Copper for a Kiss by Lady Cleo
All Disclaimers' Apply
Chapter Four:
Athens
2517 Late January.
It was a quaint little bar, the usual dingy atmosphere, smoky and crowded with the seedy back alley types. In short it was exactly the kind of place Marco was known to inhabit and the first place Jayne looked. He pushed his way through the room quickly and over to the bar, slapping down a couple of credits he called the attention of the bartender, "Give me a bottle of your strongest."
The man smirked in response producing a tall bottle of whiskey he picked up the credits Jayne grabbed the bottle and turned back around to face the room, spotting the shorter man that he'd come in search of almost immediately. Marco sat slumped over in a corner booth. Grasping a cup in one hand he swirled the contents around in a depressed manner, occasionally taking a quiet sip.
Smirking at the sight, Jayne crossed the bar and slipped into the booth across from the other man, "Reckon you've seen better days."
"Jayne," Marco choked out in shock. "What are you doin' back on this side of Verse, thought you was makin' a name for yourself on the Cores?"
Jayne snorted, "Cores ain't what they're cracked up to be. Just a bunch of ruttin' fools dressed up nice, pretending ta be proper upstanding citizens while they rob the 'Verse blind. Ain't worth the trouble." Jayne explained leaning back into the booth, he glared across the table and uncorked the bottle of whiskey. "Heard you got suckered by some transport Captain."
Marco frowned, staring back down into his drink, "Heard right. Ruttin' idiot out smarted me." He explained taking another swig of his drink. "Don't matter anyway, got a nice little gig planned that'll make up for that loss ten times over if'n all goes accordingly."
"What's that?" Jayne inquired.
Marco perked up considerably, "It's brilliant. Got word of a Federal shipment of supplies heading out tomorrow afternoon. Not the usual crap shipments, but the really good stuff. You know; drugs, terra forming supplies, rations- all them things that'll fetch a hefty fortune on the black market."
"Why for you hanging round this shit hole then?" Jayne asked looking up from his drink.
Marco frowned and slumped back against the booth, "Need an inside man. Only way I can figure to get the goods is to hijack the train so's we can unload the stuff. Only I can't find any idiot brave enough, or stupid enough to hijack a federal train." The words had barely left his mouth when a light suddenly dashed across the other man's face. "Say Jayne, you ain't ever been afraid of the law. Ya wouldn't happen to be interested in makin a little money."
"Might be."
"I'll give ya the standard seven percent. Considerin the pay off that alone will make you a fortune enough to buy a rich estate on the likes of Londinum."
"Ten percent for both the partner and me, ain't workin' for less."
Marco nearly jumped in his booth, the contents of his drink swirling as he sat up quickly. "No way in ruttin' hell, standard seven, sides when'd you get a partner?"
"Picked her up on the core." Jayne explained with a casual shrug of his shoulders. "Considerin' the risks you're asking for, I'd say ten for each was more than fair. But if that's too much I'll just take my girl elsewhere, don't need the money anyhow." Jayne smirked and jumped to his feet and started to walk away.
It was a very familiar situation, one that had been echoed nearly a year ago, only Marco hadn't followed after him that time. A mistake that had cost Marko a fair deal more then the ten percent Jayne had been asking for. And it was a mistake he was not about to make again. "It's only for the one job, I ain't taking you both on to the crew, already got my regulars."
With a satisfied grin Jayne turned around and walked back to the table, "Now that's something I'm willing to drink to."
"Fine. Just don't be flapping your big mouth around my two regulars, don't want no ruttin' strike on my hands on account of that I'm paying you and your partner more then what I'm paying them."
There where twelve of them lined up neatly and stacked atop each other. They were sturdy looking stairs in his opinion, despite the fact that they blurred in and out of his vision. Lifting a foot Jayne took the first step and nearly fell flat on his face, but nevertheless his determination held strong. Reaching out he grabbed a hold of the banister and leaned his weight against it. The second step came and went with moderately better stability.
Ten steps later he stood with a gleeful grin at the top of the stairs. Staring down at them with a great sense of accomplishment he turned around and started for the door to their room, barely avoiding a tumble back down the stairs.
