(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 427

Chapter 427: We predicted this would happen
It was two days later when Kellen’s vision that he saw came true. Though with a much different outcome compared to what he had seen.

Rhys was the one who burst into his office early in the morning. He’d just finished his workout with Brent, gotten a shower, dressed, and had come down to his office to get a little more work on the teaching program that they were working on when Rhys flung the door open.

His eyes were bright yellow, beaming headlights as they scanned his office. Kellen sat behind his desk, laptop barely opened, password not even typed in when Rhys gulped in air, his eyes landing on him, and then Kellen knew.

He just knew.

“It happened?” Kellen asked quietly and Rhys nodded. He closed the door gently behind him, a great contrast to the way he had flung it open. Rhys locked the door behind him, rushing towards him as Kellen spun in his chair, ready for the man as he came around the desk. What he wasn’t ready for was Rhys falling to his knees before him, taking Kellen’s hands into his own and pressing kisses there before he rested his head against his knees.

“I’m sorry it’s real.” Rhys whispered quietly, brokenly and Kellen gulped. The man looked shattered, and Kellen didn’t know what to say. What could he say? This was Rhys’ whole world. The man saw the future every day. He might not tell Kellen everything he saw, but the colour of his eyes told the truth.

He was always using his powers, no matter how slight, and Kellen had just seen the future once, and yet Rhys was acting like Kellen had the worst thing in the world happen to him. It was a reflection to Kellen of what Rhys saw his powers as. How he saw his powers.

“Baby.” Kellen said quietly, and Rhys turned his gaze towards Kellen. He looked distraught, upset. He was holding onto Kellen’s hands like a lifeline and Kellen wasn’t sure what he should say in response. “It’s okay. I’m okay. I might not even see anything else. Did you consider that?” Kellen asked quietly.

They hadn’t heard anything back from his parents’ contacts. Even when Rhys reached out more, they hadn’t heard anything Kellen understood. S Classes, especially right now, were being careful who they gave information to. They might trust some people when it came to work contracts, but that was all changed when it came to their Guides respectively.

Kellen knew that Rhys was fighting himself, his own desires to share this truth with others. To even reach out to others about this issue because he was more worried about Kellen then what that said about him.

Rhys shook his head, burying his face against Kellen’s knees.

“No. Because I don’t want to get my hopes up. I don’t want to think that this is a one time thing, and then have my heart shredded when it happens again. I’m sorry. I didn’t know that this could happen. I-” Kellen curled his hands around Rhys’ cheeks, pulling the man’s face up until his chin rested between his knees.

“Rhys Thatcher.” Kellen murmured quietly. “I’m okay, but I will be decidedly not okay if you suggest, again, that you wouldn’t want to be with me if you knew that this was a potential outcome, alright?” Kellen spoke quietly, but Rhys swallowed. He nodded, looking miserable.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I just don’t like that several things about me hurt you, even if you don’t consider it pain.” Rhys said and Kellen sighed.

“Alright. I’ll acknowledge that that is completely reasonable, but at the same time, I feel like you’re overreacting. Now, how is the situation on the front lines? Is everyone okay?” Kellen asked and Rhys mumbled something that even he couldn’t hear. He was going to have to pull that out of him, but now wasn’t the time. Especially since Rhys began to speak.

“Everyone’s fine. Sergei and Hill were around, doing the shift for the time that we were all most worried about. They were on a ‘coffee date’ as they described it. Everyone was told to say that Hill and Sergei were known for doing this, and the only person who didn’t know was Tom, but he never came out of his fuck-” Rhys cut himself off, clearly getting worked up.

Kellen gave him a look and he cleared his throat, turning his head so he was still leaning against Kellen’s knee, but wasn’t making eye contact with him anymore.

“Anyway, because everyone was on board with the situation, the newcomers thought nothing of it. You were right. They did attempt to blow up the general store. Instead of a large explosion like you witnessed, it was on the smaller side. Condensed. Controlled, because Sergei was there and the Espers who were in charge hid themselves as Guides and contained the blaze. They were all caught, even the ones who were trying to flee.” Rhys glanced at Kellen before he looked away. “We…we caught one of the bigger fish from the group. No Gunther, but…someone else.” Rhys told him and Kellen froze.

They caught someone else? Someone higher up? Who was it?

“Do you know who they are?” Kellen asked and Rhys shook his head.

