even if the girl I tended to earlier was this one, she's already left, back to Bancha I believe," Kaylee said, saying the name of a town the opposite way River and Simon were heading.
Both men stood abruptly. Kaylee and Dr. Vasquez stood with them.
"Is that all, gentlemen?" Dr. Vasquez asked.
"It is," the second man nodded. "We will leave you with this. Call it a thank you gift."
Kaylee collapsed to the ground as her mind exploded in pain. She screamed and clutched her hands over her ears, trying to block the terrible sound tearing through her brain. After what seemed like hours of agonizing torture, she quit moving, too exhausted to continue. The sound finally stopped.
"She held out a while," one voice sneered.
"She was the one traveling with the siblings, no doubt," the other voice said. "We're definitely in the right place."
"Let's go. We can't let the stupid prophet get away. Our protections may cover the planet, but if she and her brother can get off world, they'll be under angel protection once again."
There was a bit of commotion as the two left the room. Kaylee let herself moan and roll over. Without the agonizing sound, her body was quickly repairing itself. On shaky legs, she stood and looked with bleary eyes around the room. She rubbed her eyes and was astounded when she felt something wet. She pulled her hands away and inhaled sharply at the sight of blood. There was blood coming out from under her nails and… Her tongue flicked out briefly. Yep, her nose was bleeding.
She looked for Dr. Vasquez and saw a leg poking out from behind the desk. She stumbled over and gasped. What was that thing those men had used? She could see blood on the doctor in all of the places she did. The only differences was that she was still alive, and it was obvious that he no longer was. She stumbled into the doctor's private bathroom. She couldn't help her small gasp as she glanced in the mirror. Quickly, she began to scrub the blood off of the face and hands. Once she was sure she was presentable, she left the office. She needed to leave as soon as possible, before Alliance police were called in and, even more importantly, before those two men found River and Simon.
At a quick pace, but one that wouldn't attract attention, she made her way to the back door, intending to exit and run, at Kitsune speed, to where River and Simon were waiting for her. She was just about to leave when she suddenly realized something. Damn it! Of all of the stupid pieces of shit to leave behind, she had left her cross in her office! Giving an annoyed huff as she turned on her heel, she walked back quickly. Her office was just as she had left it. With a sigh of relief, she grabbed her cross and tucked it into a pocket of the nice pants she was wearing, ones she hated but had to wear for work.
"Ah, Ms. Pond, I've been looking for you," a voice said from the doorway.
She spun. Leaning against the doorframe was Tristan Fisher.
"What are you doing here?" Kaylee asked, her frustration at another holdup evident in her voice.
"I told you, Ms. Pond, looking for you. Or, should I say, Ms. Fyre."
Kaylee froze. "What… What did you call me?"
"Kaylee Fyre," Fisher said casually, pushing off from the doorway and entering the room. "Previous mechanic to the ship Serenity, under the command of Captain Malcolm Reynolds."
He sat down on the top of her desk and pulled out a concealed gun. "Now, let me tell you how this is going to work. You are going to follow me to my ship where we already have your associates quietly and without a fight, or I will make this very painful for you. And, if that's not enough motivation, for every minute over five from now until we get to the ship will be another minute I get to torture one of your friends in front of you."
He leered at her. "So, what will it be?"
"You have Simon and River?" Kaylee asked fearfully.
Fisher smirked. "Did you not hear a word I just said? The clock is ticking!"
Kaylee took a shaky breath and left the room. 4:30, 4:29, 4:28 the clock went in her head. She walked as quickly as she could to the back exit where Fisher directed her to a ship. She was shoved inside and the bay door closed behind her. She saw River and Simon strung up by their wrists to the ceiling, both appearing to be unconscious. There were several guards milling around the room, all heavily armed. Kaylee tuned to Fisher.
"Where are your bosses?" Kaylee demanded. "I want to speak to those murdering freaks."
For the first time, Fisher gave her a genuine emotion: confusion. "What are you talkin' about? We're on the way to meet the boss."
"Wait, you mean those two guys from the hospital earlier aren't with you?"
"What two guys?" Fisher asked.
"Who's your boss?" Kaylee demanded, wondering who else but the Alliance was after them.
Fisher's smirk was back. "Does the name Adelei Niska mean anything to yah?"
Uh oh... Well, I guess you guys can figure out how these guys and the Firefly crew are going to meet again. Along with the surprise visit from the "Hands of Blue", I'm pretty happy with how much of the plot was able to get introduced/reintroduced. There are some big reveals on the way! In the meantime, please favorite/follow and leave me a review saying anything, your thought, your guesses, ect. I'd love to hear what you guys think! Until next week!