The air of the Canadian capital welcomed them with a slap of dry, biting cold that seeped through the gaps in the sleeves of their official jackets. Upon exiting the baggage claim area at Ottawa International Airport, the idyllic and isolated environment of the north coast vanished completely, replaced by the strident reality of the Grand Prix. The organizing committee had set up a special security cordon at the side exit to prevent the skaters in the final flight from being intercepted by photojournalists, but the murmur of the local press and the distant flashes of cameras could already be felt behind the metal barricades.
Taishi awaited them beside an executive SUV with tinted windows, wearing his impeccable black overcoat and holding a folder with the official schedules for the morning practices. His face, usually serene, displayed the analytical focus of a strategist who knows that the political battle has already begun in the arena's hallways.
