One Night, Endless Secrets

Chapter 6: Into the Depths

The next few days were more of a s****l exploration of the brewing relationship between Isla and Roman. After that, he wanted to make her see the different sides of him, so he drove her to obscure locations around the city. They went to unknown art galleries for unknown localities, went to local markets, and had meals in some private corners in some unknown restaurants.

Yet beneath the love story that Broke Anvil was portraying between Roman and Juliet, there was the ominous anticipation of Roman’s world. Isla began to feel vibes intensifying, especially any time they met her kin or close friends. Roman especially and Julian, the glances they gave each other were full of uneasy challenges and if they were both in some kind of contest.

It was when Isla, having spent the day drawing and painting in her workplace, got the phone call from Roman. “Let’s get together at the warehouse near 5 Maple,” he told me in as tense a tone as I had heard him use. ‘Can you take a look at something for me?’

“Are you alright?” In her response, the hint of fear escalated into full-blown anxiety.

“It will be. Just trust me. Yes darling, I assure you that nothing will harm you while you are with me.

This new and old complex of feelings reached its peak when Isla got to the warehouse, which was a sober, somewhat old, and clearly commercial building surrounded by other, albeit not nearly as ancient but visibly older, ones. She stepped inside the door and could hear the faint tinkling of glasses and some sort of hushed conversation. Roman was standing close to the entrance waiting, his face was serious, as if he were ready to do something.

“What happened?” She breathed heavily as she quickly asked him.

He looked around and whispered to me. I also want to present you to some people but ask you to stick close, since I do not intend to leave you alone with them. No wandering off.”

Isla agreed with her heart's hardened demeanor. “I can handle it.”

While exploring the shooting location further, the location itself began to get a strange feeling. Many people were present in the room and all of them were shouting about something that had changed. The environment has changed. A huge table was in the middle of the room filled with the sketches and papers of a different person.

“Isla, this is my brother Julian,” Roman said, pointing to an adequately built man, thin and as stern as Roman if not more. “Julian, this is Isla.”

Then Julian looked into her eyes; she saw criticism and felt rather like a specimen being examined. “Nice to meet you,” I responded, forcing my voice to be calm.

“Similarly,” she said, struggling to control a palpable nervousness in spite of how her heart was thumping.

Interrupting himself, Roman said: “We still speak about the new development project, but there is an issue which should be solved.” His face tensed up and he looked at Julian. “We have a problem.”

“What kind of problem?” Julian questioned, lifting his arms above his head, resting, letting them hang crossed over his chest.

“There has been a leak, basically in the manner of a security intrusion.” There is somebody who has been posing questions—questions to us, questions on our business, questions about our connections,” Roman said in hushed tones.

Isla was getting goose pimples particularly after feeling a cold shiver run down her backbone. The grim truth of Rome was gradually overtaking the peaceful world she had wittingly stepped into, and it dawned on her that she was right smack in the visceral of something far worse than she could conceive.

“Hopefully, we can increase our security measures and find out who is responsible for it,” Julian growled.

“I don't want Isla to get involved in this,” Roman said strongly, his territorial feelings kicking in.

Julian raised an eyebrow. And you can’t lock her up in a bubble, Roman. She’s part of this now. If they are coming for us she could be in danger.”

“Well, I can take care of myself,” Isla interrupted herself, feeling the weight of their concern. OG: “Well, you really don’t have to be as fragile as you do to be protected.”

Julian’s eyes met hers for a brief second before they both pulled away; his expression relaxing somewhat. That’s the truth, not the weakness that we are taking into consideration here. You are dating Roman now, they continued, and anyone that you associate with is automatically a target.

The boy frowned, anger and anxiety quickly on Vikram's face. Anger is expressed by ‘I won’t let anything happen to her.”

In one of its suspense sequences, Isla and the group felt the situation getting to its peak. This was completely and entirely Roman’s domain, and soon she was getting inexorably pulled into the infersble chaos. He looked from one brother to the other, knowing the fate of everyone was now at more risk than she ever thought possible. “What can I really do to assist?” She questioned, her voice fully composed.

Both men looked at her in surprise, but a rapid smile replaced the surprise on Roman’s face, making him look admiring. “You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” Isla insisted. I can’t sit idly and watch while you are struggling through this fight. I’m not afraid of danger. You’ve made that clear.”

“Isla–” Roman started to say, but she interrupted him.

“I’m in this with you, Roman. Whatever it takes.”

Julian nodded, understanding her stand, though he marveled at the tenacity particular to a woman. “Alright. But we have to move quickly. So if there is aggression, we have to spot it before it becomes aggression.”

As nothing would stop him now, Roman looked her directly into the eyes, and took her hand in his own, clenching it hard. “I won’t be making any final decisions on anyone; we will solve this as a team.”

When the meeting went on, a kind of tension ran through Isla’s veins like electricity. From then, she was not only a mere observer of the events in Roman’s life – she was a player. Yes, this meant that we were in a definite number of danger, but it also meant that they were growing close. Together they would attend whatever lay in the future.