"Don't worry, babe, I've got her." Corona circled around to keep Shadow in sight and watched her sprint across the roof. "Looks like she's gonna take to the air, or maybe just hop over to another rooftop. You might wanna get back to your car. I'll guide you to wherever she's going."

"Okay," Jack replied. "We're on our way."

Shadow leaped off the roof and glided across to the next building. She landed and continued running without missing a beat, then hopped over the far edge and dropped straight down.

Corona dived toward the building and swooped into the alley in time to catch Shadow sliding down a large pipe running along the wall. Shadow reached the ground and bolted again. Corona touched down on the roof and leaned over the edge to watch her.

"Guys, she's running through the alley behind the building across from the Ackerman Street Mall."

"Thanks," Taura answered. "We're almost there."

Shadow turned another corner and disappeared. Corona leaped across the alley, landed on the roof and ran to the far edge. She leaned over and looked down at the street, and her muzzle fell open.

"She vanished again!" Corona swept her gaze over the street below and turned to check the alley again. She growled softly. "I thought she might've doubled back while I was running across the roof, but I don't see her."

"Damn it." Jack sighed. "Oh, well, Machiko was probably expecting this."

"I'm not ready to give up just yet, babe." Corona leaped off the roof and glided around the mall, catching an updraft and circling the building.

Her phone rang and she frowned, landed on the nearest roof and took the phone out of her vest pocket. Machiko's name appeared on the screen.

"Huh. Jack, Taura, the boss just called me."

"Us, too," Jack said.

Corona raised a brow ridge and accepted the call. "Hey, Boss, what's up?"

"Something has just come up," Machiko Ericson's lightly accented voice replied.

"Is this another training thing?" Jack said.

"No, this is the real deal, guys. We've got a hostage situation near your location."

Corona frowned again. "Aren't the cops handling it?"

"They've surrounded the building, have sharpshooters in place, and all that shit. But they're reluctant to do more than try to negotiate, at least for the moment. Maybe they're afraid the media might play it as another debacle like the one that landed you three at my agency."

"Yeah, I can see how they'd be worried about that if they stormed the place and any hostages got killed."

"Good," Jack snapped. "At least they're thinking twice about rushing in just to test out a new weapon like those fuckers did at Fly-by-Night."

"Okay," Taura said, "who are we dealing with and why are they doing this?"

"His name's Robert Givens," Machiko said. "Several witnesses managed to slip out of the building before he turned violent. They described an altercation between Givens and a lab tech in one of the photo labs in the Ackerman Street Mall. I don't have all the details yet, but he was apparently being abusive to the tech, and the situation escalated until it came to blows. Then Givens pulled out a gun and threatened several people with it."

"Wow," Corona muttered.

"It was probably over some stupid little goof-up that didn't amount to anything," Jack said. "I had to deal with douchebags just like this guy every day back when I was delivering pizzas. Too many people think that being a customer gives them the right to treat you like you're a piece of garbage."

"And assault you as well, apparently," Taura added.

"Right. That's how I lost my original eyes. Well, Machiko, what do you want us to do about this? Please tell me that we can go in and kick this guy's ass."

"The longer the police wait, the greater the chances that Givens will hurt someone. Just get in there, take him down, and make sure none of the hostages are hurt."

"You've got it. Jack, Taura, I'll meet you there." Corona signed off and leaped into the air.