Title: Underground part 4 of 5 Author: Dani (meimei42 aka mordsith) Fandom: Firefly Character: Kaylee Prompt: 9. Branded Word Count: 987 Rating: M (just to be safe) Author's Notes: Not betaed. Okay folks, this isn’t what I could call a happy chapter. Remember this is for the 50_darkfics. ‘Dark’ being the operative word. Enjoy! And Tagspacemonkey43 (Leslie)

Kaylee felt her hands being pulled tightly behind her back as her face was ground into the dirt. She whimpered, feeling the plastic binding wrap around her wrists, tightly cutting off circulation to her fingers. “Cap’n?” she breathed out. She watched as hands shoved his face into the dirt as well, pulling his arms behind him and binding them tightly. Kaylee squeaked as a sharp pain flamed up in her shoulder as she was hauled to her feet by her bindings.

“Take ‘em back to the farm,” the cowboy drawled.

A hand against her back shoved her forward. She stumbled but managed to stay upright. Her eyes sought out Mal; he was leaning against someone as he walked with his eyes half closed. She could tell her was barley conscious. Kaylee felt a sob break through her throat. She tried to move closer to him, make sure he was alright, but a hand reached out and fisted her hair, yanking her back firmly.

“Not so fast little girl. We got big plans for you,” a man growled, pulling her back against his chest and twisting her face to the side, licking the length of her cheek. Kayle whimpered and tried to pull away, but he held her firmly to him. “Come on pretty darlin’, ain’t no need t’frett. Big Al is gonna take right good care of you.”

“Leave her alone,” Mal growled, his words slurring together just slightly as he stumbled trying to walk on his own. Big Al just laughed and wrapped his free arm around Kaylee’s torso, sliding his grimy fingers up her shirt and over her bra as Mal watched. Kaylee felt her stomach go icy as his fingers pinched her nipple. She thrashed, trying to break away. Big Al laughed again and let her go, shoving her away from him so she could walk on her own again.

The ‘Farm’ was just a few hundred yards away and it wasn’t an actual farm, but looked more like a bar with a wooden sign out front. The paint on the sign was fading, but Kaylee could still make out the words ‘The Farm’ painted in gold, fancy lettering. As they approached, the music coming from inside gave Kaylee a better idea of exactly what ‘The Farm’ was. Al moved around her and grabbed the front door open and Kaylee stared inside. There were 10 or 15 large round tables with men sitting around them, all holding cards. Near the back was a large lounge like area with woman dressed in skimpy clothes hanging all over the men. It was a gambling den and a whore house. Kaylee took a few cautious steps into the building.

“That’s gonna be you, little girl,” Al whispered as she walked in, noticing the way her eyes focused on the woman in the back of the room. She broke her gaze and glared at him. He just smiled back and brought his hand down, smacking her ass as she walked through the doorway. Kaylee heard Mal being brought in just behind her and she turned to watch him but felt a hand grab her arm.

Two men each grabbed Mal by the arms and dragged him off towards the back. Kaylee moved to follow but the hand on her arm tighten. She turned back and gave Al a confused look. “Come on pretty thing, let’s get you gussied up. Man you killed was a friend of mine and I intend t’make sure you pay for what you done t’him.” There was no mirth in Al’s eyes and that frightened Kaylee more than the promising laughter from before. She swallowed and cast a glance towards where they had taken Mal off to.

“Please…I-I didn’t mean to,” she said softly, shaking her head. That seemed to egg Al on. He liked the how pathetic she sounded, made him feel bigger. He pulled her towards him, pressing her against his chest as his tongue snaked out of his mouth and slide up the smooth skin of her jaw line.

“Yer gonna make a pretty whore,” he whispered to her, before shoving her forward towards a side door. “Get her branded and on the floor. Fellas like new woman folk, she’ll be a hit t’night. Clean the dirt on her face up a bit too. And at the end of the night, leave her in my room.” Al winked at the two men who grabbed her, tugging her towards the side door. They were silent as they lead her through first a kitchen, followed by a meat locker and finally into a back room.

They shoved her down in a chair, cut her bindings then strapped her arms down to the arms of the chair with leather straps. The man furthest from her picked up a metal rod and walked towards her. Kaylee’s eyes went wide at the laser cattle prod they held before her. “Roll up her sleeve,” one of the men instructed. The other complied, rolling her dirt covered shirt cuff up so her arm was bared to them. The first man flicked a switch and Kaylee watched a symbol at the end began to glow bright red.

“No…please don’t,” Kaylee shook her head, eyes going wide as he pressed the brand to the top of her arm near the shoulder. Kaylee cried out at the searing pain and tears stung her eyes. The man pulled back and flipped the prod off, examining the burn wound. Her chin dropped to her chest as her whole body heaved with sobs.

“Now everyone will know she’s our whore,” the second man smile.

The door flung open causing all three people in the room to look up in surprise. The two men frowned in confusion but Kaylee’s eyes brightened. “River?!?” she exclaimed.

“Can’t have her, she doesn’t belong to you,” the genius said, her eyes narrowing on the men standing near the mechanic.