(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 283

Chapter 283: Anger in his veins Chapter 283: Anger in his veins Kellen nervously gripped onto the podium, controlling his strength this time.

He glanced behind at Esper Blake, and her eyes were practically silver, her powers fully activated.

Kellen had a feeling she probably activated them before they had even left the room they had been in previously.  Kellen then glanced over at Sakura.

She noticed his look and she smiled, before she dropped her right hand from public view and gave him a thumbs up.

Kellen nodded in return, giving her a soft smile as well.  “This question is for Guide Woods.” Kellen jerked, turning his attention to where Pamela was in the crowd.

It was probably not the best idea to have her wander, but no one had brought up her security in the whole time that they had been discussing security.

Kellen was sure there was a reason for that.

“This is about what you said when you said you had looked into gates.

That just sounded very suspicious.

My sister is a Guide, and she has never spoken about something like that.” Alright caught, Kellen felt his face heat in embarrassment.  “Oh gosh.

Well, I wasn’t lying.

It is part of the advanced research, and your Sister would have access to it.

I just, uh, I like to be well studied.” Kellen muttered, flustered.

Sakura laughed beside him.  “What Guide Woods is dancing around is that he’s dedicated to his job.

He’s a nerd.

He always has been.” That brought some murmuring through the crowd.  “You two know each other?” Was the next question and Sakura chuckled.  “Know each other?

Guide Woods and I went to high school together.

We’ve known each other since before we both awoke to our respective powers.” Sakura glanced around, trying to look like she was telling a secret.

“You didn’t hear it from me, but Guide Woods has always been very serious about his job.

Everything thought he was going to be an Esper before he had awoken.

Personally, I think being a Guide suits him.” Sakura winked at him and Kellen dropped his head, sighing.  He really didn’t want to remind anyone about the dark time when everyone was disappointed he had become a Guide.  “Isn’t it pretty rich to say that the E.A.G.

is a violent force when you yourself have been caught up in a violence scandal against Guides?” Kellen noticed that the person who had spoken had a hood up, and that every security member around them had gone on high alert.

Kellen chuckled.  “While you might feel that way, there are significant differences between my actions and theirs.

I don’t want Guides to not exist.

I think they are vital, and important, for our world to survive and win the battle we are facing against the gates.

I will never say that my actions weren’t violent, my past has shaped my actions, and there might have been other ways to go about it, but they were extremists in their own right.” Kellen took a stabilizing breath.

“The E.A.G.

idolises the time before the Guide Act was enacted on an international level.

Where Guides were treated as nothing more than cattle.

Used and abused by those who needed them.

Imprinted against their will, treated as if they were sub human, below everyone.

I will not, and will never let myself ever stoop to a level where I would treat people the way they want me to be treated.

Their actions alone should be an indicator of their beliefs.” Kellen shook his head.

“While we might all have our differences, I never once, not ever, wished for someone I disagreed with to die.

I cannot say that the E.A.G.

has had the same thought, considering this is not their first attempt to assassinate someone.” Kellen swallowed.

He wanted to say more, but he felt like he’d just be rambling.  He was doing his very best not to go on a rant about his Dad and parents, and what they had done for the city.

It wouldn’t help him, he felt.

The sympathy that he had anticipated the public to have for them had faded thanks to the fucking news takeover.  “Captain Willow, you mentioned the suits and how it’s a big step.

I don’t think the public knows much about suits, and why you would need them.

Could you explain that a bit more?” Sakura shifted.  “Of course!

I’d be more than happy to.” Sakura started.

“There are several different types of gates that are known to not just us, but to the public.

As far as I know, the gate that has most recently shown up is the only new style of gate we’ve seen in over 70 years.

With that being said, some gates are hazardous from the get go.

With the materials we’ve found in gates we’ve been able to create what are essentially hazard suits.

Something that one would wear when clearing out a dangerous location.

They are usually quite durable, easy to move in, and prevent our people from encountering toxic or damaging substances.

Sometimes they are worn for handling fauna from the stabilized gates, which aren’t quite safe for regular handling, or they are used to deal with gathering flora specimens when we aren’t sure of their properties.

The suits we’ve been making for the last 20 years haven’t changed much in components, so it’s quite exciting that we’ve been able to work with the Nemesis Guild’s compounding facility to make something that could withstand more toxic environments.” You could tell that Sakura was genuinely excited to talk about this topic.

Kellen tried to hide his smile in the face of her excitement.  “It took basically from the moment we found out the true nature of the gate till now to get these suits in working order.

If the tests go well, it could mean a change in technology that would allow more researchers and others into gates to find out more about them.

