Blue Blood – Chapter Eight No copyright infringement is intended here, just good clean fun. ------------------- “Mal, we have a problem.” Mal turned at Harwell’s words. “We ain’t had much but problems, last few days,” he smiled tiredly. “What’s wrong now?” “My. . .informant, I guess, in the Sheriff’s office just called. Two of your blue suited friends just showed up, wanting to see Grippen.” “Maybe they killed him,” Mal muttered, but Harwell shook his head. “No, they just left the office together. My source doesn’t know where they’re going, but they did take the road out of town coming this way.” “Ai ya,” said Mal, shaking his head. Jayne had been right. “Likely coming here, George,” Mal looked at his employer. “I. . .we don’t have any choice, but fight, if they do. Might be best if you was to close up shop, and head on home for the day.” “Like hell,” Harwell snarled. “You’ve stood by us, we’ll stand by you.” “I appreciate that, George,” Mal smiled. “I really do. But this ain’t your fight. And it will get nasty. These men, they. . .they have access to some nasty weaponry, and they ain’t a bit concerned with collateral damage, if you take my meaning. Best you all wasn’t around, I’m thinking.” Harwell looked for a moment as if he were going to argue, but finally nodded. “All right, Mal,” he said at last. “But I don’t like this.” “Nor do I,” Mal assured him. “But we ain’t got a lotta options. We can either fight, or we can run. We like it here, so we aim to fight.” “Good luck,” Harwell said, and Mal snorted. “Wouldn’t that be a change?” ------------------- The men and women of Guilford’s were taken by surprise as the plant whistle blew, and their supervisors came through telling them that they had the rest of the day off. With pay. Not wanting to look a gift horse in the mouth, they moved quickly, and soon the plant was deserted. Mal had thought things out fairly carefully, he hoped. He’d sent Inara, Simon and Kaylee to the hospital, with orders to stay there, no matter what. He considered sending River with them, but one look at the little assassin’s face made him think better of it. He had sent Hollins with the others, but Laim Greggs had refused to budge. “You got problems, I got problems,” was all the young man had said, and Mal had simply nodded. Greggs had disappeared for a time, after that. When he re-appeared, he was wearing a gun in a low-riding holster, and carrying a wicked looking rifle. He noted Mal’s raised eyebrows, and shrugged. Jayne was armed, as usual, and so was River. Zoe hefted her shotgun, and Mal could see the slight bulge where the small pistol Jayne had given her lay under her vest. Her carbine was strapped to her leg. “What’s the plan, sir?” she asked, as they gathered. “I’m of two minds about this,” Mal told them. “One, we try and bluff our way through. Deny that River is on the crew. Be our word against Grippen’s, and we might sway them.” “The other is to start shooting the minute they show up.” “I’m for plan B,” Jayne said at once, and Mal snorted. As if that was a surprise. “I’m in agreement,” Zoe seconded, and that was a surprise. Well, sort of, Mal decided. “I’m with the group,” was all Greggs said, and went to watch for their company. “Well, ‘tross?” Mal asked, looking at River. “Seems you ought to have the last word, here, being as you’re the one most in danger.” River looked at Mal for a moment, then to Jayne. He returned her gaze evenly, his mind calm. Do what you think best, Angel, she heard his thoughts as they pushed gently to her. I’m with you, no matter what. She sighed at that, the calm confidence of her Alpha male reassuring her. “I would prefer plan A,” she finally admitted. Zoe looked startled, but Jayne merely nodded. “Any particular reason?” Mal asked, surprise evident. “If we can convince the Blue Hands that I am not here,” she looked up at Jayne, “that we are not here, then it is possible that we can stay. I would like to not have to leave, if possible.” Mal nodded in understanding, eyes flickering to Jayne. “That a problem for you?” he asked warily. Jayne shook his head. “Whatever she wants,” was all he said, and River smiled gently. “Okay, then. Here’s what we’ll do.” --------------------- Grippen’s mule pulled into the drive, and he shut it down. The following mule, with two more of the blue suited men, stopped behind him. “That’s odd,” he mused, looking at the idle factory. “What?” the larger of his ‘partners’ asked. “Factory should be going full out, about now,” Grippen informed him. “And even if it