SLEEPY HOLLOW #4: WOMEN IN TIME

SLEEPY HOLLOW #4: In the weeks, following Jennifer Mills abduction, and return, both Ichbod Crane, and Abigail Mills, would face issues, which had no simple answers. While Abigail Mills was facing Assualt charges, for tackling the officer, who had targetted Jennifer, while the woman was stuck on a run-a-way, flying, broom, And Jennifer Mills was leading a "team", of her fellow mercenaries, to the spot, where she had buried the teams supplies (nearly 200 years before), Ichbod Crane, himself, was having as much trouble, as was usual, with the "new", female, police captain. Although Crane, himself, like his mentors, George Washington, Bennjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson (among others), had seen no value, in denying either women, or negroes, their value, and rights, as people, Crane was finding himself, in the 21st century, doing verbal "battle", almost daily, with a woman who refused to understand that, legally, women had NO rights, back in colonial America. No matter how many times that Crane would say "In MY day..." (meaning the days, of colonial America), the woman just kept barking, at him, about womens rights. Even when Abby would try to re-phrase Cranes words, saying "He means, in colonial days", th captain would insist that Crane meant the modern day. This is the main reason why, as often as possible, Crane did his best to AVOID the police captain. Since it would seem that only the Mills sisters, and a few others, understood the meaning, behind Cranes words, Crane did his best to limit his conversations, to those who understood him. Ofcourse, Crane had made a "mistake", involving Jenny's recent abduction. An "innocent" mistake, but one which the captain was not likely to forget, anytime soon. After all, when the captain had asked for directions, to the mercenaries compound, and Crane had used his historical knowledge, to identify the camps location, Crane had done exactly what the captain had asked. When Crane had mentioned that the land was under the ownership, of a certain family, and the captain had asked for a map, Crane had produced a map, drawn, based upon the landmarks, of his day. Now, had the captain asked Crane to draw a map, based upon modern landmarks, he would have done so. Since the captain had, clearly asked for a map, based upon historical information, Crane had provided this. After the police raiding party found nothing, at the location in question (as Crane had tried to tell them), the captain had given Crane a severe "dressing down", for providing "false" information. When Crane had said "Madam! I knew the property owners quite well. They were loyal, and true. I visited their home, on many an occassion, so dont bother telling me that I am not aware of how to reach their residence". Later, while aiding an officer, with details, of a historic battle, for something the officer was writing, (while Crane awaited the arrival, of Abigail Mills), the police captain had charged from her office, barking "OUT!", to Crane, even as the officer was saying "He was just helping me with some details, for a project", the captain would bark "OUT!" to Crane, before signalling some officers, to put Crane out of the police station. Later, when Crane DID meat up, with the Mills sisters, and Jennifer commented, on how LONG it had taken, to find the supplies, despite her marking the tree's, Crane had suggested a method, which the colonies had learned, from the indian nations. When the captain found the three having a drink, and marched over, telling Crane "The next time you come into my station, making anti-woman remarks, I will place you under arrest, myself! Understand?" Even as Crane would say "Understood", Abigail would ask "Just what KIND of remarks was Crane making, captain?" Abigail was prepared to hear that Crane was being accused of making either race, or gender, hate remarks, so Abigail was surprised when the captain said "He thinks that being a man makes him superior to us. He keeps talking about how women should be "put in our place", specifically the kitchen. One more crack, and I will arrest you, myself". After the captain stormed out of the bar, Abigail asked Crane "What was that all about?" To which Crane would say "A member, of the "force" asked me the truth of the saying, that colonial women being "seen, and not heard". "I was, simply, informing the officer that it was a rather rude, but accepted, custom. A custom applied to ALL women, regardless of color." When Jennifer Mills would ask "Even white women were ordered to accept this?" Crane would say "All women were subject to this practice." When Jennifer would ask "How did the Founding Fathers feel, about this?" Crane would say "This is one, of many, reasons, why the colonies declared independence. We intended to create a land of equality. A land where a mans value was measured by his work, not by his race." When Jennifer would mention "When I was back there, I noticed that the women did not speak. What was that all about?" Crane would say "That is the way colonial women were raised. They did not speak unless spoken to." When Jennnifer would ask "Who made THAT