Code Geass 1. The Prince of Masks Rises

**Author's Note: Sooo… This is the first fanfic I'm publishing (woot!). I actually have a few others in development, but this is the first one that I've been able to figure out the storyline and still be interested enough to write it out. I wanted to have a storyline ready so that I can avoid having to cancel the fanfic, but normally I can't find the motivation to write a story when I've already imagined the ending.**

**Anyways, this is my first fanfic, so please don't flame o.0. Though, critique is always appreciated.**

**It's a 'What if Lelouch was a prince?' Fanfic, so I suppose it's a bit of an ambitious first story. If you don't like those kinds of fanfics, give me a chance to change your mind.**

**I added some OC's, and might have added a bit of accidental OCCness, but hopefully that'll clear up as time passes.**

**Note: I hate self-insertions, or when the OC's are named after real-life friends or something based on personal fancies. I did my best to make my OC's more reasonable, tell me how I did!**

**Note*2: It always annoyed me how the 'What if Lelouch was a prince?" fanfics started really slow. To me, it seemed a tad unnecessary. Therefore, I tried to shorten my pre-canon chapters. Sorry if it seems a bit rushed, but I **_**really**_** wanted to make it no longer than felt necessary.**

**Note*3: Sorry for all the notes, but this is my first chap for my first fanfic… Just thought you all would want to know that Lelouch has never been to Japan before this chap (or the next 2 chaps) lol.**

" " for dialogue

_Italics for thought _(or stress when just a word _or two_)

1st Mask: The Prince of Masks Rises

**Emperor's Palace  
><strong>**2010 a.t.b.**

Lelouch vi Britannia was alone, walking towards his room. _Maybe the people who killed mother will kill me now…_ he thought with a grim smile. The guards would probably panic if they found out he had been out so late, but he had stayed by Nunnally's side for longer than he had intended. The doctor had said she would come to soon, and he wanted to be there to comfort her when she did.

Suddenly, the young prince started hearing quiet voices. He looked, and saw that the door to his father's throne was open. Peering in, he saw his father and what looked to be a young blond boy. He pressed his ear by the opening to listen.

"Was it really necessary?" It was his father, Charles zi Britannia, 98th Emperor of Britannia.

"You know it was. You were getting too attached to her." This must have been the boy.

"Still, Marianne had the same goal as us." Lelouch tensed at the mention of his mother.

"Marianne was and is not necessary for the completion of the plan." Lelouch's blood practically froze. _Does this mean…_

"So that made it all right to kill her?"

"Charles, Charles, you can't get emotionally attached to anyone. It will cloud your judgment." Surprisingly, the boy sounded like he was older than the emperor. He sounded awfully like a scolding older brother.

Very little kept Lelouch from charging in and attacking the boy. He looked about Lelouch's age, and he obviously had had a hand in killing Lelouch's mother. The only thing that did was his father's next words. "And if Lelouch finds out? He's sure to demand at least an investigation."

"Nothing can get in the way of the plan. If your boy finds out, we'll kill him. If he tries to find answers, send his sister somewhere dangerous. He'll waste the rest of his life trying to help her." Lelouch felt his heart skip a beat. The boy was right, of course. He'd do anything to keep his sister out of harm's way. But his father would never agree, would he? Even if he's working with this boy, the Emperor was still his father…

A slight, tense pause. "…Fine. You're right; nothing can get in the way of the plan."

After hearing that, Lelouch never mentioned his mother's death aloud. Most considered it his way of coping with death. For him, it was a way of surviving. For both him and his sister.

* * *

><p><strong>2017 a.t.b.<strong>

"B-1, 700 meters east. R-Team, fire at his pursuers 3 seconds after my mark. B-2, the enemy commander should be rallying the remaining forces at point F-32. I need visual confirmation. Mark!"

After three seconds, he heard a barrage of gunfire. Then, "Your Highness, this is B-2, I've confirmed the enemy to be gathering at F-32."

"Good. P-Team, move to E-32. The enemy forces will attempt to attack. At that point, N-Team must fire from their positions in the surrounding buildings. B-Team will regroup at G-32 and attack any who escape the ambush."

After a chorus of 'Yes, Your Highness!", Lelouch soon hears a voice from his machine's radio. "Your Highness. P-1 here, we're in position. We see the enemy coming, should we engage?"

"Yes, but draw them to you by pretending to retreat."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Your Highness, this is N-1. I think I see the enemy commander's knightmare. He's in the middle of the enemy forces, should I engage?"

Lelouch smiled as he grabbed his knightmare's controls. "Negative, I'll engage him."

"Your Highness!" All the soldiers protested in unison.

"If a king does not lead, how can he expect his men to follow?"

"Still…" Lelouch recognized the voice as N-1.

"Don't worry. I have all of you covering me, after all." Lelouch licked his lips as he approached the enemy forces from the southeast. He smiled as he noticed that the enemy forces had consolidated themselves into four blocks, with the commander directly in the center. Each block faced Lelouch's forces, which were stationed in the north, east, west, and south. In other words, a diagonal, sudden charge from any location the blocks didn't face would be able to run straight into the center.

Lelouch drove his Sutherland right between the south and east blocks. He threw chaos grenades inside both as he passed, causing great destruction and confusion. Before they knew what had happened, Lelouch had brought his submachine gun up to the commander's cockpit, and pulled the trigger.

In the ensuing confusion, Lelouch threw two more chaos grenades before fleeing the area, leaving the clean-up to his men. In a few moments, his cockpit went dark, and Lelouch smiled. Another simulation completed on his first try. The lab guys would have to work overtime for the next week creating new, hopefully harder, ones.

* * *

><p>"You summoned me, Your Majesty?" asked Prince Lelouch as he kneeled before his father. <em>No,<em> he reminded himself, _this monster stopped being my father since that day._

"Indeed, Lelouch." The Emperor looked down at his son from his throne. "I have decided. For 17 years, I've cared for you and your little sister, Nunnally. Nunnally is a weak cripple, no longer even fit to be a daughter of mine." Lelouch tensed, silently restraining his rage.

