Side note: I meant to put this disclaimer on my first part but never figured out how to alter the page! These characters don't belong to me except for Jo Macleod, the rest are all property of Jodd Whedon (Aka: God…LOL) He's just letting me play in his world for now…thank you lots for that!)
The next morning Zoe waited with Jayne and Mal for Jo before the three left for the exchange. Zoe had withheld the encounter she'd witnessed the afternoon before between Mal and Jo and neither of them had shown for dinner that night so she was interested to see how this morning would turn out. The first sign that Jo was even there was a soft whistle from Jayne as he stared up at the top level of the cargo hold. Zoe and Mal turned to see what he was looking at and Zoe saw the Captains eyebrows rise as he gritted his teeth. She had to admit Jo was sure going for the full appearance of a wealthy seller. She had chosen a white halter that showed her mid-rift between tight white pants and soft sapphire blue boots that reached to her knees. Her jacket was long and came to just above the ankle; and was the same color as the boots. Her hair was pulled into a tight braid and reached just a little above her waist. Zoe gave her a smile as she descended the stairs to join them. She smiled back and gave Jayne a nod, "Thanks…think I look the part?" She asked looking at Zoe and ignoring Mal who still hadn't quite decided on annoyance or appreciation for her attire.
Zoe nodded, "Yeah I'd say you look the part. You still feel good about this?" She asked Jo who had glanced at Mal and then back to Zoe with a small shake of her head.
"Yes, this should go well, I'm thinking it shouldn't go more then an hour or so. I'm also betting he won't try to haggle the price. He seemed to know what he wanted." With that said, she finally turned to the Captain. "I um, I need you to do me a favor." She asked.
Zoe watched Mal's eyebrows shoot upward again in surprise.
"I'd like it if you carried this for me…" She said offering him the black velvet box.
Mal took it and opened it to stare at the stone, he closed the lid and nodded, "Yeah, I can do that."
"Thank you." Jo said with a sigh. "So, ready?" She asked him.
He nodded, "We'll take the skiff to the rendezvous point. Zoe tell River I want the ship ready for a quick departure just in case it's needed, if you don't hear from us in an hour and a half…"
"I'll come looking sir…" Zoe said with a smile.
Once Mal had helped Jo aboard the skiff and Jayne had climbed in behind her Jo asked, "Why are you expecting trouble? This should be a painless swap, nothing bad's gonna happen." She said with a shake of her head.
Mal looked at her with a smile, "Bao bay, you have no idea who you're traveling with, trouble seems to follow us." With that he powered up and they left.
Zoe sighed, "God let this go well." She said closing up the ship's ramp.
Mal powered down and helped Jordona from the skiff. He saw Jayne's face and had to admit he was a mite nervous as well, he glanced at Jo, "You sure you have the right place?" The address she'd given had landed them in a business district, but most of what surrounded them where storage units and warehouses, to the left was ocean with the city and more docks. Mal heard the click of one of Jayne's automatics and glanced over. Jayne looked back, "You have to admit you're wonderin the same thing…" He said quietly.
"I don't know why you two are so jumpy. Mr. Ung said he wanted to meet here, said he didn't want to jeopardize the sale or risk a robbery." She heard Mal snort. and Jayne chuckle, "She's completely green Cap'n."
"Tell me about it." Mal replied under his breath, looking at rooftops and watching the ships along the far shore and docks. It was only a moment later they heard the whine of another engine not unlike their own Skiffs' but slightly louder. Mal glanced at Jayne, "Put it away until we need it, no need to scare em' first thing. This thing goes south; you can use everything you brought with you." He heard Jayne give a groan but he put the gun away.
Mal saw Jo shake her head but she kept her own council and watched the approaching transit. It pulled up a few feet from their own and two large men got down, taking a moment to weigh their surroundings, Mal and Jayne included before allowing the smaller man up front to touch the ground. He climbed out and Mal got a better look at him, older, graying hair with a mustache to match, well dressed in a black suite and shined shoes, carrying a cane as he walked. He instructed the two goons to take down two large black bags that had ridden beside him. Jo walked a foot or so out in front of Mal, she smiled and bowed to the older gentleman. "Mr. Ung." She said watching him return the gesture.
"Mistress Macleod, it is truly a pleasure. You have brought the stone I presume?"
"I have…and I hate to be ungrateful sir but I'd very much like to see what those men have in those bags first."
