Train was waiting for Joe Noresburg in the hotel ballroom. The dance floor was quite big and it shined with what Train assumed was wood polish. White tables and chairs were set up to accommodate the guests so that they could sit whenever they wanted to. Train looked around to see if he recognized anyone, but he didn't. Lots of people were there, milling around and chatting with friends. Occasional laughter broke out, and Train felt like he was amongst a sea of strangers. The loneliness inside of him was slightly unbearable, but he thought of Saya, Sven, Jenos, Rinslet and Eve to keep himself occupied.

Jenos said that he was an E-class bomb expert. I'd better be careful. I don't want to get hurt just because I'll do something stupid. It occurred to Train that he could die on this mission. I'll think about that later, he thought while casting the thought aside and sipping his glass of milk that he had ordered. After what seemed like forever, he finally spotted Joe.

Joe was a lanky, thin man with black hair that stuck to his head like paste, his skin was slightly pale, and he had eyes that were as dark as a starless, pitch black night. Train estimated that he was about 5'7''. Joe looked at Train's direction.

"Who are you?" Joe asked once he came over to Train.

"I'm Train Heartnet. You're Joe Noresburg, I presume?"

A look of horror consumed Joe's face. "How-how'd you know my name?!" he asked.

Play it cool, Train told himself. "I read this," Train said as he pulled out the paper that had Joe's bounty on it.

Joe's skin turned paler than it had been when he first came in and quickly regained color. He slipped a bomb out of his jacket while smirking confidently. "Know what this is?" he asked Train in a threatening tone.

"Of course I do," Train said loudly so that way everyone else in the room could hear. "It's a bomb!"

Screaming, everyone ran out of the room as fast as they could. After they all left, the only people in the room were Train and Joe.

"You've scared everyone away," Joe said. "I commend you for that. I know that if one of those people happened to die, my bounty would go down. And you wouldn't want that, would you, Train?" He spoke the words in such a way that it sent chills down Train's spine.

Joe continued speaking. "Once I light this bomb, it will explode within a few seconds. If I have to kill the both of us, I will. I'm not afraid to die. I hope that you're not afraid to die, either."

"I'm not afraid of dying," Train said. He hoped that he wouldn't die on this mission.

"Good. Of course, if you got us out of here in time before the bomb exploded, you'd save both of us. So, what will it be? Will you save me and yourself or will you let us die just because of a bomb?"

I won't let us die because of a bomb, Train thought. "I'll save both of us," Train said. He would save both of them and then capture Joe on the ground. He hoped that it wasn't a long jump.

At that moment, Joe threw the bomb onto the floor after lighting it. Train quickly grabbed Joe and jumped out of the window just before the bomb exploded. He could feel the heat from the explosion on his back. That was close! he thought. He realized that he had misjudged the jump. It was much farther down than he thought it would be. Uh-oh, Train thought. Now I'm in trouble.

At about halfway down the building, Train saw Joe take out a knife. Before he could react, Joe plunged it into Train's stomach area. Train screamed in agony and let go of Joe. I wasn't supposed to let go of him! Train thought in dismay. Joe started falling faster now that he didn't have Train holding onto him. Train groaned and attempted to pull the knife out of his stomach, but the pain from the wound stopped him. I hope that Joe doesn't die. When I get down to the ground, I'll capture him and then get Sven to drive me to the hospital.

Train saw Joe reach the ground and take off running. Train soon reached the ground, but his knees buckled underneath him from the force of his landing. He landed on his knees and fell over onto his side. The pain from the wound was now excruciating, and blood was starting to stain his white shirt. He saw a little bit start to make its way onto the sidewalk. Bystanders were now crowding around him. They were whispering, "It's the Black Cat!" and "Is he okay?" Finally, a woman moved them out of the way.

Her blond hair and brown eyes glimmered in the sunlight. Train hoped that she was a trained nurse and that she would take him to the hospital.

"What's your name?"

"Train…" Train paused out of agony. "Train Heartnet." He was glad that he could still talk.

"I'll call an ambulance," she said. Train was relieved. He thought of Saya. Sven would have a cow once he heard that he was hurt. Police sirens started wailing and two cop cars were chasing after Joe. I guess I won't be getting his reward, Train thought out of disappointment. I guess I'll get someone else's when I'm better.

"Do you have anyone that's nearby?" the woman asked Train.

"Y…yes," Train said. It was an effort for him to speak. "Take my cell phone. There's a man called Sven Vollfied on my contact list. Call him and tell him that I'm hurt."

The woman nodded and did as Train told her to do.

