Luke 8:17

**Luke 8:17** is the third episode of the second season of *Warrior Nun*. It is the thirteenth episode of the series overall.

## Synopsis

After the Order sends out an urgent call, Beatrice and Ava connect with old friends in Madrid and stop by a museum. Jillian investigates an anomaly.

## Plot

### A sightseeing trip

In Madrid, Ava narrates that while she may be on an important mission, she just loves the feeling of a new city. As she walks along with Beatrice on the streets, Beatrice curses. She explains that Mother Superion made them all study the call code but since it hasn't been used in centuries she's rusty on the coordinates. Ava asks if she couldn't just call them, but Beatrice points out that cell phones can be traced. Ava suggests they swing by a landmark while she tries to figure it out. "You wanna go sightseeing?" asks Beatrice and Ava says she spent her whole life in the orphanage, so she naturally does. Beatrice tells her it's really not the time.

The two of them arrive at a wrecked flower shop. Ava wonders if somebody got Mother Superion and the others, but Beatrice points out that the dust means that the place has been like this for at least two or three days. Ava suggests they might have left a clue or message. Beatrice spots an arrow in the dirt. She tells Ava to check a gargoyle and she does, revealing an envelope with two tickets for a nearby movie theater. They exit the shop and Beatrice notices a suspicious man, one at a bus stop, but looking the opposite direction of the way the bus comes. The bus comes and goes and Ava notices another man "window shopping at an accountant's office'. Beatrice says that they can't lead them to the others, that they have to lose them. Ava suggests they lead them to an alley and take them out. Beatrice, however, recommends stealth.

The two head to a nearby alley and are pursued by three men. They manage to lose them, only for Beatrice to realize the presence of another pursuer, but too late to keep him from shooting her with a tranquilizer gun. It is Father Vincent. Ava dodges another shot from him and he compliments her on her newfound speed. She asks why he's doing this and he tells her she's witnessed its power. She asks if this is why he's turned on his family, for power. "For truth", he tells her, saying he searched all his life for God's truth and found it, that Adriel is real and the Halo belongs to him. "Tell him to come and get it', taunts Ava. Vincent suggests he take her to Adriel. She punches at him, but he dodges.

Ava tells him to give it up, that he can't touch her. He punches her in the face, telling her he has Divinium tattoos that she can't phase through. "Let's go then", she tells him and they fight. He lays her out on the ground. He tells her he didn't want it to come to this. He pulls out his tranquilizer gun, but she manages to phase and redirects the gun shooting a dart in his neck. "Asshole", she comments.

### The Crown of Thorns

Ava thinks to herself that she should take him in, but she can't carry both him and Beatrice. She carries Beatrice, who finally wakes up. They arrive at the theater, Beatrice pointing out that they should enter in the back. Camila pulls them inside, giving them a big hug and telling them how much she missed them. She asks Beatrice if she's feeling okay and Ava tells her she's had a little too much tranquilizer dart. "I'll have to hear that story", Camila says. They take in a bit of the movie, then head off into the basement of the theater. Camila explains that it was once a cover for resistance fighters during the Civil War.

Mother Superion asks what took them so long. Ava gives her a hug. She tells them that every branch of the OCS was attacked and members killed, the survivors waiting for her call to assemble. She leads them in a prayer. She tells them she wishes there were time to mourn but that there's a reason they're being hunted. She presents Sister Yasmine. Yasmine's divinium cross necklace glows as Ava gives her a high five and she recognizes her as being the Warrior Nun. Yasmine tells her she knows how to defeat Adriel.

At her home, Jillian Salvius tells Lilith that she's identified a number of healing properties from the other side. She says that Lilith's initial injuries were so severe that the healing resulted in the scales on her shoulder, but enough time on the side may heal her entirely. Lilith wonders if it might kill her instead. Jillian tells her they're both desperate and they need to make the experiment a success. Lilith stares at a picture of the young Michael Salvius. Back in Madrid, Yasmine says that they all know the story of Areala of Cordoba, but what has been kept secret is that she used a weapon to trap Adriel. She says her order was created to protect the weapon. She reveals a page in a book: the Crown of Thorns.

In Vatican City, Pope Duretti walks with Cardinal William Foster. He tells him that Adriel believes that combining his power with the Church will make him unstoppable. He says Adriel will have little use for the Church's leaders, that powerful men whisper to the weak. "Wouldn't you agree?" he asks, turning to Cardinal Rossi, who is then seized by a group of the other cardinals. They reveal a tattoo on his arm. Duretti asks how Adriel bought him. He chuckles, telling him that he was not bought, that he was reborn. "Next to Adriel, you are as ants", he tells them. Duretti tells them to take Rossi away to the old crypt. They take him, him shouting the whole while.

