The I.A.V. connected with Serenity quickly, there was no escape now. Colonel Dedham directed the operation from the bridge, watching the moment of connection on a screen. At last, all this running across the ‘verse would be at an end. Once the Agents had their prize, whatever it was, they could go on their merry. Ye Soo! Now he knew he had been in the black too long, he was starting to talk like a spacer. He flipped another monitor which showed him the airlock. The Agents were already there, their smugness practically oozing from inside their dark suits. He got up and went down to join them, he would not miss this for anything. The hands of blue had finally found her and had come to take her back - there was nowhere to hide any more. They were probing and searching, looking for weakness, Serenity was her weakness. The blue hands were touching her. NO! GET AWAY! You cannot have me. She wanted to stay with Serenity. “River. Wake up!” cried Kaylee anxiously shaking her. “They’re here!” she replied, sitting upright with eyes wide and she knew what they were going to do. “To kill us with their brains.” Kaylee gasped in fear, and looked up at Simon. They had rushed to her first, but still did not know why the proximity alarms were going off. River got out of bed and ran from the room, pushing past Bane and the others in the corridor. She had to find Mal, he was in the cargo bay with Zoe and the others. “You need to hide!” she said, still half wild with fear. Mal looked towards the ship’s entrance and then back at her. “What’s coming, Albatross?” said Mal, hand on the holster at his side. He was flanked by Zoe and now Jayne, they were armed and ready to fight. To fight for her. She could not let them die. “Two by two ...” she did not finish, but trailed off, looking terrified towards the door. Zoe was getting impatient, the Feds were about to board Serenity and she needed to know how to play the game. “River -” she warned, but Mal interrupted, seeing the Simon and Kaylee enter the cargo bay. “You and Simon get into the workshop. It’s lead lined, they can’t detect past it. We’ll do the usual.” Simon nodded and made a move. River clenched her hands and shouted at Mal, trying to get him to understand, trying to quell her dread. “No! They’ve come to kill you. You need to hide, not me.” Bane felt sympathy for River, she was trying to explain, but could not and everyone was looking at her like she was crazy. Bane touched her on the back for reassurance and then jumped as River spun around and peered into her face, like she was scanning for information. She could do it, she could get rid of them, with Bane’s help. River shook off her skin-crawling panic and looked seriously and directly at Mal. “They’ve come to do housekeeping.” “Get ridda us, you mean?” said Jayne, for once being quick on the uptake. “Blue hands, blue murder,” answered River with an angry hiss, her anger directly at her new goal. Zoe drew her gun as River looked around the cargo bay frantically. Within a matter of seconds her eyes settled on a solution and her chin lifted in assertive determination. “The shuttle will protect you,” urged River to Mal. Mal did not know what to think, when River made sense it was always a cause for concern. “What about you, mei mei?” said Mal. He was glad that Simon and Kaylee were too far across the room to catch River’s reply, it was spoken so quietly. “I have to kill them with my brain, or they will kill us all.” They all then heard the door being lasered open. “Captain,” ventured Zoe. “In shuttle one, people, ma-shong.” Jayne was the first up the stairs, swiftly followed by Karl and Zoe. “What’s happ’nin’, Cap’n? River?” asked Kaylee, her head turning in several directions. “Get up them stairs or we’re all gonna be fryin’ in the brainpan,” Mal said harshly. “Not until you tell us what is going on,” stated Simon, firmly staying right where he was. Mal was out of time, the door was breeched. He punched Simon swiftly and purposefully, knocking him out. Kaylee blanched in shock, but was pulled up the stairs by Bane. Simon was harder to carry, but at least he would not be able to interfere. Mal was not entirely sure he was doing the right thing leaving River to whatever was coming through that door, but there was little other choice, he had to trust her. She had faced out a room full of Reavers, two Alliance Agents should be no problem. Agents Marquez and Dunne faced the airlock and could not prevent the smiles appearing on their faces. At last they would capture River Tam. No one escapes the Academy forever. They needed her to carry on