Sven heard his cell phone ring and answered it. "Hello?"

"Hi. This is Margaret Duvet. Do you know a man by the name of Train Heartnet?"

"Yes. He's my partner. We're sweepers," Sven said.

"He's hurt."

"What happened?"

Train's vision was starting to blur slightly. The buildings and streets became fuzzier and fuzzier as the moments passed. Blood was now soaking the sidewalk, and Train thought he heard the sound of someone vomiting. His hearing was also beginning to become impaired—he could only hear little phrases clearly.

"He…knife in…stomach area…. …seems as if... might be able to… resolve is strong… called an ambulance… no sign of one yet…. Okay…. I'll tell him…. All right…. …see an ambulance…. Call you back… he's in hospital…."

Train felt himself being lifted onto a stretcher and put in an ambulance with a team of doctors surrounding him. They administered morphine and proceeded to take out the knife that was lodged in Train's stomach once he was numb. Train was hooked up to an oxygen mask and he sucked in the clean air. I didn't realize that oxygen could taste so sweet, he thought.

Once he was at the hospital, Train reviewed what had happened in his mind. He had heard that Joe had been caught, but no one was to receive the bounty until the man who had pursued him came in. Maybe I will get Joe's bounty, Train thought happily. After a few more minutes of thinking, he decided to sleep for a little while.

--

"Train?" It was a voice that he knew from somewhere. The only thing that Train could see was blackness. It surrounded him and made him unable to see who he was talking to.

"Dad?"

"Train?"

"Mom?"

"Train, honey, where are you?"

"Mom, I'm right here." Train was finally able to see. He was holding his mother's body in his arms. His father was lying on the ground beside his mother.

"Mom, Dad, don't leave me!" he shouted as his mother's body started turning cold.

"Train, we love you," his mother said as she died.

Zagine's ghost suddenly appeared, and Train was kneeling in blood.

"Why?!" Train screamed at Zagine, suddenly consumed by anger. "Why did you have to kill them?! Why did you have to kill my parents?"

Zagine didn't answer. He turned and walked away.

Suddenly, Train saw Saya singing her song on the rooftop next to him. He wasn't holding his mother's body anymore. Braccio City's lights shone in the darkness.

Sing a song unto the world,

Rising high, the clouds unfurl.

Fan the flames into the past.

Here, now, our lives will last.

We'll never know the times of pain.

Fall down, fall down, falls the rain,

My life won't be plain.

--

That was strange, Train thought. He fell asleep again.

--

"Saya!" Train said happily.

"Hi, Train," Saya said while jumping onto Train's rooftop. She sat next to Train and asked him, "Isn't the sky so beautiful at night?"

"Yes, it is. Just like you," he added before he could stop himself.

Saya blushed, smiled, and moved closer to Train. Train enjoyed Saya's warmth for a little while before blushing and leaning in to kiss Saya's cheek with his puckered lips.

--

Darn it, Train thought. I didn't get to kiss Saya.

"Train?"

Train woke up and was nearly blinded by the sunlight. "How long have I slept for?" he asked, slightly groggy.

"A day," Sven said.

"That felt like forever," Train said.

"Saya was worried about you," Eve said.

That's Saya, all right, Train thought. She's always worried about others and not herself.

"Train, are you okay?"

"Yeah. Why?" Train asked.

"You just got this tender look in your eyes," Sven said.

"Where's Rinslet?" Train asked, eager to change the subject.

"She's off in Rishia," Sven said.

"And Saya?"

At that moment, Saya came in to the room.

"Train, are you okay?" she asked. Concern worked its way into her voice.

"Yeah," he said. He didn't want Saya to worry about him.

Saya nodded. Train's pendant glimmered in the sunlight. "You're still wearing it?" she asked.

"Yup," Train said. "I like it. It kind of matches my bell and my eyes." He smiled warmly. "Speaking of pendants, yours matches your eyes, too." A tender look crept into his eyes again and stayed there. The same look made its way into Saya's eyes and also stayed there. Train and Saya stared at each other with the same look in their eyes for a few minutes, unable to look away.

"This is getting awkward," Eve whispered to Sven.

"It sure is," Sven whispered back.

Train and Saya broke their eye contact. Train saw the looks on Sven and Eve's faces and said, "Sorry, guys. I guess I got a little carried away there or something." He turned slightly pink from embarrassment.

"That's okay," Sven said. Train's stomach growled, breaking the slight awkward silence that had come between the sweepers. Sven's stomach growled right after Train's did, which sent the four of them into small fits of laughter.