Chasing Fate (Sentinel & Guide)

Chapter 45

"Alright,"Fate sighed,"Shoes off then."

She'd hoped he'd find something with sight or smell, as touch was one of his weaker senses. He wouldn't relaly be able to feel the earht through his sturdy work boots, so they had to come off. This was extreme but if there was anythign to find, it was the option that would work. 

"Ok Sentin-...Jack," Fate corrected herself,"We're going to set everything else to zero. Absolute zero. Here's my hand. I'll help you walk the perimeter." 

Setting a sense, any sense, to zero was risky without a guide to tether the sentinel to reality. Without a guide it was simply asking to fall into Finchausen's. Suicide. Jack had never done it. After all, who could convince themself to voluntarily go blind and deaf?

Yet when Fate asked him, he didn't even hesitate. He took her hands and focused as she guided him down. 

"Ok, smell first. You're at a four, you can smell the campfire smoke and the new grass. Let it go, take it to zero."

The slight scents floated away. 

"Taste. You have it at a 2, you can still taste that cinnamon bun. Let it go, take it to zero." 

The sweetness at the back of his mouth faded. 

"Sight. You are at seven. You can see the pores Santos' skin. Let it go. Focus on me. You can see my eyelashes clearly. Release that. Let it go down to zero." 

Fate's face became blurred until there was nothing but darkness. 

"Alright Jack, now hearing. Remember my voice. Now focus on my heartbeat. You can hear it can't you? Now feel it. Feel it. Turn your hearing down so you can feel it better. Let it go-" 

Fate's voice faded away until he couldn't hear anything at all. His entire consciousness was focused on feeling her heartbeat through his fingertips to hers. He could feel the slightest tremor in the ground as she began to move. 

Further away, Santos and Tang stood completely still as to not disturb him, but the micro motions of the photographer were amplified in the still air. What were they doing? Stomping around like it was a field trip? He felt a pressure as fate gripped his hands tighter and tapped her foot. Refocus. 
 

He focused as much as he could on the soles of his feet. He could feel the blades of grass crushed beneath them, the rocky soil hard packed further below. Every step he felt reverberate for a few inches into the soil, disturbing the worms and ants. 

He didn't think about time as he followed Fate's cautious foot falls. They were travelling in a wider and wider circle. He could feel the updraft of wind traveling along the cliff face when he felt the change in reverberations. 

He felt it through Fate first. She made a step and the vibratiosn felt stronger. Jakc paused then stepped forward. Yes, it was different here. He stomped his foot a few times to validate his assumption. The vibrations were extremely strong, almost amplified, like a drum. 

Immediately he felt Fate's hand touch his ear. It was as though she'd pressed a button and his hearing came back after a rush of static. 

"Set your senses back to me," she ordered calmly. Jack felt the guide's call and immediately all of his senses came back online. He smiled as the first image in his sight was Fate's sweaty forehead. She was boiling in his jacket. 

The sun was now high in the sky. They'd been walking and then testing for most of the morning. The temperature was nearly 50 farenheit, so the jacket was indeed a bit much. She was looking a bit tired and dehydrated...and earnestly in need of a break. After all, her job was done.