wasn’t, the supply store would still be open. Folks for a hundred miles in any direction depend on them for everything from seed, to clothes, to groceries.” “They are aware of our presence,” the smaller one said. “This likely means that you were correct.” “Well, there’s the ships,” Grippen pointed to the pad. “You are to wait here,” the larger one ordered. “Please don’t consider leaving, Sheriff,” he added with a smile that never reached his eyes. “I’ll be waitin’ right here,” Grippen assured him. Without another word, the four blue suits started toward Reynolds’ ships. Grippen sat back to watch. He might not like the devil he’d made a bargain with, but he’d enjoy seeing Reynolds taken down. ----------------- “Is this the Private Companion?” Mal looked up to see the blue suited men standing in the doorway. He forced himself to smile. “It is,” he nodded amiably. “What can we do for you today?” “You are Malcolm Reynolds?” another asked. “That’s me,” Mal nodded again. “Owner.” “Fine vessels,” the first spoke again. “Are you for hire?” “Well, we kinda got a permanent gig with Guilford’s here,” Mal pointed at the factory. “But I ain’t opposed to a little side work, long as it don’t interfere with that.” “I understand that both your pilots are women?” the smaller asked. “Yeah,” Mal replied. “Is that a problem?” “Not in the least,” the man assured him smoothly. “I understand one of your pilots is also your wife?” “That’s so,” Mal said, placing a bit of impatience in his tone. “And the other one?” the larger asked. “That’d be me,” Zoe said, walking forward. “You fly the other vessel, I take it?” “I do,” Zoe nodded. It wasn’t a lie. She had flown Serenity. “I see,” the smaller frowned. “We were informed that your other pilot was a small woman, who goes by the name River Tam.” “Don’t know anyone by that name,” Mal said at once, and mentally kicked himself when the larger one’s eyes were drawn to him. “Are you certain?” he asked. “I have a picture of her. Perhaps she’s using another name.” Before Mal could react, the hand dove into the suit, and came out with a small device, which the man activated without warning. Mal instantly felt his head start to pound, and blood dripped from his nose. Next to him, Zoe was in the same condition. Both hit the floor, hard, trying to fight off the pain afflicting them. The two men walked forward, smiling. “Now, Captain, suppose you tell us where we can find River Tam?” ------------------- “Something is wrong,” River said, from where she and Jayne waited onboard Serenity. Jayne looked at her. “What is it?” “Don’t know,” she admitted. “But. . .” suddenly she grabbed her temples, and collapsed in a huddle on the deck. “Two by two,” she whispered. Before Jayne could react, there were two men in blue suits at the ramp. “River Tam, you are bound by law, and required to surrender, as is your husband.” “Like hell,” Jayne snarled, and raised Vera. ------------------ The sound of a gunshot made the two Blue Hands on Companion pause in the middle of their ‘interview’. They exchanged a glance, and the larger one nodded. “Remain here. I will investigate.” The smaller nodded, as his partner left. He turned back to Mal and Zoe. “Now, where were we?” ------------------ River was almost paralyzed with fear. Seeing Jayne shoot one of the Blue Hands in the head helped her, but before he could take the remaining one, a sharp buzzing sound reached her. Jayne looked stunned for a moment, and Vera dipped to the floor. “Lower your weapon, and come peaceably,” the Blue Hand ordered. Jayne growled low in his chest, and tried to raise Vera again. The man moved his finger slightly, and the buzzing increased. Jayne felt his knees go weak, and fell to the floor. Still griping his rifle, he tried again to bring it to bear, but couldn’t find the strength. Finally the great rifle slipped from his grasp. The Blue Hand started forward as Jayne went to his hands and knees. The buzzing stayed constant, and he shook his head, droplets of blood streaming from his nose. He was unable to stop the man from moving to where River lay, and securing her hands with cuffs he produced from his pockets. Then the man turned to Jayne. “Long have we searched for you,” he told the big man. “We looked for you during the war, to make you a part of our program. You will be a welcome asset to us, once you are under our control.” He knelt to secure Jayne’s arms, and in that moment, Jayne struck. His arm shot up, eleven inches of razor sharp steel in his hand, and the Blue Hand wore a stunned