Chapter 13

Maggie woke with a start, Jayne’s hand over her mouth, he whispered “There’s some one outside.” he tossed her clothes to her and walked off to check the door.

Getting dressed quietly and quickly Maggie tossed the bedding into the corner and walked over to him.

Jayne whispered “Three guys, two from earlier, they just set fire to the house, after blocking the front door.”

Maggie gasped “Set fire to the house? Why?”

“Not sure, but I need to get you out of here.” Looking around Jayne swore to himself. He spotted the mule, jumped on and held his hand out to Maggie. He locked her hands in front of him he started up the mule and shot out the door, hoping Maggie could hold on as he turned and raced towards the ship. Racing up the ramp he stopped the mule, jumped off and hit the door lock “Tell Mal about the men and that I’ll handle them.” Jayne took the time to get two more guns out of the locker and ran out the door. Maggie ran up to the crew’s quarters and banged on Mal’s door until he answers. Telling him what Jayne said, Maggie can only watch as Mal woke Zoë and they headed to the cargo bay.

“Aren’t you going to go out and help him?” Maggie pleaded “There are three of them!” She looked at Zoë and Mal.

“He said he would handle it Maggie, if we went out now he might just shoot us for the hell of it.” Mal laughed, looking out the window “He said two were Marco’s men?”

“Yes.” Maggie kept pacing. Book and Kaylee came into the cargo bay and asked what was going on.

“Couple of men set fire to Maggie’s house.” Mal answered still looking out the window.

Book walked over to where Maggie was pacing and put his arms around her and pulled her into a hug “You OK?”

“Yes, but they won’t go out and help him.” She whispered.

“Only a couple of them? Jayne needs no help Maggie, this is what he does and he is very good at it.” He didn’t add that it’s what he loved to do “He will be fine…”

The opening of the door stopped him and Jayne came in dragging a couple of men behind him. Only Book’s hand kept Maggie fr