Times Like These

(four and a half days following the Faye-Alesandre meeting)

Nico paced from one end of his office to the other. His thoughts raced around his head as if they were competing for a trophy. One single idea crossed his mind again and again: why, after all these years, does Alesandre care about this woman he calls his sister?

As if on cue, Alesandre wandered in his direction for about the seventh time that day. "I'm getting old," he said. Nico couldn't help but stare at his boss and closest friend. "Here I am, an eighty-year-old man. I need someone else to take over. She would be the perfect person to trust this organization with."

Nico's brows mashed together, frustrated. You're naming HER as heir to everything WE worked so hard for? HER, who probably couldn't give a rat's ass about how important everything is?! HER, who'd be too fucking emotional to do what's necessary?! You're signing over everything that WE fought for?! Over my dead body! Better yet…

Nico smiled at the latest idea that crossed his mind. Yes, it'll be perfect. They'll both go down and I'll be able to take over, he thought.

Alesandre misunderstood the smile on Nico's face. "I knew you'd appreciate my thinking," he said. "We definitely need to change things around here!"

Nico glanced at his friend. "I couldn't agree with you more," he said.

Meanwhile…

"Let's go over everything one more time," Jet said, wiping his left hand across his head. Several diagrams danced across the computer screen while Jet spoke. Ed grinned at her handiwork. Until that point, no one had ever seen blueprints of the organization's building. Ein, meanwhile, rested in a nearby corner. As far as anyone knew, it was the first peaceful sleep the poor dog's had on the ship since his and Ed's return.

Spike raised his head from its reclined position. He fumbled in his right pocket for his cigarettes and precious Zippo. Finding both, he lit and took a drag of his cancer stick.

Faye, meanwhile, curled up on the couch arm that Spike had recently vacated. Thinking better of swiping Spike's pack of cigarettes, she instead fixed herself a drink. Something told her that a rehash of the plan called for some form of a sweet, numb-inducing serum.

Jet cleared his throat, noticing that his audience was as ready for him to speak as they would ever be. "Since we all know that this guy will not be captured peacefully, we'll have to use what he'll assume against him. But to do that, we need two things: a mechanic on stand-by and everyone's cooperation. Can I count on all of that?"

Spike nodded his head. "Doohan said he'd be more than happy to patch up the ships," he said. "Apparently, this guy screwed Doohan out of some money years back. He only asks that we break a few body parts before we turn him in."

Jet turned to Faye. "Are you sure you're up for this?" Jet asked.

Faye shrugged her stiff shoulders. Jet's plan was simple: she have a bonding session with her brother, where she can find out as much information from her past as she'd like. All Jet asked of her was to act like any other sister would and pretend to protect her brother once Spike arrived to supposedly take advantage of Alesandre's defenses being down.

There was only one problem with the plan in her eyes: where does one draw the line between pretending to be protective and being protective? What if she had this little chat with Alesandre and all those old emotional attachments she must have had with her older brother came flooding back?

"Faye?" Jet asked once again.

Her mind continued to race. How would she be able to turn her brother in for money? This is her flesh and blood, after all! How could she do such a thing? However, how could he leave her for so long without any thought of searching for her until she had resurfaced under his nose and was staring him in the face?

"Faye?" Jet asked, shaking her this time. The sudden movement forced Faye out of her thoughts. "Are you in or out? If you don't want any part of this, we can find another…"

"Count me in," she said.

Three days later…

The silence between the two cowboys was almost deafening, Jet finally concluded. What made me think I'd be at peace the day they stopped fighting each other, he asked himself. This silence is killing me!

Spike stole a glance at his partner. He wore his normal mask of pure nonchalance as he flew behind Faye back to Mars City. Deep down, however, he felt yet another surge of pride for her. I wonder if I could've done this if it were my family, Spike wondered. Fuck it! What do I care? They're long gone!

"Spike," Jet began via COM, "hang back from Faye." He sighed. "And Faye, if you don't think you can do this, send a distress message back to me."

"Yeah, yeah," the huntress said, flying over the outskirts of the city. "I'll come crying like a whiny little bitch and ask the big strong men to take over for me!"

Spike smirked. "That's our girl!" he said.

"Fuck off, Spiegel," Faye snorted. "I said I was in and that's all there is to it. Just don't go chasing after some random girl and forget to come get me before I turn into emotional goo."

"You'd have to have a heart to do that!" Spike said, trying not to laugh.

"I have a heart, just not one pining for you!" Faye shot back, sticking out her tongue.

"Real mature, Faye," Spike said. "You learn that before or after they turned you into an ice cube?"

As the fight continued, Jet sat back, smiling. Much better, he sighed.

Two hours later...

Heavy footsteps echoed throughout the tall glass building near the Lake. Alesandre paced throughout his office suite in thought. However, those very thoughts were interrupted by the clicking of heels.

"Alesandre," a petite blonde woman began, opening the door to his office, "there's a woman here to see you."

He smiled. She accepted his invitation after all. "Send her back," he told the woman.

Two minutes later, the door opened once again to review a deep violet-haired woman. "Um…hi," Faye said, feigning shyness. In all honesty, the shyness was only exaggerated.

"Thanks for coming, Faye," Alesandre said, gesturing to a chair at his conference table. "Have a seat. We have a lot to talk about."