p. 385

S studies his reflection in the window. He sees from his reflection a man who connects to and cares about him. S thinks about the story of K– and traces back to the time when Corbeau is still alive and Pfeifer is still Pfeifer. “S., despite not knowing his own history, felt connected to both past and future.”

Furious at Vevoda and the Agents, as well as the choices he himself makes, S turns away from the window. In this city of cold, silence, and “half-existence”, S is surprised that the anger is the only thing vibrant and real. In the foyer of the his building, S discovers a letter to him. The unsigned letter instructs S to hurry to a location.

Commenting on the fury that falls on S, Eric tells Jen that he “wasn’t as angry as [he] thought [he’d] be” when he confronts Ilsa. He is angry that Ilsa tries to pull with Jen when she blames him for stalling Moody’s publication.  In response, Jen reminds Eric that Dr. Brand suggests “talking things out always helps”.  Later, when Eric asks Jen whether she is going try that with her parents, Jen responds with the same question. Both Eric and Jen encounter difficult time with their parents, and this complication bonds them together out of the ordinary.