Neophyte

Idea

Toypurina left Bishop Victoriano's quarters and decided to find Mariana to tell her the news about the preparations for their departure. While getting to the center, she felt that someone was watching her. The young woman stopped; her eyes unfaltering. "Sal, seas quien seas. Sé que te estás escondiendo (Come out, whoever you are. I know you are hiding)." She heard someone walking behind her.

"Me sorprende que puedas sentir a la gente sin siquiera mirar, Toypurina (It amazes me that you can sense people without even looking, Toypurina)." Padre Federico walked out of his hiding spot, smiling.

Looking at his smile made Toypruina slightly shiver. Padre Federico always wore a mask before the Padres and the faithful, but she and her people knew that the gentle smile was a facade to hide the monster within. "He aprendido a estar siempre atenta a lo que me rodea, Padre. Quizás nunca sepas lo que se esconde en las sombras ( I have always learned to always be cautious, Padre. One never knows what hides in the shadows)." She gave him her full attention. "Now, I know you did not hide to play games. What is it that you want?"

"Speaking English now? Trying to show what power you have left, savage?" Padre Federico's smile slowly turned more sadistic. "To the point, what is it that you spoke with Bishop Victoriano?"

Toypurina raised an eyebrow and became cautious. "I did not speak of you, if you were worried about that. I only informed the Bishop that I am returning to my village soon."

Padre Federico's eyes were emotionless and unmoving; he knew there was more to their conversation. I have a feeling that you are lying to me, savage. I can tell you spoke of something else."

"What does it concern you if it has nothing to do with you? I-"

"I have been hearing that you wish to take the Mestiza, Metztli, with you. Is that correct?

Toypurina became more serious; she had always harbored suspicions about the Padre whenever she caught him glancing at Metztli. "Mariana's worry has been justified." The young woman stood her ground. "Why does it matter to you whether or not Metztli comes with me or not? She is not the only one who is coming along. I only wish to show her of my home some she can be free from this hell."

"Hell? Fresh word coming from a savage. It is no wonder you all live like animals and now you wish to taint Metztli with your ways."

"What intrigues me is why you care so much about where Metztli goes and what she does. You think so lowly of my people, and Metztli is one of us."

"She is a Mestiza. She is educated and a talented healer." Padre Federico knew he had made the mistake of mentioning Metztli, but his desire and obsession for her got the best of his common sense. When he heard that his obsession was leaving the Mission. His concern was that they would try to help her escape. "The Mestiza is useful to us and it would be a shame that she was let...free."

Toypurina knew that Padre Federico was lying; he had a dangerous interest in her. She worried that it would be a matter of time before he would act on his impulses. It wasn't the first time that there were stories of Padres breaking their oaths for simple pleasures. "Truly, you think I am a fool, Federico." The young woman was done playing games with him; she knew that Metztli wasn't safe for long if she stayed in the Mission. She promised Bishop Victoriano that Metztli and the others would return, but the situation was slowly getting dire. Many of the Tongva, both within and outside the Mission, wanted to go to war, but many lives would be lost, especially since the Mission had the Soldados de Cuerra, who possessed advanced weaponry. "You have an interest in Metztli and it is more than her usefulness."

The Padre's smirk slowly dwindled as he slowly walked toward Toypurina, who stayed in her place. He stood dangerously close to Toypurina. "Be careful, Toypurina. Whatever you think is happening is not the case. However, if you stand in my way, I can make your people's lives even more of a living hell. You and Mariana think that Bishop Victoriano will always be there but it's only a matter of time that they won't be here forever. Their age is slowly catching up to them." Padre Federico smirked again. "I also found a new possible and powerful ally that not even Bishop Victoriano can go against."

Toypurina squeezed her hands into fists. "Padre Fermin. How could he?" she thought. "You sound very confident, Federico. However, Padre Fermin is not as powerful as he claims to be. Every man has a weakness. Only one needs to find it. You think you can frighten me, but this land is my people's home and as long as we are part of it, there is nothing to fear." Toypurina continued before Padre Federico could respond.

As Toypurina walked away, Padre Federico watched her. She suspected him, and there was a possibility that Metztli and others would know. Toypurina was one of his major threats, and she could inform Bishop Victoriano, which would give the Bishop more of an excuse to remove or relocate him to another Mission. It was something he could not allow. Padre Federico made it his goal to leave eventually, but with Metztli by his side. 

However, he knew that Metztli wouldn't be willing. Padre Federico would take her by force if necessary. Then, Toypurina's words rang in his mind, "Every man has a weakness. Only one needs to find it." 

An idea came to him.

He had to eliminate his primary source of the problem: Bishop Victoriano. As long as the Bishop was still in power, Padre Federico would have trouble leaving the Mission with Metztli. "Well, it would seem that the savage had a good point. I must find what I could use against them. I must find some information about the Bishop so I can rid of the old fool."