Ash snapped awake. Her feet were propped up on the seat next to her with her head resting on a thin pillow against a very cold window. She looked over her shoulder to see she was in a train car. The passengers all had their heads down, ignoring the blurs of the trees outside the windows. Sitting up, she held her head; as she felt her skin, she expected to find an assortment of blisters, but it was completely unblemished. Just like when her head was gashed or any of the other scrapes, cuts, and bruises she had been getting the last year. She wanted to thank God for healing, but she couldn’t help but feel in the pit of her stomach it was a curse. She brushed the sweat off her collarbone and gripped her pelvis. The jostling of the train was not pleasant to her already fragile state. She reached into her shirt and produced a silver chain necklace that hung quite low. At the end of the chain was a bird carved out of turquoise. She gripped the bird tight in her hand feeling the sense of warmth and joy flow through her veins. She closed her eyes and listened to the rumble of the tracks.

The pain lessened and she loosened her grip on the bird. As her head cleared, she wondered how she had gotten there. She thought of Jonah and the library, the flames of the night before, and the imps. Out of reflex she pulled her knees to her chest, almost rolling into the fetal position. Pushing against the window, she felt the cold of glass on her neck. She missed the warm, dry heat of Arizona as the chilly winds and cold front of New England were beginning to take their toll on her bones. She was startled as a man quickly occupied the seat next to her. She relaxed upon seeing it was just Jonah. He looked weary, his clothes torn, and his beard disheveled. Yet she noticed his glasses were mended from where she kicked him. In his hands he held two paper cups of tea and smiled at her.

“Good you are awake. I was beginning to worry.”

Ash took the tea without saying anything, slurping it down before realizing how hot it was. She coughed slightly.

“Earl gray?” She grumbled.

“Sorry the selection in the dining car was poor for those not riding first class,” he said apologetically.

She nodded, sipping slowly from the tea, trying to steady her hands.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled.

“For what?”

“For dragging you into this.”

Jonah nodded slowly in his chair.

“Samson brought me into this. Or maybe these things eventually find you. If it wasn’t you then certainly it would have been something else.”

She took another sip of the tea.

“You seem to be taking this rather well.”

Jonah chuckled weakly.

“I am really not, considering. My phone is gone, my car will likely be towed, I haven’t eaten anything in fifteen hours, and I just watched an entire building become engulfed in fire from heaven to kill a bunch of rabid demons. It is all surreal. But I do know one thing. I can’t go back to my home, crack open a beer and wait for the next thing to happen.”

“I feel like I bit off more than I can chew. The armies of darkness…if those were just the first wave, what options do we have in the world.”

Jonah rubbed her shoulder. “Samson faced them.”

“Look what that got him.”

“I can’t believe I am going to say this but…there is always faith.”

Ash nodded, finishing the last of her tea. She placed the cup on the ground by her seat. She again rubbed her stomach, breathing heavily against the window. Jonah noticed her discomfort.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just still can’t think of anything but that spiral. Excuse me, I think I am going to throw up.”

She stood up, adjusting her tank top, and pushed past Jonah into the aisle.

“Alright let me know if you…need anything.”

She was halfway down the aisle before he finished his thought. As she walked, she bumped against a tall man dressed in an expensive suit. His hair was brown, lighter than Jonah’s but not nearly close to blonde. He was dressed in a black suit with a muted gray tie and draped over his shoulder was a pure white silk scarf that hung perfectly still as he walked. He stepped to the side with a slight bow as Ash walked past him, giving her a slight flirtatious smile that she ignored. He continued through the car. As he passed Jonah, he stopped and looked at him, perplexed. Jonah took another drink from his tea, trying to ignore the man. The man continued to stare, almost as if he was shell shocked. Jonah looked up at him.

“Can I help you?” Jonah annoyedly asked.

“My gracious, apologies you just seem particularly familiar. Are you from Boston?”

Jonah held his hand up to the man.

“No offense…sir but I have no desire to share my home location with a strange person.”

The man shook his head, adjusting his scarf as he did.

“I want to say Joshua, or Joel, one of those Old Testament names…no it’s Jonah. Jonah Abelien or as I hear now, Professor Abelien.”

Jonah set his tea down, standing up to face the man.

“Who the hell are you?”

The man stepped back in shock, trying not to seem offended.

