(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 131

Chapter 131: Truths are hard to swallow

"Let me be clear, I don’t agree with these terrorists in the slightest, but I can understand their fear. No one wants to feel out of control of their life. Some people are very protective of their control and freedom.

With that being said, in the 40 years that the Guiding Act has been put into place, Guides have begun a tentative agreement with the Espers who used to chain them up and force imprint on them. If the Espers do not try to kidnap and control the Guides, assault or kill them, the Guides will, willingly, with open arms, protect, heal and defend the Espers. It is a deal that was reached to not only protect the Guides, but the people they care about as well. For me, as a Guide, I think this deal is fair, since I have many people I want to protect, including myself." Kellen glanced around the room.

"Now, given this history, what do you think would happen if you found out that there was a group of Guides who intentionally caused others to surge because of bigotry and self-absorption? What would cross your mind, as a Guide or an Esper, if you found out that was happening? What would you feel?" Silence around the room, and Kellen licked his lips to wet them.

"For some, it might be betrayal, others, fear. For me? I was filled with rage." Kellen clenched his hand under the table. "I have worked a very, very long time as someone who has tried their best at their job for the benefit of others. I have always tried my best to make sure gates get closed, everyone comes home safe and sound to their families, and the front lines aren’t a total shit show. It guts me every time someone doesn’t make it home.

To you, who don’t go to the front lines, you might not be able to sympathize with what I am saying, but I am sure we all know what it feels like to lose someone to something beyond our control. That is surging to Espers. They lose all sense of reason, and personhood when they surge. They lash out at the people they care most about, and sometimes, even kill them. I have been a Guide for almost 13 years now, and I have had to keep many, many people from surging by the skin of my teeth. I have almost died trying to keep others alive.

As a Guide, I literally eat away at my body to keep others safe and breathing. I have done that on the front line for seven years. When I was in training I was brought in to assist with an Esper who was surging, so I could understand the depth of pain and horror they experienced in that moment. Any Guide who has ever had to deal with an Esper who is mid surge knows how awful it is for the Esper, and how awful it is for the Guide. That is why we do our best as a group to avoid it." Kellen let out a shaky breath, still furious. Kellen was shaking, he was so angry.

"So, when I arrived at the training room to find several Guides of B Class or lower, trying to ’help’ 6 Espers who were so close to the edge of surging I, who can’t feel powers in the air like some Guides, could tell something horrible was about to happen. There was no wonder why I reacted so aggressively."

"You broke someone’s arm by stepping on it, and you also threw around someone who was supposed to be one of your students." Kellen chuckled, and looked in the direction of the voice that spoke.

"You’re right, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. You are right to assume I have no remorse for what I’ve done, but you also need to understand the depth of their crime. Of the Guides who were present, and had been brought to help, only five were actually guiding. The others weren’t doing anything. Only a Guide of A Class or higher can tell, and thankfully, at the time we had three A Class Guides on hand, including myself. Thankfully, as soon as my coworker and I heard the situation, all three of us worked to save those Espers, and separated the Guides who were doing their job from the ones who weren’t." Kellen shifted in his seat.

"Do you know how neglected an Esper has to be to get to that level? When they have dedicated times for guidance, regardless of if they have used their powers?" Kellen wanted to spit on the ground. "They had this plan in place for two months. Two months! Two months of no or little guidance. Two months of these Espers slowly going insane, and also not feeling comfortable coming forward because they were being manipulated by people they were supposed to be able to trust. Who were supposed to have their best interests at heart!"

Kellen slammed his hand down on the table, angry. "What happens when Espers and Guides can’t trust each other anymore? What happens when one side is pushed to the point of breaking?"

"But this was only a small incident. You can’t tell me that you justify your actions because of some grand reason." One of the reporters was clearly upset, and Kellen laughed.

"Let me be very clear here, if I hadn’t dealt with them, the Espers in the room would have. You witnessed what happened. A medical Esper turned away from healing the Guide I had injured, and only healed one because I demanded it. If I, a Guide, had not dealt with the issue at hand, and given the Espers control of the situation to deal with it the way they wanted, those Guides wouldn’t be alive right now. The situation would be handled, but in the worst way possible." The reporters who weren’t Espers were clearly shocked, and upset. Kellen sighed, and rubbed his damp hands against his pants.

"How can you be so sure of this?" They asked and Kellen blinked.

"Because this isn’t the first time I’ve been around when an idiot didn’t do their job and almost cost everyone else theirs." Kellen looked to the side, away from everyone, including Pamela. "There was once a Guide who had never been in the field before who had shown up on the front lines and wanted to play at being a Field Guide. They had super rich parents, and at first, everyone put up with their antics. But they wouldn’t Guide anyone who was a lower Class then them, and they wouldn’t help set up, or take down camp. When it came time to go into the gate, they refused to learn anything about the gate and wanted to be carried by the other members of the teal. It was incredibly unfortunate what happened, but it was also predictable. Unlike in the city, if you do not prove your worth on the front lines, you will be eaten alive. Sometimes, quite literally."

Gasps of horror went around the room at what Kellen was implying. "I had nothing to do with the incident. At the time, I had also just arrived at the front lines, had a chip on my shoulder, and probably wasn’t much better than that Field Guide. I am telling you this story because the front lines are like little micro societies, and can show what could happen if we don’t pay attention and correct our mistakes."