Thanks for the reviews.
I'm glad at least one person picked up on my 'red tin soldier' bit.
And if anyone has any idea how Simon would refer to his parents, (Mum and Dad? Mother and Father? I know River says 'Daddy' in 'Safe' but I can't see Simon using that) drop me an e-mail or a review - it would help immensly for later on.
There will be a bit of a delay before any more gets posted since this is the last bit typed up. The rest is all in my chinese pattern notebook in random scribblings. As fast as I can type is as fast as you get it.
Chapter 4: Breadcrumbs
Wash has left with Zoë to check the cortex for news. Book is talking quietly to Inara in the doorway to the infirmary. Simon methodically checks his monitors and tries to keep his thoughts away from death; away from River; away from the fact that it's Kaylee under his care, again. He knows that the longer she takes to wake up the less chance there is that she will at all. He's not sure he can hang on to his sanity if she doesn't wake up. River's gone. He doesn't voice any of this, how can he? He just maintains a professional front.
Mal is fast asleep on the sofa outside. Simon doesn't know how he can possibly sleep now. It's been three hours since they brought Kaylee back and Jayne remains hunched on a stool at Kaylee's side.
Suddenly her eyes flutter and flit open. Simon breathes a silent sigh of relief out of her sight.
"Little Kaylee you gave us quite a scare," Book smiles and leans over to her.
She blinks and licks her dry lips. "They took her," her voice is a tiny dry rasp. Her eyes flit round the room looking for Simon. Her eyes find him. "River…"
He nods grimly to her. "I know."
Jayne rubs Kaylee's hand.
"But River…" Tears spring to her eyes. "They…they…"
The monitor beeps quicken. Jayne looks up alarmed.
"Her heartbeat is rising," Simon says steadily. "Inara please wake the Captain. Kaylee," he leans over her and touches the side of her face, "you have to calm down. Can you do that?"
His voice is calm and even, and not a trace of worry shows in it. Jayne wonders how he can be so detached. Kaylee nods her head weakly, barely moving. Simon's hand is gentle on her skin.
"I'm glad you're awake," his thumb makes tiny circles on the apple of her cheek.
Mal appears beside the bed and Simon's hand moves away from her face quickly. Mal leans over her and Simon turns away to check the monitors and prepare medication.
"Kaylee," Mal sighs. "Don't scare me again mei mei."
The two tiny Chinese words cut Simon to the bone.
Jayne stands up and cracks the crick out of his back from where he has been hunched over her. She's okay. Doc did a good job. Now he needs to go prepare to go tracking.
Kaylee sniffles. "They took River. Mal they took her."
Jayne freezes in the doorway.
"I know it," Mal says calmly. "Start at the beginning."
Kaylee swallows. "It was raining and we were walking around. We looked at some dresses and watched the swans. Then she started asking me odd questions."
"About what?" Mal asks gently.
"She asked me about Simon."
Simon's back stiffens.
"She told me to look after him, and that is wasn't my fault." Kaylee's lip wobbles. "River said she was going for a swim. Then…nothing."
Mal glances at Simon's back. He's so tense that his muscles are trembling.
"We'll find her," Mal says firmly to Kaylee.
Simon turns round a syringe in his hand. "I must insist that Kaylee rests now Captain."
Mal nods, "We'll be outside."
Simon moves to Kaylee's side. "Its just a painkiller." He injects it into the side of her neck, brushing back her hair gently. "Try to sleep. We're here."
They gather outside the infirmary, the doors shut so Kaylee doesn't hear them. Wash and Zoë have returned looking grim.
"Chatter on the cortex," Wash says, twisting the dinosaur in his hands. "Feds. A girl. Something about a reward."
"The Feds here hole themselves up in an old factory block outside town," Zoë says.
"How did they know?" Inara says looking worried.
Mal's face twists in an angry expression. "I know exactly how. Jayne, grab Vera. We're going hunting."
"I'm coming with you," Simon says firmly.
"Are you prepared to carry a gun here doctor?"
Simon fixes him with a steely look. "I did for you. I can for her."
"That you did doc. Jayne find him a gun."
Jayne nods and gestures for Simon to follow him.
"Wash, Serenity is yours. Inara, Shepard…"
"We'll watch Kaylee." Inara touches his arm gently. "Be careful." She lowers her voice. "Make sure you hurt them."
"We will."
Mal walks into the cargo bay to find Jayne gleefully holding Bester while Simon yells obscenities at him. Bester looks out rightly confused. When Simon raises his fist is when Mal speaks.
