Have to apologize that this part took me longer then the others, I must have deleted and rewritten it more then half a dozen times before being happy with it...I hope you all like it as well...still more to come, working out this story as I go and since it's a bit different then my first it's a might tougher... Jenna
And as always, Only Jo Macleod belongs to me, the rest are Josses and I'm just borrowin em'!
After Jo's statement, you could have heard a pin drop. All eyes where on her as she stared down Inara.
"Sir?"
Mal's gaze swung away from where his wife stood to lock with Zoe's.
"Niska's not stupid, he'll trace Inara and Autumn's steps and they'll lead him right to us."
He nodded, "River told me this morning we're still a good three days out from Shinon. I'll run a scan and find out if there's anyone around."
Zoe nodded, "I'll get Jayne and make sure we're ready if trouble finds us before we land."
Mal looked back to Inara, "Why is Autumn so special that Niska would want her back this badly?"
Jo was watching Autumn silently. The girl's attention was focused on Mal and as Jo looked on it dawned on her that it wasn't the girl Niska was after…it had to be something she had with her, something she had taken from him. 'What are you hiding?' She glanced quickly at Mal and Zoe who's attention was now focused on Inara and Autumn …it was then she made her decision. She quietly started to move for the door. She knew she'd possibly pay for her actions later but she was hell bent on getting to the bottom of this little mystery.
Mal hadn't noticed until Jo was crossing the threshold that she had started to leave the room. His eyes followed her as she disappeared down the corridor and around the bend and out sight. He called to her, but she didn't reappear and he sighed, "Great." He muttered.
"Mal, I really am sorry…" Inara told him.
He nodded, "I know you are, but you should have known better…if you had just asked…" He sucked in another deep breath and let it out slowly. "Both of you sit…I want some answers…" He said pointing to the chairs around the table.
In Inara and Autumn's room
Jo had looked around carefully before entering their guests' room. She quietly slid the door closed again and took a look at the two twin beds. It was easy to see what belonged to who. Inara's luggage was hand crafted and made of fine quality fabrics. Autumn's on the other hand paled in comparison. Jo moved to the one large bag that sat on the floor at the end of Autumn's bed and lifting it up put it down on the bed in front of her. She started at one end and worked her way methodically to the other. She found what she was looking for on the last end compartment. It was tucked between two pieces of clothing and wrapped in a protective cover. She took it out and resealed the bag dropping it back where she'd found it. She shook her head, "So young, and so totally stupid." She said sliding the door open and heading back to the dining area.
As Jo returned to the dining room, she heard Mal saying, "I can't help you if you won't talk to me." He was speaking to Autumn. All attention turned to her as she strode through the door and straight to her husband. With a flourish she tossed the protective container in front of him. It was black with red lettering on the front.
Autumn's shock wore off quickly as she made a grab for it yelling, "That's mine…you had no right!"
Inara found that her mouth was actually open in shock as she looked from a silent Mal to an angry looking Jordona.
Mal stopped Autumn by putting a hand over what lay in front of him his eyes boring straight into hers. "Would I be amiss if I said this is Niska's?" He was looking at Autumn but Jo knew the question was aimed at her.
"Nope, you'd be right." She answered him, her arms crossed across her chest, her gaze also tight and fixed on where Autumn sat looking like a cornered animal.
Mal nodded and popped the seal and turned the small square box upside down. As everyone looked on, two small disks slid out and into his upturned hand. Jo watched him nod, not saying a word. His gaze slid to Autumn again and he waved the disks at her.
"Mal…you can't…I mean she…" Inara waived a hand at where Jo stood…"…you can't let her do that!"
Mal looked at Inara with an angry glance, "I have to admit I don't exactly care how she got em' the fact is that she found em' in her things…." He said pointing a finger at Autumn. "…So the question is Miss, what's on em'…cause Niska's offerin' a lot of money for whatever this is…".
Jo grinned, "Why don't we give it to him…money's certainly good enough."
"No! You can't! Please, you don't understand!" Autumn said half sobbing.
"Explain it then…" Mal snarled, tossing the disks on the table.
