The early m dawned, and Billy braved the chill in his sty attire. The Californian cold brought gusts of wind, while a thousand kilometers away, the Atntic cold bore a different character.

  -I'll take a stroll, - said Billy, gng at Julie, who tentively. Unlike Billy, she knew her hotel was less than six blocks away. She preferred walking, even if her heels killed her, threading through the dark streets of New York to sober up from the alcohol she'd imbibed before retiring for the night.

  -See you tomorrow. Let's hope there are no more surprises, - said Julie, bidding farewell to Winona and Gwyh, exging kisses. Both seemed livelier after bonding more closely. Meanwhile, Billy found himself accosted by ario of businessmen and some iors.

  It would be logical to say it had been a productive night, but the fun wasn't so clear. As Billy bid farewell to the two young women, Gwyh, the sweet girl, approached Billy with a gesture that caused disfort due to her daring nee.

  -Tomorrow, it's the remaining fall colles, - she said, a bloh a discordant attitude telic appearance.

  -Rest well, - said Billy, hoping both girls would get into the bck car, courtesy of the godfather. Julie chatted casually with an ior, whom Julie, at a gnd at her urging, wao take to bed. Julie, however, escaped with quick apologies. She was a charming blonde who wouldn't be in her youth, her prime years tied to the ema.

  -Well, at this hour, there's a pizzeria still open. Fancy a quick bite? - Julie suggested.

  Billy he pace he kept was what they called an obvious tourist iy of New York. His three previous outings were only quick outings, and with panions, but he knew some streets, and the night only prevented him from seeing the days.

  -It's a bit out of the way, but it's one of the few 24-hour pces that serves det pizza. By the way, I hope you don't have gastritis, - Julie said.

  -No, I'd love pizza. Haveen anything since lunch, - said Billy.

  -It was a busy afternoon. Who would have expected my favorite director at a high society party? He told me his reasoning about my favorite movie. I certainly hoped to dance all night, but you don't see Oliver Stone so willing to chat every day. I found him on a red carpet; he didn't even look at me. Now I think I was attractive, - Julie said, pulling out a cigarette and it while stopping to light it.

  Oliver Stone, is globally renowned for three films, "Ptoon," "Wall Street," and "JFK."

  -Sounds familiar, - said Billy.

  -For heaven's sake, well... that doesn't matter. I just like how he mao incorporate politito his works. Nothing out of this world. He's not my favorite, but he's one of my favorites, on this side of the ti, - Julie said.

  They walked through a dark alley, which caused Billy a bit more distrust, but Julie was so sure the shortcut would lead them to Eighth Avenue, apparently it was quite popur, "Tick Tock Diner" in the heart of Manhattan.

  -Well, we've arrived, - said Julie, entering the pce. It was warm. It was a relief.

  The first thing Julie noticed was that there were no pizza slices.

  -I think it'll be breakfast. Anyway, I'm craving some eggs and ba, - Julie said, sitting at a table he bar. Across from it, was served by a woman with dark circles under her eyes.

  -Ouch, honey, you look exhausted, - said Julie.

  -Tell me about it. It's been a disaster of a week. How I help you? - said Grace, as it read on her badge, a white oval pstic stapled to her blue uniform.

  -Let me decide! We want breakfast, for this big guy, make it double, with juice, and for me, coffee. You als a basket of bread. We're very hungry, - said Julie.

  Graoted it down, then gave a loud shout. The orders were i. As Julie said, after immersing themselves in the Nirvana song that pyed incessantly since Kurt's passing, the music gained aable popurity of a celebrity's magnitude, the lead singer of Nirvana, pying on the radio from time to time, not to mention Michael Ja iween, still the king of pop.

  -I had the ce to go to the st gig, well, the sed to st public gig. But I decided to spend the money on a picket to Florida. What a silly thing to do, now I regret it a bit, - Julie said.

  -I've never been to a cert, - said Billy into the air.

  -Are you kidding? - Julie asked.

  -No, not at all. I don't have much freedom, - said Billy.

  -Too bad for you. In Europe, we sneak off to a cert, any cert. You have to feel the electricity in the air, people ting a song, shaking their necks, someone pushing you and saying, 'What's up brother?'- Julie said, imitating a man's voice.

  Billy couldn't help but ugh at the image of little Julie being harassed by a bearded thug; it would be quite the opposite, the bearded thug wouldn't be able to help but apologize upon seeing little Julie with her hippie aura.

  -Done, if we have time, let's go to a cert. Just hope I don't have to duel, - said Billy.

  -Duel? You sound like an old man, - said Julie, as the food tray arrived, a pitcher of bck coffee brought by Grace. The lotus position to settle in for eating, a habit formed by the blonde, or so Billy inferred, a routine made, first tying her hair into a ponytail while f her lips into a 'U', and preparing to eat, what she liked least aing it, saving the best for st.

  Having breakfast in the early hours would likely mean an early start, thought Billy, avoiding, and not dwelling on work while eating, was a recurring theme. He ate quickly and silently, paying no attention to his surroundings, not even when Julie, holding a coffee in hand, watched Billy devour his food with such tration that she could only admire the man to his fullest.

  His ba and eggs were delicious, his toast plemehe coffee.

  The m, Billy was already awake. He was tired; the day had been long. The agenda for the day was to draw until lunchtime, with a touch of romance. He uood that he o get down to work, to select the chapters. 190 extra chapters o be done down to the smallest detail, and the deliveries had to be pleted by the end of this visible year. A total of 120 chapters, doing all the work slowly, striving to draw 14 chapters of Samurai X and 12 of Shaman King. The periodic deliveries of four books were just a dream; however, he o send at least ten.

  The doorbell interrupted his work.

  ...