Teylon: Hunting for educational care for Juniper and Kaydence

Wouldn’t it be bizarre if someone brought me a meal for a change...? Nyah, be realistic...

Teylon was surveying the crowd still sitting around his table.

It's really convenient that Juniper and Kaydence sleep a lot more than everyone else, it means we can safely see them to bed for the night, then have a meeting to work out what to do about them.

So let's ignore Maggie's and Erasyl's problems for the moment.

"Sarawatch and I have done our homework and have found a suitable venue to look after our two girls during the week. It's a special educational centre run by one of the religious organisations, and caters for older teenagers and young adults who have difficulties of one sort or another in adapting to normal society."

"But, can you be sure they are good enough?" said Sarsaparilla.

"We believe so. It comes highly recommended by various parties. It employs only the best of teachers and has plenty of oversight."

"Sounds good," said Francesca, "Also, it sounds like it could be expensive."

Teylon couldn't resist making a token gesture of dismay.

"It sure is."

He gave the weekly fee for a single student.

Sarsaparilla was so surprised she swallowed a bit of salvia and spent the next minute coughing while Adalace thumped her back.

"Well, isn't it indeed fortunate that our esteemed patron Teylon is so wealthy?" said Francesca.

"Yeah, isn't it." he said.

"Anyway, we have already made a booking for an interview tomorrow morning. As the man with the money, I will naturally be present, and I suggest that Sarsaparilla comes with me, also."

Adalace queried this. "What about Devina and/or Leroy? They are also taking responsibility."

Leroy got in first. "Well, I'm not sure that I would want to. Ah, I need to mention this just so that you are all aware, you see... I'm kind of attracted to Kaydence, but I perfectly well agree with Sarsaparilla, it would be totally inappropriate for me to act on any such feelings, ah, so I might be just a little embarrassed at being seen as one of Kaydence's carers."

Leroy looked at the ground, his face going red.

Francesca thumped his back hard enough to make him stagger. "You're a good kid! Wish I had met more boys like you when I, oh never mind."

She continued. "Which also brings up the point that our two innocent girls don't know about what us Girls in Pink have been up to. And after discussing this with Teylon we have decided that for the time being it is best that we all keep quiet about things. I hope you don't mind?"

The teenagers, and Sarawatch, nodded in assent.

"And, just so that they can keep on eating, I've given the Girls another payment." said Teylon, "At some point in the future we will work out a more permanent arrangement."

"Well, I don't mind going tomorrow," said Sarsaparilla, "But, perhaps Adalace can come along with me. You know, for moral support?"

It was agreed. Tomorrow morning Sarsaparilla and Adalace would accompany Teylon and the two new girls to the St. Eustace Special Educational Centre for their interview. Sarawatch was aiming to work as usual, and everybody else expected that the other three teenagers would go back to school. They weren't particularly happy at this, but they had to admit that the initial excitement was now over.

The following morning saw Teylon, dressed in a conservative but not too formal suit, a picture of calm, mature respectability, walking up the steps of the entrance to the special educational centre. Juniper followed, looking calm and composed as usual, but also as usual, slightly nervous. She stuck close to Teylon's side, as if seeking reassurance from his presence. Kaydence was somewhat subdued for the occasion, but was still happily talking to Sarsaparilla about everything around her. Sarsaparilla kept smiling at Kaydence's talk, but to Teylon's eye, she also looked a little nervous. Bringing up the rear was Adalace. Teylon was guessing that she was very nervous and probably regretting volunteering, but she was doing her best to hide it with her cute facade.

Here I am, a middle-aged man, living with all of these young ladies, two of whom are definitely highly vulnerable and in need of care, about to talk about this whole situation with the nun who directs this centre.

Esmeralda, is all of this part of your overarching plan?

No answer was forthcoming.

Sister Celeste, the educational centre director, cordially welcomed them and led them into an interview room. It was tastefully decorated, obviously designed to put nervous visitors at ease. There was no intimidating desk which an interviewer could sit behind, and thus indicate their superiority. Instead, there was a circle of comfy chairs arranged in a rough circle. Exactly one chair per person.

