Chapter 12

“Simon!” Cheung grinned widely as the young doctor entered his office. “How was your weekend? Well spent, I hope?”

Simon could recognize the prompting for information for what it was. He hadn’t seen Mai all weekend and he was certain that the older man wanted to find out what he’d done with his time. Thankfully, he wouldn’t have to lie if it came to that. He’d spent it home alone with his children.

“It was,” Simon said with a tight smile, glancing briefly at the flat cortex screen in the corner of the room. Some kind of news report scrolled across it, but he paid no further mind to it as he entered Cheung’s office.

“I was hoping you and Mai would come by for dinner.”

“I believe the ladies have planned dinner for later this week,” Simon answered as calmly as possible. His heart raced and he willed his tense body to relax. It wasn’t unusual in the Core worlds to visit a Companion.

“Ah, yes.” He glanced down at what Simon assumed was a calendar. “I see they have.”

A moment later, Cheung was distracted by the images flashing across the screen beside him.

“Ah, listen to this.” Cheung gestured to the cortex and the volume rose so they could understand what was being said. “It looks as if your work is already bearing fruit.”

Simon turned and watched as an aerial view of an Independent compound appeared on the screen. The ground was littered with dead and not a drop of blood could be seen.

Simon swallowed thickly and forced himself to remain calm. “The toxin?“ He didn’t turn toward Mr. Cheung for fear that the man would recognize the look on his face for what it was – horror.

“Worked well, it appears.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Simon could see the man frown. “Unfortunately, the news feeds got a hold of what we did to the civilians helping those traitors.”

Simon’s eyes widened when the picture changed to reveal civilians, like those Serenity had set down to help not so long ago. They were lying motionless on the ground, inside businesses, in their fields. De