Ryo lay stretched out over the couch; relaxed yet taunt. She was in Spike's usual position, but since he was out drinking or getting through a hangover, she had it all to herself. Ed sat typing away, as usual, surfing the net for locked information. Ein yawned and planted himself on Ryo's lap.

"Oof!" Ryo bounced lightly with Ein's weight so suddenly added to her own on the couch.

"Lookie-lookie what Ed found!" The teenager pointed to her screen, leaning over backwards and grinning her head off. You could almost see her eyes smiling behind those green goggles.

Ryo got up and leaned forward. She turned down the volume on Bounty Hunter's Round Up and looked at the computer screen.

On it, she could see the picture of one Bobby "Butcher" Hodgekins. Information on him listed on the side of the mug shot.

"Hey, look at that bounty! Three hundred million Woolongs! Why isn't he on the show?" Ryo looked back at the screen, where they were scrolling down a list of freeloaders worth nothing more than a thousand apiece.

"Dunno, but I suggest you take it. We've got nothing in the fridge, and we haven't for weeks. He doesn't look so tough." Faye appeared in the doorway and leaned forward to see the picture.

"Alright. Wanna come?" Ryo offered.

"Nah! I've still gotta take a shower and find something to eat, even though there's nothing here. Maybe I'll jet down to a bar…" Faye walked off.

"See ya later, Ed! Ein!" Ryo suited up and loaded herself into her ship, the Firebird.

***

"Where's Ryo?" Jet walked in and found Faye on the couch, relaxing.

"Off after a bounty. Big one, too. Three hundred mill." She didn't even open her eyes.

"Really?! Who?" Spike had just entered the room.

Ed popped up from behind the couch, scaring everyone there. "Ryo went to find the Butcher!" She started cackling.

"Who?" Jet hesitated with a twinge of fear.

"Bobby 'Butcher' Hodgekins. She's gone!" Ed went back down to play with Ein.

"I sent her. She was bored and wanted some action." Faye stretched out and yawned.

"Oh my god! You didn't! That's The Butcher! The only reason his bounty is so high is because no hunter has ever survived his warehouse! He calls it 'The Slaughterhouse'! AND YOU SENT HER!!!???" Jet was bellowing in disbelief as the three other crewmembers looked on in fear and terror.

"Ohhh Jet…if I had only known!" Faye held her head in her hands.

"Alright, we have to work fast. Ryo has no idea, so we'll have to catch her. Spike, you can get there the fastest. Go! Now!"

"Gotcha." He bolted down the hallway towards the bay.

"And you-…" Jet turned to Faye. "You get on the comm and try to get her attention."

She was on there before he finished the sentence. "Ryo? RYO! Please, you have to be on!" Faye was shaking the microphone.

Jet just stood by, watching…waiting…and hoping.