Ah, they have taken some care to arrange things.

Sr Celeste was somewhere in the indeterminate middle ages of her life. She had not been entirely successful in keeping her youthful slim looks, but she still managed to look healthy. She also looked tranquil and composed, the slight stoop to her posture adding to her non-threatening presentation. She smiled and asked everyone to have a seat while she remained standing.

Teylon, the Teflon rat, forever appraising the social situation around him, calculated the odds.

Juniper is getting nervous, so if she sits right next to me it would all be to the good. And if I step just so I can manage to be standing between her and Kaydence, so as I sit down they will naturally sit on either side of me. And, of course, Sarsaparilla will then sit the other side of Kaydence, and just as naturally, Adalace will then sit next to Sarsaparilla.

He sat down, the first one to do so. Everyone else sat down just as predicted, leaving Celeste to be sitting between Adalace and Juniper.

Perfect! I'm not losing my touch!

By chance, he caught Celeste's eye and he gave her a small smile of acknowledgement. She returned the smile. Briefly, there was an extra flicker of amusement, before she turned to the others.

A very faint alarm bell rang in the back of his mind.

Crap, is she one of those very rare people who can see straight through my act?

But wait, I'm not here to con anyone - indeed I'm here at the bidding of an Angel of Death.

So, there's no need to worry, right?

Giving no signs of these thoughts (he hoped), he composed himself and sat back and waited for Celeste's introduction. He had other reasons to need to compose himself. The previous night (while the two girls had slept) the others had a long discussion about how, exactly, they were going to explain everything. The girls ending up being brainwashed and losing a big chunk of their lives was dramatic enough. And then there was the Esmeralda business. Both girls knew that an Angel of Death was somehow involved with their de-programming, and they both mostly accepted it. But - how was all of this going to sound to some outsider?

Sarawatch had summed up their collective conclusion:

"Trying to keep quiet about their condition isn't going to do the slightest bit of good, they are obviously too damaged to hide it. And, as for trying to get them not to talk about Esmeralda, well that's problematic also. Kaydence will probably blurt out something without realising it, and as for Juniper; well her psyche is so fragile, trying to get her to lie is a really bad idea."

"So, you're just going to present all of this in as a matter of fact way as possible, and hope for the best?" Francesca had said.

Teylon had shrugged his shoulders.

"Hopefully they will take in to consideration that I am paying the full fare, and be inclined to put up with our weird story. After all, the two girls will be right there and obviously in need of help."

All things considered, things went very well.

I have to hand it to this nun, she managed to keep her soothing calm exterior and win the confidence of both Juniper and Kaydence. She didn't even bat an eyelid when Juniper, without the slightest bit of self conscious, stated that both me and Devina were giving back her memories, with the help of an Angel. And Sarsaparilla and Adalace have their brightly radiant fake smiles painted on. Pity it's so obvious, even to me. I'm sure Celeste can see through the masks just as easily.

"OK, now that we have been introduced, how about you two girls meet some of our other staff and try out our school for your first day?" said Celeste.

She opened the door and gestured to someone outside. Kaydence was happy to do so, and eventually, with some encouragement from Teylon, Juniper was ready to go also. The girls were led away, while everyone else stayed in the room. Celeste looked at Teylon.

"Would you like to discuss the situation just a little bit more? I'm especially concerned about this brainwashing and the terrible idea that they were going to be killed for some very ill-defined reason..."

Teylon nodded his head, closed the door, and sat down again in his same seat. This time Sarsaparilla sat right next to him, with Adalace next to her. Celeste sat down in the same seat she had been using, thus ending up with a one chair gap on either side of her. She was still looking kindly, emitting a comforting aura, her body language reassuring every one of her acceptance and her soothing nature.

Naturally, Teylon did not tell her everything. Not even close. Just enough to directly explain what had happened. He definitely avoided any mention of his Judgements, and the Girls in Pink's jobs, and he also deftly glossed over how he had come to meet with all of these people in the first place.

