Chapter 137: A phone call weeks in the works

Kellen picked up the phone, getting to his feet, excited to speak to his Aunt since it had been a moment. It was a complete and utter shock when he answered the phone and a plethora of words hit him in the face.

“Eleanor, I don’t know how to manage him! When the hell are you getting here?” Kellen had never heard his Aunt speak that way to anyone, ever. He was momentarily shocked before he spoke up.

“Uh, hi Aunt Dina.” Kellen greeted. His Aunt seemed shocked before she let out a relieved breath.

“Oh, Kellen. Maybe you can talk some sense into him.” Aunt Dina sounded relieved, and Kellen was a little confused about who she was talking about, but she wouldn’t let Kellen get a word in edgewise.

Kellen could hear her moving towards something at a rapid pace, the sound of wind on the other side of the phone a good indication that she was crossing a great distance, and fast.

Kellen glanced around at the Guides around him, staring at him in wonder and curiousity and knew that he should probably go somewhere quiet. Even the hallway would do.

Too bad for Kellen, his Aunt Dina had reached her target long before Kellen could make it to the door.

“Here! Maybe they can talk you out of this insane plan!” Aunt Dina hissed and for a second, Kellen had no idea what was going on. Then, he heard a voice.

A familiar voice.

A voice he hadn’t heard in a long, long time.

“Hello? Eleanor?” Kellen sucked in, his lips trembling slightly, his feet coming to a halt. It was so sudden he swayed and his Mom was there, her arm around his shoulder, protective and supportive all at once.

“Brent?” Kellen’s voice was barely above a whisper. Kellen heard Brent suck in on the other side.

“Woah!” It was a familiar voice, probably one of the Lieutenants of his Aunt’s Guild, but Kellen couldn’t bring himself to care.

“K-Kellen?” Brent asked and Kellen found himself nodding. He even found his eyes watering and Taylor, sweet Taylor, helped Kellen’s Mom guide Kellen to a free bed. No one slept in it, so Kellen didn’t feel bothered sitting on it.

Kellen’s Mom sat in a chair nearby, giving Kellen some space, but not too much. Taylor hovered for a second, but Kellen’s Mom sent her off.

“It’s me.” Kellen said carefully. “It’s really me. Is it really you?” Kellen asked and Brent let out a laugh. It sounded a little wet and Kellen wouldn’t be able to say that he didn’t want to wipe away a tear of his own.

“It’s really me.” Brent said, before exhaling slowly. “Woo. I didn’t think I’d hear your voice outside of a press conference. Good job, by the way.” Brent sounded like he was teasing, but Kellen’s head swam.

He’d listened to the press conference. He’d heard everything. He’d been paying attention to their city.

“Do you know? About Gunther, the Guides, the Gate, everything?” Kellen asked and Brent sighed.

“I think I know a lot of what you just said, but not everything.” Brent said. Kellen wanted to explain everything, wanted to hold the man in his arms, squeeze him, bring him comfort. But, Kellen needed to control himself. There was something far more important he needed to say first.

“I’m sorry about your grandfather, Brent. Truly. I know you cared for him.” Kellen was sincere in his condolences. There was a long pause on the other side of the phone before Brent finally responded.

“My brother probably killed him.” Brent said and it felt like a spear went through Kellen’s heart. He could not imagine such a situation in his life, so it doubly hurt that it had happened to Brent.

“I’m so sorry to hear that. He had no right to do that. Is there anything you can do?” Kellen asked and Brent let out a pained, short laugh.

“He already had him cremated. Unless someone can see his past actions or what happened to him, no.” Brent said his words, and then halted. Kellen paused too.

Between them stood the reality that Rhys might be able to, but there was a new truth. Kellen didn’t know how this strange new power of his worked, and he was learning that the man he was dating also wasn’t as versed in his powers as Kellen thought.

There was a chance that Kellen could be the one to do that. Kellen wasn’t going to say anything though, since he didn’t want to get Brent’s hopes up.

“I’m sorry Brent. That’s…that’s horrible.” Kellen said. Brent sighed.

“Hey, that’s family, isn’t it? Not everyone is as sweet as your family is. That’s probably why your parents are collecting S Classes and A Classes like they’re playing a game. A monster catching game.” Brent suggested and Kellen rolled his eyes.

“Ha ha. That’s not true.” Kellen defended, then he sighed. “I take it you know about the gate. We lost a few good ones, Brent.” Kellen told him. He knew that telling him this on the end of him talking about his grandfather’s death wasn’t fair, but what else could he do?