rule?" Crane would say "I haven't the foggiest notion". For the remainder, of the evening, the three discussed how life had changed, over the past century. After reading no less than eight, history, books, about the only thing, which Abigail Mills was certain of was the fact that women had not been, legally, allowed to vote, until the 20th century. And not just black women, either. Not even white women were allowed to vote, until the nineteenth amendment, to the constitution, was passed. It would not be until after Abigail Mills was cleared of the Assault charge, and Jennifer Mills had returned to her training, with the mercenaries, that an un-expected event would occur. One evening, while the three were out, for a walk, after having a "brew", that, althougth all were certain that they were sober, none expected what would happen, that evening. Before the three, on the path, appearred Katrina Crane. Jennifer suppressed a smile when, as Abby saw Mrs. Crane, she, instinctively, drew her weapon. It was only when Jenny would ask "WHAT are you going to do, with that?" This is when Katrina Crane would mention "This would be my inquiry, as well". When Ichbod would ask "Katrina, for what purpose have you made your presense, known to us?" Katrina would say "I have made this appearance, as a plea, for forgiveness. I never intended harm to befall to any of you." When Abby would say "Well, guess what." Katrina would say "You must understand. When I met with the wizard, my powers were not as I would have preferred. His, dark, magic, was far more powerful, than I might have supposed." When Abby would ask "Okay, WHOSE side are you on, now?" When Katrina would ask "Side? I do not understand. What are these "sides"?" Ichbod would say "What the letenent means is "Do you, currently, remain under the warlock's influence?" Katrina would say "I am free of his influence. It would seem that the transformation cleansed my soul. I am, no-longer, subject to his influence". Although the three would remain suspicious, of the new arrival, Katrina would suggest "The purpose, of my presenting my presence, is to bring a warning, of dire events, which are, soon, to transpire. Moloch has not been banished. At present, Moloch is in preparation for the next phase, of his agenda. For this reason, Moloch is in session, with the horsemen, of Death, and War. I know not the details, of their coming actions, however, I am aware of the instance of the failure to abduct Miss Jennifer, and the attempted deceit, which was hoped would lead to Miss Abigail firing the shot, which would have ended Miss Jennifer's existence." When Jennifer would ask "Why would it matter if my sister shot me? Its not like we are The Waltons, or anything similar". Abigail would suggest "Jenny, that may be true, but we are family. To some people, family still means something". When Jennifer would quip "Oh, you are breaking my heart." Ichabod would interrupt "Might we focus our efforts on the dilema, currently at hand?" Ichabod would, then, suggest "Katrina, if you would be so kind as to ingratiate yourself, into the horsemans graces, again, perchance you might obtain more information, which may be of relevance, in the coming task." Even Abigail would stay silent, for a moment, while waiting for Katrina to say "Yes, my love". Instead, Katrina would say "As you wish", with a curtsey. After that, Katrina would begin to walk away, only to dissolve into thin air. When Jennifer would ask "Am I drunk, or did she just fade away?" Abby would say "If you saw it, as well, then we are, all, drunk, or Katrina did fade away". Ichabod would intercede, suggesting "If, perchance, Moloch, and the horsemen, retain the ability to access this realm, then would it not be prudent to seek out our own sources, and attempt to educate ourselves, regarding coming events?" When Jennifer would ask "You dont trust your own wife?", It would be Abigail who would ask "After what has happened, recently, would you?" Jennifer would say "Point taken." When Ichabod would ask "What point has been taken to what location?" Abby would say "Never mind." In the between-worlds realm, of Purgatory, Moloch would be hatching his latest plan, with the horsemen. A plan, which, IF executed, properly, would remove both of the Mills sisters, from the playing field, leaving Crane to face the horsemen, of Death, and War, alone. Although, this time, Moloch would instruct his minions to strike "late at night", so as to avoid being witnessed, in their actions, what Moloch did not take into account was where the Mills sisters would be, at the time of the abduction. The only reason why Jennifer was present, at the time, was because the police captain wanted to make her point clear. The captain would tell Abby, in front of her sister, "I DONT want my officers hanging around either with people, who think they know about the past, or with mental patients." When Abby would say "Crane has proven himself, more than once, and on a variety of cases. His knolwedge is valuable, to ME." When the captain would say "NOT the point", Abby would say "As for my sister. We ARE family. During my off-duty hours, I am allowed to see whomever