their work, to create more of them. “I’ve got my men ready,” said Colonel Dedham. Agent Marquez turned around. “You will wait, Colonel. We will go in alone.” “You don’t know how many people are there. They might be armed.” “Nevertheless, you will remain until we return,” said Marquez. Dunne showed his contempt for Dedham. “Watch from the little window, if you must.” Dedham swallowed and looked around at his men. Their faces were impassive, but he could tell what they were thinking. Thanks to these two Agents he had lost any respect he might have gained and when this was over he would be lucky if he was manning a com station on St Albans. The crew of Serenity were running along the upper gangway to one of the shuttles. Mal saw the two men come into the cargo bay alone and he tapped the keypad to the shuttle to get it open. River let everyone go through the door, except Bane. She pushed Jayne forcefully the last bit of the way in and tapped the keypad, as Mal had done, to seal the door. She then ripped it out. “River! What are you doing?” Bane said, pushing her out of the way of the controls. The others were now banging on the door from the inside. Bane frantically tried to re-wire it, but she could see it would not be a quick job. Karl’s face was one of those at the window. She looked at him desperately and held up the wires to show him. Down below, River felt the two men trigger their deadly manufactured signal. There was not much time – they could be dead in less than a minute. She swung Bane around to face her and spoke swiftly. “You must help me fight them,” she said, holding Bane’s head to emphasise her point. Bane looked at her in horror and understood. “I’m not like you,” she said, squinting her eyes when the buzzing in her head became louder. River grabbed her hand in a vice grip and pulled her along to the top of the stairs. The men with blue hands were standing below in the middle of the cargo bay looking up at them. They seemed to be doing little else but smiling. Bane felt her guts go to water. River tugged on her arm to bring her to focus. “It’s enough. Help me to stay with Serenity.” Mal and Karl watched from the window with growing horror, as Bane started to bleed from her nose. Bane thought it was just her nose running and she brushed it instinctively with her sleeve, sending a smear of blood across her cheek. The grip on her hand was crushing and she closed her eyes tightly and thought about River. The first time they had met. The screeching in her head grew painfully loud. About peaches and tomatoes. She had known that River liked peaches and tomatoes. Her eye sockets were filled with an excruciating white heat, but she carried on thinking about River; her dancing, her laughter, rocking to music in the co-pilot’s chair with giant headphones on her ears, the love she had for her brother and Serenity. And Stan Togashi kissing her and touching her in places – no, that was too much information. River felt Bane’s presence in her mind, keeping both of them from being completely invaded by the Agents. Her own nose was bleeding now. The Blue men were strong, especially together, but they did not have what she had – natural ability. Their skills were born of hers and now she would take it back. One of them screamed and fell to his knees, but she only heard it vaguely. They had to die for Serenity to live, and they were weak with their own pride. Marquez’s concentration wavered fatally as he watched Dunne fall to the floor. She should not be able to do this to them, they had put in safe-guards, had they not? Marquez’s last thought dribbled away as the blood pooled in his mouth and his brain turned to mush. The pain in her head was too much and Bane collapsed without uttering a sound. River felt the pull on her arm and started to breathe again. It had been enough, the men with hands of blue were dead a few feet away. She had killed them with their own weapon and Bane had kept her from following them. Kept her human. River let go of Bane’s hand and ran to the shuttle, re-wiring the keypad in a matter of seconds, something that would have taken the others at least an hour. It opened and Mal and the others burst out. Below in the cargo bay the Alliance soldiers had entered and now aimed their weapons up at Serenity’s crew before they could do anything. Karl raised his hands like the others, but he was looked at Bane’s lifeless body at his feet. Little more than an hour ago he had kissed her for the first time. Now her face was covered in blood, it was like a bad dream. Screw the Alliance, he needed to make sure she