Leon City Stories 37

37: The Convent of Sins I

Lance kicked in the door to his old home. His hotel was just a dusty ruin. A victim of vandalism and nature. He had expected nothing less. Leon City was a shithole, and the way it treated his property was proof enough. He hoped that at least the inside of the hotel was still untouched.

“Sir, we need to hurry,” said one of his men who had freed him from the prison.

“Yeah … I know … I just need to get my wife,” Lance muttered, stepping through the rubble in the lobby.

He opened a secret passage next to the registration desk and disappeared inside the hotel. His companion shook his head and pulled his phone out of his pocket.

“Ten minutes,” he said curtly as the secret door closed behind his boss.

Lance let his hand wander over the old machines. His inventions. His traps that had brought his wife and him so much joy and, above all, money.

“Wasted,” he muttered as he walked into the core of his facility where his wife rested. Forever encased in latex. Unable to move. Kept alive by his machines.

Or so he hoped. In front of him stood the steel coffin in which his wife was locked. The machines were still running. So she was still alive. He stroked the metal and ran his hand over the keypad. He paused briefly when he saw the report on the screen next to the coffin.

“Opened several times? But…” he fell silent as the coffin opened and he looked into his wife’s face. Sealed by latex for all eternity. Only a few tubes were keeping her alive.

“Oh, dear,” he said, stroking the perfect face. All other thoughts were wiped away when he saw her. Touched her. Loved. His goddess. His beautiful Micah.

“Let’s get you out of here, my dear Micah,” he said as he turned away and punched another code into the keypad. The coffin closed and there was a loud crack. Old machinery began to move and a hatch opened above them. Up above, he could already hear the helicopter that would take him and his wife to safety.

Caitlyn cursed under her breath as they rode back to the city in the escape room company’s limousine. Her heart was racing. Not just because there had been a riot at the prison, with dozens of prisoners escaping. Nor that she hadn’t been able to answer calls for hours summoning her to the police station, no. It was because she was still wearing the latex catsuit from the escape room company and couldn’t manage to take it off. She had actually wanted to save time and change with the others in the limo, but now the zipper was stuck. Caitlyn had no doubt that the curse on her was behind it. Apparently, being voluntarily bound by a machine counted as self-bondage to activate the curse so that everything would go wrong. Caitlyn hoped she wasn’t to blame for the breakout, too.

“Bloody hell!” Caitlyn cursed again as they got closer and closer to police headquarters. She let go of the zipper and pulled her normal clothes over the catsuit.

“What’s going on, Caitlyn? Why do we have to visit Celine?” Summer asked, curious yet concerned. Ava and Cass, who were in the car with her, looked curiously at Caitlyn, who was putting on a shirt that only partially covered the catsuit. Caitlyn took her time answering, not sure if she should really answer, worried about what her friends would do. Finally, she exhaled deeply and said, “During the breakout… Lance escaped. The slaver from the trap hotel where you and I,“ she pointed to Cass, ”Chloe, Kim and my brother Luke were trapped.”

It immediately felt colder in the car, as if Cass had set the air conditioning to freezing. She scowled at Caitlyn and then banged on the window to the driver.

“Pull over! NOW!” she barked, and the driver slowed down, but before he could stop properly, Cass had already gotten out and slammed the door behind him.

“I think Cass has other plans,” Summer muttered as they looked after her and drove on towards the police station.

“And we’re supposed to stay with Celine now?” Ava asked unenthusiastically, while Summer began to beam. Caitlyn looked at her seriously and nodded.

“If he’s out for revenge, I want you to be safe,” Caitlyn said pleadingly, putting her hands on her friends’ shoulders as the car stopped, “Besides, Celine has a pool now too, so you won’t be bored.”

Caitlyn hurriedly got out of the limo before Ava could let out an indignant huff and let a rant rain down on her. She slammed the door and the limo drove away.

“Officer Taylor?” a female voice behind Caitlyn asked in surprise, and she turned around. In front of her was her police academy instructor, Barbara Schoene, and her pleased expression turned to one of confusion and then disapproval when she saw Caitlyn’s latex catsuit under her normal clothes.

“Is that the LCPD’s new uniform? A latex catsuit with high heels?”

Caitlyn froze and her gaze dropped down to her body. She wanted to sink into the floor.

“Fucking curse,” she whispered in shame, but looked up when the blonde cop put a hand under her chin and forced her to look into her eyes.

“It suits you, Officer Taylor. Maybe you can tell me where I can get one of those too,“ she said, tugging gently on the zipper that opened all at once, ”but maybe you should take it off before we go to the meeting.”

Caitlyn smiled and nodded. She hurried into the Bureau with her former instructor.

After exchanging her latex catsuit for her uniform, she hurried into the briefing room. On the way there, she met many of her colleagues who looked stressed or worried. Some of them also bumped into Caitlyn, a hurried apology on their lips. Eventually, though, she entered the glass box they were using as a briefing room, where her instructor was already waiting.

“Boot,” Officer Ruiz said curtly as Caitlyn opened the door.

“Sir,” Caitlyn replied curtly and sat down next to him, “please forgive the delay, I was…”

Ruiz raised his hand and shook his head.

“No problem, boot. It’s a state of emergency. I was surprised by it too and we had to wait for Schoene anyway,” he said as the sergeant entered the room, closely followed by Officer Schoene, who sat down behind them.

“Now that we’re all here, let’s get straight to the point,” said the sergeant, looking sternly at the three officers, “As you’ve already heard, another slaver, Lance, has escaped from the prison with several fellow prisoners. We have already been able to recapture some of them, but there is no trace of Lance. We can only make assumptions and monitor places that could be connected to him. Unfortunately, we can’t cover everything. That’s where you come in.”

Caitlyn frowned. If they were just going to go on patrol, they could have saved themselves the meeting.

“Sir?”

He raised his hand to ask for her patience.

“Officer Ruiz. How far along is Caitlyn in her training?”

Now it was his turn to frown, but he looked briefly at his student and then at her sergeants.

“Officer Caitlyn’s first year as a police officer will soon be over. She is an exemplary police officer who will certainly have a successful future with the LCPD. She will also be able to pass the upcoming exams and she has already been able to gain experience outside of normal training. There’s not much more I can teach her,” he said, looking proudly at Caitlyn for a moment. Her sergeant nodded.

“That’s why Officer Schoene is here, to guide the final step of her training.”

“Sir?” asked Officer Ruiz. Caitlyn heard him trying not to sound offended.

“Due to the current emergency situation, I plan to send Officer Taylor on an undercover mission, with Officer Schoene as her handler. That is, of course, if you all agree.”

Silence.

Caitlyn didn’t understand why she, of all people, should go undercover. A rookie with hardly any experience in this field.

“But sir… he might remember my face and isn’t that the job of…”

“All the other UCs are either on missions or not suitable. You, however, at least have some experience and have Officer Schoene as your contact. We can only hope he doesn’t remember you, or better yet, that he’s not there,” he said with the expression of a very distressed man. Caitlyn looked to her old instructor and drew her eyebrows together.

“I take it she can’t do it, since she wouldn’t have any support?”

She nodded.

“The LCPD has already used up all its resources. I left as soon as your sergeant called me. Granted, I’d do the mission on my own, but your sergeant and my girlfriend wouldn’t allow it.”

Caitlyn kneaded her hands in her lap and pulled her lips into her mouth. Officer Ruiz placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

“Your choice, boot. It won’t be held against you if you say no,” Ruiz explained, but before Caitlyn could open her mouth, her sergeant raised his voice again.

“Before you answer, I’d like to say something … You would be operating outside of Leon City. We have limited ability to help you there. Furthermore, we can’t afford a political scandal.”

“Sir?”