I want. Even my family." The captain was just saying "Not in my police station." when, out-of-the-blue, some creatures appearred, in the captains office, and snatched the three women up before the captain even got her gun out of her holster. When the three women, next, saw their surroundings, and Abby saw the captain trying to take aim, Abby would say "Captain, put the gun away". When the captain responded "No way! Where are we?" Abby would say "Purgatory". When the captain asked, incredulously "WHERE?", Abby would say "A place where our guns are useless". When the captain would say "Impossible!", Abby would say "Go ahead. Fire at will". When the captain put off two rounds, at a nearby tree, the woman stood, in dis-belief, when the rounds went right through the tree, non-stop, and just kept going. This is when a familiar voice would say "Hello, Abby, Jenny". When Jenny asked Abby "It cant be, can it?" Abby would say "This is the realm of souls. Corbin, sometimes, comes here, to speak with me". Sure, enough, when Jenny looked at the man, there, before her, stood August Corbin. The man she had collected so many items, for , over the years. While the three shared a hug, the captain just sat, nearby, saying "This CANT be real. I MUST be asleep." When Abby would say "Captain, I would like you to meet Sheriff August Corbin." When Corbin stuck out a hand, the captain would say "No way. This MUST be a dream. I am NOT shaking hands with a dream". Corbin would say "Suit yourself". When Abby would ask Corbin "What is happening?" Corbin would say "Remember what I told you, before, about trusting your own judgement?" Abby would say "Like I could forget". Corbin would say "Remember that lesson. Remember it, and APPLY it, to coming events". When Abby would ask "What coming events?" Corbin would say "Remember...", even as he faded away. Moments later, Purgatory fell away, from the women, and, although both of the Mills sisters knew what to expect, Abby knew the captain would just argue, if Abby tried to tell the woman what to expect. Soon, the three women found themselves "falling", through what seemed like a vertical tunnel. The Mills sisters, though, being "veterans", of this type of thing, knew to curl up, into balls, for the coming "crash landing". (Both Abby, and Jenny, had to wonder WHY time-travel always dropped people like the people had jumped from a second story window). When the three reached the end, of the "tunnel", the captain noticed that the sisters were curled up, but had no idea what the reason, for this was. The captain wondered if Abby was a "chicken", behind her badge. Moments later, the captain learned the reason for the sisters "crash position". When the "tunnel"/"portal" opened up, the Mills sisters dropped, and rolled, mussing their hair, and jolting their clothes, but emerging without injury. The captain, though, NOT being a "veteran", ended up doing a "belly flop", and bruising her shoulders, as well as taking minor injuries. When the woman stood up, not noticing about her surroundings, then told Abby "Whatever that was, I need to see a medic, once we return to the station. When the captain looked about her, recognized some tree's, then said "This way. We can be back, at the station, in no time". Abby tried to tell the woman "Captain", but the captain was as hard-headed, as ever, even taking "point". Following, a distance behind, Jennifer would ask Abby "Should I ask "WHERE are we?", or should I ask "WHEN are we?"" Abby would say "Lets follow the captain, for as long as it is safe. If anything happens, we can duck back, under cover." To Abby's annoyannce, her sister would say "Good plan". Abby just could not believe how the captain walked right into town, not even noticing the lack of black-top, on the paths, and the "costumes", which people were wearing. Abby, and Jenny, both, sought cover, when the captain stopped a rider, on horseback, telling the man "Dont you know that we have an ordinance, in this city, about riding horses, on public thoroughtfares". When the man just looked at the captain, in dis-belief, then the captain told the man "Step down from there", Abby whispered, to herself "Captain, get OUT of there". Within moments, just as the sisters had feared, the captain was roped, tied, and taken to the sheriff's office, all the while shouting "I am an officer, of the law. You are, all, under arrest!" When the locals dropped the captain, at the Sleepy Hollows sheriff's office, saying "Sheriff, we have a real live one, here. Thinks she is the sheriff". When the captain said "I am NOT the sheriff. I am the captain of this precinct. Not un-hand me, NOW!" This is when the sheriff came to the captain, who thought that the man was some kind of character, in his western get-up, badge on his vest, and ten-gallon hat, she was not prepared for the man to say "Empty her pockets." When the captain said "How dare you!" The sheriff said "One more word, and I will, personal, toss you into a cell. I dont care if you IS a lady". When the captain said "I will have your badge, for this!", the captain was left speechless when the sheriff threw her over his shoulder, like a sack of