Title: 2nd rescue
Series: Crazy's rescue plan
Author: Sevangel
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Not mine
FYI: Thank you for the reviews. I had a huge part of this planned out but didn't know if I was going to keep writing, but your reviews motivated me.
-
"I should be out there, looking for her." Simon says, running his hands through his hair.
"Simon, you can't." Inara replies. "Boros might not be a core planet but there is enough police stationed here to make it too dangerous for you too roam freely."
"Mal let me out earlier." Simon protests.
"That's just cause we was goin to a parts store." Kaylee replies. "It weren't that far from Serenity and besides, he made ya wear some of Wash's clothes, remember?"
"Yes." Simon replies. "It's just…she's my sister, I should be looking for her."
"They'll find her." Kaylee assures him.
"You don't know that." Simon replies. He stands up and starts to pace the length of the mess. River's been gone for 4 hours; Jayne and Mal had taken one half of the town to look through while Wash and Zoe took the other.
"They're very good at this kind of thing." Inara says. "They should be able to find her."
"One would think that, wouldn't they?" Wash comments as he walks into the mess, Zoe, Mal, and Jayne right behind him.
"What are you doing?" Simon questions. "You're supposed to be looking for her."
"We done did, doc." Mal says, sitting down roughly. "We searched every ruttin corner of that gorram town. We couldn't find her."
"I don't think she's going to be found until she wants too." Zoe says.
"And why would she?" Jayne grunts. Simon glares at him but doesn't say anything.
"We're gonna wait until day; it'll be easier to search then." Mal says.
"Though she might not even be here no more." Jayne comments as he sits down.
"What?" Simon questions.
"She coulda jumped ship; she might be halfway to another planet by now." Jayne answers. "That's if'n the cops didn't spot her."
"Jayne." Mal says warningly, although he knows it's true.
"You would just love that." Simon snarls, stopping to stand in front of the merc. "You'd finally get what you wanted; her off the ship, although you're probably disappointed you couldn't cash us in."
"Simon." Kaylee gasps at him.
Jayne stands up, grabs Simon by the front of his shirt, and slams his across the room into the wall. "Don't even ruttin start that go-se." Jayne growls, ignoring Mal and Zoe yellin at him. "I didn't do a gorram thing to make her leave; ya'll did."
"Jayne let him go." Mal orders.
Jayne shoves Simon against the wall again and then lets him go. Simon stumbles to his feet and Kaylee rushes over to help him.
"That wasn't necessary." Zoe reprehends Jayne.
"The hell it weren't." Jayne growls. "I ain't the one that pushed her into runnin away and ya'll know that. She gets tagged by the man and gets sent back to that academy, it'll be ya all's fault."
"We didn't tell her to run away." Mal replies.
"Near nuf." Jayne retorts. "If'n ya would have stopped looking at her like she was bout to slit your throats for five ruttin seconds and treated her like a gorram human being, she might not of left."
"Why are you getting so defensive?" Simon questions. He may agree with what Jayne is saying but doesn't understand why Jayne is saying it.
"Cause ya'll are makin me defend her." Jayne yells. "Sides, I know where she's comin from. I see how ya all look at me; like ya're thinking I'd kill ya if someone paid me enough. I don't bother me no more; hasn't for a long ruttin time. But it bothers her, specially seein how's her own flesh and blood thinks she evil or something like that."
"I don't think she's evil." Simon protests. "I just don't understand how she could do this."
"Ya so gorram dumb its pathetic." Jayne growls. "She didn't wanna do none of it; she was forced too. I chose to be a merc; it's something I made the choice to do. Just like Mal and Zoe decided to join the army, Book decided to be a preacher, ya a doctor, Kaylee chose to be a mechanic on this ship, Nara chose to be a whore, and Wash chose to be a pilot. She didn't choose nothin; it was done to her. But none of ya could get off your gorram high horses long nuf to realize that."
Simon's face turns white and Jayne can tell he's bitin his lip to keep from cryin. Kaylee ain't as strong; a few tears slip down her face.
Jayne starts to walk out of the mess when he stops and turns around to face the crew. "She ruttin dies, it'll be on your heads." Jayne growls before leaving the mess.
The room goes quiet after Jayne's exit except for Kaylee's quiet sobs. Mal looks at Zoe and they both know Jayne's right. River dies or gets taken by the feds it'd be their faults.
"Wash." Mal speaks, breaking the silence. "Want ya to check the cortex to see if the local authorities have contacted any outside Alliance forces."
Wash nods and leaves the mess, not saying a word.
"Kaylee, need ya to check the engine, make sure we're ready for some dangerous flyin." Mal orders. "Doc, get the infirmary ready for any injuries we may get."
"I already did." Simon replies.
"Fine, go with Kaylee, help her as she needs it." Mal says. Kaylee and Simon leave the mess, Simon gripping Kaylee's hand tightly.
"Do you think we'll find her?" Book questions Mal.
"Don't know." Mal answers. "She can hide on this ruttin boat for hours and none of us are able to find her. Boros ain't a big town but it's big enough for her to hide in for a long gorram time. That is if she ain't already left; Jayne was right, she coulda gotten on another boat."
