Chapter 351: Reinforcements

Kellen and Brent were done, everyone was safe and secure, and now Uncle Vance seemed a little less floaty, and very appreciative of what Kellen had done for them.

Now that Kellen and Brent had a second to refuel, building up whatever powers they lost while helping the others and Brent had a moment to guide Sergei, things were feeling a little calmer.

"We have to get to the upper levels." Kellen declared. "We can’t delay it any more. It has to happen. So does the fact that someone needs to get back outside and speak to allies. We need to figure out what is going on because we’re not just in a blackout inside of the tower because of our lack of lights, but we’re also in a blackout of information. It’s a dangerous position to be in." Kellen said.

Well, they were in a blackout for power except in the Medical Bay. Like most, they had backup generators. Kellen hadn’t even flinched when they’d walked into fully lit areas. Maybe he’d just been so confused and enthralled by the conversation the others were having that his mind hadn’t been paying attention.

Either that, or he needed a break to not be so vigilant to get his senses back. It could be a bit of both, honestly.

Sergei nodded in agreement.

"I agree. I was thinking about a way we could do both. Zaria and I break out through a window and I use a table or something as a flying device. We make contact with the others below, find out what they know, and fly back up to the point we’d broken out of. Quick, easy, and we can have Brent waiting at the break point to make sure we get seen to if things are not going well outside." Sergei said.

Kellen hesitated, but honestly, they didn’t have a better option.

"Where?" Kellen asked.

"Two floors down. Not quite in the middle of all of the traps, but with enough around that if someone follows us up, we aren’t putting anyone in danger." Sergei said. Kellen hesitated before he nodded. He turned to look at Brent and his friend met his gaze head on.

"I’m fine with it." Brent said, and that was the deciding factor. He trusted the two, but what he’d had to do for the poison gate had burned him a bit. Seeing Rhys break down the way that he had, had left a lasting impression on Kellen’s soul.

"Alright, as long as you agree. I don’t want you going alone to wait for them, I should-"

"You stay here, Kellen." Sergei interrupted, a rather serious look on his face. Granted, he’d had a rather serious look on his face for a while, but this one felt particularly sharp. "Going down wouldn’t help, and if Rhys does come, you should be there to greet him. I know that I would want that if I was in his shoes, plus, if both of our Field Guides are in one place, that could spell the perfect time for an ambush. You are the two that they want to kill the most, after all." Sergei said.

Kellen heard what he said, and let out a heavy sigh. He couldn’t refute him, or argue with him. On both accounts he was right. Kellen should stay behind, even if that was something he really didn’t want to do.

"Fine. I’ll agree to it, but only for Rhys’ sake." Kellen muttered, feeling bitter. He knew it was the logical choice, and normally he’d have no issue with that, but it appeared the S Class blues was rearing its old head. There was the part of him that knew that what Sergei said was right, that Kellen would agree with him, but his mouth? His mouth was saying more than just a simple agreement.

Sergei’s eyes widened slightly, while Brent, who had been rather somber after guiding people alongside Kellen, grinned widely.

"Oh, I see. Feeling a bit bitter now that you’ve had to guide so many people, Kellen? How sweet. I’m sure Rhys will be thrilled to hear it." He teased. Kellen felt that wasn’t the case, but it was annoying that as soon as Brent said that, a few of the Espers with their own Guides let out knowing chuckles.

He sighed, resigned, and just let them think what they wanted. To Kellen it was just a sudden emotional outburst, maybe tied to the fact that he had done so much guiding in a timeframe that would have wiped him completely in the past. For now, he just sighed again and turned to Sergei.

"You’re going to head out now?" Kellen asked, and Sergei nodded.

"We’ll take the remainder of the team that I normally work with to disrupt the town, and leave you with the others." Sergei said. Kellen nodded, glancing around the group and the miraculous Medical Bay, and grunted.

"Get going. We’ll hold it down here."

Kellen was pretty hopeful that as soon as Sergei left that Rhys would show up. That wasn’t the case, but that was fine. He got to spend some time with Uncle Vance, he also checked up on the Guides who had been rescued from the E.A.G., and got to patrol the upper floors that they had cleared out and set up with traps as well. Kellen got a full scope of what they had done in the time that he had been guiding and in the time they had been clearing the building.

