Secrets and Sins

Chapter 22

~Ava~

You could've heard a pin drop in the van as they approached the edges of the local village. Everyone sat in stunned silence as the damage from the earthquake was made known. Houses were destroyed, the cobblestone roads torn up in places, debris littering the streets, trees uprooted. Camilla had to swerve to avoid the large chunks of concrete and stone.

The devastation was worse closer to the center of town. First responders were crawling through collapsed buildings digging through the rock, concrete and brick searching for survivors. Ava could see several other black vans parked up, the OCS members assisting paramedics with triaging, clearing rubble for the firefighters or even helping the police controlling traffic flow.

They pulled up near the town square and unloaded the van. A two storied department store had given way on the right-hand side of the square. A group of firemen were currently trying to search the remains for victims. Bea went straight to ask the fire captain what they could do to help, he directed them towards the road, where a number of civilians were working to clear the wreckage, asking them to assist so they could get vehicles closer to the collapsed building.

The OCS operatives got to work clearing the debris, working alongside the small group of people already gathered. Despite the hard and dirty labor, Ava was enjoying helping out the community. It was nice to do something other than training, and fighting for her life, though she kept her eyes peeled for wraiths.

"What the hell are you wearing?" Ava turned to a woman in her twenties, looking her up and down.

The woman had a high blonde ponytail and was wearing a now dust covered pinstriped business pantsuit. Ava wondered if she had been at work when the earthquake struck.

"Oh, this ahh... this is what the convent makes us wear. You know in service to God and all that." Ava replied, cringing at how stupid that sounded.

The woman laughed, "Wow, do people normally believe that?"

"Trust me it sounds more believable than what the truth is." Ava muttered.

"Well, I won't judge. Anyway, can't say you're not pulling it off." The woman raised her eyebrow as she made a show of checking the Halo bearer out.
"Sam." She said and held out a hand.

"Oh. Ah. Ava." Trying to not appear too flustered at the compliment, Ava shook her hand.

"So, Ava, are you a nun or something?" Sam asked, gesturing for Ava to help her lift a large piece of sign that had fallen from the bakery in front of them.

"Oh God no, I'm not even really religious. They just took me in when I needed somewhere to stay, some stuff happened, and I was basically homeless." She said, helping the other woman lift the sign off the road and place it leaning against the bakery wall.

Sam reached out a hand and placed it on her forearm.

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry to hear that." She replied, sympathetically.

Someone cleared their throat loudly behind Ava, the Halo bearer jumped a little in surprise. She turned to see Bea standing there, an unreadable expression on her face. The sister warrior had approached them silently, even with all the glass and rock on the ground around them.

Fucking ninja. 

"Oh, hey Bea. What's up?"

Ignoring Ava's question completely, Bea gave Sam an appraising look.

"Who's your friend?"

"Sam. Nice to meet you." Sam removed her hand from Ava’s arm and held it out to Bea, looking just a little intimidated by the taller woman.

"Sam." Bea said slowly, eyes narrowing slightly, making no move to shake her hand.
"Would you mind if I borrow Ava for a moment?" Bea gave the civilian a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Before Sam could answer, Bea had grabbed Ava's elbow and proceeded to drag her into the alleyway behind the bakery.

"Bea…Bea? Bea!"

Beatrice finally stopped, turning to Halo bearer. Her face was still infuriatingly blank.

"Bea what the hell was that?" Ava demanded.

Bea looked down at her feet, seeming to second guess herself. Suddenly it dawned on the Halo bearer what the problem was.

Oh my God…

"Wait. Are you…were you jealous?" Ava couldn't help the shit eating grin growing wider on her face as she looked at the sister warrior.