Long Road Home – Chapter Fifteen
Yeah, yeah, I know. I don't own these characters or the verse they live in. Happy now?
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"Think you got the wrong man, friend," Tarrant said evenly, eyes riveted on Jayne.
"Like hell," Jayne grinned suddenly. "I'd know that ugly mug o' yours anywhere, Goldilocks." Tarrant stiffened slightly, and Zoe's hand dropped again to her carbine.
"Like I said," Tarrant didn't quite growl, "you got me mixed up with someone else."
"Ain't no way there's two o' ya," Jayne snorted. "You mean to say you don't recognize me, ge ge?" Tarrant started at that. He peered closer at Jayne, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Only one person ever called me that," he said after a minute. "A raggedy, half-wild kid I knew a lifetime ago. You can't be. . .Shade?" Zoe and River groaned in unison. Jayne ignored them, stepping forward with a smile.
"Never thought I'd see your ugly mug again," Jayne said smugly, and pulled the slightly smaller man into a bear hug. After a few seconds Tarrant returned it.
"I'll be damned," he said softly.
"That's likely," Jayne laughed.
"Thought you was dead for sure," Tarrant said wonderingly. "After I got released, they told me what had happened. Seen Stormy after a while, and she was asking 'bout you. Never could find you, just figured you was gone."
The re-union was interrupted by a groan from the man Zoe had put down. Tarrant moved to him, and helped him sit up.
"Looks to me like you got some explaining to do, friend," Tarrant said gently. "You always go 'round beatin' on women, or was this more a spur o' the moment kinda thing?" The thug looked up at Tarrant with dazed eyes. As they regained their focus, he lunged upward, only to sit back down abruptly as Tarrant gouged him in the neck and twisted.
"Now, you're gonna be paralyzed a while, friend," Tarrant smiled. "But you can still feel pain, if'n you follow me. Having said that, this lady's friends seem a might put out by you. That one," he pointed at Jayne, "is especially nasty, by the way. Don't rightly know 'bout the women. Course one of'em did kick your ass pretty good, so draw your own conclusions."
"What about it, Zoe?" Jayne asked, slipping his knife from it's sheath.
"No point," Zoe said after a moment. "We know who he's working for already. Likely the one who ran was one of them."
"Leave'em?" Jayne asked. "Or. . ."
"Leave'em, Jayne," Zoe said firmly. "No sense in attracting attention. Let's just get back to the ship." She looked at Tarrant.
"Coming?" she asked, and immediately wondered why.
"Sure," Tarrant nodded. "Despite the poor company you keep," he added, with a smirk at Jayne.
"Still the funny man," Jayne growled, but his grin robbed the words of any sting.
"And who might this lovely young lady be?" Tarrant asked, looking at River.
"Mine," Jayne said, and his good humor was instantly gone. Tarrant looked at Jayne appraisingly.
"Good enough," he nodded, and an unspoken communication seemed to pass between them.
"I'm River," River said sweetly. "Please forgive Zhang fu, he means well."
"I sincerely doubt that, River," Tarrant snorted. "But I don't blame him one bit for being possessive of you," he added with a wink.
"I assure you I am equally possessive of him," River giggled. Tarrant's eyebrow raised in surprise. He looked at Jayne.
"Looks like you did good, kid," he nodded in approval.
The four were walking down the street now, and fell into a easy banter, all the while watching the street around them carefully.
"What you doing out here, Goldie?" Jayne asked.
"Well, right now I'm looking for work. Came in on an old Mitari class boat, but I'd had enough of it."
"What were you doing?" Zoe asked.
"Engineer," Tarrant replied. "Captain was a Scrooge, though. Wanted the ship to keep flyin' without parts, and after a couple months I got tired of that. Decided this was as good a place to get off as any. Been here about a week."
"Engineer, huh?" Zoe asked. "Ever shipped aboard a Firefly?" Jayne's ears perked up at that.
"Not as an engineer," Tarrant answered. "Been on one or two as crew. Good ships, if they're well maintained."
"That they are," Zoe nodded in approval. "We just happen to be looking for an engineer for one," she added, carefully not looking in Tarrant's direction.