“Jonah, we went to grad school together. At Harvard. Sterling Halliwell,” the man said awkwardly, attempting to present his hand for a shake and having difficulty due to the spacing between the seats. Jonah continued to glare at him.

“I never went to grad school with someone named Sterling. Who are you really?”

The man gave up on the handshake and leaned against two of the chairs and sighed.

“Right you probably remember me as Cory. Coriolanus?”

Jonah was shocked as that name did ring a bell. Years ago, back in Harvard. He shook the cobwebs out of his head and made the poor attempt at a handshake.

“I’m sorry, trying night,” he said in a much softer tone.

“It looks like it. Are you doing alright?”

“Yes, just some trouble in Boston. I was going to take a sabbatical in Montreal, but I thought I would stop and give a guest lecture at Dartmouth.”

“That is quite generous of you. By the look of it you took your sabbatical quite rapidly,” he said pointing to Jonah’s worn clothes.

“Some trouble with the car, hence the train,” Jonah said meekly.

“Ah of course. Well pleasure to see you again Jonah. Hopefully I will see you around,” Sterling said, shaking Jonah’s hand awkwardly.

“Yes, good to see you again Cory-I mean Sterling.”

Sterling smiled and continued through the car. Jonah slunk back into his seat, slowly sipping the tea. Before he was finished with his first sip, Sterling tapped him on the shoulder again.

“Hi, Jonah, don’t mean to bother you again, but I think I have a spare coat in my car if you are interested.”

Jonah was taken aback by the kindness. His last twenty-four hours of dealing with flesh tearing demons had affected him more than he was willing to admit. It was nice to return to civilization. He shook his head.

“I couldn’t impose Sterling.”

“No imposition whatsoever. I live in Hanover so purchasing another one is not even out of my way and yours look a little worse for wear. I insist.”

Jonah shrugged and finished the last of his tea.

“I guess a new coat wouldn’t hurt. Thank you very much.”

Jonah stood up from his seat and followed Sterling through the cars. Each car seemed nicer than the last. From the carpet, to the ceiling fixtures, to even the handles to next compartment. Jonah stuffed his hands into his pockets, doing his best not to touch anything. Even though most everyone in the cars was fixated on either a phone, tablet or laptop, Jonah couldn’t help feeling they were watching him with disdain. As they moved through the fourth car Jonah casually glanced out the window. His heart nearly jumped into his stomach as he was certain he saw the black dog strolling across a nearby hill, glaring at the train. The speed of the train was so rapid that he couldn’t be sure if he imagined it or if it was reality. He tried to shake it off and keep moving. He tried to follow Sterling to the next car but a very gruff looking man with dirty blonde hair blocked the door. His eyes did not move from side to side, merely stayed focused on what was in front of him. Sterling reached into his coat and produced a ticket. The man stepped aside, still focusing on Jonah. As Jonah attempted to follow, the man quickly moved to reblock the door.

“He’s with me,” Sterling said simply, not even bothering to look back.

The man pulled his focus off Jonah and returned it to the room as if Jonah wasn’t even there. Sterling and Jonah pushed past him into the next car. In the car was a narrow hallway with two doors. Sterling turned and opened the door on the left. Pulling it open, he held it for Jonah. Jonah nodded and followed him in. Inside was glamorous. Mahogany walls, queen sized bed, fully stocked bar, as well its own private bathroom with marble tiles. Jonah stared at the train car in shock. Sterling looked back at him with a half-smile.

“I forgot to mention I purchased this room. Makes it easier to store things.”

He opened up his closet and began fiddling with the contents, looking for the proper jacket. Jonah continued to look over the car, spotting a bookshelf in the corner. Out of habit he decided to take a look. Several mint condition volumes of the history of Ancient Greece and Egypt. The Quran and the Bible. Lastly, on the far end of the bookshelf was a black leather book bound with words “Likely Dig Sites” stamped into the leather. Sterling cleared his throat, breaking Jonah’s attention. Jonah turned back to Sterling who was holding a black sport coat on the hanger.

“This should fit you nicely Jonah. Try it on.”

Jonah nodded and removed his jacket, slipping Sterling’s on. The moment it nestled on his shoulders he knew it was expensive. The way the cut fell perfectly, how the fabric felt on his skin, he almost tore it off instinctively. He looked at Sterling sheepishly.

