Chapter 62: Every Captain is different

The drive to the Guild…building? Tower? Was quiet. Brent was already feeling a little bit strange about being in the car while covered in blood and viscera, but Esper Parker had taken off his jacket and made Brent sit on it after Brent had voiced his concerns about dirtying the car. Brent was aware that the man had already predicted what Brent was going to say since he was two steps ahead of his Captain who had berated Brent, but would have done the same thing.

Espers were like that.

Brent knew that they were going in the opposite direction of his family’s home, going deeper into the city. The flashing lights, the old city layout. Everything was foreign and at the same time, very familiar. It was strange being ’home’ after being gone for as long as he had. He didn’t think he would ever be back in this place, and yet here he was.

In the back of the car of another Guild Captain with blood all over him. Kellen would maybe be proud of him. He knew that Gwen would be. Maybe even Kellen’s Mom would be proud of him. God, he hoped Henry was.

Sergei…Sergei would be upset that he wasn’t with him right now. Wasn’t able to protect him. Brent clenched his hand thinking that thought, his mind and heart racing for a moment before he contained himself. Centered himself.

If he worried about him too right now, Brent wasn’t sure he was going to be able to keep it together. He needed to do so. If he collapsed right now, he didn’t think that was helping anyone. He needed to get this finished, this done, and go back.

Go back to his people, his place, and deal with the clean up. Because there would be a need to clean up because Kellen was going to make it out of that damn gate. Alive.

Brent kept his eyes looking out the window as Captain Dina played music. Fast, aggressive music pumped through the speakers as she tapped along to the beat and Esper Parker remained silent in the seat next to her in the front, tapping away on his phone screen. Brent had a feeling he was messaging his partner, the one that he had gushed to Brent about.

Brent smiled, turning back to looking out the window and saw that they were approaching a giant as fuck tower. One that was probably taller than the one that the Saturn Guild had. Brent wondered if Rhys got tower envy when it came to other S Class Espers, and then decided that was something that Kellen could worry about.

He did not need to know that, for his sanity, and for Kellen’s. Kellen had never complained about size, and he would have. He didn’t have the ability to not do that, as far as Brent was concerned.

Brent’s thoughts left his mind as they turned quickly and darted down a dark tunnel before slamming to a stop as Captain Dina scanned something at a gate and then was let through. Brent’s heart was in his throat as she casually drove around until she found a spot that had her name on it near the elevators. Esper Parker turned around after they had parked and gave Brent a cheeky smile.

“She’s always like that. I hope you’re okay.” He said and Brent swallowed before he nodded. His heart would slow down eventually.

“I’m fine. I’ve driven with worse.” He admitted, thinking of one of the drivers on the front lines that no one would dare fire because he was a good Esper, but when you got him as a driver? You better not have eaten too much recently or it would be leaving you.

Esper Parker grinned, chuckling as he got out of the car and Brent slid off his seatbelt and did the same. Captain Dina waited until Brent had opened his door before she got out. It was such a small Esper thing that Brent didn’t realise that she was pacing herself to him until he’d closed his door and handed Esper Parker back his jacket.

She was being angry, cagey, and clearly upset with Brent even being there, but her instincts couldn’t fight protecting Brent. It would have been funny if Brent didn’t hate that reality for both of them.

“Where are you two taking me?” Brent asked as they waited for the elevator. Esper Parker and Captain Dina shared a look.

“How about we go to my apartment? That way you can get cleaned up in a semi-reasonable place, and we can chat. I can also call my other Lieutenants and we can all speak about what significance you hold in our lives.” She said carefully and Brent nodded.

“Sounds good. Would I also be able to get a change of clothes? I know I’m asking a lot of you, and I apologise for that.” Brent said and Esper Parker sighed.

“We can obviously provide you with a change of clothes, Guide Brent.” He said and Brent gave him a warm smile.

“Thank you.” He said and Captain Dina made a low rumble.

“He’s taken.” She warned and Brent blinked, before a startled laugh left his lips.

“I know. We spoke about his partner. I’m not hitting on him.” Brent told her and she scowled more. The elevator opened and they all stepped in, Captain Dina waiting for Brent to step in first. Brent kept his thoughts to himself, his expression smooth as they made their way up. Unlike at the Saturn Guild, there wasn’t a second elevator. It went from the top to the bottom of the tower and Brent was a little curious about why they didn’t have that security measure.

Brent didn’t ask, however. That would only put him in an even worse position than he already was in Captain Dina’s eyes.

