Black Equation - The Gifted Ones

Number Thirty-Two

“If I get to choose how to die, I'll be happiest to die for you.”

 

 

Number Thirty-Two

Richard was furiously throwing rocks downhill.

The sun was rising soon, and he knew that he would pay greatly for not sleeping. He couldn’t help himself. He was upset. He got that Falcon wanted to avenge the death of his first family, showing how much he loved them – but why couldn’t he spare a bit of attention to him as well? He might not be Trisha’s son, but he was still his son.

Richard’s mother died at childbirth, and he grew up and stayed in an orphanage until he was eight. It was a part of his life that he didn't want to reminisce. The boys detested him for reasons he couldn’t fathom, and the girls were constantly afraid of him. In fights, no one sided with him. He grew up alone, rebellious and unloved.

And then he found out he had a Gift.

His life turned a hundred eighty degrees.

Falcon, upon hearing his power, picked him up and inquired as to his heritage. Gifts were normally clan-based, and they shared the same ability of manipulating electricity. Falcon was suspicious.

It appeared that his mother had hooked up with Falcon once, and Falcon had already disappeared before finding out about her pregnancy. At first, Richard blamed him. It was his father’s fault that he grew up by himself. But as he stayed with him in the Light, the more he learned about his past, he realized that Falcon was not as cold-hearted as he first thought. He was simply a sad man.

Richard grew insanely jealous of his father’s family. Sure, he had no right to want that as a bastard, but he couldn’t help himself.

He tried hard to earn Falcon’s approval, but he never seemed enough.

And then, his father was imprisoned by the then thirteen year-old Agent 01. He couldn’t understand how that was possible. His father was Gifted, the Equation was not. More so, a kid? It had to be a joke.

Losing Falcon, the Light disbanded. It was two days before his 9th birthday.

Richard didn’t give up. He searched high and low for his fellow Gifted mates. He found a handful, and alone devised a foolproof plan to get Falcon out of prison. It took him years, yes, but in the end he succeeded.

But his father was angry, no, furious. He was hell-bent on destroying Creed to pay Richard any mind. They took money from mafia families, became paid assassins, in order to raise funds to rage war against Creed. He never once acknowledged Richard’s brilliance or efforts.

Richard was okay with it. He believed that his mission would be to become his father’s right hand man. That sooner or later, his father would appreciate everything. Appreciate him.

Until again, Agent 01 ruined everything.

Richard was twelve during that encounter. Mikhaela and the shadow kid was KIA. If he wasn’t around, his father would have too.

He couldn’t help but ask why his father couldn’t kill the Equation. He got his answer, and wished he hadn’t.

Agent 01 was actually Gneiss Underwood. He survived the attack that killed his family all those years ago – the very attack that caused Falcon to hate Kreuz, to leave Creed and to vow vengeance.

Kreuz Creed made Falcon believe that Trisha, and his daughter Arkose and sons Gneiss and Tuff all died in an enemy attack. In reality, that Kreuz trained Gneiss to become his daughter’s bodyguard.