TheharshbiteofJanuarymnippedviciouslyatCaldwell’sears,ashehuohisworndarkbrownsheepskinjacket.HehadboughtitsedhandinthebazaarsofPortobelloMarketforlessthannothingduriertimes.Itwaseasilyhisfavoritepossession,assumingofcoursethatthemysterioussolewasstillthepropertyofKenzoYamamoto.Thebulkofthesoleweighedheavilyintheknapsack,alongwiththefewthingsthatCaldwellhadmaograbfromthecapsule.EverythingelseendableandCaldwelltraveledsuperlightanyway.HehadbroughttheSlav’svialofdeathwithhimasinsurance.

    Hisamber-huedeyeswereonhighalert.Iftherewasanyoneonhistail,hewaomakesurehewasawareofit.Apartfromabeardedhomelessman,wearingenoughtatteredclothingtofillaSalvationArmystore,dousingamakeshiftfirebyurinatingonitandcursingtohimself,thestreetsweredeserted.ItwasNewYear’sDayafterall,aizensoftheUnioillsleepingoffthemassivehangoversbroughtonbythepreviousnight’sfestivities.

    ToCaldwell,NewYear’sDayheldasmuchsignificeashisbirthdayathatthetwofellonthesamedaydidnotmakeanydifferesoever.Hedidn’tcelebrateNewYearandhedidn’tcelebratebirthdays,botheventsrequiringastheydidapremeditatedattempttoproactivelyseekthepanyofothers.Besides,hewasn’tevehefirstofJanuarywasreallyhisbirthday.

    Iance,aMaglevhummedtowardsAation,athinboltoflightcuttingsilentlythroughthemgloom.TheroughoutlineofcapsulecityandtheAngelCapsuleHotelfadedjerkilyintoarapidlydesdingfog.Caldwellhadafeelinghewouldn’tbeseeingitagainforalongtime.Hehadafeelingofimpendingdoom.Hismigrainehadsubsidedgivenhimtherespiteheoreflethegravityofthesit