Disclaimer: I just noticed that a couple chapters ago I said Mal sold the Lassiter. Then last chapter I said he gave it back to Haymer. (I'M TOTALLY FIRING MY CONTINUITY PERSON! ... oh wait! That's me!) :/ OOPS So - going forward in the story I'm going under the idea that he didn't sell it and it's a negotiating chip with Haymer. There. Settled. :)

Oh... and I still own none of the characters, the 'Verse, - I'm using my parents' computer while I'm home for a few days - so I don't even own the computer this part was written on. :) Ok... without further ado -

"If you can get us twenty doses of the anti-virus and something to clean a water supply, you will not only save humanity as we know it," Mal reasoned with Haymer, "but that pistol there will be yours. There are more where it came from. Do you understand what I'm saying."

"A portal finally opened didn't it?" Haymer's eyes clouded as he tried recalling report that he'd read over the last few years. There were 'disruptions' in the fabric of time and space and scientists couldn't make sense of it. If there was any chance at successfully completing time-travel, these disruptions would prove to be the perfect place. Apparently fate beat science and now viruses, doom, and even more unimaginable wealth laid before him.

"A portal?" Mal tucked his head back in shock. "Yeah. That's what I would call it." How did he know?

"Let me talk to my contacts. Don't empty your water tank or let anybody in natural water sources."

"They're at the beach right now, but we've already discussed not touching anything we don't have to. Including the ocean," Rick drawled. Haymer couldn't believe he didn't hear it earlier. Nobody had an authentic 'southern' drawl like that anymore.

Haymer smiled at Rick. It seemed Malcolm Reynolds kept some rational and responsible people around him. Haymer promised to make the necessary contacts and that the Alliance would probably want to meet with and debrief everybody so they could study the phenomena better.

"I won't let them be held and tested. They're not lab-rats now."

"I will make that abundantly clear."

"I will run. Then we will contaminate what we need to and you will have an even larger problem. They won't take them all at once. I only feel safe letting them have two at a time."

"I will have them contact you directly and you can talk to them. You really do have a way of making everything complicated."

"Hey," Daryl waved his hands above his head and tried to get the attention of the group about 200 meters up shore. His voice was slowly coming back to him after being winded by River. She's tossed him to the ground, yelled instructions while she rolled them away from more gunfire. Then she threw sand to cover his escape while she provided cover and a distraction. Everything in him chastised himself for letting a little girl… woman take a fall for him. She'd been very demanding in her instructions to him and she'd assured him that if he was taken as well – then things would be even worse for both of them.

"Get help. Mention Niska."

He didn't know what it meant, but he needed to get back to the group as fast as possible. Air finally seeped into the deepest part of his lungs allowing him a full breath and that was all he needed. His doubled-over advance turned into a full run. Plumes of sand spat underneath his feet and it was Kaylee that noticed him first. He caught up with her just as she saw the shuttle take off behind him.

"What happened? Where's River?"

"She…" he gulped for air, "said mention 'Niska.' Does that mean anything?"

He got his answer when all the blood drained from the mechanic's face. Fear, the first since they'd come to this new time, seated itself at the base of his spine and churned a putrid premonition in the pit of his stomach.

"Did I hear something about Niska?" Jayne covered the remaining 20 meters in what seemed like two strides. "Where's River?"

"They took her. She made me come back here. Who's Niska?" Daryl finally asked.

"Zoe," Jayne yelled at the first mate and they finally walked up to the rest of the group, "we have a problem."

"Who's Niska?" Daryl repeated.

"Now how does he know that name?" Zoe asked.

"He's got River."

"Sir," Mal's comm unit erupted with Zoe's voice, "you are needed back at ship. Now."

"Um, Zoe. This is a bad time."

"Niska took River."

That statement was enough to stop all the men in the room.

"The Adelai Niska has a crew member of yours? What on Earth-That-Was did she do to cross him?"

"She didn't do anything. I did. And at the time she wasn't even technically a crew member."

"That's unlike Niska. He's taking some awful drastic measures."

"Oh, I'm sure he feels like he has a score to settle."

"It was you that took his space station a few months back wasn't it?"

"Is there anything that you don't hear about?"

"You harbor the Tam twins were wanted for the Miranda broad wave until miraculously your wanted status was suddenly overturned."

"So you don't know how?"

"River Tam is quite the little genius isn't she?"

Too close. Haymer was too close. How did he know all of this? Why was he holding his cards so close?

"You stole from me," Haymer looked at Mal as if this should have been as plain as day. "Aren't you the largest advocate of 'know thy enemy?'"

"Are we still enemies?" Mal wanted to know his hand. Did he have a full house of vengeance? Did he have an Ace hidden up his sleeve for just the right time? Whose side was he on?

"We'll never be friends. But no, we are not enemies. We are comrades. We have a singular goal of keeping this 'Verse free of the virus they carry. Killing them won't work – after they come back to life and we kill them again, they'll just infect the ground, water. Plus I like this Rick fellow. I'd much rather see them live. So don't fight me, Mal. I have enough pull that I can make this run smoothly. I require the lassiter, the pistol, and if you could run other items by me I require one more token for my part in helping you. Then we can negotiate pricing on the rest."

"Fair," Mal jumped.

"Niska just made it a little more complicated. Seems he has no luck at all lately."

Mal's eyebrows posed enough unspoken questions that Haymer continued.

"He took a potential carrier of the virus to his space station. It will have to be completely sterilized."

"You let us get River out of there first."

"As soon as I call the Alliance it'll be a race to see who gets there first. Then you must come directly back here and land on the same spot of beach. I've already had Serenity located so you don't contaminate any other place. A crew will meet you there, sterilize your ship, your crew, the land. They will have thousands and thousands of questions for the Earthlings. Then, once they are done with you, they will be on their way."

"They will leave the Tams alone."

"All that River knew has already been released. There's nothing but vengeance they can seek now. As powerful as it is, she's not worth destroying their reputation further but I will pass along the word."

"Give me a 6 hour head start, then call the Alliance. I have business to finish with Niska."