The Boy In The Box

(Firefly Slash AU)

by KMS!

kmspider@aol.com

http://hometown.aol.com/kmspider/myhomepage/index.html

Timeline: Takes place during the pilot episode of Firefly: Serenity

Persephone:

(Red Brick Storage)

Simon Tam looked down at the shiny metal cocoon that held his sister. Or so he hoped.

"Want me to open it up?" said his contact, a man he knew only as Jim.

"No!" Simon responded, flushing at his uncharacteristic outburst. "I mean... sorry, but the chamber isn't supposed to be open for another week." Simon handed the man a large purse of coins.

"Well, see, son, that's where you're wrong."

Simon looked up from his examination of the box, startled. "Excuse me?"

Simon hadn't seen the man's companion until one of his large arms was wrapped around his throat.

"What are you...?"

Jim, his contact on Persephone to retrieve River, bent down over the box and twisted a few dials then grabbed the large handle on the side and raised it. A hiss of vacuum being released sounded in the large warehouse.

"No! What are you doing? Get away from there!" Simon struggled against the arm around his neck.

Jim looked back at them and said, "Give it to him, Bob."

A needle came into Simon's view, held in Bob's large beefy hand and plunged into Simon's neck.

"No!" Simon gave a strangled cry.

Simon saw the lid of the chamber get pushed aside. Inside lay... nothing. She wasn't there. It had all been for nothing.

"Where...?" he began, but his head felt funny, woozy.

"Strip him down, Bob. They say he's got to go in naked."

"No!" Simon struggled weakly, too dizzy to give much resistance. He had been scammed. Completely taken in. All that time in the Blackout Zones. All that money paid in bribes. There was no River. She was still stuck in that god-awful place.

Bob began to tear at his clothing. Simon pushed away weakly, but Jim came up behind him and grabbed his arms.

"Big c