"So, you are basically hoping that whatever authorities are responsible for this are not going to - take these girls away?"

Big sigh from Teylon. "We can only hope so. So far so good."

"That whole story is most alarming."

"You're not kidding." said Sarsaparilla.

Her first comment so far in this private discussion. Adalace had not seen any need to say anything, so she had remained silent.

Just as Teylon was beginning to relax and to get ready to leave, he had a soul reading.

Teylon’s Soul Reading of: Celeste

Celeste, standing in the office of this same school, was holding the hand of a young teenage girl.

"I'm really sorry, my dear, but apparently the insurance fund for your education has run out. I tried to get you to stay here, but the Foundation's Board is refusing. But never mind, I'm sure you will be looked after and we shall be in touch!"

"OK, Sister."

Celeste gave her a paper tissue to dry her eyes.

A little later.

Celeste's good friend Nethezal came in.

"Hello young lady. I just happen to be travelling in the same direction and I was asked to give you a lift. Here, there's no need to be sad, I'm sure your new place will be just as nice as this one." he said.

Celeste kept her composure as she watched as he led the girl out. The door closed. She kept staring at the door, and eventually had to use a few tissues herself.

Teylon:

What? Why am I getting this? Why now?

Is this to do with Celeste? Or Nethezal? Or the girl...

The girl... Her face... Where have I seen her before?

...

Ah. Right. The girl that Sarawatch saw die.

Oh shit. Do I have to tell Sister Celeste that the girl she apparently loved was killed soon after she was taken away?

This sucks.

And - what was her name? Obviously, I'm supposed to find out so I can tell Sarawatch.

By now, Celeste was looking at him with a modest amount of puzzlement.

"You have just thought of something important?"

Both Adalace and Sarsaparilla had also noticed. They exchanged a glance between themselves.

"Ah, yes. This is going to sound odd, but, you know how the two girls had mentioned an Angel when explaining their rescue? Which topic, I might add, you politely avoided reacting to or bringing up again in our conversation." said Teylon.

"Yes, I certainly took note of that, but as you said I didn't bring it to attention. Such matters of religion I felt were best left to a later time."

"Well, we don't treat it as particularly religious, but, anyway."

He gave a brief explanation of the soul reading phenomena. Sister Celeste, a professional in matters of religious belief, still took all of this in her stride. She tilted her head slightly to the side.

"So, does this mean you had a soul reading from someone recently?"

"Yeah. From you."

He explained it.

Her face registered shock. For the first time since meeting with her, her totally composed manner cracked. She became agitated. Not too much, but noticeably.

"You, you saw that? I mean, you must have found about it from some source or other? That is, that is, can you tell me, where is she? I tried to get in contact but I was never successful."

Oh hell. I am supposed to break the news to her.

He was silent for a moment, thinking this over. And Celeste read his face, and her face went pale.

"Surely that can't be. You're thinking of something else, aren't you?"

She's desperate to be reassured. And she really can read me, even though I made sure to keep a neutral face while I was thinking that.

"I'm terribly sorry. But, assuming I am correct in matching the two faces up, then I'm afraid that that girl has - ah - already passed on. Probably soon after she left here."

I am definitely correct. I cannot believe that Esmeralda would ever allow me to make the wrong conclusion in this sort of circumstance.

"This is terrible news, horrible. But, but, you have no proof of your assertions. You only have a hard to believe story about angels giving you advice. How can I decide what is the truth here?"

She had shed even more of her placid composed look. Right now, she was agitatedly grasping her rosemary beads she had taken out of her coat pocket, as if mere prayers would right things.

Bearer of bad tidings, that's me for today. Ugh.

Teylon looked around the room.

Yep, there's the obligatory computer screen, attached to the wall.

Currently it was displaying a relaxing picture of some rural pastoral land on earth, with clover and daisies in the foreground, and a few contented cows grazing amongst shade trees in the background.

