"RIVER!" Simon yelled, disregarding everything else around him and running to his sister's side. She laid on the ground, barely moving. Simon immediately opened the bag he always seemed to have close by and pulled out strips of cloth.
"Simon," River moaned. "Mal..." Mal knelt down at one side as Simon came to her other. She'd been shot in her left upper arm, a shot no doubt intended for her heart. She reached up to Mal with the right one, her eyes registering shock. He tried to reassure her with his eyes. She'd get away with just a sore arm and a bullet sized scar by Mal's assessment. Nothing fatal. He'd seen much worse. All the same, Mal was still mighty relieved the doc was there as he gently began wrapping the cloth around River's arm and assessing her, performing his duties impeccably, despite the fact it was his precious sister he was doctorin'. Mal turned away from River, with effort. He looked up, saw Monty looking to him questioningly on one side and the Operative on the other. He was just beginning to process what had happened and fury was descending down around him.
"You. You brought this down on us," His voice was dangerous as the Operative approached, his weapon back on the ground where he'd left it and his arms in the air, palms outward.
"Mal," River touched his arm, her voice a whisper. He turned back to his pilot. Despite her obvious shock, her eyes were clear and sure. "He saved me, maybe saved all of us. He's not the enemy in this." Mal regarded her with the kind of calm assessment he'd felt before, usually in war time. Assessing if his soldier was capable, if his soldier spoke true. He decided he trusted her judgment. She believed what she was saying and that was good enough for him. He didn't have to like it though.
"No Captain, I tried to prevent this from happening," The Operative answered him calmly, arms still in the air. "I apologize that it wasn't as... successful as my other endeavors."
"Zoe, cuff him," Mal ordered shortly, ignoring the man's words. He glanced to Jayne, "Help the Doc get his sister into the infirmary. Everybody back on the boat now!" His voice a yell. The crew obeyed him immediately. Zoe kept her gun trained on the Operative, who offered no resistance as she placed handcuffs on his outstretched palms.
"Mal, who is this? What's going on here?" Monty broke in. Some of his men were leaning over the boy who'd been shot. The ones who had only just met Serenity's crew were starting to register looks of suspicion and retribution on their faces, stopped only by a look from their Captain. Do nothing, Monty signaled. He took in the look passing between Mal and the man standing in front of him and knew there was more going on here than a random shooting.
"He's Alliance." Mal replied shortly. It took a lot of effort not to take back his weapon from where River had let go of it in the dirt and shoot the Operative where he stood. He glanced at Monty. "I don't know what any of this is or what it means, but this man does. And he's got some explaining to do."
Twenty minutes later, Mal was sitting with Monty in the galley on Serenity. Across from them, the Operative had been handcuffed by Jayne to one of the chairs, a job Jayne had been more than happy to do. Jayne and Zoe stood behind the man, keeping silent guard. River was in the infirmary as Simon and Inara tended to her with Kaylee looking on. Mal had joined everyone in the galley after satisfying himself that River was alright. As Mal had predicted, the boy on Monty's crew was dead on the ground by the time Simon examined him. It was this boy they were now discussing with the Operative.
"Lars Wakefield was new to us," Monty was explaining. "I hired him right before this job about two weeks back, needed a new gun for hire after Sam's wife made him retire, what with the baby and all. Came recommended from an old friend on Dyton. Seemed to be doing well." Monty shook his head. "Truthfully, I didn't think 'bout him much one way or the other. He was pleasant enough, liked by most, so far as I can tell. You're telling me, he was Alliance?"
"Not just Alliance, an Operative, like I once was." The man, the one who had brought such terror on Mal's crew three years earlier explained to them both. He turned to Mal. "I've been tracking the Alliance's black operations for the last two years, I am no longer with them. I... could not continue to work for them once I knew what I..." He paused, looking genuinely upset. "I cannot make amends for the horror I caused you and your crew, Captain, but I made it my business to ensure the safety of all of you, especially of River Tam. It's... the only atonement I can make for my sins."
"Well you have a hell of a way of atoning," Mal snorted. His hands clenched together on the table. "She could have died."
"I'm truly sorry, Captain," The Operative did look distressed about this point. "You must know, you haven't always been easy to track. It was usually easier following Alliance since I still have contacts in the government. Through these contacts, I learned about a year ago that a few members high up in the Alliance government, ones who have links to the academy River was at, were trying to remove all the evidence of it's existence. They are afraid, you see. The mess of Miranda has been bad enough for the Political climate. Unrest has been spreading, especially out here. It will make matters much worse if the public learns of what has been done to innocent children. The academy project has ended, Captain, but River is proof of it's existence, proof that they cannot abide."
"So he was here to kill the girl?" Monty asked. "That boy, who I hired, was here to get to Mal and his crew the whole time?"
