(BL) Hunting The Field Guide - Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Something in the air Chapter 86: Something in the air “Shameless flirting aside, Guide Kellen has finally shown up, and we can now begin the meeting in earnest.” Kellen blinked, confused by Captain Sergei’s warm words.

Why had they been waiting for me?  “Why have you been waiting for me?

I’m a nobody here.” Four sets of S Class eyes turned to him, and Kellen did his best not to wince.  “You are not a nobody, Kellen!

You are our leading expert!” Sakura said, her eyes wide.

Kellen thought that was rich, coming from the Guild who had quietly taken over the poison making and poison nullifying field without most people paying attention.

Especially when she played so hard to make it seem like she was all sweet and innocent, but Kellen, of all people, knew better.  “As much as I would hate to agree with her, but Captain Sakura is right.” Uncle Tom spoke up, and Kellen felt the Captain tense.

“If it wasn’t for your knowledge, we wouldn’t have known about how dangerous the gate was.

It shows you the kind of character C Classes must have.” He laughed, and Kellen chuckled too.

The Captain, however, tightened his grip on Kellen’s waist.  “Yes, Mr.

Woods.

Do not sell yourself short.

You are very valuable to me.” The Captain’s tone held a hardness to it that made a few of the others in the room glance over at them.

When Kellen looked over at Casper and Hill, hoping for an assist, he found that the two of them had rather hard gazes.

And they were directed at Uncle Tom.

Uh oh.  “Thanks for that vote of confidence, everyone, but lets see what I actually know before you go blowing smoke up my ass.” Kellen laughed nervously, putting on his best Guide smile.

The Captain frowned.  “But I don’t want to blow smoke up your ass, Mr.

Woods.

I would rather-” Kellen slapped his hands over the Captain’s mouth, silencing him.

He turned towards the Captains on the screen.  “A-Anyway, how much information have you gathered about poison gates while I wasn’t here?” He asked, and watched as they glanced amongst each other.  “Well, not much beyond the obvious.

They’re poisonous.” Sakura offered, and Kellen nodded.  “Yes.

Have you had the teams around the gates put on hazard protection suits yet?” He received blank looks across the screens and Kellen realised he’d jumped a few steps.

Brent would have got it.

Kellen lowered his hands from the Captain’s mouth, and unknowingly settled into the hold the Captain had on his waist.

“So, with what is known about poison gates, we are right to assume the gate is poisonous.

That also means that the area that is transforming around the gate, which always happens, is also poisonous.

The water, the wood, the flora, the fauna, the monsters, and the air.

Which is why we need to be monitoring the air around the gate, and have everyone within a certain radius in hazard suits until we can somewhat pinpoint the poison leaking out.” Kellen sighed.

“A fair warning, they still can’t identify what kind of poison is coming out of the gate that exploded, and therefore, can’t protect against it.

And that’s a D Class gate.” Kellen didn’t mean to scare them, but at the same time, he thinks he did.

The tone in this room was frantic, but it wasn’t desperate.

Until now.  “W-What do you mean they haven’t figured out what kind of poison is coming out of the gate?

How long ago did it explode?” Sakura asked, her face white, and her expression severe.

Captain Sergei wasn’t much better.

Uncle Tom was keeping it together way better than the other two, but then again, he’d been doing this a lot longer.  “Almost a decade ago.” Sakura gasped, her eyes popping to the colour of her powers in shock.  “What the fuck do you mean it’s been a decade and they have no idea what kind of poison it is?” Kellen chuckled.  “Well, not every Guild is like yours, now is it, Sakura?” She went white for a completely different reason, as the other Captains glanced at her with interest.  “What do you mean by that, Kellen?” The Captain asked, and Kellen shook his head.  “Captain Sakura here has a secret weapon up her sleeve.

Honestly, we should probably hand this gate over to the Peach Guild since they have most of the people who could handle it.

If any Guild in the area was likely to be able to close it, it would be them.” The temperature in the room frosted over as the grip on Kellen’s waist tightened until it was painful.

“Captain?

You’re hurting me.” Kellen protested, and the Captain loosened his grip immediately.  “What do you mean by that, Mr.

