Chapter 76: Incorruptible

Orion rose slowly, his gaze locking with Caitlyn's.

Bewildered. Angry. Shocked.

He watched the spectrum of emotions flicker across her face, her sharp eyes darting between him and Isha.

'She's making stupid connections in her head,' he thought, blinked as she uncharacteristically left her position and strode briskly across the square.

Orion frowned, glancing down at Isha. She followed his gaze, her curiosity shifting into sharp suspicion before snapping back to him with a glare of betrayal.

"Nnn!"

"I didn't rat you out!" Orion said quickly, raising his hands as she held up the food bag like a silent accusation. "She isn't going to take you or the food."

Isha's head snapped toward Caitlyn, her eyes narrowing before instinctively sidestepped behind Orion.

"Where have you been?" Caitlyn's voice was tight with frustration. "Do you know how many years I've been looking for you? And you just show up randomly? Is this your kid?! When- With whom?!"

Orion blinked again. That told him plenty. But first…

"No, she's not my kid. I just let her have my food," he said, shaking his head before meeting Caitlyn's gaze. She shifted uncomfortably. "You didn't know where I was?"

"Should I have?" Caitlyn said skeptically, brow arching. "I lost you back when my family was kidnapped and couldn't find you ever since to confirm anything."

She leaned in, squinting and shifting focus. "Your eyes… they look like Shimmer. Have you been taking it?"

Isha clutched the back of Orion's pants, still munching on a skewer despite the thick tension in the air.

"No," Orion scoffed but she eyed him distrustfully. "And judging by what you're saying, Greyson really did keep you in the dark."

Caitlyn scoffed in return, crossing her arms. "Your friend said the same thing."

"That was me."

She blinked. Then glared, her voice rising. "Then why the hell didn't you say anything?!"

"What did I just say?" Orion returned, crossing his arms as well.

He was getting a headache. That food tasted good, now he was in an argument.

Caitlyn's tone sharpened, a dangerous undertone lacing her voice. "Are you accusing Greyson of hiding things from me? As if I'd trust someone who hid and lied to my face?"

"If you weren't living so comfortably under your family's umbrella, you'd see where I'm coming from and why I had to," Orion dismissed, shaking his head. "Remember all the chaos? Greyson hid plenty from you."

Naive. Still so straight-laced, still clinging to her belief that law and order are incorruptible.

Biting her lip, Caitlyn's gaze faltered. "You sound just like Vi... You know her, don't you?" Orion nodded and she huffed, turning slightly. "That explains a lot about her fighting style."

"Just a few bits came from me," Orion admitted, the tension between them easing. "The rest came from her old man."

Silence fell between them as Caitlyn's expression twisted with thought.

"Nnn!" Isha tugged at Orion's pants again, holding up the now-empty food bag and rubbing her stomach with a pout.

'Are you really demanding more after stealing all my food?' Orion gaped, and Isha nodded innocently as if to answer it. 'Wow, unbelievable.'

Orion sighed and nodded, and Isha's expression beamed, proud of her work for the day.

Caitlyn muttered, her gaze softening as she watched the child, "She looked hurt every time I tried to pry- about her fighting style, I mean."

Orion patted Isha's head absentmindedly, but his face twisted bitterly, drawing a concerned look from Caitlyn.

"Yeah, I bet she did," Orion said through gritted teeth. "I bet the whole gang looks like that despite-"

'Do they even know?'

For all he knew, they might truly have believed he just walked away, abandoning them. But one person- Greyson- his jailor, knew everything.

Dark thoughts swirled in his mind. If Greyson were unfortunate enough to step outside at that moment, Orion would have killed her then and there, Caitlyn's presence be damned.

'Revenge, however, can be served in more ways than one.'

And Vander? He had strong suspicions. It happened on his turf, and Silco knew about him too.

"Despite what?" Caitlyn pressed, interrupting his thought. She immediately backed up however when Orion's eyes flashed with anger, her hand instinctively moving to her gun sling.

He exhaled sharply, Orion closing his eyes and pushing down the storm of emotions.

"How about this," Orion said, voice measured. "Instead of prying me, ask Greyson where I've been. Better yet- ask Vi and all her friends, too."

His smirk widened with a dangerous glint flashing in his eye that sent a ripple of unease through Caitlyn.

"I bet Greyson would love to hear about me!"

Caitlyn tensed. "You're not planning anything, are you?" Her grip instinctively tightened on her sling, ready to whip it around at a moment's notice. Despite the questions racing through her mind, she understood- this was not the same Orion from seven years ago. The dangerous aura radiating from him made her stomach twist.

She couldn't act, not here. The area was too crowded. Too much risk of collateral damage. And the chaos that would unfold in the media would be disastrous.

Orion's expression darkened as he caught the subtle tilt of her head, the way her eyes flickered across the crowd. 'She's analyzing the situation, placing me as a hostile.'

"Six years ago," Orion said, his voice low and firm. Caitlyn twitched instinctively.

"I helped you, but I had to disappear unwillingly." His eyes locked onto hers, cold and unwavering. "Seven years ago, the same thing happened with your family."

He turned slightly, gripping Isha's small shoulders, his stare never leaving Caitlyn's increasingly frustrated, on-edge expression.

"I've never tried to hurt you, your family, or Topside, Caitlyn." His tone hardened. "But the people around you? They sure as hell hurt me."

"What—"

"Ask questions, Caitlyn." Orion cut her off. "For now, I'm taking this kid to get some treats."

He glanced down at Isha, his tone softening. "Some more skewers?"

"Nnn!" Isha beamed, nodding eagerly.

Maintaining his smile, Orion flicked his gaze back to Caitlyn as they started walking away. "And you have some investigating to do."

Caitlyn's troubled eyes followed them, lingering on the child. Something about the way Orion spoke- the weight behind his words mixed with the actions toward the kid- left her thoughts spiraling into turmoil.

Her grip tightened around her sling, nails digging so deeply into her palm that she barely noticed the faint sting of her skin breaking.

"Damn it."

Then, without another word, she spun on her heel and returned to her post. Her brilliant mind was already at work.

------------------

Ekko gawked unintentionally, his body tensing before shoving Powder's shoulder roughly.

"What the hell is your problem today?" Powder snapped, shoving him back and glaring before following his gaze, expecting a good excuse. 

The stabilizer slipped from her fingers, clattering against the pavement. Her eyes widened like saucers, confusion and shock flooding her expression.

She barely noticed her own feet moving forward when Ekko's grip clamped onto her shoulder, yanking her back.

"Wait!" His voice was sharp, urgent.

Powder's head whipped toward him, brows furrowed in frustration. "What? Why? That's O—"

"Exactly." Ekko's voice cut her off, low and firm. "We don't know where he's been. Who he's with now. Or..."

His gaze flickered toward the child, lingering there, unreadable. His voice dropped to a near whisper.

"What kind of life he's leading."

Powder bit her lip, and Ekko's expression tightened when he saw this.

"Let's follow him," Powder said, determined. Ekko was about to protest when she snapped, her gaze meeting his, unyielding. "I want answers."