The Contract: Stood Up 2/7 Author: hisgoodgirl Disclaimer: Joss's toys, my make-believe. No money changed hands and all that. Rating: PG-15 for adult language, later chapters R for explicit sex Pairing: Jayne/Kaylee. Part of a long story arc. If you object to this pairing, consider it AU or read something else. Remarks: Pre BDM. To read the backstories, click on my name above. This story falls between “RED” and “Too Little, Too Late”. Italics generally represent internal dialog.

Feedback is sincerely appreciated when civilly offered. Beta by the lovely ArtemisPrime.

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The Contract Chapter Two: Stood Up 2/7

Two hours and fifteen minutes later, Mal and his very agitated mercenary pulled the now-empty mule back up the ramp and into the relative cool of Serenity’s empty cargo bay, after dropping Zoë off at her rendezvous with Wash on their way back in.

Fortunately, things had gone smoothly enough with Badger, other than the little man’s usual posturing, part cocky attitude, part the four big gunmen standing guard in his dingy office. He did make a point of opening and counting every vial of Panhexidrene, leaving Jayne again relieved that he hadn’t pinched any of the shipment.

Mal counted out the mercenary’s share of the pay from the job and reminded him, “Now you go raising a ruckus somewhere an’ getting’ yourself locked up in the pokey, don’t count on us comin’ round to fish ya out, dong ma?”

“Yeah, sure,” the big man replied sarcastically. “Ain’t gotta worry about that no more.”

The brown coated captain glanced up abruptly, an eyebrow raised in disbelief, and jibed at him, “You suddenly take up religion, have a total change of character since we took the Shepherd on board?”

As Jayne ambled back down the ramp, he hollered back over his shoulder, “Nope, just got better ways to spend my time.”

++++

Squinting through the dust and heat waves shimmering the air, Jayne was unable to spot Kaylee anywhere close to the ship. He’d been very clear that he planned to meet her right outside of Serenity, and at first, he was puzzled by her absence. He’d even given the ship a quick run-through, in case she was somewhere inside, but no Kaylee. Never mind that he was significantly late. Girl shouldn’t oughtta have taken off like that.

As the big man stood scouting the swirling crowd, a street urchin darted out of the chaos. Skinny and dirty, the boy, who looked to be about six but was probably twice that, survived as a message runner on the docks. He was grubby, dressed in ragged, filthy clothing and Jayne involuntarily took a step back as the boy reached for him.

“You fella name Jayne Cobb?”

“Who wants ta know?” Jayne growled suspiciously.

“Red Annie send me find you, say it plenty important. You come to Clementine’s right now. Annie say big hurry!”

Jayne had once been a regular customer of the redhead’s. That was back before she’d bought out Clementine and taken over as madam of the best brothel in Eavesdown, back before he’d fallen hard for the little mechanic right off his own ship with fire in her pants and a heart full of sunshine.

He and Annie had remained good friends, and Jayne knew that if Annie sent a runner to find him, something really serious was going on.

“Here, kid.” The merc flipped the urchin a coin. He’d grown up poor, knew how every little bit helped.

“Thanks, Mr. Cobb!” the boy called out as he scampered away.

“Sonuvabitch! Wonder what’s gone wrong now?” Jayne wiped the sweat from his forehead with a swipe of his forearm and thought, I got no way to reach Kaylee, let her know I gotta take off. Girl’s gonna be madder’n hell and I can’t do a gorram thing ‘bout it.

He was glad he was still armed up from the delivery to Badger, Cassie on his hip and plenty of ammo in case of trouble. No need to grab anything, just go, and so he headed west toward Clementine’s.

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Over the next hour, Kaylee wandered into two other bars that she knew Jayne frequently visited, but the big mercenary was nowhere to be found. Entering The Rickety Rocket, a noisy place best known for the spectacular bar fights that frequently erupted there, she sat down at a table off to the side and ordered another whisky.

She lifted the glass of amber liquor and eyed it with exasperation. “Might as well have a party of my own since that bèn de hún dàn took off elsewheres.” As she sipped her drink, Kaylee tried to think of other places she’d known the big mercenary to frequent.

Kaylee drained her glass and noticed her head was just a little swimmy. “Well,” she reasoned out loud, “if it ain’t boozin’ he’s out for, he’ll be looking for some trim, for sure. There’s that high-end place over on the west side he likes. Oh hell, whatzit called…? Hmmm – Clementine’s. Betcha that’s where the wang bao dahn’s done gone.” She stood up, only slightly wobbly, wandered over to the bar and paid her tab, then pushed back out into the mid-afternoon heat and started walking toward the classier end of the docks folks called West Town.

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Kaylee had only been in a whore-house once before and under normal circumstances, she probably would have been hesitant to enter one unescorted. Wasn’t so much that she thought anything was wrong with whorin’ – after all, folks had to make a living any way they could. It was more that she just wasn’t sure what to expect or what the rules might be. And since she wasn’t looking for trim herself, she had no idea how the madam or manager would take to her asking for the whereabouts of a particular client.

