"Do nothing from rivalry or conceit,

but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

Philippians 2:3

Chapter 20

The moment the infirmary confirmed there was no danger to loss of life, Sister Kate urgently called Sister Mary into her office.

Knock, knock

"Come in," Sister Kate called quickly.

Sister Mary cautiously entered to see her superior standing over her desk, on the phone, amidst strewn papers with an intense expression.

"Yes… I understand…. No that won't be a problem. Actually, it will be greatly appreciated at this time… yes, we will have them picked up promptly… yes, goodbye." Sister Kate slowly hung up the phone and sat down.

Sister Mary thought she looked rather tired, but didn't say a word.

Sister Kate looked at Mary with so many mixed emotions, but she ended up setting them all aside and with a deep breath, she picked up the phone once more.

"Hello, this is Sister Kate. I'm going to need you to get three cars ready to drive to the train station tomorrow morning to pick up brothers from the San Francisco militia promptly at 0830. Do you understand? …Also make sure sleeping arrangements are prepared for twelve men, and inform the kitchen of the additional personnel… yes… yes… thank you." Sister Kate hung up the phone again, finally ready to give the young woman before her, her full attention. She had just been informed that the militia in the west had heard of Sister Rosette's resurrection and had decided to come to assist them in the east as thanks for their past assistance. They had been traveling for some time and would finally arrive tomorrow. Sister Kate was more than thankful to have the additional bodies. Something horrible was coming and they were going to need all the help they could get.

"I know it's nearly 10 o'clock," she began. "And you must be very tired from having such a rough afternoon, but I'm going to need you to tell me… what happened?"

Sister Mary was ready for this question. She was just upset inside for not really having much to tell.

"Well, everything was fine, mostly," the blond began. "We ran errands all throughout town with no problems. We ended the day with a stop at Caffe Pugliese for a treat… that's when things started to get really strange."

Sister Kate took her pen out in preparation to take notes. She couldn't afford to miss any detail with the events unfolding before her.

"Sister Rosette got really excited, while Chrono seemed less than impressed. It turns out that there were six angels in guard over the café! Chrono was never allowed in! Rosette spoke to a few of them... I never saw them… I guess there's one named Seth and another named Nathan who stand at the door."

Sister Kate scribbled that down. "Why were they there?" she asked without looking up.

"Well… Rosette said something about Mrs. Antoinette DeRobertis being a prayer warrior which is why they guard and protect her."

Sister Kate smiled a little upon hearing that. She had always liked that woman.

"Well, as we walked out… that's when we saw him," Mary's voice darkened. "Rosette and Chrono instantly went on guard upon seeing a man across the street. He was in a pin-stripped suit just staring at us through the traffic. It was really eerie. They said it was a possessed man."

Sister Kate didn't realize she had a death grip on her pen.

"Before I realized it, they jumped into traffic, dogging the cars, and ran after him! It was crazy! They told me to get the car, just before running off. Somehow they made it to the other side without a wreck occurring, but that was the last I saw of them for a long while." She sighed. "I did get the car, and drove and drove all over trying to find them. By the time I found them, they were slowly walking back to the café all bloody and torn up. I believe I met the angel Seth momentarily then," Mary remembered as a side thought. "Sister Rosette told Seth to notify us if they see that man again, and other than Rosette mentioning they had been cornered by a pack of dogs… I couldn't get anything else out of her… she was just too tired and trying not to cry," Sister Mary finished with her lip beginning to tremble. She felt like she failed in protecting her dear friends.

Sister Kate didn't have the luxury to get swept up in emotions. "Tell me, did you get a good look at this possessed man?" she asked pointedly.

Sister Mary took a deep breath and thought. "I think I could pick him out of a crowd," she answered honestly.

"Well, it's not much," Sister Kate said. "But it is a start. Hopefully Rosette and Chrono will be able to tell us more soon. I imagine this possessed man is a key to the coming events. You did well Sister Mary. I don't blame you in the slightest."

"But-"

"Sister Rosette has always been compulsive. It is her way. I know best of all, she is not one to be controlled." Sister Kate smiled warmly. She did care for her flock. "Sleep well," she dismissed gently.

"Thank you. Good night," Sister Mary quietly replied as she stood to leave. It was true Rosette was hard headed, but she still felt like she should have tried to do more.

Back in the infirmary, old Sister Sara sat quietly in the corner with a lot on her old mind. She had seen many things throughout her life of service. She wasn't as young as most of the women who occupied this particular church. It was a Militia branch location after all. She hadn't been assigned here, but had chosen the transfer for her own reasons only three months ago.

She removed her glasses to rub her eyes. The frames snagged at her gray hair which usually was in a small tight bun. She scowled at the snag.

Chrono suddenly let out a low growl in his sleep.

Sara jolted up from the quiet, yet those she watched over showed no other life in them other than the rise and fall of their chests. Sara shook her old head. This place surely kept her on her toes. She hadn't expected the commotion they had only a few hours ago, but she had been warned that something big might happen when the famous Sister Rosette, and her party, had yet to return that day.

Sara stood to check the devils wounds. She had been warned about Chrono's origins, yet it was still so odd. It was nearly midnight, but the soft glow of her desk lamp was enough to walk around the room to check her charges. Chrono's feet were overhanging the end of the bed, propped up on pillows on a chair. She shook her head. This young man could be a basketball player with his height. As she bent over him to check his shoulder wounds, sure enough his skin had already grown back. She then removed some bandages on his right arm to find the same result. The gashes from his arm had already closed up.

