Note: I love this chapter. A sentence came to mind when I was jogging, and it made me turn on heel and sprint home. Rock on. :D

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Serenity: The last Firefly

Chapter Three: I am sin

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Nyle laid there for a moment feeling the whole world spin. He came to and panicked. The children! His mind screamed. Only a few of the kids were alright, they huddled together in a corner with tears and dirt covering their faces. He rolled to his side and crawled to his knees. He saw two of the children splayed on the ground with holes scattered across their bodies.

“Since when has the great parliament assassin become so weak? Surprised you’re not dead yet, eh? I wanted you to live a little longer to see where your idiocy has taken you. Children and people are dead because of you, once again.” He glanced around for the voice. Two elaborately belted boots stepped into his view blocking the sight of the students. “Isn’t this the same man who hunted the Tam siblings and was the bringer of death to hundreds of men, women and children?” The woman was making Nyle feel ashamed. “Now, before I go over there,” She nodded to the group of children, “And slaughter the rest of them, tell me everything you know about the Alliance and the Tams.”

He took his time speaking about what he knew. Nyle was trying to buy time for his body to recover a little after her brutal attack. He told her everything, down to the details. She listened, not saying a word, she didn’t focus on anything and she didn’t seem to notice as the children slipped away from her grasp. Nyle felt relief as the children ran off. He would do anything to save as many as he could.

“That’s everything I know.” He said breathing in the smell of the earth under him. His head was bowed before her and his hands on his knees.

“Not too bad. This reminds me of another story of similar proportions. Another Parliament Assassin who failed his mission and became a shepherd. Oh yes, weren’t you the one who ordered the whole town destroyed. That’s not very Christian of you Nyle.” Her gaze was cold and Nyle could feel it.

The preacher glared at the woman, she stared back. “I do not plan for God to forgive me for what I have done to all those people. I wish to come to terms with it a little.” At least the children will be safe. They know where the escape shuttle is. He thought to himself.

“There’s an escape shuttle?” The woman was surprised. “I never would have guessed you’d all be so resourceful!” She folded her arms across her chest in a pensive manner.

“How could you know that?” Nyle screamed.

“You think too loud, that’s how I know. And, as you know, the children will die before the reach your shuttle. You’re a smart man, you knew that no one would survive. Why even try for the inevitable?” She bent down and stared him in the face. “Nyle, do you know how to control the uncontrollable?” He could feel her hot breath against his face. She ran a cold hand down his cheek, “Control what they love first. You belong to me now holy-man.”

Nyle jumped up and grabbed at the woman’s black cloak. He punched at her face, sides, and every vital part of her body. He wanted to save someone, even if it was only one person, he had to do something for the people he had grown to care about. In the back of his mind Nyle prayed that God was listening.

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“I don’ think it tastes that bad. Does it?” Kaylee stared down at Simon who had a spoon in his mouth and a frightened look on his face. The beautiful mechanic held a sticky wooden spoon in her hand and had her other hand on her hip. Simon held the spoon between his lips and tried to smile as tears welled up in his eyes. Inara was sitting next to the poor man with a cup of tea and a book. She lifted up her reading material to hide her large smile away from Kaylee.

Brave as he was it took courage at this exact moment to swallow what Kaylee had given him. Once he felt the substance slowly slide down his esophagus and make a splashing entrance into his stomach. “It’s wonderful Kaylee.” He smiled so hard and fake that his face felt like plastic. He set the spoon down and held his smile. Kaylee beamed at her perfected mission. Simon only wished he had something of a way out.

Jayne stumbled into the kitchen grumbling and itching under his armpit. The look on his face was as if he had been sleeping for hours when, in fact, the crew left port not but 40 minutes ago. He walked over to the boiling pot of mush Kaylee was preparing, and stared at the boiling goo. Raising his eyebrows he reached over for the liquor without saying a word. As he sat down at the table he snorted it a large amount of mucus into his throat. Inara set down her book and took a sip of her tea.

“Delicate as always, aren’t we Jayne?” She asked sarcastically.

“Who is?” Jayne replied looking oblivious as ever. Inara couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “I don’ get it.”

Simon spoke for Inara. “Don’t think too much on it, Jayne. You might hurt yourself.”

Jayne shrugged and spoke into his glass making a gurgling sound in the whiskey, “Ain’t that the gorram truth.”

