Chapter 93: Lost in a daze

Kellen could tell that despite the casual way that everyone had spoken before they got into the two cars that everyone was tense. They were prepared for something terrible to happen, and Kellen? He was appreciative that they were so serious. Even if it felt like overkill.

It was also unlike Kellen for him to be so casual about everything as well. He was normally an overly prepared person, but without his gut feelings, he felt very much like a civilian. No care, no knowledge of how serious a situation could be. It felt…strange, but then again, Kellen wasn’t well enough to be fully prepared like the rest of the team traveling with him was.

Kellen’s laughter probably didn’t make them feel better either, and that was confirmed by the sighing Hill. She was sitting next to Kellen in the back of the car, scanning the area around them like a damn hawk. The man who had complained was driving their car, tank really, and another car/tank followed behind them. There was another Esper in the front seat, leaving the middle seat in the back free.

“Kellen, laughing isn’t exactly making this situation better.” Hill scolded. Kellen chuckled louder.

“Apologies, Lieutenant Hill, I just can’t seem to help myself. This is just a rather funny situation to me. I’m usually more on edge but I just can’t seem to muster it.” Kellen told her, grinning when she met his gaze.

She shook her head, clearly exasperated with his reaction.

“Kellen Woods, that is not something you should be saying when we’re about to go into a potentially dangerous situation.” She scolded but Kellen just smiled at her.

“Of course Lieutenant Hill.” He replied and her expression soured further.

“And stop with that bullshit. You shouldn’t call me that.” She scowled and Kellen laughed.

“But you are Lieutenant Hill, aren’t you? I’m just doing the right thing by calling you by your title.” She looked absolutely disgusted, but the two Espers in the front of the vehicle laughed.

“Serves you right. You never ask for us to call you formally except when you think you’re going to encounter someone who isn’t going to show you proper respect. In that regard, Guide Woods is doing exactly as he should as your ’subordinate’.” The man who had been banished to driving replied and Hill made a frustrated sound in the back of her throat.

“You idiots should be calling me that, but not Kellen. He’s the fucking partner of our Captain. If he comes back and Kellen is calling me Lieutenant Hill he’s either going to make fun of me or have my head. That will depend entirely on how well the rescue mission goes.” Hill grumbled and Kellen glanced out the tinted window with a smile.

“Rhys won’t get mad at you. He’ll go for teasing you about it. After all, you worked so hard to get me to call you just Hill, this is a severe backtrack. Plus, I’m supposed to be a plain old regular Esper helping with security. If I go around calling you so disrespectfully and the rest of the city hasn’t seen me before, how am I going to explain that?” Kellen asked, making a good point. The Espers in front laughed.

“He’s got a point.” The girl pointed out, shifting in the passenger seat. “I haven’t been able to sense anything so far as well, Lieutenant.” She told Hill. Kellen was surprised at her words. She wasn’t making it obvious that she was working, but then again, Kellen couldn’t feel the flow of powers. It was probably obvious to everyone else what she was doing, and that was probably also what was playing into his casual behaviour.

Without his gut instinct, it was hard for him to feel the tension of the moment. At least at this moment. He was more excited about someone daring to show their face and shooting them. That was a bad thing, wasn’t it?

“Shut up, all of you. Kellen, sit back and duck your head down for fucks sake. If you get a damn scratch I’m dead meat.” Hill complained and Kellen chuckled again. He couldn’t exactly argue with that. Anything added to Kellen’s already injured body would probably send the man into a spiral. Kellen smiled as he bent, staring at the floor and his knees. He really needed to stop laughing in this situation.

He’d felt how serious this moment was when he was with Rhys in the morning, but with him gone? This was just Kellen’s first time out of the tower in a while. That’s what it felt like, and he had several escorts. He just hoped he felt how serious the moment was when he arrived at the Nemesis Guild.

~

Well, he didn’t feel the exact weight of the situation, but he did feel the heaviness. At least, for Sergei and his people.

The Nemesis Guild had done a lot of work in the three days since Kellen had seen them. The area between the fountain and the front doors of the Guild had been cleared of benches and comfort and instead Sergei had put up a stage. A small one, but big enough to hold a podium, a few chairs and a t.v. monitor behind it. Why the monitor? So that others could see the speaker better.

Kellen didn’t argue with that, after all, Pamela was the one who had helped them set it up. She wasn’t here, instead staying back at the Guild tower for reasons that Kellen couldn’t understand. Or, he completely understood when he saw Rene and the state that she was in.

Rene didn’t look good. In fact, it looked like she hadn’t slept properly in a while. She looked well dressed, not a thing out of place, but there was tension beside her eyes and she looked far older than she actually was.

That was when Kellen remembered that things weren’t going well between her and Pamela. Huh. Alright, fair enough reason for Pamela to avoid coming to the Nemesis Guild. She had still offered up her services, which was nice, but she wasn’t going to monitor the whole thing like she had for Kellen’s press conference.

