As I rushed down the stairs from Dahlia's office, I checked the watch pinned to my shirtwaist. I then redoubled my speed down the stairs - I knew I had to go in to the Department, and I had promised to meet Theo von Hentzau no later than 11:00 am. I had spent nearly an hour crossing the city, and another forty minutes between speaking with Dahlia and purchasing her requested three pounds of chocolate - it was already after 10:00. My boss would consider me late, and he would already be unhappy about the contents of Dahlia's article. My legs trembling like jelly, I shot out of the white-lintelled door and practically tumbled down the stairs to the narrow street.

I was sufficiently desperate to consider hiring an aerocab. Normally, I would have considered riding in one of the small aircraft an unconscionable extravagance, but I was rapidly running out of time. Fortunately, the contents of my wallet were saved by mere happenstance. As I rushed between the tall, limestone buildings towards the aerocab station, I came upon a steam-hackney, brass steamhorse glinting in the sunlight, disgorging its single passenger onto the sidewalk. I took his place, paid my fee, and was whisked across town with one third of the cost saved.

I arrived safely at the tall building with the glass doors and the tin doormen, finding the lobby empty. However, when I made my way through the heavy, metal door marked "janitorial supplies", the corridor was not empty. I found myself face-to-face with a young woman in a blue dress, her hair braided and hanging over her right shoulder - Joanna, the costumer and my one friend in this organization. The door closed behind me with a hiss of released steam and a gentle 'thunk' as it fell back into place. 

"Hello, Joanna," I said. I am her friend, so I hoped I sounded happy to see her, but I am sure I sounded nervous, instead.

I started to walk past her, but she grabbed my arm.

"Don't bother," she said. "He said he's too angry to speak with you."