CHAPTER 13 Jayne never felt more comfortable than when clothed with his guns. Lux was tucked safely into his left boot, the bowie knife in his right. Replacing Lux in the holster was his Rutger—a more appropriate evening gun. His primary weapon tonight would be an assault rifle with night-vision scope and laser sight. He had no idea how night-vision worked in the rain, but it was better than nothing. His belt was laden with supplemental ammunition and a few grenades for good measure. The arsenal was semi-concealed beneath a rain jacket, but on this planet there seemed no escape from getting wet. On seeing the get-up, Mal had chuckled, but didn’t object. As the late-afternoon cloudburst gave way to an early-evening drizzle, Jayne, Mal, and Zoë climbed onto the mule and headed for Caddock’s ship. The tires protested the uneven ground, jostling the three of them. Zoë maintained a steady hand, following Jayne’s directions. The rain and darkness obscured all evidence of a road and they dared not use headlights for fear that Caddock would see them coming. The Neptune came over the horizon, having no such qualms of being spotted. Running lights pierced the rain with strong beams, creating a reflective halo around the ship. Caddock and Jie-rui stood by the door, the former angrily waving his pistol in the air, the latter speaking calmly. The door was tipped only half open, creating a waterfall effect. “We’ll leave the mule here,” Mal said. The three of them crept closer and waited. As their angle into the cargo hold improved, Jayne could see a dull yellow hover mule just beyond the entrance. Jie-rui took up the pilot’s seat and Caddock stood in the seat next to him. Suddenly, Kaylee got pushed into view by a stodgy little man with a half-buttoned purple uniform. Bandages on her hands dripped with blood and she had a fresh black-eye. A stodgy man strong-armed her into the hover mule. The Neptune’s hatch opened fully and the hover mule raced toward town, its engines leaving a burning trail through the rain. “Oh, juh jen sh guh kwai luh duh jean jan,” Mal muttered. Jayne didn’t need to be told twice. The three of them rushed back to their own mule and took up pursuit. Having a wheeled mule, Zoë had more trouble with the terrain, and often the Neptune’s crew disappeared behind sheets of rain. Once in town, they were confined to road-ways. Traffic was light at this hour, but it afforded them a little more visibility. Caddock’s mule turned into an ally with six-foot-high brick walls. Zoë slowed as they drove past the ally and the auto-supply store, but did not stop until two blocks later. They would park here and walk back. The ally was confining and empty when they arrived, except for the hover mule. At the end of the brick walls was a high, barbed wire fence. A rusted metal door at the end of the ally was kicked in and wedged open with a broken security camera. Caddock’s voice echoed from within.

*~*

Kaylee’s wrists were bound, forcing her hands to smack together painfully with every step. Her clothing and bandages were rain soaked; she could barely see through the spots that danced before her eyes. Caddock pushed her gruffly through the warehouse, forcing her to recount the shopping list that Braddox had lost. Unfortunately, Caddock was edgy and would not tolerate a calm stroll through the aisles. Kaylee was tired of waiting for the Captain and had determined to make her own way out. There was a propane tank out the back window but every plan she came up with for using it involved serious burn injury and she’d had just about enough of that. Braddox shoved her past the back window as she stopped to consider the plan once again. She tumbled into the next shelf and spun sideways. That’s when she noticed a strange red dot glowing on his left shoulder. BAM! Shots fired, shattering the back windows of the warehouse. Braddox fell to the ground and Kaylee yelped. She dropped to her knees instinctively, and then tumbled over Braddox’s body, falling hard on her elbow. Jayne flew through the window, followed by Zoë and Mal. Jie-rui and Caddock drew their weapons, taking cover in the steel-shelved aisles. Glass flew through the air, catching Kaylee’s cheek as she crawled to safety. A moment later, the room fell eerily silent save for the sawing sound of metal against rope as Kaylee cut herself free. She saw Zoë swoop past the aisle, gun aimed somewhere to her left. Kaylee crept closer to the aisle with the deck plates, hoping to find some shielding there. As the seconds crawled past at a snails pace, the air filled with a ghostly laugh. “Is this the piss-ant Reynolds coming to seek revenge?” Caddock’s creepy disembodied voice echoed through the warehouse. “Looks like, Captain,” Jie-rui’s voice responded. If Caddock’s voice could be traced to a direction, Jie-rui’s came from the opposite. “Just comin’ for what’s mine, Caddock,” Mal answered. “You do have a death wish, fool.” “Still, it’s only for you,” Mal retorted sardonically. “You think I didn’t notice you following, Captain Reynolds. You need to learn to let go.” “I need to let go?” Mal balked, lightly. “Is this about your wife?” Fresh gunfire rang through the rear window, sending a stack of ducts tumbling to the floor. Kaylee grabbed a loose deck plate from the display and began crawling toward the exit. Saskia and four other Neptune crewmen jumped through the back window. Saskia dove for Kaylee, knocking her to the ground, sending the deck plate clattering. Jayne appeared around one of the aisles and shot Saskia’s shoulder. Zoë reached in and pulled Kaylee through the next aisle and they took cover behind a bin of compressor coils. It was all Kaylee could do not to reach in and grab a couple. Kaylee stayed behind Zoë, waiting for the next move. The additional men from Caddock’s crew meant they were seriously out numbered. “I’m just like you Captain,” Caddock’s raspy voice continued as the gunfire cease again. “Just trying to survive. I took from you, you took from me, we’re square now.” “I don’t recall stealing a member of your crew,” Mal said darkly. “I’ve had just about enough of you, Caddock. You gotta quit takin’ what’s mine.” Zoë motioned for Kaylee to head for the door. Kaylee grabbed a few of the compressor coils and peered around the next bend. SHOTS FIRED! A spray of bullets whizzed past Kaylee’s face. Jie-rui had spotted her. She retreated down the previous aisle, headed for the front of the warehouse. Zoë followed behind, getting off several shots. As Kaylee rounded the next corner, Zoë hopped and tumbled sideways. “Zoë!” Kaylee shrieked. Zoë crawled out of the line of fire, blood trailing from her leg. Jayne jumped around the bend, startling Kaylee and causing her to scream again. “Damn it, Kaylee, keep quiet!” Jayne hissed. He reached under Zoë’s arms and pulled her quickly down the next two aisles. Zoë hobbled as much as she could, but let Jayne mostly carry her. Mal rounded the corner to join them, firing his gun in the general direction of the mayhem. “Elle was right! I should not have brought up his wife!” Jayne dropped Zoë onto Kaylee’s shoulders and reached for the grenades on his belt. He handed one to Mal and kept one for himself. “Whatever happened to ‘quietly in, quietly out’?” Zoë asked. Jayne grinned adventurously. “This is my kind of quiet!” “Start up the mule,” Mal ordered them, walking softly to the end of the aisle with Jayne. “Captain, watch for those propane tanks out back,” Kaylee warned. “A grenade on them will leave a crater for three blocks.” Mal shot a look at Zoë. “Sorry, sir. Guess I should have parked farther away.”