Zoe stepped into the kitchen before Mal who had an average smile across his face. Simon glanced to see if his sister was around. “Right here Simon.” She said calmly. The young doctor jumped in shock to see his sister sitting right beside him with her head over his bowl of god-knows-what. She sniffed it and retracted her head with her eyebrows mashed together in disapproval. Simon smiled gently hoping Kaylee couldn’t see the look on River’s face.

“Okay crew.” Mal clapped his hands together guaranteeing the attention of every crew member. “We have a good ‘ole dash and grab it seems. Yet rumor has it that this job will be a little more difficult than normal. Lately there have been killings at outskirt settlements in the Outer Rim territories.”

“That’s puttin’ it lightly.” Jayne interrupted.

Ignoring the blubbering mercenary, Mal continued. “So I want everyone on their guard. River can pilot the ship, she knows how well enough. Simon and Kaylee, stay here, I s’pect that there’ll be a little fighting. Jayne, bring Vera and whatever harem you can conceal.”

“Hell yea!” Jayne cried out slamming his fists on the table and jumping out of his seat. The force was hard enough to knock Simon’s bowl to the floor spilling its contents all over. He had never felt so free in a single moment in his whole life.

“We’re not lookin’ to kill anyone.” Mal said cutting short Jayne’s victory cry.

Jayne’s face dropped and he sat down and pouted. “Aww…”

“We need to be a little more careful on this job. And I want to get it done then leave. With these creepy rumors the locals will be a bit edgy.” Everyone nodded in agreement with clear understanding. “Everyone shiny?”

“Shiny as ever cap’n!” Smiled Kaylee, her face still covered with engine grease.

Mal gave a half smile that lifted everyone’s mood. “Alright then, we get to work in 10 hours.”

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The ex-assassin threw professional punches and kicks at the murderer’s direction. With every daring attack, with every perfect move, she blocked, dodged and smiled. He knew he was beginning to lose when he threw a punch at her and she dodged it. This time he felt a sharp pinch in his bicep. A similar sharp pain caught his opposite shoulder as he stumbled forward. As he balanced himself he saw little daggers sticking out of his shoulder and arm.

She caught the shepherd off guard and ran her elbow to his throat. With a disgusting elegance she spun around and smashed her heel into the side of his head. Colors spun in Nyle’s vision and the dirt floor was becoming awfully friendly. Nyle tested a surprise attack on the woman. He threw a kick and she caught it. Between her hands she held Nyle’s foot, and with an emotionless smile she gave his leg a good twist. The snap was heard over the roaring of engines above them. The preacher felt his breath catch in his throat from the agonizing pain. She was toying with him. She had the whole situation under control the entire time.

He rolled over to his back gasping for air trying to ignore the hideous pain. There were a series of cuts across his throat; he wondered what the woman had attacked him with. She grabbed his throat with a single hand and slid him up the wall of his classroom and smeared blood on his chalkboard. The shepherd winced and coughed. “Do you…” He started, blood dripping down his chin. The murderess’ gaze was ice cold. She clenched a fist and drove it straight into Nyle’s cheek.

The force of the impact cracked bones and punctured skin. The preacher felt his knees give way and he collapsed. The seductive voice reached his ears again, “A once great assassin who was the right hand of the Parliament is now on his back.” She squatted down and grabbed a handful of the man’s hair and pulled his head close to her beautiful face, “Now it’s time to pray holy man.”

He gripped her cloak, and with a twist of his hand he pulled it off her shoulders. Her body looked completely bandaged like a mummy. What is she? His mind asked. The preacher’s vision was too blurry for him to make out her body. All he could see were the blurred outlines. Nyle felt a chill run through him. He had been a murderer, hunted River Tam, killed hundreds, but not like this woman did. He was unsure if she was even human. Death was finally at his doorstep and everything he knew was lost.

“Do… do you know what your s-sin is?” He asked boldly. Nyle could feel the cold hand of death grab hold, or was that the murderers? “Your sin i…” He was kneed in the side before he could finish making him swallow his words. She gripped Shepherd Nyle’s collar and hoisted him to his limp feet. Her red-blue eyes glowing with rage and an everlasting hate, Nyle felt a tickle of fear rush through him.

“I am sin.”