“The Pacis Aeternae Monastery is not a backyard church. They’ve been running schools, hospitals and more for years. If we show up there and kick down doors, I can assure you we’ll have the press in front of us within 30 minutes. That’s why I just want you to find Lance or evidence of him being there. If the church has something to do with it, fine, we’ll take them both up. But if there’s just a mistake in the evidence, we can shred the case straight away.”

“When do we start?” asked Caitlyn, clenching her hands into fists to hide the trembling.

The answer was immediately. Caitlyn had just enough time to reach her parents and tell them she would be out of town for the near future. Then she had to change her clothes again and was put in a car. Shortly afterwards, Officer Schoene drove off. Caitlyn wasn’t afraid for her family. After all, her mother was an excellent magician and her brother had built an alarm system that was second to none. If Lance still remembered her, at least her family would be safe and her friends hidden in the woods. Or so Caitlyn hoped. A thought that stuck in her head like a thorn the entire ride.

“Cait?” asked Officer Schoene, placing a hand on her shoulder like her instructor. Caitlyn shook her head and looked back down at the documents in her lap.

“I’m fine… this mission is just…” Caitlyn mumbled in disbelief, shaking her head again. The monastery she was supposed to infiltrate was one of the oldest buildings in the state, according to the file. It stood in the center of the island. Surrounded by the city of Aurelia, far smaller than Leon City, but still known for its faith and history.

“The monastery Pacis Aeternae. Salus solum in obedientia est … What does that mean? I had no Latin and there’s no translation here…” Caitlyn asked, but then she came across a few of the blurry images. They showed women in shiny robes holding masses or hearing people’s confessions. The nuns’ clothes were adorned with thick, golden bracelets that sparkled in the sun.

“Is jewelry even allowed in the church?”

“According to the records, the convent has its own interpretations of how one should serve the Lord,” Schoene said, nodding as she took a quick look at the pictures.

“There have been investigations? Mmmh, but they all ended quickly. No sufficient evidence … despite suspected abductions? How can that be?”

“That’s why we’re infiltrating you now. Find connections or evidence that will lead us to Lance and come back safely. No things that put you in danger. No heroics,” Schoene admonished, glancing at the navigation device. They were still a good distance from the town of Aurelia.

“Let me look at you,” Schoene urged Caitlyn and took the files from her. Her protégé exhaled heavily and looked up. Caitlyn looked perfect. Dirty and torn clothes covered her body. Her normally straight, black hair was disheveled and dusty. She had even insisted that her instructor slap her hard across the face. Her cheek still glowed red, even after the long ride.

“Don’t you think that was too much?” asked Schoene.

“Tears would be too much. Make-up would be too much. That? That’s why I plucked up the courage to leave my ex and run away from him,” Caitlyn explained, wincing as she touched the sore spot.

“Ow…Ruiz really didn’t hold back either,” she muttered, turning to the backseat to grab her small getaway bag. The seams were just barely holding, with hopes and dreams. Caitlyn also hoped that the bag would last at least as far as the convent.

“Ready?” asked Officer Schoene, and Caitlyn nodded, “Good luck, Officer Taylor.”

Caitlyn got out of the car, which sped away less than a second later. Immediately, Caitlyn felt the relentless sun on her head. At least there was a slight breeze to cool her down. Still, she would probably be soaked with sweat and exhausted to the bone by the time she reached the city. That was exactly the plan. Injured, at the end of her tether and desperate. Slavers and cults loved people like this, didn’t they? Caitlyn thought and shouldered her bag. With every step she took, she longed more for the air conditioning in Officer Schoene’s car.

The sun was already setting when Caitlyn finally reached her destination, her legs trembling. Her bag had given up halfway there. She also thought her shoes were about to fall apart.

Maybe I overdid it with the disguise and the walk here after all. Caitlyn thought and leaned against the wall of a house. She fished a plastic bottle out of the remains of her bag and took a greedy swig from it. Then it was empty. Caitlyn cursed quietly and slid to the ground against the wall.

“So tired,” Caitlyn mumbled and closed her eyes. She just wanted to give herself a moment of rest before she set off on her search. A moment just for her. A moment she couldn’t really afford. But her body was so heavy. So exhausted.

“Excuse me, miss?”

Caitlyn looked up.

In a blur, she saw a woman in her late twenties in a dark, shiny robe. Caitlyn blinked to clear her vision until she looked into the friendly face of a woman. Her mouth dropped open the next moment when she saw her robe. The woman was wearing a latex catsuit reminiscent of a nun’s robe. Her head and copper-red hair were framed by a nun’s veil and fell down onto her bottom. The catsuit was black and decorated with white crosses. The two on her over-the-knee boots stood out in particular and ran down to her feet.

“Wha… wha… what?!” Caitlyn groaned and tried to crawl away from the woman, but the wall behind her stopped her. She had expected many things, but not this. Even though she saw and wore latex almost every day. The bad photos and incomplete files hadn’t prepared her for this garment.

“Don’t worry, my child. You are safe. Here. Take this,” the woman said, pulling a water bottle from her shopping bag and handing it to Caitlyn. She hesitantly took the bottle, but didn’t drink anything.

“Come on. I’ve got more,” said the nun compassionately, showing another bottle of water. Eventually, Caitlyn nodded and drank from the bottle. The water was delicious on her dry tongue and she sighed with relief.

“Thank you so much… I lost the full bottle when my pocket ripped,” Caitlyn said truthfully, showing the hole in it.

“You haven’t had it easy lately, have you? What’s your name, child?” the woman asked, raising her hand to Caitlyn’s cheek. Caitlyn flinched back. Half out of acting, half out of fear that the nun was actually touching the sore spot. She smiled sympathetically and lowered her hand. The golden bracelets, which Caitlyn had already noticed in the photos, shone in the light of the setting sun.

“Excuse me. My name is Lily,” Caitlyn murmured shyly. Lily, the alias she had been given. Along with a hastily set up social media page and a story about an abusive relationship. Caitlyn hoped that would be enough to secure her bet. She wanted to give the bottle back, but the woman shook her head kindly.

“Keep it,” she said, kneeling closer to Caitlyn.

“Thanks,” Caitlyn mumbled again, tucking the water bottle into her bundle.

“Do you know where you can sleep tonight, Lily?” the nun asked. Caitlyn shook her head.

“I just wanted to get away… I didn’t think about where or how…” she mumbled and lowered her head.

“If you want, I can take you to safety. Away from whatever you’re running from.”

Caitlyn looked up. The woman had reached out her hand and nodded encouragingly.

“Do I have to … wear this, then?”

The nun smiled.

“Only if you want to,” she said as Caitlyn took her hand. Despite her exhaustion, she returned the smile.

This had worked better than I’d thought. Maybe too well.

The walk through the city had been long, but Esther supported her every step of the way until they finally arrived at the convent. Without delay, she took Caitlyn to a room. It was sparsely furnished, but had a small bathroom and a cozy bed.

“You can stay here for the night. I’ll bring you something to eat in a minute, Lily,” Esther said and was about to close the door when Caitlyn held it open.

“Wait … just the night?”

Esther smiled sympathetically.

“Unfortunately, yes. These rooms are usually for the nuns. We can only accommodate strangers for one night.”

Caitlyn lowered her head. Esther eyed her for a moment before going back into the room. She took Caitlyn by the hand and led her to the bed, where they sat down.

“Well, Lily… if you want… if you want to be safe forever… I could talk to the Head Sister. But then you’d have to wear this,” Esther laughed, pointing to her sacred latex robe. Caitlyn had to pull herself together not to agree immediately. She already wanted to try out the robe. She really wanted to. But she had to restrain herself from sounding too eager. After all, she had an important job to do.

“Can I think about it? Can I maybe become a novice to get an idea?”

Esther drew her eyebrows together.

