Once again I am astounded that all of you are really interested in my silly little crossover. The reviews and messages and likes are all so so appreciated. I'm finally at a place in my life where I can write regularly, so hopefully updates won't be so scarce. As always, send me reviews so my will to write stays strong. Hope you enjoy now that we get past the exposition and into some actual plot.

Welcome to Serenity: Chapter Six

Split

"Um, Captain?" Ed didn't want to do this. The only reason he was in the cockpit in the first place was because he'd once again fallen prey to Al's puppydog face, which was much more effective now that he had actual facial features to make it with.

Captain Mal slipped something into a bag and turned to face Ed. The alchemist had interrupted something. The pilot and second-in-command were also there. They'd been in deep discussion of something a moment ago. "What is it?"

"I kind of have a favor to ask of you. Well—not exactly a favor—more like I have something to ask you that might help my brother and I information-wise." He did not want to do this. Asking for anything at all was the worst.

"Shoot, kid."

Scratch that. Being called 'kid' was the worst. "Well, there is kind of a reason why my brother are here. In such a dangerous place." Time to use the art of stretching the truth to his advantage.

"I knew there had to be a reason! You were hiding somethin'!" The pilot slapped his thigh and grinned up at his wife. "Why else would they get into a fight with the Reds?"

Zoe gave him a stern glare. "Let him finish."

Ed took a deep breath. These people knew what they were doing, how this world worked. This would be better than starting at zero, but it wouldn't stop grating at Edward's pride. "We are looking for someone. Someone incredibly dangerous. It's a long story as to why and to be honest I wouldn't tell you the real details if you asked. The important thing is that we find this… person. At all costs. Before people start dying."

"Wait, what?"

"Wash can you shut it for a minute?" Mal turned to him and held Ed's gaze. "Are you two in over your heads?"

"I-" The two of them had been in over their heads since the day of their mother's funeral. "We might be. But it doesn't change what we have to do, which is find this person. I doubt you'll believe me but my brother and I are the only ones who can take them down."

Zoe took a few steps so that she could place a hand on Ed's shoulder. Her eyes were full of that pity people always showed when they thought he was burdening too much. When they didn't understand that he really was the one who had to do what he did. "You don't have to put that kind of pressure on yourself."

"Yes I do. It's- look. I'm not asking for you to fix my problems for me. Or worry about us." If his right arm were real flesh, his palm would sport cuts from nails digging in too hard. "All I need is to know who I should go to for information on how the underworld is run here, and any news they can give me. A name, a place, I'll take whatever I can get. Someone has to know all of the happenings."

Mal laughed. "And you think I might just happen to know someone like that? I'll have you know I'm an honest businessman."

"Then what the hell are you doing in a place like this? I know you guys are smugglers. Kaylee isn't very good at pretending you aren't. I know that you did something to piss off a mob boss, and I really doubt it was telling her off for running an underground crime syndicate. I know you have something in that bag there that you're hiding from me, and frankly I couldn't give two shits about what it is, or what you guys have done. All I care about is finding the person I'm after. Now do you know who I should go to or not?"

"Got to say, you're a lot sharper than I was giving you credit for." Mal gave him an impressed nod. "We do know who you should talk to. In fact, we are gonna head out later to see her ourselves. Care to tag along?"

"Mal!" Wash griped. "You can't take the kid to see Jo! We've got no clue about him or this guy he's after. Not to mention the Reds want him powerful bad."

"You forget that the Reds are after me powerful bad as well. One more wanted fella won't make no difference. You can come along and see if Jo can help you find your man. Grab you stuff and we will head out. Zoe, grab the others. I'm leavin you in charge, Wash. Don't make me regret it."

"Tai kong suo you di xing qui dou sai jin wo de pi gu!" Ed didn't understand a word that came out of the pilot's mouth, but he certainly knew cussing when he heard it. At least Wash seemed resigned after the expletives.

Step one was finding the homunculus. Step two was figuring out how the hell they were going to kill it. Hopefully they would be alive long enough for a step three to matter. Ed jogged over to the infirmary to give Al the good news. On the way he ran into the strange girl who knew too much.

"Oh. Hey. River, right?"

"Yes." She blinked at him. "Did the bad man take your brother's body? Is that why you're after him? He wants to hurt a lot of people, I can feel it."

"Uuuuhhh." How the hell did she-? "No. It's my fault he lost it. But he's whole again so…"

Whatever she knew or didn't, Ed felt compelled to reply honestly. His gut told him she would know if he lied. Her fingers pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes as River contemplated Ed. A slight nod indicated she knew he was telling the truth.

"Almost whole." River whispered. "There are bits of him floating around. I can see them. They swirl around his head, trying to reconnect. Like me. But not. They didn't poke around in his brain. So he might have an easier time putting everything back together."