It took him a good couple of minutes to find the door to the room again. Jayne entered the room quietly and worked his way over to the foot of one of the two beds. He paused staring down at the small girl huddled in the covers for a good moment before leaning down towards her. "Hey, girl, crazy girl-" She stirred slightly but simply rolled over ignoring him.
"Girl- girly girl- moonbrained child, ya hear me?" When she didn't answer, Jayne climbed slowly onto the bed, crawling forward. River's eyes flashed open and her head jerked up to watch as Jayne crawled over her legs. The silly grin still plastered to his face he gradually moved forward until his body was hovering just over hers. "Guess what."
"Ape's inebriated."
The grin stretched further across his lips, "Nah, that ain't it. Never seen a drunken monkey in these parts, got loads of them on the core." River rolled her eyes but kept herself from making a comment. "We got a job."
"Employment opportunity?"
"Yeah, old buddy of mine wants to relieve the Feds of some cargo. We're gonna hijack us a shiny piece of metal-"
"Nothing comes for free; all has a price to pay." River interrupted with a glare. "Also, your mother would not approve."
Jayne scowled down at the smaller girl underneath him for a second, but the alcohol happily coursing through his veins prevented it from staying for too long and the grin crossed his cheeks again. "Hell, it'll be loads of fun, ain't gotta worry 'bout nothing. Sides' way I figure it, Feds took something priceless from you and now we're taken its value back."
River titled her head in response to his saying and furrowed her eyebrows together. "Priceless: Adjective. Meaning invaluable, to have inestimable worth, or an incalculable monetary worth. No way to satisfy the debt to the girl, unless to provide a replacement of equal stature and value, which is not probable."
Jayne grinned happily, "Exactly, so's we'll just take from them in order ta attempt to rectify the situation."
"Logic is flawed."
"Gorram it girl, its crime, course it's gonna be flawed in every possible manner. Ain't no such thing as smart crime." His eyes narrowed down on her. "Ya think a gorram genius would know that, even the crazy ones."
In response River glared back up at him and smacked the side of his head, nearly sending the off balanced man crashing onto her. "Not crazy, stupid boy should remember that. Liu kou shui de biao zi he hou zi de ben er zi-" But she trailed off when she realized that he'd stopped listening to her several seconds ago and his train of thoughts had taken a very different approach to their situation.
"You got pretty- eyes." Jayne muttered his face dangerously close to hers, his fingers toying with the rim of her nightgown. Dropping his head to the side he buried his face in her neck and took a deep breathe. "Smell like drugs." He mumbled almost incoherently, "Would probably feel like one, taste like one-" He took another trembling breathe and pulled his head back slowly, the side of his face scrapping across hers, lips almost brushing across her chin.
River's hands jumped from her side, coming up to grip his shoulders as her heart sped up. "Nice feeling." She muttered more to herself then to him.
"Uh huh-"Jayne murmured as River's eyes fluttered closed. "Real nice." And he leaned in closer, his lips centimeters away from her.
River's eyes flew open as his weight went slack over her body, crushing against her as his thoughts blanked out into complete silence. Pushing his weight off her she rolled them; catching him before he tumbled to the floor and pulling him back to the center of the bed.
"Stupid, silly boy." She murmured before cuddling to his side. Resting her head on his chest she listened as his heartbeat droned on for several seconds before letting it lure her back into sleep.
Jayne cracked an eyelid open, the duel throbbing behind his temple intensifying as the light blinded him for a second. "Damn good stuff." He muttered to himself, closing his eyes he decided he could afford another hour of sleep.
"Poison: a drug that depresses the central nervous system and can lead to hypoglycemia, hyperuricemia, and hyperlipemia. It affects the central nervous system functions and causes deterioration of intellectual functioning, disturbances in sensory and motor control and destruction of automatic biological functions. Not good for the boy." River's voice forced the cracking of his eyelids again and very slowly Jayne lifted his head to peer at the crazy girl curled at his side. Her fingers tapped an annoying melody on his chest as she snuggled deeper into his side, her head resting comfortable on his shoulder.
"What the hell you doing girl, get off."
"Analyzing symptoms, formulating cure." She responded, she stopped her tapping and reached out with her fingers to poke the side of his cheek. "Headache, irritability, nausea, fatigue, dehydration, body aches, dizziness, loss of appetite. All symptoms of the poison." Lifting her head she peered up at him with a frown, "Need rehydration." She declared and pushed off of him. Jumping to her feet she scurried across the room, disappearing into the bathroom. Jayne sighed as he laid his head back down to the pillow, blessing the silence that came with her departure.
