TITLE: "DISTRACTION"

AUTHOR: Alison M. DOBELL

FANDOM: "FIREFLY"

PAIRING: No specific pairing.

RATING: PG-13.

STATUS: SEQUEL to "MERCY"

ARCHIVE: Yes. Just let me know where.

FEEDBACK: Welcomed.

EMAIL: AlisonMDobell@aol.com

WEBSITE: http://carlajane.50megs.com/Ali00.html

SUMMARY "With everything going to hell in a handbasket

the race is on."

The usual disclaimers apply. The characters and 'Firefly'

are the property and gift of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

No infringement of copyright is intended.

"DISTRACTION"

"Firefly" story

Written by Alison M. DOBELL

* * * * *

When people told River what to do it made her brain feel redundant. She wasn't stupid and didn't like it. But sometimes. Sometimes it was useful. Like camoflage but without having to worry about the fit. So she let Zoe and Jayne take the lead, her mind busy scanning and searching through the frantic minds fleeing the widening arc of destruction. Simon tried to talk to her but she wasn't listening. Couldn't afford the distraction. All she knew was that time was running out. Not for them but for him.

* * * * *

When the first explosion hit, Elliott Field thought he would wet his rutting pants. Bad enough to be searching for an escaped prisoner that should be so close to dead moving unaided would be kind'a miraculous. Now they had the very real possibility that the whole gorram place would come crushing down on their heads. The only good thing was if that happened they wouldn't have to worry about the Governor killing them. Nature would do the job for him. For free.

"We gotta get outta here!" Yelled Marlowe.

"Huh!" Snorted Elliott. "Was your damn idea to come lookin'."

Marlowe closed the gap between them, his lips peeled back and teeth clamped together in an angry snarl. "I'm tryin' to save your worthless gorram hide, you ingrate!"

"Oh, an' savin' your own self don't come into the picture?"

Annoy