As it happened, the little mechanic was both drunk and mad enough that any hesitancy or self-consciousness she might normally have felt flew by the wayside. When she found herself on the front porch of an elaborately lit up building with a bright neon sign shouting Clementine’s, she just marched right through the twin front doors.

The doorman was more than a little puzzled – the girl certainly didn’t look like a typical customer and he could clearly smell the alcohol on her breath when she asked him if there was a great big fella named Jayne Cobb in there somewhere.

“I been lookin’ all over for him and it’s kinda important I get to talk to him, “ Kaylee burbled out. “We work on the same ship, ya know…”

Knowing it was standard policy to preserve a customer’s privacy, the doorman hesitated then figured the girl might have some important message.

“Well, yes, Miss. Mr. Cobb is in the saloon, just to the right through that door.”

Kaylee smiled crookedly at him, her flushed, pretty face registering a mix of alcohol and emotion. “Thanks, Mister.”

She was only a couple of steps inside the bar when she spotted Jayne on the far side of the busy saloon. His back was to her, but she’d have known those shoulders and that dark head anywhere.

He was deeply involved in conversation with a handsome, full-figured woman dressed in an elegant green velvet dress and bearing an elaborate coiffure of bright red hair. As Kaylee stood rooted to the floor, the woman reached up to caress Jayne’s face, smiling flirtatiously at him, and Jayne fondly slipped his left arm around the woman’s waist. Clearly, these two knew each other well, very well.

Kaylee thought her heart would shatter. How could Jayne have made love to her that very morning, and then stand her up for a roll in the arms of a whore the same day? She was furious with him, even more furious with herself for daring to believe the faithless merc’s promises of love and fidelity. Everybody knew Jayne’s rep with women, and Kaylee decided she’d been a total ninny to ever think the handsome hired gun was capable of truly loving her. She’d entered Clementine’s with every intention of reading Jayne the riot act, but somehow, actually seeing him flirting with another woman was just too much. Now all she wanted to do was get somewhere private before all the pain in her heart burst forth.

Turning quickly to the bartender at her end of the saloon she quietly ordered a bottle of whiskey to go, paid for it and quickly left before Jayne could notice her.

As he opened the door for her, the doorman asked, “Did you find Mr. Cobb?”

Kaylee snapped at him, “Unfortunately, yes,” and stalked off up the street. She was looking for somewhere safe that she could get stinking drunk and cry her heart out without anybody fussing over her, and the only place she could think of was the junkyard where she frequently salvaged repair parts for Serenity.

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Jayne had spent a lot of time on Persephone between jobs over the years, knew the back alleys and short cuts, could find his way through the warren of streets like a rat in a maze. It didn’t take him long to make it from Serenity’s moorings to Clementine’s in West Town. The doorman greeted him and immediately directed him to the saloon. “Miss Annie is expecting you, sir.”

In years past, when the mercenary had visited this establishment, it was often to partake of Annie’s charms. He met her first when she’d been a regular whore employed by the woman whom for whom the establishment was named, and he continued to visit even after Clementine sold out and Annie took over as madam. That was until he’d fallen hard for Kaylee. Annie had assured the man of her enduring friendship, and it was her genuine fondness for him that had prompted her urgent message.

Jayne felt a little awkward greeting his old friend while wearing dusty, sweaty work clothes.

“Don’t be silly, Jayne, honey,” Annie chuckled in her rich alto, when he hugged her and apologized for his state of dress. “You just smell like a man. Didn’t figure you’d take time to get all dolled up once you got my message, and frankly hoped you wouldn’t. To be honest, I wanted to talk to you soon as I’d heard Serenity had come in, but it’s not like I can leave this place and stand there under a parasol waitin’ on you, specially with things the way they are now.”

“I needed to warn you that there’s a contract out on that gal mechanic you’re so sweet on.” She noticed the sudden flash of anger in the big man’s steel-blue eyes.

“Somebody put out a contract on Kaylee?” Jayne asked through clenched teeth.

“Some of the girls over at that cat-house on Curtis Street are pretty pissed off that you’re out of circulation. Guess they was a-getting’ a goodly chunk of your coin them nights when I was busy, and ain’t too pleased to be doin’ without. Took up a collection and had their madam hire one of Badger’s goons to take care of her, maybe mess up her face or even kill her.”

“Jien tah-duh gway!” the merc cursed. “Sorry I can’t stick around and visit, Annie, but I gotta find her. Look, I owe you big-time. I mean it.”

He hugged her farewell and Annie urged him, “Get on after her, honey. Time’s a’wastin’.”

As he strode across the saloon, Jayne wondered, Where’s she likely to be and how in the ruttin’ hell am I gonna find her?

Opening the door for the big man, the doorman inquired, “Did your friend find you, Mr. Cobb?”

Jayne whirled about. “What friend, Henry?”

“Cute little gal. Right young looking, sir. Seemed pretty upset on her way out.” The doorman hesitated before revealing, “The young lady appeared to have purchased a bottle inside, sir.”

Ai ya! “Did she say where she was headed?” Gorram crazy fool of a gal…

“I’m afraid not, Mr. Cobb. I’m sorry. But I can tell you she headed east from here.”