"Jayne! Simon!" His voice isn't a shout but its loud enough to make sure they hear, and even enough that they know he means it.
Jayne drops his hold on Bester instantly. He knows that tone well enough. Simon stands with his fists balled at his sides. His face is red and he's trembling with suppressed rage.
Mal walks down the stairs slowly, boots thumping on every step.
"Don't waste your energy on him. Won't help your sister."
"But he sold us out!" he rounds on Bester again. "How much? How much was she worth to you?"
"Doc! He didn't sell her out. Doubt he knows how. Zoë, move them out!"
"Yes sir." Zoë's voice is all business. "Jayne, Simon grab your guns and move it!"
Simon mutters something under his breath but moves away towards the airlock.
"You better watch your tongue in future Bester. That gorram woman last night must have been a fed or a bounty hunter or some such." Mal's voice is low and dangerous. "If she dies then you better keep hold of that tongue for I will cut it clean out of your head."
"This ain't right sir," Zoë pokes her head round another corner to see absolutely nothing.
Mal nods. They're into the fed's compound far too easily. They haven't even seen a fed yet. Mal is starting to wonder if Zoë got the right information from the cortex. Behind him he hears Simon shifting uncomfortably. Jayne is bringing up the rear.
"We split up," Mal decides quickly. "Cover more ground. Jayne you go with the doc. Watch his back." There's intent in those words.
Jayne nods curtly and Mal sees Simon's hand tighten round his pistol as the two men head off down the long corridor.
Zoë and Mal head up the nearest set of stairs. A couple of flights later and they hear screaming.
"Bingo," Mal whispers, hoping they aren't too late.
No. No. Not now. They're coming. Two by two, hands of blue. This isn't how it's supposed to be. Late. Late. You're not supposed to be here yet. Out of order. It's all out of order. Don't touch me. Please god don't touch me. Swans are flying backwards. Too much screaming. Too much singing. No no. Can't stay here. They're going to take me. I'll never see Simon again. Never see anyone again. Be a swan without its mate. That can't happen. I won't break. Fight back. Fight the gloves. Fire my quills. Hunters. Too much singing. Red tin soldier. Red tin soldier. Red tin soldier. Tin soldier dressed in red. Red tin soldier.
Mal kicks open what he thought was a locked door and goes stumbling into the room. He straightens, snapping his gun up. The small room is empty, and the tiny high window has been meshed over. The room smells of disinfectant, like someone has just washed it out.
"Now this gives me an uncomfortableness," he mutters. "Zoë?"
"Looks like a cell," she scans the room, noting everything in one sweep. "Sir?" She points her shotgun at the floor.
Mal stoops and picks up the scrap of blue cloth. River's dress. "Good girl," he murmurs. "She's leaving breadcrumbs…"
Simon's palm is sweaty round the gun. They haven't run into any guards at all. He shifts his grip again. He's not sure he can shoot anyone, even for her.
Jayne grunts ahead of him. He is looking towards a doorway. "Main factory space. Plenty of cover. Watch yourself." Jayne goes darting into the large room.
Simon takes a deep breath and follows. He secretes himself behinds stack of large round containers, back pressed to the blue plastic. He peers out.
The room is massive. Like a huge metal cathedral. Two storeys above them a metal catwalk runs round the edges of the room. The space in the middle has been largely cleared of machinery but there are piles of junk round the edges of the room.
"Why ain't there any feds?" Jayne hisses, shifting Vera so he can scan the room with her scope.
Simon shrugs, and then he hears the singing.
The screaming dies as they move to the next room down the corridor. There's one of River's boots on the floor in front of the door. Zoë gets behind him, her gun aimed over his right shoulder. Mal pushes the door open, his gun ahead of him and fears that River's dead. That it was too late.
There are two men wearing suits and blue latex gloves, and unarmed, standing over the bodies of eight federal officers. There is so much blood. And no screaming girl. Mal gets a shot of ice through his guts as he looks at the men. His whole body is screaming at him to run, and run now. He hadn't been this afraid since the early days of the war. The ice in his gut intensifies. The nearest man looks at him quizzically, his head tilted to one side. The second lifts a small plastic 'rod' thing and turns it over, aiming it towards him. What the hell was that? It couldn't be good.
"Zoë!" He backs out of the door, pushing into her. "Go!"
She is already moving back towards the stairs that they had come up.
A high pitched humming fills the air. Mal feels something wet drip onto his top lip. He rubs athis noseand his fingers come away scarlet.