Simon Leslie used to be a "Neversleep," a humanoid creature used as fighters for the new magic-based state, before joining the rebellion (Thomas Edison) that fights for the reinstation of science. He is on a train through the American southwest to rescue Nicola Tesla, a descendant of the famed scientist, who was practicing science on Navajo land and is being turned in to the state. Simon rescues her by wearing a "Chrysalis" suit, which protects him from magic by creating a bioelectric field. She is distrustful of him, as his organization was founded by Thomas Edison, who recanted science to save himself after the rise of magic, while her great-grand-uncle did not. After he successfully retrieves her from the Neversleeps, even more of them descend onto the train. Throughout the conflict with the Neversleeps, his old boss from when he was one of them, Morgan, talks to him through magic. It turns out that the capture of Nicola Tesla has been a trap and that the true mission of the state is to acquire his Chrysalis. As the two of them are fighting off the Neversleeps, Nicola encourages him to use a part from her gun to expand the bioelectric field to protect her as well. He informs her that the number one rule is not to "breach" the Chrysalis, and she exhorts him to "use [his] imagination." They discuss beforehand that this disruption of the bioelectric field will derail the train and lead to the death of the passengers. They go through with their plan anyway and they feel a new sense of intimacy in the sharing of this field. After derailing the train into the Humboldt river, Morgan informs him that they have made science synonymous with the murder of innocents, and thanks him for handing him that headline. Though the derailment killed many Neversleeps, some are still alive to attack them. The Chrysalis suit is semi-broken, and Morgan wishes him a happy death. At that time, however, blood-thirsty Wendigo spirits descend on the ravine. The broken Chrysalis is able to protect them from this primitive form of magic, and they go after the Neversleeps instead. Nicola and Simon wander into a ghost town that is actually populated by ghosts. Simon laments about the death of innocent people and Nicola tells him that if he is trying to remake the world, he shouldn't expect to do so without blood. Nicola tells him that, at the time of his death, her great-grand-uncle was working on a project to wirelessly transmit energy, which would make power free for all. She says this is what scared the powers that be, not the idea of science or an ideological disagreement of whether it is better to live by fate or facts, but rather that it was about control. She tells Simon that he is better than his enemies not because he doesn't kill as many people, but because he is fighting for a world in which the common man doesn't need oracles or magicians to get in ahead in the world, but instead is born with enough. After this speech, he tells her that he loves her. A ghost is singing and light creeps through the door.