As the big merc headed up the street, he wracked his mind trying to think of where Kaylee might be headed. Can’t see her goin’ back to the ship at this point. Where else would she be likely to feel safe and hole up?

He paused for a minute, then smiled grimly. She’ll go to Geller’s Junkyard. Place is practically her home away from home on this planet…

++++

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“Hold yer horses, I’m, a’comin’!”

Old Geller rose from his chair and headed for his door. It was right unusual for someone to be in such a hurry to riffle through a junkyard. He opened the door to see the little mechanic from Malcolm Reynolds’ Firefly. They often talked about engines and mechanical stuff and Gel had come to know the girl pretty well.

“Kaylee, child, what’s wrong?” The old junkman could see the girl’d been crying. “Are you alright?”

“Y… yeah,” Kaylee snuffled out.

“You smell like you’ve been a’drinkin. Them shipmates o’ yours go off without ya?”

Kaylee sniffled. “Nope, Gel, just got some stuff I need to sort through. Wanted some place quiet where I could work my mad off and figured you wouldn’t mind me comin’ here.” She knew he’d let her wander or even just hole up in peace.

Old Geller had raised three daughters, now long grown, and he knew the signs of a heart-sick woman. “You sure you don’t wanna just come in and we can talk about him?” Of course it was a man she was upset about. Had to be a rock not to see that.

The little mechanic shook her head. “Kind of ya to offer, Gel, but I’d just as soon be by myself right now. Ain’t the best of company.”

“Suite yourself. You need anything or change yer mind, come on back, you hear?” Girl just needed to cry it out, he supposed, if she didn’t drink herself unconscious first.

“How’s about you give me some idea of where you’re gonna be so’s I can keep an eye out for ya?” the old man asked her.

“Prob’ly back in that Havery skiff on the north end of the yard. It’s been gutted for the electronics but th’ insides is still in decent shape; figured it’s be comfortable enough.” Kaylee hesitated. “An’ Gel, I gotta be back on Serenity by noon tomorrow. I ain’t come back here by mid-morning, could ya wake me up?”

“Sure, child. Not a problem…”

“Thanks, Gel.” Kaylee impulsively kissed the old man on the cheek, and he raised his bushy white eyebrows in surprise – first time he’d been kissed by a woman since his Bess died. Whoever had broken that sweet little gal’s heart was a gorramed idiot.

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Kaylee made her way through the winding paths that twined through the junkyard, between old factory equipment, wrecked vehicles, ship parts and every sort of gizmo one could imagine. Normally, she’d have been busy rooting through the piles and gathering replacement parts for Serenity, but this time, she wobbled her way back to the skiff and climbed in.

Although its door had been torn off at some point, the cant of the vehicle had kept the weather out and the passenger area still contained its compliment of soft upholstered benches. Plopping down on one and leaning back against the backrest, the girl propped up her feet, pushed her hair back from her face and took a good long swig from the bottle in her hand. “To Jayne Cobb – a faithless sonuvabitch!” she toasted and then began to sob again.

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From his cover across the street from Clementine’s, Rajatha watched as the girl left the bar and started east. He’d been tracking her since she came off Serenity, staying well back so there was no chance she’d notice him. He’d seen her once before, when Badger had taken him and several other hired guns onto the ship to hold the browncoat’s crew hostage overnight.

Cute little thing – for now.

Badger had called him into his ‘office’.

“So ‘ere’s the deal, Raj.” The little man tossed his signature bowler up on a nearby coat rack and braced his fingertips of one hand on those of the other, tensing them like a spider reflected in a mirror.

“Got some ladies as wants Malcolm Reynolds’ girl mechanic outta the way, see? Seems’s that big merc a Reynolds is right sweet on ‘er and he ain’t comin’ ‘round regular-like for ‘is trim like before. Cuttin’ into profits… not good for business.”

Badger took out a penknife and began to clean his fingernails. “So we been hired to take that li’l miss outta th’ picture, if ya get my drift. Cut ‘er up, kill ‘er, hell, enjoy yourself first. It’s all the same t’me. Just get her taken care of and do it quiet-like, dong ma?”

Rajatha grinned and nodded. He remembered the girl and having had more than one run-in with the big mercenary, the thought that he’d be getting a piece of Jayne Cobb’s woman made the job just that much sweeter.

He’d been able to slip along from building to building, keeping Kaylee in sight until a big freight skiff cut in front of him a few blocks down from Clementine’s, and by the time it was out of the way, Kaylee was lost in the crowd. Rajatha scoured the street from side to side, cursing all the while, but finally had to admit to himself he’d let her get away.

How then to find her again? She’d been drinking, had a bottle with her. Raj figured she was either headed back to the ship or some other place where she could work herself into a stupor. Make his job a lot easier, too.

The thug thought about some of the places Badger had suggested he search for the girl. “More’n likely, she’ll make a bee-line for owd Geller’s junkyard. Likes ta go rummagin’ for salvage parts there.”

One corner of Raj’s mouth curled in a feral grin. Junkyard, then, girlie.

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To be continued... 2/7