groceries, carried her to a cell, and dumped her inside. The sheriff would, then, say "Stay put, and shut up, until a find a proper lady, to frisk you". Back, in the woods, Jenny would ask Abby "What do we do?", Abby would suggest "You said, the last time the horseman sent you here, you buried some suppies, right?" Jennifer would say "Yes, provided this is the same time, and not earlier". Abby would say "We better take the chance, and hope for the best". With that, the sisters would set off, in search of the supplies, Jenny had left, in the past, even as a very robust woman would tackle the captain, hog-tieing the woman, then delivering the captains belongings, to the sheriff. When the sheriff said "Thank you, ma'am", the woman would say "Anytime, sheriff". While the captain "stewed", in her cell, failing to realize that this jail used Kerosene lamps, instead of flourescent bulbs, for light, the sheriff would be in his office, with his deputies, trying to figure out the bizzarre things the woman had on her person. The men just could not figure out WHERE the woman had made a picture, of herself, which looked so life-like that it was like "magic". Then, there was the question, which a deputy raised, about the print, on the I.D.. as the deputy would ask "What sheriff's office would have a FE-MALE on staff?" The sheriff would add "Who ever heard of a female de-tec-tive?", whatever that is." Another deputy would ask "It cant be real, right sheriff? I mean, whoever heard of a FE-MALE captain?" The sheriff would say "Who ever heard of a female working in law enforcement?" Left baffled, by the captains I.D., the men moved on, to the captains side-arm, with a deputy asking "What kind of six-shooter is that?" The sheriff would say "Blast me, if I know. Dont look like any gun I ever seen, before.". While the sheriff, and his staff, were trying to understand 20th century technology, in the 18th century, the Mills sisters "struck gold", when they located Jennifers marks, on the trees, and recovered the supplies, which they might need, for a prolonged stay, in this place. Waiting until well after dark, the sisters approached the sheriff's office, and the window opening, for the cells. It was decided that Abby would approach the captain, HOPING that Abby could encourage the woman to keep calm. No such luck, though. When the captain saw Abby, the captain got loud as she ordered Mills, "Bring back-up, and get me OUT of this thing." When Abby TRIED to tell the woman, quietly, to BE quiet, the captain would say, most vocally, "I am your superior officer. You will NOT tell me to be quiet". Abby knew the "jig was up", when she heard a deputy call into the cell-block "Woman, are you going to be quiet, or do I have to come in there, and make you be quiet." As some as the captain called out "I am an officer, of the law", and Abby heard footsteps coming, she knew she had to leave the captain behind. Whatever happened, now, was up to the Mills sisters. When Abby and Jenny, retreated to the forest, for cover, and Abby told Jenny what had happened, Jenny was like "Terrific, hasn't that woman ever heard of "low-profile?" Abby would say "Not according to her profile. It seems that the captain has been a dogged law enforcer, for many years." As the sisters sat back, in the forest, ate rations, and contempleted their next move, Jenny asked the natural question, after having her initial idea, of using explosives, to blow the jail, declined, by Abby. The question of "Has Crane ever told you what people did, with those they thought were un-balanced, in his day?" Abby said "Crane has never mentioned it, but I recall that some of the history books, which I read, after speaking to Professor Malachai Olsen. Some of the books said that most territories not only had just a regional sheriff, and judge, who stopped by, from time to time, to hear any pending cases". When Jenny would ask "Did any of the books say anything about mental illness?" Abby would say "In Cranes day, it was called by the simple name: Insanity". When Jenny would ask "What happened to victims?" Abby would say "The books claim that, in most communities, the "crazies" were collected, at intervals, then carted off, to places, where they were either dumped, or chained up. Some places had staff, to watch over the people, while most were little more than "garbage dumps". It was when Jenny would ask "When do you think the next pick-up will be?" Abby would say "I guess that we can scout around. Try to find out." Jenny would say "First things, first. We need to ditch these modern clothes. We need to "blend in". With that, the first part, of the sisters "plan", went into effect. Back in the present, Ichabod Crane would be searching all over modern day Sleepy Hollow, for his co-worker. He just could not believe that it was true that, at the same moment, when Abby, and Jenny, went missing, that the police captain had gone missing, as well. It would only be when Katrina would appear to him, calling him by name, that Ichabod would receive the news. Katrina would say "Ichabod, I have learned of the horsemans plans, and Moloch's directive." When Ichhabod would say "Pray, enlighten