Chapter 132: A big dumb S Class

Rhys was a rather hesitant man as he reentered the conference room where the others were. He was nothing like the confident, powerful man that they had come to see when they had first arrived to the conference room.

Instead, they saw a rather hesitant man, who kept glancing at the slightly shorter, injured man beside him. It was clear that the other man had been crying, but no one who knew him well pointed it out. The one visible red-rimmed eye was glowing bright, sky blue. It took the red around the eye into bright contrast, almost taking away from the forced neutral look on the rest of the face.

His gait was casual, his head held high. The whole combination of his outfit and expression could have fooled someone who didn’t know Kellen that he was calm. He’d gotten it all out. His Mom, however, didn’t trust it in the slightest.

The biggest give away was the fact that Rhys was following the man like a lost puppy.

Jax and Jules had migrated to a spot next to Pamela, since on the other side of Pamela sat Hill, and then Hill was originally sat next to Kellen and Rhys. The chairs where Kellen and Rhys had been sitting were ruffled and Kellen wondered if someone had tried to sit in their spots.

Kellen had to take a few deep breaths as he scanned the room, his eye landing on his Mom who didn’t hesitate as soon as her son looked at her. She rose quickly, making her way towards her son and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

“Oh sweetheart. You’re okay.” She whispered and Kellen wasn’t sure if that was true.

“Did you know?” Kellen asked, his voice hollow still. His Mom twitched.

“Did I know what?” She asked and Kellen felt like a knife was twisting in his gut.

“That Rhys wants to test me to see if I’m an S Class?” Kellen asked and from the way that his Mom didn’t answer right away…that was an answer within itself.

“Well,” she said carefully, “I didn’t really need Rhys to bring it up, sweetheart. You haven’t been yourself for a while, and not in the ’Kellen is hurt’ kind of way that I’ve grown used to as you’ve gotten older. I’m sorry I kept it from you, Kellen. Truly. As your parent, I should have fought against Rhys more, but I was more worried about your physical injuries versus the ones on the inside. Your father was keeping an eye on everything else.” His Mom sounded genuine, and upset, but Kellen just let her hug him for a long moment.

“You still could have given me a hint.” Kellen muttered and she sighed. She squeezed him tightly.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, Kellen. I should have put my foot down. Do you want to stay at our apartment while you’re getting your head wrapped around what happened?” She asked and everyone felt the temperature drop in the room.

“Why the hell would Rhysie’s partner stay anywhere without him?” It was Jax and Kellen felt his blood warm. He didn’t want the man to be making a single comment about what was the right thing to do. He didn’t know Kellen, and Kellen felt it in his bones that he didn’t know Rhys either.

“Because I am mad at him.” Kellen said slowly, his Mom letting Kellen slip out of her grip enough that Kellen could turn to face the Esper. Her arm remained around Kellen’s shoulder, half out of support, the other half holding him back. Kellen knew that she thought it wasn’t obvious, but Kellen wasn’t born yesterday. Not when he could feel how aggressive he was getting all by himself.

Kellen scowled at the underdressed man who seemed to be staring at Kellen in surprise.

“So? He’s your partner. You should stay by his side no matter what.” Kellen, the son who had grown up seeing his parents in love and the poster children of imprinting, let out a loud snort. It wasn’t kind, and instead filled with mockery and annoyance. Both Kellen’s Mom and Rhys jerked, while Pamela and Hill watched everything like this was some of the best t.v. they had ever seen.

Gunther, the poor guy, sat by himself. Bandaged, but mostly healed, and rather confused.

“Being his partner does not mean that when he fucks up I have to tolerate it completely.” Kellen told him. “There have been many times when my imprinted parents have fought and each had to deal with the consequences. I remember a time when I was younger when my Mom pissed off my Dad so much that she spent three nights in a hotel before she came back and apologised for her idiotic Esper behaviour.” Rhys winced, and again, so did his Mom. She let out a light, pained laugh that told Kellen she remembered exactly what he was talking about.

“You…remembered that?” She asked sheepishly and Kellen nodded. His stern expression didn’t shift as he nodded.

“Yeah. Dad was pissed for days. He made a lot of remarks about Espers during that time. I’ve taken some of his comments to heart in the years that followed that.” Kellen said and Hill gave a soft snort. Kellen’s gaze darted to her and she had slapped her hand over her mouth. “You’re not free from this either.” Kellen warned and Hill’s expression grew somber. She nodded, her brown gaze serious suddenly.

