Long Road Home – Chapter Fourteen
And here is where. . .Oh you know! Not mine, no pay, just fun!
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The crew's reunion was still going into the night as they gathered for dinner. Their first meal together in a long while. As they sat celebrating in Serenity's galley, the Remorseless touched down, settling into a berth on the far side of the docks.
Jenkins walked down the ramp, taking a look around. It was dark, now, and he smiled at that. Dark was good. He liked to operate at night.
First things first. He didn't like the idea of mixing it up with Reynolds in the Dockyard. Too many witnesses, and too much chance of the local authorities interfering. He would set a man to find and watch Reynolds' ship. When the crew left for town, that's when he'd strike.
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Jayne and River returned to Companion after dinner, walking hand in hand, totally at ease with the silence between them. River knew that Jayne was up to something, she could catch a glimmer of smugness once in a while, but she couldn't figure out exactly what it was.
As they boarded the ship, and locked up for the night, she squeezed his hand.
"What are you thinking, Zhang Fu," she asked slyly. He smirked at that, but shook his head, leading her up the steps without a word. River went willingly, knowing that whatever it was, she'd like it.
"Wait here," Jayne ordered, when they reached the galley. She pouted slightly for show, but sat down. Jayne went to the bunk they'd shared on the way home, and returned presently with a box. River smiled.
"Shoulda give you this on the way home, really," he said, handing her he small package. "But, well. . .I mean we were so busy, and all. . .," he broke off with that damnable sexy smirk of his, and River felt her face heat, again. She'd decided that blush was her knew natural skin tone.
She took the box and eagerly tore into the wrapping. When she opened the box, she gasped in delight.
Lying inside were the two handmade daggers, each now inscribed. On one was the name River, in flowing script. On the other was the name Sean, in identical fashion.
Also in the box were two garter belts, designed especially to hold such blades tightly to a woman's thigh. She looked up with a smile.
"Oh, Jayne, they're beautiful!," she exclaimed, and ran to hug him tightly.
"Not as beautiful as you, ai ren," he whispered softly. "I saw them, and thought of you right off. It was like they said, 'take me to her'. So, I did."
"Such gifts make a girl's head dizzy," River told him coyly. He smiled.
"Good thing you ain't a girl, then," he said seriously, and her blood run hot. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he lifted her to him as if she were weightless.
Her legs wrapped around his waist of their own volition as she placed her lips to his.
"I believe," she whispered, "that you have some unfinished business, my great bear." Jayne growled softly in his chest, and she felt a shiver rip through her.
"Best I take care of that, then," he whispered back. "Bunk?"
"We could christen the dining room," she giggled in his ear.
"Yeah?" he asked, voice gruff with desire.
"Yeah," she whispered huskily.
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"We got a problem," the scar faced man told Jenkins when he returned from his scouting mission.
"Such as?" Jenkins asked.
"'Nother Firefly in port, right next ta Reynolds' boat. Saw the merc and that girl o' his going aboard just as I got there. Looks like the rest o' his crew done back."
Jenkins considered that. True, it complicated matters, but it didn't change anything. If anything, it simplified matters a great deal. He could deal with that mercenary, and take the woman. In fact. . .
"Get everybody together," Jenkins ordered suddenly. "Got myself a fine idea, and I think everyone will like it." He smiled evilly, and the scarred man smiled in return as he set out to gather the rest.
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Morning dawned bright and clear on Astra, an autumn chill in the air. It wasn't outright cold, Mal decided as he stood on Serenity's ramp enjoying the sunrise. Just nippy. Made for clean air, and easy breathing.
"Morning," he heard Inara's still sleepy voice behind him and turned. Since leaving her life as a Companion behind, Inara had stopped wearing her 'face', as Mal often called it. Without the makeup she had always worn, he thought she was even more beautiful. Her hair was still slightly tousled, and Mal wondered if there was a more erotic sight in all the 'verse.
"Mornin' darlin'," he whispered. He kissed her lightly, and wrapped her form in his arms as both stood looking out at the world.
"Beautiful this morning," Inara said quietly, and Mal nuzzled her neck slightly.
"Always beautiful, lately," he told her, and Inara smiled, blushing slightly. Mal had taken a long time to get started, but once he had, she couldn't have asked for better.
"Flattery will get you everywhere," she informed him just as quietly.
"Ain't flattery at all," Mal shot back. "Just plain truth. You're the best thing ever happened to me ai ren. If I never get another blessin' for the rest o' my life, you more than make up for that." She turned to look at him.
"Mal, things like that make me feel more special than you can imagine."
"You are special," he assured her, kissing her once again. "And however my poor ole words make you feel, it ain't enough." She leaned against him, head on his shoulder, and sighed.
Life was good.
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Zoe was up early as well. Being cooped up on ship was grating on her nerves. She'd been clock watching ever since Simon had given her the shot, and the time was up. Time to get out and about.
She dressed quickly, strapping her mare's leg on, and, at the last moment, deciding to wear the little pistol Jayne had gotten her. Jacket on against the cold, she headed out of her bunk.
"Headed out?" Mal asked.
"You know it," Zoe smiled. "Gonna stretch my legs some. Breathe air that ain't been through here," she added with a laugh.
