PAY DIRT

Part 5

Cast of players/ not yet credited

Lawman Earl- Sam Elliott ( Tombstone) Jed & Casey (Mudwater security deputies )- Same actors that played the cattle rustlers in the” Safe” episode of Firefly.

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Malcolm Reynolds leaned against the post support outside a town business called the Crystal Café, which was right across the street from the livery stable. The town of Mudwater seemed to be a little more settled on Sunday morning during Temple services. Still in all he hated to be attempting what the crew of Serenity was about to do.

Making plans during the night for robbing the mining shipment at Mudwater’s holding vault had caused him some distress. The scheme felt rushed …….and it had been. No wonder the mining shipments hadn’t been robbed in a long while, their schedules were to erratic, and having more than one shipment to follow kept them confusing. Also, just as in every town, the vault was almost dead center of public square. Right at the crossroads. This always meant that heists would have to be pulled off in the middle of town instead of being an easy mark on the edge of town somewhere. Malcolm knew the drill.

Still there were trump cards the crew of Serenity could play. It was 9:48am and church services ended at 10. Jayne and Zoe had both attended. Somebody in this mining town was helping the crew of this Firefly transport. Malcolm Reynolds, captain of Serenity wished he knew who it was? Reverend Dempsey? Sky Benton? Who knew, but somebody was guiding them in their path. He just hoped like hell it wasn’t a trap.

The bell of the Temple Worship Mount began to sound signaling the end of Sunday morning service. Mal got a message from the ship, it read, “ Just received a message from Jayne. Ten minutes before the shipment is to arrive the vault guard will put up a blue flag at the corner post of the vault building. If the blue flag isn’t there, or it’s a different color the shipment will not enter the town. It will detour north toward Canyonburg or south toward Wallow Pass. Be advised. OUT.”

So, these shipments had more safeguards than Malcolm had first believed.

Just at that instant a man came strolling out of the government building, double barreled scatter gun draped across his shoulder. He looked up and down the towns dirty streets with eyes that could pierce lead. A thick graying mustache adorned his rugged face. His posture spoke experience all the way. This was the guy Mal knew would be the leader.

An older couple leaving Sunday mass walking past him stopped. The old gentleman handed the Sheriff a bag. Mal couldn’t hear their exchange but he knew what it was. The temple member was telling lawman Earl that a nice young woman at church services that morning had left it. It was assumed she had forgotten her bag (Zoe)…..and would he be so kind as to store it for her until such time that she may return looking for it. The lawman looked into the bag checking for an explosive device. Caution, always the first rule of law enforcement protocol. He found none. Only those things contributed by Inara to be used in the hoax that would allow Zoe to later gain entrance to the town vault building. Things were on schedule.

The lawman questioned why they hadn’t just left it with Reverend Dempsey?

“ Said he had to head out to the mine. Bless the quartley shipments and all, was gonna lock the temple doors till he got back.”

It made sense. The temple membership’s monetary contributions that morning would be kept in the church offices until the town’s bank opened the next day. Mudwater had a lot of citizens….most of them good, but not all of them trusting.

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Jayne would hang out near the worship temple at he edge of town. Same route the shipment would follow. Zoe would leave and come back later looking for her bag, and Mal would hide out at this side of town until his first mate made her move. The plan was as simple as one could get. There looked to be no more than three or four advisories the heist gang would have to deal with. Hopefully there were no wrenches thrown into the works.

Their scheme was proceeding as planned.

At 10:10 Mal noticed Reverend Dempsey leaving in his hovercraft and heading east toward the Mudwater mining facility. He had locked the doors to the temple entrance upon exit.

At 10:50 two deputies came out of the vault building and surveyed the area, satisfied they returned inside.

At 11:10 the lawman Earl came out and hoisted a blue flag onto the corner column of the government vault building.

This caused a smile to creep across Mal’s face.

A minute later Zoe arrived and questioned the lawman about her belongings. The sheriff guided her inside……….he although, remained at his post on the front porch. Soon after there came the sound of a hovercraft coming from up the street. The sheriff’s attention was focused that way. Mal made his move at this time. He crossed the street quickly as the vehicle entered the town and came to an abrupt halt right in front of the vault building. At this same time Mal notice Jayne coming from the opposite direction……from the temple.

The big mercenary gave out a loud shout and the three lawmen turned their attention toward the big burly man approaching them. This gave Mal the opportunity to close distance from his side without notice. The captain was on them before they had a chance to react.

“ Down with those weapons boys!” Mal grinned. “ Wouldn’t want to have any funerals on Sunday would we?” The lawmen could see that the weapon contained in Mal’s hands was a stun gun, but they also notice that the would be lawbreaker had moved his heavy brown duster to the side and was brandishing a nasty looking revolver.

Jayne had crossed the street and was doing the same. They may be holding stun guns, but their backup weapons could kill. The lawmen dropped their weapons. Hands in the air they all pretty much were facing towards Mal.

“ Know what kind of trouble you’re getting yourself into friend?” Sheriff Earl asked Mal.

“Heck Earl he don’t know a thing!“ Deputy Jed, in the hovercrafts right seat criticized Mal.

“Shut up Jed!” Casey said.

Mal recognized the two security guards from the “ Dirt Chasers” billiards bar.

At that moment Casey made a play for a concealed weapon he had contained under his jacket. A quick move by Mal and the captain fired his stun arm. The man tumbled to the ground and lay stiff as a board. Jayne gave a puff on his stubby cigar.

“There’s more where that came from!” he warned the others.

Zoe stepped out from the vault building.

“Trouble sir?”

“ Nothing we can’t handle!” The captain replied.

The shipment thieves escorted the remaining lawmen inside and locked them behind a heavy iron door. Then the shipment robbers took deputy Casey and tied him up tighter than a branded steer and placed him in a separate room just to confuse any search that was sure to come later. The members of Serenity then loaded themselves into the hovercraft and sped off toward shuttle 2 which lay conveniently right outside of town.

“I’ve never know an operation to go so smoothly.” Mal said as he lit up a cigar to smoke along with Jayne.

It seemed like it had been a long time since the trio had felt so elated over a job they had just pulled.

They transferred the cargo, ditched the hovercraft and soon were speeding toward Serenity.

“ Wash! Get the engines fired up! We’re headed to Seagull canyon. Gonna do a little cave dwelling till things calm down a bit.”

“Affirm Capt. We’ll be ready when you get here!”

Life was good, wasn’t it?”

End part 5