"However, I've kept her. And I kept her for only one reason. And that is so that you have a reason to prove yourself useful to me. I hope you are intelligent enough to understand what this implies." The Emperor smiled.

Lelouch, careful to keep his head bowed as to avoid betraying any emotion, replied, "Of course, Your Majesty."

"Good. I've decided that you will be sent to join Cornelia in the conquest of the Middle Eastern Federation. Consider it your debut into the real world."

_Finally, some action. _Lelouch made an effort to restrain the enthusiasm in his voice, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"You seem quite eager to go." mused the Emperor, "Planning to build an army against me, no doubt." Lelouch froze. _D__oes__ he suspect that I know…?_ Then he berated himself, _No, there's no way he could have. Every son of his is scheming to take the throne._

"You've already had the education of a military officer. Therefore, you'll be immediately sent to aid Cornelia in what will be Area 18. You are dismissed." Lelouch was startled from his musings. Rising smoothly, he all but runs out of the throne room.

As he walks out, he's soon tackled by a pink flurry of hair. "Lulu, you're in one piece?"

Lelouch spun with the tackle and stopped his sister, grabbing her arms. He smiled, despite his annoyance at the nickname, "Yeah, though I got a bit of bad news for Nunnally."

"What is it?" asked Euphemia li Britannia

"I'm being sent to the military. I'll be joining your sister in the Middle East."

"Cornelia? Nunnally will be sad…"

Lelouch gulped. "Yeah, I'm going to tell her now. Promise me that you'll keep her company."

"Of course, Lulu."

* * *

><p><strong>The Middle East<br>Two Days Later  
><strong>**1000 hours**

Lelouch stepped into the G-1 Mobile Command Center's tactical planning room. Just one hour ago, he'd landed in the area in his personal jet, from where he was escorted to his half-sister's military base. Immediately upon entering the room, he heard a familiar voice. "Lelouch, it's so good to see you."

He felt himself smothered in an embrace, which he momentarily returned. Then the speaker stepped back. With slight satisfaction, he noticed that his half-sister was only a few inches taller than him. _Maybe even the same height_, he noted as he glanced down at her boots. Outwardly, he purred, "Cornelia, it's been so long. Euphie and Nunnally say hello."

Cornelia's face softened slightly at the mention of her sister. Then she looked her half-brother's thin frame. "Have they starved you at the Homeland? That's one of the things we'll need to fix if you're to be my aide here."

Lelouch smiled gently, "Perhaps, but tell me the situation here first."

"Eager for your first fight? I suppose I could use your help." Cornelia returned his smile as she brought him to the front of the room. Looking through the glass, he saw sand, sand, and more sand. In the distance, he saw the enemy base.

More like a fortress. At the top of a small, but steep, hill stood the base. Shielded on all sides by a weathered, yet stable-looking, wall, figures stood outside, on, and, most likely, within the walls. He gestured for an officer to give him binoculars. Looking through them, he saw that the figures were Bamides, hybrids between tanks and knightmare frames. Not very maneuverable, yet perfect for defense, the fourth generation knightmares were experts at long range combat. Lelouch whistled.

Cornelia smiled. "Indeed. This fort is one of the largest enemy strongholds remaining. It houses tens of thousands of refugees, and holds a large enough army to protect them. They've kept us busy for about a month now."

Lelouch turned and faced the people in the room. By Cornelia's side, he noticed Gilbert G.P. Guilford, her knight, and Andreas Darlton, one of her most trusted officers. Throughout the room stood other officers, no doubt managing the large force at Cornelia's disposal. "Can anyone give me intel on their command structure?" He doesn't mention that he's already learned everything there is to about the enemy. Without attracting attention, he glances at one female officer in particular.

Cornelia apparently doesn't notice. "Trying to strike at the leader, Lelouch? We've tried that. Any knightmares that approach that monster get destroyed by their Bamides units. And even when we get close, we can't provoke the leader into coming out."

Lelouch continued looking around the room. "I just think I ought to know as much as I can about the enemy."

The female officer spoke up. "According to our sources, the commander of the fort is named Hamza Alam. He's been stationed at this fort ever since the invasion began. He's had time to train his pilots as well as gain their respect. He forms the entire foundation of their command structure."

Guilford spoke up. "However, that information was mainly gained through Numbers who used to live in the city. We don't know if we can trust them."

Lelouch noticed the black-haired officer bristle slightly, but she remained silent. "What's your name, officer?"

The officer was startled. "Hazel Gilmore, Your Highness."

Lelouch raised his brows. The name was Britannian enough, but she definitely had an Oriental heritage. "Gilmore, really? It may be my imagination, but you don't look like a Britannian." The officer shrank slightly, nodding.

Darlton apparently felt it necessary to apologize, "Normally, non-Britannians aren't allowed to work at the G-1, for security purposes. However, Hazel's adopted family, the Gilmores, is extremely loyal to the Crown, so it was decided that their daughter wouldn't pose much of a risk."

_In other words, they pulled some strings._ Lelouch thought. He disapproved of the corrupt nature of nobility, but he knew he would have to stand it. For now. Besides, that wasn't what had interested him about the officer. "Anyways. Cornelia, I'd like you to give me a day."

"Of course. I knew you would want a day to get used to the time zone and climate. If I'm correct, you're body thinks it's nighttime. I'll have you help starting tomorrow morning, 24 hours from now."

Lelouch smirked. "I didn't mean that. I meant a day to take over that fort."

The entire room went quiet. Everyone looked in disbelief as Lelouch, acting oblivious to the silence, stared out the mobile base's windows. Cornelia was the first to speak. "A-Are you crazy, Lelouch? It's been a month since we've tried to take that fort, and you're claiming you can do it in a day?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Lelouch smiled openly. "No offense meant, of course. It's simply that I think my way of fighting is more suited for a battle like this."

"You're way of fighting? You have no experience fighting. War is not like the textbooks you've been reading, you know." scoffed Cornelia.

Lelouch continued to stare out the window. "I know. And what I'm planning is not by the textbook at all."

"Then what the hell are you planning, Lelouch! I'm not going to lose my men because _you_ felt overconfident your first day in the field."