River reemerged a second later carrying a small glass brimming with water. She hurried back over to the bed and hovered over Jayne, watching him for a second. "Resumed previous state of oblivion." She declared with a sour frown as she turned her glances back to the glass of water, "If the fish can not drink of the water, submerge." She declared triumphantly. Holding the glass above his head she titled the contents out and watched as the clear liquid splashed across the stubble covered face.
"Ruttin' hell." Jayne spluttered angrily, wrenching himself into a sitting position he lunged furiously at the girl.
River shrieked, easily avoiding her larger partner she drove for the safety of the bathroom; all the while giggling as she avoided his flaying grip. Throwing the door shut she pinned the lock into place and pushed up against the door, breathlessly smiling as she listened to the cursing man on the other side.
"Gorramit girl, what the hell you do that for."
In all the time that Marco had known Jayne, of all the partners he'd seen Jayne work with, none of them could have prepared him for this one. Hell Marco had imagined all sorts of women: stunning ones, deadly and curvaceous, or painted whores with daggers hidden down their skirts, even butch warrior women loaded down with all sorts of weapons. But he could've never pictured anything like the small teenage girl who followed after Jayne humming a merry little tune.
"What the hell Jayne, you babysitting now? What'd ya do, rob an orphanage to pick up that one?"
The larger man smirked and moved past Marco, boarding the small ship Jayne dropped the two duffels he'd been carrying there and turned back around descending the ramp to where Marco stood. "Looks can be deceiving." He smirked and turned to where River stood examining the short man. "Come on, girl, ain't got all day."
River frowned watching Marco carefully, "He's got other plans. Busy plans for later."
Jayne scowled, "Course he does, girl, in case you've forgotten we're robbin' a train this afternoon. Now move your skinny ass."
River reluctantly turned away and started towards Jayne, whispering as she passed him, "Month's not over yet." The mercenary raised an eyebrow but didn't comment, instead he trailed silent after her as she entered the ship. They walked briskly down the corridors, following the curve of the ship into the galley where River abruptly halted, her eyes resting on the two men occupying the galley table as Jayne nearly slammed into her back. "Prick a finger and it will always bleed."
Jayne scowled, "Shut that pretty little mouth of yours and save it for later, girl."
Marco stepped around the pair and over towards the table. "Jayne, you remember Lowell, and this is my nephew Danny. I'm showing him the ropes of the trade for his pa." The younger of the two men grinned at the odd couple. "Danny this is Jayne and his partner, the ones I was telling you about."
River shifted uncomfortably and took the two steps that separated her from Jayne, very nearly clinging to his arm as the young man's thoughts projected across the room to her mind, undressing her and giving her dark visions of his desires. She shuddered, drawing Jayne's attention from the table. He stared down at her for a second in confusion, before turning back around and quickly finding the source of the problem, "Hey, boy, your eyes stuck or somethin'? Move 'em, before I do it for you."
Danny shifted his gaze away from River towards the larger man. "Ain't no harm in looking."
"If'n what you're lookin' at is mine than there's gonna be a shit load of harm, boy." River shifted around Jayne as he spoke. Moving behind his larger frame she pressed up against his back using the silence his overwhelming presence provided to block out the mental images Danny still projected.
"She got a name?"
"There a reason you should be on first name bases?" Jayne inquired with a hard glare down on the younger man as his hand unconsciously dropped down to his hostler.
Noting the movement Marco jumped from his silence and hurriedly placed himself between the two men, "Don't mind him. He's new to the business, Jayne, he ain't got no experience yet."
"Don't matter what her name is, boy." Jayne declared ignoring the other man's stuttering. "As you ain't gonna be seeing too much of her. She's my ruttin' responsibility, so you just steer clear. Else I'm liable to forget my ruttin' manners and pound some sense into that there thick skull of yours."
"Hey now boys, ain't no matter to be arguing bout. Side's we got crime to be done, train leaves in less then an hour and we still gotta go over the plan. " Marco declared nervously, holding his hands up to ward Jayne away from his nephew.
