Her hands slowly ran down his back, tracing the contours of his muscles as he gripped the sheets tighter. She relished in the soft grunts her client made, mingled with the sounds of chimes and the scent of incense. He lavished kisses down her neck, panting deeply against her shoulder. He cried out suddenly, gasping before falling to Inara's side. She smiled and slowly turned over, caressing his lightly persperated cheek.
"That was…amazing." She chuckled, stroking some of his blonde hair.
Lost in the moment of union, Inara had failed to notice the calling card from the cockpit. The small notification came from the driver's seat, bleeping incisively.
"Oh god, not now, Mal." She muttered to herself, her expression growing sour.
"What is it? What's wrong?" He tried to coax her back into bed but she was already flinging her robe on.
"Forgive me, I have to answer a call," Leaving him to scrounge for his clothes, she pushed the curtains aside to get to the console, muttering to herself, "And shoot Mal's gorram head off."
She sat down, pulling out the console walkie talkie and holding the converse button down.
"Serenity, this is Shuttle One."
"Aw, I hope I'm not interrupting your prestigious line of work, Inara."
"Up yours, Mal." She responded politely.
"I'm sorry, did I brush up against the wrong nerve?"
"Keep pushing and you'll find yourself out of the job. What is it?"
"Got a job. We need you to hit base again."
"I'm BUSY right now, Mal."
"Well, cut short from a few thrusts ain't gonna kill the shuttle, now is it?"
"I'll make sure to cut yours."
"Nice to feel loved, Inara."
"Go to hell, Mal." She flicked off the com, hitching the talkie back into its cradle as she sat up and came out from behind the red and gold curtains.
"I take it then that you have to leave?" Her client finished the last button on his shirt, a look of understanding in his face.
"I'm afraid so, I'm so sorry." He shook his head.
"Duty calls for all of us, no?" He lifted her hand and kissed it in respect before bowing and leaving.
Inara smiled, changing into a more suited outfit before launching off.
"Saints be praised, the ambassador has returned." Mal leaned against the railing of the main scaffolding, arms folded.
"At least I don't get shot by crazy old women."
"Hey, Patience shot me for a legit reason."
"A pity she didn't finish the job then." She smiled and walked down the scaffolding stairs, Kaylee waving like a child before chatting with her about Inara's new endeavors.
Mal rolled his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, turning and walking to the cockpit.
"Right, how far are we from Persephone?" Wash scanned the radar, checking distances.
"We're closing in at orbit distance within 5 minutes."
"Alright, set us down in the lower bay docking areas. We're gonna need some supplies getting in." Wash nodded and turned the nose of Serenity west.
"Right then, rescue missions are a bit rusty with me but here's the basic set up: Inara, we need you to distract at least two guards while we make our way in. Jayne, take out as few of them as you need to get to the armory. NO killing or explosives ("Aw man!"). Wash, when we call for it, we'll need for you to drop the hammock."
Wash raised his hand, a bemused confused look on his face.
"Why the armory?"
"Well, it'd be best if the feds couldn't get to their weapons, no? Jayne only needs to jam the door, no sight-seeing." Jayne grumbled in response.
"I can help." Simon stepped into the dining area.
"What?" Mal looked up, a brow raised.
"If Lai's hurt, she'll need immediate medical attention before we can move her."
"But how can we sneak you in?"
"All I need is a medic's uniform; you can find those anywhere in a Fed compound." Mal slowly nodded.
"Then we'll smuggle you in with Jayne. While he takes out the guards, find a medic and three military uniforms, give us the uniforms and meet us outside of Lai's cell when we give the signal, alright?"
"Well, we've figured out how we're getting in, how do we spring and run like all hell?" Wash leaned back in his chair.
Mal smiled.
"I have my ways."
The interrogator gripped Lai by her hair and smashed her face into the table again, crimson splattered against the stainless metal. She spat out blood and saliva, licking at a loosened tooth as her left eye was swollen shut.
"Lai, we've been through this. Where is Xiao's gang hiding now?" She spat Chinese at them, causing her to have her face beaten into the metal table three more times.
"Unless you want us to become the inklings of Reavers, Lai, you best be talking." She was shivering from the shock of her injuries, her amber eyes still not losing the furious fire within them.
She gave a sour look to her interrogator and indignantly spat blood. He sighed, nodding to the guard on either side of her that was restraining her. She was thrown on top of the table, her stomach pressed into the metal. She could feel her clothes being torn off. What they didn't realize was that she was about to tear their faces off.
"River, I have to go for a while, ok?" She stared, doe-eyed at the tiles on the floor, "I'm going to have Kaylee check up on you every now and then. You be a good girl, ok?"
She looked up at Simon, not blinking.
"Don't go, Simon. They'll find you." She clung to the sleeve of his shirt, her eyes watering.
"Shhh, it's ok, River. It's ok, I promise I'll come back." Her lip quivered.
"It's ok, I swear. I'll be back." He hugged her close, kissing her on the forehead before he turned and left.
Left in the solitude of her room, River shivered.
"Two by two, hands of blue, two by two…" She huddled in the corner of her room, chanting the phrase over and over.
With a shudder, Serenity docked into Persephone, locking into the anchors as Wash gave the okay.
"We be discrete, we be fast and don't screw up."
"What constitutes as screwing up, sir?"
"Not following the gorram plan."
"Shiny."
Mal, Simon, Zoe and Jayne shuffled off, Simon bringing up the rear. He ran into Kaylee by the docking panel, stopping her by gently blocking her shoulder.
"Kaylee, look after River while we're gone, ok?"
"Sure thing, Doc. I mean, Simon!" She hid her blush, giving a jovial salute to Mal and the others before she closed the bay doors.
