The Last One by 22 Claws

Captain Reynolds and his crew work fervently to take back control under bizarre circumstances. Hugo is a problem. Flashbacks: Not everyone is happy with Buffy’s reactivation.

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Chapter Three

Family

Earth that was. December 11, 2012. Bosnia. Buffy waits at the safe house, not so much, safe. She’s outside, pacing in the driveway. A tan van pulls in. Jason Jennings steps out. He’s fifteen minutes early, actually. “What do you have?” Buffy demands. “You changed your hair.” He observes. “Yeah. Buffy the Vampire Slayer is blonde. Reputation is a weapon.” She answers simply. “...In the hands of a slayer, everything is a weapon.” Jason recites. “Right. What do you have?” “We’ve found a nest. Well, we sort of knew about it already. We’ve been tracking these vamps for a while. Anyway, they are onsite now. Some kind of meeting.” Jennings reports. “Okay. Let’s go.” Buffy says. “Just a minute. I brought you some gear.” Jason says. “What?” Buffy asks. Jason slides open the side door of the van. Inside, there are several military crates and cases. “HK MP-5 9 mm submachine gun, full auto. Glock 18, 9 mm pistol, full auto. Standard strength body armor, pint-sized. Flash and smoke grenades. Com headset, various and sundry straps and packs. Ammunition. Climbing gear. Night vision goggles.” “It’s morning.” Buffy says. “It’s a standard package”. He answers. “I don’t need any of that crap.” Buffy says flatly. “What?” Jason answers, surprised. “Are you kidding? Times have changed. These vamps are heavily armed. You go kickin’ in the door on this crew, and you’ll get shredded.” Jason says. “Don’t bet on it.” Buffy replies. Jason is unconvinced. “I’ve trained against armed troops before. Guns make you sloppy. Give you an over-inflated sense of security. Vampires are already over confident--what with, being immortal and all. The guns make them reckless. Well, more reckless. I’m glad the vamps have them. I’ve got everything I need.” Buffy says. “Glad?” Jason asks surprised. “Sure. Glad--today. Goin’ in all lone-wolfy, not to mention rusty, confusion and craziness are my allies. When it happens, I’ll stay focused. Those vamp bitches will bust-off madcap. They’ll hit each other more than they hit me. I should be okay. Slayer reflexes. I can dance between the raindrops.” “At least take the armor.” Jennings insists. Buffy scoffs. “Look, I know you’re Buffy Summers. Super hero. But, these are, after all, the same vamp bitches, with the same sloppy guns, that killed Kennedy. And, they’ve still got the fangs, swords and stuff, too.” Buffy considers a moment. “Kennedy was ambushed. Now, I’m the ambush. I can’t sacrifice any speed or agility. No new tricks for Buffy. I’m too old.” Buffy climbs into the van. Then, she gets an idea. “Maybe, I will take a couple of those grenades, though.” Jason Jennings passes her the grenades then takes the driver’s seat. “Thanks, kid.” Buffy says. “Okay. Let’s go.”