Autumn swallowed hard and looked around her, first at Inara and then at Mal, Zoe and Jo. She shook her head frantically.
Jo nodded and grabbing one of the disks from Mal turned and took off at a trot.
"Stop! You can't let her do this…please!" She looked at Inara for help but Inara shook her head, "I'm sorry Autumn, I don't agree with how she did it but you owe the Captain an explanation…"
Jo had made her way quickly to the bridge where she located a portable display. She slid the disk in and waited as the machine uploaded the info. She swallowed hard as she watched the slideshow of pictures that flashed in front of her. They stopped and a few seconds later a screen appeared indicating a small closed envelope, it would need to be 'opened' to play itself. She moved slowly back down the corridor to where the others waited for her. She set the portable screen down in front of Mal with a shaking hand. His eyes where on her as he asked, "You ok?" She shook her head mutely and reaching out hit the play button. The scream was loud in the small room and Jo had to move away from where Mal and Zoe sat watching. She shivered violently as she heard the tortured sounds and sat down hard on a nearby chair. She bowed her head as the sounds came to an end a few minutes later and she heard Mal click the machine off.
No one moved or spoke for a full two minutes, the only sound was of Autumn crying softly. Jo could taste bile at the back of her throat as she looked up to find Mal's haunted gaze watching her. She swallowed again and finally stood on weak legs to get herself a glass of cold water. She knew he watched her cross the room because the weight of his gaze was that terrific. She was taking her first sip when she heard Zoe ask, "Who is she?"
"She was my best friend…he killed her." Autumn answered.
"Why?" Inara asked.
"That monster doesn't need a reason…." Jo said aloud. She knew they were all looking at her again, "He kills for enjoyment…don't you get it yet? She didn't have to do anything to him. He says it's all business, but that's bullshit."
Autumn was looking at Mal as she said, "She was one of his companions…"
"One of…?" Mal asked looking to Inara, "I didn't know there could be more then one…"
"Money…it all depends on taste and money."
"I thought there were guidelines…" Zoe said.
Jo watched Autumn's body spasm as she shivered. She filled another glass with cold water and brought it to the girl. Setting it down in front of her she said, "I'm sorry about your friend but I won't apologize for finding those disks or for the way I did it…you should have been upfront with both Inara and with the Captain of this ship. You've put all of us in danger with what you have. I've been where that girl was and am lucky enough to have made it out with my life…what else do you have besides the copy of her execution?"
"N-nothing, it's two copies of the same disk…" She answered taking a drink from her glass.
Jo was standing behind her and locked gazes with Mal, she shook her head and motioned to the disk he still held, her look saying, 'Play it…' He cleared his throat, popped out the first disk and popped in the other. "Don't…please?" Autumn asked him.
"Then what is it truly?" He asked her.
He watched her swallow, "It's a copy of all of Niska's business accounts, World Bank names, account numbers, balances and the Aliases that they're listed under." Jo saw Inara blanch and her mouth drop open, "What?" She yelled as she slid her chair back and stood towering over the younger girl.
"I'm so sorry Inara, I truly am. I needed something to protect myself…it was all I could think about…I never meant any harm." Autumn pleaded.
"You may not have meant it, but if I feel even the slightest risk to myself or my crew over what you've done…I'm turning you and these back over to Niska without a second thought." He said standing. He looked to Inara, "Take her back to your quarters and make sure she stays there and out of my sight. Dong Ma?"
Inara nodded and motioned to Autumn. Jo watched as they both left the room before she said to Mal and Zoe, "I'm sorry to both of you for how I handled that…"
"I would have done the same thing…" Zoe told her as she passed her by. She glanced back at Mal before leaving, "Brief the rest of the crew?" She asked him.
He nodded at her and she left them alone. Mal scanned through the information in front of him and shook his head. "I find it very hard to believe that, that little girl got her hands on this so easily."
"You think it's a set up?" Jo asked.
"Don't rightly know. What I do know is this, I want solid ground to stand on when I deal with Niska."
"This time neither of us have to deal with him alone." Jo said as she came to stand beside him.