### Museum heist

"Like the Jesus Crown of Thorns?" Ava asks Yasmine. Yasmine agrees that this is so, that it is a device from Adriel's realm that neutralizes divine beings. Beatrice says that she never read anything about this, that she just thought it was an element of Roman torture. Yasmine tells her that the histories are intentionally incomplete, never focusing on what the crown actually does. She tells Ava the crown will give her a chance. Beatrice asks if she really just tracked them down to drop this into their laps, asking how they can trust her. Ava says that she seems trustworthy and they need an advantage. Superion asks how they find it and Yasmine explains that a sister named Cora entrusted the crown to Coptic nuns in Egypt and her order kept it hidden for centuries, only for British officers to loot it during the Egyptian Civil War. It vanished, but her order dedicated itself to recovering it and she thinks she found it in a trove of a corrupt British officer. She tells them that it is in a collection in the Prado Museum. Ava asks if she's saying what she thinks she's saying. "It sounds like you're saying... museum heist."

The group arrives at the Prado Museum, all dressed in nun outfits similar to Yasmine's and playing the part of tourists enjoying the museum. They take in exhibits. Stopping before a group of paintings, Yasmine admits to not knowing exactly where the Crown is as it was stolen before she was born and therefore she's never seen it directly. She shows them a picture on her phone, saying she thinks she's found a match. She tells them they can't know for sure until Ava touches it, that when she grasps it, its power will be revealed. They proceed, Camila breaking off to distract a guard with a story about school boys behaving inappropriately and planting a device.

As Beatrice checks Camila's work on a camera, Camila complains that the had to fend for herself. Beatrice tells her that she's sorry, but that everything has to go to plan to beat Adriel. Camila tells her that it won't, but that even Jesus couldn't control everything. She tells her she's not a rookie anymore. At her villa, Jillian puts a device on Lilith, telling her it'll allow to monitor everything she experiences on the other side. She asks if she's nervous and Lilith says it's something like that. Jillian calls her very brave, saying that it's an honor. She tells her that her window is coming up. The Arc surges and Lilith steps through. Jillian notates that Lilith has successfully passed through, but then Lilith is violently tossed out.

### Torture at the Vatican

Pope Duretti and Cardinal Foster descend into the old crypt. Foster tells Duretti he's curious as to what he's planned. "Just a little theater", he tells him. Back in the museum, Ava and Yasmine stand before a sculpture with the crown. Yasmine holds up her phone, saying that it matches the drawing perfectly and that she just wishes Ava could touch it to make sure. Ava tells her they'll get their chance. Back at Jillian's villa, Jillian asks Lilith what happened. She tells her she was lost for hours under a scorching sun then the ground swallowed her up. Jillian tells her she was only gone for a few seconds. Lilith says it can't be. Jillian shows her the readings, then gasps, saying they have 107 minutes of footage from just 7.8 seconds of time elapsed. She asks Lilith what it was like. She says she only knows one thing, that she was not welcome.

Duretti and Foster arrive inside the crypt. Another cardinal pulls a rag off Rossi's face, Duretti commenting that there was a beauty to medieval torture, a creativity he finds lacking today. He holds up an object, saying you can feel the damage to one's flesh. Rossi says that he doesn't frighten him, that he can't just torture someone. Duretti tells him he is a poor student of history if he believes this, that he could disappear from the room and nobody would know.

Duretti asks Rossi where the plagues come from and how stop them. Rossi tells him that Adriel is their Lord who manifests reality. Duretti tells him to be more specific. He begins turning the torture device. Rossi says there's no secret, that Duretti is his enemy. He turns the device again. Foster looks troubled as Rossi tells him to torture him all he likes, that Adriel's salvation is a gift beyond pain. "No true acolyte will ever tell you anything", he tells him. "Put him in the iron maiden" orders Duretti. He orders the doors closed, spikes moving forwards Rossi's face. Rossi pleads with them to stop, shouting that he'll tell. They stop and he says that Arq-Tech is using technology to create the plagues. Duretti orders them to lock Rossi in a cell and give him dinner. He walks away, Foster looking troubled and making a sign.

