(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 324

Chapter 324: I don’t like to lie, but sometimes it’s the only option Chapter 324: I don’t like to lie, but sometimes it’s the only option “Kellen, why are you eating standing up?” Kellen jerked, Charlie’s innocent question catching him off-guard.  Kellen wasn’t in his office today, and instead was in Casper’s office in between classes as they went over in person what Kellen had done while he had been gone.

It was also an excuse to check up on the guide after he had gone out with Brent, Gwen, and apparently Hill.  He should have checked up on him yesterday, but Kellen had some other…things on his mind.

He could feel his face heating even thinking about it.

But Casper, despite the rumours that he had been in an awful condition the previous day, was doing much better today.  He still looked a little extra pale, but his clothes were in perfect order, his hair was only minorly spiked, and his glasses were clean and he looked groomed.

The lights in the office were still dimmed, so Kellen knew that he wasn’t exactly in full working order, but he was doing his best.  Casper had his head on his shoulders, that was for sure, and Kellen, forgoing eating in the cafeteria, had instead had food brought to the Guiding Division.

Charlie, now that his Dad wasn’t confined to a room in the Medical Bay, had been following him around.

His Dad was currently doing a small lecture in the Guiding Division after he asked Casper if he could.

Charlie had followed him here, and when he saw Kellen, had clung to him and now was in the office with Casper and Kellen as the two discussed the changes needed for the Guild and the Guiding Division over lunch.  Kellen, having been careful since he woke up this morning, had been doing everything he could to avoid sitting down.

No one had called him out on it, since everyone else had been just as busy as he was, but Charlie, because he still wasn’t what anyone would consider ‘well’, had all the time to observe others.

Kellen was kicking himself for not even considering that he would ask such a question.  Maybe his head had just gotten too big, and he had assumed that no one would dare to ask him.

Hell, Brent hadn’t, so he had thought he was in the clear.  Casper, surprised by the question, raised his gaze.  “Oh, why aren’t you sitting down?

You aren’t injured anymore, so you can do so freely.

Or does it feel strange after having to be so careful?” Kellen wanted to kiss Casper.

That was one of the best excuses he’d ever heard, and even Charlie was nodding after he said it.  Kellen put on his best guide smile.  “Honestly, I hadn’t even realised it, but I guess that might be true.

It became a habit without realising.” Charlie gave him a sympathetic look.  “Well, you can sit down now, can’t you?” Charlie insisted and Kellen froze.  “Uh, yeah, I can, but I’ve already gotten everything ready here and Casper and I are working.

I’m fine not sitting, Charlie, but thank you for your concern.” Kellen told him and Charlie let out a big sigh.  “I just feel like you’ve earned it, you know?

I’m sorry for interrupting you, I just…I feel so useless.

When will I be able to Guide again?” He asked and Casper glanced at him.

Kellen stared at Casper.  It was a bit silly that they weren’t using a resource who had come specifically to be of help, but at the same time…something about Charlie made Kellen want to protect him.

Kellen hadn’t noticed it at first, but…the longer he spent around the younger man, the more Kellen wanted to keep him safe.  He wondered if the others felt this way.

It made complete sense.

He looked younger than he was, and he was young.

He was tiny, skinny, and had dyed his hair.

Anyone could tell that he hadn’t come from the best environment, and anyone who knew how Kellen had found him would feel sympathy for him.

Kellen’s stipulation that he needed to get better before he could Guide others was still in place, but Kellen was sure that he needed to put something else into place as well.  “Charlie, have you ever been tested for your Guide Class before?” Kellen asked and Charlie nodded.  “I was told that I was a C Class.” He told them and Kellen, feeling something was suspicious, nodded slowly.  “Can you describe the process to me?

I just want to make sure.

We don’t know where you come from, and I just want to make sure that we went through something similar.

There could be new tech out there that I am not aware of, and I just want to be sure.” Casper gave him a look like he was crazy, but Charlie didn’t seem to mind.

He trusted Kellen, and Kellen found that was a little strange too.  He was too trusting.  That didn’t mean he thought Charlie was here to harm the Guild or anything like that, he just found some of Charlie’s behaviours strange, and the way he spoke sometimes odd.

Charlie was a full grown man, but sometimes he spoke like a child, and that concerned Kellen.

Was it a tactic to get others to treat him better?

Was it something he had been taught to please the Espers he had ‘guided’?

Or was it something else entirely?  Charlie nodded, and both Casper and Kellen paused their meeting to listen to Charlie explain himself.  “Well, when you put it like that, I feel like I have to answer.” Charlie told him with a grin.

“I was sent with a bunch of other kids who were like me,” Kellen would have to ask him about that, “and one at a time we were sent into a room.

The room was small, and there was a machine placed on a table.

There were two chairs on either side of the table, and I was told to sit in one, while someone who I assumed was an Esper sat in the other.