"Relax. Even if I fail, you won't lose any men of importance. I'm simply asking you not to attack the fort in the next 24 hours. I'll just get what I need, and I'll be out of your hair."

Cornelia glared at her half-brother, who simply looked back calmly. Eventually she looked away. "Fine." she muttered, "What do you need?"

"For one thing, I'd like to borrow Hazel here." He tapped the officer on the shoulder, surprising her and the rest of the room once again. "And," he said as he turned back to look at Cornelia, "I'd like the 'Fodder List'."

* * *

><p><strong>1100 hours<strong>

_What is with this prince?_ Hazel wondered as she walked through a sandy field, holding a laptop. _First he wants me, a foreigner, to work with him._ The young Korean woman bristled slightly as she remembered the prince's wording. _'Borrow', as if I'm a piece of property. He's no different from the Gilmores._ She stands up straight as she walks up to a tent. She frowns and looks around, making sure she got the right location.

The tent was just that, a tent. With Lelouch vi Britannia's status as a prince, he should have been able to commandeer his own G-1, yet he chose to use a simpler officer's tent. Not even a Knight's tent, but a common foot soldier officer's tent. Well, that made sense, considering that he'd used the 'Fodder List' for recruits. This was almost as crazy as claiming to be able to take over a fort within 24 hours of joining the field. Gulping, she tugged on the tent's entrance, and announced, "Hazel Gilmore, here as requested."

"Come in."

She walked into the tent. She'd been expecting at least some furniture that befits a prince. Instead, she saw only a single table, displaying a digital map of the surrounding area. After a moment, she realized that she was staring, to the prince's amusement, and Hazel snapped to a salute. Lelouch returned it, and took the laptop from Hazel's hand, placing it on the table.

Then, to Hazel's surprise, the prince bowed to _her_. "First thing's first, Hazel. I need to apologize for my actions earlier."

"W-What do you mean, Your Highness?" stuttered Hazel.

"Please, call me Lelouch when those racist nobles aren't around." Lelouch smiled gently at the woman's surprise. "I'm not a racist, though I know I acted slightly like one in front of my sister." He opened the laptop and scrolled down a list of names. He explained, "As you probably know, what I've suggested is quite ridiculous-sounding. Therefore, I thought it was a bit necessary that I hide my true colors for a bit."

Hazel nodded numbly. Lelouch glanced away from the laptop, and smirked. "You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this."

Again Hazel nodded numbly. Lelouch sighed. "Hazel Gilmore, birth name Hazel Park, adopted daughter of the Gilmores. Because of your foster parents, you are able to serve on Princess Cornelia's G-1, the only non-Britannian to do so. Despite being a foreigner, not a Number, you seem to identify yourselves with the Numbers, exceedingly so. Why is that?"

Hazel was silent. Lelouch sighed again. "I, Lelouch vi Britannia, hereby pardon you from any treasonous or offending statements you make at this time."

Hazel, slightly relieved, slowly said, "My parents were killed when the Chinese Federation took over Korea. They died securing me passage to Britannia. There, I was adopted by Gilmores. However, that was only because of Mr. Gilmore's kind father. He was like a real grandfather to me. However, the rest of the family treated me like their servant, along with the other Numbers that they employed. That was when I started to identify myself as a Number."

"Once Mr. Gilmore's father died, the rest of the family sought a way to dispose of me. As abandoning a daughter, even an adopted one, is looked down upon, they decided to send me away to the military. I've all but lost contact with them since."

Lelouch nodded his head sympathetically. "Your story makes sense. Nobility rarely care for people they can no longer profit from. That's part of the reason I don't like the idea of working alongside other Britannians."

Hazel was startled. _I expected a spoiled prince, not a Numbers sympathizer. What kind of prince denounces nobility like that?_ "Why is that, Your Highness?"

Lelouch smiled. "I told you, call me Lelouch when no nobles are around."

_On that note, what kind of prince let's a non-Britannian call him by his first name?_

Lelouch sighed and continued, "Working with Britannians, more often than not, means working with nobility. From my experience as a prince, most nobles are racist and only look out for themselves. Bribery, treachery, blackmail, and the like are not below a noble, as long as it will bring them power. Non-Britannians, on the other hand, most often only resort to kidnapping or murder, both of which I can avoid by being careful enough." Lelouch didn't mention that his main reason for wanting to work with non-Britannians was because they were a lot less likely to report treason against the throne. He didn't trust this woman that much. Yet.

Hazel nodded. What he said made a lot of sense to Hazel, who had grown up alongside nobles and Numbers alike. One thing didn't make sense, though. "Why are you telling me all this, Your Hi- Lelouch?"

Lelouch smiled slightly. "I did it on a hunch I had." He turned away from the laptop so that he was directly facing Hazel. "Tell me, Hazel, what's your opinion on the enemy command structure. Your honest opinion."

Hazel gulped slightly before she spoke. "I think that Hamza has had a lot of time to train his army and gain their loyalty. However, they haven't seen much real combat before Cornelia came one month ago." She hesitated. "If you want my opinion, I think that Hamza most likely has the fort settled into a routine over their long time stationed there. However, the lack of real battle experience means that they lack contingency plans and end up relying on their commander whenever an emergency occurs."

"Interesting." Privately, Lelouch had already assumed the same things when he'd first heard of the enemy while on his private jet. Now to see if this woman had come to the same conclusion as him… "So, what would Hazel Park suggest, knowing this?"

Hazel blinked before continuing, "I-I think that Cornelia's direct charges are too predictable and can be repelled by the enemy's defenses." Then she realized what she was saying and bowed her head in apology. "I mean no offense to Her Highness."

Lelouch surprised her with a chuckle. "So far, everything you said matches what I've been thinking perfectly. I take no offense at your honesty, though Cornelia may have your head for that." He smiled slightly as the woman grew pale. "I joke, Ms. Park. Continue what you were saying. Opposed to a direct charge, what would you suggest?"

Hazel took a deep breath before continuing. "I'd suggest a covert operation. If we take out the leader, the base will be left without a solid command structure."

Lelouch smiled openly. "Exactly what I was thinking. Now, assuming we were to lead a covert operation, who would you choose to carry it out?"