"You just tell that boy to keep his eyes and mind of what's mine."
"Mind?" Marco inquired cursorily, but Jayne ignored him and the bandit continued on. "Right, the train leaves town at one o'clock, you and the girl will be on it with the tickets that I managed to procure. You'll go through three stops; 'bout thirty minutes after Wilmington you'll hijack the train and pull her to a stop. Don't care how you do it, just have it done thirty minutes after Wilmington."
Jayne nodded and moved closer to the table where a map had been laid out, River still glued to his backside. "Wilmington, got'cha."
"Me and my boys will be waiting alongside the tracks with the three mules-"
Jayne's head snapped up, "Why ain't ya using the gorram ship, it'll be faster and easier."
"Don't want it to be tagged, someone looks out the window and sees my ship while the train's stopped, well they'll put two and two together. Ya can't go anywhere with a tagged ship." Marco explained quickly, ignoring the scowl Jayne sent him. "Next we'll unload and get the hell out of there. Got a contact in Dennburg, he' willing to help us sell it all off on the black market quickly, for a fee of course." The shorter man turned back to face the mercenary. "You got a plan?"
"Don't worry bout it." Jayne interrupted, "We'll handle it. Time's getting short, you got them tickets?" Marco nodded and turned away heading toward his bunk to grab the two items in question. Turning around Jayne grabbed River by the shoulders and gently shoved her in the direction of the ship's loading dock, "Get girl, I'll met ya outside." River nodded and turned, moving quickly way from the galley she started towards the loading dock.
"Hey- girl, honey." Danny called out chasing after the crazy girl. River continued on her way trying to ignore him as his unpleasant thoughts invaded her head again. "Wait up, will ya, just wanna talk to you for a second." She rolled her eyes, but the young man skidded to a halt beside her, his arm shooting out to block her path for a second. "Ain't gonna do you no harm."
River turned to face the boy with a raised eyebrow. Silently she calculated the distance and speed that would best suite her intended actions. "Ya know that partner of yours sure is an ugly bastard, probably ain't no fun to hang around." The young man started to say, leaning in closer. "Reckon a pretty girl like you deserves better." His hand reached out to touch her neck and River's knee reacted jerking forward to impact with the lower half of his body. The results were instantaneous; a deathly white face along with a hunched movement forward and the grasping of wounded area.
"Bad thoughts." River whispered as she watched him.
Danny groaned in pain, stumbling away from her his form colliding with a larger one. A hand dropped down to his shoulder as another grabbed a hold of the hair on his head jerking it back.
Jayne grinned down at the boy, his grip tightening painfully, "I ever catch her bein' forced to deal with you again boy, and not only am I gonna make sure that you ain't got the urge, but she ain't gonna have nothing ta knee next time boy." Releasing the younger man Jayne pushed him against the wall, watching with a satisfied smirk as the boy's face smacked into the wall sending him cringing to the ground in pain. "Come on girl, we got a train ta catch."
The hover train roared down the tracks, the desert vista a blur out the window, cacti sweeping past them in specks of green. The small train compartment was overly crowded with passengers, the atmosphere hot and stinky as few of the patrons could afford decent baths. Poor lighting flickered from the yellow bulbs overhead, barely casting enough light to see across the compartment.
Jayne yawned and leaned back in his seat, lazily glancing down at his watch for the eighteenth time. Across from him River grinned happily as she bounced in between gazing out the window and peering down the isle at the people gathered in the compartment with them.
It was annoying, watching her bounce in between the two things with an endless energy. Jayne stifled another yawn and kicked up a foot onto her seat, effectively pinning her into place next to the window. "Keep still, girl. Ain't ya ever rode a train before?" River shook her head in response and turned her attention back to the window for a second. "Must've been nice, bein' rich enough to be able to avoid these stinkin' traps." Jayne muttered as he knocked the brim of his hat down over his face and closed his eyes.
River easily pushed his foot away and bounced back towards the isle in time to watch a man work his way past them. "He's worried." She whispered with a frown, "Wife's left him, but he still loves her and wonders if she'll be happier with this other man."
Jayne sat up quickly and pushed his hat up as he reached out towards her. Grabbing a hold of the girl's shoulder he quickly pinned her back into her seat. "Listen here girl, ya can't be spewing stuff like that outta nowhere."