"Adalace, can you access that screen, and take us to the governmental portal for accessing the police force forensic databases?"

"Ah, yeeees, but you realise that I don't have any passwords?"

Celeste took a moment to gather herself, and said “That screen’s public access password is ‘Eustace3’”

Adalace twitched her fingers, which commanded her wristbands to connect to the local screen, and then she sent out the commands to bring up the requested web page.

"And, as for the forensic database, fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, Esmeralda has delivered on that one. Access the account for user name Napoleon."

"Ah, the name of the police officer who spoke to us at Ironbark Dome?"

"Yep, that's the one. And now enter these passwords..."

After a few more commands, there appeared a report on the screen. It was called: "Autopsy report on the death of Mirabella". The front page had a mug shot of a girl in school uniform, giving an uncertain smile to the camera. It also had the date.

Two teenage girls and one middle-aged man watched as Sister Celeste's face crumpled up into grief. She sat slumped in her chair and looked at the floor.

"I guess that is definite then."

A small silence.

"Us nuns are not supposed to be too attached to any one student. We are supposed to look after them all, guide them all to their path in life, and their path to God."

"But, of course, that doesn't always work out. Mirabella reminded me of myself, when I was orphaned as a young girl. I'm sorry to say she became my favourite, although I did my best to hide it from anyone."

Her voice trailed off with some mumbles. Her audience shifted uncomfortably and looked at each other. Finally, Sarsaparilla spoke.

"Err, I suppose you have already tried this, but have you asked your friend Ne - ah"

"Nethezal" said Celeste.

"Nethezal, where he took Mirabella to?"

"Of course. But it was only to the local train station, he handed her over to some guardian who took her from there."

I can only presume that this isn't the end of the story. Narrative causality demands that something more be found out. So...

"I'm sorry if this distresses you further, but perhaps we can be introduced to Nethezal? We can ask him some questions to see if he can guide us any further in finding out what happened to Mirabella." said Teylon.

After all, I'm supposed to track down the evil, and this is the best lead I've had so far.

That's right, afterwards me and Adalace will have to sit down and see how far we can access the database to get more information. Assuming the anonymous authorities haven't already cancelled that password.

Celeste took a deep breath, and got herself together. Almost back to normal.

"Certainly I can do that. In fact, we have a little bit of luck here; Nethezal, as a lay preacher, is due to conduct a religious class in an hour's time. He has already said hello to me and said that he would do a little bit of meditation in the chapel beforehand."

Which was how it came to pass that a more sombre looking than usual Celeste led the three, who had never actually been inside a church in their entire lives, to the school's chapel. They did not go through the main entrance; instead, they entered through a side entrance which was half way down the main hall. Adalace, last in the line, dutifully closed the door behind her as they passed through into the vestibule. As promised, there was a middle-aged man just getting up from kneeling at the front pew. He came up to them, greeting Celeste by name.

After some explanation:

"Ah, yes, I certainly remember that occasion."

He briefly, but gently, patted Celeste's hand.

"I am certainly sad to hear of her demise - although I don't quite understand how this young lady was able to access those databases..."

He was friendly, and smiled cordially at Teylon and the two girls.

Well, he seems genuine enough, I suppose. I will have to give up my fleeting suspicion that he might have something to do with all of this.

Humph, the girls are smiling at him. Unlike Celeste, he doesn't seem to realise just what fakes those smiles are. All to the good!

"Never mind those details, we are wondering if perhaps you can tell us about anything you can remember?" said Teylon, hopefully.

Hello, why did Sarsaparilla suddenly give that little jump and show of dismay... Oh, right.

Somehow, I don't think this is going to be all that pleasant.

Sarsaparilla's face went from dismay to blankness and back to another smile.

That's not the same smile. This one looks a whole lot more - predatory. I should have worn my Kevlar blast proof vest.

"Mr Nethezal. Apparently, you have a unique brain - you can partially disassociate your feelings and thoughts. Not quite separate personalities, but sort of like that."

"Err, what?"

