Chapter 5 Poe
FIVE
POE
The drive to the new safehouse feels endless, even though it’s probably only forty minutes outside the city.
Orchid drives in silence, one hand loose on the wheel, the other resting near the gun I know is holstered under her jacket.
I sit in the passenger seat with my wrists loosely zip-tied in front of me because she’s not stupid enough to trust me completely.
The city lights fade behind us, replaced by dark stretches of road lined with trees that look like they’re closing in.
I keep my mouth shut for most of the ride.
My head’s still fucking foggy from the short, restless sleep back at the warehouse, and every mile that ticks by just adds another layer of exhaustion mixed with that constant low hum of worry.
Ozzy, Arrow, Knight, Gage, Render. They’re out there somewhere, probably piecing together the lies Serafina planted about me.
Maddox himself might already be running damage control, wondering how one of his own could turn.
The thought sits heavy in my gut like bad takeout.
When we finally pull up to the safehouse, it’s not what I expected. It looks like a regular upscale cabin tucked back in the woods, all dark wood and big windows that probably have bulletproof glass behind the pretty frames. Orchid kills the engine and glances at me.
“Behave,” she says simply.
I give her a flat look. “Yeah, I got the memo.”
She cuts the zip ties and leads me inside.
The front door opens with a biometric scan of her palm and a code she types in too fast for me to catch.
Inside, the place is modern and cold. Open concept living area with a kitchen that looks like it has never been used for actual cooking.
Hardwood floors that do not creak, which means they’re probably reinforced.
Cameras in every corner, discreet but obvious if you know what to look for.
The whole house screams secure. No easy exits.
No weak points I can spot in the first thirty seconds.
Orchid watches me take it all in, arms crossed. “Impressed?”
“Cozy,” I mutter. “Real homey. Where’s the dungeon part?”
She almost smiles. Almost. “Upstairs. Your room is on the left. Mine is across the hall. Do not get any ideas about midnight strolls. The windows are sealed and the doors lock from the outside if I want them to.”
I follow her up the stairs, legs heavy. It’s late now, probably past midnight, and the exhaustion is catching up fast. My own room turns out to be decent. King bed, private bathroom, a small desk in the corner. No television, no phone, just the basics. It feels like a nicer prison cell.
Orchid leans against the doorframe while I drop onto the edge of the bed. “There’s a full setup in the office downstairs. Computers, multiple monitors, isolated network, everything you’ll need for the work Serafina wants done. I’ll show you tomorrow when you’re not about to fall over.”
I rub my wrists where the zip ties dug in. “About that call to my sister. You said if I behaved.”
She checks her watch, then shakes her head. “Later. It’s too late tonight. She’s probably sleeping. You’ll get your call when I say you get it. Not before.”
The words land like another lock clicking shut. I want to argue, but the fight is draining out of me. I’m too tired to push right now. “Fine. Later.”
She studies me for a long second, like she’s waiting for me to snap. When I don’t, she nods once. “Get some rest. I’ll be right across the hall. Try anything and the nice room becomes a lot less nice.”
I watch her leave, the door clicking shut behind her.
For a moment I just sit there, letting the quiet settle.
Then I force myself up and explore the room.
Bathroom has no window, just a vent too small to crawl through.
Bed is comfortable enough, but the sheets feel sterile.
I strip down to the borrowed boxers and crawl under the covers, staring at the ceiling.
Sleep does not come easy.
My brain keeps spinning. The new setup downstairs means they expect me to start hacking soon. Some system Serafina needs cracked. I wonder what it is. Financials? Security feeds? Something that could take down Maddox from the inside? The thought makes my stomach turn.
Eventually I drift off, but it’s shallow and full of half-dreams about Enley’s voice on the phone and Ozzy looking at me with betrayal in his eyes.
Morning comes too soon. I wake to the smell of coffee drifting up from downstairs.
My body still aches, but the few hours of sleep helped.
I pull on the fresh clothes left for me, jeans and a plain gray long-sleeve that fits better than I want to admit.
When I step into the hallway, Orchid is already waiting, looking fresh and alert like she didn’t spend the night babysitting a traitor.
“Coffee’s ready,” she says. “Then the office.”
I follow her down. The kitchen is stocked with the basics.
I pour myself a mug and take a long sip while she watches.
The office turns out to be a serious setup.
Three large monitors, a high-end tower that looks custom built, multiple external drives, even a secure router with cables running into what I guess is a Faraday cage somewhere.
It’s a helluva lot better than what I’ve got at home.
I set the coffee down and sit in the ergonomic chair, fingers brushing the keyboard. It feels familiar and wrong at the same time.
“What exactly am I supposed to be hacking?” I ask, turning to look at her.
Orchid leans against the desk, arms crossed again. That seems to be her default pose. “Need to know basis. You’ll get the target when it’s time. For now, just get comfortable with the system. Make sure it’s tuned to your preferences.”
I lean back, studying her. She looks beautiful in the morning light coming through the window, hair pulled back but a few strands loose, eyes sharp and guarded. It’s infuriating how attractive she is while holding all the cards.