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Kaylee and Hugo are talking on the bridge of Serenity. They seem to be getting along rather well. Kaylee has taken him all through the ship and, at his encouragement, explained to him, in detail, every way she and the crew have taken a great ship and made her a masterpiece of engineering. They finally finished up at the bridge. “Thank you Miss Frye. This has been absolutely fascinating. I would never have guessed such a vessel could be so...so...elegant.” Hugo says. Kaylee beams with pride. “She’ll fool ya.” Kaylee says as humbly as she can manage. “So, what’s the story with this mystery woman? Mrs. Keeler’s sis.” Kaylee asks as casually as she can. “Well,--” Hugo begins carefully. “--her name is Anne. She isn’t exactly her sister. “Oh?” Kaylee says curiously. Hugo smiles. “Mrs. Keeler is a widow. Her late husband’s family adopted poor Anne when she was a girl. Evidently, she was orphaned under dreadful circumstances. Mrs. Keeler never speaks of it. Suffice it to say, the Keelers feel obligated to care for her.” Hugo explains. “What’s she like?” Kaylee asks. Hugo’s expression becomes cautious. “One of our crew--she’s fine now, she’s brilliant even, but--when she first came aboard, she was...boo-tai jung-tzahng-duh. Troubled. Confused. Murky in the brainabouts, you might say.” Kaylee explains. “Yes, I sort of read that between the lines of the stories.” Hugo answers. “That’s probably not entirely unlike our Anne. She means no harm. There are times even, when she almost seems normal. But, she has terrible nightmares. Nightmares that don’t always go away when she wakes. She has fits, sometimes. Violent fits. She gets so scared--I don’t know how. Maybe it’s the fear or desperation or something else--she gets strong, very strong. People have been hurt.” He says solemnly. “Oh dear.” Kaylee remarks. “Well, these days she has to stay medicated most of the time.” He says. “That’s too bad.” Kaylee says. “Indeed.” Hugo agrees. “Perhaps, your Dr. Tam can have a look at her. Work another miracle.” Kaylee’s head goes up and back a couple of inches. “Is that maybe why Mrs. Keeler wanted to hire Serenity? Kaylee asks. “Well, now.” Hugo starts defensively. Then, a moment later, softens his tone. “As far as I know, the mission is simply as stated. But, I suppose, If it occurred to me, it likely also occurred to Mrs. Keeler.” Hugo answers. “Why don’t we talk about your crew, a bit.” Hugo suggests. “Okay, I s’pose. I mean... I guess.” Kaylee says. “Like what d’ya wanna know?” “It’s okay.” He says. “We’re just talking, right?” “Oh, yeah. Yeah. Of course. Talking. Just like you said, Hugo.” Kaylee answers. “Great.” Hugo continues. “I met the captain. Serious fellow. Confident fellow. All business. I met the big fellow, Jayne. He was quite friendly, actually. And confident. I met the doctor. He seemed very cautious and observant. Clearly a man of powerful intellect. And then, there’s you. Kaylee. The brilliant, exuberant angel of the engine room. A proud picture of youth and optimism.” He pauses a second. “But, I think that you are more cautious and calculating than most people would guess.” He finishes. “Wow.” Kaylee responds simply, taken somewhat aback. “So, what about the rest?” Hugo asks. “The rest?” Kaylee asks. “Of the crew.” He says. “Oh.” Kaylee says. “Just a sec.” She checks her instruments and readings. “Okay.” She looks up. “Alrighty.” She continues. “Crew. Well, there’s the first mate Zoe. She’s the one most likely to worry strangers. If they’re smart. She and Mal fought together in the war. She’s a total shlong-tsan sha-sho. Tough as nails, loyal and fearless. But, she’s a great friend, too. She’s on holiday right now with Inara. “Lao tyen yeh, Inara! Inara is the ships only passenger. She’s also only the most beautiful, glamorous yao noo, you’ve ever even seen. Every man that lays eyes on her falls in love.” “It seems like that might be a disruption on a small ship.” Hugo observes. “Well, as a matter of fact...” Kaylee mutters but, decides not to elaborate. “What about the girl.” He interrupts. “Huh?” She feigns ignorance. “River Tam. You know, the pilot. He says patiently. “Yeah.” She says slowly. “Of course.” “Look, Hugo. I know there are all mannor of fantastical stories about River. But, to us on this boat, she’s family. She’s special. But, she ain’t all growed up yet. So, I’ve maybe said too much, already. We just don’t talk about her with strangers. No matter how swell I think they are.” Kaylee adds with a smile. “I can respect that.” Hugo says. “Thank you.” Kaylee says. “All right. Time to land.” Kaylee starts flicking a series of switches. “I like to land my boat with all the lights on...all the lights on...all the lights on.” Kaylee sings.