Nethezal looked puzzled at this completely unexpected statement. He exchanged glances with Celeste, who was also looking just as puzzled.

"With a bit of conscious effort, you can switch between these quasi personalities. And what you do while in one personality you can keep separate from the other. More or less. I'm a bit hazy as to the details, but then I've only got a normal brain. Well, err, mostly."

"Sister Celeste, do you know what this young lady is talking about?"

"No, I have, err, just met them in connection with two new admissions."

I don't blame her for not wanting to be associated with the crazy lady. Only, I know that she isn't crazy.

Teylon backed off, just a little. He wanted to get out of the blast zone.

"Of course, like any other gift one may receive, you had to make a moral choice about what to do with it. And you chose, on your own will, to live a double life. Didn't you?"

Sarsaparilla was beginning to snarl.

"You chose to cultivate that other personality in a very particular direction. You switch over, and go out whoring. Don't you?"

Everyone winched at Sarsaparilla's choice of that word.

"You have a wonderful loving wife at home, who is happy to give you a good time in bed, you have two lovely young daughters - and you chose to keep all of that in one personality, and once a week you swap personalities and go out, to places where your acquaintances and business associates would never ever be seen at, and engage in acts of debauchery."

Sarsaparilla shuddered as she said this word.

"I've never had the need to use that word before, but in this case it fits. Oh yes, it sure does fit. And then you switch back to your public personality and go home, to your secure little family, and no one ever would guess. Even Sister Celeste, with her extraordinary ability to read a person's emotions, has never had the slightest inkling of this."

Nethezal was shaking his head in bemusement.

"Miss, ah, Sarsaparilla, was it? I don't know what to say about that, ah, Sister, perhaps I should go now?"

Celeste was looking at Sarsaparilla with a similar amount of bemusement.

"Perhaps that would be better..."

He turned to go, and reached out to the door handle.

"Adalace! Stop him from opening the door!" said Sarsaparilla.

Adalace was also looking puzzled, but she obviously chose, also on her own will of course, to trust Sarsaparilla.

The door handle, stainless steel, began to faintly glow. Teylon could see it, because he was looking for it. Nethezal did not. He briefly touched the handle. Very briefly, before jerking his hand back and giving a yelp. There was the smell of burning skin. Also briefly, before it was wafted away by the air-conditioning.

"Argh! What have you done, you bitch!"

Celeste's head snapped around to look at Nethezal, in total surprise.

The door handle, its job done, reverted back to its normal temperature.

"But your control over the separation is not perfect. I know how to ruin it. For a start, by subjecting you to pain. It gets harder, doesn't it, to keep up the wall between your two personalities when your hand is screaming at you in pain."

There was another small blank look on Sarsaparilla's face, before she continued.

"Yeah, Sister Celeste is beginning to become aware of something strange. But it's going to get a whole lot worse!"

In a week's time I'm sure I will enjoy retelling this. I'm sure.

And Celeste actually is beginning to look horrified.

"I don't know what game you are playing at, but I'll have you know that I'm taking this matter to the police!"

"No problems, no problems. Let's continue, shall we?

Sarsaparilla, obviously getting right into the spirit of things, was looking like she was beginning to enjoy herself. Adalace had stuck herself to Sarsaparilla's side, with her hands around her arm. And she also looked as if she was appreciating the suffering of someone who deserved it.

"You might have continued with just the debauchery and the prostitutes, but you began to get rich from your business. And you attracted the attention of someone who decided they might conduct a profitable trade with you. Someone from some organisation called the Futures Group. You gave them lots of your money in exchange for the privilege of having sex with innocent virginal teenage girls. Girls who had their memories wiped clean. Girls who were totally vulnerable. Girls who could never resist anything you do to them."

Sarsaparilla had completely dropped her smile. Baring her teeth, she looked as if she was one step removed from being a starving wolf, closing in for the kill. And, as Adalace had picked up on what Sarsaparilla was talking about, she was also started looking dangerously angry.

"You're, you're utterly crazy!"

