The Program [COMPLETED]

Chapter Forty

Virgil and Aiden sat, perched silently in their helicopter as they gradually made their way to Oslua City. Aiden had spent the time mostly pondering about Roman and his mysterious intentions, reflecting on his and Virgil's options and just how the two of them were going to pull off their plans.

They'd both gone around to Rania, Theo and Zariah during their spare time in the day to check in and update them about their mission. Aiden was happy to see that Zariah and Theo were slowly coming to forgive him for his reckless actions, despite the occasional snide remark. Even Virgil was starting to relax around him, allowing himself to drop his guard and make his usual witty jokes.

When the others had found out about Aiden and Virgil's mission, they'd each taken it in their own way. Rania had become even more worried than before, urging Aiden to act carefully and even asking him to consider aborting the mission for fear that only bad things would come from meeting Roman.

"I know I agreed to help you get into the Transmission Room specifically so that you could contact him, but don't you think it's strange how he'd get back to you less than a day later? You can't go, Aiden. What if Xylem is setting you up? You could be injured, or interrogated, or worse," Rania had exasperated. "What's going to happen to the rest of us if you're killed?"

"Relax, Rania," Aiden had assured her. "Virgil will be with me the entire time. It's only for a day or two. We've handled worse before; we'll do it again if we have to. We're smart."

"Just... please, be safe. For me," Rania had added.

While Rania's primary concern was safety, Theo's main obstacle was suspicion. After Aiden had broke the news to him outside of the entrance to the training centre, Theo couldn't wrap his mind around the peculiar timing, or the fact that Xylem had sent the two of them out of all the people he could have chosen from. He was less anxious about Aiden and Virgil's skills as soldiers, which was relieving. Theo was one of the most loyal, unwavering friends that Aiden had ever had the pleasure of meeting in his lifetime. Aiden needed him by his side just as much as he needed the others.

"That son of a bitch," Theo had growled. "He's fucking with us. I may not have been there when you guys even met this Roman guy, but this is unreal. You're already not so popular with the city folk, why would a rebel like Roman put his life on the line to contact someone like you?"

"I don't know. All we do know is that we'll have to tread lightly. Xylem's paranoid, which is even scarier than this entire mission," Aiden had reasoned. "We're gonna come back with answers, whether we have to physically tear these people apart to get them. Although, I'd prefer we were able to acquire them by peaceful means."

"I trust you, Aiden. You and Virgil are our best and brightest," Theo nodded affirmatively.

"Thanks, Theo. We'll be careful," Aiden promised.

"Good. Oh, and if you see the guys who killed..." Theo faltered for a second. "The guys who killed Jay." He looked up at Aiden, his brown eyes smoldering with vengeance. "Give them hell for me."

Zariah had been the last person that Aiden talked to earlier in the day. According to Zariah, Virgil had already spoken to her beforehand, but Aiden still wanted to talk to her regardless. Despite his lingering uncertainties about their relationship, he knew that out of his entire group, Zariah was the one who could offer him the most guidance towards his and Virgil's Oslua mission. As he'd expected, Zariah kept a level head and remained strategic about the whole ordeal, putting his mind at ease before he was required to go to the hangar to meet his pilot.

"So," Zariah had summarized. "Out of all of his Officials, Xylem chooses you and Virgil to go to the one city he knows the two of you shouldn't be in, all while putting you out in the field when he's fully aware about the risks of you showing your face in public. In addition to this, Roman contacts you at precisely the right moment for the two of you to meet in the exact city you're going to be in tomorrow, and probably already knows you're going to be there on a mission."