“Unfortunately, I would need to know before you go to bed. The ceremony can only take place in the presence of the moon,“ Esther smiled wryly, ”I know it’s a lot to ask, but I can assure you that you won’t regret it. We do so much good on our own in the city and we protect each other. You’ll never have to be afraid again.”

Caitlyn blinked in confusion at the sudden time pressure.

“I understand…”

“Get some rest, Lily. Get cleaned up. I’ll be right back.”

The door closed behind Esther and she left Caitlyn alone. A little relieved, she realized that she hadn’t locked the door.

At least it was something. Esther seemed very friendly. Maybe the worries about Lance operating from here were unfounded. I would hate to arrest her. Caitlyn thought and got up shakily from the bed. She shed her tattered clothes and stepped into the shower. The water was soothing on her skin and her legs thanked her for it. She was almost willing to sit down and just let herself be soaked. Her tired eyes kept closing and eventually she leaned against the wall. She couldn’t really give herself a break, though.

What would Lily do now? Just accept the offer? Show more mistrust towards the robe? Caitlyn held her chin, but found that she couldn’t give herself a universal answer. Instead, she turned off the shower and stumbled to the bed. She dropped onto the cozy comforter and rolled around on it for a moment. She closed her eyes, but before she could fall asleep, there was a knock at the door. Absent-mindedly, Caitlyn simply said, “Come in.”

The door opened and Esther’s head appeared behind it. Immediately, Caitlyn’s head turned red as she remembered that she was completely naked under the covers.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of, Lily, we’re all women, aren’t we?”

Caitlyn nodded, but only pulled the blanket tighter around her body.

“Well, I’ve spoken to the head nurse and she says we can take you in. We just need your decision now.”

“Do I get dinner even if I say no? Hahahaha,” asked Caitlyn.

Esther had to start laughing too, but then shook her head.

“Don’t worry, your dinner has nothing to do with it. I would just be very happy if you stayed with us and…” she fell silent and blushed.

“What?” Caitlyn asked, tilting her head to one side. Esther opened the door, revealing her latex body and a black box with handles on the side that seemed a little heavier. It was locked with a small lock and decorated with golden symbols. It seemed to be very valuable and important to Esther.

“And I really want to dress you. This is one of our rituals and I … I have only been able to experience it once.”

“When you chose this life?”

Esther nodded.

“Have you ever regretted it?”

“Never.”

Caitlyn hugged her legs with her arms.

“What would I have to do?”

“I’ll be honest. It might be a little boring for you at first. You’d be helping out at the convent. Cleaning, gardening, preparing for mass. But if you work well and conscientiously, you would be given more important tasks. Receiving guests, hearing confessions, maybe even leading a mass? But I must warn you. It’s not always easy, maybe even too strange for you.”

Esther went to her and sat at the foot of the bed.

“With that robe, it’s hard to imagine it getting any weirder,” Caitlyn laughed and Esther joined in, but didn’t elaborate.

“So … what do you say?” she said, smiling as if she wanted to give her little sister a makeover, “but of course, if you don’t want to, I don’t want to push you.”

“Don’t worry. I never want to run away again. I want to join you.”

Esther immediately began to beam and hugged Caitlyn.

“Welcome home, sister!” said Esther, hugging Caitlyn tightly. Caitlyn returned the hug and even placed her cheek on the nun’s shoulder.

But before she could even begin to enjoy the hug, Esther let go of her and pulled on her hand.

“Come on, we have to go before it’s too late!” she said excitedly.

“Wait. I can’t walk around the convent like this,” Caitlyn said, pulling her hand back under the covers.

“Yes you can, it’s the tradition! Come on!” Esther laughed and pulled the blanket away from her. Caitlyn blushed instantly and covered her breasts and crotch with her mouth open.

“Wawawa? Where did that come from now?!” asked Caitlyn in shock.

“That’s why we can only do the ritual at night, when there are no more outsiders in the monastery. Come on, you have to carry this to the ritual room!” said Esther excitedly, pushing the box into Caitlyn’s arms. Despite her strength, Caitlyn was surprised by its weight.

“Are there rocks in there?” she asked, and Esther shook her head.

“Lily, don’t be ridiculous! It’s your uniform in there. It will look great on you. “Your black hair goes perfectly with our colors!” Esther said, turning so that Caitlyn could see the latex uniform in its entirety. She had to admit, she was tempted to just get into the game, especially with such a reward.

“Beautiful,” Caitlyn murmured admiringly.

“Go on then!

Follow me to the ritual room, Lily.”

Dazzled by the latex, Caitlyn briefly forgot her mission and why she was actually here. She just wanted to put on this robe and follow Esther’s example. She rose from the bed, naked as she was, and held the box in her hands as if it were the most precious thing she had ever owned. Caitlyn never thought the day would end like this. She naked and followed a stranger into a secret room where she would begin her new life.

What am I thinking? Caitlyn thought, shaking her head.

I need to pull myself together! I have a mission here, dammit!

Thought turned her gaze away from her guide to maybe see something suspicious. From Caitlyn’s room, they spiraled upstairs. There were apparently no more stairs, just a wide path that led to the top of the cloister. The high corridor was lit by the light of the moon. The colored window panes through which it shone made their way almost ghostly. Maybe it was because Caitlyn’s senses were on alert right now, but she felt like the colors and shapes that fell upon her were reaching out to her.

“You know, Lily…I have to apologize,” Esther began in a somewhat glum voice as they climbed higher and higher, “this is one of our most sacred rituals. I only ascended a few weeks ago and got the right to perform it on someone. I … I’m glad it’s you, but I really don’t want to push you into it … it’s just …”

“Esther, you don’t have to apologize. I want this. I want to have a family. Someone who makes me feel safe,” Caitlyn whispered, swallowing as she thought about her real family. That lie hurt her. Especially since she missed Jade, her friend, so much, “I’m glad you found me.”

Esther glanced over her shoulder and smiled warmly at Caitlyn.

“You don’t know how happy you make me, Lily.”

“Hey, I thought this was going to be my big day?”

“It will be. It will.

You’ll see,” Esther assured her and climbed a flight of stairs while Caitlyn’s gaze lingered on a door. There was a sign on it that read “Archive”.

“Lily, come on!” Esther hissed and went back down the stairs to pull Caitlyn up. “I’m not even allowed in there and you haven’t even been admitted yet.”

“Sorry,” Caitlyn whispered, hanging her head.

“Get over it, Lily. Now enjoy the initiation ritual and behave yourself!” Esther reprimanded her, pushing open a heavy door of gold and wood as they finally reached the top of the cloister. It revealed a circular room with a mosaic carved into the floor. At its center was a golden circle with spikes pointing to the four cardinal points. The dome was made of glass and stone, and in its center sat a crystal that focused the moonlight and shone it directly onto the golden circle. Caitlyn had expected many things, but not this. She stared in fascination at the moonlight streaming in and the crystal in the ceiling. She hadn’t thought that something non-magical could create something so beautiful. But what did she know? Perhaps the monastery had kept this relic all these years.

“Stand in the middle, Lily. Then we can begin,” Esther whispered, pointing Caitlyn towards the circle. She obeyed and felt the gold beneath her feet was warm, perhaps too warm. Caitlyn grimaced and looked at Esther, who now approached her and took off the box.

“That’s why we can’t do this during the day. The light from the sun is too bright for our purposes,” Esther whispered and placed the box behind Caitlyn. She was about to say something back, but held back. She couldn’t ruin this moment for Esther. Instead, she paid attention to her skin, which appeared white, almost like milk, in the light of the focused moonlight, revealing every blemish. Every scar, every bruise. She looked up from her body and looked around the room again. Windows were set into the walls in rows, but they didn’t lead outside, but into dark rooms. Caitlyn thought she was mistaken, but she could see someone sitting in one of the windows.

