Stumbling on the Truth

A Few Hours before that, BETHESDA, The Hub, 2420AA, "Where did she go?" a troubled Killion probed the oblivious pair that had settled down in a sofa before him. In response, the two, his mother and his grandmother, shook their heads in denial. "We have no idea Killion." his mother told him. "We sent her out only because we did not want her to cause any more damage. More than she had already caused that is. So, really none of us thought to go out after her with the way things are." "Mother..." he groaned in frustration. What was he to do? He scoured his head for answers. Had he known that this would happen... He lamented to himself, but really what could he have done? Not taken Havillah home? He shook his head. Prevented Selene from accosting her? For that was the only explanation. Havillah was not the type of person to randomly attack a person. Or was she? What did he really know about her? No. He shook his head. Now was not the time for doubts. He had an injured woman to tend to and another that needed safe keeping. For now, one situation was being handled. He thought as he looked out of the glass walls of his office, the place that they had retreated to right after ensuring that Selene Barrageway was safe as she could be in the hands of the Hub's team of specialised doctors. As for the other woman, Gabriel was tracking her and he could only hope that it would only be a matter of time before they found her. "I know I told you this before, Havillah was the one who saved my life! I do not understand why you both could treat her so shamefully!" he finally looked up to face his family. "Do not scold us so Killion" his mother cried out in response. "As it is, it is not entirely our fault that you were secretive about the attack and could not divulge the details to us!" she decried his hurtful comments. "Fine, mother. You are probably right." he ground out in irritation. "At the moment I could not go into details about the attack, but still, you should have taken me for my word and treated her more carefully." "But Calla..." she began to protest again but stopped after seeing the expression that was now written on his face. "Is she that important to you?" It was rare to see her son that angry and that alone disturbed her causing her to reconsider her  actions towards the young woman. Maybe, maybe... Her forehead furrowed as she thought about the many ways she could have handled things differently. "She healed me, mother." she looked up when he continued to speak. "She maybe a little different. But different is not always bad when you use your powers to do a lot of good and amazing things. These, powers that she calls virtues were-" "Virtues?" Both women shouted in unison. "-what? Why?" he lifted his head in surprise. "Do you know anything about them?" The emotions in Killion's eyes were palpable. His confusion being at the fore front. Then there was the anger, the fear and shame. Feelings that threatened to overwhelm him, but he managed to keep his cool, bidding his time until the two could fully explain themselves to him. "But it can't be!" his mother turned to his grandmother exploding with disbelief. It was frustrating how they paid no heed to his confusion or the emotions swimming in his face. "But they are long gone! They're gone, that's what grandmother told me and you know it too mother." She was now like a little girl as she expressed her sentiments at her ageing mother. Even then her mind had flown back to the folklores. The tales that had been passed down to her. Tales of legends and heroes and of a place between heaven and earth that glistened and glowed in a never ending light. A place built with gold, shining like diamonds and surrounded by huge clouds that concealed it from any view by man. "It's just a story, right?" she needed it to be true. Otherwise it would mean that they had truly been abandoned. "The tales of the priesthood." "In this world, nothing is ever too farfetched to be reality. Haven't the terrors taught us that much?" the old lady responded, a stern and thoughtful expression clouding her features. "But-" "Neema... " "Wait! Wait! I'm sorry. What on Elydria are you two going on about?" A baffled Killion waved his hands between them, hoping to cut in and catch a glimpse at their befuddling conversation. "Your friend, Havillah. Are you sure that that was what she told you? Were those really her exact words?"  The man's brows furrowed as he frowned at his mother's skeptical expression and not at the uncertainty that the woman expected him to feel. "Of course I know what I heard. She's always going on about her Virtues. I think it was the first virtue, the second virtue-" "In that case, we have to find her." his mother turned to his grandmother and said. "I cannot believe that we could not see it before!" she cried out with angst, berating herself for what she now felt was a stupid mistake on their part. "Speak for yourself, daughter." The old lady admonished. "I suspected it all along." she added with a pompous look that brought a smile to Killion's worrying face. "The design and the embroidery on that fabric was too distinct to belong to anyone other than those in the priesthood." "Now that you mention it, I felt like they reminded me of something, but I could not quite put a finger on it." his mother responded thoughtfully. "Duh! The temples!" Grandma Kezzia rolled her eyes at the younger woman. "You of all people should know after your encounters. The designs on that temple?" "Okay! okay! Well and good! What are we waiting for then?" he disrupted their colloquy, shifting from behind his desk to approach the two women. "As it is, we've wasted enough time when we should have been out there looking for her! I am going out." he added as he took several more steps towards his office doors, his mind already drifting to all the places that he would search for her. Even as he did so, his worry and agitation seeped out of him in waves. So much that he turned to glare at the arm that had dared to stop him from accomplishing his presentmission. "Urm...Killion, you seem to be forgetting something." his mother told him, her gaze drifting off to the female soldier who could be seen through the glass walls as she paced the entire length of clinic's waiting room. "What?" Killion barked out and his mother pointed him in the direction of the clinic. His eyes followed her gaze and landed on the woman. After seeing her, his eyes softened before hardening up again as he steeled himself with renewed resolve. "I do not care. Calla can do whatever she wants, but she will not pull me from this mission. I am going after Havillah and I will bring her back. She alone can help Selene and I wish that you had let her do so, when she had offered to." "We're sorry Lion." his grandmother tried to mollify him. She had called him by his childhood nickname. One that seemed to fit his present mood quite perfectly. "We're sorry, we really are, but we can't change what has happened. That said, what can we do to help you?" Killion stopped and thought for a moment. "Since it's already getting dark, I'll go out and look for her myself. You two on the other hand should stay here and support the family." The women nodded in agreement even as he set out to contract some extra set of hands and eyes to help him in his search for the missing woman. "Gabriel," he called out, drawing out the young man from the crowd of techguys that had gathered around the Hub's central tracking system. "Captain, what is this I hear about Havillah attacking Sergeant Barrageway's mother?" the young man asked him, his eyes shifting to stare at the still pacing form of Calla Barrageway. "I had no idea that was why we were searching for her." "What if it is true. Does that change our objective?" "No sir, but she's furious you know and at the rate she's going, I'm afraid that she'll wear out the linoleum." Gabriel added and Killion found himself smiling despite his roiling emotions. "Despite being warned not to do so, Selene Barrageway grabbed at Havillah's robes and they zapped her. I am now enlisting your help to go out and search for Havillah in person. That way we have hope of bringing back Selene as well." Killion told him. "I see,  but if she ran away, won't she refuse to come back? Better still, isn't that supposed to be some sort of admission of guilt?" Gabriel slated him. "No, dummy!" an irritated Killion snapped back. "She wanted to help, but my mum and grandma told her to leave!" "Oh, okay. I see now. In that case, I'll help you. Not that I have any choice in the matter, but I will be happy to help. She's grown quite attached to me and despite all her irritating tendencies, I would hate to see her go." "Connors!" Killion scolded even as a smile formed at the insinuation that Havillah had a crush on Gabriel. It was not true though, but Gabriel would say anything to try and lighten up the mood. "Suit up and we'll get going." As the pair left the Hub, a pair of brown angry followed them. The woman nudged the young man that was standing guard beside her and whispered something in his ear. The young soldier nodded and all of a sudden, an animalistic growl left the sergeant's mouth before she stormed out, leaving in her wake, a trail of panicking soldiers that were inclined to stop her.