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Serenity lights up the sky on her descent as night falls on Tera. As soon as Serenity lands, River takes off in the shuttle to bring it to it’s dock. It wasn’t easy to convince Simon that River would be safe, alone with Buffy, even comatose Buffy. River is a mind-reading genius. She’s extremely fast. Conditioned for combat. Rarely surprised. She’s equipped with enough sedatives to knock out the fabled mother grisly bear defending her cub. She’s also reluctantly agreed to take Jayne’s revolver. Buffy is in a coma. She has six separate critical bullet wounds. She has suffered severe blood loss. She has been tranquilized. They bound her hands and feet as best and, at River’s insistence, humanely as possible with what they had. Safely contained, surely. Except. Buffy could come out of the coma. She’s stopped bleeding. Her wounds are already healing. There’s no evidence that the tranquilizer had any effect. The bonds might slow her an instant. Might not. That just leaves. River. Simon must stay with Mal and Jayne. Jayne is unconscious. The doctor would be with Jayne if these were normal circumstances, and so would Mal. They need to seem normal. Serenity opens up and the mule flies out. Kaylee left all the lights on. Simon sits by Jayne. Mal stands behind Simon. Mal’s wrist is wrapped and splinted and mostly hid under his coat sleeve. They cleaned up the scene as well as they could, but it’s obvious that something did happen. The mule arrives on the scene in moments. Kaylee brings it to a halt and begins power-down. A moment later she looks up and says: “Hi cap’n.” She stands and climbs out of the mule followed by Hugo. “You remember Hugo.” Kaylee says to Mal. “Sure.” Mal replies flatly. Mal asks Kaylee something with a look while Hugo’s head is turned. Kaylee answers with the slightest shake of her head. “I told Hugo here about poor Napoleon in the kitchen and about the takeoff, sir. Kaylee says casually. “Captain Reynolds. Doctor.” Hugo says with a nod. “Hello Hugo.” Mal says. Simon nods. “Trouble with your man?” Hugo inquires about Jayne. “Damn fool knocked himself out with his own tranq rifle.” Mal says exasperated. “That sort of thing happen often?” Hugo asks. “If it happened more than once, I wouldn’t bother with him.” Mal says. “What do you know about this other ship?” Hugo asks “Standard to long range shuttle, actually. The ship’s out there.” Mal waves to the sky. “I checked the scanners on Orpheus. There’s no indication of a ship nearby.” Hugo says, totally without accusation. “I expect that’s the idea.” Mal answers. Kaylee helps Simon put Jayne in the mule while Mal and Hugo talk. She discreetly kisses the doctor and whispers: “You really need to be more careful.” River docks the shuttle on Serenity. Then, moves to the back of the shuttle to check on Buffy. Still stable. Still quiet. Still no dreams. Still no thoughts. Oh well. River leaves the shuttle. She can’t move Buffy without help and she has missed Serenity. River moves through the ship straight to the bridge. She’ll have to readjust a few things to return them to their River-friendly settings. First, the chair. Kaylee likes it high. River sits deep in the chair. Next, dial the room lights way, way down. She goes through several other little things. Then, she notices the monitor. She can see Kaylee and Simon fixing Jayne into the mule. She sees Mal. And, she sees the one they call Hugo. She zooms in on Hugo. Something’s not right. Not right. Not...Damn. Jayne’s gun belt is bulky on River and barely fits, even pulled to the last hole. She can’t wear it. She tucks the pistol into the back of her pants, then slips Kaylee’s jacket on to help conceal the weapon. There’s not much time. River runs though the ship toward the cargo hold. Once she leaves the ship she can’t run or she’ll cause alarm. So she walks. Briskly. Simon and Kaylee have Jayne set in the mule. Kaylee is about to initiate power-up. Mal and Hugo are talking. “We were all a little antsy after what we saw in the mansion.” Mal says. “I wouldn’t think an experienced soldier would be disturbed at the sight of a body.” Hugo says. “Hey, I ain’t knocked out.” Mal replies. “Fellas--” Kaylee interrupts. “--Mule’s prepped. We can drop Hugo off with Orpheus’ shuttle, then be about it.” “Shiny. Tell River to...” Mal’s voice trails off. He notices something. “Kaylee. Everyone. Wait here.” Mal commands. He starts walking toward Serenity. Everyone looks. Some one is headed this way. Mal moves quickly to intercept. Soon, he realizes. It’s River. “What are you doing?” He asks sharply. “Shouldn’t you be with your new best friend?” “You shouldn’t have left them alone with him.” River responds still walking. “Hugo?” Mal asks, very surprised. “I don’t like him.” River says. “What did you hear?” Mal asks. “I heard nothing.” River says, walking. Mal falls in line beside her. “What do you plan to do?” He asks. “Get a closer look.” She says. Simon and Kaylee have gotten off the mule and stand around tensely with Hugo, watching the captain and the unknown figure on the horizon. “Is that River?” Hugo asks. “What?” Simon responds. “It’s okay sweetie.” Kaylee tells him. “He’s just curious from reading stories, is all.” Simon has a bad feeling. Kaylee’s dismissal doesn’t change it. Within moments, Mal and River walk up to the party. River moves carefully to Mal’s left forward flank. No one has said anything but things are getting tense. “What’s going on?” Hugo asks. Mal nods to Kaylee. “Hugo.” Kaylee starts. “This is River Tam.”

