Late evening, and while the Scarves talk in the den, Sally, exhausted from the day's stresses, had elected to retire early. A sensitive ear may just be able to pick up a light chirping, a sign that she is having a pleasant dream; occasionally, Maria's ear twitches as she picks up the sound.
"So, what are we going to do?" Xander asks.
"I don't know," Danny replies.
"We have to do something!" Maria interjects. "We can't just… not do something!"
"At the very least, we have to inform the Magister," Danny agrees.
"But will he believe us?" Xander counters.
"He'll believe Sally," Danny assures. "But I'm not sure she-"
Suddenly, Maria giggles; when the boys turn to her, she shrinks, embarrassed. "Sally makes the cutest noises while she sleeps," she explains. "Such funny little chirping!"
"You shouldn't really be listening to her sleep," Danny remarks with an amused smile.
"I can't help it!" Maria smiles back. "It's my big ears!"
"I'm not sure Sally will want to risk the journey to Shang Tu; the three of us may not be sufficient protection," Danny continues. "Especially since we don't really know what we're up against with this… Jade Alliance. If they're anything like the Scarves…"
Meanwhile, the three bikers finally arrive back at their camp; the leader's arm has been thoroughly bandaged, and is resting in a makeshift sling. Without hesitation, they head to the command tent.
"You're late," the commander hisses as the bikers enter the tent, his accent sibilant; the commander has his back turned.
"We encountered some… unexpected resistance," the lead biker explains.
"And I take it from the lack of screaming that you also failed to apprehend the prisoner," the commander continues.
"Correct, commander."
"You know how well failure is tolerated by the captain. Answer one question: who was this 'resistance'?"
"We do not know."
"Surely you can describe them? You have eyes."
"There were three, sir: a badger, a wolf, and a lynx. They were armed, and clearly highly-trained fighters."
"Describe the weapons."
"A hanbo, a ninjato, and a pair of tonfa."
"Were they wearing scarves?"
"Yes."
"Colour?"
"Red."
"Hm." The commander takes a moment of silence; a sensitive ear can pick up a faint clicking as he sends a message to the captain. A minute later, the device beeps with a reply.
"It seems the captain has already met them," the commander reveals. "With the Red Scarves now involved, that makes our mission a little trickier. We cannot be hasty." A moment's pause. "Dismissed."
The bikers leave in silence.
"Do not underestimate these Scarves, commander," the captain advises over the radio.
"I've tangled with their like before," the commander assures.
"Yes, and you had your tail handed to you by a teenage girl," the captain reminds. "Four times."
"She had help."
"From two children."
"And a Chaser."
"Who you bested. Twice."
"Your point?"
"I had those Scarves enslaved to my every whim, yet they still prevailed. Do not underestimate them. And be especially wary of the vixen; she's the most dangerous of them all."