Abbie is climbing a rock face and tries to pull herself up. She insists that she can do it, and then continues up, reaching the top and grabbing the flag. Jenny congratulates her on her moves and they drop back down, and Abbie says that Ichabod has been helping her with some behavior modification techniques. She tells her sister that Daniel has scheduled an FBI survival training exercise the coming weekend. Jenny wonders if Abbie is up for a weekend with Daniel, and Abbie insists that they’re fine and he’s her boss now. She points out that Joe bought Jenny a trailer, and Jenny insists that Joe is just being a guy. A handsome male climber offers to help Abbie, and she surprises him by making the climb in record time.
The Hidden One watches the Golden Hourglass, and Pandora arrives to tell him that she has recovered another fragment of the Box. She merges it to the existing one and tells her husband that now every creature in the world will hear their beacon. The Hidden One warns that he is down to the dregs of the energy that they have already collected, and Pandora assures him that the monsters will come and the Hidden One can feed on them... and restore her box. The Hidden One tells her not to mar the moment with her selfish needs, and insists that all will be made whole in time.
Abbie arrives at the archive and finds Ichabod examining the symbol. He admits that he isn’t getting anywhere analyzing the material, and is consulting with Professor Cranston. Cranston specialized in arcane materials and will meet them at his laboratory in Rochester. Abbie warns that she will be on the FBI training session all weekend, and tells Ichabod to go by himself. Jenny and Joe will be busy following up on a Sumerian artifact on the black market. Ichabod agrees
At the trailer, the only thing Jenny can learn about the Sumerian artifact is that it will go up for bid the next night. The seller is anonymous and there’s a $10,000 minimum reserve. Jenny pointedly notes that Joe can afford it, and Joe says that he bought Jenny the trailer because he could. He wanted to be the one steering the boat for once, and Jenny says that she understands that he wants to do the right thing. However, she half-jokingly tells him to never touch her stuff again.
In the forest, Daniel addresses the FBI agents and says that they’ll be working in teams. Robbie Malone, one of the wilderness guides, explains that each team will be given a map showing a designate waypoint. They have 48 hours to get there. Each agent checks their team assignments, and Abbie and Sophie discover that they’re teamed up with Ramirez. Daniel says that Ramirez called in with appendicitis this morning, so he’ll be taking Ramirez’s place. Abbie insists that it’s good with her and they leave.
Abbie, Sophie, Robbie, and Daniel head through the woods and the women admit to each other that they haven’t spent much time in the wilds. Sophie asks if Abbie ever thought she’d escape the Catacombs, and Abbie says that she knows Ichabod would come for her. They talk about how Sophie has adjusted to dealing with the supernatural, and she explains about how her parents disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Finding out about the supernatural has given her hope that she’ll get some answers. Abbie explains that he supernatural took a lot away from her, and it’s heartening that Sophie has taken something positive from it.
Robbie and Daniel are trailing behind, and they find an old well. The guide explains that the Dutch settled the area in the 1600s, and Daniel points out that the cover was freshly broken from the inside out. Robbie takes a photo of it to send to the rangers as a hazard, and he moves away just as something moves up the well.
Daniel catches up to Abbie, and she realizes that he’s lost. He invites her to try and Abbie accepts. As she checks the routes, Abbie says that she’s glad Daniel is on her team. She explains that the process she’s been going through requires her giving people close to her explanations, and she’s glad that they’ll have time together.
Jenny and Joe goes go to the auction and a man, Hans Christinger, comes over to greet Jenny. She introduces him and Hans recognizes Joe’s last name. He explains about the artifact, noting that it has some intriguing characteristics. The auctioneer unveils it, revealing that it’s part of Pandora’s Box. Joe realizes that it still contains some residual magical energy, and Jenny warns that if Pandora recovers it then she and the Hidden One will be unstoppable.
Abbie’s team creates a lean-to for the night, and something watches them from the forest. It lunges out and bites Robbie’s throat, and Abbie and Sophie run over to attack it with crude spears. It tosses them aside and then runs off as lightning speed, and the women try to stabilize the guide. Daniel comes over and Sophie claims that a coyote attacked Robbie and they chased it off. The FBI head checks Robbie’s emergency cell phone but discovers that it was broken in the attack. Sophie stays with Robbie while Daniel and Abbie build a crude stretcher. Abbie tells Daniel to lead the way while she and Sophie take first shift. Once he goes ahead, Sophie shows Abbie the photos from Robbie’s camera. There is a warning written in Dutch, and the word “Verslinder,” which means “One Who Devours.”
The team heads through the woods and Abbie realizes that the Verslinder is following them. Sophie wants to warn Daniel, but Abbie points out that every time that she does, someone’s life is ruined. She calls Daniel over and tells Sophie that she’ll deal with the Verslinder while Sophie and Daniel go ahead. When Daniel comes back, Abbie says that she needs a break and tells the others to go on ahead. As Abbie hunts for the Verslinder, she remembers the symbol and almost leaving Ichabod to die. She then turns and intercepts the Verslinder as it lunges at her, cutting off its arm with her knife. It regrows it in a matter of seconds, and then throws Abbie to the ground and prepares to kill her. Sophie arrive and beats it off with her crude spear, and it runs away.