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It’s a clear night on Tera. The stars are bright and they fill the sky. The Mule is warming up in front of wrought iron gates. Simon, Kaylee, and Hugo stand about the mule wondering. Jayne sleeps in the mule dreaming. River and Mal stand opposite the mule, waiting. River? Hugo asks. ‘What do you want?” She answers and asks. “Can you read my mind?” He asks. Simon moves closer to Kaylee. River takes her right hand behind her back to find the pistol. “River Tam? Hugo again asks. “No.” She answers. “There’s nothing there.” “Well.” He remarks. “That’s most disappointing. I read so much about you that seemed interesting.” Hugo spits with disgusts. “ Just to find a weak, skinny, ordinary girl.” He adds with a sneer. “You’re not human.” River says. “How do you know that?” Mal asks. “He isn’t breathing. She answers. “How can you tell?” Hugo asks. “His chest is moving.” Kaylee says. “He’s faking.” River insists. “Pretty smart for a human.” Hugo whispers then leaps at Kaylee quite suddenly. BANG! Kaylee screams. The bullet hits Hugo heavy in the cheek knocking him off course. Malcolm Reynolds winces in pain as the bones and tendons in his right hand scream. He should have used his left hand. Gorram reflexes. BANG! BANG! BANG! River delivers three shots to Hugo, center mass. Hugo is down and hissing. Malcolm switches his pistol to his left hand and then yells at Kaylee and Simon: “Take the mule, now! Get out of here! Kwai chur hun-rien duh di fahng!” Kaylee and Simon react in stunned compliance. Malcolm starts shooting Hugo. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Hugo rolls across the ground leaving trails of blood and bits. He comes up a demon. His eyes are yellow. His skin has taken a gray pallor. His face has twisted into an evil feral bloody visage. He bleeds from several bullet wounds, but he looks up with vigor. He shakes his body like a rabid coyote. Blood. sweat, and bits of torn clothing fly off. He looks up hissing like a cobra. The mule shoots off with Kaylee, Simon, and Jayne. “We must lure him back into the garden. Allow the others to escape.” River projects the words directly into Mal’s mind. “Hey!” Mal reacts out loud. “Since when can you do that?” He thinks the words deliberately. “Since need be.” She answers in his mind. “Zhu yi. Let’s go.” River dives across Hugo hitting the ground behind him in a roll. Hugo turns to watch her, smiling cruelly. BANG! Mal puts a bullet in his head. Hugo hits the ground hard sending blood and dust flying. River comes to her feet inside the garden. She tucks the pistol into her pants and looks around for a more practical weapon. Behind her, Mal has moved up on Hugo and is beating him about the face with his pistol. Hugo endures what is really only ancillary abuse from the captain for just a few moments longer, then counter attacks. He grabs the captain. Pulls him to. Mal struggles for all he’s worth. Hugo trumps with superhuman strength. Hugo bares fangs. BANG! BANG! River puts a bullet in Hugo’s head and one in his left shoulder. Hugo’s grip is broke. Mal dives away, shaken. Hugo looks up at River enraged, blood running into his yellow eyes. “We’ve got him.” River projects to Mal telepathically. River attacks Hugo with a neat, quick hook kick to the face. She follows fast with three quick straight-punch jabs. Hugo backs off. Recovers. Hugo grins. River backs away. Hugo charges her. It’s a total berzerker blitz. Fists and fangs. River gives ground quickly, guarding her vitals. She eventually comes to a point where she makes a stand. She only holds. Defends against every attack. Redirect, dodge, hold. Redirect, dodge hold. Redirect, dodge, hold. Hugo, becoming frustrated, amps up the onslaught. River gives ground. “Captain!” River projects hard into Mal’s mind. Mal looks to see a pitched battle between Hugo and River. Hugo seems to be winning. “Find it!” Comes River’s message. Malcolm shakes off his pain and looks