What the hell am I doing? she thought. She was honest enough to admit she was attracted to the man, but the fact that he knew 'Shade' should have been enough to turn that right off.
He did save me from something ugly, she admitted to herself. But I ain't no school girl to be swayed by that.
"Well, that's mighty convenient," Tarrant said idly. "But like I said, never served as engineer on one. Like as not, I couldn't do the job. Not that I wouldn't likely enjoy being onboard," he added, grinning at Zoe. She found herself grinning back before she realized it.
"What say we talk about it when we get there?" she temporized. Tarrant studied her carefully for a heartbeat, then another. Finally he nodded.
"Works for me."
In front of them, River smiled. Zoe was healing.
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Mal was unhappy to say the least. He turned to Jayne.
"Thought we talked about going off alone," he stated. Jayne returned his gaze steadily.
"Wasn't alone, Cap'n," the big man said casually. "River was protecting me." His fiancé giggled at that.
"That ain't what I meant!" Mal sputtered. "You shoulda told us!"
"We were in a hurry, Captain Daddy," River told him, looking up at him with her impossibly large eyes. "Zoe was in great danger when we left. There was no time."
"Don't trot out them puppy eyes at me, Albatross," Mal shook his finger. "Ain't gonna work."
"Always have," she pointed out. Mal's face turned red at that, as the rest of the assembled crew laughed. Finally Mal relented, joining in.
"Don't do it again," he said, trying to regain some authority.
"Yes, Ba Ba," River said, puppy eyes still turned on. Mal couldn't stay mad at the puppy eyes, and everyone knew it. He turned to the stranger.
"I'm right obliged to you, Mister Tarrant," he said. "Not for you, things might have gone south for Zoe 'fore Jayne and River could have reached her."
"She was doin' fine for herself, Cap'n," Tarrant assured him. "Fightin' tooth and claw." Mal nodded.
"She does at that," he agreed, lookin' at his best friend. "Not like you to get snuck upon, Zoe," he told her.
"Distracted, sir," Zoe said quietly. "Too much thinking."
"Do it every time," Mal agreed. He was about to say something else when River suddenly perked up.
"Being watched," she said quietly, looking carefully out at the dock around them. "Feel him, watching. Waiting." She trailed off as the thoughts began to impress upon her.
"Wants me," she whispered.
"What?" Jayne growled.
"Watching for me, waiting for me to come out alone," River said quietly. She looked at Zoe. "Nose is broken," she smiled. "Hurts."
"Good," Zoe nodded once, firmly.
"Know where this gentleman is, Albatross?" Mal asked, being careful not to look himself.
"Almost," she said. "But can't quite find him. Need to draw him out," she looked at Mal. "Wants me. We should give him what he wants."
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Trace Jenkins stood slightly hidden in the crates of parts and pieces stacked against the dock fence, watching the two boats belonging to Malcolm Reynolds. He had managed to find some of the men from his ship, and they were looking or the rest. As he had considered the odds, he'd changed his mind about running.
With the men assembled, he would still outnumber Reynolds' outfit slightly. If he returned to Argo without having accomplished his mission, Withe and Ball would be unpleasant to say the least. And, he admitted, he still aimed to have the merc's woman.
The attack on Washburne hadn't gone as planned, and he regretted it. At the time he'd been thinking on lowering the odds, and on how much a looker like her would fetch on the slave market. In hindsight, he should have forgone the money and killed her. But hindsight was. . .
Jenkins thoughts left him as a slight figure emerged from Reynolds' boat. It was her! He rubbed his hands together, marveling at his good fortune. Here she was, all alone!
He watched closely as the object of his obsession came closer and closer. He decided rather than follow her, he'd simply grab her, and take her to his own ship. Once there, she could be held until he managed to get his work done and get off world. After that?
He smiled, an ugly leer on his face. After that, well, he'd have three days or more on the trip back to Argo. Lot could happen in three days.
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River fought a smile of her own as she felt the watching man take the bait.
Jayne had almost been apoplectic at the thought of using her to draw Jenkins out. She was sure that's who was watching, based on the Captain's description of him. An utterly ruthless and evil man, she decided, fighting off a shudder at his thoughts.
