Sacrilege Part I

In a postmodern world there's things that are expected and things that aren't. Look up and down any street, and you'll see what doesn't belong after a few glances.

Up one way you see money being exchanged for drugs, high caliber weapons simply being carried around by people dressed head to toe in tactical gear. Street fights that are being waged, most of them going to the death.

Down the other way, things more passive like gambling, a couple about to have intercourse, and a kid running off with a person's wallet. While a couple are not particularly legal, it's a sigh of relief compared to what could happen.

Now, look directly in front of you. The most abnormal, bizarre sight that you wouldn't think about. A super massive church, standing at an intimidating twenty stories high. It looks like a fossil having been made brick by brick versus the brightly lit modern buildings standing around it.

Despite all the shady goings on around this building, people flocked to it by the dozens. One of those people being a young woman, wearing a black dress that flowed off of her.

Her name is Rieko Hale, a church goer for as long as she could remember. She's pretty plain looking, with shoulder length brunette hair and dark brown eyes.

She kept her head down avoiding eye contact, with her arms out in front of her to hide the reason for the predatory glances, her larger chest.

She quietly made her way into the church, sitting in one of the back corners.

"It feels like this area is getting more dangerous by the day…may God protect the innocent followers that came today."

Once everyone settled in, the Pastor named John stepped from the back and made his way to the podium. For roughly two hours, he went on about different passages, primarily the Bible's meaning of the apocalypse. Speaking about the veil the world has around it is no longer enough to hide the hellish grievances allowed to take place.

His words are powerful, to the point, and even inspirational.

Once the service was finished, he stopped Rieko from leaving while everyone else had filed out.

"I've noticed you've been here without fail for the last couple of years. I just wanted to say that your devotion to this place is unheralded."

A blush came over Rieko after saying that. "Oh! No need to say all of that, my mother used to come here before she passed away. I can see why she took a liking to your services, your words really hit home."

"Ah, I see. I'm sorry for your loss dear. If you'd like, you can come help me run this place."

She shook her head softly. "No, I'm afraid. I work two jobs as is, I wouldn't have time to do that. Thank you for the offer."

As she tried to walk away, he grabbed her forearm tightly, attempting to take a grab at her chest.

"It wouldn't have to be for very long…"

"What the-? Get off of me!!" She kicked him in the lower region, making him let go for a moment.

She ran off home, knowing she'd never return. What she didn't know was her life was going to change for the worse.

The next day, a flurry of notifications blew up her phone as she was getting ready to go to work. Her friend Celia spam texted her numerous times to turn on her TV to the local news.

"What ridiculous thing does she want me to see today?"

She turned on the news, seeing a repulsive face with a graphic that made her grit her teeth.

'Pastor John Almos repels advances by a follower.'

Reiko's breathing became uncontrolled, with loud huffs. Her eyes lose their color, her body shaking from the rage building within her. She continued watching, but the only thing she took away from it, the only thing that mattered, was her name being mentioned.

Social media immediately blew up, her name became known all around the city within moments. In under ten minutes, her character, reputation and livelihood are destroyed.

She looked back at her phone, noticing she had two missed calls and two voicemails. Both her employers put her on unpaid leave, leaving her status in the air.

Rieko turned the television off, left everything where it lay, and went back into her bed. She sobbed quietly, fearful for what her future might hold.

-

Tobias sat in his new first floor office that he'd personally requested. It sat in its own wing so none of the other parts of the floor weren't disturbed.

"I'm hoping this open service idea works, it might've been better if I had help initially though. But with bigger projects taking longer to approve than I'd hoped, starting small isn't a bad thing."

His thoughts got interrupted abruptly, with loud thuds and people yelling obscenities caught his attention. The culprit? Of course, it's a potential client, who almost tripped over the empty chair on the way in.

Before Tobias stood a woman, whose appearance is definitely eye-catching. Barely neck long purple hair, accompanied with a lipstick the same color. With three inch high boots with a black skirt, a band tee, and a purple leather jacket. A necklace and earrings carrying upside-down crosses.

"Um…how can I help you?" Tobias asked, his eyes widened a bit from the scene she caused.

"You're Tobias Matheson right?! The guy who started that new help program?!" She slammed her hands on the table as she panted heavily.

"Yes…"

She grabbed him by his jacket collar and pulled him uncomfortably close to her face. "You need to help my friend! She got fucked over by a gross piece of shit!"

"Ok, first of all let my collar go and sit. We need to talk about this rationally."

She looked down at her hands like she hadn't even realized what she'd done. She let go, and plopped back down into her chair.

"My apologies. I'm just really pissed off right now, but you're right. Sorry for grabbing you like that. So…look, there's this dirty priest that's painting himself as a victim because he claims my friend made a very aggressive pass at him. But it's the complete opposite!"

Tobias sat back in his chair pondering for a moment before responding. "You're talking about Rieko Hale aren't you? That's quite a claim you're making, and while I want to help, there's no sufficient evidence other than he said, she said. With the public already fawning all over him, that'll be even harder to overturn. But, I can look into him and see what I find. I'm sorry that's all I can do at this stage."

Celia sighed heavily. "That's it, huh? Fine. I'd do something myself but I know I wouldn't be the lucky one to get away with murder." She stood up from the chair in a slight huff and left.

She passed by Shyne, who walked into Tobias' office finding him with his face planted onto his desk.

"Something happen there? She looked really upset."

He sat himself straight again. "She claims that the priest that's all over the news made the aggressive pass at Rieko, not the other way around. So, this puts me in a moral bind of sorts."

The angel pondered for a moment while leaning against the door frame. "I have doubts, but I'm not at liberty to say for certain who really did anything. I believe in the goodness of human beings, but some are foul even if they are a priest. Check into them both, and make your own judgment call Tobias. I'm sure you'll find proper justice."

"I hope so. I don't want to screw up my first major case."

"I already screwed up. I never got that girl's name amongst all the commotion.."