### Someone with answers

At her villa, Lilith stares at the Arc, asking Jillian why it burned her. Jillian admits she doesn't know and Lilith says something on the other side didn't want her there, that she could feel its hate. Jillian suggests that they might be able to communicate with whatever is there on the next attempt. "You want me go back?" asks Lilith incredulously. Jillian tells her they only just started, that it's their chance to see what's beyond. Lilith counters that it's her only opportunity to find her son, "no matter what it was to me". Jillian admits to being desperate but tells her she truly wants to help her and to understand. She calls them partners. Lilith grabs her by the neck, asking if this is really so, given what her help has done so far. She says she understands Jillian would do anything to bring her son back, she is not her lab rat. She tells her she'll find someone else who has the answers she needs if she doesn't have them.

Outside the museum, Mother Superion knocks on the window of a security office. The guard inside opens up and she asks him to direct her to the entrance. He tells her they are closed and she asks for a pamphlet with the hours. He returns, handing her one. She pretends to drop the pamphlet, then uses her cane to take him out. The rest of the group pulls up and the heist begins. Ava races ahead, but Camila tells her she has to wait, that phasing won't fool the cameras and they don't know what effect it would have on the lasers. She rigs the cameras to play a loop of earlier security footage and they head forward to the lasers.

Camila releases some metal marbles, telling Ava they're designed to roll towards the lasers. "Micro-magnetic pulse", she explains as the lasers flash out. Beatrice tells her to stay behind and for trouble. Camila asks if she doesn't trust her, but she says she'd rather her watching their backs than anyone else. She and Ava proceed onward, Ava then levitating to reach the Crown. She picks it up and lowers to the ground, but nothing seems to happen. Beatrice points out that this is contradictory to what Yasmine had said. "It's not doing anything", Ava tells her, radioing to Superion that they have the wrong crown. Superion tells her that they're coming in and that Yasmine will advise.

### A trap

Yasmine objects, saying that the plan was for her to tell them where it was and them to get it. Superion tells her the problem with having knowledge is that you sometimes have to use it. Yasmine says she's afraid. Superion holds out an amulet, telling her it will protect her. Back at her villa, Jillian runs some tests. She speeds up the footage to match the time that elapsed on Earth. "Oh my God", she says, seeing some of pulsing object. At the museum, Ava and Beatrice meet with Yasmine and Superion, Ava telling them that the Crown is not doing whatever it's supposed to do. Beatrice says they're running out of time as Yasmine protests that she's thinking. She analyzes it, saying that it's a different material. At her post, Camila hears a strange whooshing noise.

Yasmine says that when the British marauders moved in, they must have tried to hide it, to disguise it. She says that they would hide it in the last place a white, Catholic pirate would look, telling them to follow her. Camila again hears the whooshing and pulls out her guns. Yasmine leads the others to another set of lasers, saying it would be somewhere only a woman would notice. She points out a statue, saying that the headdress on it was her great-grandmother's habit. Superion says they're out of beads and Beatrice warns her they're running out of time. "We're not leaving without it", declares Ava. Camila hears a voice whispering her name. Ava says that if she can phase through solid rock, she can through light also. She steps forward, through the first set, and then says that the Halo gave out, like someone flipped off a switch. Superion tells her to stay focused and the Halo lights up again. She phases through the second set.

Camila shines around her flashlight as Ava approaches the headdress. She asks Yasmine if she's sure, then removes the headdress. Camila turns a corner. "I am here", says Adriel, turning to face her. He tells her he is everywhere, stepping forward into her face and then vanishing. Ava picks up the Crown. It glows and the thorns extend. "It's a trap! It's a trap!" radios Camila. Father Vincent steps forward through the lasers, sounding an alarm and trapping Superion, Beatrice and Yasmine behind bars. He fights Ava, then places the Crown atop her head. She passes out and he carries her away, just as Camila arrives on the other side of the bars. At a fortress, Lilith arrives by teleportation, presenting herself before Adriel.

## Cast

* Thekla Reuten as Jillian Salvius
* Lorena Andrea as Sister Lilith
* Kristina Tonteri-Young as Sister Beatrice
* Tristán Ulloa as Father Vincent
* Sylvia De Fanti as Mother Superion
* William Miller as Adriel
* Olivia Delcán as Sister Camila
* Joaquim De Almeida as Pope Duretti
* Meena Rayann as Yasmine Amunet

### Co-Starring

* Miquel Ripeu as Cardinal Rossi
* Armando Buika as Cardinal #1
* Christian Stamm as Cardinal Gunter
* Nicolás Velasco as Prado Museum Attendant
* Iván Nieto-Balboa as Prado Security Guard
* Daniel Triana as Young Man