Black Equation - The Gifted Ones

Number Eight

“Pretty words are not always true, and true words are not always pretty.”

Number Eight

Rael closed his eyes, taking one long, slow drag of breath before staring back at the tiny brunette sitting on the bed. Her green eyes were so wide, so clear, like they were made of fragile glass that would break if he phrased his words incorrectly. Trust my luck to be dumped in this situation. He shouldn't be the one doing this, yet it's not like there was a choice. Besides, he couldn't say no to that expectant face.

Ah, hell.

He grimaced. "I don't know where to start," and before she could speak, he added, "and don't tell me to start at the beginning. That doesn't apply to your situation. Your life is so… complicated."

She chewed her full bottom lip, suddenly distracting him. His ears felt hot when he realized he was ogling her. Ah, the damn crush hasn't gone away. Four years, man, four years has passed! And she has a boyfriend! But, but, she’s too pretty and adorable for her own good.

"How about when we first met?" she said hesitantly.

That part? Easy. I can remember that as clear as yesterday.

"You were on a mission." Rael intertwined his fingers together, relishing the memory. "I thought you were a ghost." He laughed half-heartedly. "I mean, it was creepy dark and raining and you were alone. Not to mention you're as pale as a sheet."

"What do you mean mission?"

He studied her, taking in every crease on her forehead. She looked so upset, contrary to the even voice she had.

"You saved me." His voice was nearly reverent. He remembered that time all too clearly. Because his family was large and they were poor, Rael had willingly stopped going to public school and took odd jobs to support his family. He was sixteen then, young and naïve. He had taken advantage of his Gift – his ability to regenerate – by working as the main freak attraction in the town carnival. Little did he know that he would attract the attention of the wrong crowd. If not for Faye saving him, he would probably be a guinea pig in some laboratory in who-knows-where. "I owed my entire life to you. Because of you, I was able to give my family a good life. My mother got her health expenses covered. I managed to send all my siblings to school. Most of all, I was able to get my father back from the Light."

He took another deep breath, and another, then another, until he was finally able to gaze at Faye without breaking down. It wasn't manly to show tears. Especially in front of a special girl like her.

"I… did I really do all those?" She blinked back in shock. "I can't have, I mean, how did I do it? My family is not rich. I can't have supported you with money. How was I able to…?"

Here comes the harder part. "You were an agent of Creed."

"Creed?"

"It is an organization formed to protect Rare Kinds – that's what we call all the Gifted people in general. You know, people like you and me who have strange powers."

Her jaw dropped. "And I'm an agent? You mean like, James Bond?"

Grinning, he shook his head. "Close enough, but no. You're not Agent 007. You're simply Agent 00."

"And judging your tone, that number must mean something big."

"You're an Equation," he drawled dryly, not really liking this part of the conversation. "There are fourteen of you, the top agents of Creed. Scattered all around the world."