me, Katrina". Katrina would say "The plan has been placed into action, to remove the Mills sisters from the present, and send them to the colonial past." When Crane would ask "What purpose would that serve?", Katrina would say "The hope is that you will be left emotionnally vulnerable, and required to face the coming battle, alone." In the 18th century, Abby had, no-sooner suggested ASKING some local women, for some clothing, when Jenny suggested "Why not just take some clothes, from a wash-line. Who would, ever, know if some clothes blew away, on the wind?" Abby would, no-sooner, say "No way am I taking part in any thefts. We may be two hundred years in the past, but I am still a law enforcer". While the sisters were trying to figure out how to find clothes, which fit the time period, they happened upon something which might, one day, turn into something like the Salvation Army. Once the sisters surveilled the place, the decision was made. Wait for sun-down, and use ONLY pen-lights. AVOID damage, if possible. To the sisters astonishment, they did not have to break into the building, at all. When Jenny would whisper "The house, of the Lord, welcomes all", Abby just gave her sister a look, then the ladies set forth to find "disguises", for their time, in town. Abby would remind Jenny "Remember, we need things which fit in, in the 1800's, not the 21st century." then added "Things which Negro women would wear". When Jenny would ask "What did black women wear, in the 1800's?" Abby would say "Good point. Probably hand-me-downs, from white ladies". Selecting a weeks worth of clothing, for each woman, the Mills sisters would retreat, to the forest, where they would place the filthy clothes into a bag, then grab some sleep, before sun-rise. A few hours later, the sisters would have "dived" into some rations, but the smell, from the clothes bag, was bad enough that both sisters admitted "Washing comes first, then eating". Using something called "Camp-site detergent", the sisters would soak the clothes, in a stream, then wash the clothes, thoroughly, and repeatedly, until all scent was gone. After that, Jenny would hang the clothes, from tree branches, to air-dry. While the clothes dried, the sisters would surveill the towns women, for proper actions, and behavior. (Yes, Abby remembered, all too well, her last visit, here, and how much trouble SHE had been in. Trouble which included being locked in a cell, herself. Upon returning to the 21st century, Abby had promised herself "When in Rome..." By the time the clothes were ready for wear, Jenny was full of questions, such as "Why are the women acting so subservient?" Abby would remind her "This is the way it was, in colonial times". When Jenny would say "That, still, does not make it right". Abby would remind her sister "Remember, we are NOT in the 21st century. When in Rome, do as the Romans do, understand?" Jenny would moan "I understand". Thankfully Abby had grown accustomed to Cranes "strange" vocabulary, during their work, together. Thankfully, Crane had taught Abby a thing, or twenty. Abby just hoped that she knew ENOUGH to get by. After all, this was NOT some test, for history class. If the sisters screwed up, here, they could wind up sold, as runaway slaves, or even hanged, if found to be "impudent". At Abby's suggestion, the sisters operated under the guise of "TALK as little as possible, and LISTEN as much as possible". Something with which, it would turn out, Jenny was, very familiar with. Although Abby was much more "familiar", with colonial speech, thanks to Crane, Jenny found herself excusing herself, and curtseying, much more than she planned to. Jenny just felt totally un-comfortable when she found atleast one man looking her over, like she was "for sale". She was about to say "Get a woman", when she saw Abby, gesturing, and, instead, whispered "Pardon me, kind sir. My sibling wishes my company". When Abby gave Jenny the news "The lepers wagon is due, in two weeks. We have until then to figure out how to free the captain". When Jenny asked "Lepers wagon? The captain does not have Leprosy". Abby would say "According to Crane, such wagons handle anyone, who is "ill". It does not matter if the illness is pneumonia, or dimentia. If a person is "sick", they are dumped in the wagon". When Jenny asked "Where are the people taken, for treatment?" Abby would say "According to the history books, hospitals wont exist, for another century. In this time, people are just taken to a place, where the disease runs its course." Jenny would say "And I thought that the psychiatric ward was bad". Abby would say "Compared to "todays" treatments, modern health care is pure heaven, even on its worst days." Still, Jenny would suggest "If they take the captain to one of those places, where you say there is minimal staff, we could rush the place, and no one would be the wiser." Abby would say "Nice try, sis, but Crane showed me one of those chain systems. A real one, not the ones the museums have. You would not believe how THICK, and STRONG, those things are". When Jenny would ask "How thick are they. The REAL ones?" Abby would say "The ones, which Crane