was alive. As the Feds ran up the stairs to secure the crew, he lowered his hands and knelt down, feeling her neck for a pulse and half expecting to be shot for his trouble. He could not feel a beat and held his ear to her chest. Nothing. Jien tah-duh gway! He pressed his hands onto her chest and started to pump. “Get Simon!” he shouted to anyone, before blowing air into Bane’s mouth. At that moment Mal regretted having knocked Simon out, he was still back in the shuttle unconscious. Colonel Dedham reached the top of the staircase. In the last few minutes everything had changed and not for the good. He had two dead Alliance Agents on his hands and from his viewpoint through the door, nothing or no one had gone near them. He saw another one of the crew lower their hands and he lifted his hand gun to point it at Mal. “Keep them raised!” Mal looked at the Colonel with contempt. “There’s a doctor in that shuttle that can help her,” he said with a clenched jaw. Dedham looked briefly down at the woman with blood oozing from her eyes and nose, the same as the two Agents on the floor below them. He was unconcerned. “Captain Reynolds, I presume?” said Dedham, and he looked at the other faces, stopping at Zoe’s. “Zoe Alleyne?” “Zoe Washburne,” she corrected, nostrils flaring but keeping her arms raised. She would have loved to wipe the smug smile off the Colonel’s ho-tze de pigu face. She glanced down at Karl, who was still trying to get Bane to breathe. She did not know what to think, from their vantage point it had looked like River had possibly killed her like the two men. Kaylee’s face had been white with fear, but now anger infused it. “Help her!” she shouted at the Alliance soldier, not knowing or caring what rank he was. Dedham was not in the least bit phased and nodded to his lieutenant. “Restrain them,” and he looked down at Karl. “Him too.” Two Feds caught Karl under the arms to try and lift him off the floor. “Qingwa cào de liúmáng! Tah mah de – “ and Karl punched the man on his left, and when the other one let him go, he knelt down again. When the other Feds tried to restrain him, Jayne fought them off. Mal looked at River who had been trying to avoid his eyes, if he had known what she was going to do, he would never have let her do it. One crew member was never expendable over another, whether they had served five years or five days. River looked back at Mal, knowing what he was thinking, her eyes filling with tears that spilled over onto her cheeks. “Not dead,” she said in her own defence and looked down at her friend. Karl blew into her mouth once more and waited. Bane gave a faint intake of breath, but remained unconscious, and they all stopped struggling. “Enough!” shouted Dedham at the same moment. Barely ten minutes later Serenity’s crew were standing restrained by cuffs in the cargo bay. Simon had been revived and was now shakily trying to come to his senses and figure out what had happened. Now that they were under control, Dedham surveyed them menacingly. This was one pretty pickle he was in now, two Alliance Agents were lying dead of unknown causes. All he had been able to see from his viewpoint was two of the women standing motionless at the top of the stairs. There would be an investigation and his superiors would find no doubt find out about his connection with the Firefly vessel. “Colonel,” said Mal loud enough for all to hear. “What exactly are you arrestin’ us for? We’ve done nothin’ wrong.” Dedham ignored him and walked down the line of people. “Your name?” he said to Jayne. Jayne was considerably taller than Dedham and viewed him from above with complete contempt. “Jayne Cobb,” he replied flatly. Dedham went along getting all their names. Simon, aware that his surname would likely attractive further investigation decided to play it safe. “Simon Frye,” he answered naturally, receiving a brief loving look from Kaylee. River, head bowed next to him, smiled and answered next. “Mary Frye,” she said. Dedham paused. “Settlers?” “Crew,” confirmed Mal. Dedham looked up to where the other crew member lay. “What about her name?” “Alice Bane,” said Mal without hesitation. Dedham was disappointed, not recognising any of the names from Interpol bulletins he had looked at in the last couple of months. Mal stepped forward gently. “Look, while you dawdle here, my crewmate up there is dying. At least get your med fellers to look at her or let me use mine.” Dedham sighed impatiently, it would be a long night, but a glimmer of an idea came to him. He nodded to one of his men. “Take her to the Med facility. Take these