Hazel, growing a bit more accustomed to speaking her mind, said, "Knights will most likely loathe a secret mission, which would require moving on foot. Regular Britannian infantry may not trust your command, considering that you're new to the battlefield. If I were to recruit soldiers, I would most likely choose…" Realization dawned upon her as she looked at the laptop.

Lelouch smiled as he tapped the laptop. "The 'Fodder List', a slang term for the database of all the non-Britannians among the foot soldiers. It got its name because, in this age of knightmare frames, most non-Britannians in the military are used as live bait for enemy forces. While they aren't allowed to pilot knightmares, they develop a number of skills in order to stay alive. Skills that may come in handy in a covert operation."

Lelouch turned again to face Hazel. "Hazel Park, up to this point, everything you've thought of has matched my ideas. Note that few others can say the same. Therefore, I'd like you to help me. In the future, I'll need officers who can think like me. Will you be one of them?"

"Yes… Lelouch."

Lelouch smiled and gestured to the laptop. "Then it's time to gather our comrades."

* * *

><p><strong>1200 hours<strong>

"Are you Minoru Takahashi?" The Japanese man turned to see himself facing a young Korean woman in an officer's uniform.

The silver-haired teenager stood up with a salute. "Yes, ma'am."

The silver-eyed woman returned the salute. Then she gestured to the table Minoru had been eating at. "If you're done eating, I'd like you to follow me."

_Well, this gruel that the Brits give us isn't 100% edible. _He thought silently. "Of course, ma'am." The woman turns around, black hair lifting slightly, and Minoru sees that three others are following her. He joins them.

"Hey, what do you think this is about?" asked a tall African man. Minoru simply looks at him, trying to see if he knew him. The brown-haired African seemed to notice. "Oh, sorry, man. Name's Emeka. Emeka Azubuike."

"Azubuike? Isn't that an Asian surname?" Minoru thought aloud.

He was surprised when the African chuckled. "I get asked that a lot. Actually, it's Igbo. In other words, 100% African, just like me."

"Well, I'm Minoru Takahashi from Jap-Area 11, nice to meet you."

Another companion, a Brazilian man with short orange hair, was next to introduce himself. "Rafael Domingues, I'm from Area 6."

The last of the people following the Korean was a Chinese woman with short black hair. She smiled as everyone looked at her. "Lei Li, the shortest name among us." Then she looked around and said, with a softer voice, "It's just my opinion, but I think they're disciplining us. I mean, why else would they call on us foot soldiers?"

Emeka shrugged. "That's what I was thinking, but what would they discipline us for?"

Rafael smirked. "Maybe someone messed with their food."

"Or they're _assuming_ someone did." added Minoru.

Rafael snorted. "Most likely. Back in Area 6, we Sixes were blamed for everything. The worst part is that most of us Sixes have given up rebelling. That's part of why I joined the military, to get away from that stuff."

The others nodded in agreement. Among the non-Britannians, their Britannian superiors were known for placing blame on their underlings. "Shush, seems like we're here." warned Emeka as the group neared a yellow tent. The Korean tugged on the tent door.

"Come in." The voice sounded gentler than the gruff image the four foot soldiers had had of a disciplinary officer. The Korean woman gestured them inside. All five non-Britannians went in, and the Korean closed the door behind them.

Whatever Minoru had been expecting, this wasn't it. Only 17, Minoru had joined the military recently, and this was his first time being personally summoned. In front of him stood a large, rectangular table. Behind the table was a young Britannian, most likely the same age as Minoru. Behind the Britannian stood a number of crates, the contents of which he could only guess.

"Welcome, all of you." greeted the Britannian warmly. "My name is Lelouch Lamperouge. Do you mind introducing yourselves?"

All four soldiers stood at attention. Emeka, on the left, started. "Private Emeka Azubuike, 46th Infantry."

"Private Minoru Takahashi, 34th Infantry."

"Private Rafael Domingues, 27th Infantry."

"Private Lei Li, 15th Infantry."

Lelouch nodded. "My assistant officer stands behind you. Her name is Hazel Park." He leans over the table, palms on the metallic surface. "You all must be wondering why you're all here."

_Here it comes_. "Yes, sir." All four of them repeated in unison.

"Well, it's because…" Lelouch smiled. "You're about to get the chance of a lifetime."

Military discipline was all that kept the four figures from letting their jaws drop. Lei was the first to speak. "W-What do you mean, sir?"

Lelouch's smile widened. "I've been placed in charge of a covert operation against Hamza Alam. You all have been hand-picked by me to participate."

Whatever excitement Minoru had felt dropped like a stone. _They're going to use us as gun fodder._ "Where are the rest of the participants?"

Lelouch chuckled slightly. "They're all here."

All four of the assembled soldiers looked around, but they could only see Lelouch and his assistant, Hazel. "W-What do you mean, sir?" Minoru asked.

"First of all, you can stop calling me sir. We'll be operating as a unit separate from the rest, so rank can be forgotten for now." He looked each person in the eye as he spoke. "Emeka, Minoru, Rafael, Lei. You're invited to work with Hazel and myself in an operation against Hamza Alam. An operation that will define this battle. Do you accept?"

For a few moments, everyone is silent. Emeka, the first to get over his shock, said, "Yes, si…" at a stern glance from Lelouch, he awkwardly added, "Lelouch."

Lei is next. "Yes, Lelouch." Her response is followed by those of Rafael and Minoru.

"Thank you." Lelouch taps the table, and the digital screen shows a countdown. "Now, gather here at 2000 hours for your briefing. It'll be a nighttime operation, so get some rest."

* * *

><p><strong>1300 hours<strong>

Minoru was sitting on a wooden crate. Lelouch had left the tent, leaving the rest to wait until nightfall, when the operation would begin. He looked across the table to Emeka, who stood hands over the table's black monitor. "Hey Emeka, what do you think of the Brit?"

The man shrugged. "I dunno, man. But I think he may be the only non-racist Britannian I've seen. He's the first Brit to treat us like human beings."

Rafael agreed. "I wonder how the other officers would react if they found out he was letting us call him by his first name."

