Black Equation - The Deceived Ones

Number Twenty-Four

That didn't mean the boy gets to leave without being given a piece of his mind. "Do you want to die, idiot? If you are, can you do it alone, when I'm not around?"

"No, of course not." Rael was torn between killing the man and running away. "I-I just, I need to hear his explanation! Why he left, why he –"

"Tattle later," Krad spoke matter-of-factly, his expression sour, "We're surrounded and outnumbered."

As Rael's rage dissipated, the effects of his irrationality hit him like a kick in the gut. He's an agent in a middle of a mission. Things like these shouldn't faze him. It didn't faze Krad. It didn't faze 04. Or even 09. Who was he to act like a girl? Saving the Equations was his priority. They had to find 02.

"Sorry," he spoke woodenly, "let's go."

"About time."

Unwillingly, he stood up and followed Krad, giving his father one last glimpse before disappearing.

"What now?" Rael asked, gasping. He was physically strong, being a farm boy and all, but he wasn't fond of brawls and stress. His sudden spurt of energy left him drained, and Krad's merciless pace was killing his legs. No wonder Denna made him run twenty laps everyday; he's stamina sucked – or Krad's was simply monstrous.

"Aren't you trained?" Krad was incredulous, even if his face didn't register it. Pressed against a wall, he surveyed the hallways before proceeding, making sure to eliminate the cameras attached on the ceiling as well. "We stick to the plan."

"But I messed up."

"And isn't that marvelous?"

"Don't go sarcastic on me." Rael hid his shame by faking a scowl, not that anyone could see it under the mask. "I don't know all the protocols. Just joined Creed last month."

"Creed's supposed to teach you common sense?"

Rael really couldn't accept that this jerk was the same one Faye claimed to be the kindest, gentlest and most amazing man in the whole universe. She bragged about him the entire time on their way to the HQ. 'Love is blind' indeed.

"Cover me," Krad ordered, as if Rael didn't know that. Geez, he hated the guy.

He held onto his gun, but whenever he saw men and aimed at them, he couldn't get himself to pull the trigger. He knew that his hesitation would only burden Krad, yet he couldn't – didn't – want to take a life, even an enemy's life. Just to witness one was scarring him deep inside, and now... how many men were here? How many of them were killed by Krad alone? He didn't need Rael to look out for him. He was a killing machine. He did it so swiftly and cleanly: one bullet per man. Rael's conscience couldn't accept it all. Was life supposed to be taken for granted? Should they be killed? Couldn't they be given a second chance?

They were in enemy ranks; either kill or be killed. But... was killing supposed to be this easy? It felt like saving 00's and 02's lives wasn't worth all the blood spilt this night. No, this wasn't merely a recovery mission – the order was to annihilate and recover. He doubted that any of Light's men would get to see sunrise. Maybe half of his co-Bases wouldn't too.

"Where are we now?" he asked when Krad slowed down to a jog. Even that was labor for Rael.

"F*ck the hell up."

Rael was pissed, and now he knew where a nice girl like Faye learned how to swear. She had a very passionate teacher. So much for being cool. He was boiling lava inside. He suddenly wished that he got to go with 04 and let the other man, 09, take his place.

Rael memorized the escape route, but it seemed like Krad learned the blueprint of the entire place by heart. He was weaving in and out of rooms and intersections as if he designed the building himself. By following his lead, they managed to avoid the bulk of the enemy lines while painstakingly gaining ground to where Agent 02 was imprisoned. Given the ruckus they caused, it was amazing to get by untouched and uninjured. No wonder Krad used to be an Equation.