Chapter 18

Before Inara returned to the Ball, she borrowed a few of the 'gadgets', built by Kaylee or smuggled via rice and Mal, and carefully integrated them into her complicated outfit. The last item she added was a tiny earpiece, which she effectively concealed with a slight change in hairstyle. Once satisfied with her appearance, Inara asked Kaylee to inform her as soon as the job was over as she left to rejoin Simon.

"Simon, where have you been? Are you okay? What's happened to you?" Lien asked.

Simon's stance wavered under the emotional barrage. Lien's thoughts were coming dangerously close to overriding his own, much as Kaylee's had in the engine room. Simon prayed Inara would return soon. Her closely guarded consciousness was not a danger to his own. "Lien," Simon began tentatively, "I… we should sit down."

"Of course dear, let me help you," Lien said as she took his arm and led him to a nearby table.

Simon gingerly took a seat and attempted to fortify his mind against the next wave of interactions, only to find the feeble walls collapsing as he noticed that Lien was wearing the engagement ring he had given her almost three years ago. "You… still… the ring… wearing…" Simon stammered.

"Why of course, dearest, we are engaged," Lien answered with a smile.

Her emotions ran unchecked across Simon's meager defenses and he found himself smiling stupidly back at her with longing that was not his own. "I… we…" Simon began.

Lien giggled, "Simple Simon. Some things never change. Let's take this conversation somewhere more private. I have a suite nearby…"

Simon lost the rest of what she said when the image of two suited men wearing blue gloves flashed across his mind. It could be the solution to tracking down your wayward fiancé as well as his sister, River Tam.

Simon shook his head as if to clear it. "Yes, of course. We should take this conversation to your suite," Simon agreed.

Simon may have been the easiest mark the 'verse has ever known, but he had no illusions concerning the safety of this plan of action. He was scared. He was afraid it was a trap, afraid he would not be able to call for help, afraid of Kaylee's reaction to him entering the room of his former fiancé (or evening having one for that matter), afraid he would lose control to the drugs in said room and do something he truly regretted, but most of all he was afraid of what would happen to his sister if the Alliance found her. In the end, his greatest fear would finalize his decision. Lien knew something about the Alliance's device that Simon needed to find, and Simon would do anything to protect his sister.

Inara entered the Sapphire Ball for the second time that night and began searching the crowd for Simon. When she did not spot him immediately she took it as a good sign. It would be better for the fugitive doctor to blend in.

After an hour's subtle searching revealed no trace of the good doctor, Inara became worried. She approached the security guard near the entrance and asked him if he had seen 'Dr. Sushruta.'

"Sorry ma'am, but your date left you for a tall sino woman. My shift ends in thirty minutes though, if you would like some company," the guard said with a lecherous grin.

"If you desire the company of a registered companion you may make an appointment with the local guild liaison," Inara responded curtly before exiting the building and hurrying back to her hotel.

Mal, Jayne and Zoe stealthily crept through the dark abandoned parking garage. Mal was no expert on secret government meetings, but he thought it mighty peculiar for a meeting this secret to be held in a place like this. It was a security nightmare, but then again, Mal figured most core folk lived like good little sheep that would never wander past those pretty yellow and black striped ribbons at the entrance.

Zoe motioned for them to stop. Her hand signals informed him of two sentries thirty feet ahead. Mal nodded his assent for Jayne and Zoe to advance and silently take them out.

With near perfect synchronization, Zoe and Jayne covered the sentries' mouths and wrapped them in a sleeper's hold. Eight seconds later both guards were sleeping peacefully while Zoe scouted ahead and Jayne relieved them of their weapons and their wallets.

Zoe halted just outside of a dimly lit circle of vehicles and motioned for the others to join her. Mal and Jayne caught up to her and they surveyed the area.

There were seven gentlemen present, all dressed in the typical formal core style and gathered around a remarkably well maintained older model luxury mule. When one of the gentlemen pulled a briefcase out of the back of the mule, Mal gave the signal and the three leapt into action.

"Raise your hands and commence starin' intently like towards yer belly buttons," Mal shouted as they emerged from concealment with weapons drawn.

"It's the Feds, run!" One of the suits shouted before they all panicked and ran.

"The Feds?" Mal repeated dumbly.

"Buddha's blue balls! Mal we gotta get the hell outta here," Jayne yelled.

"Jayne! What did I tell you about yellin' my name during a heist, and do you see any Feds?"

"I sure as hell ain't waitin' till I do!"

Zoe rolled her eyes and retrieved the abandoned briefcase. "Jayne, we're the Feds," she said.

"When was that in the plan?" Jayne asked.

"It wasn't," Mal replied shortly.

"'Prolly why it worked," Jayne muttered under his breath.

"Alright Zoe, open it up. Let's see what this newfangled government tech looks like."

"Um… Sir?" Zoe responded hesitantly, "You might want to take a look at this."

"What is it Zo… Gaoyang zhong de guyang" Mal exclaimed when he looked into the briefcase that contained a datastick and thirty individually wrapped fruity oaty bars.

"Captain, you're back alre-" Kaylee began answering his wave.