"And he's quite good looking." Everyone turned to the Chinese woman. "What?" she asked. That was when Minoru realized Lei was probably the same age as himself. Actually, looking around, everybody looked about the same age. _Bet he didn't want people older than himself taking his orders. _Minoru thought with a slight smirk.

"Dream on, Lei." retorted Rafael. "There's no way a Brit like him would marry anybody else. Did you get a good look at him? He's a pureblood, probably the son of some noble or another."

_You guys have no idea. _Hazel, who had been silent the whole time, chuckled. Now everybody turned to face her. "Hey, what's so funny?" asked Emeka.

Hazel hid a smile with her hands. "Sorry, I can't say a thing, under Lelouch's orders. He'll probably tell you after the operation's done." Calming down, she declared, "I can say, though, that he's one of the better people you could have as your superior."

Silently, everybody nodded in agreement.

* * *

><p><strong>2000 hours<strong>

"Glad that everybody's here," said Lelouch as he entered the tent. Immediately the five occupants stood in a salute. Lelouch chuckled and returned the salute. "On top of addressing me as Lelouch, my second order is for you all to stop giving me salutes." He walked around the table and tapped at the monitor, bringing it to life. It immediately displayed a satellite map of the area. "Now, it's about time for our briefing."

* * *

><p><strong>2015 hours<strong>

"…and that's the entire operation. Any questions?" asked Lelouch, looking around the room.

Minoru raised his hand. "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Only if you remember to stop calling me sir. Do that only in the presence of others."

"Lelouch, then, are you… mentally ill in anyway?"

Lelouch smirked and shook his head. "No. I assure you that I'm in perfect mental health. Why, may I ask?"

Minoru cleared his throat. "You're planning for us to take over an entire fort, an act which Princess Cornelia has attempted and failed multiple times in the past month, with all the Sutherlands and Gloucesters at her disposal. On top of that, you plan to do that in one night, with 4 foot soldiers, and with no casualties?"

Lelouch smiled. "Well, it would hardly do if my subordinates died."

"Then, why us? Why us regular foot soldiers? We're not even Britannians. How can you trust us to do as you say?"

Barely noticeable, Lelouch's grin widened slightly. These were the questions he'd been waiting for. "How can I trust you all? I can because it would benefit you all greatly to help me."

"What do you mean?" Emeka asked.

Lelouch turned and looked the speaker directly in the eye. "Emeka Azubuike. Fugitive from Africa, who fled to Britannia to escape armed radicals, who control the largely uncivilized area. You later got word that your family had died at their hands, and thus joined the Britannian military in hopes of being able to exact revenge. However, you feel more comfortable with a computer than being in the middle of gunfire. Therefore, you requested a transfer to the command vessel. However, most non-Britannians aren't allowed to work on or even be near their command vessels, especially considering that you're technically from the E.U. Therefore, you were stuck in the 46th Infantry."

"H-How do you know all this?" asked Emeka.

"I have enough clearance." explained Lelouch vaguely. "What's more important is that you still wish to join the command vessel, correct?" Silent, Emeka slowly nodded. "If you follow my directions, I'll get you transferred before the week ends." Emeka blinked, as if not sure that he'd heard correctly. _How much clearance does this guy have?_ He wondered.

Lelouch turned to Minoru. "Minoru Takahashi. Your skill in hand-to-hand combat, as well as your ability to use a variety of guns effectively, has qualified you for at least two promotions. However, you have a record of being suspected to be a Japanese terrorist. Therefore, you're stuck as a Private in the 34th Infantry. If you follow me, I can get you those promotions.

Before the Japanese man could absorb everything he had said, Lelouch turned to the Brazilian man. "Rafael Domingues. Your father was a pyrotechnist, your mother an engineer. An interesting combination which allowed you to gain a great understanding of both explosives and machinery. You wished to study engineering in college, but your parents were killed last year. Although it doesn't say in the report, I'd assume it was a lynching by Britannians?" Rafael nodded slightly, stunned by the Britannian's frankness. It may have been his imagination, but Rafael thought he heard some sympathy in his superior's voice.

"Without a family or job, you were quickly drafted into the army, despite your hatred of Britannians. However, your experience with explosives and machinery made you less comfortable, in comparison, with a gun. Therefore, you asked for a transfer, either to the Demolition or the Engineering Corp. Like Emeka, you gained neither and were stuck in the 27th Infantry. Do as I say and you'll be able to _choose_ which transfer to accept."

"Lei Li," He said as he, at last, turned to the Chinese woman. "Like Emeka, you are a fugitive from your home country. By the order of the Chinese Federation's High Eunuchs, your town was razed to the ground. You were the only survivor, and somehow you managed to escape to Britannia, where you promptly joined the military. You asked for a transfer to the covert operations. Apparently, you believed it to match you the most. And Britannian evaluations seemed to agree, showing that you have greater potential than most in the field. However, covert operations normally deal with confidential information, and the higher ups decided that they couldn't let a non-Britannian join. Trust me, and I'll persuade them otherwise."

Lelouch then looked at all four of them. They all seemed to be analyzing him, fearing that he was lying. After all, Lelouch knew that he'd truly offered them a chance in a lifetime. "Now, I hope you can also understand why I'd like to work with you _regular_ foot soldiers. You all have amazing potential. The only things keeping you foot soldiers down are the chains of racism."

He gestures to the crates behind him. "Now, let's get ready for our operation."

* * *

><p><strong>2200 hours<strong>

_Note to self, _he thought as he sat against the wall, panting for air, _Avoid personally leading a covert operation on foot._ He looked back. It had taken them an hour and a half, but they'd managed to sneak past the stationed Bamides units and into the fort's walls. _And,_ _all of them still have plenty of energy left._

Or at least that's what it looked like. Lelouch couldn't tell what their expressions were, since they were all wearing gas masks, just like Lelouch himself. Although slightly annoying at times, the gas masks served two purposes. In case that they were discovered, their identities were still hidden under the masks. Additionally, it allowed the team to carry knockout gas. Hopefully they wouldn't have to use the later advantage often.