“Aren’t we alone?” she asked Esther, who was just putting the box behind her and opening it.

“Hush, Lily,” Esther said reassuringly, running her hand over Caitlyn’s body, “everything is right. You never have to suffer again.”

She let her hand rest on a bruise Caitlyn had received from her adventure in the Escape Room. She had a dozen of them, and each one now told Esther the story Caitlyn wanted her to hear.

“You poor thing … I’m glad I found you,” Esther whispered compassionately, and Caitlyn could hear her fighting back tears.

“We… We will begin the ritual now,” she said finally, holding Caitlyn’s arms out to her sides, “Sister Lily, you have been chosen to join our order.”

Esther’s voice echoed off the walls, giving her something powerful.

“The head sister, our mistress and I will witness your initiation ceremony.”

Had Esther just referred to the head sister as mistress? Caitlyn frowned, her eyes trying to pierce the moonlight she stood in and the darkness the head sister stood in, but she still couldn’t make out any details.

“First, the sacred oils will be applied. They will protect you in your tasks and purify your body. May they keep doubt and fear from you and take away your suffering,“ Esther explained, and when she saw Caitlyn’s scratches again, she added in a trembling voice: ”So much suffering…”

Caitlyn didn’t have time to brace herself as Esther began rubbing a cool liquid on her back. From there, she worked her way diligently, not missing a single spot. Esther massaged the oil into Caitlyn’s skin and seemed to pay particular attention to her ass and breasts. Caitlyn turned red.“Don’t be ashamed, sister. I’ve already told you that we’re among women here,” Esther tried to reassure her. Caitlyn just nodded and swallowed. This was certainly not how she had imagined the day would go.

“It’s just cold.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll warm up in a minute. The light and the oils will do their work in a moment.”

It only took a moment before a warmth began to spread from Caitlyn’s back. Her cheeks flushed red as it spread further into her body. She felt more at ease and her muscles relaxed.

“See?”, Esther asked reassuringly and continued in a raised voice, “Next, your robe. It is the sign that you are following the path. May it be an eternally faithful servant to you, as you will be to us. May it protect you from the temptations of the world and embrace you so that you always know that you are never alone.”

Esther pulled something large out of the box and placed a black catsuit of Caitlyn’s on the floor.

“Now I need your help,” she whispered, and Caitlyn understood immediately. She lifted one of her legs and Esther immediately pulled the catsuit up her foot. The oil acted as a lubricant, and with their combined strength, the latex slid up Caitlyn’s body. Her other leg followed suit and Caitlyn closed her eyes. She thought she was spoiled by the C&T latex, but something was different.

Is the garment tighter? Is the oil reacting with the latex? Why does it feel so good? Ahhh.

Caitlyn thought and had to stifle a groan.

Esther smiled at Caitlyn as she continued to work and pull the suit up.

“It’s an incredible feeling, isn’t it? That’s how we always feel. Safe and protected. You especially seem to have missed those feelings, don’t you?” Esther asked, tucking Caitlyn’s arms into the sleeves. Finally, she pulled the zipper closed and tightened the elegant latex robe around Caitlyn’s body.

“Almost there. She echoed a little. You don’t want to leave the wrong impression, do you?” Esther asked, nodding to the head nurse.

“No … I can do this,” Caitlyn whispered hopefully. Esther walked around Caitlyn and adjusted the suit. She squeezed any air bubbles out of the suit and removed wrinkles. She bent down to the box and lifted the boots and headgear out of it. Esther put both on her and closed the zippers on them. The boots in particular squeezed her legs in just the right places. She was now wearing almost exactly the same as Esther.

All that was missing was …

“Now for the last part of the ceremony,” Esther explained and walked back to the box. It clinked softly as she took out the gold.

Caitlyn didn’t dare turn to face her.

“Now say your vows.”

Caitlyn was blindsided when she suddenly had to take a more active part in the ceremony.

“What…what am I supposed to say?” hissed Caitlyn in a whisper. She felt a little caught off guard by Esther, who just giggled.

“Don’t worry, Lily. Just say what’s on your mind. As long as it’s true, it’s not wrong.

Caitlyn thought about it.

Was this a test? Was this how they could spot fake novices? What if I was found out now?

Esther noticed that Caitlyn was getting nervous and put a hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Lily. You’ll get something to eat afterwards. You just have to say what’s on your mind, what brought you here.”

“I … I came here with no destination in mind. Tired from my journey and exhausted. I was running from my past and … I was afraid of my future. I uh … I found the city of Aurelia and my sister Esther, who took me in.

She rescued me and … gave me a home. The fear that plagued me was taken away. I put my powers at the disposal of the Order so that no one else may feel this fear. I will strive to be for others what Sister Esther was for me today,” Caitlyn proclaimed, exhaling a shaky breath. Behind her, she heard Esther sobbing.

“Oh Lily… that… that was beautiful, I…”

A clearing of the throat broke the silence and Caitlyn looked into the darkness where the head sister sat.

“Pardon me … I’ll go on,” Esther whispered, clearing her own throat, “last of all, the gold of our order, to bind you to your vows and remind you of them always.”

Click!Click!

There was a loud click in the ritual room as Esther fastened two golden bands around Caitlyn’s upper arms. Caitlyn immediately frowned. She hadn’t seen them in the pictures or on Esther. She also felt a slight swish in her back when she moved her arms.

“The bands of devotion and humility, are to teach you to serve others as yourself and not to fall into vanity.”

Click!

Click!

Two more bands she closed around Caitlyn’s thighs.

“Um…” Caitlyn began, but Esther cut her off as she bent down and said, “The bands of perseverance and path. “That you may always find your way and fulfill your duties without losing yourself.”

Click!

Click!

“Esther? How am I supposed to walk if you …”

“The bands of homecoming and peace. They will remind you that we are your new home and that you live in harmony with us.”

“But Esther, these are…”

Click!

Click!

Esther put the last gold bands around Caitlyn’s wrists.

A thin golden chain was stretched between them, preventing Caitlyn from stretching out her arms. Mouth agape, she stared at Esther, who in turn looked at her as if she were a priceless gift to herself.

“And the bands of service and action… that in all you do, you strive to serve and assist the Order,” Esther finished. There was a soft clink as Caitlyn noticed the other chains now stretched across her body. She swallowed. These files had been more than incomplete. But before she could think another thought, she was embraced warmly by Esther, unable to reciprocate or resist.

“Welcome, sister. Now you are truly one of us.”

Caitlyn couldn’t help but rest her head on Esther’s shoulder.

But not for the reasons Esther thought.

From the conclusion of the ritual to dinner with Esther, Caitlyn couldn’t help but curse herself. She didn’t want to let on, but she was afraid. Afraid that she was now at the mercy of the convent. She could no longer run away, could no longer defend herself. Caitlyn couldn’t even use her arms as she wished. She had become particularly aware of this while eating. The chain in her back prevented her from stretching her arms too far to scoop some of the rice onto her plate. She was so clumsy that Esther finally took pity on her and helped her.

“You need to learn to use our chains quickly. I can’t keep putting food on your plate.”

Caitlyn tried not to let on and smiled. She hoped it didn’t look too forced.

“I’ll try my best and not let you down.”

“Excellent. I knew I could count on you, Lily,“ glancing at her watch, she added, ”I still need to get your sleeping things. Can you manage the rest on your own?”

“Um… alright?” Caitlyn asked uncertainly, looking towards her bed with the soft blanket she had already tested, “Is there something wrong with my current bedding?”

“Well, as I said, this is for visitors. The novices sleep a little more nobly and snugly. Believe me, even though these chains are a sacred symbol of our allegiance, they can make you lose sleep the first few nights. That’s why … Oh, you’ll see. Eat up, I’ll be right back.”