“Why are you doing this?” I ask quietly. The question slips out before I can stop it. “Working for Serafina. Keeping me here like a pet hacker. Why?”
She doesn’t answer right away. She just looks at me, expression unreadable. Finally she shrugs one shoulder. “Everyone has a reason for why they do something. Mine’s my own.”
I watch her face, searching for any crack. “Must be a hell of a reason. You don’t strike me as the type who enjoys playing enforcer for a trafficking ring.”
Her eyes narrow slightly. “You don’t know anything about me, Poe. Don’t pretend you do.”
I lean forward, elbows on the desk. “Then tell me. What is it? Money? Power? Some debt you owe her? Or do you actually believe in what Goldenbell is doing?”
She pushes off the desk and walks to the window, looking out at the trees. Her back is straight, shoulders tense. “Belief has nothing to do with it. I do what I have to do to get what I want. Same as everyone else.”
I wonder what that want could be. Money would be too simple for someone like her.
Power, maybe, but she doesn’t carry herself like someone chasing a throne.
Revenge? A secret she’s protecting? The possibilities spin in my head, each one more complicated than the last. She’s a locked box, and part of me wants to pick the lock just to see what’s inside.
We don’t talk much after that. She shows me a few more features of the setup, then leaves me alone in the office with strict instructions not to try accessing the outside world.
I spend the next few hours familiarizing myself with the system, testing limits without crossing any obvious lines.
It’s good fucking gear. Too good. The kind that could do real damage if pointed in the wrong direction.
By the time evening rolls around, I’m drained again.
Orchid cooks food. Simple pasta and chicken that tastes better than it has any right to in a prison.
We eat in silence at the small table in the living area, the enemies vibe thick between us.
Every glance feels loaded. Every word she says carries the weight of her control.
After dinner she walks me back to my room. “Get some sleep. Tomorrow we start the real work.”
I pause in the doorway, looking at her. “Still no call?”
“Tomorrow,” she says. “If you behave.”
Fuck that shit. “No, I call her now or I riot.”
Orchid crosses her arms over her chest. I can’t tell if she’s smirking or annoyed. “Oh really?”
“Yeah, I’ve done everything you’ve asked since we got here. Let me talk to my fucking sister.”
Orchid stands and steps closer. We’re toe-to-toe. “Or what?” she challenges.
“Or. I. Fucking. Riot.”
She steps back, holding out her arms for me to proceed. “This I’d love to see.”
I head into the office, grabbing the monitor to one of the computers, and she can tell by the way I’m holding it I will crash it to the fucking ground. “I talk to Enley, or this whole set up gets destroyed.”
Orchid’s eyes widen slightly. “Okay. Enough.” She pulls out a cell phone from her back pocket and pushes a button. “Let me talk to Enley,” she says into the phone. She waits a few seconds and then hands the phone over to me.
I grab the phone like a lifeline. “Enley?”
“Poe, I’m here.”
Relief floods my system. “Are they treating you okay? Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine. Promise.”
I listen to every sound she makes. To the background noise. To everything. Fuck. “Enley, just do what they say and this will all be over soon.”
Orchid grabs the phone from me and hangs up with a swipe of her finger.
“I wasn’t done talking to her yet.”
Orchid laughs like she finds this whole situation funny. It’s not. “You can talk to her more later.”
I rub my hand across the back of my neck. “Yeah right.” I’m too tired to fight. I head upstairs to my room. The door clicks shut and I hear the lock engage from the outside. I strip down and crawl into bed, staring at the ceiling again.
My mind will not quiet.
I could try to hack the house system from in here.
There might be a way to disable the cameras, unlock the doors, create a window to slip out.
But then what? I still have no idea where Enley is.
One wrong move and Serafina makes good on her threats.
And even if I get free, my friends probably think I’m the enemy now.
Maddox might’ve already written me off. The whole team could be tearing itself apart because of the lies I’m helping spread.
I’m fucking screwed.
Completely and utterly screwed.
I roll onto my side, punching the pillow into a better shape. Across the hall I can hear faint movement. Orchid getting ready for bed. The beautiful, dangerous woman who holds my sister’s life in her hands and looks at me like she’s waiting for me to break.
I close my eyes and try to push it all away. The worry about my friends. The guilt about Maddox. The constant fear for Enley. The confusing pull I feel toward Orchid even though I should hate her.
It doesn’t work.
Sleep comes eventually, restless and shallow, filled with dreams of locked doors and my sister’s voice calling my name from somewhere I cannot reach.
Tomorrow I start hacking for Serafina.
Tomorrow I go back to pretending I can handle this game.
Right now, though, in this soft bed inside her secure cage, I can’t stop thinking about how far gone I already am. And how little hope I have of getting out whole.
The house is quiet.
I’m trapped with a woman who could be my escape or my end.
I doubt I’ll make it through the next few days with my sanity or my heart intact.
Try as I might to see Orchid as the enemy, I keep noticing things I shouldn’t. How she moves. How her voice gentles when she thinks no one’s listening. How her gaze lingers on me when she thinks I can’t see.
God, it’s dangerous.
And I’ve got no idea how to stop it.