"Don't blame ya none," he nodded. "Gonna do the same myself after while. Watch yourself, Zoe," he warned more seriously. "Don't take it for granted that Withe and his crowd won't try something here."
"Sir," she nodded in affirmation, heading down the ramp.
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"One of them's leaving, now," Jenkins heard over his com. "It's the soldier girl, the browncoat." Jenkins smiled.
"Might as well start with her," he ordered the two men with him. "She's a looker, so be careful. Bring a good price, once we're done," he winked.
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Zoe had been cooped up on the ship for days, and was so glad to be off that she hadn't even considered where she would go or what she would do. Once, such a decision would have been unnecessary, since the only reason to go off ship was to grab whatever they needed.
These days, though, things were decidedly different. They were working more than steady, and the pay was better than they usually managed for even one job, let alone steady employment. So, she wandered, window shopping, stretching her legs, and generally just enjoying being off ship.
She would likely always think of Serenity, as home, of sorts, but had to admit that she had grown accustomed to having a place to call 'home' other than a bunk. She sighed sadly, wishing that Wash had lived to see these days.
The pain had ebbed over the last two years, but there would always be a hole in her heart for her Wash. Her funny man.
So engrossed in her walkabout, Zoe didn't realize that she was being stalked. Jenkins and his two henchmen were trailing along at a respectable distance. Zoe's tall figure was hard to lose, so they could hang back.
As Zoe moved from store window to store window, lost in her musings, she failed to notice that she was steadily moving away from the crowds. Traffic was becoming slower and farther apart, and there were fewer and fewer people on the sidewalks.
Had she been slightly more familiar with the area, Zoe would have realized that she was steadily moving into a less desirable part of the city. But then Zoe wasn't accustomed to being fearful. She'd been a soldier, and knew how to take car of herself just fine, thank you.
But her ambling frame of mind wasn't conducive to awareness, and without realizing it she had been careless.
When the attack came, she didn't react at all for an instant. And that was long enough for the three men to overwhelm her.
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River sat bolt upright, hair billowing behind her in an effort to catch up.
"Zoe," she gasped, and Jayne rose from the bed beside her. River looked at him.
"Zoe's in trouble."
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Zoe was indeed in trouble. She had elbowed on of her attackers in the nose, felling him at least temporarily. But the other two were stronger than she, and were basically overpowering her. She fought them, but without much success.
Jenkins was snarling, holding his broken nose with both hands, while his men fought the amazon first mate of Reynolds'. The fight was moving steadily away from him, as Zoe kicked and punched to fight off her attackers. Just as Jenkins got to his feet, he heard someone yell.
Not stopping to see who it was, Jenkins ran. Things hadn't worked out as he'd planned, and he wasn't staying around to see what happened next. The two idiots he'd chosen to help him were Withe's men, so they weren't a loss, so far as he was concerned.
He started back to his ship, leaving the other two to fend for themselves.
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Just as Zoe had decided that she was beaten, one of her attackers seemed to just leave. With her left arm now suddenly free, she delivered a hard fist to the other's face, sending him reeling. Following it up with a kick to his mid-section, Zoe followed him, lifting her knee sharply into his face while he was doubled over.
Seeing her target fall, she whirled to see what was happening behind her.
The other assailant had his hands more than full as a man not quite so large as Jayne was pummeling him relentlessly. Even as she watched, her rescuer lifted the man over his head, sending him flying into the brick wall behind her. He fell to the ground with a groan, then lay still.
The other turned to her. He was a roguishly good looking man, she decided, tall, blond hair and bright blue eyes. His face was slightly tanned, and she noted in passing that he filled out his clothes awfully well. Not, perhaps, so much as Jayne did, but still. . .
"You okay?" he asked suddenly. He wasn't even breathing hard.
"Thanks to you," Zoe nodded, warily. "If you hadn't been around, might be different."
"Just passing by, ma'am," the man replied, eyes twinkling a little. He offered his hand.
"Name's Tarrant. Butler Tarrant." Zoe took the hand carefully, but Tarrant merely clasped her hand slightly, and released it.
"Zoe Washburne," Zoe replied. Just then running feet were heard from the entrance to the alley way where the fighting had led them. Zoe whipped out her carbine, while Tarrant merely turned. Jayne and River were there, breathing heavily and showing signs of having dressed hurriedly.
"Zoe, are you alright?" River asked, looking at the men on the ground, and then to the one standing.
"Fine, sweetie," Zoe assured her, holstering her mare's leg. "Thanks to Mister Tarrant, here." She turned to him.
"Mister Butler Tarrant, these are two of my crew. River Tam, and Jayne. . ."
"Goldie?" Jayne said suddenly, and Zoe noted Tarrant tense. "Goldie, is that you?"
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Jenkins arrived at his ship to find several of the men off to find entertainment. Cursing at his luck, he headed into the ship, considering.
Washburne probably hadn't gotten a close look at him. He'd been behind her, and she'd nailed him with that elbow right off. Not likely she spared him another glance after that.
But the other two, they probably were down. And they'd lead the cops straight back to him. Here, on Astra, where he had no connections at all.
The only choice left open to him was to run. But he couldn't manage his ship alone. He had to find his crew, and find them in a hurry. Which meant going back out, which meant possibly running into trouble.
Shaking his head at the poor choices before him, Jenkins started back the way he had came. This day was getting worse all the time.