"Can't help it. The door was cut away." She answered back honestly, titling her head as she examined Jayne's face.
"Ruttin' hell you can. I ain't talkin' 'bout the whole mind reading thing. Hell, I think it's great that you can tramp through minds and tell me what I need ta know. But that don't mean that you can't keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut. The gorram fools don't like what they can't understand, and you're one of them weird freaky things that can't be understood too easily. You're liable to be called a witch and a bunch of other things that ain't too kosher if you keep on spewing out all that nonsense from other people's heads." Jayne explained as he released her and leaned back into his seat, crossing his arms across his chest. "So lets just keep it 'tween you and me, girl."
River nodded slowly and turned her head way. Staring back out the window she frowned, "He's not to be trusted. Wants more then he deserves."
Jayne snickered and shrugged glancing down at his watch again, "Hell, who in this 'Verse doesn't want more then they deserve? Sides, we can handle him if'n he gets a bit too greedy." Stretching his arms out Jayne stood slowly. "Come on girl, we got some crime ta do." Moving down the isle he didn't wait to make sure River was following and started off towards the engine rooms.
River frowned, jumping to her feet she followed quickly after her partner. "Finger's itching."
"Ya, but he ain't dialed the number yet has he?"
River shook her head, "Counting numbers and figures, adding them up in his head. Coming out in favor of Marco, plus two always comes out even."
"No it don't girl. Call yourself a genius and ya can't even do simple math." Jayne muttered, pausing before a compartment door he pulled it open and stepped aside, letting the girl go first.
River entered the quiet empty compartment and glanced around, here the walls were lined with technical equipment and engine controls. Pulling her gaze away from the flashing walls she turned towards Jayne, "Know what I mean. Stop disregarding the technicalities and pay attention to the rivers direction."
Jayne rolled his eyes and pushed past her. "I got everything under control girl, he ain't gonna backstab us until he's got his cargo and then I'll be ready." Jayne insisted, moving to the control room's door he a paused, quickly surveying the security lock on the side. With a grin he easily ripped the cover panel and pulled the wires apart. Pulling out a pocket knife he slit a green and red wire and crossed them. Turning back towards the doors he waited, but nothing happened. "What in ruttin' hell."
Rolling her eyes, River grabbed his shoulder and pulled him aside. "East and west winds do not open doors." Pulling the blue wire she slit it and crossed it with the red wire.
The door made a metallic clicking noise and Jayne grinned pulling his gun out of its hostler. "Knew I kept you round for something." Pulling back the hammer of the weapon he reached out to touch the door handle. "Stay behind me, lessin' you want a bullet through the skull girl." Pulling the door open Jayne aimed his gun into the room.
Minutes passed and Jayne didn't move. He just stood there, staring into the room with a scowl. Curiously River moved closer, peering over his shoulder she gazed into the small room, the very empty room.
"It's ruttin' automated?" Jayne cursed, slowly lowering his gun he moved into the compartment, glancing around as though hoping someone would jump out of the walls and give him a fight. "Well- this is disappointing as all hell. Where's the fun in robbin' an automated machine?"
River entered the small compartment with wide excited eyes, her fingers trailing along the panel she slipped into the empty pilot's seat. "How in hell we supposed to stop this thing without someone ta hold at gun point?" Jayne questioned and River grinned.
"Numbers and math, simply calculations, buttons spark electricity, messages to the central nervous system. Some make go," Her hand hovered over several buttons, "Some slow down." And with a quick concise nod she pulled a series of grey leavers. The train vibrated dangerously, trembling and heaving as the blurred vista pictured out the front view screen slowly become clearer.
"Others stop." River whispered and quickly hit a series of white and grey buttons. With another great tremble the train slowed to a crawl and slowly lowered to the track. The sound of metal locks clicking into place echoed through the cabin as the train balanced itself on the tracks.
Jayne laughed gruffly as he slapped her on the back and spun on his heels. Darting for the nearest hatch he swung it open and peered out into the bright desert easily spotting the three waiting mules. With a grin he turned back to his genius, "Can ya figure out how to unlock the cargo compartments?"
River gave him a quick and concise nod, her fingers moving back over the panel. "Gates are opened."