others to Interrogation Room Two and hold them there.” After they had left the ship Dedham ordered a full search of the vessel. He did not care if it took hours, he would find something to justify why those Agents had sent him on this chase around the ‘verse. Five hours later Dedham was woken from a nap at his desk by Wladek knocking on his door. He called him in and looked at him with a hopeful expression. Wladek tried to feel sorry for his Colonel, but he was a real hun dan so he had very little sympathy. “Nothing, sir,” he reported. “Really? Nothing?” Dedham could not believe it. “They’re completely clean?” Wladek nodded and Dedham ran his hands through his hair. “Anything from the Interrogation Room?” Dedham had installed them in a room with a nice view of the security cameras, for him and any others who cared to watch. “They all started talking at once when we first shoved them in there. Reynolds told them all to be quiet and they haven’t spoken a word since. The young one went a bit crazy and now she’s sitting in the corner with her hands over her ears.” Dedham swore under his breath. “What about the one in the Med Bay?” “Not yet regained consciousness, but likely will soon – according to the doctor.” Dedham stood up and started to walk towards the door. “She won’t be aware of anything the others might have said or done. We can question her and see if anything falls apart. Come with me.” “Yes, sir,” answered Wladek dutifully. The Med Bay was Dedham’s kind of room; all neat, clean and clinical, much like his quarters. The woman lay on one of the beds, the blood that had covered her face before had now been cleaned away. The doctors had also dressed her in a clean white hospital gown. Her eyes were now covered with a bandage. Dedham spoke loud enough to wake the dead, which was his intention. “What’s the prognosis, Doctor?” Doctor Meyer was startled out of his reverie. At this time of night, he had been enjoying working in the quiet. He also noticed his patient turn her head a little. “She should make a full recovery, Colonel. There is some nerve damage to her retinas and sinuses, which will take longer to heal, probably cause her problems in later life. Other than that, she’ll be okay.” Dedham watched the woman’s face while the doctor spoke, she was listening. He went closer to the bed, picked up her hand and said in his kindest voice, “What is your name?” Bane strained to hear his voice through the ringing in her ears that she still had. The voice sounded kind, familiar almost, but she did not know where she was, or what had happened. Things were still foggy. “Alice Lo,” she answered softly, figuring an alias would be the safest thing. Dedham looked across at Wladek and grinned. He had a good memory, and that had not been the name given to him by Reynolds. He dropped the hand and walked away. “Print her,” he said as he walked passed him. Bane realised too late what was happening and tried to sit up and, but she was restrained. “Get off me, bun tien-shung de ee-duai-ro!” Doctor Meyer speedily administered a quick-acting sedative and she collapsed back on the bed. Wladek brought over the scanner and placed each hand on it. Both him and the doctor waited expectantly while it processed. To their surprise it did not take long, Wladek’s own relief showed at the results. He looked at the woman on the bed and back at her grainy mugshot, she was obviously older, but it was definitely her. The doctor finished reading over his shoulder. “She doesn’t look that dangerous,” he said, after reading her list of crimes. Wladek needed to go and do some research before submitting his findings to the Colonel. “Put her in restraints anyway. The Colonel won’t want her to get away.” ~ * ~ Wladek sat at the desk in his quarters. From here he had fairly high access to most of the Alliance records available on the cortex and he put together a complete bios on the woman. Nothing about birthplace, but active during the Unification War, specialising in blowing up Alliance munitions dumps, as well as com stations and general terrorism. Shiny. Mother had been part of it too, but she was confirmed killed at their last job near the end of the war. They had been part of an Alliance sting operation and lured into a trap. Wladek sat up suddenly, not believing the name he saw. He shook his head in disbelief, the man had more lives than a cat. Dedham frowned as Wladek entered his office without knocking, he was getting too cocky by far. He folded his hands in front of him. “Well?” he asked impatiently. Wladek could not help smiling, Dedham was a little