Jayne took a quick look around a corner. "Don't see 'im," he said. "You sure he's over there?"
"Somewhere over there," said Michelle. "He might be behind that car, or maybe inside a building."
"Let's find out," said Jayne, with a wicked smile. He poked his gun, Vera, around the corner and pulled the trigger. It was on full-auto. Bullets sprayed down the street, chipping brick and breaking windows. The sounds echoed, and then silence.
"He's moving," said Michelle. "Come on!"
She ran into the street. Jayne yelled, "Wait!" and stumbled after her.
She didn't listen, and ran with her gun held out, ready to shoot. When she reached the corner, she opened fire and continued to run.
Jayne reached the corner. Michelle was halfway down the street. Nick was running down the next block. Michelle kept firing.
Jayne saw Michelle break the tripwire too late to shout a warning. Cars on both side of the street exploded, sending shards of glass directly into her. Jayne dove for the ground and covered his head. When he looked up, he saw cars on fire, with Michelle lying in the road between them. At the end of the next block, Nick raised his fist, and ran off.
"Gorram mai dou fu Immortals!" he yelled. He staggered over to Michelle. She was bleeding out of dozens of wounds. Her clothing was ripped. She'd lost her gun as well. Jayne watched, fascinated, as she healed. He was startled when she took a shuddering breath.
"Gorram idiot," he said to her, offering his hand and pulling her to her feet. "That might have taken your sha-que head off!"
She leaned against him, recovering. "I hit him," she said. "He was limping when he left."
"He was limping when he got here!" growled Jayne.
"Oh, yeah," she said. She kissed him. "I'll be careful."
Jayne said, "huh. Let's go. At least we know it's the right direction."
"Quiet like the grave," muttered Mal. He looked at the sign on the building. "Public Safety Complex," he read. "That's a mite presumptuous for a grandiose sheriff's office."
"The colonists had grandiose plans," said Inara.
"There's no one around, Captain," said River.
Inara shuddered at the view through the complex's windows. "No one but the dead."
"Let's not join them," said Mal. They entered the main reception area. "Zoe, you and River see if you can get up to the second floor. There's two windows missing up there, so you won't have knock out any new ones and alert him. Try to hit him in the heart. If you manage to hit him, call out, and we'll put a few more in him until the others get here."
"Inara," he continued, "you and I will take positions next to those desks, there, and there." He pointed at two tall desks on opposite sides of the room. "We'll try to catch him in a cross fire, if he makes it this far."
He and Inara took their places. They listened to Zoe and River's footsteps going up the stairwell, across the ceiling, and stop.
"Sounds carry," whispered Inara. He had no trouble hearing her.
"This is the part of the ambush we like to call 'quiet time'," he said.
She shot him an amused smile. "I love you, Malcolm Reynolds," she mouthed silently.
"'Quiet Time'," he mouthed back at her. She rolled her eyes, and turned her gaze to the door.
They heard an explosion from the distance. Inara glanced at Mal, worried, but he stared resolutely forward at the door. She decided not to say anything, and mimicked his stare.
His radio crackled. "Sir, he's at the edge of the square," said Zoe. "He looks like he's listening for something."
"That sense they have," said Inara.
"Right," said Mal. "Zoe, as soon as you and River have good shots, you take him down."
"Yes, sir."
"Yes, captain!"
Mal peeked around the corner of the desk, and saw Nick Wolfe. The man was looking up, down, left, right, all directions, looking for all the 'Verse like a trained policeman. Or a soldier.
Mal wondered what was he waiting for — Jayne and Michelle must be right behind him. Nick clearly suspected a trap, and with two loud gunshots from the second floor, he went stumbling away. Both of the shots had missed his heart, but they had hit his torso, and yet he still wasn't going down. Another shot missed him entirely, breaking a window behind him.
"Apparently immortals were harder to kill with bullets," said Inara.
Mal nodded. "That would've been nice to know in advance."
Another shot rang out. He saw dust kick up from where Nick had just barely been.
"Stay here," he said. "If we run out, we'll just spook him. He's too far out of cover. One of them will bring him down."
A shot his Nick, knocking him to the side. He stumbled back to his feet.
"What the gorram hell?" Mal sputtered. He tapped his earpiece. "Who else is shooting!"
A man carrying a tangler, a police bola gun with projectiles that automatically wrapped around the target, stepped into view and fired at Nick. The bola wrapped around Nick's neck, and he went down.
Inara stood and took a step toward the door. Mal grabbed her arm. "Wait!" he said.
Silence fell. It was broken by a stern voice that sounded for all the 'Verse like a kindly grandfather. Mal wasn't fooled for a second. Inara gasped.
"Captain Reynolds," called Adalei Niska. "Malcom Reynolds! I know that you are here. I saw your ship set down on the outskirts of town in the very small space port. We had landed already, of course, some distance from here. I thank you for helping me capture Officer Wolfe! It was very kind of you."
Zoe spoke over the comm. "I could take him."
"Hold fire," said Mal. "Everyone, hold your fire."
"Mal?" questioned Inara.
"Captain Reynolds," Niska said, over the earpiece this time.
"Gorram it," muttered Mal.
"I apologize for intruding into your communications," said Niska, "but when you are my age, you will find it is easier than yelling."
"What do you want?" Mal demanded.
"I have what I want, Captain Reynolds," said Niska. "I have Nick Wolfe. For, how you say, old time's sake, and because I have no desire to level this entire town, I will leave without taking further revenge upon you and your crew. If you run, you may be able to lift off before my ship can target yours. The choice is entirely up to you!"
"Captain?" Zoe said again.
Mal pulled out his earpiece, hurled to the ground, and stomped on it. He called up the stairs, "Get down here!"
Inara pulled her earpiece out, and threw it down. Mal's boot did the honors.
Zoe entered the room. River was right behind her. She glanced at the rubbish on the floor.
"We ditched ours upstairs, Captain," she said.
"Do we have a plan, Sir?" asked Zoe.
"I'm still making one up," said Mal. "First, though, we have to cut Niska off before he leaves town. He's not going to kill Nick unless he has to, but he might call in a strike on the ship."
"No!" murmured River, her eyes wide with distress.
"He won't call in a strike on himself," said Zoe. "We need to capture him."
"We need a plan," said Inara.
Mal nodded. "River, I want you to follow them without being seen. Occasionally shoot your gun so we can follow you. Zoe, Jayne and Michelle should be here soon. Take them and do your best to stay in front of Niska. Inara, you and I will find the others. We'll be behind the rest of you. Three shots in a row means attack."
"Like back at Wart's Landing," said Zoe. "Understood, sir."
Mal nodded. "Shoot at his people, not Niska. I want to take him with us to the ship."
"We're not seriously going to take him with us?" asked Inara.
Mal said, "Ain't decided. Go! and River…," he said, "no sniping. Don't give him any excuse to call in a strike."
"Aye aye!" she said, and ran away.
"Good luck sir," said Zoe. Mal nodded, took Inara by the hand and ran after the immortals.