“I’m at fault too. I understand that. I did try to convince him to be honest with you at every possible chance I got, Kellen. So did Taylor. She was your most staunch defender. She wanted you to know the most.” Hearing that did move Kellen slightly.

“Jax, Kellen has every right to be angry at us. We, I, kept the fact from him that he was changing into an S Class Guide. I kept it from you two as well. What delayed you from arriving in the city sooner were machines to make sure that he had jumped Classes again. Though, I think in this situation it was more that he slid sideways into becoming an S Class Guide. He was halfway into being an A Class Guide when we last checked.” Rhys sounded sincere in his explanation. Kellen watched as Jules’ eyes widened in surprise. They raised a delicate hand, placing it on their chest in surprise while Jax scowled.

“No one can jump Classes. That’s not possible.” He muttered and Kellen’s Mom felt Kellen stiffen up like a damn board. She threw panicked eyes towards Rhys but Rhys was already prepared.

“Jax-” Rhys started but Kellen was already there. He had shoved off his Mom’s grip on him, surprising her as he moved towards Jax. Jax didn’t seem all that impressed at the moment as Kellen reached for the front of his shirt, gripping it with his uninjured hand.

“Listen here, you damn Esper.” Kellen’s rage had broken through. Tragically, it was at this moment that Kellen vaguely agreed that it was probably the right call that Rhys had not told Kellen about the machines and getting retested. The reason being that Kellen could feel how some of his anger that was directed towards Jax was actually angry anxiety that he felt from thinking about those damn machines.

“Oh? I’m a damn Esper? Is that the best you got?” Jax was egging him on. The sigh that came from Jules and Rhys was done in synchronization.

“Yeah. What the fuck else should I call you? Someone who abandons those when the going gets tough? Where the hell were you when we, the Saturn Guild, needed your damn help? Off in the fucking woods, not giving a damn about everyone else? Do you even understand what’s going on in the city since you fucked off? Gunther went under cover! He infiltrated a damn terrorist group to try to get more information on them while we faced a monster stampede and a gate explosion. I know for a damn fact that Hill reached out to you. You never came. So you don’t get to question any of the things that I’ve done or how I’m feeling about it.” Kellen snarled. “And for your information, several people have jumped Classes, not just me. This would be my second time jumping Classes.” Kellen didn’t need to brag or defend himself, but he felt that if he didn’t the fucker wouldn’t get it.

Jax stared at Kellen, his big eyes unblinking for a long moment. He didn’t even seem bothered by the fact that Kellen was holding him up by the front of his shirt. He stared at what Kellen was doing, and then he tilted his head back and laughed.

“Wow. I had no idea that Rhys liked it rough like this, but hell, it makes sense.” That only made Kellen more angry and this time it was Jules who stepped in.

“Jax.” They said warningly. “You do understand that he’s a newly awakened S Class Guide who could lay you flat on your ass without Rhysie’s help, right? You know who he is, right?” Jules asked and Kellen watched as Jax stared at his partner, nothing behind his eyes.

“Who is he? Isn’t he just Rhys’ partner?” He asked and Jules looked truly apologetic.

“I’m sorry for this. He was never fully right in the head before the accident and after…well, there are only so many times that I can apologise. Jax, He’s a Field Guide. You know, those Guides that you really wanted to recruit and all of them spat in your face and sent you packing? He’s one of the best, and he trains them too.” That seemed to change something inside of Jax.

His whole demeanour changed and that was when Rhys raced across the room and grabbed Kellen before Jax could get his hands on him. Rhys yanked Kellen up and off his feet, breaking the contact that Kellen had with Jax just as Jax’s face flushed.

“He’s a Field Guide?” Kellen felt worry fill him for a completely different reason now. The man was looking at him like he was his favourite snack.

Kellen’s hand slid to where he normally kept his gun, on instinct.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Jax. If you attempt to lay a hand on Kellen, I’ll have to put you down for good.” Rhys warned and Jax let out a rather unhinged laugh.

“Mmm, but he knows others, doesn’t he?” Jax asked and Sergei let out a loud, cutting laugh.

“They’d never let you touch them, and they’re loyal. You upset their teacher, you’re blacklisted.” Sergei told him, a slight smile on his lips.

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