ZOE/LEO

Finally! Zoe savored the release of her fist to Tripp's jaw. His head spun, teeth and blood flying.

The little lizard mutant bartender had sung like a canary, with only a little combined pressure from she and her sisters. Claws, venomous bites and psychic headaches were nice that way. She didn't even have to use her actual weapon.

He'd taken them right to the filthy man, reeking of females, drugs and disgusting male fluids. She'd wanted to rip out his throat the second she set eyes on him, his complete lack of empathy radiating towards her in callous waves. Repulsive excuse for a human. "Where are they?" She hissed.

"Well, clubs empty!" Aries strode into Tripp's office, dusting off his hands. "All you have to do is yell gun and whoosh all clear."

"You're just in time," Karai snickered as her brother came up alongside her, Raph behind him, in time to see Zoe's version of an interrogation.

"Easy, Z, he can't talk if ya knock him out and for sure not if ya kill'em." Raph cracked his knuckles. "Not that I'm against the idea if he ain't got nothin' useful to share."

"S-s-sold, sold two girls- redheads-tonight. Two d-d-different buyers, one in M-maine the other Texas." The greasy man stammered, swallowing hard as he tried to press himself into the wall, like he could get away from Zoe that way.

Raph snarled at Tripp's words. "Yer sellin' girls? Druggin' em' up in this shit hole an' sendin'em off like they're nuthin'?" His weight shifted, cutting the air as he stomped to Zoe's side. "I am gonna kill ya myself if ya don't give us an address like ten seconds ago!"

"Raph, you're going to kill him anyway." Karai hissed. "Because if you don't I will."

Zoe's eyes flickered to feline slits and Tripp began shrieking and sobbing. "They're shipped to a distribution center. And I don't know where it is! They don't tell us that. If we knew we could give them up, so we don't have that information!"

April pressed a hand to her temple, letting out a pained grunt before announcing, "He's telling the truth."

"What's that? You don't have an address?" Aries let out a low whistle. "Times up then. Zoe- "

Zoe's claws extended from her fingertips, curling into Tripp's jugular.

"Zoe!" Leo's voice boomed, effectively bringing his sister's death grip to a narrow halt. "Not yet."

Leo ground his teeth together as he pushed into the room. If not for his own recon, he wouldn't have been involved in the interrogation at all. So much for contacting him when they located key personnel. And, to think, the mission had started off with everyone actually cooperating for a change.

"Why not, Leo? The bastard's got it comin'." Raph griped. "It ain't like he knows where the kids are."

Leo turned to his brother. "So, you're ok, leaving empty-handed?"

Raph sputtered. "Well, no, but..."

"We aren't leaving without some kind of a lead." Leo stated and grabbed a fistful of Tripp's hair yanking his head back. "You are going to tell me everything you know about this operation and we will know if you're lying or holding back."

Tripp sobbed. "You don't know what they'll do to me if I talk."

Leo remained unmoved. "No. But I know what we'll do to you if you don't. Right now, I'm all that's standing between you and her." He gestured to Zoe who let out a low growl. "Bear in mind, cats enjoy toying with their prey before the kill."

The blood drained from Tripp's face as he eyed Zoe's claws, with Karai completing the transformation to full serpent behind her.

Trembling, Tripp nodded. "Ok, I'll talk. Just don't let them have me. I don't know any colleagues but Marco and even we aren't supposed to have met. The system is designed to run blind, each piece doing its job. Just phone calls to collaborate. I swear."

Leo yanked his neck, causing Tripp to grimace. "And what are your, and Marco's roles in this?"

"Marco manages the whores...agh." He let out a yelp as Leo gave a sharp twist.

"Respectfully." There was an unmistakable edge to Leo's tone.

"He manages the strippers and...escorts?" It took Tripp a moment to think of an appropriate alternative. "He also provides transportation, but only the drivers know where they're going and they're all out on runs. I'm not expecting any back for at least a couple hours."

Leo had to force his grip not to tighten. Their kids did not have hours. "And you."

"I display the musical and performance talent. And the drugs, I distribute the drugs. The dealers all go through me." Tripp was now rushing to spill his guts.

"You make them?" Leo asked.

Tripp tried to shake his head, but didn't have enough range of motion. "No. Somewhere else, wherever the burnouts go. It's dropped here by more runners."

Leo frowned. "Burnouts?"

"Yeah, the ones who are spent, used up, got nothing left to give. The Syndicate wants them. Not sure why?" Tripp offered eagerly.

"And what about the people you traffic?" Leo's voice lowered a notch.

Tripp cringed. "It's not personal. Just gotta move the ones with people looking for 'em. To other cities where they won't be found or venues that need their particular talent."

"There's more." April declared quietly.

"Ok, ok. Sometimes rich fucks want 'em. Put in special requests. A particular type of performer or whor...er escort. A fighter to present in the fights if they're into more than jus' watchin' or bettin' that sort of thing." Tripp looked to April.

"And?" She pressed.

"We might make videos of the really good ones, to...advertise to buyers. It ain't jus' me. Everyone does it." He begged.

Leo considered their options. Unfortunately, their next best lead was to wait and speak with one of these runners. Damn.

But it was better than nothing.

Then Aries's phone dinged. He checked. "Nellie's sent me an address. We know where the kids are."