Esther scurried out of the room, leaving Caitlyn alone with her thoughts and, more importantly, the shackles. Caitlyn raised her right hand. The golden metal was light.

“Isn’t gold usually heavier?” she muttered, twisting the hoop around her wrist. There was no keyhole anywhere to open it.

“Maybe magnets?” Caitlyn pondered, lifting her other hand over the metal to open it with her magic, but nothing happened. Caitlyn tilted her head.

Was it that damn curse again?

But I didn’t bind myself… Caitlyn thought, raising her hand to the spoon in the rice pot. She cast a simple levitation spell that should work even now. But it didn’t move a bit.

There goes my last trump card, for whatever reason. Caitlyn thought angrily and closed her hand into a fist.

“I really hope there are keys to this,” Caitlyn muttered and continued eating. She couldn’t do anything about the restraints, so she had to put on a good face for now and hope she didn’t take a liking to them as well.

In an emergency, I’m sure I can still sneak out at night and go to Officer Schoene. Caitlyn thought and rustled her chains between her thighs and feet. They weren’t too short, even if she definitely couldn’t run anymore.

“At least the uniform is cute… haaaaa damn I like the situation already, don’t I?” she asked herself, clicking her tongue disapprovingly. She would probably leave that part out of her report. There was a knock and Esther immediately came back into the room with a thick sleeping bag, also made of latex of course, and dozens of buckles and belts. Caitlyn looked up at Esther again, stunned.

“Esther … what … why?”

“Like I said. For some novices, the chains can be a little annoying the first few nights. That’s why it’s a tradition that they sleep in these sleeping bags until they ascend,” Esther explained with conviction.

“Do I really have to?”

Esther nodded seriously.

“It’s a tradition that’s almost as old as the ascension ritual itself.”

“What if I have to go out? If I have to go to the bathroom or there’s a fire?”

“Then I’ll get you out, of course. Don’t worry. I won’t be far away, and in all the years the convent has been here, there haven’t been any fires,“ Esther explained, as if it were an indisputable and logical fact, ”otherwise it wouldn’t still be standing.”

Caitlyn put her cutlery aside and took a deep breath.

“Esther, I don’t know…”

Esther made a sad expression and held the sleeping bag tighter in her hand.

“How to get into the sleeping bag. Can you show me? It looks complicated,” Caitlyn said, trying not to sound too pained. Esther immediately lit up, pulling Caitlyn out of the chair.

“You’re going to love it! I loved it too, and I miss it a little. But now … now I have other duties,” Esther said, spreading the sleeping bag out on the bed. It was white with a white stripe down the middle. The zipper also appeared to be made of the gold of the shackles and stretched down to the feet of the sleeping bag. Eight white belts were strategically placed so that they had to be opened first to get to the zipper. There would be no escape from this sleeping bag.

“Like the duty to zip novices into the sleeping bag?”

“Exactly!”

Esther opened the sleeping bag. It looked to Caitlyn like a white maw, into which she was now being pulled by her sister. Caitlyn was surprised that she could resist so little because of the chains. Esther pressed her into the sleeping bag as if she were a doll.

“Do you do this often?” asked Caitlyn as Esther tucked her legs into the maw of the sleeping bag as if she’d never done anything else.

“Let’s just say I like doing it,” Esther said, laughing softly as she pushed Caitlyn into position. Then she closed the zipper. The lining inside the sleeping bag seemed to hug Caitlyn.

She could barely move, let alone escape. Despite all this, however, it didn’t feel uncomfortable for Caitlyn. On the contrary, she felt safe and protected. Something that nevertheless led to contradictions in her mind. Esther seemed to notice it too.

“Are you all right, Lily?” she asked as she tied the belts together, ending with one around Caitlyn’s neck.

“It… feels weird. I still have my reservations, but… it feels good…” Caitlyn explained hesitantly, and Esther nodded.

“I understand what you mean. These concerns will soon be gone and then … all that will be left are the good feelings,” Esther dismissed Caitlyn’s objection and stroked Caitlyn’s cheek. Caitlyn might have found the gesture a little odd in this situation, but Lily would undoubtedly like it very much and she leaned into the touch.

“Good night, Esther,” Caitlyn mumbled as Esther walked to the door, “…And thank you…for saving me.”

She switched off the light and turned to Caitlyn with a smile.

“You’re welcome, Sister Lily, but I’m not saying goodbye to you yet.”

Caitlyn’s eyes widened as Esther came back and lay down next to her on the bed, wrapping her arms around her.

“Uh, Esther?” asked Caitlyn confused, but not wanting to be too rude, she pursed her lips as Esther snuggled closer to her.

“Sleep well, Lily. I’ll always watch over you. My favorite little sister,” Esther whispered sweetly, sending a shiver down the back of Caitlyn’s neck.

Officer Barbara Schoene looked out of the window of her small hotel room up to the convent. The light of the moon reflected off its tip, giving the surrounding buildings of the city of Aurelia a twinkle.

“I hope Caitlyn made it to the convent safely,” she murmured, taking one of the files to look at it again herself.

“The LCPD really doesn’t have any money if they can only take blurry pictures like this,” Barbara muttered, narrowing her eyes to make out something in the pixel mush.

“Maybe Sela could…” she muttered, opening her laptop and putting on her headphones to call her friend Sela. It didn’t take long for her to answer.

“Hey honey. What’s up?” Sela asked when she answered the call and saw her friend’s face on the screen.

“Hey sexy, shouldn’t you be in bed by now?” asked Barbara, seeing Sela squinting at her watch.

“Then why aren’t you yet? Miss I’m on vacation in Leon City and I’m not allowed to explain anything?” asked Sela, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

“I’m not on vacation. I told you, I’m working and I could use your help.”

“Oho? May I know what it’s about now?”

Barbara tightened her lips into a thin line.

“All right, then keep your secrets,” Sela added, rolling her eyes.

“Sooo … will you help me anyway?”

“Sure, I just wanted to go to bed and …”

“You little blabbermouth. I want you to improve the quality of the pictures.

I’m sending them to you now. The LCPD only has daguerreotype cameras and I need better…” Barbara said, but was interrupted by Sela.

“You know I can’t do that.”

“The LCPD won’t bust my ass for it just because you make the pictures better, so you could …”

“Barbara …”

“Why not? I thought it would be super easy for a hacker like you!”

Sela was silent for a moment before she started to laugh and shook her head.

“I can’t just create information out of thin air. It’s not as easy as in the movies.”

“Great,” Barbara muttered and crossed her arms, “and what do I do now? I need better pictures of the nuns from Aurelia.”

Sela immediately started typing something into her computer.

“Have you tried just looking for them on the internet … let’s see what we can find …” Sela said, her eyebrows suddenly furrowing, “Honey … can you explain to me why you’re looking for pictures of latex nuns not even a day after you left me?”

Barbara’s mouth dropped open.

“Uh?”

Sela mirrored her computer screen so Barbara could see it. Her mouth fell open even wider.

“Seems to be a real attraction in Aurelia.”

“But … but … but the files, they …” Barbara began feverishly flicking through the documents. But nothing in them indicated that the nuns were wearing latex.

“Oh, the novices even have to be tied up? Nice!”

Barbara turned pale. She had to get to Caitlyn immediately and warn her before it was too late.

“Sela, I have to hang up and…”

“Save the world?” Sela asked sympathetically when she heard the panic in her friend’s voice. Barbara nodded, “I’ll keep my eyes open and find out more about this … convent.”

Caitlyn had expected that she wouldn’t have been able to close an eye all night, but she was wrong. She had slept better than she had in a long time. No bad thoughts about work, the city or the dark mages who were still at large. Just her and Esther, who was still snuggled up against her in the morning as the first rays of sunlight lit up the room. Her red hair lay spread across Caitlyn’s chest and her heart grew heavier.