Dragging the employee's body into the locker, Jayne locked it shut, dressed in laundry uniform.
"Got the bags, Zoë?" She held up four large canvas satchels, the Chinese writing out "Laundry".
Mal stared blankly for a moment, though Zoë could see the twitch on the corners of his mouth.
"Ok, now the Laundromat truck meets up in there," He pointed to the factory-like laundry center, pointing to the chute where fresh bags of clean clothing slid out, " Grab a bag and look like you belong, except you Simon." He held up a half full bag, "Given your wanted status, you'd best be taking a more covered-up ride." Simon nodded and crawled in, Mal making sure to bury Simon in clean clothes before tying the top. He adjusted his uniform, looking to the rest.
"Where'm I gonna put muh guns?"
"Please tell me you didn't bring," Mal saw the automatic strapped to Jayne's back.
He swore in Chinese, rolling his eyes as he slid the magazine out and pocketed it.
"Hold that thing close, you got it? And stuff it in the bag for now." Jayne grumbled and threw his firearm in, Simon giving a muffled OW before Jayne tied the knot and heaved up he sack.
Mal looked to Zoë, "Ready?"
"Always, sir." He smirked and walked over to the back of the laundry truck, tossing on a bag each.
Blood was dripping down her prisoner garb, her hands steeped with it as she huffed. The guards were dead, the interrogator's neck snapped. She looked at her hands, fingers tense as she felt a slight loss of feeling in her side. She looked down to see she suffered a bullet wound and a few harsh grazes. She gritted her teeth, taking some of her tattered pants and wrapping it to hold pressure. She had to get out as soon as possible.
She tried to unlock the door but it wouldn't budge. It was then she saw the retinal scanner. She grabbed the interrogator by his hair, dragging his body up to it and shoving his head into the slot. The ID matched, the door clicking open as she tossed his body aside. She checked either hallway, seeing no one. She knew she had seconds. She made a right and ran silently before he stopped in front of two guards, guns raised.
Blending in, Mal, Zoë and Jayne rode on the back of the truck. Keeping quiet, they were parked to the back door leading to the uniform room, hopping off with the other five workers. Picking up a bag amidst the normal employees, they entered, Jayne making sure to carefully bring in Simon, though he cared more for the unloaded firearm that was wedged against Simon's ribs.
There we immersed with heaps of clothing; military garb, medical shirts. What unnerved them was how clean the prisoner garb was. Placing down the bags, they carefully slid in towards the back, the other employees leaving and shutting the door behind them. Mal undid the knot, Simon popping out while rubbing his side.
"Right, pick an outfit and suit up." Nodding, Zoë and Jayne took a military outfit while Simon slipped into a medic's outfit.
"Now, you wait for my call, got it?" Simon nodded and hid in the shadows, Jayne wiggling his fingers at Mal to give him the magazine clip back.
"Jayne, head for the armory. Zoë, follow my lead." Jayne gently opened the stronghold door, looking both ends before leaving with the left route.
Mal took the right, Zoë following behind as they both looked casual.
"Sir, how will we get in?"
"Hopefully, Inara's got that covered."
Wearing elegance of blue satin and gold, though torn, Inara quietly walked up the steps of the stronghold, which, to the public eye looked like a local police station. She walked through the double automatic doors, faking tears.
"Oh god, please, someone help!" The secretary behind the desk rushed out.
"What is it, what's wrong?" She sniffed and wiped her eyes.
"Someone tried to murder me!" The secretary led Inara to a seat, trying to gain details.
"He tried to rob me of my things and stab me. He held me by a knife. I escaped before he tried to get my clothes off but as you can see." She held up a tattered end of her dress.
"You, get ten men out on patrol for this assailant." The secretary behind the desk picked up the line, punching in a series of numbers.
"From where?"
"Take them from the exchanging shift." The secretary nodded as the other consoled Inara.
"Damn, I didn't think it'd be this easy." Mal nodded to one of the guards as they traversed the hallways.
He blended into the crowd of changing shifts, passing by as Zoë walked alongside him. Waiting to be out of earshot, Zoe leaned into his ear.
"What cell is she being held in?"
"B-6, I believe."
Dragging another body into the shadowed niche where a fire extinguisher was held, Jayne stood up and adjusted his outfit. He slung his automatic over his shoulder, looking around. A childish smile grew on his lips, hands wrapping around the doorknob. He grumbled as he tried to wrench the doors open. Sighing, he pulled out a plastic explosive, squished it into the key panel and hid behind the same niche. The bomb exploded, sending inch thick slabs of steel and titanium flying in all directions. He stood in front of the crater, staring into heaps and piles of ammunition and guns, both prototype and standard issue.
"Holy pollops. I just died 'n went tah heaven. Hell for this plan!" he leapt in, undoing the satchel he stuffed Simon in and starting to pile ammunition and arming himself with guns.
What Jayne hadn't planned was the alarm.
"Shit, Jayne, I said no explosives!" Mal growled to himself.
"He tends to dramatize every single job, doesn't he, sir?" Zoë shook her head with a wry smirk as she kept in pace with Mal's jog.
"How do we get into the cell?" Mal was avoiding the sprinklers as best as he could.
"Retinal ID." They stopped, semi-blinded by the sprinklers as Mal noted the B-6 logo.
"Well, wouldn't it be nice if Xiao gave me that little piece of information BEFORE we started this(?)! Where the hell are we gonna find a guard?" Zoe suddenly knocked down a guard with the butt of her rifle, looking back to Mal.
"As Book would put it, "Ask and ye shall receive."." Mal yanked off the soldier's helmet and forced his head into the scanner slot.
The door clicked open, but what was inside was not Lai or dead bodies. It was a squad of Feds.
"Sunovab," They opened fire.