Mal hadn’t expected the day to go as it had. Harken and his men were armed to the teeth, not to mention the stockpile of weapons Jayne and Zoë were handing out. Mal was running out of hands and hip space.

Hover mule loaded with artillery they set out. They being Harken’s men, Jayne and himself. Zoë stayed back at the ship, not complaining for once. She knew she was the back up plan if things went all wooly. Though she seemed not to care for the particular look in Mal’s eye.

And while Mal fully intended to open the door and let Harken and his men in… He planned on getting answers as well. If Harken got in the way of that…

Mal and Jayne broke of from the group and made there way up the side of the mountain, fighting through thick brambles and dense trees. Signaling for help was going to be precarious, there’d be no telling if Harken and his men would be able to get there in time if things went wrong.

But they moved on.

Barton’s men converged on them not far from where Harken said the man’s base of operations was.

“So much for the element of surprise,” Jayne whispered as he moved closer to Mal.

“When did you think we had the element of surprise?” Mal replied, grinning for the group of men. “Fellas… we’re just here to see our boss. No need for a fuss.”

“You look like your getting ready to pick a fight,” one of the thugs replied.

“We’re bad guys,” Jayne said. “That’s how we’re ‘sposed to look.”

“Right,” the same thug snorted.

“Now, I can tell you’re the brains of the group,” Mal said. “So, I need you to run up that hill there and tell Barton we need to get paid for our last delivery.”

“I ain’t your runner,” the young man spat.

“Then you sure as hell better take me to him. ‘Cause I’m gonna get paid.”

The thug looked back at the others and made an executive decision.

“Give up your guns,” he said, smiling smugly.

Mal pasted on a grin.

“Sure thing.”

~~~~~~~~~~~

“Your name, Miss?” the young man behind the counter asked.

“Lin Huolin,” she replied,