He liked to prey on women. Well, River decided, it was time to teach him that there were female wolves, as well. She grinned at that thought.
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"I don't like this, Mal," Jayne growled yet again.
"So you've said," Mal nodded. "I don't care much for it, myself. But Albatross says she can take him, and that he's stalking her. You want to let him keep running around, knowing that?"
"You know what I want," Jayne snarled quietly.
"And you won't get within ten feet of him," Mal shot back. "You know she can handle herself, Jayne," he reminded the big man. "Comes to that, knew what you were gettin' at the start."
Jayne nodded reluctantly, remembering a promise he'd made what seemed a lifetime ago. He wouldn't go back on his word. But. . .
"Anything happens to her. . ."
"I'll give you leave to do what you please, to who you please," Mal assured him. Slightly comforted by that, Jayne fell silent.
It will be fine, ai ren, he suddenly heard in his mind, and was struck nearly dumb as River's thoughts projected their way into his head.
How the hell is she doing that? he wondered.
I'm very gifted, came the reply, along with a very River-like giggle. Jayne shook his head ruefully, grinning. The perfect woman.
And don't you forget it.
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As River reached Jenkins' hiding place, he reached out suddenly and grabbed her.
"Don't make a sound, girl," his breath was in her ear. "You do, and it'll be your last. Me and you, we're gonna ease over to my boat, real quiet like. Hear?"
River nodded, showing fear. Jenkins bought it, and started to drag her away. He'd gone only a few steps, however, when she tore loose from his grip. He started, and turned quickly to pursue, only to find that she wasn't running.
"Surprise," he heard quietly, then her fist slammed into his nose. His already painfully broken nose.
"You bitch!" he screamed, swinging wildly at the woman before him. River easily side-stepped the blow, laughing lightly.
"What's wrong, bad man," she taunted, her foot connecting with his mid-section. Jenkins felt the air rush from his lungs, and doubled over.
"Surely a tough space pirate like you can do better than that," River chided mockingly. Jenkins' rage was easy for her to glean, and she added to it, raising her foot again to connect with his forehead. Jenkins straightened with the blow.
"Wanted me so bad," she continued. "Whatever will you do now that you have me, big man?" She spun, roundhouse kick slamming into Jenkins' kidney. He groaned again, mind reeling.
Who the hell was this bitch? What was she?
"I'm your worst nightmare come true," she whispered, her elbow impacting solidly with his solar plexus. "A woman who can fight back. Something you fear. Right, tough man? Beater and violator of women? Used to docile targets, are we?" Her fist slammed into his jaw, and Jenkins heard bones break, felt teeth give.
"Picked the wrong one, this time, yui di hundan," River taunted again. "Worried about what Zhang fu might do to you, when you should have been more concerned with me." Her foot lashed out again, striking the side of Jenkins' knee. He heard it pop, and bit off a scream.
"Right to fear Zhang fu, of course," River said as she circled her target. "Should have let him have you. More man than you will ever be. But he promised you to me, and he always keeps his promises."
Jenkins struggled to get to his feet on his ruined knee. River danced to his other side and kicked his good knee out from under him. Her 'attacker' moaned in pain as his weight settled fully upon his injured joint, and he dimly heard the girl laugh. Laugh at him!
"You're very funny," she told him, as if reading his thoughts. "Wanted to hurt me, make me scream. Show me who was in control." River lashed out with her fist, breaking his other jaw. Blood spurted from Jenkins' mouth. River leaned into him, whispering in his ear.
"So, who is in control now?" she asked, and the heel of her palm found his broken nose. The cartilage in his shattered face shifted, driving upward. Piercing his brain.
Trace Jenkins never felt the pavement beneath him come up to meet his face. His last thought before he died was almost poetic.
She's just a girl!
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"Yesu," Tarrant whispered, watching River from the ramp. He turned to look at Jayne, who was beaming proudly.
"Best watch your step, kid," he told Jayne with a smirk. "That girl will kick your balls off, you don't."
"Yep," Jayne nodded.
"C'mon," Mal waved to the others. "She's had enough fun. Time to put paid on this once and for all."
Jayne, Zoe, and Tarrant followed Mal up the docks to where River was patiently waiting. Time indeed.
Time to set things right.