Which explained the several Lieutenants hovering around Kellen, Hill, and Sergei. Three, in fact, which was surprising for Kellen since some of them never left the front lines. Lieutenant Turner was expected since she had been with Sergei when he had spoken to Rhys and Lieutenant Fisher. But Lieutenant Howard and Lieutenant Davies? Davies never left the front lines. Never.

She was Sergei’s right hand man out there, partially because she was the next best thing to Sergei out there. Same powers, same disposition, just swapped genders. Kellen had wondered if they were half siblings at some point, but decided against it, and decided against asking the question as well.

The reason for asking if they were half siblings was simple. Lieutenant Beth Davies was 5 shades darker than the pale Captain Sergei. They couldn’t be full siblings unless there was something Sergei wanted to reveal to the group. Not that Kellen was going to ask.

Lieutenant Forest Howard being around? Expected. He was the one who never left the city. He kept everything running here so that Sergei could move between the city and the front lines with ease. Kellen didn’t know him as well in person, but he’d spoken to him through correspondence quite a bit in his unaffiliated Field Guide days.

It felt a bit like they’d gotten the gang together instead of the fact that they were about to admit to a large fault in their system and kick a hornets nest to kill the stragglers. Well, for Kellen at least. Everyone else was rather stone-faced, serious, while Kellen stood around in an Esper uniform that didn’t belong to him, a hat that also didn’t belong to him, and an eyepatch.

He felt like he was cosplaying a role that he’d always wanted but never really fit him well.

They were standing in the lobby, Hill and Kellen with their entourage behind them, and Sergei at the front with his Lieutenants and the rest of his people moving behind him. Hill had her hands on her hips, Sergei had his arms crossed. Kellen’s bag sat on the floor between them.

“Are you ready?” Hill asked and Sergei stared at her. His face was harsh, but Kellen knew that wasn’t because he was in a mood. It was just…his face.

“Well, about as ready as I can be.” Sergei muttered, his gaze sliding to Kellen. It sharpened, his shoulders shifting slightly as if he was straightening slightly. “How are you feeling, Kellen?” He asked and Kellen grinned. Sergei seemed surprised by his response and Kellen couldn’t blame him. Hill had been telling him he needed to take this moment seriously, and she was right. However, he just couldn’t muster it.

“Well, it’s probably bad that I’m excited for them to fuck up, isn’t it?” Kellen asked and Hill sighed heavily next to him. Sergei, however, just raised an eyebrow, staring at Kellen quietly.

“Bad? I think that’s a completely normal thing to want, though I think you should tone down your happiness about it. If it doesn’t happen, you’ll be very disappointed.” Sergei told him. Kellen chuckled.

“I’m used to disappointment. I can manage.” Kellen told him seriously. “Can I confess something? I really just want to use my new gun.” Kellen whispered loud enough that everyone around them would be able to hear.

Sergei’s lips twitched. Hill rubbed a hand over her face and the Espers behind Kellen tried to keep their own laughter inside. Sergei sighed, shaking his head slowly.

“Rhys entrusted you into my care. We both are aware that this is a test to see if I can be trusted, Kellen, so please, I beg of you, be on your best behaviour. I know that’s going to be hard for you, but have some sympathy for my people. They aren’t used to as many S Classes around them as your team is.” Kellen blinked, wondering what he meant by that, but at the same time, couldn’t argue with what he was saying.

After all, Rhys had several, even if the two that Rhys wanted to arrive back in the city were slow in coming back. There was also Charlie, and, in a way, Kellen since Rhys’ powers were rubbing off on him. However, Rhys was one of the more ’sane’ Espers out there due to his ability to reset himself. Sergei should be more like a classic S Class.

Kellen tilted his head to the side, giving Sergei a strange look.

“Sergei, if anything, my people should be unused to dealing with S Classes given how Rhys chases away the insanity that eats at him. Your team should be more used to it.” Kellen said and Sergei’s jaw tightened. He stared at Kellen for a long, meaningful moment before he turned his gaze to Hill.

“Have you-”

“Captain Sergei, we appreciate your concern, but we’re waiting for products to arrive, and our missing members, before we verify anything.” Hill’s voice was sharp and she didn’t glance towards Kellen at all. Sergei’s lip pulled up in a snarl.

“That could take ages.” He argued and Hill sighed.

“The Captain made sure to light a fire under their ass. We’ve also been working to have the particular machines since before the gate erupted.” Hill told him. Kellen felt like they were speaking a completely different language. Sergei kept glancing at Kellen, enough that Kellen could tell that something was wrong. What was Sergei getting at? Why was Hill suddenly so defensive? What was going on that Kellen wasn’t able to understand?

“Fine. I’ll drop it for now since I can tell today isn’t the day to do this. However, Lieutenant Hill, this is not right.” He warned and Hill inhaled sharply.

“Captain, respectfully, this isn’t your decision to make.” Hill responded, but she didn’t sound defensive. She sounded…tired. Exhausted, honestly. Sergei frowned, glancing at Kellen and sighing.

“You really chose a monster to get involved with, didn’t you, Kellen?” He sighed and Kellen felt his body twitch. Sergei should not be the one saying that to him.

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