Turning back around, Jayne watched with a satisfied grin as Marco and his two boys disappeared into one of the cargo compartments. Leaning back into the room he turned and walked over to the second pilot's chair, slumping into it he grinned at River. "See, told ya it would be easy."
"Girl did all the work." River pointed out swinging in her chair to face the mercenary.
Jayne only grinned, "That's right, ain't it. I think this partnership's gonna work out real good." River scowled lightly at him, but it only seemed to make his grin grow larger. Whistling merrily Jayne jumped back up to his feet and crossed over to the hatch again, poking his head out to check on the progress.
Turning back around to the controls, River fixed her gaze down on the panels and frowned in pensive thought. "Not right." She muttered.
Jayne groaned, "Listen, girl. I know you ain't big on the whole crime thing, but it's a way of livin." Jayne paused, his head jerking around as the wailing of a klaxon alarm filled the room and the panels started flashing red with warning lights. "What the hell?" Moving quickly back over to River's side he stared down at the panels with her. "Can't ya shut that thing up?"
She moved quickly, small fingers flying across the controls. The loud wail suddenly died and River looked up at him, "Knows it's not supposed to be here, sent a message to its brothers, called for help."
"Shit," Turning around Jayne darted back over to the hatch. "Move it along, company's coming." That said he turned back into the control room, his gaze falling quickly to where River sat fiddling with the controls. "Got it set girl?"
River frowned; pushing a final button she nodded and jumped up from the chair, moving quickly to Jayne's side. "Buttons are pushed and arrows are pointed."
"Good, let's get outta here."
Jayne climbed off the mule and turned back to where River still sat a happy excited grin stretched across her cheeks. "What so damn exciting about riding one them things?" He questioned and River shrugged, but made no move to get off. Reaching down Jayne wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her off. "Got work ta do girl." Releasing her he turned to the cargo hold on the mule and started digging around the contents.
"Jayne." River whispered, but the mercenary ignored her. "Jayne." She added particular emphasis to her voice, but still he dug through the cargo looking for some mystery box. "Jayne."
"Gorramit girl, what the hell you bitchin' 'bout?" The mercenary questioned turning around to look at River. She stood rock still, her finger pointing at something behind him. Jayne turned around quickly.
"Sorry, Jayne." Marco declared with a quiet grin, staring down at the mercenary from behind the barrel of his gun. "Reward's just too damn good to pass up."
Reaching out unconsciously Jayne grabbed a hold of River and pulled her roughly behind him. "Ruttin' hell- Ya know, people are getting a might bit too Fed friendly these days. Whatever happened to the good ole days when a guy never turned to the Feds for anything? Ya know a warning would have been nice girl"
"Told you month's not over yet. Told you his finger was itching." River declared pressing herself against his back. "Could have said he'd already called grey and still wouldn't have listened."
"Well damn woman, if ya told me he was reaching for his gun I'd done something." Jayne barked angrily as Lowell and Danny approached, both with their weapons drawn. "Now, the least you can do is make up for that little blunder girl."
"Not girls fault, boys fault. Boy should make it right again." As she spoke her hand trailed down the muscles of Jayne's back. "Would recommend dirt for lunch."
"Would you two shut up already?" Marco barked. "Got a schedule to keep."
"Three plus two makes even numbers." River whispered and Jayne hit the dirt, the sound of gunfire assailing his ears for only a couple of seconds before silence resumed. With a cheshire grin Jayne pushed himself up from the dirt and climbed to his feet surveying the handiwork of his crazy genius.
Marco lay on the ground withering in pain, a bullet through his leg. His two lackeys were in no better shape; Lowell stood clutching his bleeding hand to his chest while Danny lay on the ground, holding his side as blood gushed from it. "Ya let them live? Why for?"
"Misguided, not bad." She explained. "Jayne's fault."
Reaching out the mercenary grabbed the gun from her hands, tucking it back into his pants he glared down at her smaller form. "What in ruttin hell's that supposed to mean?"
River answered his glare with one of her own, a finger darting out to push into his chest accusingly. "If boy had listened to girl situation would have been avoided, but boy is obtuse and didn't listen."
"Hey now, who you calling stupid, crazy girl? Last I checked I didn't ask you to save my hide, could've handled the situation just fine without your ruttin' help."