"My, my!" she mumbled. "Sister Anna was right. You would heal your outer wounds within the first day," she marveled. Her gaze then shifted to Sister Rosette sleeping next to him. She wouldn't be as lucky. She had suffered far less injuries than her partner, however she wouldn't have the luxury of being able to heal as quick. The lacerations to her arms were bad, but didn't seem to have destroyed any major nerves and bones. She just needed stitches there. Her torso and left leg were similar, however her right leg was not so fortunate. Her muscles were torn and a bone had be crushed from strong jaws. A chunk was missing from her outer thigh and her calf was shredded with knee cap exposed. Sister Mary had mentioned to her upon arrival that she had found them limping down the street. How Sister Rosette had managed to limp on that leg at all was astonishing enough.

'She had to have been in so much pain,' she thought. 'They both must have.'

A field surgeon from town had been called in to work on her leg the moment she had arrived in such a bloody state. He had done the best he could, but didn't believe she would ever be able to walk gracefully ever again. The extent of her injury wouldn't be fully known for months.

Sister Sara was just about to sit back down to write a few notes when Chrono suddenly sat up with a gasped start.

"Ahha…" he disoriently panted, as he ran a shaky hand through his hair.

"Mr. Chrono?" Sister Sara spoke as she slowly approached.

He rubbed at his face and took deep breaths as his mind cleared from his nightmares. It was so hard to shake the suffocating feeling of dread that surrounded him. After a moment he turned to look at the woman who stood watch over him.

"What time is it?" he asked as he was finally able to rest his thoughts upon his surroundings. He could see Joshua sleeping across from him.

"Nearly one in the morning," she supplied after a quick glance at the wall clock.

"And Rosette?" he asked looking at his partner now next to him.

"She's in no danger," she supplied. She didn't need this demon to become distressed beyond consoling.

That wasn't true in the slightest to Chrono. Rosette was always in danger it seemed. Chrono tossed his covers off and kicked the chair supporting his feet back, as he swung his legs off.

"Now, you shouldn't be moving! What do you think you are doing?" Sara moved to his side to steady him.

"She was badly injured. She mentioned her right leg, right?" he moved to stand with her support.

"Yes, but the surgeon has already been here. She just needs to rest now. Nothing more can be done right now."

"Not if I have a say in it," he grunted as pain shot up his legs as he tried to take a step.

"What do you intend to do?" she asked alarmed with his arm draped over her shoulder.

He took a stubborn breath. "Show me her worst injury," he gritted out.

Sister Sara, feeling as if she was nearly holding him up, hesitated. Should she do as he asks? She had never met this being before, but she had been told many stories of these two. If what she had heard was true, she realized that it might be best to trust him and simply lend aid to their work.

"Fine," she decided. "I'll show you, but first can you at least tell me what happed? What am I to tell Sister Kate in the morning?"

It was the only leverage she had on him to get the answers she knew the order wanted.

Chrono figured Mary had to have told them some of it. "The man we are looking for said he was a lawyer. If that is the case, he works for a high end firm. He was well prepared and cocky about his plans. He had been warned about us and was ready. Now… show me." He wasn't about to humor this saint any more than that.

"This way," she answered. She wasn't about to press her luck. She guided him around Rosettes bed frame and helped him ease down next to her. Kneeling, she guided his hands over her bandaged thigh.

"She lost a chunk of her leg here," she carefully spoke. "With other sever injuries all the way down," she supplied.

Chrono bit back a growl. He shirked off his helpers hands as he concentrated on his dear Rosette. He refused to do nothing. He was just too stubborn. Rosette could yell at him later, but he'd be damned if he'd allow permanent damage to her fair skin. Chrono bowed his head over his hovering hands and focused his energy on her. She was asleep and on medication; she hopefully wouldn't remember the pain.

Sister Sara stood back in alarm as she watched this demon's hands faintly glow orange over her bandages.

Chrono's breathing became erratic as he worked to heal her leg. Slowly, he ghosted his hands down her leg. Rosette seemed to whimper a bit in her sleep as he worked to restore tendons, muscles, crushed bones and lost skin. By the time he reached her foot he was beyond just shaking. He tried to keep it together, but slumped to the ground the moment her leg was made whole.

"Mr. Chrono!" Sister Sara yelled, as she returned to his side. He was trembling and gasping for breath on the floor. Sara got up quickly and rushed for the bell at her desk. She grabbed the brass bell and rang it harshly out in the hallway; its sharp sound echoed off the stone.

Rushing back to Chrono's side, she worked to lay him flat on his back. Within moments others came rushing in with rumbled clothing and disarrayed hair to assist as needed.

Within fifteen minutes, Chrono had been returned to his bed, Rosette's leg had been assessed, and Sister Sara had been relieved of watch to report to Sister Kate who was also in a disheveled state due to the hour. It was messy and unplanned, however another piece of the puzzle was in place. If the man was a lawyer, and Mary could recognize him, then the church had a way to find him. New York was a big city, but not big enough to hide in with that sort of career.

They'd all return to their beds for now, however come morning, the search for this serpent would begin.

Hello. Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

I finally figured out how to bridge this story to the conflict. It has been a mystery for me how to get my characters to the battle front, but it finally hit me. It makes me happy to see how things will finally unfold in my mind. I hope I will have plenty of time to write (as this story has been left unfinished for far too long.)

Thanks for the support!

TBC…