*~*

Kaylee half dragged, half carried Zoë through the side door. Blood spilled through Zoë’s boot and was swept up by the rain as they entered the street. Mal and Jayne had provided cover fire, but were still trying to make a safe exit of their own. “That way,” Zoë said weakly, pointing out the ally and to the left. But Kaylee had a better idea. She lifted Zoë onto Caddock’s flying mule and then hotwired the engine. Zoë pulled the strap off her gun and made a crude tourniquet at her knee; then she positioned herself on the back seat, gun aimed into the warehouse. She let off a few rounds through the door, aiming for ceiling lights. “You’re covered, sir,” she yelled through the torrent. Jayne ran out the door and nearly past them before Kaylee called him back. He hopped onto the back of the mule next to Zoë, offering some cover fire. Next, Mal dashed out the door and hopped on board. Kaylee kicked the engine into high gear, racing out of the ally. She flinched as gunshots rang past her ears. Making a few quick turns through the streets, Kaylee was able to set some buildings between them and their adversaries. As the gunfire ceased, Mal turned to face forward and direct Kaylee back toward Serenity. “Nice thinkin’,” Mal complimented her. Despite the adrenaline coursing through her system, her hands burned and her bruised and battered body cried out in agony. The world was swimming. “Sheh Sheh, Captain,” she said through gritted teeth, fighting to control the hover mule. “Sure took your time comin’ for me.” “Well, I like to make an entrance.”

*~*

As soon as the doors closed, Wash kicked Serenity’s engines into gear. Having Kaylee in the engine room again was a godsend and the fresh re-fit from Max’s crew an excellent bonus. The deck plates rumbled on take off, and they were not a few hundred feet off the ground before an explosion rocked overhead. The ship shook and Wash immediately took evasive action, trying to find the source of the explosion. “Wash, what’s happening?” Mal hollered, stumbling onto the bridge. “Looks like the Neptune,” Wash answered. “He never quits,” Mal complained. He grabbed the comm. “Kaylee! How fast is the Neptune in atmo?” “Neptune’s not movin’, Cap,” Kaylee responded, her voice shaky but confident. “What’s that?” “Took this shiner for it, Captain. Neptune ain’t flyin’ anywhere till she gets a new mechanic. Just get out of range of that cannon and we’re fine.” “Easier said than done,” Wash muttered, darting to avoid another round. “Serenity,” a new voice cackled over the com. Wash couldn’t believe his ears. “Elle,” he called, surprised. A blip on the radar indicated a shuttle had taken off and was approaching. “This is hardly the time to meet us in the air!” “No need to meet,” she answered. “Just go, I’ve got you covered.” Wash didn’t understand. He veered left as another round exploded, spraying shrapnel on the hull. He headed east and upward, trying to get out of range of the Neptune’s cannon. “Did I hear Elle?” Jayne asked eagerly as he bound onto the bridge. His face was laced with concern. “There.” Wash pointed to the radar screen, but kept his attention on the sky. The Neptune kept firing above him, raining down shrapnel and forcing him to stay low. “If we know where they’re firing from, we can find the blind spot,” Jayne told Mal. Mal quickly took the co-pilot console and tried to get a visual on the Neptune. Elle’s shuttle zigzagged in low atmo, circling Caddock’s ship. The motion made it difficult for the Neptune gunner to aim and gave Wash the much needed time to shoot straight up into the sky. Finally, the Neptune’s gunner got weary of the game and shot down the little shuttle, taking one last opportunity to fire at Serenity before she was out of range. Jayne watched the little shuttle enter a tailspin and hit the world; it seemed to happen in slow motion. As Serenity crossed atmo into the Black, Jayne felt his soul go cold. The last few days with Elle had been like a dream, and now the dream was over.

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************************************** LINK TO CHAPTER 14