This is a big step forward, and a very exciting one.

I know this doesn’t seem like a big thing, but the gate is releasing airborne poison just existing, and if we are able to prevent anyone from getting ill while we work on antidotes for everything, that is an amazing step forward.

It means that our text venture into the gate will have a much higher success rate, and we will not be sending in our people unprepared.” Sakura declared, her eyes bright, and her expression firm.  “You plan to send more people in there?” The person who asked was horrified.

Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but Kellen stepped in.  “We have to.” Kellen told them, his expression somber.

“If we don’t, the chances of the gate exploding become 100%.”  “C-Can’t you just…throw a tarp over it?” It was the same woman, and Kellen turned to her, staring at her.

He shook his head.  “I wish it was that simple, but it isn’t.

Gates can’t be controlled that way, and it isn’t safe to leave them unexplored.

I have no doubt that you understand that gates are dangerous.

But exploded gates are the reason we are secluded besides air travel.

They are the reason we know that there is a large body of water nearby, but we never go near it.

If no one goes inside to attempt to deal with this issue, we could be dealing with a bigger issue on our hands.” Kellen said.

“At the very least, a party needs to go in there and touch the core of the gate.

Once that happens, we have more time.

Almost an unlimited amount of time to deal with the gate.

We are putting steps into place to make sure that our success rate for that is higher and higher.”  “What is the current success rate?” Kellen looked to Sakura for that one.

She hesitated before she sighed.  “It’s probably around…20%?” She offered and the crowd exploded.  “Even with the suits?” “You were bragging as if they were making a big, huge increase!

Isn’t this too dangerous?” “Maybe the E.A.G.

were right!

You are keeping things from us!”  “What about the city?

What happens if you don’t take care of this gate?

The public deserves to know!”  “I should have known better!

Never trust someone who isn’t like us!”  Kellen shouldn’t have been stunned by the vitriol that was being spat at them, but he was a little bit.

They were scared, they were afraid, yet they were turning to take it out on them.  “Hey!” Kellen shouted into the mic.

“Do you think this is easy for us?” Kellen demanded.

“Do you think we wanted to keep any of this from you?

This fucking reaction is the exact reason why we did.

If everyone panics like this, nothing can get done and then whoops!

The gates is exploded and our city is gone!

That’s the truth of it.

Every gate that opens on the front lines has the chance to wipe out the whole damn city.

Do you understand now why we are so focused, so worried about every small change, small shift that happens on the front lines?

We play it off like it’s a huge fun bid for ‘power’ but the truth of it all, we’re just fucking lucky this hasn’t happened before yet.” Kellen swept his angry gaze across the public.  “Do you know how many countries, not cities, that have been wiped from the face of the Earth because of gates?

I’m sure you do.

We all read about it.

And yet you so easily fell into the words of one fucking psycho just because he said we were lying, keeping something from you.

Do you know that if the government had their way, they would keep more from you?” Kellen growled.

“It’s people like my parents, the same people that the E.A.G.

wants to kill, that you even know as much about what happens between Espers and Guides and the front lines.

My Mom didn’t fucking blow up the D.E.C.

for no fucking good reason.

Allegedly.” Kellen spat.

He could feel anger filling him.  “I understand that you’re angry.

I am too.

But directing your anger at the people who are actively trying to protect you and this city is wrong.

Do you know how much these people forgo sleep, forgo the comforts of the city that you don’t even think about, just to keep everyone safe?

Do you even know what kind of hell it is on the front lines?” Kellen growled.

“No, you wouldn’t, and that’s for a good reason.

So be angry, be filled with rage, but don’t direct it to the people who are making sure that you can go to your cafes, your restaurants, and live in your homes safe with the knowledge you don’t have to worry about if this is all going to be wiped away tomorrow.” Kellen pushed the mic away from his mouth, worried he would go off on another rant if he kept it closer.  Kellen couldn’t even look at Sakura in fear that she disagreed with his words.  “While Guide Woods words are impassioned, he does speak for all of us.” Sakura started.

“We all care deeply for this city.

We wouldn’t be here if that wasn’t the case.

If we didn’t think that this city was worth it, we wouldn’t be here.

I know that this is a confusing time.

You’re worried.

You’re scared.

We are too, but we train our hardest to make sure that we all have a place to sleep when we come back after our hard days.

Make no mistake, we are doing our best to make sure that this gate isn’t the end of the city.” Sakura’s words were firm, filled with feeling.

“And with that, I think we should end this press conference here.” Sakura declared.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Kellen Woods, known for ranting.