Quietly, the team, dressed in all black, made their way to a palace, which stood in the center of the fort. _More like a city than a fort,_ Lelouch realized as they passed by restaurants and apartments. The prince felt slight guilt. These refugees had achieved a semblance of normality in this wartime. Who was he to take that away? Lelouch shook his head to clear his head. Those were useless thoughts.

Luckily it seemed that most of the defenses were centered around the walls. With a smile, he noted the placement of a machine-gun at the top of an apartment overlooking a barren field. _That'll come in handy._

They slip into the palace with little trouble. Then they came to the top-left part of a T-shaped intersection. Lelouch, looking over a corner, spots two guards standing by a set of doors, which most likely led to Hamza. He gestures at Minoru. Minoru picks up a stone and throws it to the hallway on the other side of the intersection. It makes a light rattle.

Curious, the two guards move over to look down the hall, backs turned to Lelouch's group. Minoru silently runs up and hits them lightly on the back of the neck, rendering them unconscious. He grabs both guards and carefully lays them down in order to avoid making sound.

The group quietly moves to the pair of doors. With a series of gestures and nods, Emeka and Rafael move to opposite sides of the door and each grab one of the doors. Minoru holds his submachine gun in front of the doors. Lei and Hazel flank him, holding tranquilizer guns.

Lelouch nods and the doors open simultaneously. The precautions were proven unnecessary as they saw their target in bed. On a table next to him stood a microphone. Lelouch steps forward and pulls the man from bed. That may have proven to be a mistake, as Hamza was much larger than the teenager, and Lelouch's attempt to get the man on his feet ends with enemy commander landing headfirst onto the stone floor. Lelouch winces slightly as the man awakens.

"What the hell? W-Who the hell are you guys, assassins? Do you know who I am? I'm Hamza Alam. Just one word and my entire army will come in."

Lelouch released his gas mask to speak more freely. "I don't doubt that your army will. Too bad that you won't have a chance to say another word." He then fires a tranquilizer gun directly into the man's chest. The fast acting chemicals soon render the man unconscious.

"Was saying that really necessary, boss?" jeered Emeka. After seeing their leader have so much difficulty with what they considered a morning warm-up hike, the foot soldiers were readily becoming more comfortable with Lelouch.

Lelouch smiled. "Maybe it wasn't. Did you get the recording?"

In response, Emeka held up a palm-sized audio recorder. He shrugged off his backpack and pulled out a laptop, to which he connected the recorder. "Already on it, Lelouch."

"Good." He turned to the others. "Phase two begins now. Lei, Rafael, you know what you need to do. Hazel will be going with you. I've given her contingency plans in case any problem arises. Minoru, go to the field. I saw a machine gun on top of one of the apartment buildings. Set up there."

As his subordinates moved out, he followed them out to the hall, where he then set up cameras. Going back in the room, he opened his own laptop and started watching for any unwanted guests.

* * *

><p><strong>2230 hours<strong>

"Lelouch, I'm done." Lelouch turned away from his laptop monitor to see his African subordinate looking at him, taking off headphones.

"Good job. Now we wait for Lei and Minoru to report in. Let's hope your program works."

Everything had gone pretty much according to plan, Lei realized as she walked up a staircase, followed by Rafael and Hazel. They'd been busy placing decoy lights on the buildings surrounding the field that lay in front of the palace. As well as other things.

True to Lelouch's guess, the city was practically a ghost town at night. Only the occasional late-night guard populated the otherwise silent streets.

Originally, Lei had been skeptical about Lelouch's plan, but it seemed like they just might pull it off.

Lei came to a doorframe at the top of the staircase. The door was unlocked, and it led to the open roof of the apartment. Across from the door was Minoru, pointing his submachine gun at them. Upon seeing who it was, he put his gun away and gestured them over. Picking up a radio, he said, "Lelouch, Emeka, This is Minoru. Lei and the rest are with me. Everything's good to go."

"This is Lelouch. Good job. We're proceeding to phase three."

"Roger that."

Presently, he heard speakers crackle to life. It sounded like the man Lelouch had tranquilized. "Attention all forces, this is your leader, Hamza Alam. A series of explosives have been found around the city and the walls. Therefore, all forces are to evacuate to the field outside of the palace. As of now, that is the only inspected safe zone in the area. I repeat, all forces are to temporarily evacuate to the field. All forces except knightmare pilots are to report at the field within the next 30 minutes. Otherwise, you will be suspected of being involved with the explosives."

Minoru whistled. It sounded exactly like Hamza. "Damn, that Emeka's good."

**Author's Note: So that's my first chap of my first fanfic. How was it?**

**Please review!**


	2. The Prince of Masks Becomes Hamza Alam

" " for dialogue

_Italics _for thought (or stress when just a word or two)

Mask 2: The Prince of Masks Becomes Hamza Alam

**Middle East  
><strong>**Hamza Alam's Fort  
><strong>**2017 a.t.b.  
><strong>**2300 hours**

Minoru was lying on his back, peering through sandbags at the ground below him. Even through the night, he could see that at least a few thousand soldiers stood in the large, open field. Most were unarmed, having rushed to the area.

Next to him lay a Chinese woman. "When's Lelouch coming?" asked Lei.

As if to answer, a red LED light lit up on a small panel in front of the woman. Someone had tripped the sensors she'd placed on the staircase. The people lying on the floor turned, guns drawn, as the door opened. They relaxed as they saw two masked figures.

"What took you so long?" asked Rafael.

One man took off his mask to reveal a Britannian man. Lelouch smiled as he lay down with the rest. "Sorry we're late. It took a bit longer than we thought to hide Hamza. That guy must weigh at least three hundred pounds. The guards weren't exactly a light load either."

The group chuckled quietly as Lelouch brought out a laptop. Lei brought her hands on top of the panel in front of her, which served as a large remote. Everyone grew quiet as Lelouch brought out a microphone. The same microphone that had been by Hamza's bed. He cleared his throat, and the entire city was able to hear his next words.

"Attention enemy forces gathered at the city's field. You, as well as your dear leader, are now at gunpoint. Flicking a series of switches, Lei turned on lights placed on the surrounding buildings, as well as a series of red lasers. The combined effect made all the gathered soldiers think they were being targeted, as well as surrounded. Lelouch continued. "I'm aware that the civilians and knightmare pilots in the area can hear me. Know that if anyone makes a move, your comrades will die.

