Phoenix Talon went downstairs to check on the Blood Boards. They were exhausted and emotionally wrung out.
    "Line up."
    Rick stood next to him. "Sensei? Where's Dawn?"
    "She's up in her room." He addressed the troops. "Tonight, the Revolution captured six Alley Cats, defeating them inside of ten seconds. They were helpless before us." Cheers. "We interrogated two of them, and we know where their headquarters is, approximately. Now we'll come up with a plan. Guys, now is the time for you to seriously reflect on what's going on. Now, the Revolution is going to to have to go in there and get Tybalt out. And I suspect that all of you would like to come with us. But I'd like you to think about it. This is no longer a game. Every single one of the Alley Cats carries a gun, and they're not afraid to use them. One of them unloaded on Needle tonight, luckily she's got shields." Murmuring.
    "Stu, you ain't coming. You got a family. I ain't gonna see your kids without a dad," he overrode the man's protests.
    "He's got a point there," a Board agreed.
    "Man, I wish my dad were around more," another sighed.
    "But sensei...."
    "This isn't playing around any more. This isn't even going to jail any more. This is dead."
    "All right sensei, if you say so."
    "This doesn't mean you're out of the Boards, just that you're not doing this particular mission. So this is on a volunteer basis only," he told the others. "Sleep on it. Keep in mind, Toby and Rico are dead, they're not coming back. And whoever goes along, there's a chance they won't be coming back either. So think about it. Let me know in the morning, not all at once. Approach me individually. Nobody has to come."
    He went up to check on Dawn before he went to bed. She looked exhausted, even in sleep. He noticed that she had redecorated her room in a Gothic style, which was disturbing. He wished there was a radio call-in show that could give advice on dealing with a teenage daughter capable of rewriting the world when it made her unhappy.
    When morning came, he woke her. "How'd you sleep hon?"
    "Not too well. I had these really disturbing dreams."
    "I can imagine. I see you changed the room."
    "Yeah, I was just depressed. I'll probably change it back tomorrow." Her expression firmed. "No. I'm not changing it back until they're out of the hospital."
    He told her about the options he'd given the Blood Boards, and asked her to make them some body armor, new jackets made of ballistic plastic. Just to give them that extra edge. It took little time, and then they headed downstairs.
    When she walked into the room, they all brightened immediately. It was very clear to Phoenix Talon that while he might be the reason they were fighting, she was what they fought for. She walked around, speaking to each of them briefly. Spoke with Stan, who was Stu's partner, and with Stu himself, who seemed less upset about his exclusion.
    "Line up," he called when she seemed to be done. Rick and Dawn flanked him as he handed out jackets. He noticed that she'd made herself a jacket, although it wasn't Kevlar. "Okay, looks like the raid is going to be tonight. We're taking animal control steps right now, to reduce the number of cats in the area."
    Stan begged off and asked if he and Stu could guard their injured comrades at the hospital, a duty Talon was glad to assign, although it was not without risk.

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