Phoenix Talon redlined the bike, circling the base. The boat was gone, the door was closed. No sign of attack, no Alley Cats. He landed and went inside. Nothing. He called Reilly.
    "Reilly, coordinating, what?" the liaison demanded in a harried voice.
    "It's Phoenix Talon. Have there been any reports of the Blood Boards anywhere in the city?"
    "I haven't heard anything."
    "Okay, thanks." Maybe they weren't dead.
    He headed back to the city.

    In a tea shop on the third floor of a building in Chinatown, a frail, middle-aged man sat drinking tea and listening to the noise from outside. He sighed, set down the tea, and turned to face the door a moment before it was kicked in and five Alley Cats with guns charged into the room.
    The small space exploded with light as Yen transformed from a small,slightly built man to a nine-foot-tall floating monstrosity.
    The Alley Cats screamed.

    Scott heard screams from Chinatown, noticed a familiar, hideously bright light. He set the bike to hover and went in through the window.
    He found five unconscious gang members, and Yen Chu-Hsia. He paused.
    "Hello, Revolutionary."
    "Hello again."
    "I've taken care of these. Keep this war out of Chinatown."
    "This is a little more important than us," the robot acknowledged. "See you later."
    "Have no doubt," Yen smiled slightly. "Good day to you."
    Scott headed for the next jump point; there was no profit in getting into this particular fight at this particular time.
    Inside, the Alley Cats were waking up. The room filled with a bluish-green pulsating light.
    "Hello, gentlemen. I have a task for you. And in a few moments, you'll be willing to do whatever I tell you, whenever I tell you to do it. Good."

    Phoenix Talon flew toward Rowes Wharf and found an Alley Cat strike team arriving just as he did. There were seven of them, guns ready; they saw him coming.
    "Oh no, it's—" one of them started saying. Then they dropped their guns. As he drew near they turned in unison to look at him with placid expressions.
    "Moooooo."
    He pulled up. Albert was standing next to the boat.
    "This is asinine," the Frenchman said in tones of precise disgust.
    "Albert, what happened?! Where are the Blood Boards, where's Dawn?"
    Albert blinked up at him. "Your daughter should still be at the base. Your juvenile delinquents went off to 'help.'"
    That assuaged some of his worry.
    "I have this situation under control," Albert assured him; Alley Cats milled around, mooing. One of them seemed to be trying to graze.
    "Good job, Albert."
    "All of you—herd!" he snapped at his prisoners. "It's easier if you're closer."
    Talon leaped back aboard the hoverbike and took off, hitting a few Alley Cats in the head as he did so. The police radio chattered away; he picked up that the Cats were working in paired teams. There was a pair across the river in Cambridge that no one had done anything with. The rest of the team seemed to be getting things under control in Boston, so he jammed the bike to full speed, heading north. No mention of the Blood Boards, still.

    Scott saw what he guessed was the remainder of the strike team which had encountered Yen, breaking into a shop farther down the street, shouting and shooting anything that moved. They didn't notice the group of swordsmen who appeared swiftly and silently behind them.
    "Yaaa! Ha! Take that—my hand is gone," an Alley Cat noticed in bewilderment.
    Scott decided not to get involved. So Yen had been keeping himself occupied; that came as no particular surprise, but it was something to think about. Later.
    Downtown Crossing looked like the next good bet. Shops everywhere; the prospects for mayhem were near limitless.

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