Then the speakers magnified along the walls, allowing the Britannian Army to hear. "This fort has been taken over by the Holy Britannian Empire. Here is a warning to any who try to resist."

This time, Rafael squeezes a trigger on a small remote he was carrying. Immediately, the city lights up in a series of intimidatingly large explosions. The explosions took out all the buildings around the city that housed weaponry. Emeka presses a button on his laptop.

Soon the enemy is left dazed, confused, practically weaponless, and now without functioning radio frequencies. It helped that the enemy thought they were surrounded. Almost in unison, all the soldiers dropped any weapons they had and raised their arms in surrender. Through cameras he'd set up on their way in, Lelouch saw all the Bamides pilots doing the same, leaving their tanks with their hands up. Lelouch smiled as he gave his dear half-sister a midnight call.

* * *

><p><span>Encyclopedia Britannica:<span>

The Ambush at Hamza's Fort-

Britannian Commander: Lelouch vi Britannia

Middle Eastern Commander: Hamza Alam

Britannian Forces: 6

Middle Eastern Forces: 6,786

Britannian Casualties (killed/injured/captured): 0 (0/0/0)

Middle Eastern Casualties (killed/injured/captured): 6,786 (0/0/6,786)

* * *

><p><strong>Next Day<br>****0400 hours**

Lelouch smiled as he stood up and looked around. It had taken an hour to wake the Britannian Army, another two hours to get them to believe the enemy had surrendered and that they could go in the fort, and the last hour to gather up the thousands of prisoners, civilians and soldiers alike. He saw with satisfaction a helicopter landing on the apartment roof, from which Lelouch and his men had dared not leave until Britannia had full control of the city.

Out of the helicopter jumped three figures: Cornelia, Guilford, and Darlton. Lelouch noted with amusement that all of them still showed traces of shock. Lelouch and his men turned to salute the Princess. After a few silent moments, Cornelia returned the salute and said, "Well, God knows how, but you did it. You took over a fortress in less than 24 hours of active military duty. With the help of five low-life foot soldiers, too."

Lelouch bit his lip. He could feel the 'low-life foot soldiers' confusion at what the princess said. Lelouch had _forgotten_ to mention that he was new to the military. "I'd appreciate it if you could refrain from calling my men low-life's." He smiled inwardly as he could almost feel the appreciation his men felt for him sticking up for them. Against royalty, of all people.

"Very well," said Cornelia. "However, this victory means that you won't have to resort to these kinds of men."

"Hey Emeka, any idea why Her Highness is speaking so informally to Lelouch?" whispered Minoru.

Apparently, he hadn't whispered quietly enough. Guilford, looking scandalized for a moment, quickly marches up to the man. "How dare you address His Highness like that?" He raises his arm as if to slap the man. Lelouch quickly steps in between them.

The prince glares at Cornelia's Knight. "These are my men. I allowed, no, I ordered them to address me by first name, and you have no right to discipline them over that."

His declaration was barely noticed as the four foot soldiers realized what Guilford had said.

Emeka is the first to stutter, "H-His Highness? What do you mean by that?"

Lelouch sighed. He turned to face his five subordinates, and surprised everyone with a graceful bow. "Indeed. Lamperouge is simply my mother's maiden name. My birth name is Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of Britannia."

On many occasions before, Lelouch's eccentric statements had almost made his men gape. Almost. But this time, their mouths literally fell open. Lelouch turned to Cornelia. "Cornelia, can you give me some time with my men? I'll join you in the helicopter after a bit."

Cornelia was about to protest but shuts her mouth after seeing her brother's glare. She knew that, when Lelouch looked at a person like that, it meant that he would not take no as an answer. "Come on, Guilford, Darlton." Her knight opens his mouth to protest, but he meets a glare very similar to Lelouch's. Darlton privately noted with amusement that this was one of the few times Lelouch and Cornelia had looked related.

As the three figures moved back into the helicopter, Lelouch turned to his five subordinates. He sighed. "Now you all know why I had enough clearance to accurately hand-pick you." He walked closer to them. "I fully intend to keep my promises. As a prince, it'll be simple enough for me to arrange your transfers."

Rafael remarked with a slightly wistful grin, "Your Highness is too good for us regular soldiers, right?"

Lelouch grinned slightly. "Not quite." All five subordinates stared at him questioningly. Surely he wouldn't require them to do more work before being transferred.

As if hearing this, Lelouch chuckled slightly. As if talking to himself, he looked up into the sky and said, "I'm a prince that is finally entering the world of war and politics. As with every member of royalty, it becomes necessary to gather around me skilled comrades who can protect me. For example, Cornelia has her Glaston Knights. Now that I'm in the military, I need to recruit a personal guard. My royal guard is composed of members of my choosing. That means that if I say race doesn't matter, it doesn't matter."

The five assembled non-Britannians started to grasp what their leader was saying. Hazel was first to voice what they were all thinking. "Are you suggesting that…?"

Lelouch looked at his comrades and smiled. "In my guard, I need people I can count on. People who have great potential, and I can't think of a better measure of potential than taking over a fortress with five other people that you never knew 24 hours ago…" He spread out his arms magnanimously. "I, Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of Britannia, ask Hazel Park, Minoru Takahashi, Emeka Azubuike, Lei Li, and Rafael Domingues, will you become my royal guard?"

All five of the people he asked took off their gas masks and look at each other in shock. None dare speak.

Then, by unspoken agreement, they kneel and respond, "Yes, Your Highness."

Lelouch smiled. "Thank you."

"Are you crazy, Lelouch?" Cornelia says as Lelouch and his new royal guard gets seated in the helicopter. "You can't make them your Guard! Not a single one of them is a Britannian. It'll cause uproar in the Homeland."

Lelouch just smirked in response. "Let it. There's nothing that says non-Britannians can't be a part of a Guard. It's the fault of other princes and princesses that they let their racist pride prevent them from picking non-Britannian guards." Behind him, Lelouch's guard gained a newfound admiration for their prince. After all, few would ever speak up so confidently against the so-called Witch of Britannia.