"What happened to you? Did you see the Gate? Did it take something from you?" Was it possible? Had she accessed the Gate on accident? It seemed unlikely, but the impossible was becoming more and more feasible every day.

"I didn't go to him like you did." She grabbed his right hand and turned the appendage over, feeling at the metal joints in his fingers through the gloves that covered him. "But I saw him. When they opened up my head and poked around. He told me things. I couldn't begin to absorb it all. But some of it stuck. I think that's why I see and feel so many things that no one else notice, I think."

"You saw part of the Truth." The realization was flooring. He leaned against the wall in the hallway and processed. "Probably not everything. I mean I could barely hold onto any of it myself but… sorry that's just a lot to process. Someone forced the Gate to come to you?" By poking around in her cranium? What the hell kind of place had he come to?

"I don't think that's what they were trying to do. Or they didn't know that it was what they were trying to do." She shuddered and whimpered. "I'm sorry. I can't talk about- it's too much. I need to go. I'll see you in a few days." And then she ran off.

"A few days?"

Al was in the small lounge area outside of the surgery talking with Kaylee. "Hey there!" She beamed up at him.

"Hi."

"Kaylee was telling me about the engine in the ship, and how it flies. It's pretty cool, Ed, maybe you want to hear."

"Sorry but I'm heading out with the captain. He's going to take me to see someone who might have the info we need to find you-know-who."

Kaylee jumped up. "You mean Jo? Is the captain ready to go?"

"Are you coming too?"

"Yup! I haven't seen her in ages!" This cheerful woman was friends with a mob boss. Somehow it wasn't as surprising as it should have been. Kaylee seemed like the kind of person who made friends with everyone she came across, whether they wanted it or not.

"You'd better go find the captain then. I'll be right there."

She gave Al a careful hug and departed. Alphonse began to stand. "I'll get my things."

"Oh no you don't. You are staying here and letting your bullet wound heal."

"But-"

"Nope. Besides, I have no idea what I'm walking into, it could be a trap. If it is, I need you on the outside to come save my sorry ass."

"Oh."

Ed sighed at the dejected boy. "I'll be gone a few hours. Take a nap and I'll be back. Maybe talk to River. But be careful. I think she's seen the Gate."

"What?"

"Yeah I know. Crazy. But she knew about it and she's seen part of the Truth. I didn't understand it but I think she was captured by some psychos and they poked around in her brain. Or something. But it's true. And she doesn't understand it. You're good with stuff like that. With people."

Al's lips pursed with worry. "Do you think the others know what happened? Or at least parts of it? They know something happened to her at the very least."

"I don't know just be careful, okay, around everyone. We still don't-"

"I know, Ed. I know."

The streets they used were filthier than the rest of the district. Boots trod through grotesque-smelling puddles and slid in slimy bits of mud in the atrociously cobbled back alleys. Dark figures lurked in the shadows, obscured by hats and even masks. Their unseen gazes lingered on the small group.

A .22 caliber pistol was burning a hole in his pocket. He hadn't even loaded it yet. Mal had insisted he take the stupid thing despite all of Ed's protests. Edward was a soldier. He knew how to use one, he wasn't that obtuse, but he'd never had the need to point a gun at anyone. Most of the other state alchemists carried a firearm. But for Ed it just didn't seem right.

"Can someone please explain to me why I got dragged along this time?" Simon whispered. He was more appalled by the filth than Ed was. "Do you think you'll need a doctor?"

Kaylee giggled. "Oh no, Simon, you're eye candy."

"Pardon, I'm what?"

"Jo likes to have pretty young men like you around," Zoe explained. "She won't do anything to you besides flirt a little. It will put her in a good mood for negotiatin with us."

"Mal this is not-" the doctor began.

"Do you want to get rid of the Lassiter or not?" the captain snapped. "All you got to do is be nice to the lady and we will have enough money to keep flyin. The sooner this is over the sooner we can get off this gorram rock."

Doctor Tam grimaced when his foot squelched in a particularly sludgy puddle, visibly shivered, and then muttered his assent. "Fine, but next time you want some 'eye candy' you can forget it."

"Aw Simon, it's only cause you're so pretty!" Kaylee teased. This did not help matters. The man pouted for the rest of the walk.

Apparently they were close to their destination, because a minute later they were flanked by three large men in brown coats. They openly carried their guns, and the shady figures lining the streets practically fled when they saw the men. No one said a thing, just kept walking. Ed couldn't help but feel on high alert. The men led them to a run-down warehouse and pulled open the large, sheet metal door that led inside. It was dark. Not good. Mal took a breath and stepped in, followed by the rest. Edward hesitated for a moment, staring into the blackness, before he entered. Hopefully, this Jo woman had the answers he needed and he wasn't waking in to a huge trap.