She flew down the log shoot towards the saw. It wasn't on luckily. She simply slid past it gracefully and landed on the ground of the warehouse. She moved into the shadows before anyone saw her. She had to get to the security station for her plan to work.

Her back was flush up against the cold wall as she inched her way around to the other. The thoughts of everyone inside all rushed through her own. She searched for anyone that noticed or heard her. So far she had remained undetected.

The slow journey to the security station continued. She had avoided at least ten men, but she knew that her luck would run out. She reached out for the thoughts of the men around the next corner. They would see her instantly. She figured that meant that she'd just have to be quick.

They were standing by the station built into the wall. Both of them were bored and a little pissed that they didn't get some of the action. River smiled. They'd get some action alright.

She flew into view and jumped forward, rolling across the ground and ending with her fist in the guy on the left's gut. Before the other guy could process what had happened, she had his gun by the barrel and the stock was connecting harshly with his face. She kicked him into the wall. His head hit it fatally. She turned to the other guy and kicked him across the face. He fell to the ground.

She got to work on the security. Her fingers flew across the keys at a dizzying rate. She couldn't hear Jayne anymore. He was either dead or out. There was only one office in the entire building. She knew where it was and that Strong-arm was there. If she could get Jayne out, she'd have to lure him away. That meant misdirection.

****

Mal ran to the nearest door. He started kicking it. It wasn't moving. He tried using his entire body strength, but again it didn't move. They had the place locked down tight. Without cards, they couldn't get in. Probably even with the cards they wouldn't be able to get in.

Mal was panicked. It was similar to the feeling he had when the Feds got her, only now they were together. They had something. The thought of never waking up to her ever again made his fear, dread, doom, anger, rise to heights that he didn't think that he was capable of. They needed to something to get to her.

He pulled out his gun and got ready to shoot at the door. Zoe grabbed his hand.

"Sir, she's strong and stealthy. I haven't heard anything to suggest they've found her. Gunfire will compromise whatever she's doin' in there."

She was right. He put his gun away with a long strand of Chinese curses. He hated feeling so gorram helpless. He wanted, needed, to do something, anything, to help her.

"What can we do?" he asked Zoe dryly.

Usually she was the one asking that question and he was the one to answer.

"We have to trust her. We'll know what we need to do soon enough."

"I can't just wait here while she's in there!"

"Then what do you suggest?"

He didn't know. He didn't even have half a plan. It was all up to River. Just around that time, the alarm sounded.

****

She had tripped the system on purpose to make it look like someone had entered on the opposite side of the building. Strong-arm would surely go running.

She moved towards the office. There was a staircase leading up to it, so she hid underneath it and waited until she heard footsteps. She saw a very tall man with huge muscles take off of that area looking very pissed. Someone pissed in his oatmeal flavored protein pissed.

She slipped up onto the steps and got to the office. He left the door open because he was in such a rush. She peered in and there Jayne was.

He was tied to a chair and completely incapacitated covered in bruises and blood. She untied the restraints and helped him up. She almost fell down under his bulking frame, but she steadied herself.

"Jayne, wake up. We have to go," she whispered.

He moved a little bit. She shook him.

"Wake up!"

He regained semi-consciousness, just enough to support some more of his own weight. It would have to do.

She rushed down the steps with him tenuously following her by hanging onto her shoulders. She pulled him along towards the door where Mal and Zoe were. They ran into a bit of difficulty. Three guys saw them. They were about to call out, but River's fist hit each of their throats like lightning.

Fighting with a mercenary at least three times bigger than you and barely conscious can prove to be a problem. She had to resort to guns. She knew that Jayne had one somewhere. He always did. She fought off the guys with one hand while searching desperately for a gun.

"Damnit Jayne!" she hissed as he leaned on her heavier than before.

She finally found one tucked in his boot and under his pants. She pulled it out and shot the three guys before they could do any more damage. She'd have a shiner in the morning for sure.

She dragged Jayne to the door and opened it to find Mal pacing and Zoe standing by the door.

Mal ran over to her and took Jayne off of her.

"I need one of you to take him to the bar. I need the mule, so you'll have to walk. The other needs to stay and help me out. Then we'll meet you at the bar."

Mal was livid. He was about to give her an earful and tell her that there was no way in HELL that she was going back in there when Zoe spoke.

"I got him."

She wrapped his arm around her and started walking towards the bar.