Completely ignoring this, Sarsaparilla continued.

"Remember that time, as a nineteen year old teenager, you accepted a dare from your group of friends and went to donate you sperm to the public genetics bank?"

"Ah, so? I've never made a secret that I was a stupid young teenager, you know? Even Sister Celeste knows about that, I've confessed it to her. That was before we became friends, of course."

Celeste nodded her head in agreement. But she was still watching Nethezal's face. She still looked as if she was starting to notice something she had not ever seen there before.

"Oh, I'm sure there's nothing wrong with that. In fact, it is encouraged for every young person to save their sperm or eggs. After all, we live on an airless planet bombarded with cosmic rays and the solar wind - plenty of people have received low levels of radiation poisoning, leaving them healthy but frying their gametes. Perhaps I should donate some, too?"

Nethezal, holding his hand and gritting his teeth through the pain, was starting to get really nasty.

"How about cutting out this info dump and letting me get some medical attention? And to speak to the police!"

"Patience, patience. You see, about the time your wife was having your lovely two daughters, the man in another couple, who actually did have his gametes fried in various space related incidents, ended up choosing your frozen sperm to produce their lovely daughter."

"And? And?"

"They named her - Mirabella."

Nethezal froze. He forgot about the pain for a moment.

"What?"

"That's right, Mirabella was your daughter. And the shock of this has destabilised that wall in your brain even more, hasn't it?"

"I, I, you ... Celeste! Must I be subject to this deranged young lady?"

But Celeste did not say anything. She was too busy watching his face in morbid fascination. As was Teylon.

It's obvious to both of us. There is something really ugly peeking out through his expression now. How is this going to end?

"Celeste! Why are you stalling - Look, I'm going right now..."

He looked at the door handle. Adalace did not hold back this time. It was visibly glowing bright orange. The only reason the surrounding wood was not bursting into flame was because Adalace was carefully controlling the area of heating, so that only the surface pointing towards them was hot. The other side of the handle, pointing towards the door, was ice cold. For Adalace, this was easy.

"That's right; you raped your own daughter! She had been brain wiped; she was completely defenceless, completely vulnerable. And you imposed your own vile base urges upon her, you utter shit!"

Sarsaparilla screamed this at him. While he stood in shock, she continued in a more normal voice.

"Yeah, I know. Get away, spend a few hours composing yourself, and you can get back to normal. Then you can deny all of this. Sister Celeste won't ever quite believe you again, but even she will, after a period of time, begin to doubt her memories of what she saw in your face."

"He deserves Judgement! The despicable, horrible little monster! His soul should suffer!"

This was Adalace, who by now had completely lost her own composure. She had taken out one of her steel nails, and was holding it in her left hand, making stabbing motions with it in his direction. Making this a very dramatic, not to mention dangerous, activity, was the fact that the end of the nail was glowing bright orange. Nethezal could not back off, since Adalace was gripping his lapel by her other hand, and trying her best to shake him. Since he was heavier than she was, she ended up shaking herself more than him. But, nevertheless, he was sufficiently intimidated by the glowing heat, which he could feel on his face, that he didn't try to shrug her off.

"ADALACE!"

"Uh?"

Adalace was shocked at Sarsaparilla's outburst.

"That's enough!"

"But he should suffer!"

An evil little giggle from Sarsaparilla. "Oh, he will, but unfortunately Esmeralda is forbidding me from Judging him. But that's all right!"

"No it isn't all right!"

"Adalace, just let him go. Esmeralda has very definite plans in store for him."

Very reluctantly, Adalace let him go. The steel nail went back to its normal shiny cold colour and she put it back into her side pocket. The doorknob also went back to normal. Although it now looked slightly wrapped. Extreme uneven heating can do that sort of thing to solid lumps of steel.

Sarsaparilla tried to put back up her sweet smile, but when it came to sweetness, it was a total failure. Nethezal tried to look away from her face, but could not quite make it.

"You don't know it yet, do you? That Esmeralda I'm talking about, she's an Angel of Death. And, right now, she is totally pissed off about you."