unnerved by it and sat back in his chair. “You know her, sir,” he stated, watching for the Colonel’s reaction. He was disappointed when the man’s face remained impassive. “Deena Court,” he added quietly. Dedham literally felt the weight of trouble he had been carrying roll of his shoulders. He licked his perfect white teeth with his tongue and then laughed softly. “Well, well, well. The one that got away,” he said, although not speaking the entire truth to Wladek. He had been exonerated from any wrong doing in allowing her to get away, but that one incident of youthful greedy stupidity had held him back for promotion for some years. Wladek was waiting to be enlightened, but realised that Dedham was under no obligation to do so. One of the many things that made him a complete bastard. “You are dismissed, Wladek, good work. Let the others go back to the ship, but in the morning send Captain Reynolds to me here.” After his Communications Officer had left Dedham sighed happily. At last he had the means to make all his problems go away – and probably get a promotion out of it as well, as well as a good bit of revenge on the whore, Deena Court. ~ * ~ No one spoke until the door to the cargo bay had been shut from the outside. River ran away to some unknown hiding spot on Serenity, to safety and silence, away from all their reproachful thoughts. Everyone else just stood there, not knowing what to do. They were all looking at Mal. “Reckon they know about Bane?” suggested Zoe, wanting to say something to break the silence. Mal ran a hand through his hair. “They dint do anything to us, jus’ told us she’ll be okay an’ that I’ve got to see that gou tsao de Colonel tomorrow. I conjure that they know all about Bane.” “What do you mean?” asked Karl in a low voice. He was the only one of them who had not said anything all night, up until then. Mal looked at Zoe, it had been part of their arrangement with Bane when she came on board. Zoe took up Mal’s defence on seeing Karl’s expression. “You already know she uses aliases as soon as breathe. She’s flagged. Outstanding warrants for war crimes.” “She said that the first time we met,” said Kaylee. “But, I don’t understand. Why just take her?” Mal explained. “Seems to me like those Agents dint tell the Colonel why they wanted us. He’s found his own reason now to explain away what’s happened. Knowing that Colonel, he decided to check to see if her story matched ours.” “She wouldn’t have known,” said Karl defensively. Mal gave him a reassuring nod, whatever Bane had said would not have been her fault, but he could imagine that she would have said very little except a name. She was well versed in keeping her mouth shut. He was a little disconcerted by Karl at that moment, with Bane’s blood still staining his moustache and hands, he looked every inch an old earth Viking, ready to rape and pillage at a single word. “Who is she?” asked Kaylee, getting frustrated by all the cryptic talk. Simon took her hand, it had been a long night for them all and he was worried that Kaylee looked about to collapse. “Her real name’s as we know it – Bane Pye,” explained Zoe. “But during the war she was known as Deena Court.” Kaylee had never heard of the name, although Bane had talked about what she had done during the war, she had been unspecific. There was too much going on and she was still dressed for bed. And why had River run away? “What are you going to do about it?” said Simon, his arm around Kaylee. There were several more things going through Simon’s head, him being in the tope three per cent. Most of it was centred on why Mal had hit him, the rest being on why River refused to speak to him and had run away. “There’s very little I can do. Bane knew the risks when she came aboard. They were the same risks she’s been living with since the war ended.” Mal felt all of Kaylee’s injustice and confusion directed at him. He was relieved when she turned around and walked with Simon back to their quarters. ~ * ~ “I don’t think you’re understanding me, Captain. I either take her or I take your whole crew. I was not party to whatever those two Agents wanted, but I did my own investigating. They were after someone on this ship. I know it was not her and now, I don’t care. You see I have plausible deniability – my whole ship does. I file a report that she killed those two Agents, she goes to trial for that and her other crimes and we’re all square.” Mal kept his anger in check, which was becoming more and more difficult. “You know that she didn’t kill those two men,” he hissed. Colonel Dedham laughed smugly. “What I saw