Almost like home … when all was right with the world. Caitlyn thought. If she had squeezed her eyes shut, Jade could have been lying next to her. Jade, breathing quietly on her chest. Caitlyn swallowed and finally cleared her throat.

“Hey… Esther?”

“Mmmmh?” Esther mumbled sleepily, hugging Caitlyn tighter.

“Don’t we have to work in the morning or something?”

“Only on Sundays, my little sister … Now be quiet, I want to enjoy this with you a little longer,” she mumbled, and her eyes opened, blinking, before closing again. A broad smile flitted across her lips. Caitlyn furrowed her brow. She had worked on Friday. On Saturday, she had been in the Escape Room and then left for Aurelia straight afterwards.

“But isn’t today Sunday?”

Silence.

“Esther?”

“Mhm.”

“Don’t we have to go to mass?” Caitlyn asked, staring at Esther.

“Mhmmmmm.”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Of course … something about work … but I want to be with my little sister for a while.”

“I um … feel honored? But … I thought we had a mass to prepare?”

“Only on Sundays …”

“But today is Sunday”

Silence, then Esther’s eyes opened at once.

“TODAY IS SUNDAY!” she shouted and immediately jumped up. “Come on, get up!” You’ll be late!”

And whose fault is that, then? Caitlyn thought as Esther feverishly undid her belts.

“Awww man, the head nurse will chew my ear off if you’re late on your first day of Mass,” Esther babbled absentmindedly. Caitlyn could only shake her head and watch her extricate herself. She wouldn’t have minded being trapped in the sleeping bag a little longer either. Esther had given her a feeling she had missed. Her eyes grew a little cloudier as she remembered her girlfriend, Jade. She missed Jade. They hadn’t seen each other for a long time. Let alone touched like she and Esther had that night.

“Come out now. I’ll help you get cleaned up,” Esther said, unzipping her only to pull Caitlyn out of her sleeping bag and push her into the bathroom.

“I don’t really need your help. I can brush my teeth by myself,” Caitlyn started, but Esther was already pushing a toothbrush into her mouth and starting to scrub.

“That’s what they all say, and then the novices come back with toothpaste on their veils. You’re still too clumsy. I’ll do it for you,” Esther said hurriedly, holding Caitlyn by the chains so she couldn’t get away from her. A few very uncomfortable minutes followed for Caitlyn until Esther had taken care of her and shooed her out of the room and into the mess hall with several swats on the butt.

Caitlyn and Esther seemed to arrive just in time. People were let into the convent and, Caitlyn realized, they also enjoyed the pretty women who invited them in. She didn’t see any other novices, though. Something that worried Caitlyn a little. She only saw other nuns, presumably of the same rank as Esther, smiling at her all the time. Her big sister, however, continued to take a fancy to her and never left her alone with the others for a moment.

“Shouldn’t I introduce myself to you?”

“No, no, no, no. They’ll want you all to themselves later!” Esther said with a laugh and pushed Caitlyn in the back to make her bend over. She had just enough time to see a woman in a white and gold latex robe. Beneath the veil, bright white hair billowed like a silky curtain.

“Supreme Sister,” Esther whispered reverently and bowed as well.

“Rise, my sisters. I hope you had a wonderful night?” she asked, and Caitlyn listened as she heard a rather young voice from under the veil. The top sister towered over her by about half a head. Except for her mouth, Caitlyn couldn’t see her face. At that moment, her red lips formed into a satisfied smile, as if she had known that Caitlyn was too eager to see beneath the veil.

“Indeed! I’m sure Lily will fit in perfectly here.”

“We’ll see about that. It has been a long time since anyone has truly joined our ranks…”

“That was me, mistress.”

“True,” laughed the head sister and stroked both their heads, causing Esther to squeak excitedly. She nodded slowly to them and walked past them into the mess hall, where an organ immediately began to play, filling the hall with music. Caitlyn swayed to the beautiful melody, but still couldn’t stop her worry.

“Aren’t there any more novices?” Caitlyn finally asked, and Esther shook her head.

“Not at the moment, I’m afraid. We had more a few months ago, but unfortunately they’ve moved on to other monasteries in countries that aren’t as well off as ours. They really are doing a noble work.”

“Do I have to go to another monastery too?”

“You silly girl, of course not, if you behave yourself and make nice with our mistress,” Esther laughed and hugged Caitlyn to her. She was just about to ask what she meant when the service started. The head sister finally arrived at the altar and raised her hands solemnly. The bells faded and the organ played its final note before falling silent.

She would decide my fate here? Caitlyn pondered and said, “And the other novices are…”

“Shh!” Esther hissed, giving her a stern look. Caitlyn immediately closed her mouth and looked down at the floor while the head sister began to preach.

The service went quietly. Caitlyn couldn’t hear anything strange in the head sister’s sermon either, and she was beginning to think she’d come here for nothing. She had even seen Officer Schoene walking out. She looked very worried, but after Caitlyn barely shook her head, she moved on. They couldn’t risk anyone noticing their connection. Esther still didn’t seem to want to let Caitlyn out of her sight, so it was still radio silence. After a quick breakfast, Esther took Caitlyn out into the garden next to the convent. The sun shone on both of their dresses and Caitlyn quickly felt the warmth building up under the latex.

“So, Caitlyn, I hope you know a bit about gardening,” Esther said, showing her the vegetable patches, “The weeds need weeding. But I’ll give you a hand so you don’t pull out the wrong things.”

“Of course,” Caitlyn mumbled and had to stifle an eye roll. They knelt down in the beds and began their work.

“So, what I was about to ask you … what happens to the novices?”

“Oh, that’s what you wanted to ask. Well, we normally accept them fully into our ranks after a few months.”

“Months?” asked Caitlyn, her mouth falling open. Did that mean she had to wear those chains all the time?

“Don’t worry, the time will fly by, and you’ll end up missing the sleeping bag, hehehe,” Esther laughed, “The novices who unfortunately don’t make it through this probationary period are sent to other monasteries to spread the word there. Some often write back and feel more comfortable there. Others… well, they probably have too much to do.”

“So… if I wanted to go…”

Caitlyn immediately fell silent when she saw Esther’s hurt face.

“You … want to go?” she asked, tears rolling down her face. There was nothing left of her cheerful and warm demeanor.

“WHAT?! No, no, no! Esther, I want to stay here! By all means! I just want to understand.”

“Oh…” said Esther, quickly wiping away her tears, “say that, silly. So sometimes the trials are too much for our sisters and they throw off their shackles.”

“I understand,” Caitlyn said, nodding, “but you just said something about our mistress?”

“Oh, yes. Before you can rise in our ranks, the Mistress must decide whether or not you may stay. Her will decides your fate here.”

Caitlyn frowned.

So the head sister really is some kind of icon and real leader here. Then she might know more or perhaps even have documents. She thought about it.

“And you were the last one to ascend? How’s that?”

Esther’s gaze softened and her hand sought out Caitlyn’s, which she squeezed tightly.

“Don’t worry, Lily. I’m confident you’ll be chosen too. I’ll put in a good word with the mistress for you.”

Caitlyn didn’t quite know whether to laugh or not, but she refrained. Instead, she thanked her and they both continued working until the bells rang for the afternoon. Esther stretched and tried to help Caitlyn up, but she managed to stand up without her help, despite the chains.

“Tell me, have you ever done this before?”

“Gardening? Joa?” said Caitlyn, knocking the soil off her uniform. Surprisingly, none of it remained on her, and she still shone as if she had just been freshly oiled.

“Yes … gardening,” Esther laughed and escorted Caitlyn back to her room.

“I’ll be right back. I’m just going to get us something for dinner,” Esther said, leaving Caitlyn alone for the first time.

