The engines of the automated Learjet whine and hum as they start. As I sit in the generous silvery leather seat that Rupert points me to, exhaustion immediately overcomes me. I want to sink into the comfort of the empty cabin. But somewhere on the small craft, Austin is fighting his illness and I won't sleep until I know that he's all right.
Rupert slumps into the seat across from me and rests his cane against the chair. He smiles kindly at me, but I turn to the small window beside me. The aircraft taxis down the overgrown runway. I crane my neck to look back at the city. The emblematic CN Tower points towards outer space. Tall buildings of the city's core crowd around the tower. The skyscrapers of downtown have black, empty windows. Paint has crumbled away from the condo complexes near t