“It fits nicely, thank you.”

Sterling smiled.

“Glad you like it. It is the least I could do.”

Sterling picked up Jonah’s old coat and slipped it into his closet. Jonah turned his focus back to the bookcase trying to find the words. He gurgled in throat for second before blurting out quite loudly.

“Sterling can I ask you about your black bound book? The one that says possible dig sites?”

Sterling shook his head, walking over to the shelf and removing the book.

“Absolutely. I am an archaeologist. Well, former, now I just tell people where to dig and I get a sizeable cut of the museum proceeds. Seems archaeologists are more concerned with fame than they are with money. Sort like August Kempt, remember him?”

Sterling handed him the book and Jonah began paging through it. The book was filled with maps from all over the globe. Peru, Japan, Canada, Zimbabwe, Haiti, and even parts of Antarctica. Each area marked with a different color maker and notes about the possibility of a dig. Jonah could stare at the book for hours. Sterling patted him on the back.

“If I had known you were an archeologist, I would have suggested a possible dig for near Montreal. Supposedly they are still finding the crew of Leif Erickson.”

Jonah shook his head distractedly.

“No, I’m just a historian. However, the history that you must have discovered to know where to dig must be volumes’ worth. How did you know?”

“Trade secret. But I tell you what, why you don’t hold onto that ledger and you can return it to me at dinner.”

“Dinner?”

Sterling let him out of the room, slowly locking it behind him.

“Why not, I live in Hanover and it is not often I meet a fellow alum of the Harvard historical graduate department. Besides you said you were giving some lectures at Dartmouth this is a win-win for everyone.”

Jonah could feel himself becoming suspicious again.

“This seems very charitable Sterling.”

Sterling clapped his hand on Jonah’s shoulder again.

“Think of it as an investment in an old friend. I trust you know your fair share of archeologists?”

“Well a few, but not as many as you might think.”

“You take a look over my work and in exchange maybe casually inquire about some digs they may want to be a part of.”

“Sure,” Jonah said slightly confused.

They continued back through the hall where the gruff man was still standing silently at attention, not moving his eyes from the center of the room. Jonah clutched the ledger tightly under his arm, looking closely at Sterling. He seemed familiar, perhaps he had been at Harvard during his grad school years, but he couldn’t quite be sure. They made their way back to his seat where Ash was sitting, arms crossed as if she couldn’t get warm. She seemed grateful to see him.

“Was wondering if you left,” she said meekly.

“Ashlyn this is Sterling Halliwell. He was kind enough to offer me one of his jackets.”

Ash waved to him, trying not to take her arms away from their clutched position. Sterling politely waved back.

“Pleasure to meet you, Miss?”

“Bird,” she said with a sigh.

“Bird, what a charming name how long have you two been together,” he said sweetly.

“What?” She asked in shock.

“Oh, we, um, aren’t married, she is just helping me with the lectures,” Jonah interjected.

Sterling nodded.

“A thousand apologies. Well, I will make sure to add another plate. I will let you two get settled. When the train stops at Hartford, I will have a car outside the station waiting for you. It is a black Lexus, just tell the man Sterling said it was alright. Enjoy the coat and the ledger Professor,” he said, tapping Jonah on the back in a friendly manner.

Sterling headed back through the doors as Jonah took his seat next to Ashlyn. She gave him a confused glare.

“So, care to fill me in? You were gone for a while.”

“Sorry that was a friend from grad school, he offered me his jacket and I had to go back to his private car to get it.”

“Uh huh, so this “friend” he sees you sitting here and decided to give his jacket and take you back to his private car. Oh, and from the sound of it, he invited you to diner. This sounds like he wants a little more than just conversation from you.”

“You are being too judgmental; he was just being friendly. After the couple days I could use friendly.”

Ash sighed.

“What’s with the book? If I had known we were going to be collecting so many books, I would have brought a backpack.”

Jonah handed her the ledger.

“He finds dig sites for archeologists. I figure this could be a way we could cross examine Samson’s book and maybe find this woman Samson said the devil is looking for.”

Ash paged through it, stopping halfway through. Her face curled into a frown.

“Maybe he already knows.”

She showed him the page of the map. Scribbled in black across the page was clear black “X” which crossed out Yuma, Arizona. The caption beneath read.

“Abandoned. Search elsewhere.”