“River, River, please.” Simon was desperately trying to calm his sister. She was on the verge of attempting to force him out of her path, almost at the point of violence in her desire to get to the cargo bay doors.

“Have to find him!” She gripped his forearms until she could hear the bones grating. “I have to find him!”

“The Cap’s out there looking,” Kaylee said, her own hands clasped tightly in front of her, fully aware of the damage the young woman could do if she decided to. “He’ll find Jayne.”

“River. You’re hurting me.” Simon tried not to let it show, but it was there, pain written clear on his pale features.

“What?” For a moment she didn’t move, staring into his face, her eyes ragged and disturbed. Then she let go as if from a red hot poker. “I didn’t mean to …” She hugged herself instead, darting for the door, but Zoe was in the way.

“Wait for the captain,” the tall woman said.

“Need to … have to …”

“Wait, River.”

Simon was at her side again. “ Mei-mei , I don’t want to sedate you -”

“No needles!”

“But I will if I have to.”

She stared at him, pleading. “I just want him back.”

“Then try and calm down.”

Finally she nodded jerkily and took a great, shuddering breath, drawing on the hidden reserves of strength within her. Simon silently thanked Freya for helping his sister find even a modicum of control.

“Better,” he said, putting his arm around her shoulders. “River … is Jayne hurt? Can you tell?”

She unfocused a moment. “Unconscious.”

“River, honey, he’ll be okay,” Hank said, keeping his tone gentle. “Mal and Freya are going to find him.”

“They won’t.”

“What?”

“They won’t find him. Niska has him.”

For a moment Simon wasn’t sure he’d heard. “Niska?”

---

As they ran from the church, the four of them headed for the only cover around, a scrubby bush next to an abandoned building, deep in the morning shadows.

“He was here.” Mal was down on his heels. “Boot marks.”

“Freshly dead insects,” Freya agreed. “But no sign