expression as Jayne stood to look at him. “I’ll never be under your control,” Jayne snarled, twisting the great knife, blade buried deep in the other man’s abdomen. “And neither will she.” Jayne’s other arm came up, circling the Blue Hand’s head. With a harsh jerk, the man’s neck was broken, and he fell limp to the floor. Jayne retrieved the small device that the man had used to try and incapacitate him, and switched it off. The buzzing stopped. Before he could kneel to check on River, a voice stopped him. “We meet at last.” ------------------- River felt the buzzing stop. She didn’t move for a moment, then tried gingerly to sit up. She stopped when she realized her hands were bound behind her. She could hear voices, dimly, and was both relieved and concerned that one of them belonged to Jayne. “You found me,” she heard Jayne snarl. “I have looked for you for many years,” the larger Blue Hand told Jayne. He glanced at his fallen comrades. “Still as formidable as ever, I see.” He took a step into the bay. “You cannot defeat us, you know,” he said casually, hands held at his sides. “We will take her, and you, eventually. Others will find you, even if you defeat us here today. Why not ease the suffering of your friends, and come now? Peaceably?” “I ain’t never gone peaceably before,” Jayne pointed out. “No reason to start now.” “You are truly married?” the man asked, throwing Jayne off. “And that concerns you how?” he asked. “I can see to it that you remain together,” the man lied smoothly, taking another step forward. “I can do that without your help,” Jayne shot back, and lifted his hand, knife still in it. As soon as he did, the Blue Hand lifted his own, and fired. Jayne was struck by two needles, both connected by wire to the gun in the Blue Hand’s grasp. A surge of electrical current pulsed along the wires, and Jayne felt his knees betray him again, as he crashed to the floor. “It would be much simpler if you came peaceably.” The Blue Hand applied the electric shock again, and Jayne yelled in pain. ------------------ River heard Jayne yell, and winced as his pain flowed over her. She fought to block it out, but the pain was immense. Jayne was suffering an incredible amount. “There’s no need for this to be so painful,” she heard the Blue Hand tell Jayne. “I really have no desire to injure you.” “You better,” she heard Jayne gasp in reply. “Only way for you to take her is over my dead body.” Jayne’s voice was strained, she realized. 'Jayne is going to die, fighting to save me.' The thought rolled over her mind, overcoming the pain she felt through him, and the fear that paralyzed her. 'I cannot let that happen!' River moved suddenly, her own fear gone. She spun around, hands still cuffed behind her, and was on her feet in a flash. The Blue Hand looked at her. “Ah, Miss Tam. Decided to join us at last?” River didn’t reply. Instead she launched herself into a spinning heel kick aimed at his head. The Blue Hand reacted on instinct, lifting his hands to defend himself. He grasped River’s foot, and twisted, sending the small assassin to the floor in a heap. She cried out in pain, and disappointment, as she hit the floor. The Blue Hand had dispatched her without effort. But in doing so, he had dropped his stunner. Jayne lunged to his feet, fury at seeing River hurt burning through his pain. The Blue Hand realized he’d erred, but it was too late to do anything about it. Jayne was on him before he could react. A giant fist crashed into his head, and another into his gut. Unaccustomed to physical combat, the Blue Hand reeled under the attack, and Jayne followed him, striking again and again at the man who had injured the most important person in his life. Pain forgotten, the big man’s fury drove him now. Blow after blow rained down on the Blue Hand, and he could not prevent them from striking home. As he felt one of the large man’s hands on his throat, he realized dimly that his partner had been correct. He should have simply killed the man, and been done with it. He knew he’d not have that chance again. ----------------- “Jayne,” River said softly, still on the floor. Jayne didn’t hear her. He was still pummeling the lifeless body in his grip. “Jayne,” River repeated, a little louder this time. “I think he’d dead, Jayne.” Still no response. “Sean, I need your help,” River said calmly, and suddenly, Jayne looked at her. “Angel, are you okay?” Jayne dropped the dead man and rushed to her. “I think my arm is broken,” River said quietly. “Can you take these cuffs off?”