They wrapped this…weird strap around my arm that was hooked up to the machine, and had me hold the hand of the Esper.

They told me it would only take a few minutes, and then when it was done, I would get some bread as a reward for being so good.” Charlie deflated.

“Something went wrong with my test, so I didn’t end up getting my bread.

They were quite panicked actually, so I must have done something really wrong.”  Casper wasn’t able to hide his confusion, nor how upset he was on his face.

Kellen felt he might be the same, but Charlie wasn’t even looking at them.

He was staring at his hands, picking at his fingers.

He had started out so excited, and then had retreated when he finished telling his story.  Kellen knew what machine he was speaking of.

It was an old, old machine used to check Class levels about two generations of technology ago.

The machine after that was hard to get your hands on because it was linked to the internet, and therefore could be traced.

That machine was not, and therefore was perfect for organisations that were functioning illegally.  “There were others like you?” Kellen asked and Charlie nodded.

“Can you give a rough guess?

That must have been a long wait if it was a lot.” Kellen said, and Charlie nodded.  “It was.

We only had one machine, but a lot of kids.

Some kids came out crying because they weren’t anything, but others, like me, came out crying because we did something wrong.

I was separated from the ones who weren’t anything, and was put in the group that had done something wrong.

It was after that that I found out I was a C Class Guide and began to work.” Casper let out a shaky exhale.  “How old were you, Charlie?” He kept his tone normal, but Kellen could tell that Casper was shaken.

He was probably pissed, too.

He used to work for the D.E.C.

after all.

That was basically the police, but for Esper and Guide related issues.

He had to be livid that such an organisation was functioning in the city.  Kellen wasn’t any better, but his focus was on any information that Charlie had.  “How old was I?

What do you mean?” Charlie asked and Casper cleared his throat.  “When did you start Guiding?

Normally, the ages that one awakens as a Guide or Esper is in their teens, from ages 13-19.

You might have one or two times where you guide in between those ages, but it is usually for trial purposes.” Charlie’s eyes widened.  “I had no idea.

I awakened at 9.” Kellen felt horror creep into his body, and it was like something had been struck inside of him.  People who awakened that young, or under certain circumstances.

That was what Rhys had said when it came to S Classes.

There was no fucking way that Charlie was an S Class, there couldn’t be.

But, at the same time, it couldn’t be ruled out.  Not until Kellen got him checked again.  Sighing, Kellen shook his head, before he pulled out his phone.  “What can I do for you Darling?” Rhys answered on the first ring, his voice warm and it shook some of the chill from Kellen that he was feeling.  “Hey, could you do me a favour?

We need to get Charlie re-tested, since he was last tested when he was young, and you know that we have to do another test after some time.

It appears he’s been neglected in that regard.

Could you set up an appointment for that?” Kellen knew it was a strange way to speak, and to set it up, but something told Kellen that if he phrased it in a way that something wrong had been done to Charlie, things could take a turn for the worst.

“He wants to get back to work, and I agree that he’s almost ready to get back, but after he did his physical, we have to check his Guiding abilities too.”  Rhys, always quick, responded easily.  “Oh, how silly of them to forget to do another check after all this time.

After all, your Class shifted over time, so it’s silly that they didn’t check again.

I’ll get that arranged.

Did you want to do it today?” Rhys asked and Charlie, who could hear the conversation since it was a small room, lit up.  “Can we get it done for today?” Charlie asked, excited, and Kellen felt his shoulders relax.

No, he forced his shoulders to relax and he smiled at Charlie.  “He would like to do it for today, if that’s okay with you.” Kellen told him, and Rhys chuckled.  “I can set that up.

Should I call Esper Blake?

Or did you want someone else as the Esper?” He asked and Kellen stared at Charlie, all smiles at the idea of being tested again while Kellen felt his hands begin to sweat.  “How busy is Hill?” He asked and he heard Rhys pause.  “Well, she could probably spare a few minutes.

Why?” Kellen shook his head.  “I know I have good compatibility with Hill, and I just want to see how good Charlie has with her.” Rhys, unsure where Kellen was going with this, same with Casper, just agreed with him.  “Sure.

I’ll text you the time after I get off the phone with you, and finish my meeting, alright?” Kellen nodded.

“Perfect.

Thank you Rhys.” Kellen said and heard Rhys pretend to kiss the phone.  “Anything for my Love.” He said, and Kellen felt his face heat as he hung up the phone.  Kellen knew it was silly, but something was nagging at him about Charlie, and if he had Hill, who he could check her levels before she went in with him and then check them after the test, he felt that he would feel a bit better.  Nothing was suspicious about Charlie, but his background?

That made him want to scratch his head.  Why the hell had he ended up at Guiding Center C if he had been in a child trafficking ring?

What the hell was going on in his city while he had been away at the front lines?  CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Rhys will jump into anything if Kellen asks him to.

A sweetie.

A beast on a leash for sure.