Henry told Leon and the driver to wait.
The three thugs at the door looked Alice and Rachel up and down, their eyes shining with a lecherous light. "Miss Murphy," one of them said with a grin, "you're finally here. The boss has been waiting for you. Go on in."
Rachel looked at the man's malicious smile and glanced nervously at Henry. He gave a slight, reassuring nod. "Lead the way," he said.
One of the thugs led them inside while the other two followed, blocking their escape. They were led to an apartment on the ground floor. The thug pushed the door open and gestured for them to enter.
Henry strode in first, with Alice and Rachel close behind. The three thugs followed them in and locked the door.
Two men were sitting on a long sofa in the living room, flanked by seven others.
"Magyar?" Rachel said, recognizing one of the men on the sofa. "What are you doing here?"
"Have a seat, Rachel," Magyar said, his eyes lighting up. "This is Carter, a leader in our Whyos Gang."
Henry led the two women to the three armchairs opposite the sofa and they sat down.
"Alright," Carter said, his greedy eyes sweeping over Alice and Rachel. "Let's talk about the twelve thousand dollars you owe us."
"That's not right!" Rachel argued. "My father only owed you six thousand. You've already taken two ships and a luxury apartment for that."
"He signed a contract," Carter said flatly. "The interest and the payment terms are all there in writing. If you can't pay, the principal and interest add up. It's the law of the street. You don't get to run from a debt to the Whyos."
"I've never seen this contract," Rachel said, her voice sharp and clear. "And even if he does owe you money, that has nothing to do with me."
"That's right," Alice added. "Your business is with Mr. Robert. This doesn't concern Rachel."
"So you're trying to welsh on the debt," Carter said, his voice hard as iron. "No one welshes on the Whyos."
"WHY-OS!" the other ten gang members chanted in unison, their signature, howling cry.
When the cry died down, Carter gave a slight nod. The ten men standing around him all drew their revolvers and aimed them at Henry and the two women.
Carter leaned back into the sofa, the very picture of a man in complete control.
"Miss Sinclair," he said, "a debt is a debt. Stay out of this, or I can't guarantee your safety."
"Maddy, Jack, put a hood on her and tie her up," he ordered. "And you, mister. You stay right where you are if you don't want a new hole in your body."
Rachel's face went pale with terror.
Henry clapped his hands together, a sharp, sudden sound that drew every eye in the room. He looked at the thugs and, in a loud, clear voice, gave his own decision.
"This was a predatory loan. The debt is void. I'm giving you one choice: release Mr. Robert."
"You will also return the two ships and the apartment you illegally seized."
"You will return all the money you extorted from him."
"And finally, the Whyos gang will pay Miss Rachel ten thousand dollars in compensation for her emotional distress."
The outlaws—and Rachel—all stared at him as if he had lost his mind.
Carter burst out laughing. "Who the hell are you to be making such demands?"
"I am Henry," he said simply.
Carter's smile vanished. "Are you some kind of comedian, Henry? Kill him."
At the same instant, Henry activated his Super Reflexes. He shot to his feet, his hands a blur.
A web of cold, glittering steel filled the room.
One second later, all twelve of the outlaws had a 15-centimeter throwing knife pinning each of their wrists to their sides. Ten revolvers clattered to the floor.
Henry leaped onto the coffee table and, with two vicious kicks, knocked both Carter and Magyar unconscious. He then moved through the room, a phantom of violence, delivering a single, perfect hook to the jaw of each of the other ten outlaws, sending them crashing to the floor in a heap.
In a few, terrifying seconds, it was over. All twelve of them were unconscious. Alice and Rachel could only stare, their minds unable to comprehend what they had just seen.
Henry picked up two of the fallen revolvers and handed one to each of them.
"Go and wait for me in the carriage. I need to have a word with these men and find out where they're keeping Mr. Robert. If anyone approaches you, shoot. I'll hear it and I'll come."
He opened the apartment door, and the two women walked out in a daze.
He locked the door, cuffed all twelve of the unconscious men, and then dragged the gang leader, Carter, to the center of the room. He stuffed a gag in the man's mouth, then summoned his rapier and plunged it into his thigh.
Carter's eyes shot open, a silent scream of agony contorting his face.
"Tell me where Robert is," Henry said, his voice a low whisper. "Tell me how you set him up. And tell me what you were planning to do to his daughter."
He twisted the blade.
"You're a tough man, I see," he said, and plunged the rapier into Carter's other leg.
The man's body bucked and writhed, his eyes pleading.
"Oh, I'm sorry," Henry said, feigning realization. "You can't talk with that gag in your mouth. If you want to confess, nod your head."
Carter nodded so hard it looked like his head might fall off.
Henry pulled the gag from his mouth.
The outlaw took a ragged, desperate breath. He saw Henry raise the rapier again, and the words came pouring out. "I'll talk! I'll talk! Stop! For God's sake, stop!"