“You want to explain that comment?” Mal asked his men as they almost fell into the room.

“Feds!” Hank said tersely.

“What?” Mal hurried to the door and peered out. There was no sign of any unusual activity. “You sure you didn’t inhale something you weren't supposed to?”

“They’re everywhere, Mal,” Jayne said. “Surprised we managed to get here at all.”

“What’ve you done?” the captain asked, turning on the two men.

“Nothing!” the big man insisted. “Weren’t us, Mal.”

Hank put his canvas holdall down carefully. “I asked one of the nurses,” he put in. “’Parently the Feds do the occasional sweep, checking everyone’s who they say they are. Seems this place gets a number of wanted criminals coming in for medical treatment.”

“Really.” Mal’s tone was dry.

“Yeah.” Hank couldn’t help it – he smiled slightly. “’Pears this far out there’s a lot of call for the odd bit of facial reconstruction, bullet removal … that kind of thing.”

“You mean we could’ve just bribed our way in?”

“Seems like it.”

“Mal.” Simon pulled the memory tab from the machine and dropped it into his pocket. “I'm still a wanted fugitive.”

“You think I need reminding?” Mal helped Freya from the chair.

“And I'm masquerading as a woman,” Hank said, earning an odd look from his captain. “Can we instead talk about getting the hell out of here?”

Mal nodded. “A reasonable request, given the circumstances.” He thought for a moment. “How many are there?”

“At least a squad. Looked like more,” Jayne said. “Mal, they got all the entrances covered. And I mean all.”

“The one we came in –“ Simon began.

“That too.”

“Frey?” Mal turned to his wife. “I think we might need that heroic rescue I joked about.”

“Mmn.” She wasn't looking at him, her eyes focused on nothing. “Working on it.”

---

“Auntie River?” Bethany came up silently and took the psychic’s hand.

“I know, sweetie,” River said softly. She looked around for Zoe, catching her eye.

Serenity’s first mate hurried over. “What?”