"You couldn't have known," The Operative assured him. "His records would have been carefully forged. Your connection on Dyton didn't know who he was recommending, and there is no sin in mistrusting a friend. I assure you that you are blameless in this whole matter. I knew there was an Operative. I tracked him up until he was at a facility in Bernadette, then suddenly, I lost him. It was as though he'd vanished. About a week ago, I tracked him to Dyton, but by then he had joined your crew. I only discovered your location yesterday, and came as quickly as I could. Too late to avoid River being shot, but not to avoid her being killed."
"Yeah, ain't you just a real Hero?" Jayne grumbled from behind him. "Be still my heart. Mal, when we gonna stop listening to this piece of go se and start with the pain?"
"Jayne," Zoe said warningly. Mal glanced between them and ran his hand through his hair. What a mess this was.
"Look, is River in danger now?" Mal asked impatiently. "Actually, scratch that, are any of us in danger?"
The Operative considered this. "Not at the moment. This Operative has been... dealt with. I don't doubt there will be others, but that's not my or your concern at the moment. You must understand, this is not an official assignment. As such, there are few people who know about it, there are only three or four members of government left who even know about the academy. River is not the first target of this work by any means. Anyone else who knew of the academy, all the top scientists, doctors, psychologists. They're all dead. The only reason River has escaped is that she is with you, hard to track. And her... abilities make her a difficult target. I have no doubt that boy was trained to withstand her psychic ability. That's why she was unable to sense his intention, and I'm sure she had opportunity to be around him. Although, given her reaction, she did appear to pick it up at the last second."
There was a silence as everyone contemplated this. A conspiracy in which people were being systematically eliminated. Mal didn't see those who were complacent in the torture of River and the other students at that place winding up dead any great loss to the Verse. But that Alliance would go to these lengths to kill top scientists, doctors, just to cover it up... well it wasn't all that surprising, actually. But it was disturbing.
"If you consent to let me go, Captain, I will continue to monitor the Alliance through what channels are available to me, that I can promise you." The Operative stated. "But I also know you once promised to kill me if you saw me again. And if that is your choice, then I can only respect that." Mal stared at him for a long moment. To satisfy his sense of justice, he would gladly end this man right now. But the Operative had saved River, there was no denying that. Mal shuddered to think if that boy had been able to get a second shot in. And It chilled him to think that River had spent most of the previous night right next to him and had not picked up on anything out of the ordinary. His gut told him that the Operative, ex Operative, was more valuable to them alive.
"I believe you," Mal said finally. "You continue working for our interests like you say you are, things will be alright between us. I won't waste your time by saying what will happen if you don't."
The Operative inclined his head politely. "You have my word, Captain. I will do whatever is in my power to protect River Tam."
xxxx
"Well, it almost went smooth. That's something," Mal commented to Monty, back on the ground an hour later. The two shared a laugh. Zoe and Jayne had just returned from escorting the Operative to his ship a few miles down and were getting ready to leave the planet.
"I'm truly sorry for your troubles." Mal said, wondering if he would spend the rest of his life apologizing to his friend for one thing or another. A con for a wife, a fed for a crewmember, it was getting a bit old. Monty smiled wryly.
"Mal, you know I always feel unsettled when things go well. A little disruption only serves to put my old mind at ease." The two shook hands again, echoing the goodbye from before. Monty became sober. "This is serious business you've gotten yourself into, Mal. I realize that now today more than ever. If you need anything, someone to shelter you for a while, help with anything... all you gotta do is send a wave."
Mal felt a wave of affection for Monty. "Thanks. It means more than I can say." They parted company and walked to their respective ships.
"Fly true old friend."
xxxx
"Well what do you think?" Mal asked Zoe after he'd got them off the world. She'd been characteristically quiet throughout the whole ordeal and Mal wanted her counsel. Mal had set Serenity for a course to nowhere in particular, switched the autopilot on, and he now stood with his second in command on the walkway overlooking the cargo hold. The reassuring hum of the ship broke the silence. After times of strife, it was a comfort to be off world, with nothing but the ship and crew together in the black.
"Don't much like any of it, Sir," Zoe replied, turning over the cup of coffee she held in her hand. "Don't trust that man one bit. But River seems to believe he was telling the truth, and I trust her." She shook her head. "I think we made the best out of a bad situation, Sir."
"I do too," Mal agreed. "I don't know where to go from here though. Do we just carry on like nothing's happened? River gets better and we just go back to the way things were?"
"I don't see that we have any choice," Zoe answered. "If we believe what he said, he figures we don't have to worry about any Alliance plan for the time being. If we don't believe him... I actually don't see what the other option is here, Sir, even if we don't believe him. We can't avoid encountering folk we don't know in this line of work. And any one could be Alliance. So all we do is... be vigilant? Be wary of strangers? Nothing we don't do already."
Mal snorted. He'd been thinking much the same. They still had to get paid to keep flying. "I'm going to decide to believe him. I'd rather assume that at the moment, no one is out to kill River, do God knows what else and that we have an ex-operative, monitoring the Alliance for us. That notion's a hell of a lot more comforting than assuming we're all sitting ducks, and all we can do about it is... be careful?"
"But we still should," Zoe pointed out. "Be careful that is."