The interior hallways of the Guild looked…normal. Done in easy to look at slate grey and white. Very calm, composed, the exact opposite of Captain Dina right now. Brent glanced at Esper Parker and had a feeling that either he had something to do with it, or one of the other Lieutenants did. They weren’t carpeted, but instead done with wood or laminate or something similar. Brent’s shoes made a satisfying clack noise with each step until they got to a room labeled ’Captain’s suite’.

Very different from Rhys.

Brent took a moment as Captain Dina opened the door to realise that while he knew the other Captain’s, the only one he had that he could compare other Captains to was Rhys. Sakura came to them, and he didn’t know her living situation. And Sergei…Brent didn’t know him like that in the city. He only knew him on the front lines and the man was a meticulous person.

Not a single thing in his tent was out of line. Everything had its home. Brent had teasingly moved something on his nightstand and the man had quietly, without complaint, put it back in its place. That had led to Brent quietly, whenever he had a second, sneaking into his tent and moving something just out of its place for him to find later.

It always led to Sergei coming to his own tent, knocking, and his eyes burning.

Brent coughed as he remembered he needed to follow them into the room. He’d been too lost in his own thoughts for a moment. Embarrassment flushed his cheeks as he followed after them. He wasn’t the kind of man who would get easily distracted like this. Maybe the adrenaline from what he had done was leaving his system and he was getting distracted.

“Follow me, Guide Brent. I’ll show you to the bathroom on the lower level. Please leave the door unlocked so that I can deliver clean clothes once they arrive.” Esper Parker told him as he quickly led Brent into the home. Brent nodded, noticing that the Captain had already breezed past them and was nowhere in sight.

Brent could hear movement upstairs, but Brent couldn’t see the stairs as he entered the more open concept living area. The hallway from the front door to the open area was a lot longer than Brent gave it credit, giving a distinct feeling between the entrance and the living space. To the left was the kitchen which had a huge window on the right hand side of the kitchen that gave it a lot of light. The island divided the kitchen, making the barstools at the island back up onto the living room.

A long, dark wooden chest came before a velvety brown couch with a distinctive L facing the windows told you that you were in the living room finally. Against the far wall was a t.v. drilled into the wall and a wooden coffee table in the colour of the wooden chest sat in the middle of a soft looking black carpet. Pieces of art dotted the space making it a rather inviting home.

If Brent was honest? It was better decorated than both Kellen’s, and probably Rhys’ apartment.

When Brent looked behind him, he found that there were several doors along the hallway that he’d just left, the doors were just facing this living space. Esper Parker was directing him towards one of the doors, closer to the t.v. side of things.

“Over here, Guide Brent.” Esper Parker said and Brent nodded. He had a feeling those rooms were bedrooms, offices, or anything else like that. Hell, this was a Captain’s suite, it could even have a guiding room on the bottom floor, or a medical room. Anything could be behind those doors.

When Brent stepped into the bathroom, he found that it was pretty normal. Mostly white tiles with red and gold accents. It was clear that she had put a little bit of herself into this room, but it was a small amount. The shower and bath were separate, and both Esper Parker and Brent could stand in the room with ease.

“Is there anything else you need?” He asked and Brent shook his head, scanning the area. There was soap, shampoo, and conditioner. This was everything that Brent could need.

“Do you want me to put my clothes in a plastic bag so that I don’t get anything dirty?” Brent asked and Esper Parker gave a soft smile.

“I’ll handle that when I deliver your clean clothes.” He said and Brent felt a little bit bad about that. Esper Parker’s smile turned into a grin. “I’ll have gloves and the like. I’m not going to have the police say that I wasn’t careful, so don’t worry. We’ll also have someone deliver the clothes right away once your fresh ones have arrived. Let me walk you through how to use the shower and all of the functions, since one of them will blur the glass so that you can have some privacy.” Brent nodded, intrigued more than anything.

He had nothing to hide. He didn’t really care if the other man saw him naked, but maybe his partner would care. Brent came from the front lines. Very few things could embarrass him.

He’d once had to guide an Esper against a tree. Not his proudest moment, but sometimes you had to do what you had to do.

Brent listened to his instructions carefully, repeating them back to him once he was sure that he’d heard them and then Esper Parker was gone. It was just Brent in this strange bathroom, and he took a long, careful sigh. Now would be the time that Colby would grab him, and he just hoped that he didn’t.

Brent was not ready to let go of this moment of freedom. If the fucker did show up? Brent would kick him in the junk and run. Hell, he’d even take off his arm and toss it at him to distract him for a second.

He wanted to be here, even if Kellen’s Aunt Dina didn’t know who he was and didn’t trust him. He just had a feeling that even if he was their captive that they would treat him better than his own flesh and blood did. Her actions already told him that.

Brent sighed and turned on the water.

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