-Raine Archer:
There was nothing quite like the thrill of filling out paperwork to remind you that, no matter how gritty or high-stakes the job seemed, it was still a job.
I sat in the briefing room that morning, a cold cup of black coffee untouched by my elbow, a digital clipboard in my lap as I tapped through the usual morning logs—shift summaries, patrol schedules, behavioral notes on the prisoners. Most of it was routine, but my mind kept drifting to yesterday. To Elias. To Damon, To how quiet Jaxon is. To how warm Kai smiled at Jacon only. And to the quiet way, Luca had thanked me.
They weren't like anyone I'd dealt with before.
"You're late on your daily reports," came a familiar voice, clipped and authoritative.
I looked up as Captain Denton entered the room, all stiff shoulders and dark circles under his eyes. He didn't miss a beat—never did. His presence had a way of snapping even the most careless officer upright. I was no exception.
"I was just finishing them," I said, giving him a bland smile.
He gave me a look. The kind that said don't push your luck. Then he stepped inside, folding his arms. "I need updates on the four prisoners from Cell Block 11. You and Carter were the last on rotation."
"Nothing out of the ordinary," I replied, though the memory of Damon's cryptic words and Kai clutching Jaxon's hand suggested otherwise. "They kept to themselves. No violence. No threats. Some tension, but under control."
Denton arched a brow. "Tension?"
I tapped my stylus against the edge of the clipboard, debating how much to give him. "Subtle dynamics between them. Loyalty. Quiet communication. The kind that doesn't rely on words. They're close-knit. And smart. Especially Luca. He speaks like someone who's been educated in the uppercity, not the down there."
He didn't react, but I caught the way his jaw tightened. "Keep watching. Closely. This group isn't ordinary. I want detailed psychological assessments by the end of the week."
"Understood."
He turned to leave, then paused. "And Carter?"
"He's fine. Professional. Doing his job."
Denton gave me one last lingering look. "Good. Just make sure he keeps it that way."
Then he was gone.
I leaned back in my chair and stared at the door after he left, letting out a quiet breath. I knew what he meant—Elias had a soft spot, and he was worried it would crack. I wasn't.
But I was starting to wonder if his curiosity about Damon was going to end up being a problem. Because Elias didn't just look at the guy like a threat—he looked at him like a puzzle.
And Damon… well. Damon looked back like he had the solution, and he was waiting for Elias to earn it.
-
By the time the next shift came around, I was back in uniform, boots tight, jacket zipped up to the collar. Elias met me at the corridor junction just outside the holding wing. He looked more rested than yesterday, though still a little haunted. He didn't bring it up, and I didn't ask.
The guards at the checkpoint nodded at us and stepped aside as we keyed into the secured wing. The corridors stretched ahead, all metallic and sterile and humming with soft light. It was quiet, too quiet.
"I heard the four inmates didn't eat much this morning," I said as we walked.
Elias glanced at me. "Not surprised. I wouldn't have an appetite either, getting treated like they were yesterday."
"Yeah."
"Did you log a complaint against the guard?"
"I did. Not sure if it'll stick, but… better than staying silent."
He nodded approvingly, and we reached the final checkpoint where the four prisoners were housed. One of the guards handed off the log tablet to us and gave a brief run-down—no incidents overnight, minimal movement, no requests from the prisoners. Then he cleared out, leaving the wing to us.
I exhaled quietly, adjusting the baton on my hip and walking down the narrow corridor toward the first cell.
Jaxon sat on the floor, his back to the wall, eyes closed.
Luca was reading again, a physical book in his lap, looking entirely too comfortable for someone locked up in a high-security prison.
Kai and Damon were talking—quiet, close. When we approached, the conversation stopped like a switch had been flipped. Damon's eyes lifted to mine for the briefest moment. That was the last time I'd let it slide. I gave him nothing in return and looked away.
"You know," Elias said under his breath as we slowed to a stop, "this is the weirdest shift I've ever had."
"Why?" I asked.
He leaned a little closer. "Because I'm starting to feel like they're watching us when we are the ones who are supposed to be watching them."
I didn't laugh. I just kept walking.
And he wasn't wrong.