It was nightfall at the Bayonne bus terminal. Mercury lights cast a corrupt glow on the gleaming chrome of the buses in the loading lot. Tayanna and Nasrin watched as Atticus walked through the side door. They turned and looked at each other. Tay gazed at the two xolos as they melted into the shadows to patrol.

Atticus softened his spine and lowered the angle of his head as he tried to blend in to the modest crowd of travelers. He looked to the left of the security check point where his contact was supposed to be waiting at the newsstand. He had been elected by the group to gather the travel stipend and information there. He saw no one but an elderly woman behind the counter, head in hand, yawning through a modest goatee. He sidled passed her and feigned interest in the current issue of Maxim.

"Boy, you will have to show me proof of age if you want to look at that." The crone spoke with an accent so thick it was hard to understand her. Atticus reddened. She stared at him and shook her head. "You are too young to be here." Atticus paled. The woman laughed. "Atticus, you came to meet me. I will tell you where and how the next leg of your odyssey will transpire." Atticus looked under the make-up and facial hair and recognized Faye Valentine, his chem-lab teacher.