"I'm bored."
Jayne fidgeted with his knife as he sat against the cold stone building wishing he had decided to kill the two tag alongs rather than follow the doctor's hunch. Simon sat patiently watching and adjusting the binoculars for a better shot.
"Shush."
"What's she doing now?"
"Waiting." Simon was studying the sign over the flower shop behind the woman. The sign was simply a black lotus. The window, however, was strangely filled with what looked like artificial flowers. Not what he expected for a flower shop. Must be a cover, he thought.
"Still - What for?"
"I'd say she's waiting for the boss now."
"So what's takin him so long?"
"Important people keep you waiting. It's just their way."
Simon knew this first hand. It was one of the things that doctors mastered early and interns envied. He didn't get it, personally. Doctors should not be like that. He was not like that.
"So what's with this flower shop – it's a front right?"
"Without a doubt." The doctor replied.
"And that sign, that's symbolism, right?"
"Black Lotus, mystic beauty, the symbol of transition or death. I'd say it is appropriate for a bunch of assassins."
"Yeah – I thought so." Jayne seemed proud of himself for making the connection.
Simon had to give him credit, Jayne was trying. The city had falling into deep shadow long ago and the streets were now lit only by a simulated gas light. Still, there would be enough light to see what they had come for.
"Why can't we just coerce her into telling us who hired her." Jayne said impatiently.
"Because she is probably more afraid of whoever they are than we could ever hope to make her of us."
Jayne looked at the doctor nodding agreement when he spotted something coming up the street.
"Whoa. What's that?"
"A limousine. This is it."
They both moved to get a better angle as the Limo approached. It came to a stopped in front of the bowing woman.
"May I use that?" Simon asked politely.
"You bet." Jayne replied. "Zoomed in real good. Yur more likely to recognize folk like that than me."
The tinted window slid down revealing the face of an older man. The light from the storefront illuminated him, the metals of his Alliance naval uniform shone clearly on the chest. The woman bowed repeatedly, obviously apologizing for losing the two and whatever the second group of thugs had failed at, Simon presumed. Something about the man's face nagged at Simon's memory as he watched the two discussing. He zoomed in on the man just as he a gun and shot the woman, dead in the chest, right there on the street. The limo sped away.
"Damn! That was cold." Jayne laughed. "Hey! Where you goin?"
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