“No one told me exact names.” Brent said carefully and Kellen sighed.

“They’re planning to hold the funeral soon. We had to…delay it due to foreseen circumstances. Another…’attempt’.” Kellen told him. “So, we did some other stuff to distract them. We set Gunther free. He’d been caught and was in the process of being tortured. We also saved a bunch of Guides and caught a higher up. How high? I haven’t checked with Rhys about that yet. I’ve been focused on the Guides.” Kellen swallowed. “They’re mostly kids. Like Charlie or younger.” Kellen told him quietly.

The phone was silent for a long moment before Brent sighed.

“Yup. I’m not feeling guilty about how many I’ve already killed over here.” Kellen’s eyes went wide. Brent had been killing them? And Kellen hadn’t heard?

“What!? How many?” Kellen asked and the sound that left his Mom was between a snort and a laugh.

“Kellen!” She scolded and Kellen didn’t feel apologetic.

“They’re damn murderers, Mom! They don’t feel guilty for what they’re doing, so I don’t need to feel guilty for what I’m going to do to them! They’re after your life, Dad’s life, my life, and probably Brent’s life too! I’m not going to feel guilty for doing the right thing to those who are too far gone to see reason! Those who have already stained their hands with the blood of innocents.” It was a rather impassioned speech.

Brent should not have started laughing on the other side of the phone. Kellen was about to lecture him, but then he spoke.

“God, I missed you.” It was a punch to the gut and silenced Kellen immediately. He couldn’t even remember what he was going to say to him. “How is everyone else doing? Are you better yet? I heard you weren’t well.” Brent asked and Kellen sighed.

“Uh, well, we’re working on it. We have a solution, but it’s not perfect and takes time. Lots of things could go wrong doing it too, so they’re hesitant to do it. But, it helped. Some of my eyesight has returned.” Kellen said. There was a pregnant pause on the other side.

“Some?” Brent repeated and Kellen nodded, not picking up on his distressed tone.

“Yeah. It’s a good thing. I can now see vague shapes instead of nothing. It means that there might not be any damage to the eye itself or the nerve, just the remaining poison in my system and close to the eye.” Kellen told him. “My arm is in the same situation. Outside of that, I’m doing okay.” Kellen winced. “Well, today wasn’t a good day. Those S Classes finally arrived.” Kellen said.

“Oh? You don’t sound pleased.” Brent said and Kellen snorted.

“Yeah. I now understand why they aren’t around.” Kellen muttered. Kellen’s Mom held her tongue, but it was clear she wanted to scold Kellen. She had seen what had happened though, and knew her son was fragile right now.

“Are they…bad or something?” Brent asked, sounding confused. “I don’t think Rhys would keep others around that were cruel or mean, especially to you.” Brent said. Kellen frowned deeply.

“They both called him Rhysie.” Kellen said.

“Oh no.” Brent replied, horror in his tone. “Did…Rhys say anything about it?” He asked.

“Nope.” Kellen said crisply. Brent let out a dangerous sounding chuckle.

“He’s a damn fool for doing that. So? When are we egging their apartment door?” He asked and Kellen felt a silly, stupid smile cross his face.

“You aren’t even here.” Kellen protested.

“Hey, I think I could reach out to some people in the Guild. They’d help in a heartbeat. Like, gosh, Esper Blake? Or one of our students? Hell, if you were really in a pinch, I could try to get Sergei to help.” Brent said and Kellen raised his eyebrows.

“That’s right. Sergei.” Kellen said and Brent sucked in.

“Um…what do you want to know?” Brent asked sheepishly and Kellen laughed.

“I’m not going to ask you over the phone with others around. I’ll save that for when we’re alone. Just know you will be answering for everything when I do get my hand on you.” Kellen warned and Brent chuckled nervously.

“Awe shucks.” He muttered and it was such an un-Brent phrase that both of them burst into laughter. Kellen didn’t notice how his Mom was watching him, happiness in her own eyes at seeing her son something other than angry, depressed or resigned.

“You’re supposed to be getting him to convince you to not do it!” Aunt Dina scolded and Kellen could practically hear Brent rolling his eyes.

“Right. That.” Brent chuckled. “He’s the worst person to ask, you know that, right?” Brent told her and she scoffed.

“No way.” She said and Kellen perked up. What was he for or against?

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