Woods?

Are you saying my people aren’t competent?

Our people?” Kellen couldn’t believe that some lighthearted banter and teasing had gotten him this worked up, before he remembered that most S Classes hated having others complimented in front of them.

Kellen reached out, patting the Captain’s chest comfortingly.  “No, no.

I would never suggest something as ridiculous as that.

You know that I worked with the Saturn and Nemesis Guild’s the most on the front lines, so I am more than aware of how competent our people are.

I was making a jab at Captain Sakura because she’s hiding what her Guild is proficient in under all of your noses.” Three sets of S Class gazes then turned to Sakura and she raised her hands in a placating gesture.  “When you say it like that Kellen, you make me sound like a bad guy.” Sakura’s voice had taken on a nervous tone, and Kellen noticed that her right hand woman, Lieutenant Spencer, had taken over the screen.

Sakura was clearly protesting in the background, but as soon as the woman sat in Sakura’s lap, she went quiet, her face going red.  “I wasn’t meaning to.

I think you have actually done some incredible work.

I just wanted to highlight it.” Lieutenant Spencer narrowed her eyes at Kellen.

“Guide Woods, you sound like you know more than that.” She accused, and Kellen felt a smile split his face.

“Oh, I only know as much as the next freelance Field Guide.

Especially from incidents from about, oh, I don’t know, 4 years ago?” Lieutenant Spencer’s jaw hardened, while the rest of the Captain’s grew uncertain.  “Mr.

Woods, are you threatening another Guild in front of me?” The Captain asked, and Kellen blinked.  “Uh, I-” Kellen began, but the Captain cut him off.

The Captain planted a kiss on Kellen’s cheek, stunning the man into silence.  “It’s very hot.

You are more than welcome to do it whenever you want.

Go after the Nemesis Guild next.” He murmured against the skin of Kellen’s cheek, and Kellen flushed.  “I would appreciate it if you didn’t do that, Guide Kellen.” Captain Sergei spoke up, taking everyone’s attention from the couple.

“We need to focus on the dangers at hand, not whatever Captain Sakura gets up to.

If we worried about that, we would be here all day without any solutions.” Captain Sakura’s face heated, and Lieutenant Spencer chuckled, getting up and out of frame once more.  “So you believe that the gate itself is the issue?” Uncle Tom asked, and Kellen focused once more.  “Well, yes.

but it’s actually the poison that’s leaking out that is the issue.

The fact that people died in the gate cannot be pushed aside, but when the gate exploded, the poison continued to spread.

It didn’t stay in one area like before, and it flooded the nearby cities.

That’s where the high death toll came from, and also why the news of the gate didn’t spread too far.

The government and the bodies of power that ran that area didn’t want to cause widespread panic.

I agree with them, to an extent.

If everyone had started panicking about the poison more people could have died.” Captain Sergei nodded, along with Uncle Tom.  “So, the first step is to get protective gear down to the front lines, and also measuring devices.” Uncle Tom confirmed, and Kellen nodded.  “Yes, and also make sure that there aren’t any civilians in the area unless they are needed.

The poison will affect them even more, since Guides and Espers have a slight resistance.

We also should make sure that the photos don’t leak until we have more control over the situation.

With as little information as we have right now, it could be devastating to the public’s trust in the Guilds if we don’t have more to ease their concerns.” Kellen said, and the Captain’s seemed to agree with him.

“Our gate provides good material for suits, so I’ll push for more people to gather some.

Tom, any news on the scouting party?” Captain Sergei asked, and Uncle Tom sighed.

He ran a hand over his face, shaking his head.  “No.

Nothing.

We aren’t even getting any readings.

I can’t believe we almost thrust this gate into your hands without any knowledge about it.

The government isn’t planning to give it up now, especially after they looked over the files.” Kellen sensed something in his tone, and glanced up at the Captain.

It wasn’t lost on him that he was the one who told the Captain to give up the gate, and he didn’t want the Captain to come out of this looking bad.  “Well, since we are all collaborating on the gate now, wouldn’t it make sense for all of the Guilds and the D.E.C.

to profit from it?