"Not crazy, imperceptive schoolboy."
"You call me stupid one more time and I'm gonna leave your ass to rot in the desert."
River's eyes flashed dangerously for a second as they stood toe to toe, gazes locked together, glowering at one another. Neither seemed aware of anything else in the verse but each other, and neither one seemed prepared to give in first.
"The doorman's knocking." River declared quietly.
Jayne reacted immediately, his right hand whipping out from his side he grabbed a hold of the pistol tucked into his pants, aimed it to his right and fired a single shot without taking his eyes from Rivers. Danny's body slumped to the ground, his sightless eyes glazed over, the pistol still clasped in his hands ready to fire.
"Brainless rodent."
"Moonbrained child."
One week later-
Simon entered the shabby looking establishment and winced at sight of the distributable looking men. He pulled off his sunglasses and headed over to the front desk, hitting the bell positioned there. Glancing down at his watch he shifted nervously, Captain Wallace had made it clear he didn't want to delay for more then a couple of hours.
At first learning of his sister's escape from his informants Simon had been relieved, convinced that within the first week or so she would contact him. But that week had come and gone, and no word of River came to him. Instead his parents received a distressing call from the Academy claiming that River had stolen some priceless school artifacts and hijacked a shuttle. A call his parents had taken on faith, believing the Academy official they still refused every claim Simon made, every shred of proof he provided. They'd given up on her the second the Academy made that call. But that was something Simon refused to do, and here he was, following the trail of his sister across interplanetary borders, once again risking job, freedom and life for her.
Simon hit the bell again and glanced around the shabby lobby as he ran his thumb across his lips. Poor lightening, shabby furniture and fake antiques, it was defiantly not an establishment that he would imagine River choosing. It wasn't even the sort of planet he'd imagine her choosing and wouldn't have if his informants had not produced photographic evidence.
A clerk suddenly appeared through the back office door moving quickly over to the counter, "How may I be helping you today sir? Lookin for a room for the night, or maybe some companionship, got a couple house whores that work for decent rates."
"I'm looking for someone, to be more precise a teenage girl." Reaching into his pocket Simon produced a worn photograph. "I was told that she may have been seen here a week ago around the time of the train robbery."
The clerk snickered, "Lass sure is popular. Two suited fellows were here lookin' for her and the fella yesterday. Another was in this morning flashing Alliance credentials and askin' questions 'bout where she went. What's you story? Why you looking for her?"
"Not that it's any of you concern, but she's my sister."
The clerk snickered again as realization dawned across his face. "Oh, so she's one of them girls. Ran off with her boyfriend cuz the family objected. Makes perfect sense now, he seemed a might bit old for her, then again I seen much younger with much older." The clerk speculated as he glanced over Simon watching the young doctor's face scrunch up indignantly. "Why don't you take some advice, boy, she seemed happy enough trailing after the bastard like a little lost puppy. Let 'em be and things will work themselves out."
"I assure you, I have no idea what you talking about. My sister has been missing for the past couple of weeks; I know nothing about any man she's accompanying."
"Ya don't say." The clerk mused scratching at his chin. "Seemed too happy to be a kidnapping case, even had a couple noise complaints about them." He grinned at the horrified expression that crossed Simon's face. "That'd explain the warrants though. They were pretty hefty to be a runaway case. Anyway, I ain't got no idea where they went, don't ask my customers them kind of answers. It tends ta make them suspicious and angry as all hell."
Simon's face scorched up in shock, "Warrants?" He questioned, his informant had made no mention of either a man accompanying her or any warrants.
Reaching under the desk the clerk produced the two posters and slipped them across the counter towards Simon. "The Fed gave them to me this morning, but we don't post them things here. Scares off the cliental, 'specially when their faces might be plastered on one." Simon ignored the clerk, picking up the two posters he stared down at them for a moment and turned away. Starting back for the door he ignored the clerk as the man called out sarcastically, "You can keep 'em if ya want."
"Jayne Cobb." Simon mused aloud. Silently folding up the warrants he pushed them back down into his pocket and headed for his transport.
Note: As always the timeline used is based off of Edgar Governo's, which you can find a link for off my homepage which is listed on the author's profile.
Thanks for pointing out the typo EreshkigalGirl.