showed me, could restrain an elephant, and it would take a professional welder a week, with the right tools, to cut a shackle off." When Jenny would say "It sounds like they treated these people like animals". Abby would say "In those days, they didn't know any better." After two more days, of sitting around, eating rations, Abby would catch a break, when she noticed some men tying "binding ropes" (As restraining rope was referred to, in colonial America). Abby remembered Crane saying something about these ropes being used for binding supplies, prior to transport, AND for binding prisoners, for transport. Crane had entioned something about communities using these ropes, instead of "cuff's", since, it would seem that anything, which went with prisoners was, never, seen, again. Since communities could not afford the loss of metal, used for cuff's, most villages used binding ropes, to transport prisoners. This is when Abby would tell Jenny "We can take the captain, during transport. The prisoners are only tied, with rope, so we can grab the captain, then un-tie her, after we are away from the escort." When Jenny would mention "Aren't there armed guards, with the prisoners?" Abby would say "Sis, you are, still, thinking of the 21st century. This is the 18th. Here, there are no such thing as Pinkertons, yet." Jenny would say "Swell". Then came the real question: Jenny would ask "Just HOW do we keep her silent, until help comes?" Abby would say "I HOPE we can convince her to be quiet". When Jenny would ask "And, if we cant, and she WONT?", Abby would say "I guess that we tie, and bind, her, until help arrives". When Jenny would ask "Help. From where? or WHOM?" Abby would say "I am hoping that Katrina's coven might aid us." Although Abby, after talking with Crane, was prepared for the "moonstrous bruiser", who would come, with the "leper wagon", Jenny did not know whether to be aroused, or terrified. The man was a solid piece of muscle. Jenny wondered what he would be like, in bed. That is, until Abby whispered "Focus. We are here, for the captain". When the man carried the captain out, over his shoulder, for a moment, Jenny fantasized that it was HER, on the mans shoulder. The fantasy, though, was shattered, when the man just DUMPED the captain into the wagon, with those others, like she was a bag of salt. After the wagon departed the jail, the Mills sisters would follow along, until they KNEW which trail the wagon was taking. When Jenny remarked "Not even an escort? How dumb are they?" Abby would whisper a growl "Remember: 18th century" Jenny would say "Right, everyone is trusting, and honest". Once the sisters noticed that the driver was keeping his eyes on the trail, they came up, behind the wagon, and got a surprise. Two prisoners jumped off the wagon, and no one said a word, to the driver. After this, when the captain scooted off her seat, the sisters noticed why the other "prisoners" were not moving. THEY were tied to the wagon. As to why the captain was not tied, the Mills sisters just thought it was luck. When the captain began to struggle, in the sisters grasp, Abby whispered "Its your choice, captain. Either cooperate, and be safe, or make noise, and we leave you here, for someone to find, later." It seems the captain saw the wisdom, of this, since she, FINALLY, stopped struggling. half an hour later, and Jennifer had the captains ties removed, even as the captain admitted "We are not in our own town, are we?" Abby would say "If you mean, are we not in our own TIME, then you are right". When the captain would ask "How do we get back home?" Jenny would suggest "How about a bath, first, THEN we worry about getting home?" The sisters then showed the captain the "hidden" lake they had been using, for bathing, and the creek, which they used for drinking water. After the captain took half an hour, in the lake water, with some "camping soap", then applied "camp-site" deodorant, the three ladies then shared some rations, while trying to figure out how to contact Katrina's coven. When Jenny asked Abby "I thought the coven banished Katrina, to Purgatory, for saving Ichabod's life?" The captain would watch, and listen, totally baffled, as Abby would say "I THINK we are in a time period, prior to this. When Katrina was, still, in the covens good graces." When the captain would ask "Coven? Saving lives? I hope you are not talking about the fairy tale, of witches". When the sisters just looked at the captain, and she said "You are , aren't you". Abby would ask "Do you want to get back home, or be stuck here?" When the captain said "Back home sounds nice". Abby would say "Time to try to signal Katrina's coven, then" Abby suspected that the coven already knew who they were, and where they were. The coven was just "playing it safe", until they were certain. After all, in this time period, more than others, "witches" were hunted, like animals, and roasted, alive. As a result, covens were cautious. Abby was not-at-all surprised when first contact was made by a novice, whose skills were just blossoming. The young woman just asked some basic information, then lead the three women back to the covens "quarters". Here, the captain would have her sense, of right, and wrong, tested, as she learned that these people were Wiccans, not dark witches. The captain found it wisest to remain silent, while Abby conversed with the covens members. Especially since the captain spoke even less colonial English than Abby did. In fact, the captain did not understand most of what was being said. She felt like she did, in grade school, learning to read. To Abby's relief, the covens memberrs took Abby's continual mis-steps in stride, as they saw that Abby was trying her best. Abby even faked some curtseys, at appropriate times, just as Crane had bowed, to the members, for real. It took awahile, but the coven came to understand what had happened. The women were, then, asked to wait, while the coven worked on a way around both Moloch, and the horsemen. When the captain asked Abby "How long will this take?" Abby would say "When I am with Crane, most of the time, things are ready, when we arrive. Other times, we have to "make nice", if it is information that we want. You should be ready to wait, for days, since we are going up against Moloch." What even Abby could not have predicted was what would happen, next. In a move, which NO one expected, Katrina Crane would visit the coven, with information, and materials, which the coven needed, for a successful spell. Once the spell was brewed, the covens priestess would ask the three women "Are you certain that this is what you want?" The women felt like saying things like "Hell, YES!", or "Just do it!", or other phrases, but Abby had cautioned that such phrases were not known, in this time. As a rsult, Abby had been chosen to give the groups answer. When Abby would say "Yes, sister, we are prepared for the journey to come". The priestess would say "Very well, then", and the coven began the incantation, which summoned the portal, which would carry the three women back to the 21st century. As though sucked into a giant vacuum, the three women found themselves inside another tunnel, and falling, again. This time, though, the captain would mimic the sisters actions, of curling into a ball. When the tunnel "spit" the three women out, they found they had an audience, as they had been dropped into the middle of the citys largest shopping strip mall. Thankfully, the ladies found a womens clothing store, which knew them, by name. Here, the captain called for a ride to base, telling the receiver "Never mind where we have been. Send us a cruiser". Half an hour later, while Abby was "catching Ichabod up", on the events, of the past century, the captain would go to the old archives section, and look under "historical documents", hoping that she would not find what she expected to find. If she did NOT find it, she could just claim it was all "just a bad dream". Problem was, she DID find what was left, of her disintregrated wallet, as well as the very FADED picture, on her police badge. These items, the captain found in a package marked "Female, who claimed to be a cop". Although the badge photo was only a few years old, the captain would have to submit a request, for a replacement, since this one was as faded as some of her great-grand-mothers pictures were. When photo control asked the captain "How did you make it look so old, when our files show it was taken only a few years ago?" All the captain would say was "You would not believe me, if I told you." Crane would report, to Abby, that the battle, which was supposed to have taken place, was called off, by Moloch, since this plan had been as bad as the previous one. When the captain had come up missing, the whole force had gone on alert. This was the opposite of what Moloch had wanted. Moloch had wanted to take both Sleepy Hollow, and Crane, by restful surprise. Once everyone was on alert, due to the disappearances, there was no way for Moloch to succeed. When Abby would inform Crane "Katrina was there, in the coven, at the time. She seemed to KNOW Jenny and I, but I dont know if it was the original Katrina, or if she had travelled back in time, to help us". Crane would agree "That would be a most difficult distinction to make, to say the very least" When Abby would say "Care to share", Crane would say "It has, long, been rumored that coven members are able to travel about, both in time, and in space." When Abby would ask "Do you THINK that Katrina travelled back, in time, to aid Jennny and I?" Crane lookdd puzzled, at this, so Abby suggested "Do you think Katrina is trying to pull a fast one, on us?" When Crane would ask "How does an amount of acceleration attempt to out-perform our actions?" Abby would say "What I mean is "Do you think she is playing a trick?"" Crane would ponder this as he said "I really wish I knew the answer, to that inquiry". As for Jenny, she was not-att-all surprised, when she returned, to the mercenaries camp, to receive a report, that nearly half of the rations supply was missing, from the cartons. Jennifer had no idea of how to explain that the rations had been consumed about two centuries prior to manufacture. Sleepy Hollow would be left to ponder what Moloch's, and the horsemens, next move would be.