Maybe I could walk to the archives and have a look around? Caitlyn thought about it and got up from her chair. The chains rustled loudly and she clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

“Maybe some other time,” she muttered, rolling her eyes, “but maybe I’ll find something here?”

Caitlyn looked around her small room. There was a closet next to the hallway door and the one to the bathroom. A desk under the window, which let in the last light of the setting sun, and another table where they would eat.

“Sparse,” Caitlyn commented and went to the cupboard. In it, however, she found only her old clothes. Cleaned and mended. Even her broken bag looked like it would hold a few hikes again.

“Is that all? Mmmh,” she mumbled and turned to the desk. There was only one small drawer there, too. There was only a prayer book in it.

“Just a little Bible,” Caitlyn muttered, flipping through it without reading. She looked for notes or annotations, but found nothing. She was about to put the book back, disappointed, when a picture fell out of it and landed on the desk. Caitlyn quickly picked it up and saw a picture of Esther. She was a few years younger, perhaps in her early 20s, and next to her was a woman who looked almost identical. Both wore the novice robe like Caitlyn, with all the chains and shackles. But both looked happy. Content. As if there was no evil in the world. Caitlyn turned the picture over. On the back it said: “Esther and Helena’s last day as novices”.

“How lovely,” murmured Caitlyn, but she was startled when the door to the room opened and Esther came in.

“What’s lovely?” she asked, and Caitlyn quickly dropped the photo on the desk as she opened the prayer book and presented a random page to Esther.

“Here’s the verse,” Caitlyn said quickly, and Esther read it with a raised eyebrow.

“And when the children, blinded by the light, asked where the Chosen Ones went, the Lady answered, ‘Not every path is for your eyes. Rejoice for those who pass on, and rejoice that you rest beneath my wings,“ Esther read aloud, looking past it to Caitlyn, ”you know, Lily, there are clearly more beautiful verses in our book than that one…”

Caitlyn blinked in confusion and turned the book over to read the text herself, but Esther snatched it from her hand and put it back on the desk. She then pulled Caitlyn over to the table and sat down to eat dinner with her. Esther was unusually quiet while Caitlyn nervously jingled her chains. She even left Caitlyn alone in the bathroom afterwards while she spread the sleeping bag out on the bed. This gave Caitlyn enough time to think about the picture and especially the Bible on her table. So Esther had a twin sister who was also in the convent. Smiling, she wondered whether it was really Esther waiting for her outside or Helena. She grinned in the mirror and shook her head. Her thoughts turned to the book and the strange verse in it.

“Definitely not a normal Bible,” she whispered.

“What do you say, Lily?” asked Esther through the door.

“Nothing! I was just a bit confused about the chains.”

“Do you want me to brush your teeth again?”

“NO!”

“Awww.”

The rest of the evening passed like the last. Caitlyn was locked in the sleeping bag by Esther and she snuggled close to Caitlyn as if she was afraid she was going to disappear. However, Caitlyn noticed that Esther wasn’t smiling like before. Something seemed to be bothering her. Still, she pressed her hair against Caitlyn’s cheek and mumbled, “Good night, Lily.”

“Good night, Esther,” Caitlyn whispered, and she didn’t know why, but she felt an urge to give Esther a kiss on her hair. A short, innocent and insignificant kiss. She acted on the feeling and Esther looked up in surprise. Then she started smiling again and let go of Caitlyn a little. Not out of dislike, but because she knew Caitlyn wouldn’t just disappear now. Caitlyn, however, could only think of the picture. Where was this Helena? Was she still a nun, and if so, why hadn’t Esther said anything about her? If she had disappeared, that would at least explain Esther’s attachment. Maybe she can also help me solve the case and find Lance.

The days turned into weeks, and as Caitlyn settled more and more into convent life, Officer Schoene could only watch and hope that Caitlyn greeted visitors to the convent every Sunday. Contact was still impossible, as the red-haired nun always stood beside her, like a shadow.

“Officer Schoene … we realize that Officer Taylor is in a difficult situation, so she can’t send us reports, but you …” the sergeant said, holding up a few barely printed sheets of paper, “can write reports and they’re not satisfactory!”

“Sir. I can’t help Taylor from my position. It would attract too much attention and…”

“Then find a way to help her or get in touch! But if I passed these papers, the Chief would think you were vacationing in Aurelia on the LCPD’s dime!”

Barbara made a contrite face. However, she swallowed her pride and said, “Understood, sir … I’ll try to find out more.”

“I await your report!”

With that, the transmission ended and Barbara exhaled in annoyance.

“That’s what you get for trying to help out a friendly Bureau,” she muttered, looking out of the window towards the convent. Could she risk making contact with Caitlyn, with her red-haired shadow behind her?

There was a knock at the door. Esther immediately got up from the bed next to Caitlyn and said, “Come in!”

The door opened and the head sister came in. Caitlyn was still baffled as to how she could see anything under her robe.

“Head nurse!” Esther said immediately and bowed her head. Caitlyn, however, could only lower her gaze to her chest as the sleeping bag held her tightly in its grip.

“Sister Esther, Sister Lily. I see you’re still in bed?”

“Well…” began Esther, but the Head Sister lifted her head and smiled sympathetically.

“Don’t be ashamed, sister. I was once in your position too. However, the time has come for Caitlyn to be given additional duties. She is to hear confessions today.”

“But isn’t that what Sister Prim does?”

“She’s called in sick. I want Lily to take on this task today. Brief her and get her ready before the first faithful arrive.”

“Of course,” Esther said, bowing again before the head sister left the room. Caitlyn looked curiously at Esther, who remained standing for a moment.

“Taking confessions?” she asked with interest.

“Yeah… unfortunately, I can’t be there with you…” Esther said sadly, and Caitlyn immediately put on an exasperated expression as she turned to her.

“Listen to people and give them instructions on what to do to receive forgiveness. All you have to do is sit in the confessional and wait. Hope it doesn’t get too boring for you.”

“I um… well, it would be more exciting with you,” Caitlyn said, but was glad to finally have some time without Esther.

After the first confession, Caitlyn thought it couldn’t get any worse. She was wrong. From her perspective, the people’s confessions were inconsequential, yet she had instructed Esther to take every confession seriously.

• “Forgive me, sister, for I have sinned. I was thinking about my vegetable garden when I prayed last Sunday.”

“I understand, my son … then why don’t you pray now?”

• “I haven’t made my bed for days”

“Then … tidy up your apartment every time you forget to make your bed.”

• “I cheated on my husband three years ago.”

Caitlyn, who had trouble concentrating after hours, listened up and looked at the figure through the net that separated her from the people.

“‘Cheated ’ my child?”

“Yes … and the guilt, it’s eating me up …”

“How did this happen?” Caitlyn asked, suddenly getting everything she didn’t want to know. Every detail, every place and name. She looked up at the ceiling.

“Why do you hate me?” she whispered.

“Please what?”

“Nothing. I’m sorry. I think you should…”

“Are you even listening to me? That’s outrageous!” the woman shouted and left the confessional, snorting.

“Great …”

It was all downhill from there. Sometimes Caitlyn didn’t know whether to say something comforting or to arrest her counterpart. But she stayed in character until the next person took their seat.

“Forgive me, sister, for I have sinned,” said Officer Schoene who now sat down in the chair, “So have you finally gotten rid of your shadow?”

“Only temporarily and Esther is very kind, so please,” Caitlyn whispered and Barbara waved her off.

“Have you been able to find anything? The LCPD thinks I’m on vacation at your expense.”

“No … apart from the robes and the restraints, everything seems relatively normal, but I haven’t really had a chance to look around.”

“Then try it. Otherwise we’ll have to let this chance pass. My girlfriend was able to find out a few things. Strange transfers to and from the monastery. I’ve also seen a few figures walking around at night.”

