Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing! Well, I own Charlie, Lane2, Jess and Lex, but only them. Also the original idea for Lane's breeding program came from Valjean (http/www.valjeanfanfiction. com/index.html), I just borrowed it and this is the future of it.

Charlie woke up to find herself in a strange room. She slid gingerly from beneath the sheets of the bed she was in. She looked around, seeing a two-way mirror and a steel door. As she watched, the door opened and a huge blonde man walked through.

"Lane?" She gasped, stunned.

"Yes and no." He walked casually up to her. "I'm the direct descendent of the original. But I am called Lane also."

"I see his breeding program was successful." She rolled her eyes.

"It is an honor to meet a first-gen." He settled into a militaristic 'at ease' stance. "It will be a boon to the program."

"Uh-huh. Sure." She rolled her eyes. "This your first solo mission? Convincing a mated first-gen to join your breeding program?"

"Yes. It's my last chance. I've shown too much mercy." He sighed looking like a lost little boy.

Charlie stared at the boy who was the spitting image of a monster. "How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

Jayne was confused, he shot a look at River who was looking deadly serious. He had been expecting transgenics all along the multi-storied building's perimeter, but found no one. When they entered the building lobby of the "hospital," they found the guards, and everyone else.

There were, he guessed, around twenty unconscious people in the lobby. River and Jayne continued down the hall to find even more alive but sleeping bodies. River stopped and cocked her head.

"The air, something in the air made them sleep." She whispered so quietly Jayne barely heard her.

He stopped and thought for a moment. "Oh, tranq. gas."

They continued down the hallway, coming upon a juncture. The corridor split into three passageways, one ahead, one to their left, and on to their right. River, without hesitation headed down the one to their left.

For almost ten minutes, all they found was room after room of immobile transgenics. Then they heard the sound of voices coming towards them. Jayne readied himself by pulling a pair of handguns and tensing his muscles. Strangely enough, River didn't move.

He sighted a blonde muscle-bound young man stalking towards him. Jayne immediately aimed and fired, hitting the teen in his left shoulder. The blonde didn't even flinch, but leapt at him, growling ferally.

Jayne caught a nasty left hook to his chin, and fought back with a right uppercut. A body blow knocked him down and knocked the wind out of him. He threw a wild punch, but got caught in a strangle hold. He was straining to reach his knife when he heard someone call his name.

"Jayne!" Charlie screamed. "Lane!"

The two men stopped struggling and looked up at her. Charlie shot Lane a look.

"Junior, could you let go of my mate?" Charlie said, as if talking to a small child.

Lane reluctantly released the merc from his hold. "Yes ma'am." He looked up and caught sight of River. Who's she?"

The four of them walked straight out of the Monticora Institute. Jayne was never more than a foot from his wife's side. Lane and River followed just behind them, Lane watching her covertly, and River smiling to herself.

When they reached Serenity, which had been there waiting for them, they heard a shriek. Kaylee came running out and hugged Charlie fiercely.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Kaylee pulled back and smiled at Charlie, Jayne and River. Then she saw Lane silently standing there. "Who's he?" She whispered.

"You want me to what?" Mal asked, leaning against a bulkhead.

"Invite him to join the crew." Charlie repeated.

"He kidnapped you!" Mal sputtered.

"He was under orders. You took Jayne when he was pointing a gun at you." She sighed. "He can't go back after he broke me out. Besides, even with selective breeding, after five hundred years, the transgenics now are pretty weak."

"Weak?" Mal's eyes narrowed. "Why would I want someone weak on my crew?"

"Weakness is subjective." At Mal's blank look, she continued. "Weaker than me, he's just a little stronger than Jayne."

"You're not going to let me go on this, are you?" Mal said with a sigh.

"Nope." Charlie grinned.

"Fine. Could use some more muscle anyhow. You may be the strongest person I've ever met, but you're not very scary. Except when someone gets you angry, then you're terrifying."

Charlie smiled and kissed Mal on the cheek. He quickly backed away, throwing up his hands.

"Your husband however, he's scary twenty-four/seven. Plus he's got a jealous streak a mile wide."

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