Brent was fucked. Plain and simple.
He had gotten cocky and had thought that he was safe. He should have known better.
Their superpower was that they were always able to sneak up on him when he was least expecting it. They had always been able to do it since he was a kid. When he first got hurt, when he'd lost his arm, when he'd gotten his scars.
When he'd broken his leg in the first 'attempt'. The 'accident' that was spoken about as soon as Brent would enter a room for years after it had happened.
Honestly, Brent should have expected this. Should have assumed something would have happened as soon as he didn't hear from his Grandpa.
He should have, but having witnessed what Kellen had been going through, he had honestly been hoping that wasn't the case. That things would work out. It had been a foolish hope, he knew that now.
Grandpa had been 93. And a civilian. Things were bound to happen. Did Brent think it was old age? God, he fucking hoped so. The twisting knot in his gut said that it wasn't, but fuck, he really hoped that wasn't the case. He didn't want to add patricide to the list of reasons he hated his fucking parents.
He had managed to keep himself safe for years. Decades, honestly, but he was getting frail. Brent knew that, Grandpa knew it too. That was why he had always had someone else act as a mediary when he was giving him the new arms. The new prototypes.
It was also why Brent had finally broken his silence after so many years. He needed to speak to someone else about what was going on in his life, even if it was in code. He was glad that he told Kellen. He had a feeling that despite everything else going on in his life, the man would piece it all together.
He hoped, at least.
That was all Brent could hope for as chaos descended on the front lines, and he did his best to make sure that everything went smoothly. He made sure that the Guides he had brought with him were safe. He had made sure that every Esper that he came in contact with was taken care of.
Brent was just doing his job.
Then a monster broke through the front gates, throwing him and a few of the Espers protecting it, and Brent thought he was in trouble. He was unaware of just how much trouble he was in as he made sure that the Espers were stable, the area was secure, and that no one was dead. Then he'd turned, and found him face to face with a man that sent a cold shiver down his spine.
A man he hated to see, because he knew who he worked for. A rare teleporter who wouldn't change his allegiance because he had been best friends with his older brother since childhood. The same brother who had orchestrated something terrible happening to his family, lied about who had done it, all to keep this man in his clutches.
Colby Fields.
Barely anyone knew he was an active Esper. He was only registered to the family Guild, and at this point? No one messed with that monster.
Brent felt the saliva dry up in his mouth at the cold, dead look in Colby's eyes as he stared down at Brent. He was in a clean suit and seemed unfazed by the chaos all around them. The screaming, the roars, the sounds of clashing that filled the air.
"C-Colby, what are you-"
"Your grandfather is dead. You must come with me." The words were a blow to Brent. He felt his vision flicker at the cruel way it was said. His legs trembled, begging to collapse, but this was not the time nor place for it.
"W-What? What are you saying? There is no way that's true." Brent protested, but Colby didn't care. He didn't let Brent process the words. Instead, he grabbed Brent's arm, and a surge of panic filled him. "No! I have duties, obligations here! I can't just leave with you like I used to!" Brent told him harshly and for the first time Colby's lips twitched.
"You don't have to lie. Who could care about someone like you?" Brent should have expected those words. They were things that had always been said to him before.
Before he met Kellen, before he allowed himself to make friendships. Brent wouldn't deny that the words tugged at old wounds, but that meant nothing right now. He was important here. People cared about him here.
Brent was able to shake off Colby's arm the first time, turning and moving away from him. He needed to get to a Saturn Guild member, or a Nemesis Guild member. Either one would let someone else know that Brent was leaving.
"I'm not saying I won't fucking go with you. I just need to let the others know first." Brent growled, pissed. If his grandfather had died, that would mean he would have to go back home. He fucking hoped that Kellen would remember what he'd told him once. That if he disappeared, he was going to come back.
He would do anything to come back.
He didn't give a fuck if he gave everything over to his family. He loved his grandfather, but his grandfather knew that he had built a life for himself away from the family. He wouldn't want him to suffer with them.
He saw what kind of monsters they were turning into. It was the reason his grandfather got along with Brent so much.
A hand wrapped around his elbow, his only elbow, and Brent turned, staring at Colby. Brent couldn't wear a prosthetic right now since all of his were malfunctioning. It was pretty fucking inconvenient given what was going on the front lines right now.
