"This is Belaphorde. Answer when I call." Bel slowly tapped out with his index finger. It was annoying to type without hard buttons, texting felt unnatural and the screen was way too bright, but these annoyances were small compared to the anticipation the Guide felt in his fingers with each press.

He was alone in the conference room. The manager and professor were waiting outside. Jenny had made it clear that if possible they could get Vigo and have the two of them move into one of Kaigo’s estates by today if Belaphorde could confirm Vigo’s location in the next twenty minutes before she had to leave.

He clicked the green call button and waited a whole two seconds before a familiar voice screamed in his ear:

"Where have you been? All hell has broken loose. Everyone is poor, dying, or both! Vigo has not gotten a lick of sleep and is delusional with a fever. I have to ration my smokes. God damned Kaiju at least stayed far away, not that it matters much considering, you know, we now have a Kaiju?"

Belaphorde winced at the crackling noise of Tobi’s microphone. "I'm glad to hear you are in high spirits Tobi. I take it you and Vigo are still back where I left you?"

"Yeah. We are still here. And, it's good to hear your voice. Where are you right now?"

"A hospital in Kaleido City. Now, I have to act quickly and I have a headache so please listen carefully to what I have to say."

"The audacity of this guy. Cold. Talking like that after we thought you dead for days." His voice was bitter-sweet and sarcastic, just like his favorite coffee.

"Tobi." Belaphorde sighed, which made Tobi get serious.

"Alright. We'll talk more later. So, what do you need?"

"I'm joining Guardian. They got representatives here with me who will get me and Vigo into the city. If you help Vigo outside they can pick him up in an hour without disturbing you or your business. Once I get the finances I promise to compensate you and help you into the city. You have my word, Tobi."

Tobi was quiet for a second. Belaphorde hoped it was not in disappointment. Tobi was born and raised in the city. He had documentation and could return if he paid his citizen fee and got an address. Life just had gotten out of hand for the student.
"Alright. It's still a lot to take in, but I'll always do my best for you."

"Thank you, sir doctor.” Belaphorde playfully emphasized the title. “I sincerely appreciate it."

"Call soon Belaphorde, and don't let the big city bastards push you around. And don’t forget your pal, alright?"

"Goodbye."

Belaphorde hung up the call and took a minute to collect himself. Vigo was alive. He needed help, and help was now on the way. Belaphorde rolled his wheelchair up to the door and informed the ladies of the good news.

Seeing the two of them then get to work was like watching two goddesses of efficiency. All Belaphorde had to do was point at a map for the location and give a foolproof description of Vigo. He was then wheeled off to collect his belongings, a plastic bag with his dirty clothes and handkerchief, and then he was taken to the parking garage where Tina was waiting with a sleek black car. She was going to be in charge of setting up Belaphorde’s new living space and teaching him Guiding while Jenny dealt with the extraction and began negotiations with the Guild.

Tina checked her mirrors and took a moment to study her own face in the rear-view mirror.

“Are you comfortable, sir Belaphorde?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“You know, there should be some mints in the door compartment. Could you fetch the bag for me?”

Belaphorde began to rummage through piles of tissues, hand sanitizer, brushes, and nail polish before he found a red and white bag of wrapped candies.

“Here you are, professor.”

Tina fished out two mints and when Bel returned the bag to the clutter pile she held one out towards him.

“Come on now. Take it. Mints make everything better.” She smiled at him.

“I,” Belaphorde stuttered out a bit confused. “Thank you. But why not just tell me I could take one?” He inquired while unwrapping the sweet.

“You seem like the type that needs some help to go for what they want. I got a suspension that you would have politely declined if I told you to help yourself. But mostly I just saw you not take one and decided to act a little cute.” She winked and then checked her mirrors, flicked the turning lights, and backed out of the parking lot in a movement smooth as water.

Belaphorde slumped back into the leather seat. He was too tired to remark on Tina’s psycho-analysis of him. The mint was hard on the outside, peppery, and fresh with chocolate at its core. How could such luxury be so freely given?

As they drove out into the light it was like Belaphorde had entered another world. A group of girls were taking pictures outside of an ice creme parlor. A line of people waiting with various expressions of irritation and boredom at a bus stop equipped with loading stations and a water fountain. Flower petals rained from above and without thinking about it Tina clicked a button to have them wiped off the windshield. The high walls separating Kaliedo into districts looked like innocent greenhouses with transparent solar panels and terraces for produce. The Outskirts, the destroyed district, none of it was to be seen except for an ad flickering on a billboard showing children in dirty clothes looking really sad directly into the camera and the text “donate now to save a neighbor”.

Tina took a turn into an empty street and followed it right to a metal gate by the great wall. She took out her phone and called a number and the gates slowly slid open. A row of red lights spun violently to send out the signal that this was an important, non-civilian, gate.

Once the gate was full opened Tina drove into what looked like a bunker just big enough for about five cars. Tina rolled down her window and spoke into the empty hall; “Tina. Access code: 007”

There was a positive-sounding tune playing and the bunker lit as they were sealed in.

“I think now is a good time to explain a bit about how this is going to work.”

“Alright. I’m listening, professor.”

The bunker hummed and the ground gently shook and to Belaphorde’s surprise, it slowly rose upwards.

“We are going right now to the house Kaigo is staying at, but considering your current condition and the risks he poses in his unpredictable state you and Vigo will be staying on the first floor. Do not, under any circumstances, unless I say otherwise, go to the third floor.”

“May I ask as to why?”

“Kaigo can boil, freeze, and slice buildings in half, which is part of why he is kept alone up on the wall and reasonably far away from populated areas. So far we have not observed him using his powers since he got back but we can’t guarantee your safety. Once you have recovered a bit the plan is to let you start passive-Guiding Kaigo and then return to your father to restore your energy when needed. I’ll teach you what you need to know by then, for these next few days just focus on regaining your strength.”

Belaphorde nodded. Being near a ticking time bomb did not phase him, not when he was going to be somewhere safe from all the things that used to keep him sleeping lightly in the Outskirts.

The giant elevator stopped. The lights once again turned red as the doors opened to show a wide driveway lined with blossoming trees leading up to a hyper-modern house. White birds took flight as they drove past. The house was built in three modules stacked on top of each other in a clay-like white material and floor-to-ceiling windows. The city spread out like a painting on the sides. Belaphorde spotted a pool room on the second floor.

“Welcome to your new home, Guide Belaphorde.”