"Mal, you better get up here." Wash says over the intercom.
Mal quickly stands up and runs out of the mess. He meets Kaylee and Simon halfway to the bridge and they follow him. As he climbs the steps leading onto the bridge, he can make out Jayne and Wash's backs, both of them looking at the cortex screen.
"Ya find somethin?" Mal questions Wash, moving to stand beside Jayne.
"Yes." Wash replies. "Nobody's contacted any outside feds but there was something about a conflict."
"Well." Jayne says.
"Bout 3 hours ago, a couple of the local authorties stopped a female walking alone. They asked her for ID and when she didn't have any, they tried to arrest her." Wash explains. "She fought back. She ended up taking down the ones that stopped her plus most of their backup before they were able to subdue her."
"They haven't identified her yet?" Mal questions.
"They haven't had time." Wash answers. "They barely got this offence posted when there was a riot. Apparently, some folk witnessed the fight and protested the cop's actions. They had to dispatch most of their agents to play crowd control."
"That's why that part of town was blocked." Mal comments. "Me and Jayne had a hell of a time getting through one section of town. There were a couple hundred people standin about."
"Think its River?" Wash asks, turning around to look at Mal.
"Yeah." Mal answers. "Say where they took her?"
"She in the prison, far side of town." Wash answers.
"Get blueprints." Mal orders. He turns around to look at Kaylee. "Little Kaylee, I need ya to make a small bomb. Somethin big enough to cause some problems but not hurt no one."
"Okay." Kaylee agrees. She leaves the bridge, mumbling to herself about what she needed.
"Got anything yet?" Mal questions Wash.
"Yeah." Wash answers. "Jail's pretty small and lucky for us, there's roof access. Best plan would be to land one of the shuttles on the roof and go in that way."
"Jayne, weapon up." Mal orders. "Wash, I want you and Kaylee to take the mule into town. Bout half a block from where that riot's goin on, there's a huge fountain. Put the bomb there and be sneaky bout it. Don't blow it until you're a good distance away. Then get Serenity into the air but don't break atmo. Me, Zoe, and Jayne will take the spare shuttle to get River and meet you in the air."
"I want to go." Simon says.
"No." Mal replies. "Ya'd only slow us down. Just be ready to do some doctorin."
Simon glares at Mal but heads down to the infirmary to wait out the rescue.
A few minutes after Simon's gone, Kaylee comes running up to the bridge, a small box held in her hand.
"Finished already?" Mal asks.
"Yep." Kaylee answers. "It'll cause a lot of problems, smoke and the like, but shouldn't be strong enough to hurt no one."
"How do ya blow it?" Mal questions.
"Remote." Kaylee says, pulling it out of her pocket. "It ain't strong, we gotta be within a couple hundred feet of it."
"Shiny." Mal replies. "Wash, ya and Kaylee go now. And be careful."
"Go?" Kaylee asks. "Go where?"
"I'll explain on the way." Wash assures her, taking the box out of her hand.
"Nobody leave the boat, for any reason." Mal orders Simon, Inara, and Book. "Jayne, ya got weapons?"
"Yep." Jayne answers.
"Then let's go."
-
River sits huddled in the corner of a jail cell. She can hear men around her saying vulgar things but blocks it out. She's waiting for the authorties to return so she can make her escape. It's not going to be easy; she doesn't think she can walk. She starts to categorize her injuries and become so distracted by it that she doesn't notice someone open her cell until they're standing right in front of her.
"Crazy, get up." Jayne growls down at her.
"Jayne." River whispers.
"Yeah, it's me." Jayne answers. "Come on, we gotta go; don't have much time."
River nods and slowly starts to stand up when her leg gives out. Jayne reaches out and barely catches her before she hits the ground. "What the hell's a matter with ya?" Jayne questions.
She doesn't answer him; she just wraps her arms around his neck. Jayne pushes Vera's strap so that she's resting against his back and puts his arms under River's legs to pick her up.
"Never thought you would ever be rescuing me." River whispers against his shoulder.
"Me neither." Jayne agrees with a snort.
"Nobody else wanted to come rescue me." River states.
"Ya'd be wrong there Crazy." Jayne replies. "Mal and Zoe are on the roof waitin for us. Sent me in cause I know jails the best; they're makin sure no one tries to stop us. The rest of the crew are waitin on Serenity for us."
"Oh." River replies. She puts her face into Jayne's neck and closes her eyes.
Jayne glances down at her and swallows heavily. She's pretty damn beat up. She didn't hear him come into her cell and she ain't tryin to fight him bout goin back to Serenity, even though he knows she don't want to. He carries her past the rest of the prisoners and ends up pullin out a pistol on one of em.
"She ain't for ya so shut your gorram mouth." Jayne growls.
"Sorry man." The guy says. "Just thought maybe ya'd share."
"I'd kill ya fore I'd let ya touch her." Jayne threatens. He adjusts River against his chest and walks up the stairs he used to get into the jail.
"She okay?" Mal questions as Jayne walks onto the roof.