Mal was impressed with that and he heard Ung laugh good naturedly as he waived the men forward. The bags where dropped at Jo's feet and unzipped. He almost swooned, that was a lot of money! He watched Jo's face…was that relief he saw, so she had been as nervous as he'd suspected!
She sighed and nodded as the bags where zipped back up. She turned and looked at Mal, "My turn." She said with a smile at him and an open hand. He nodded tightly and handed her the box. She took it and with a wink at him turned back around; the wink caught him by surprise and made him grin slightly.
"I hope you find it to your liking." She said opening the box and showing Ung the stone. The man went still and nodded, "It is truly breathtaking." He said reaching for the box. Jo turned it over to him with a soft smile and a half bow. She backed up again leaving only a half foot between herself and Mal and he felt himself breathe easier. She looked at Jayne, "Take the bags please?" She asked him.
Jayne nodded and picking up the duffels he loaded them in the skiff and returned to stand beside Jo his hands relaxed at his side.
Mal spoke up at this point, "Mr. Ung, as security for Miss Macleod I'm gonna ask that you and your associates be the first to go." He heard Jo blow out a soft breath in exasperation. "Mr. Ung please forgive him, he seems to think there's a dark horse waiting in the wings somewhere."
Mal gritted his teeth and watched the other man.
"Not a concern my dear we will be happy to go first. I do wish you Godspeed in your travels and a happy future." He said turning back to his men. He had gotten only halfway there when the first shot rang out. Mal watched as Ung went down and the two goons turned their now drawn weapons on them.
Jo backed up and into him. He wrapped an arm around her protectively and pulled her backward yelling, "Dung ee-miao! It's not us!" They learned too late he was telling the truth as both of them where shot down.
"Jayne!"
"Already on it Mal!" he heard as Jayne started to return fire. They where aboard the skiff and moving only a few seconds later. That's when the two other skiffs appeared. They each held four men, three shooters and one driver.
He saw Jo take a gun from Jayne as she helped him try to thin the ranks in the other skiffs. He was maneuvering a corner when he heard her scream and felt her body pitch toward him. He cursed as he realized she'd been hit. "Jo...Jo!" She was out and he felt his heart skip a beat as he watched her coat start to seep with blood. He pushed down his panic and grabbing the radio with one hand, he steered with the other. "Zoe!"
"Sir?"
"Tell River to power up and be ready to break Atmo as soon as we're aboard, we have company! And tell Simon to get the med bay ready!" He yelled.
They where only a street away when Jayne nailed one of the other skiffs gas tanks. The explosion rocked the surrounding buildings and caused the second skiff to slow enough that Mal gained a small lead. They reached Serenity and the ship was moving upward before he set the skiff down. He heard a few stray shots ping off the closing doors.
He lifted Jo gently from the seat beside him. He heard her give a soft moan of pain but she remained unconscious. He held her to him as he moved to the med bay. "Hang on baby…hang on…" He murmured as he ran. Jayne was pounding up the stairs behind him yelling to Zoe about being double-crossed. He paid little attention as he reached the med bay at the same time Simon did.
"She took one shot I think somewhere high up." He said setting her down gently on the table. Simon was already ripping away her jacket, "It's to the middle of her shoulder. Help me…keep pressure on it!" He said tossing Mal a towel.
Mal watched as a thin trace of blood snaked it's way down her arm and felt himself swallow hard.
"Captain! I need you to hold this in place and give it pressure, we need to stop the bleeding. I've got to get her going on an I.V." Simon said pushing Mal's hand over the towel on Jordona Macleod's shoulder.
Mal nodded and watched Simon start pulling out needles and bags of fluid from the drawers around the med bay. He looked up as Kaylee came into the room. "Zoe says to tell you we just broke Atmo…Is there anything I can do?" She asked Simon.
The doctor glanced at Mal and saw him starring at the inert Jordona, "Take that from him and make sure you keep pressure on the wound, I need to get this going before I can get the bullet out. Once I'm done here I'll draw her blood and let you run a scan, remember how I showed you?" Kaylee nodded as she pushed Mal's hand away from the towel and took over as the captain stepped back, his gaze never leaving Jordona. Simon continued, "It looks like she's lost enough blood that she may need a transfusion."
Mal found his voice then, "I'm the same blood type as she is. You can take it from me."
Kaylee and Simon exchanged a quick and quiet glance before Simon answered, "You're certain of that? If you're wrong she could die."
"Yeah, positive, we had to do blood tests for the marriage certificate."