"Stay out of sight until you hear me. Then move to the location of the cargo like we planned. Just take it out to the mule. You'll have ten minutes, maybe more maybe less. Then wait for me."

He was about to give her an earful once again, but she sped off into the warehouse. He cursed again and followed. She took off towards the sawmill portion of the place while he stayed out of sight near the cargo.

River went back up to the office knowing that it was still empty and Strong-arm was still chasing after the invisible intruders on the other side of the building. She shut the door and braced it so it would hold as long as possible. Then, she sat down at his desk and picked up the comm.

"You're chasing ghosts," she called through the speakers.

Mal took that as his cue and started moving to Badger's cargo. They had the order number. So, he began the hunt.

Strong-arm looked up like he would see the source of the angelic voice.

"No one has broken into your warehouse, Strong-arm. Well, unless you count me."

"Where are you?" Strong-arm shouted. River heard.

"Let's make it a game. Try to find me."

She paused and went through his desk.

"Who keeps a barbell in their desk?" she asked curiously.

He knew that she was in his office.

"She's in my office!" he roared.

Most of his men followed and they took off towards his office.

Mal was making progress. He found the right crates and started moving them. He suppressed a smile. Something about the way she was talking to him over the comm. reminded him of the night Jubal Early showed up on his boat. She was so good at taunting the bad guys.

Strong-arm ran up to the door and started trying to open it. Her mind went to Mal's. He had two more crates. She had to stall a little longer.

"Well you found me. Now try to get me."

The door was breaking faster than she had anticipated. He was stronger than she had estimated. She took the comm. unit and stood on the desk. She removed the ventilation panel and then climbed inside it. She shut the lid and started crawling towards the outside vent.

"Keep trying. I know you'll get in," she said into the unit before tossing it behind her.

She pushed the vent covering aside and then leapt outside. She landed perfectly although she scrapped her knee. Mal had all of the crates. She took off for the mule.

****

Strong-arm got the door open with ease. However, his office was empty.

"SEARCH EVERYWHERE!" he snapped.

They combed the warehouse while he looked around outside. He caught a glimpse of a young woman leaping into the back of a mule. He snapped his fingers and a few men showed up.

"Tail that mule, but don't get caught. Tell me when and where they stop."

Tim, the leader of the group, nodded and they set out to follow the craft.

****

River leapt into the back of the mule next to the cargo. Mal drove off. His thoughts didn't make a lot of sense. They were mostly unpleasant. She couldn't figure out anything specific. It was all a jumbled mess.

They pulled around the back of the bar. Jayne was seated against the wall and Zoe was standing over him.

"Cargo?" she asked.

"We got it," River nodded happily.

"Other than Jayne's beatin' we got out pretty good on this one," Zoe sighed.

Mal turned towards River. "You didn't listen to me."

"It was the only option-"

"We should of talked it out!"

"Jayne didn't have time! I had to make a move! That was the only possible way in and I was the only one that could go through that way!"

"You went straight for the saw!"

"It was turned off."

"You ignored my order and went off to play some big damn hero! What if you had died in there? Who would take care of that gorram spider of yours?" he exploded.

She saw a flash from his mind. She was dead and he couldn't get to her. She understood how he felt exactly since she had the nightmare just the night before. He wasn't angry, he was afraid. Well, maybe a little angry.

He waited for her to say something. Instead, she wrapped her arm around the nape of his neck and kissed him very hard. Zoe watched with raised eyebrows. They pulled apart after what seemed like an hour. She put her lips against his ear.

"I'm alright. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

He felt some comfort in that, but he was still upset. "Take Jayne on the mule. We'll follow behind you on foot. It can only take two people right now."

She nodded and climbed into the front while he helped Jayne into the seat beside her. She cast a look in Mal's direction, an unspoken "I love you," and then the mule sped off towards the ship.

Mal and Zoe walked in silence. It was the dead of night. Everything was still, too still for comfort. They didn't hear them coming until it was too late. They took Zoe out first with a conk on the back of the head. Mal spun around with his gun ready.

"I think you took somethin' of mine. We're gonna keep her until we get our cargo back. So take us to it," Strong-arm growled.

"I don't think so," Mal said with a smug smile. Bad idea.

Strong-arm's arm was wrapped around his throat. And that's how he got his name.

"Start walkin' or we kill her."

He heard the sound of a hammer being cocked. They had Zoe. He had to think and he had to think fast…