was two men drop dead for no apparent reason. That isn’t going to win any awards at the annual report writing contest.” Mal clenched his fists. “You could say they died of some infectious disease. What’s it to you? She’s going to prison anyway.” Dedham was nervous of Mal’s idea. It was a good one, that’s what made him nervous. If he reported that the Agents died of natural causes, then there would be no investigation. But there was no way he was informing this dumb captain of his plans. “Either way I come out shinier than new platinum.” Mal had noticed the Colonel’s change in expression, he had something to hide. He also felt like punching the man’s sanctimonious accent back down his throat. Dedham leaned back in his chair, for once completely happy. “I shall enjoy renewing my acquaintance with her.” He waved his hand at the men flanking Mal to indicate they could take him back. He was escorted back to his ship feeling like a hypocrite. Leave no one behind was his rule, and now he was breaking it. But he now knew a few other things; Dedham was unbelievably arrogant, and he knew Deena Court from before. After entering the cargo bay, Mal got on the com, hoping River was not still hiding somewhere on the ship. “Take us out,” was all he said and he waited for an answer. There was a pause long enough to make him worry. “Shi shi, Captain,” came River’s voice, a little shakily. With the I.A.V. clamps released Serenity was free again. Mal climbed the stairs, heading to the cockpit through the galley. He regretted it when he saw Jayne and Karl sitting at the table, and he tried to walk purposefully through the room. “So that’s it then, Mal? You just gonna leave her behind?” said Jayne. Mal stopped and looked at them both. No more three musketeers, he had not realised how close the three of them were, especially Jayne. He was not used to forming friendships, just temporary partnerships. Now was not the time to let them into the plan which was barely forming in his head. He ignored the questions and continued to the cockpit. “That’s just shiny,” grumbled Jayne. “Thought you didn’t like Bane?” said Karl. Jayne was astonished at the anger he heard in his voice. “Whatever gave you that ruttin’ idea?” Karl looked at him menacingly. “Oh I don’t know, the whole calling her a whore thing.” Jayne was still puzzled. “Don’t mean I dint like her. ‘Sides, reckon you two have been gettin’ along an’ she ain’t seemed to have pulled any –“ “I kissed her, Jayne,” interrupted Karl, starring at the cup in his hands. He felt he had to tell someone, the images and feelings were whirling around his head like a tornado. Last night everything was right with the ‘verse and now everything had gone to the Seventh Hell. Whatever retort Jayne would have normally have instinctively said he held back. “When?” he asked quietly. “At the weddin’?” That had been one rutting good night, he would not have been surprised that Karl and Bane had succumbed to the mood, even though he had denied it later. “No, last night. Right before you stuck your ugly head in and wanted to play cards,” he replied with a half smile at the memory. Jayne thought back, last night now seemed an awful long way away. When he had come down the stairs Bane and Karl had been sitting on each end of the couch. He had not remembered seeing anything odd, except ... “That’s why she hadda face red as my bare ass. Thought she’d been in the gym like you,” he mused. “Well, how was it?” Karl, like Jayne was never shy about telling about his exploits, although he was less graphic. Neither had ever been known as gentleman, but right at this moment Karl did not want to go into it. Bane was gone and there was no point going moonbrain over something that might or could have been. He shrugged a shoulder. “’S’alright,” he replied. Jayne shook his head with a smile but did not push further. He may be a bit slow on the uptake sometimes, but he had known Karl in close quarters for over a year now. The man had been smitten ever since Christmas, and after watching them dance together at the wedding, he knew Bane was too. “Wanna spot me in the gym?” he suggested. Karl nodded gratefully and they left the galley, maybe a session on the weights would help him sleep. In the cockpit, Mal had been sitting next to River in complete silence and he found it very unnerving. Had he not just left Bane on that I.A.V., then he would right now be giving River a speech on how you never play with people’s lives like that – especially not your friends. River took in all his musings, but still said nothing, letting the tears fall