at the situation. River’s defense is as strong as it can be, but Hugo is starting to beat the crap out of her. Mal can load the last of his bullets into his gun. That will slow, not win. What does River see? River takes a hit and falls to the ground. Mal runs to intercept. BANG! River fires her last shot. Hugo falls back. Mal runs up and suddenly sees it. Laying on the ground. A shovel. “Checkmate.” River whispers. Mal grabs the shovel, swings it high over his head, then brings it down very hard to sever Hugo’s head with one blow. Hugo turns to dust, screaming. River lets out a sigh of relief, then doubles over and begins to weep. Mal, a bit shaken his own self, walks over to her, kneels down and hugs the poor scared girl. She trembles and sobs in his arms. He takes out his communicator. “Kaylee. Bring Serenity. Let’s get the hell out of here, now.”

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Earth that was. January 20, 2013. Cleveland, Ohio. Young watcher Jason Jennings’ home, nighttime. Jason gets home late and anxious for a shower and a cold beer. Some of the guys got a game together. Basketball. Since Jay played college ball, he’s kind of a star. His team was undefeated, until tonight. He’s been around the world these last few weeks. It’s been crazy. Tonight was suppose to be back-to-normal night. Turned out to be an off night. Oh well. Shower. Cold beer. He works the lock and steps into his home. Something’s wrong. All the lights are out. Everything’s out. Jason’s lived in this house three years. In all that time, he’s never turned off the television. Maybe, a power outage. He pauses. Were the street lights on? Jason is struck suddenly from the shadows. Weaponized electricity burns though his body like a lightning bolt. The jolt sends him flying into the fake wood paneling of the nearby hallway wall. Sweating and shivering, he tries resolutely, not to collapse. The attacker from the shadows strikes again. The current of fire ignites his nervous system and propels him onto the carpet of the hallway floor. A stunned and drooling Jason Jennings looks up from the carpet as Dawn Summers emerges from the shadows, taser in her left hand. “You’re in trouble.” She says venomously. She grips tight the brass knuckles in her right hand and swings hard at his face as he struggles to his feet. The impact sends him back to the carpet with blood and a broken tooth filling his mouth. Automatically, he rolls with the attack. He tries, again to get his footing. She delivers a kick to his ribs. It scores, but he gets his legs back. Dawn jabs a straight front kick to his chin. Then, pivots her rear foot and sends a surprisingly hard side kick to his chest, sending him back to the carpet. Jason isn’t just a watcher, though. He’s a wizard. “Kel Cleck d’Mage.” He yells out in an inhuman voice. Dawn halts. A moment’s caution taken, then her bravado returns. “Silly rabbit. Who did you think you were fucking with?” Dawn responds. Jason swings a hay maker from the ground just missing her chin, dodged at the last instant. She answers with a brass knuckle backhand to the side of the young wizard’s head. He slips and falls again against the fake wood paneling. “Laz Krine su-veel. Zjaag me Hul!” He screams, gesticulating hysterically. Nothing happens. Dawn again applies the taser. Jason goes unconscious. Dawn sighs, heavily. “She was safe.” Dawn whispers. She takes a breath, then says: “Ignitius.” At her command several prepared points in the house catch fire. She returns her weapons to a bag she brought, and takes out a pair of handcuffs. Later. Jason awakens. He’s on his stomach. On the floor. In his living room. Handcuffed. Shit. He looks up and sees Dawn watching him. She’s holding a snub-nose .38 revolver. Jason smells smoke. Shit. Dawn notices he’s awake and stands. “Jason Jennings. We actually haven’t been introduced. I’m Dr. Dawn Summers Harris, Senior Advisor to the Watchers Council of Britain.” She cocks the pistol. “Buffy’s