"You really are crazy!"

"Oh yeah? Look into my eyes..."

Everybody else looked, and saw her eyes distinctly glow red for a moment.

Nethezal, however...

He gave a gasp of horror, and staggered backwards. He collapsed onto his knees; in his eyes was a look of terror. He began to whimper.

Both Adalace and Sarsaparilla stood in front of him.

"Yes, that's the power of an Angel of Death, giving you just a little hint of what could lie in store for you. If you don't take action now."

He looked up at Sarsaparilla's face, flinched violently and looked back down at the floor.

"Don't worry, Adalace." said Sarsaparilla, turning her head to look at her, "He will suffer."

She turned to look at him again.

"Here's what you need to do. You will confess to your family and closest business associates. You will hand over your fortune, enough to your family to give them a good life, and the rest to this religious association that Celeste belongs to. And then, you will retire to the Church Dome, that dome filled with churches and religious organisations of every different stripe and colour, and you will spend the rest of your life secluded in a monastery. In contemplation of your crimes. And maybe, by the time you are judged for real, you might be granted less punishment. Although I sure you will still be punished! Got it?"

"Yes! Yes!"

He continued to whimper as he kneeled before them.

"But, but, that's too easy on him. A life of luxury in some monastery, not having to work, just walking around the gardens in contemplation? Where's the punishment in that?"

Adalace had grabbed Sarsaparilla's arms and was practically shouting at her. But she was still careful not to grip too tightly, and she definitely did not do any shaking. Since Adalace was taller and stronger than Sarsaparilla, she could actually hurt her if she did shake her.

Sarsaparilla softened her expression, looking up at Adalace, she put her hands on Adalace's hips.

"It's all right, my dear. It's all right. You see, Sister's religion places a big emphasis on suffering for one's crimes and being remorseful. On admitting ones guilt, on confessing ones guilt. On repenting ones sins and seeking redemption. He's going to be without money, without any way of earning any more. His family is going to despise him, and his business associates will never want to have anything to do with him again. He will have no other options but to remain confined to his monastery. And his newfound companions will know all about his sins. They won't allow him to forget. He will be forever compelled to confess to what he has done. To suffer the memories of what he did to his very own daughter. Every day. He will never again be able to regain enough control to separate his two personalities. He will be trapped in his own mind with the horrors of what he has done."

"Oh"

Adalace drew Sarsaparilla to her body. Hugging her, she rested her chin on her head.

"Ok, that's good enough."

They separated, and smiled at each other.

Holy crap, so now I know what's really behind those smiles. I'm so glad I'm their friend, and not an enemy.

"Well, Teylon, it looks like we've really caused a ruckus here, so I think that we will go and, and, I dunno, maybe walk along the river and eat lunch out somewhere." said Sarsaparilla.

"Yep, we're off!" said Adalace, giving Teylon a hefty pat on his back.

But they both stopped in front of Sister Celeste. One after the other, they bowed to her.

"Ah, sorry Sister for the pain we have caused you. We'll be going now." said Sarsaparilla.

And, hand in hand, they left, leaving Teylon to clean up any remaining mess.

Celeste is shocked silly, and Nethezal is totally wiped out and whimpering on the floor. I can't leave them like this...

Of course, being a slick Teflon Rat, he rapidly worked out a plan to follow.

"I say, Sister Celeste, how about we retreat a little way down the aisle. Nethezal won't be going anywhere any time soon."

Celeste allowed herself to be led to a pew towards the back of the church. Acting on autopilot, she sat down on the seat, slid across to make some room for Teylon, then knelt down, with her hands on the rail at the back of the seat in front of her. Shoulders slumped, looking worn out and considerably older than she had before; she held her hands together and stared blankly ahead.

Am I supposed to kneel besides her? Well, I suppose that is the normal thing for these religious types to do?

Feeling very self-conscious, he knelt beside her and also put his hands together.