silently. There was no running away when you were piloting a ship. Mal sighed. “What do you think I oughta do then, Albatross?” “Clap me in irons and make me walk the plank?” she suggested. That made him laugh, but not for long. “Then I’d have to do the same to my own self. I can see Jayne going for it. Seriously, though, I know what you did you felt you had to do. Jus’ tell me it was the only way.” While Mal had been speaking, River had felt some of her guilt lessen. “Bane’s my friend too. It was the only way.” “She a reader like you, then?” Mal had enough to deal with, having one moonbrain on board, the last thing he needed was another. River gave a little smile at his thoughts. “Kind of. She is very intuitive, can read people’s motives and desires, but not their thoughts – not until last night. Probably derived from a combination of life experience and family environment.” “That your medical opinion?” replied Mal, teasing ever so slightly. River did not turn to him, but her smile widened. “Where to now, Captain?” she asked. “Boros,” was his answer. ~ * ~ With the I.A.V. now en route to Londinium, Dedham had finally relaxed for the first time in weeks. He was dressed in his white robe, which was just like one of the Med Bay ones, only longer. It felt good to be in charge again. There was a short knock at his door, so he put down the glass of brandy and called them in. It was two security men with Bane between them. He said nothing, but waved them away quickly. Bane was still dressed in the med robe, her hands restrained behind her. She no longer had the bandage over her eyes, but he could tell she was having difficulty seeing. Having been informed by the doctor that Serenity had been allowed to leave, Bane knew she was now on her own, it was surviving time again. Block out the last few years, block out Serenity, block out Karl and his very wet and wonderful kisses. Gorram it, concentrate woman. She was glad the room was dimly lit, as she was still finding it difficult and a little painful to see - like she had looked into the light of one of her silent bombs. She could see the man in front of her had dark hair and she saw him dressed in white, but there was no definition to his features. “Hello, Deena. It’s been a long time. You’ve aged well.” She felt a glimmer of recognition at the sound of his voice. “You have me at a disadvantage, sir,” she replied, putting on her best core accent. Dedham came closer, but Bane did not move. “Come now. Let me refresh your memory. Twenty five eleven; the arms depot on Osiris. I was your mark,” he said touching her face. “Or rather, you were mine.” At the mention of Osiris, Bane flinched, recognising him without being able to see him. She composed herself again. The last job. The one where this huh choo-shang tza-jiao duh tzang-huo had shot her mother dead and then handed her over to a brothel. She showed him a puzzled look. “No. I’m drawing a complete blank. Been a parcel o’ years since then. Can’t see too well at the moment either. Sure it’ll come to me.” Dedham smile had frozen and disdain had replaced it. He had forgotten that she would be older and much wiser now, not that same girl barely out of her teens who tried to seduce him. He changed tack. “So, where have you been? You must have got plenty of practise lying on your back,” he was playing nice again. Bane thought he must be a complete bèn dàn if he reckoned he could get her to break down. She had survived Niska’s school of torture. Bane remained silent, but smiled in contempt in his general direction. If he had her here to show her his bedroom skills again, then he would not find her so willing. She jutted her chin up. “Love to catch up an’ all. But if there’s nothing else, I’d like to get back to my cell now.” She did not see the punch coming and she landed painfully on her back, crushing her hands. He blocked the light and it allowed her to aim the heel of her foot to his groin very hard. He dropped to the ground groaning loudly in severe pain. Bane tucked her bottom under her arms to bring her restrained hands to the front. She then stood up and retreated to where she thought the door was. Turning the handle she heard someone stand to attention outside. She opened it enough to let herself out without letting them see into the room. “He’s finished with me already,” she said boldly. “Bit of a quick-draw, your Colonel,” she added as they held her arms and returned her to the cells, not even doubting her words. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Author’s Note: Edited in September 2007 (Always looking to improve!).