The only thing they didn’t have any defense against was poison, but Kellen had a feeling that would be fixed shortly. Uncle Vance had listened to what Kellen and the others had said, and how the E.A.G. had used poison to hurt his people and that was not going to stand for much longer.

Kellen didn’t like that blindness that he had when it came to knowing how Brent, Sergei and Zaria were doing, but it truly felt like he was back on the front lines. Electronics were rather wonky out there, and while there were a lot of theories around it, Kellen hadn’t really cared. He had just tried to manage everything that he could control, so while he was annoyed, he wasn’t panicking.

He did sigh a lot, and his desire to go past where Uncle Vance and the others had gone ate at him at his core, but he sat back and waited.

Minutes passed, then half an hour, and then an hour, and Kellen wanted to go check on them. It was Uncle Vance who was keeping him sane, especially as the sun was beginning to set.

He could not believe that this much time had passed and they still didn’t have a clear picture about what was going on. He had to be positive though, it wasn’t like he was the only one in the dark. Everyone was, Kellen was just feeling more anxious because Rhys wasn’t by his side.

Kellen chuckled to himself, somehow surprising himself as he thought back on who he used to be and how his relationship with Rhys had changed. No one seemed to mind, thinking it was just the craziness of an S Class, and Kellen didn’t mind.

He decided to take another walk, just to calm his mind. Maybe by the time he got back Sergei and the others would be back from their mission.

Kellen was glad that he didn’t run into another intruder on his walk, but he also didn’t run into Rhys, or anyone else that he knew. It was annoying, but when he got back there was quite a commotion inside.

Uncle Vance was talking in rather hushed tones with a few people dressed in black, which had Kellen on alert at first, until they turned. Kellen didn’t recognise them, but from the relieved look on Uncle Vance’s face, they were people that he knew.

"Kellen!" Uncle Vance said warmly. "Welcome back! Sergei’s sent reinforcements." He said, warmed. "Along with a few of your Guildmates. They noticed something was wrong and reached out themselves. Sergei and Zaria are still below, but they are getting more information on the situation. It seems that the upper portion of the building is smoking." Kellen felt his stomach drop.

"Smoking?" Kellen repeated, a flash of what had happened back in the city when Rhys had to hold three whole city blocks together flashing in his mind. "Oh no. We have to get to the upper levels." Kellen declared and the two Espers, or at least Kellen assumed, nodded.

There was one man, one woman, and the woman appeared to be a flying type, while the man appeared to be a physical strength Esper.

"We’ve tried. Whatever is going on isn’t something that we can easily interfere with. That’s why we’ve been sent in. We’re to help the team going up the building and facilitate the destruction of whatever item is causing this, or the several items that are causing this, and let the team that is waiting by the glass in." Listening to her explain it sounded so simple, but Kellen felt it in his bones. This was not going to be simple.

"No one is about to suggest that I’m not coming, right?" Kellen asked, glaring at Uncle Vance before the man could open his mouth. "You’ll need my expertise, in many ways." Kellen said cryptically, and Uncle Vance, who knew the truth, sighed.

"I wouldn’t dare, but-"

"No buts, Uncle Vance. I’ve had enough time to get back my energy. I might just request a few of those drinks just in case." Kellen said. "And the weapons I came in with." Uncle Vance stared at him, then sighed.

"Take a few of the others. Especially a Healer. Who knows what is going on up there in the blocked off area?" Uncle Vance suggested, shaking his head. Kellen couldn’t help but agree. That was why he was so tense.

"Have you tried breaking into the building at lower levels under the conference floor?" Kellen asked. The female Esper nodded.

"Yes. We also went above. It seems that there is a five floor radius around whatever is going on and we can’t seem to enter it either." Kellen had a suspicious feeling that he would be able to enter it.

"Those fucking fuckers. When I get my hands on them..." Kellen muttered, surprising even Uncle Vance. If anyone he cared about was injured... "Let’s go. Now. I don’t have any more patience. Are we going in through the window?" Kellen asked and she nodded.

"It’s faster." She admitted and Kellen couldn’t help but agree. The sooner he got there, the better.