Cassian was sitting in the hotel room in Tokyo, the dawn painting the sky a pale gray behind the curtains. Yumi slept on a borrowed bed in the corner, her breathing calm after the night at the warehouse. Helen had gone out early to get coffee, leaving him alone with his thoughts. The shadow's phrase echoed in his mind: "A living descendant of Enoch." He knew the name—not as a vague legend, but as something tangible he had studied years ago in the Vatican. The Book of Enoch, an apocryphal text detailing visions of fallen angels and celestial secrets, had been part of his training under Lorenzo Ricci, his mentor. He had never considered it personal history, but now, after what happened, he doubted.
He stood, walking to the window, the papal crucifix hanging beneath his shirt. If he was a descendant of Enoch, it meant a connection to something greater, something the Vatican might know about. He decided that before returning to Hawkins with Helen, they would make a stop in Rome. He needed answers, and only His Holiness could provide them. The door opened, and Helen entered with two cups of coffee in her hands.
"You look thoughtful," she said, placing a cup on the table in front of him. "What's on your mind?"
"What that shadow said," Cassian replied, taking the coffee. "Enoch. It's not just any name."
"Who is Enoch?" Helen asked, sitting on the empty bed. "It sounded like it knew you."
"It's from the Book of Enoch," he explained, turning toward her. "An apocryphal text I studied in the Vatican. It speaks of a man who walked with God and was taken to heaven without dying. It also describes fallen angels, the Watchers, and their offspring with humans. If that shadow called me its descendant, it could be literal or symbolic. I don't know, but I can't ignore it."
"And what do we do?" Helen asked, sipping her coffee. "I thought we'd go straight to Hawkins."
"First, we're going to the Vatican," Cassian decided firmly. "I need to speak with His Holiness. If there's anything about my lineage, they'll know."
"That works for me," Helen nodded. "Last night was strange, even for us. If that shadow is connected to the Warrens and now to you, we need answers."
Yumi stirred in the bed, waking with a soft groan. She sat up, rubbing her eyes, and looked at them.
"Is it morning already?" she asked, her voice hoarse. "What are you planning?"
"We're leaving today," Cassian said, approaching her. "But first, I need to say goodbye."
"You're leaving Tokyo?" Yumi asked, getting up, her black hair falling in disarray. "Where to?"
"To Rome," he replied, pulling a piece of paper and a pen from the desk. "Then to the United States. I have work to finish."
"I thought you'd stay longer," Yumi said, lowering her gaze. "After last night, I don't want to be alone."
"You'll be fine," Cassian assured her, writing an address on the paper. "But if you ever decide to leave everything behind—your husband, this life—and want something dangerous but exciting, go here."
He handed her the paper, and she took it, reading aloud.
"Vatican Office in Tokyo, Minato-ku," she said, frowning. "What is this?"
"A place where they'll find me," he explained. "If you go there and say my name, they'll take you to me, wherever I am. But think carefully, Yumi. This isn't a game."
"I don't understand what you do," she admitted, tucking the paper into her pocket. "But after what I saw, I know it's important. Thank you for saving me, Cassian. I won't forget it."
"Take care," he said, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "If you need anything, use that address."
She nodded, stepping closer to hug him, her body trembling slightly.
"I hope to see you again," she whispered, before letting go.
Cassian and Helen left the hotel, taking a taxi to the hospital where Sato was admitted. They found him in a small room, his shoulder bandaged, his face pale but alert. He looked up as they entered.
"You survived," Sato said, his voice weak but relieved. "Did you stop her?"
"Yes," Cassian replied, standing beside the bed. "Kuchisake-onna is finished. But something else was controlling her."
"I felt it," Sato said, adjusting himself on the pillow. "That tremor in the cemetery. It wasn't just her. What's your plan now?"
"We're going to the Vatican," Cassian explained. "I need answers about what that shadow said. It called me a descendant of Enoch."
"Enoch," Sato repeated, frowning. "I know the name. A holy man in your texts. If it's true, this becomes very serious."
"That's what I need to find out," Cassian said. "Thank you for your help, Sato. Rest."
"Take care," Sato responded, closing his eyes. "Whatever comes next will be worse than her."
They left the hospital and took a flight to Rome that afternoon, arriving at Fiumicino Airport at dusk. A Vatican car was waiting for them, driving through the cobblestone streets to the Vatican City. Cassian gazed out the window while Helen checked her phone.
"I've never been here," she said, putting her phone away. "It's smaller than I imagined."
"It's bigger on the inside," Cassian replied as the car stopped in front of a side entrance.
A guard escorted them inside, and in a stone hallway lit by antique lamps, they found Lorenzo Ricci, Cassian's mentor. He was a tall man in his sixties, with short gray hair and round glasses, dressed in a black cassock. He smiled upon seeing Cassian, opening his arms.
"Cassian, my best student," Lorenzo said, giving him a brief hug. "And you must be Helen. Daniel told me about you."
"A pleasure," Helen replied, shaking his hand. "Cassian says you're the one who trained him."
"I did," Lorenzo confirmed, turning to Cassian. "You look tired. What happened in Japan?"
"A lot," Cassian said, adjusting his backpack. "We faced Kuchisake-onna. We destroyed her, but something bigger was controlling her. A shadow that called me a descendant of Enoch."
"Enoch?" Lorenzo asked, removing his glasses to clean them. "That's unexpected. What exactly did it say?"
"'How interesting, a living descendant of Enoch,'" Cassian quoted. "It appeared at the end, when the spirit dissolved. I don't know what it means, but I studied it with you. The Book of Enoch, the Watchers. Is it possible I have a lineage like that?"
Lorenzo put his glasses back on, his expression turning serious.
"The Book of Enoch isn't official history," he explained. "It's apocryphal, but the Vatican keeps it for a reason. It speaks of ancient lineages, of blood mixed between humans and something else. If that shadow said it, it could be a clue or a lie to destabilize you. What else did you see?"
"Black shadows," Helen interjected. "They came out of the ground, tried to take her. And in Connecticut, with the Warrens, Cassian heard something similar: 'When he comes, it will be the end.'"
"Connections," Lorenzo murmured, drumming his fingers on his cassock. "This is no coincidence. What do you want to do?"
"Speak with His Holiness," Cassian said firmly. "I need to know if the Vatican has records about my family, about Enoch. I can't keep moving blindly."
Lorenzo nodded, walking to a desk in the corner of the hallway.
"I'll speak with His Holiness," he said, picking up an internal phone. "I can't promise an immediate audience, but I'll arrange a time. Wait for my call."
"Thank you, Lorenzo," Cassian replied, relaxing his shoulders. "It means a lot."
"You were always special," Lorenzo said, smiling faintly. "That's why I trained you. Now, where will you stay?"
"Not inside the Vatican," Helen said, adjusting her backpack. "I want to tour Rome. I've never seen the Colosseum."
"Good idea," Cassian nodded. "We'll stay at a hotel nearby. Let us know when you have the time."
"I will," Lorenzo promised, dialing the phone. "Rest while you can."
They left the building, walking toward a nearby square under the lights of Rome. Cassian gazed at the dome of St. Peter's Basilica, its silhouette glowing against the night sky.