As the women join Daniel, Abbie warns that it may be impossible to kill the Verslinder if it can regenerate. Sophie reminds Abbie that the supernatural has given her a lot of good as well and nods at Daniel. Daniel says that they need to make camp, and Abbie points out a nearby abandoned cabin. They go inside and Sophie gets some firewood. Daniel offers to go ahead, warning that Robbie may not survive until morning. He refuses to lose anyone, insisting that he’s in charge, and says that he doesn’t give up on people. Abbie says that the reason she disappeared wasn’t about him, and Daniel angrily says that with Abbie, there’s never room for anyone else in her life. He says that he didn’t want to ask her back to the FBI, but refuses to explain. Abbie insists that she wants to be honest with her, but Daniel figures that she’s lying to herself and goes to get help.
At the auction, the bidding begins. Jenny bids $100,000, but someone else bids $200,000. She realizes that Hans is bidding against her, and Joe enters a bid for $1 million. Hans passes and Joe wins the bid. Jenny goes to close out and Joe keeps an eye on the fragment. As he touches the case, Joe’s eyes turn white for a moment. Jenny covers the case and picks it up, and leaves with Joe.
Pandora checks the scrying well and sees Jenny and Joe claim the fragment.
Sophie returns to the cabin and shows Abbie a journal that she found. It belongs to Christopher Dampier, an English trapper who worked the area in 1650. Christopher and his brother Thomas encountered a Dutch trading post that had recently been attacked by the Verslinder. The townspeople managed to capture it and paid the brothers to dispose of the creature. It bit Thomas’ hand before they could seal it away, and he passed away shortly thereafter. Thomas rose from the dead, and Sophie suggests that the infected victims transform.
Robbie wakes up and turns to face the two women, partially transformed into a Verslinder. Sophie and Abbie manage to beat Robbie unconscious. They tie him down and Abbie figures that there must be a way to reverse the process. Christopher’s journal says that the villagers burned the bodies, and Abbie remembers a journal entry about monsters that transform their victims via physical infection. To save the victim they have to eliminate the source of infection: the original creature. Sophie jokingly wishes that she had antibiotic cream, and Abbie figures that they can stop the infection with antibiotics. The other woman points out that they’re miles from any help or resources, but Abbie is undeterred.
Jenny and Joe are leaving the auction house when Hans approaches them and orders them to hand over the fragment at gunpoint. Joe offers to double Hans’ fee, but he says that he has his reputation to think of. Pandora comes in and magically slams Hans against the wall, and offers to spare their lives if they hand the frageme3nt. Hans recovers and shoots Pandora, and she telekinetically chokes him. Joe and Jenny take advantage of the distraction to escape. Pandora notices and goes after them.
Abbie extracts natural antibiotics from herbs and roots, and explains that she learned how to make her medicine in the Catacombs. Sophie suggests that they use her spear to deliver the antibiotics into the Verslinder.
Ichabod meets with Cranston, who is intrigued by the symbol. The professor notes that it’s two pieces, and splits it apart. Cranston steps outside to take a call, and Ichabod remembers the tablet he brought back to the U.S. It splits apart as well, and Ichabod confirms that there is a second inscription of the symbol on the inside of each part. When the tablet pulls each symbol piece into the indentation, Ichabod gets a vision of Abbie fighting the Verslinder. Cranston returns and Ichabod tells him that his partner is in trouble... and realizes that he has no idea where she is.
Jenny and Joe run through the warehouse in the auction house, and Pandora arrives to choke Jenny. Pandora insists that no one will take her power from ever again, and Joe breaks open the case and offers the fragment to Pandora. It glows green and Joe starts to transform into his Wendigo form. Pandora realizes that he’s a creature of darkness, and Joe slashes her arm. She retreats and Jenny knocks the fragment out of Joe’s hand. He tells Jenny to run, but she refuses and holds him. Joe transforms back and passes out.
Abbie and Sophie go hunting for the Verslinder, and Sophie points out that the creature only attacks when its target is isolated. They split up and the Verslinder attacks Abbie. She spears it through the chest, but it quickly heals the wound. It shoves her away and runs off in Sophie’s direction. Abbie yells a warning, and Sophie manages to throw her spear into the creature. It pulls it out and attacks her, but Abbie arrives and attacks it. As it closes in on her, Ichabod steps out of the darkness and shoots the Verslinder. He shoots it again and Abbie stabs it. The antibiotic causes it to disintegrate,
As they go back to the cabin, Ichabod explains about his vision. He used the map to track the Verslinder. Abbie points out that the symbol may not be evil if it helped Ichabod save her. Sophie confirms that Robbie has recovered, and Abbie admits that she was right about the supernatural bringing good people into her life... including Sophie. Ichabod figures that the symbol is there to help them, and says that sometimes the things that they think will hurt them will actually help them.
The next Monday, Abbie brings coffee to Daniel in his office. She tells Daniel that Robbie will recover and doesn’t remember what happened. She then admits that she doesn’t have a lover in her life, and may never have one. However, Abbie assures Daniel that she’ll never think of what they had in the past tense. Daniel thanks her for telling her the truth, and Abbie echoes Ichabod’s words about how what might seem to hurt them may actually help them.
Joe goes to the trailer and Jenny assures him that she put the fragment somewhere safe. She assures him that he isn’t a monster, Joe worries that he’ll hurt Jenny, but she tells him to remember that he’s in control and she trusts him with his life.
In the cave, Pandora examines her wound and tells the Hidden One that Joe is a creature of chaos. She tells her husband that her powers are at a low ebb, and they agree that the situation must be addressed. Pandora prepares to receive his power, but the Hidden One refuses and says that he must destroy the Witnesses because Pandora has failed repeatedly. He summons his power and disappears. Pandora goes to the well and summons an image of Abbie with the symbol.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 12, 2016