"Don't right know." Jayne answers. "She couldn't stand up and wouldn't answer me when I asked. She passed out fore I even got to the stairs."
They quickly file into the shuttle. Zoe takes the driver's seat with Mal beside her and Jayne plops down onto a crate with River cuddled against his chest.
"Get us the hell home." Mal orders.
-
"The shuttle just docked." Kaylee tells Simon as she runs into the infirmary.
"Did they find her?" Simon questions.
"Don't know." Kaylee answers. "They didn't say."
Simon paces the infirmary, his mind focused on his sister. He's never felt guiltier than he does now. What she told them scared him but he should have never treated her the way he did.
"Is she okay?" Kaylee asks worriedly.
"Don't know Kaylee." Jayne answers as he sits River down on the sickbed.
"What happened to her?" Simon questions calmly as he puts on gloves and moves over to the already prepped table next to bed.
"Don't know." Jayne answers. "She wouldn't answer."
Simon grabs a needle and starts to inject his sister when River reaches her arm up and grabs the needle. "No sedatives." River orders.
"Mei-mei." Simon starts to protest.
"Washes me down." River says. "Too hard to get myself back. Just something for the pain but nothing that will knock me out."
Simon puts down the sedative and reluctantly picks up a pain reliever instead. It's rather strong but she'll still be able to feel some pain.
"Need Jayne." River whispers.
"What?" Mal questions. "Why?"
"And you." River replies.
"What for?" Jayne questions.
"Simon doesn't have the right equipment." River answers. "Need Mal to hold me down while you pop my knee back into place."
"Jien tah duh guay." Mal yells. "What the hell happened?"
"Some males can't handle being beat up by a girl." River answers. "They made sure I knew that."
"Nee ta ma duh. Tyen-shia suo-yo duh run doh gai si." Jayne growls. "What they do? Beat ya while ya was down?"
"Yes." River answers. "Can you please fix my knee now? It hurts."
Mal places his hands on her upper thighs to hold her down while Simon pulls up her dress to reveal her knee.
"Lao tyen yeh." Wash whispers.
"Oh, god." Kaylee cries.
"Nara, get her out of here." Mal orders. Inara grabs Kaylee's hand and drags her out of the infirmary to couches outside of it.
"Crazy, ya sure bout this?" Jayne asks. Her knee is completely bruised and he don't feel right bout poppin it back in place.
"Tried to do it myself but couldn't get enough pressure." River answers. "Just do it."
Jayne places his hands on her knee, one above and one below and pops it back into place. River screams loudly and if Mal hadn't been holdin her legs down she woulda done more damage.
"I need everyone but Zoe to leave." Simon orders.
Mal nods and then motions for the rest of the men to follow him out. Jayne glances down at River one more time before following Mal out of the infirmary.
-
"How is she?" Kaylee questions when Zoe and Simon walk into the infirmary.
"She's asleep." Simon answers. He sits down and notices the bottle of whisky sitting in front of Jayne. He grabs it and takes a long drag, straight from the bottle.
"Wifey, what's wrong with doc?" Wash questions as Zoe sits down.
"I believe he's a little upset." Zoe replies.
"What took ya so gorram long?" Jayne questions. "Ya was in there for close to an hour."
"She has 4 broken ribs, her right wrist is sprained, a slight concussion, small amounts of internal bleeding, and her entire body is covered in bruises." Simon answers. "I'm going to spend the night in the infirmary to keep an eye on her." He makes a cup of coffee before leaving the mess.
"Zoe." Mal says.
"It's bad, sir." Zoe replies. "I ain't seen a beatin that bad since prison camp."
Mal's eyes go cold and he can't remember feelin this mad in a long gorram time.
"She's gonna be okay, ain't she?" Kaylee questions.
"Physically, yeah, she will." Zoe answers. "It's the rest of it. She took a sound beating; it sticks with you."
"Why would they do that?" Kaylee whispers.
"Pride." Mal answers. "She don't weigh more than 110 lbs; they couldn't handle bein beat by a girl and it made em feel all manly to knock her down."
Jayne takes another swig out of the bottle before standing up and putting it back in the cabinet. He doesn't say anything; he just leaves the mess.
"It's late." Mal says. "We should get to bed. Wash, how long till we're on Presda?"
"Bout 26 hours or so." Wash answers. "Cortex is set to flag anything that has to deal with what happened on Boros."
"That's good." Mal says.
"Cap'n, I'm gonna sit up with Simon." Kaylee says.
"That's fine, little Kaylee." Mal replies.
Everyone leaves the mess to go to their separate rooms. Mal stops by the infirmary to check on River before going to bed. She's asleep on the sickbed and Mal can see the bandages covering her ribs. He nods at Kaylee and Simon, who are sitting on the couch outside of the infirmary before heading to his bunk.
River may be back but he's got a feelin that don't mean much right now.
-
Chinese translations:
Jien tah duh guay: Like hell
Nee ta ma duh. Tyen-shia suo-yo duh run doh gai si: Fuck everyone in the universe to death
Lao tyen yeh: Jesus