The Sanguine Seraph

Chapter Two - Ashley Valette

Rain pattered on the windows of the train, blurring the street lights into van Gogh stars. Kat sat in a recliner chair staring out the window. The lights had dimmed, creating a void with the darkness outside. She shivered almost missing the sun that had faded away hours ago, and the rain only made her regret her decision even more.

Andie would be at some beach for the week, soaking up the rays and surf. Kat had looked forward to getting away as well but had somehow been roped into responsibility like always. She grumbled and put on her headphones. She tapped on an audiobook that she'd wanted to listen to, and that was as good of a time as any.

After a few minutes of blissful monologuing, a flicker of movement caught her eyes as a pair of men walked up to her. They wore black suits, and each had an earpiece in one ear.

She narrowed her eyes, noting from her training, that they walked in a confident unison, so probably military background. They held their backs in a posture for a possible shoulder holster, which meant each of them were sporting at least one gun. However, in combination with the training, they probably had a conceal-carry license.

Her gaze swiveled to a fire extinguisher on the wall if she needed a weapon. Not only that, but the bags in the bin above her had a hefty weight to them, then there was the knife she had strapped to her left calf for desperate times.

Kat pulled off the headphones when they stopped next to her seat. "Can I help you?"

One of the men with buzzed blond hair pulled out a small note pad. He skimmed over it as he spoke, "We are looking for a young woman. She'd be around twenty with dark hair and dark eyes. Her name is Ashley Valette."

Well, she thought, at least I'm not the one they want.

"I'm sorry. I don't know anyone by that name. I'm sure the conductor would have a passenger manifest though if that helps."

The two men stood there a moment longer. Kat began to grow uneasy, but they nodded and continued down the aisle. She let out a weighted breath when they changed cars, glad not to have to use her tactical training; however, her better judgment knew they were anything but simple civilians.

She let out a weighted breath and resumed her audiobook while watching the trees flutter from the wind of the passing train.

Her eyes slipped from focus, blinking through the haze.

After what seemed mere moments, a deep voice called out from amidst the background noise. Kat jumped, but soon recognized the speaker from her audiobook. She blinked and removed her headphones. The trees outside had vanished and were replaced with a well-lit station. The rain had stopped, and lampposts stood every ten feet, encompassing the small platform. A small bricked building sat at the end of a short, paved path. The painted sign on the roof read Beaumont Station.

"Crap. We're here already." Kat jumped up from her seat.

She snatched up her headphones and shoved them along with her phone into her bag. Her eyes scanned for her boots that had been tucked underneath the seat next to her. She pulled them on and ran down the corridor to the end of the car, trailing her suitcase behind as her bag bounced against her shoulder. The train whistle screeched.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit," she grumbled under her breath.

Kat leaped down over the last couple stairs onto the platform. She set her small black suitcase on the concrete slab next to her, then checked over her bag, making sure she didn't leave anything back onboard.

The train sputtered out a grinding sound and inched forward.

It wasn't entirely her fault for almost missing her stop. If the arrival time had been at a reasonable hour instead of at two in the morning, then she wouldn't have had that problem.