PHOENIX

Phoenix watched and waited as Sappho did her thing. Although her body was mostly an empty vessel, her mind somewhere far off in a digital alternate reality, Arcos always sat beside Sappho, holding her hand, like a tether that would draw her home.

Sappho blinked and was herself once more.

"So? Didja find anything?" Mikey asked, brimming with impatience.

"Yes. I followed the web of contacts up the ladder of authority, until I found one whose phone connected to their organization's internal server. It's...bad." Sappho answered quietly, as she unplugged and tucked her cable away.

"Bad? Bad how? Where are my daughters?" Denim demanded, grabbing Sappho's shoulders.

"A warehouse in the docks. It'll be faster if I drive." Sappho answered, unfazed.

LEO

Leo floored it to the warehouse with the distinct feeling that he was forgetting something. But what...

"I can't believe we didn't kill him. That bastard sold Scout and Alli." Raph groused from behind him, interrupting his train of thought.

Leo huffed out a sigh. "Because, once we've got our kids back, we are shutting down this syndicate. We will find them all and turn them over with enough irrefutable evidence to put them away forever. And that guy will provide evidence against them, without accepting a plea deal."

After Zoe had 'immobilized' him, Leo was pretty sure Tripp would feel safer behind bars anyway. And, with the tracker Donnie had discretely installed while he was 'distracted,' there was no way Tripp would be disappearing on them. Leo made a mental note to ensure Marco got the same treatment.

"The victims deserve justice, public justice. And everyone needs to know what happened so they can safeguard against it happening again." Leo pontificated. "Besides, we don't kill if there's another way. Mostly." He glanced back at Zoe. "That isn't who we are."

"Whatever." Raph muttered. Which was as close as he'd come to conceding Leo's point.

Then Leo's phone, in the cup holder, rang. Anton. Right! He'd forgotten to fill in the other half of their team. He'd have face palmed if he didn't need one hand to steer and the other to answer.

"We know where they are and we're on our way." Both he and Anton spoke simultaneously upon answering.

"Did Marco know?" Leo asked, curious if the other guy had more access to information than Tripp had let on.

"Nah. Aunt Sappho cracked their system through his phone. She's sending the files to Uncle Don. What about you?"

Leo glanced over at Donnie, now engrossed in his tablet. So, she did.

"Nellie texted us the location." Leo answered.

"So, uh, we couldn't all fit in Uncle Mikey's car. Uncle Arcos and Aunt Medusa are runnin' the rooftops an' keepin' up cuz we ain't hit a straightaway yet, but..." Anton started.

"Where are you?" Leo cut in.

"Fifth and Baker." He replied.

"Have them cut over and meet us at 12th and Harrison. We'll take them in the van." Leo instructed.

"On it." Anton answered, ending the call.

It was time to get their kids back.

SCOUT/ALLI

The ringing was back, not that it ever went away, it just kind of waned as Scout's mind cleared with meditation. She thought she was clearing her system, knew it wouldn't completely restore her, but it should help. How long would it take? Was it an instant thing or did it work more like a yoga cleanse that had you feeling like you'd caught a cold the next day? Ugh. She didn't have time to waste.

The van came to a halt, doors banging open, allowing florescent light to flood the dark cab. Scout flinched, the light burning, the noise recoiling badly. Her hands flew up to shield her ears, a fresh trickle of blood coating her fingertips. Well that couldn't be good. Avoiding Alli's fearful gaze she wiped it on her dress, then slid back and forth as their captors lugged her crate out, hauling her through warehouse doors.

Scout inhaled the familiar scent of seawater and constant sloshing of the ocean. They were at the docks? What, were they going to ship her out in a boat? She turned her head toward the crook of her arm as the light grew brighter. The baddies boots scraped the concrete, the sound amplified to a thousand. Was that what it was like when she used to turn the radio up all the way so she could feel the music? No wonder her dad took her to the dojo to play it. The entire apartment building would've been complaining.

She peeked under her arm as her eyes adjusted to the light. If only her ears would adjust to the sound. Her stomach bottomed out as she set eyes upon rows and rows of crates. Some were stacked on top of others, and people, likely hybrid like her, or mutant, filled them.

"Holy shit," she gasped.

"Quiet!" One of the men banged on her crate and Scout glared at him.

Alli walked with her wrists pressed together as though they were still bound, out in front of her. Her eyes were wide as she glanced around, then looked at Scout mouthing, 'when are we doing this?"

Wasn't that the million-dollar question? She quickly counted three rows of crates, two high on both her right and left. Two armed guards were marching back and forth down each of them. Twelve guards were nothing. Their guns however- could be an issue.

And until Nik got there with her weapons-

"Hey!" One of the guards shouted looking closer at Alli. "Where's your zip ties?"

Alli shrugged. "I lost them?"

He reached for her and she began to duck and weave in such a way that Scout almost laughed. Then she noticed the conference room-size office behind Alli, containing at least twenty more guards. Alli still hadn't seen them and began to taunt her opponent, tapping him on the cheek. The two guards carrying Scout's crate set her down in the middle of the aisle, rushing over to help their co-worker. As Alli shared her taunting with her new arrivals, Scout eyed the weakest point on the door crate. She drew back her leg and kicked so hard it flew off, skittering across the floor.

Alli's attackers looked her way, her sister taking advantage of the distraction to deliver a beautiful roundhouse kicking two of them in the head. Scout leapt from the crate, running full out toward her sister, screaming. "Behind you!"