"That hwoon dahn Doctor sent us to the gorram wrong secret meet!" Mal shouted angrily into the unit, "He's gonna need to try again!"

"Captain it weren't his fault," Kaylee defended him, "an' what do ya mean the wrong secret meeting?"

"We stole the secret formula to a new flavor of fruity oaty bars, which by the way is neither 'fruity' nor 'oaty'."

"How come-" Kaylee cut herself off when she heard someone entering their hotel room. "Hold on, I think they're back," Kaylee said as she rose to check the door.

"Kaylee, I need to speak with Mal immediately," Inara said as she ran into the room.

"He's on the wave right now," Kaylee told her as she followed Inara to the com station. She asked anxiously, "Where's Simon?"

Inara took a deep breath and stared into Mal's image over the wave and said, "Simon's missing."

Kaylee gasped and River wailed from somewhere outside of the visual feed.

Mal leaned in closer to the device so he could speak and hear over the commotion behind him and said, "Inara, I need to know everything you know."

Inara could not find her voice. All she could hear was River's wailing in the background.

"She doesn't really love him," River screamed, "and she'll take him from me. Then they'll take him away forever. Two by two, hands of blue, two by two…"

"Inara… Inara?... Inara!" Mal shouted through the wave. "We'll get him back, Inara, but I need you to focus! When did you see him last?"

"I… we had just finished dancing and… and he said he found the secret meeting…"

"Good… good Inara, you're doin' great," Mal soothed, "now what happened next."

"We… we were about to leave when someone recognized him… but, she said his secret was safe, and… Simon has the signal ring!" Inara stammered.

"Calm down darlin' no one's blaming you," Mal soothed.

"Who was it?" Kaylee asked nervously.

"Huh?" Inara asked dazed.

"Who was it recognized Simon?"

"Her name was Lien Wu. She's of sino ancestry, she had long black hair and she was almost as large as Zoe. They seemed to know each other very well… perhaps a family acquaintance or a classmate?" Inara supplied. "I thought he would be fine. I was going to be right back…" Inara shook her head as if to clear it spoke confidently in a manner more characteristic of a companion, "The security guard saw them leaving together. She may have captured him."

"Good job Inara," Mal said and then ordered over his shoulder, "Zoe, see if you what you can find of this Lien Wu on the cortex, get River to help if you can." Mal turned attention back to the screen and said, "Kaylee… Inara… I need you to work on trackin' Simon through them gizmos."

"The ring only sends a signal if it's activated Cap'n," Kaylee said dejectedly.

"Then keep an eye out for that signal while you try somethin' else," Mal comforted, "It's a good sign, mei mei, it probably means he ain't felt need to use it yet. Just don't go runnin' in all foolish like when you find him. You tell me and I bring the cavalry, dong mah?"

"Yes cap'n. Just… look after River okay?"

"Take a seat anywhere Simon, I'll be right with you," Lien said as she opened to door to her suite.

Simon entered awkwardly, occasionally waving his cane in front of him in as subtle a way as he could manage. The psychic enhancements had finally worn off and he began suffering what he assumed were either delayed side effects or perhaps symptoms of withdrawal. As a result his vision became very blurry and his libido spiked. A dangerous combination if I were Jayne, Simon thought with a small amount of amusement.

Lien gently grabbed Simon's arm and he jumped at the physical contact. "Simon… what's wrong?" Lien asked, "Are you… have you become blind?"

Simon's mind raced to find a suitable answer but its progress was halted by the physical contact that sent a surge of blood into an organ towards the lower end of his body. Focus Simon, Focus. Just like with Zoe and the Jeweler. "It's temporary," Simon explained, "as you've already noticed, I have been injured and… and it's temporary. I just can't do anything about it when I'm away from my medkit," Simon laughed nervously. "I'm not blind, I have near perfect vision for the next three feet."

"My poor simple Simon," Lien cooed as she led Simon to the love seat, her voice making his skin crawl. Simon gingerly took a seat and flinched when Lien sat down beside him. "It's okay dearest," Lien said soothingly as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer. Simon made a small choking noise as he was pressed against the curves of her flawless athletic body. She continued, "You're safe here. No one is going to harm you."

Simon closed his eyes tightly and fought focus his mind against his raging libido. Focus Simon, Focus. I will apply dietic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice…

"Simon, are you okay?" Lien asked. "Talk to me. What have those awful border planets done to you?"

Talking. Talking is good. "I uh…" Simon stammered, having no clue as to what he was going to say. He recovered quickly and asked, "Could you be so kind as to get me a glass of water?"

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry I forgot to offer refreshments, how rude of me," Lien apologized as she rose and walked towards the kitchen.

Simon let out a sigh of relief and seriously considered pressing the panic button on his signal ring. Before Lien could return to him, Simon heard a knock on her door and smiled at his good fortune. "I'll get that Simon, you just stay seated," Lien called out to him. Simon was relieved to have gained a few extra moments of relative solitude. The relief, however, was borne of ignorance. He would be much less thankful had his vision been clear enough to identify the two well dressed gentleman wearing blue gloves just outside of the doorway.