fucking sister.” “I know who you are.” Jason soberly responds. The response seems to anger her. “Good.” She growls. “You made an equipment requisition a few weeks ago in Bosnia. That’s how I tracked you.” She says. “Oh.” He replies. “Yeah, oh.” She answers. “That was really stupid, too. By the way. Aside from the obvious trail, Buffy wouldn’t even use any of that crap.” Dawn pauses. Gathers herself. “What’s burning?” He asks. “Everything.” She answers coldly. “Which brings us to the spilling your guts part of our little dialogue.” She presses the barrel of the gun hard to the top of his head, and asks simply: “Who?” Jason shakes his head hard. Dawn backs away. “This wasn’t your plan. Who was it?” Dawn becomes more agitated. Paces a moment, then. BANG! She abruptly fires a shot into the ground near Jason’s head. He flinches as the wood under the carpet splinters and bursts “Who?!” She yells. Dawn takes a deep breath, then continues very deliberately calm. “She was protected. I saw to it. No locater spell exists that could find her. You’re not powerful enough to create new magic. You would need someone that knew where she was. An insider. My bet is Travers. ”She cocks the pistol again. “But, I want you to say it.” Smoke begins to creep into the room. Dawn begins to pace as she speaks. “Your house is burning down.” She says matter-of-factly. “Figuratively and literally.” Her speech becomes gradually much more intense. “You are trapped and you are going to die. If you don’t--” She screeches with all the force in her lungs. “--TELL ME!!! BANG! She fires the gun again, this time into a nearby window. The window shatters dramatically and glass shards fall about the floor a moment. Jason is quite moved. But, he says nothing. “Okay.” She starts again. “I know watchers are trained to resist interrogation, and I appreciate that you are a stubborn jackass, but I think you don’t fully realize my capacity for cruelty.” She stops suddenly. Leans over. Looks him in the eyes. Stares. “Clive Travers.” She says staring. Suddenly, she hits him in the nose with the butt of her pistol. His head jerks back and blood streaks out, leaving crimson trails across Dawn’s face. She doesn’t flinch. He shudders. Spits. Tries to recover. Blood runs from his mouth and nose. He does his best to wipe his face with his shoulder, then looks up. Looks up and sees. “Clive fucking Travers.” Dawn insists intently, her face splattered with his blood. She cocks the gun. Again, staring into his eyes. Smoke is getting thick in the room. Jason can feel the heat from the fire. Dawn’s stare is unrelenting. Burrowing into his brain. His exhausted, tortured, broken, bloody brain. He looks away. Fuck! Goddamn! He looks away. He looks away. She stands. And, turns away. “Punk bitch.” She says with contempt. She uncocks the pistol and walks to the door. Jason’s face falls into the carpet. He begins to weep, certain of death, sure that he has failed. Dawn takes her bag and opens the door. She starts to walk outside, then turns around. The room is on fire, now. And, full of smoke. Jason is coughing between sobs on the floor. She reaches into her pocket. Takes the handcuff keys and tosses them at him. Then she leaves. Dawn walks at a sharp clip from the Jennings home, now engulfed in flames. Once she gets a hundred feet or so from the door, She passes through an energy barrier. A barrier that was invisible until she breached it. The barrier begins to dissipate. She continues to walk briskly until she gets to a nearby fresh produce stand. Closed for the night. In the alley behind the produce stand, Dawn halts. She speaks to someone in the shadows: “Travers.” She says, simply. “Are you sure?” Comes the reply. “I’m sure.” Dawn answers. “Did you kill him?” “Perhaps.” Dawn answers. There’s a moment. Dawn waits, then. Willow Rosenburg steps out of the shadows. “He got off light.” Willow says coldly. “I’ll take Travers.”

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