Now, I need to gently bring her back to reality-

Teylon’s Soul Reading of: Celeste

A whirling, tumbling kaleidoscope of images, mostly showing Mirabella. Eating a toffee apple at a school fair. Sitting in a classroom looking puzzled over some problem. Confessing with great embarrassment to some minor crime during a confessional with Celeste. Being reprimanded, together with another girl, over some infraction of the school rules. Lying in bed, in a dormitory with ten other girls, listening to Celeste tell a bedtime story.

And, as these images went around and around, there was the emotional pain of grief and loss. And anger, barely in control extreme anger.

There were also images of interacting with her friend Nethezal. And more pain from the realisation that her friendship with him never truly existed in the first place.

Incipient rage, stirring beneath the surface.

Rage, anger, grief.

"My dear Mirabella." she was thinking, "Why? Why?"

"And Nethezal! Why?"

Teylon:

Right, I think I know what to do here.

"Sorry to be so forward, Sister Celeste, but I'm thinking, Sarsaparilla mentioned guilt and repentance and redemption..."

Celeste nodded.

"But it also occurs to me that there are some more words starting with RE. Like, for example, retribution, retaliation, revenge..."

That got her attention. She turned to look at him.

"Revenge." she said. No question mark, just a bald statement.

"You have already been directed by an Angel of Death to make sure that Nethezal suffers the appropriate amount of guilt for his sins."

Actually that was just Sarsaparilla describing what Nethezal's future was going to be like, but let's make it sound more like a command, shall we?

"So, I'm thinking, that being so, you need to ensure that it happens. And, you being Nethezal's friend, who is better to take the responsibility for his rehabilitation than you? You know exactly how to set up is future environment so that can never regain his composure to separate his personalities. And you can monitor his condition over time. All in the name of your duty to your ex-friend and your duty to God."

Celeste, staring intently at his face, nodded again.

"And, if in the pursuit of all of that, you feel like you are gaining some revenge for what he did to your Mirabella, well - "

Let's see, if I were in her position, I would just seek revenge and to hell with it. But, she's supposed to be a virtuous nun, so-

"Well, that's up to you of course, ah, I suppose you try to hold yourself above such things?"

She straightened herself out, squared her shoulders. She smoothed out the expression on her face, a bit of strength returned to her voice.

"Teylon, just because I'm a devoted nun does not mean I am a saint. We are all sinners here; we must all seek forgiveness for our lack of perfection."

"And, if I fall from my ideals and wallow in feelings of revenge, well, then, I shall have to ask for forgiveness in my own turn, won't I?"

"Ah, yes?" said Teylon.

She stood up, and Teylon, realising he was blocking her way to the aisle, also stood up.

"Thank you for your assistance. You realise I must see to my ministry now," she said as she turned her head towards Nethezal, still whimpering on the floor, "So I can't see you out myself."

"That's fine."

He knew an order when he got one. He stepped out into the aisle, and watched as she composed herself. She stooped slightly forward, a look of calm gentleness formed on her face. Transformation complete, she turned to walked towards Nethezal.

Oh wow. Just wow. Now that's one hell of a strong woman.

He let himself out and went home.

Later that night Teylon and Adalace did have a sit down as they tried to access the police database.

Only by then the passwords had been rescinded.

"They know who we are and what we are up to, and we know that they know. So why can't we take the next step and formally introduce ourselves to each other?" said Teylon.

He ruffled up his hair in exasperation.

"Nyah," said Adalace, putting on a cute smile, "Wouldn't that make life too easy?"

"I suppose so. Ah, also, just saying, your smiles no longer fool me."

"I've already figured that out. But it's still good practice."

"Oh, also, remember we now have the name of some organisation that is presumably involved in all of this." said Teylon.

Adalace frowned momentarily. "Ah, that's right, the Futures Group."

"Sadly, it's not in the telephone book." said Teylon.

"Fine, we'll just have to look elsewhere."

"Oh, by the way, still no luck with accessing those documents I stole?"

"Nyah, the people who password locked those files must have been following best practice recommendations. I'll keep trying."