"Yeah," Mal answered. "Just stay more under the radar than we usually do. Whatever that means."
xxxx
River woke up. She started, instantly afraid, before she realized she was
nottheacademy
laying on the table in the infirmary on Serenity. She also realized Simon was sitting beside her, holding her hand.
"Sorry Mei Mei," Simon whispered, stroking her palm. "I know you hate it in here."
"S'okay," River whispered back, giving him a small smile. "You drugged me."
"I'm sorry about that too," Simon replied. "You probably didn't need it. A local anesthetic would have been fine. But it was a hell of a lot easier for me to dig that bullet out of you without you looking up at me from the table. So it was more for me than you. You'll still be drowsy for a few hours." He squeezed her hand and his voice shook. "I'm so grateful you're still here, River, if anything had happened to you..."
"It's okay Simon," River's eyes filled with tears. She remembered feeling exactly as he felt now, on Mr. Universe's moon when he had been shot. "I'm here." She pulled him with her good arm, the other bound in a sling and they embraced. "You take care of me." She whispered, echoing her words of three years earlier during their standoff against the Reavers.
Simon smiled, understanding the reference immediately. "We take care of each other."
"Ahem," There was an awkward cough from the doorway. Simon and River looked up to see Mal standing there, his hands on his holster. "Sorry to interrupt. Just wanted to see how things were in here. Nice to see you awake Darlin.'" He glanced at River. "Oh! and great to see you too, River." he added hastily, pretending he was only seeing her now. River smiled up at him. Simon shook his head, pretending not to be amused.
"Not at all Captain," Simon stood up. River just woke up. She's going to be just fine. A bit sore, about six weeks to fully recover, and some arm exercises, but she'll be just fine.
"Glad to hear it," Mal replied. "Don't need me to tell you that you did fine work Doc." Simon nodded his head politely. There was a slightly awkward silence. Mal coughed again. "Well I'll be leaving you two alone, sorry again for intrudin'."
"No Captain, it's okay." Simon gestured at the chair hastily. "Visit with her for a while." He turned to River and took her hand again. "You don't have to stay here tonight if you don't want to. I can help you get to your bunk if you need later."
"Thanks Simon," River smiled at him, squeezing his hand again before letting him go. Simon nodded to Mal as he walked out of the infirmary, leaving Mal oddly touched, that Simon Tam trusted to leave his sister alone with Mal hours after she had been shot. He turned back to River after the doors closed behind Simon.
"How you feeling, little one?" She yawned in response. He came and stood next to her. "That was a close one. Two close for an old man's nerves. Wouldn't have been surprised a bit if you'd woken up in here with me layin' next to you, what with the heart attack you almost gave me."
"I'm sorry," River replied, smiling sadly. Mal felt contrite, even though he'd only been joking.
"Now I didn't mean to make you feel like that. You did good, Albatross, acted quickly, like you always do. Did us damn proud. Just glad you're okay is all."
"Captain, I had no idea... didn't know who, what that boy was going to do..." River's brow furrowed. "I was with him. All last night, he was beside me. I know how to block out people, but only when I know them well and have a sense of how their mind works. If he had been thinking... but hewasn't. He was hiding from me. How can you hide in your own mind?"
"The operative figured he'd had trainin' River. He thought he was testing you last night, to see if you could read anything off him before he acted this morning." Mal explained, and then told her everything he had learned. River's eyes were closed, but she nodded periodically, showing that she was listening.
"We decided to let him go. If he's telling the truth, he'll be a help in what, if anything's to come. And we'll just all have to get used to being a little more careful, keeping you safe. Looking out for each other." River opened her eyes.
"You did right," She replied. "He was telling the truth, Mal. He wants to atone."
"That's just what he said," Mal told her. "Though I guess you already knew that." They stayed in silence for a while. Mal looked around the infirmary. River studied him, seeing the strain in his face. Finally, his gaze came back to her.
"It'll be okay," River informed him. "We'll get through it."
"I should be telling you that, Darlin.' Like I said, we all look out for each other." He reached forward and brushed some stray hair out of her eyes. It was the first time in months that they'd been alone, really alone, River realized. The easy intimacy they had once shared had disappeared months back in the face of complications. It was nice to be here alone with him. She considered Mal, wondered if he felt the same. He almost looked guilty about something. He took her hand, and sat down in the same chair Simon had been in a few minutes earlier.
"I'll protect you River," He whispered, his voice hoarse. "Anyone tryin' to get to you will have to go through me first. And if they do make it, they'll have to step over my corpse to get to you, that's a promise." A pause. Then, as if it had only just occurred to him, "Though mind you, I'd take it as a kindness if it didn't come to that."
River giggled and Mal took this as his cue. He stood up again, stroked her hand before letting it go. "I'll get Simon in here so we can see about you getting out of here and spending the night in a proper bed. I've spent more nights in here than I'd like to admit, and I can assure you, it ain't pleasant."
"Thank you, Captain," River smiled. Mal turned in the doorway and offered her the lopsided grin she loved so much.
"Least I can do Albatross."