The Roman Project: The Wronged

Chapter 20

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on." Suale said quietly in the corner.
"Yeah, what she said." Bosma added with her cool and slightly confused voice.

Roman ignored Bosma's question and turned to Shane.

"So if you're smart, I'm... strong," he said the word a little awkwardly, "does that mean Wen, the doctor's son, is the fast Roman?" He asked with slight fascination.

"Yes. Though agility is more the word." Shane answered plainly.

Roman nodded, then looked back at Londen.

"But, what-what do you do?" He asked tentatively, like he wasn't sure how to talk to Londen.

Londen looked detached, like he was wishing he was somewhere else.

He glanced up. "It sounds weird to say it, but I had strong senses. I could see, hear, smell, everything like it was in high definition." He said, his voice trailing off as he stared into space.

"Could?" Saule asked shyly.

He glanced over at her, looking like he didn't want to talk, but knowing that he had to.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Jeen asked when he didn't speak.

"I didn't tell you who I was, because in truth I wanted to forget that part of my life." He said, lowering his head. "I thought by helping you escape and getting your mother back, It would somehow make me feel better about myself. About-about all the bad things I've done." He said, his voice cracking.
The silence that followed was painful.

Jeen didn't know what to think. All she could hear in his voice was regret and shame.

"I could've said no so many times. But I didn't. I helped horrible people because I was too scared to say no. For twelve years. I'm just as bad as them." He grimaced as he spoke.

"No you aren't." Saule said, a frown on her face.

"Yes. Yes I am." Londen said as he turned to her, his eyes dark. "That man? The one who almost killed Jeen? I-I know him. I work for him."

Jeen's hand went to her bandaged neck as she registered his words.

"I don't understand." Jeen said as she shook her head.

Roman over at Londen. "Why didn't you tell us this before?" His voice was tense.

"Because I-I was trying to finally be on the right side. He wanted me to help him get to Nikole. But the same day he wanted me to do that, was the day The Swarm captured you two." He explained, looking between Jeen and Roman, who stood there uncomfortably. "The moment I heard that Nikole was going after you because you were a Roman, was the moment I knew I had leave."

Jeen pulled out a chair beside a table and sat down.

"Wait, but I thought that man did work for Nikole?" She asked, looking over at Roman to see if he also was confused.

Londen shook his head. "No, he doesn't."
"So if he doesn't work for Nikole, who does he work for?" Shane said.

Jeen was slightly surprised Shane didn't already know. He seemed to know everything.

Londen shrugged.

"I don't know, I don't even know his name, I just call him 'Him'. The only thing I know about him is that he hates Nikole. I've worked for him as - I guess you could say a spy - for long as I've been with the Swarm, and when I helped you escape, I didn't just do it to help you, I did it to help myself. To cut every connection I had with the Swarm, and with Him." Londen explained, his voice quiet, "and I promise I'll help you get your mother back, no matter what."