Chapter 4 - The Android Among UsMother Caridad bolted toward the exit, her boots slamming against the concrete floor as adrenaline flooded her veins.
"Stop her!" Father Thomas commanded sharply.
Before she could reach the heavy keypad, the metal door hissed shut with an electronic lock click. The keypad screen flashed a bright, mocking red: ACCESS DENIED.
Mother Caridad spun around, pressing her back against the cool steel door, her chest heaving as Father Thomas walked toward her at a slow, unhurried pace. He wasn't even running; he knew she had nowhere to go.
"You cannot hide this forever," Mother Caridad gasped, clutching her silver crucifix like a shield. "The police... Doctor Paloma... they know I came down here! When I don't return, they will tear this convent apart brick by brick!"
Father Thomas smiled faintly, pulling a small remote control from his pocket and pressing a button.
"Doctor Paloma is a founding shareholder of this facility, Mother. Why do you think she looked so pale during the examination? She wasn't horrified by the pregnancy—she was horrified that you found out," the priest replied smoothly.
Mother Caridad’s knees buckled. The betrayal cut deeper than any knife. "Paloma... you were all in on this?"
"Science requires funding, Mother. The Vatican’s clandestine research grants pay very well," Father Thomas said, walking up to her and gently taking the crucifix from her trembling hand. "As for the police... by morning, the convent will be secure. And up in the courtyard, Sister Esperanza is waiting."
"What... what are you going to do to me?" she whispered.
"Nothing violent, Mother. We are men of God, after all," Father Thomas said softly, tapping a digital intercom on the wall. "Besides, we need a new head superior to sign off on the next trimester's medical logs. And thankfully, we have just the technology to make sure you cooperate."
Before Mother Caridad could scream, a heavy hiss of compressed air filled the room. White, odorless gas began pouring from ceiling vents, instantly fogging the laboratory glass.
She tried to hold her breath, slamming her fists against the locked door, but her limbs grew heavy like lead. The edges of her vision blurred into a deep, consuming blackness, and her knees gave out as she collapsed onto the cold concrete floor.
Upstairs in the convent courtyard, the morning sun was just beginning to peek over the twelve-foot stone walls.
The morning bell rang out across the grounds, its clear, peaceful chime echoing through the silent corridors.
Sister Esperanza stepped out of her cell, wearing her spotless white habit, her face glowing with serene grace. In her arms, a baby cooed softly, while a toddler clung to her skirt.
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"Good morning, Mother Caridad," the android whispered into the empty hallway, its synthetic eyes blinking with mechanical precision. "Another beautiful day in the house of the Lord."
Down in the dark, silent crypt beneath the chapel, Mother Caridad’s real body lay motionless on a gurney, hooked up to an IV line, her eyes staring blankly at the ceiling—while upstairs, her exact voice answered a novice nun who walked past in the corridor, completely unaware that the human soul had already left the building.
