Bonnie & Clyde

So, you’re bored and want some action agent Death Nail?

Chapter 2

__________________________________________________________________________________

Derrick Neal, Agent Death Nail, eased back into his roller swivel-back chair and placed his boots up on the desktop. He had no worry that his footwear would stain or dirty up the highly polished oak finish which mirrored across the desktop surface. No! His black boots were as highly polished and reflective as the furniture top itself. He could almost brush his teeth in their reflected image.

Agent 453-21-768 was bored. He had spent six weeks on the Alliance cruiser “ Sea Witch” and for all appearances had shaped it’s crew into a disciplined batch of battle worthy individuals. Not that they would ever see battle, or war. The Alliance Coalition of Unified Planets pretty much ruled the known verse system in this area of space, and there was not a existing aggressor that could challenge their power at this point in time. Well, not in vast numbers anyway. The freedom fighters had been the last to make an attempt, and it been costly for them. Yet, they had actually produced some fear within the souls of Parliament.

The Allied Unified forces, with the help of special operations units such as Death Nail’s, had squashed that threat and sent the Independent army packing. Now agent 453-21-768 found himself reduced to the duty of babysitting the border planets, policing the conquered worlds so that insurrection could not take hold in the outreaches of the system and again mount an effective fighting force.

The only bright spot in his routine activities nowadays was when Intel acknowledged that there was a rebel force gathering strength on one of the rim worlds, or the report of a crime wave that might justify his attention.

Death Nail had, actually at the moment, two cases that were garnishing his interest. One, a man and woman, names unknown, that seemed to be running a little band of outlaws currently plaguing the 3rd quadrant. Small heist and robberies that would, for the most part not concern him, only their frequency and number made them a bit of an interest.

The other pair, a brother and sister named Simon & River Tam. Sibling fugitives that for reasons unknown were wanted by a higher level of power. Maybe even Parliament itself.

Death Nail didn’t know why the brother and sister were on the wanted list, and therefore posted in the “Bonnie & Clyde” category. It wasn’t his job to know the reason. His job was to find them and bring them to justice………..that was his duty and that is what he meant to do.

There soon came a knock at the compartment door.

“ Enter please!” Death Nail called, although not changing his position of comfort. An individual of lower rank entered the room and snapped to attention.

“Sir!”

“Yes!”

“ Intel on the two parties of interest that you have requested has come in on the cortex, sir!……and also information on any broadcast waves that have been logged in as to criminal activity in this part of the system. There has been some research done too, on my part that is contained within the reports!”

“ Good work sergeant! Thank you!” Death Nail extended his hand to receive the printed reports.

The sergeant saluted then exited the compartment.

There were always hundreds if not a thousand petty crimes committed each day in the verse. Every day some fool, or group of fools, thought they could get away with criminal activity. Death Nail didn’t bother with most of these, he had only requested those that showed similarities. He viewed the reports.

The first contained a list of robberies and criminal activity that was not always associated with money or cash. There was a report of an derelict Alliance spacecraft being looted of it’s cargo of food supplements. Another of cattle rustling, and another of a robbery of medical supplies from a hospital on Ariel, a core planet. There were others also.

Death Nail looked at the listings. A hospital robbery? Probably not connected to the others but the description of two of the perpetrators involved did match somewhat with the other crimes. Death Nail set the report aside.

Case number two, siblings. The brother and sister Tam. The brother had broken his sister out of a highly secretive government facility and was now on the run. Not much was in the report, but as to groupings of importance……..the fugitives ranked 8.7 on a list of 1-10 priority recovery.

On the last page was a report of log postings by Alliance vessels in the area. Waves which had been gathered from the cortex from other Alliance craft over the past several months. One stuck in agent 453-21-768’s brain……………….it read:

“ Report 587-619: Received by Dobson, Lawrence J. Jumbled message. Only part of the transmission was discernable, read as follows; ……. “Simon……Shepherd……..Firefly…..” Three words only distinguishable. Rendezvous point logged but not achieved by Alliance craft contacted. Dobson’s whereabouts unknown.”

This was interesting, Death Nail thought. Those three words stuck in his mind, “Simon, Shepherd, Firefly”. Could this have something to do with Simon and River Tam? The couple on the run, and fairly high on the list of desirables? I may follow up to get more info. Death Nail slipped the report onto the desktop. He moved his arms to cradle his hands behind his head. A wicked smile crossed his lips. Finally, after six weeks on boredom, maybe a challenge to look forward to.

***********************************************************************************

Malcolm Reynolds entered the abode of his favorite person who sported a derby hat.

“ Badger!”

The high society criminal ( or at least that’s how he considered himself) acknowledged the captain of Serenity.

“ Malcolm Reynolds…..” He said, “…..How goes the war?”… a smirk contained on his face. Malcolm stood before the seated Persephone inhabitant.

“ We lost!”

Mal always knew that Badger would say something to irritate him and Zoë. Most of the time it didn‘t come until later. Badger smiled.

“ Well, guess that worked out well for me then didn’t it?” He was referring to Mal and his crew turning to a life of crime………a occupation that he now, was able to take advantage of.

“ Cut the crap Badger! You called us here. We want to know why?” Mal said.

“ Oooooooo, so sensitive! But really, I do have work for you.” He pointed to a map on the wall. A map of the known verse. With a long pointing stick he singled out a rim world.

“ Ita moon.” He looked over at Malcolm, Jayne and Zoë. “ You know it?”

Before they could respond he continued, “ ……of course you do. A person in your profession knows every world in the system. Anyway, the job is there on that moon, in a little town known as Warehouse Pass. Your job is to go there and make good on a robbery of a business known as Myka’s Supply Store. Gather the loot and bring it back. Payment, up front is 50%, the balance when the job is complete! No questions, and no getting into any trouble!” He finished and told them the amount of pay being offered.

Mal and the rest of his group were surprised at how impressive the job paid. Sometimes the payment seemed too good to be true, or at closer examination it became apparent that the mission was suicidal.

“ What is it Badger? What makes this job so special that you don’t get some of your own people to do it?” Mal queried.

“ Mal Reynolds, “ Badger paused, “ You know that’s not my style!” He played with a pencil on his desk, “Want the job or not?”

“What is it?” Jayne spoke up in the background.

Mal looked over his shoulder at the big mercenary.

“ We got a right to know!” Jayne said looking at the captain.

Mal looked back to Badger………and Badger at the captain.

“ You got a big mouth on your second in command!”

“ He ain’t my second in command!” Mal said.

Zoë stood there. One hand on her hip, the other near her weapon. No emotion showing on her pretty face. She knew Badger was a master at pissing people off. She didn’t fall for his crap.

“It’s a simple robbery. Not much for an experienced crew like yours. Like always, I want to keep my involvement to a shallow degree, in case you turn it into a flop.” This was a challenge posted by the crime boss.

“ As always, you can always back out. But I’d better get the up-front payment back!” Badger was as serious as a blood tick on a hound dog’s tail.

“ We’ll do the job!” Mal said.

“ But Mal……!” Jayne began.

“ Jayne! Close it!” The captain spoke without looking back.

“That’s a lot of money, but ain’t worth gittin kilt over.” The big guy spoke under his breath.

“ I may give you the details…., “ Badger paused, “……after the job it finished….. then maybe I won‘t!” He looked over at his man next to the money vault.

“ Roster, open the safe!”

End Chap2