“No idea. Never even heard of him before, but Hill is in charge of it. I’ll let her handle everything that has to do with it since I trust her. That, and she’s angry enough for everyone, not to mention that Sergei is also pissed. Whoever they are, they are in good hands.” Rhys told him and Kellen couldn’t really disagree.

He felt a little bit bad for the bad guys, but only a little. Kellen hoped that they gave over the answers easily, without much effort.

Kellen had a feeling Hill knew how much pressure to apply before something broke. He personally didn’t want to know that. He didn’t want to be an accomplice.

“Okay. Well, maybe that was what Gunther was warning us about.” Kellen said, but even as he said the words, he didn’t believe them. Something about this felt…too easy? He couldn’t quite place a finger on it, but something did feel wrong.

When Rhys raised his head and looked at Kellen, there was an air of understanding between them.

“You don’t think this is the end.” Rhys said quietly and Kellen sighed.

“Neither do you.” Kellen shot back, not arguing, just pointing it out. Rhys gulped, not getting up from where he was on the floor.

“I don’t like this. Why the hell would they send one of their higher ups? For something like this? I wouldn’t do that, so I can’t imagine that they would. They are probably distracting us from something.” Rhys muttered, upset. He wrapped his arms around Kellen’s calves, holding onto them tightly. Kellen reached out, placing a hand on Rhys’ perfectly styled hair and resisted the urge to mess it up.

It was too early in the day for that to be acceptable.

“You’re right. That is strange. I can’t shake the feeling that this is a cover up of some kind. Something else must be going on that would be worth sending one of their main guys in. God, I wish I could just peer into their minds, see how their brainwaves work.” Kellen murmured and Rhys glanced up at him.

“Can Guides tell that kind of thing when they guide someone?” He asked and Kellen froze.

“Oh. I guess…maybe? I hadn’t considered that. Oh. Who do we still have there that’s ours on the front lines?” Kellen asked and Rhys slowly grinned.

“I’m sure Captain Sergei can find one of his Guides who would be willing to help. Plus, most of the Field Guides out there would want to help you out of solidarity.” Rhys told him and Kellen hesitated.

“Well, maybe, but we need to warn them. Most of the time these guys aren’t getting guiding for no reason. Either it hurts them, or it hurts the Guides. That’s one of the major reasons that they can’t get guiding and turn down this path. It’s like a malfunction in the system.” Kellen said and Rhys made a face.

“So warn the Guides ahead of time. Got it. I’ll make sure to let them know. Sergei has been keeping his channel open. Or at least he said he was.” Rhys murmured. “I…should get back, but I don’t want to leave you alone. Are you alright? You’re okay?” Rhys asked, tilting his head back to look at Kellen.

Kellen felt a soft smile touch his lips. He wasn’t the one who was panicking about the fact that his future had somewhat come true. That was Rhys. Kellen wasn’t the one who needed comforting, so Kellen reached out, cupping Rhys’ cheek.

“I’m fine, big boy. Look, I have the Captain of the Guild at my knees. What else could I possibly need?” Kellen asked and watched as the switch was flicked for Rhys. Rhys’ gaze began to turn gold and Kellen watched as his eyes wandered up Kellen’s body. His grip tightened on his calves.

“I could think of something else you could need. Something else could both need.” Rhys began to say, his voice deepening seductively as Kellen laughed.

“Mm, I think not. This is my office, not yours, and you told me you would only do that as a punishment since I could never get any work done here ever again.” Kellen’s smile reached his eyes when Rhys slid his gaze upwards.

“You tease. You knew what you were saying.” Rhys accused and Kellen owned up to it immediately.

“You’re right. I just wanted to get your mind off of that and into the gutter. Are you better now? Now as tense?” Kellen asked and Rhys made a face before he turned and bit Kellen’s knee.

“You’re in trouble later.” He warned and Kellen felt his lips twitch.

“Oh, what a true nightmare. Are you going to tie me up again?” Kellen joked, but watched as Rhys’ eyes flared to life.

“I wasn’t, but now you’re giving me ideas.” Kellen felt his face warm, but that didn’t stop him from pushing more.

“Well now you’re getting my hopes up. Get going, Captain Thatcher. You’ve got work to do, and I have a class to teach.” Kellen told him, just as a knock sounded on the door and someone, probably Brent, tried the handle.

“Kellen? You in there?” He called and Rhys grumbled.

“I’ll go. Text me if you feel weird, alright? Please?” Rhys begged and Kellen nodded before he got a quick peck and Rhys rushed off, passing Brent with a nod. Brent blinked, before looking at Kellen.

“What was that all about?”