Colby's gaze was icy as he stared at Brent and Brent felt an actual shiver run down his spine.
"How dare you shake off my grip." Colby said, his grip tightening painfully. Brent winced as he felt pain radiate from his hold. It was so like this fucking man to use violence like this. He was made to be his brother's puppet, and this was something his brother loved doing.
Violence seemed to be the only thing that helped his fucked up brother get off.
Brent was bad, but he wasn't a fucking monster like his own blood family. Brent felt his lips curl up slightly even as pain made him wince. It was funny to watch Rhys and Kellen both whine and moan about being monsters, when Brent was literally blood related to some of the worst motherfuckers out there.
He appreciated that they were trying to prevent becoming monsters of a sort, there were different classifications for a reason, but Brent knew that his family's monsters were top tier. S Class.
That was proven when Colby yanked Brent forward, placing his hand on Brent's stub and giving it a painful squeeze. He was essentially holding Brent by both of his arms, in the 'same place'. His eyes were glowing, the confusing colour of not quite black, not quite grey. A deep shade that would have been pretty on any other motherfucker.
The man's breath washed over him and Brent closed his eyes. He knew he'd lost, knew when to pick his battles. He fucking hated that he'd been so isolated when he'd attacked. That was probably intentional.
They had probably been tailing him to make sure that they could snatch him when he was alone. If he'd had even one person from the front lines around that recognised him, this would have been reported.
Now he knew that Kellen would worry that he had been killed. Brent's stomach churned at the thought. He really didn't want his-his best friend to worry that he was dead. He could already imagine what that would do to the man.
He could only hope and pray that Kellen would remember what Brent had told him in his office.
"You don't get to push me away like that." Colby's voice was angry, rough, and Brent gave a short laugh.
"One could argue that you don't get to talk to me like that. I'm practically royalty, right? I'm related to the man that you would fucking bend over for, aren't I?" Brent felt the loss of a hand and knew what was coming.
While it had been a while since he had been treated like this, one didn't simply forget this kind of treatment.
The slap stung his cheek, his eyes watering from the act, not from the pain. Shock still filled him as he opened his eyes and stared up at the man who had hit him. Anger, hatred, and disgust filled the gaze that stared down at him. He moved forward until his breath washed over Brent's face, making the man wince.
"Trust me, I would rather teleport you over the fucking open ocean, but I have my own orders. While you're right and you are confirmed blood related to my Master, don't ever say something so disrespectful again or I will make your life even more fucking miserable then it is now." Colby warned. Brent wanted to shoot back, tell the man that he was practically living a normal life right now with all of the asses and tits that he could want.
He really didn't want to poke the beast that was baring its teeth at him right now.
With Colby's words said, Brent could feel the man consolidating his powers and knew it was time. Brent was leaving the front lines without telling Kellen. He just hoped that nothing bad happened while he was gone.
Kellen really didn't deserve for something awful to happen to him. The man had just survived his Dad's attempted assassination. Fuck. He hoped Gwen was able to keep Kellen's head on straight while he was gone. He didn't think Rhys would be able to cut it, no offense to Rhys.
The man was overprotective of Kellen, and while he put on a good show of letting Kellen do whatever he wanted, he didn't think that he actually could do it. Brent had a feeling that Kellen didn't know how much the man watched him. Like a possessive demon.
Brent thought it was cute, since he didn't have someone that he wanted to treat him that way.
Brent's chest ached as he had that thought. No, he really didn't have someone that he wanted to treat him like Kellen was treated. After all, Colby was right. Who could care for someone like Brent? He just caused others problems, and no one really believed him.
Colby's powers activated and Brent closed his eyes, the feeling of being pulled in several directions on a cellular level making him want to hurl. It always made him want to hurl.
He knew when they had arrived because Colby stepped away from Brent like he was actively hurting him. That was simply impossible.
Brent couldn't hurt a fucking Esper. He only had one fucking arm. Colby knew that fucking best.
Brent opened his gaze and found himself staring at a familiar, and depressing scene. He felt his lips curl up slightly, knowing it was more of a defense mechanism versus actual pleasure at the sight before him.
"Hello, brother."