A 25% split?” Kellen suggested and Uncle Tom froze.

It was clear to Kellen that he had been putting on an act, but he wasn’t sure if the others were aware.  “W-What?” Uncle Tom asked, and Kellen smiled his most comfortable Guide smile.  “Well, doesn’t that make sense?

Any time a Guild takes over a gate, they always split the profits with the government.

The government now needs our help to clear this gate, so they should be willing to do the same.” Kellen suggested, and the Captain ducked his head into Kellen’s shoulder, his own shoulders shaking.  “But Captain Sakura isn’t helping us.” Uncle Tom protested, which meant he knew he had very few reasons he could protest.

Kellen shrugged.  “Well, she can refuse to help, but I think she’d be happy to offer her assistance.

Most of the ingredients that are going to be found in a gate like this will be highly beneficial for her and her Guild.

We also need her expertise.” Kellen stated, much to Uncle Tom’s dismay.  “And why would we need your Guild then, Kellen?

If Captain Sergei is going to provide the suits, and Captain Sakura is going to provide medicine from what you’re suggesting, why would we need the Saturn Guild?” Kellen laughed at Uncle Tom’s words.  “That’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever said.

Are you telling me you aren’t going to need someone of my caliber to help?

Truly?

The guy you’ve sent in is probably dead, and you need someone who can adapt easily to any situation.

I didn’t risk my life for seven years on the front lines to have others besmirch my name.” The room fell silent and Kellen shrugged.

“Besides, you know that the Captain’s powers are always useful, and our people are well versed in gates.

More so than most.

Captain Sergei’s Guild are good, but we have closed more gates of varying Classes.” Kellen added confidently, almost cocky, and was surprised when the Captain pressed his lips against his cheek again.  “It’s so sexy when you call it our Guild.” He whispered quietly enough that most Espers in the room couldn’t hear.

Kellen’s cheeks heated as he covered the spot with his hand, casting an embarrassed look towards the Captain.

“I agree with Kellen.

Plus, we’re the ones who discovered what this gate could do, and had it snatched from us last minute.

Not that we are against the government holding power over it, but I do think it should be noted.” He smiled at the other three S Classes.

Uncle Tom sighed, shaking his head.  “I knew I should have worried about whoever Captain Thatcher paired with.

Who knew it would be someone from the Woods family.” He muttered.

It wasn’t quiet enough for the Espers in the room to hear, and even the two Captain’s on the screens tensed.

Kellen, who hadn’t heard what he said, shook his head.  “Either way, I think a four way split is reasonable, given the situation, and how much work all four groups are going to have to put in.

Of course, we should make up contracts, just in case.

I trust that none of you plan to screw any of us out of anything, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Uncle Tom, you’ll keep us all in the loop as soon as information on the scouting team arrives?” Kellen asked, slowly slipping out of the Captain’s hold.

Uncle Tom nodded.

“Good.

I need to go help my right hand man now, so you four play nice.” Kellen flashed a grin behind him as he stepped away from the camera and headed towards Hill and Casper first.  The Captain watched Kellen leave, his eyes glowing slightly yellow.  “Captain Tom, I hope what you said about Mr.

Woods wasn’t meant as an insult, for your sake.” He warned quietly, and Uncle Tom’s eyes widened.

He began falling over himself to justify it.  “Oh, of course not Captain Thatcher.

No doubt Kellen has told you that his parents and I go way back.

I’ve known Kellen his whole life.” The Captain narrowed his eyes at him.

He had taken on an open stance, but that meant it barely hid his hostility.

“Yes, and I’ve also heard stories of Kellen’s Mother blowing up the same division both of us used to work in, so I also take it that things haven’t always been smooth.

I’m playing nice for now, but if you step out of line one more time, the Saturn Guild will move.” Uncle Tom went white, while Captain Sakura and Captain Sergei seemed intrigued by Captain Thatcher’s change.

They had noticed there had been a slight shift in energy between the two, but for Kellen to be the reason?

It had to be something good.

CREATORS’ THOUGHTS CalyB Hey everyone, I am currently out of my mind of flu medication, so please forgive me if some things don’t make sense!