“Lance? Or are we poking around in the dark? I’m sure if your friend keeps looking, she’ll find explanations.”

Officer Schoene raised an eyebrow.

“Now you’re defending them already?”

“Because they haven’t done anything wrong!”

“I’m not so sure about that. But if there’s the slightest connection between the monastery and Lance, we need to find it. The LCPD needs something fast, something to keep the operation going.”

“I…” Caitlyn muttered, looking down at her shackles. How could she do anything with the chains? Her hand ran through the chain links and they rustled softly, “I’ll try something. You’re asking a lot from someone who can’t even open a door without waking the whole town, though.”

“I didn’t know anything about the chains. Your reports were garbage! But so be it … please, Cait … don’t put yourself in danger. I mean, we need proof, but not at the expense of your safety.”

“Don’t worry … Jade’s waiting for me, after all.”

For the rest of the day, Caitlyn continued to listen to everyone’s worries and concerns. In the end, she had to admit to almost going insane. This “desk job” was definitely not for her. She was relieved that Esther relieved her of her duty and took her to her room.

“How did you like it?” she asked Caitlyn on the way upstairs.

“It … was good. I learned a lot,” Caitlyn said, inwardly wishing that hadn’t been the case.

“Hehehe. Yes, Sister Prim is always exhausted after a day in the confessional,” Esther laughed. A door opened next to them and they were both surprised by the head sister.

“Sister Lily, just the one I wanted to see. There were a few complaints about you in the confessional today. Is there an explanation for that?” she asked a little indignantly. But before Caitlyn could answer, Esther jumped to her side.

“Forgive me, head sister. It’s my fault. I should have prepared Lily better.”

“Is that so? Sister Esther, a word!” she said, stepping aside to make room for her.

“Go to your room already, I’ll be in …”

“One hour,” mumbled the head sister.

Oh, did I make such a big mess? Caitlyn thought as Esther took a deep breath.

“Yes … I’ll be back in an hour. You can get ready and get into your sleeping bag.”

“Of course,” Caitlyn said, bowing as Esther went into the head nun’s office and the door slammed shut.

“Oops,” Caitlyn muttered and hurried off to her room. But on the way there, she had a better idea. This was the chance she needed. A little moment when she was alone. She hurried past her room door as quickly as her chains would allow and walked purposefully up the tower, to the ritual room and more importantly to the archives. There she would hopefully find out more about the monastery and perhaps connections to Lance and the supposedly transferred novices. Maybe to Helena, too. At the very least, she could give Officer Schoene new clues so that the mission wouldn’t be canceled. Caitlyn didn’t want to imagine how Esther would react if she were suddenly gone.

“Please be open,” Caitlyn whispered and pushed down the handle of the archive door. Fortunately, it opened. Silently cheering, she slid inside, but paled when she saw row after row of bookshelves and filing cabinets.

“Ah… fuck,” she muttered, gritting her teeth. The archive had a lot of similarities to the file storage at the Bureau. At least she hoped it was better organized.

“Where do I start? Lance? I don’t think there’s any mention of him… Maybe suspicious money activities?” Caitlyn wondered aloud, but then a book caught her eye. “Sisters of the Order” was written on its cover, and Caitlyn hastily pulled it from the bookshelf and placed it on the table. It looked very worn, so she opened it carefully. As she had suspected, it listed all the sisters who had served in the Order and what their greatest deeds were. There were also notes on where they served. She found herself on the last page. The text underneath was still blank.

“What an honor,” Caitlyn murmured, flipping back through the pages. Many of the sisters before her hadn’t accomplished anything of note yet, but all of them had been transferred before they could even take their novice rank. Sometimes to countries she didn’t even know. She also noticed that they all had numbers. With a glance over her shoulder, she was able to find the numbers in the filing cabinets.

“At least,” she said hopefully, but kept looking until she finally found Esther.

“Assignment at Pacis Aeternae Convent … loved novice status … honorable sister … shows potential to be an educator …” Caitlyn mumbled and flipped to the next page. There she was. Sister Helena. But she had no entries.

“Assignment in Vespera … never heard of it … but I’ve read this before, haven’t I?” she said to herself, flipping back through the pages. Indeed, she found several sisters who had been deployed to Vespera. She flipped back to Helena and memorized the number so she could look for it in the filing cabinets. Caitlyn quickly found the file. Notes from the convent on her work. Her training seemed to be the same as Caitlyn’s even if she asked more questions. Questions that caught the convent’s eye. At the end was one sentence.

“Chosen by Micah to serve in Vespera. Not by the head sister?” Caitlyn asked, but then she faltered. The name Micah suddenly sounded very familiar to her and her eyes widened. She ran back to the book on the desk as fast as her chains would allow. She checked more files. More and more novices sent to Vespera had been chosen by Micah. Micah, Lance’s wife. She had a connection, but would that be enough?

“Probably not…” Caitlyn muttered, and was about to return to the files when she paused. Another book jumped into her eyes.

“Confession?” she asked, pulling it from the shelf. She opened it and her mouth dropped open. The secrets of the citizens of Aurelia were in her hands. Every single confession was written down and documented. Not just from Prim. Records that went back decades. Caitlyn froze.

“Oh no…” she whispered and flipped to the back. There was everything she needed to hear about today, right up to the point where Officer Schoene joined her.

I have to get out of here. I have to warn Schoene and … Caitlyn turned to the door and swallowed. Esther blocked her exit. She looked at Caitlyn with a petrified expression.

“What are you doing here, Lily?” she asked in a trembling voice.

“Esther … let me explain. The convent…”

“I said, what are you doing here?”

Caitlyn swallowed. She couldn’t tell Esther the truth. That would hurt her too deeply, wouldn’t it?

“I was looking for Helena…” Caitlyn said, but Esther cut her off.

“Liar!” she screamed at Caitlyn and came at her. Caitlyn backed away, but the chains stopped her, “You don’t understand what you’re reading! The mistress has always guided us!”

“The head sister must know about this! Esther, please!” said Caitlyn, but she felt her back against the wall. There was no way out. Esther knew this too and pulled a white latex cloth out of her robe.

“The head sister is the voice of our mistress and she is always right. You, on the other hand, must be judged!”

Caitlyn looked from Esther’s madly contorted face to the cloth and then back up. She didn’t know what Esther intended to do with it.

“Please, Esther! Helena was taken by a Micah after …”

“Hush, Lily … hush! Come willingly or …” Esther said and lifted the latex cloth.

“Esther, please…” Caitlyn began, but before she could speak any further, Esther pushed the cloth into her face. Caitlyn instinctively tried to grab her hands, but failed because of the chains in her arms that ran across her back. The cloth robbed her of her sight, took her breath away, while Esther effortlessly wrapped the cloth around her head and forced Caitlyn to the ground.

“I loved you, Lily, but if you spit in our mistress’s face like that after she took you in, you must be punished!” Esther whispered in her ear, pulling the latex cloth tighter around her head. Her contours were now clearly visible under the material and she tried to tear it off. However, Esther simply pulled the handcuff chain down and out of her reach with her other hand.

“You don’t deserve these chains! They are sacred symbols of our order and you have defiled them with your lies and… your betrayal!” Esther sobbed as Caitlyn gasped for breath. There was only latex around her head. She breathed out and air escaped, but when she breathed in there was only rubber filling her mouth. Her lungs began to burn.

“The mistress will save you! The Mistress will show you a way! Like Helena…” Esther now cried and pulled so hard on the cloth that Caitlyn’s head was pulled back. Groaning, Caitlyn reared up, but she had nowhere to go, the chains made sure of that. As the darkness engulfed Caitlyn’s head, she felt Esther pull her head towards hers. In a rough and trembling voice, she whispered:

“I loved you!”