(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 103

Chapter 103: No intimate moments in front of me

It was around this time that Kellen’s Mom came rushing in, two laptop bags on her shoulders, a small paper bag on her arm, and a tray filled with drinks.

"Kellen sweetie, can you help me please?" Before he could move, an Esper rushed to her side in the blink of an eye.

"Let me help you, Mrs. Woods." She offered with a tired smile, and Mom didn’t fight her like Kellen almost expected. The Esper helped his Mom put all of her things down in the same spot she had taken up before, before disappearing back into the swarm of people in the room. She made her way over with the paper bag and the tray. Uncle Tom’s face broke into a smile.

"Ah, Ellie. I didn’t realise you were helping, but I should have known. You can’t keep your nose out of anything." It sounded like a dig, even as his Mom and Uncle Tom laughed.

"Oh, you know me. I can’t leave my children alone for a second. Speaking of, I got you an earl gray tea, and I got you one too, Rhys. I didn’t know how you would like it, so I got them to make it exactly like Kellen’s in case you didn’t like it." The Captain took the to-go cup with a smile, giving a slight nod in thanks.

"I appreciate it Mrs. Woods." The Captain looked over the label stamped on the cup and blinked a few times, same with Kellen as he took the cup. He’d forgone his usual morning ritual to be here, so having the tea was some comfort.

"Uh, Mom? It’s four am. How did you manage to get-" She pressed a finger against Kellen’s lips, her smile widening.

"Don’t ask questions you don’t want to know the real answer to." She patted his cheek before turning to head back to her spot. "Oh, and Tom? I’m always going to be by my children’s side, especially if they are both going to get involved with the gates. My husband and I both agree that even if we are old timers, we will gladly offer up any information or connection we have to support them." It was a threat. Kellen knew it, and so did everyone else. Uncle Tom laughed.

"I understand Ellie. I’ve known that since you were stuck to Kellen’s hip as he was going through his original rounds of retesting." Kellen flinched at the mention, and the Captain wrapped his arm around Kellen’s waist, pulling him against his side in comfort. He leaned his head against Kellen’s shoulder, and for some reason that helped soothe the racing heart that bringing up his dark past awoke.

"I’m with Mrs. Woods on this. As long as Kellen and his sister continue to be on the front lines and want to help others, they have my support. As their Captain, and as their family." The Captain declared, and Sakura whistled. When Kellen glanced back at his Mom, he found her smiling at the Captain warmly.

"Well said, future son-in-law. Either way, I’m going to be over in my spot, trying to get any assistance we can from my international ties. The Ramses Guild has already been in contact." The newer, younger Captain’s seemed surprised by that, while Uncle Tom wasn’t.

"So soon?" Captain Sakura asked, and Kellen’s Mom chuckled.

"Yes. Like us, they keep tabs on everything internationally. Especially since we reached out to them for information on their gate. It would be a big deal if this gate exploded, since it would expand the no mans land in the middle of what used to be one country even further. Hell, I’m sure we’re not saying it, but this whole side could become inhospitable." She said it with a joyful tone, but her eyes were purple, and dead serious.

She was right. Glancing around at the faces on the screens, Kellen could tell that everyone was worried about it. Kellen was too. If they lost to the gate, and it exploded, who fucking knew what would happen. One thing that was for sure, the whole city was doomed. There were several smaller outcroppings around them that would also be doomed. If they took the map of the affected area from the D Class poison gate, and then multiplied it by probably 100%, she was right.

The whole area would likely be gone. Or at least, filled with a poisonous gas that no one could live in. Not even normal monsters, only undead. And with all the dead bodies that were probably still buried here even after the cremation regulation had passed....

It was a nightmare scenario.

"Thank you for such a pleasant thought, Mrs. Woods, but I promise you we will do our best to prevent that." Captain Sergei chimed it, after everyone had a moment to fall into their worst nightmare. Kellen’s Mom chuckled.

"Well, I suppose out of everyone, you wouldn’t want that to happen, would you Captain Sergei?" His face hardened, while Kellen’s Mom snorted and headed back to her seat. Kellen, who had no idea what she was talking about, grew curious about what she knew about Captain Sergei. He wanted to know, but the Captain’s grip on him tightened, not allowing him to turn around.

"Let’s go through the safety protocols now that the gate has returned some of the scouting team to us. This is a new gate type for us, so let’s make sure that everything is fine tuned and that everyone has clear, easy to understand directions." The Captain suggested, much to the relief of the others. It was well known that there was a bit of animosity between Captain Sergei and the Captain, so if anyone was going to needle him, it would have been him. The fact that he dropped it? It meant that outing Captain Sergei was the least of his concerns.

Captain Sergei let out a sigh, before nodding, and the group that controlled the area began their evacuation and emergency meeting in earnest.

~

About 30 minutes later, Brent showed up, his arm in his hand, his hair everywhere, panting like he’d run down several flights of stairs.

"Fuck, I am so sorry. I only woke up just now." He told Kellen, who had spun to see him. Looking him over, Kellen could tell that his uniform wasn’t on correctly with several of the buttons not done up at all. Kellen chuckled, putting his cup down to make his way over to the Guide. Kellen paused him in the doorway and began straightening him out, much to everyone’s surprise but Kellen and Brent.