"Lelouch!" admonished Cornelia, "Don't talk of your brothers and sisters that way!"

"I say it because it's true." Cornelia just glares at him. This is a fight she won't back down from.

Then Hazel comes forth with a compromise. "Lelouch, the issue here is our nationality, not our capabilities, correct?"

Lelouch scoffed, "Of course, nobody can doubt our capabilities after what we've done, why?"

Hazel hesitated before answering. "If that's it, then why don't we just hide our nationalities?"

Cornelia asks, "And how the hell do you propose to do that? Wear masks and hide your identities?"

Hazel shrinks slightly before answering, "Actually that's exactly what I was thinking…"

Lelouch nods, considering the idea. "That's not too bad of an idea, Hazel."

"Lelouch!" Cornelia looks at her half-brother.

Lelouch shrugs. Ignoring his sister, he looks back at the rest of his Guard. "That is, if you guys agree."

Emeka declares proudly, "You don't have to ask us, boss."

Lei nods. "…Sounds like fun."

Rafael shrugs. "Nobody knows me anyhow."

Minoru smiles sheepishly. "…I think it might be cool."

Turning to Hazel, she surprises him with a rare smile. "I suggested it, so of course I'm okay with it."

"Then it's settled." Lelouch signals the pilot to start the helicopter.

"No it isn't…!" Cornelia's protest is muted by the helicopters large rotors.

* * *

><p><strong>Two Days Later<strong>

Lelouch smiles as he looks at his Guard. They had no idea, but he'd been studying their profiles for a while, which is why he could trust them so easily. After all, he did need to make sure his companions were trustworthy. Non-Britannians who wouldn't report treason yet wouldn't resort to terrorism. _And_ that had enough skill to be useful.

He'd already quietly managed the official transfer of all five of his subordinates to his command. At the moment, all of them sat quietly in the lounge, which was located towards the rear of Cornelia's G-1. Lelouch noted that they still seemed uncomfortable about being as close to him as during the mission. He supposed it was understandable. They had had very little warning that he was a prince. He was simply glad they didn't seem to feel betrayed by his use of an alias.

At that time, Cornelia entered the room. Immediately everyone, including Lelouch, rose in a salute. Cornelia returned it stiffly. She was still irked by the fact that Lelouch had managed to get everything he said he would. Even she had failed her first few battles, so why not Lelouch?

Cornelia was careful not to voice this opinion as she spoke. "Lelouch, it looks like Schneizel spoke to Father on your behalf. You are being allowed to continue as you did with Hamza's fortress. You and your guard will operate as a special unit which ignores regular rank. You are granted access to my supplies. However, you are required to take care of any enemy forces you come in contact with."

"Fair enough."

Cornelia sighed, "My army and I will have to remain here to move the prisoners and set up a garrison. What will you do?"

Lelouch gestures to a set of six gas masks complete with black visors to cover the eyes. They were a standard foot soldier's headgear. "I'm going to find somewhere I can do damage."

"Are you serious? We'll be piloting this lump of metal?" said Rafael. He was walking around the giant tank, inspecting it for faults.

Lelouch smiled. "According to intelligence, Syraval has become a rendezvous for the enemy forces. Therefore, it would be an ideal place to infiltrate the enemy forces." He tapped the sand-colored giant. "And for that, we'll need this."

Minoru was skeptical. "Won't they be suspicious if we wear these foot soldier masks?"

Hazel was the one who answered. "We can just say that we're spies in the Britannian Army. If we say we don't want our identities revealed, they'll probably think it to mean we plan to "infiltrate" the Britannians again. Besides, they'll need every Bamides they can get."

Lelouch nodded. "Exactly." Then he got in the tank. "Come on."

It took Rafael only 15 minutes to find out and explain all the controls. It was practically a miniature G-1. One person handled movement of the legs. This job was given to Lei. It took both Minoru and Rafael to handle all the giant cannons on the giant. A fourth person handled communications and radar. This post was given to Emeka. Lelouch sat on a miniature throne in the center, from which he could see what everybody else did. Hazel stood behind him, with no current job.

Apparently, the lumbering excuse of a knightmare could move fast, when given the chance. Hazel and Lei took shifts in driving the giant forward. After two long days, as the sun stood in the middle of the sky, the city of Syraval came into view.

Or at least what had been the city.

Before the invasion, the city of Syraval had probably been a relatively peaceful place. Now it was surrounded by defenses of every kind. Jeeps, MPG nests, Bamides units, and even artillery were deployed in a wide radius around the city.

He was interrupted from his thinking as their radio came to life. Emeka looked at him. "It's Syraval; they're trying to open a visual communication line."

Lelouch put on his gas mask and his men followed suit. "Let them."

On a monitor in front of him, Lelouch saw an image of an elderly man. The man had graying hair, yet, if his build was any indication, he seemed to be in optimal physical condition. He scowled as he saw the gas masks. "Who are you? Why do you have Britannian masks on?"

Lelouch raised his arms, as if to show that he held no weapons. "My men and I are from Hamza. We managed to escape with a message from him." He gestured at his face. "These masks are because we disguised ourselves as Britannian foot soldiers. In order to prevent our identities from reaching Britannian ears, we'd appreciate if you let us keep them on."

The man stared at Lelouch, as if he was trying to see through the mask. Finally, he took a deep breath. "Very well. Give me the message."

"I can't do that." Lelouch said coolly. "I have orders to deliver it face to face with the leader of this base, in order to prevent eavesdroppers."

"…Very well."

* * *

><p><strong>1400 hours<strong>

_Almost too easy,_ thought Lelouch as he walked through the city. His gas mask startled many pedestrians, but the military did nothing to stop him. He'd left Rafael, Hazel, and Emeka at their Bamides, in case anything went wrong. As he spoke, Rafael was most likely 'inspecting' the other vehicles in the hanger, making sure that they wouldn't be an obstacle. After that, he was to place a little 'insurance' in one of the other hangers.

Lelouch saw that some people nearby were grabbing the guns they kept at their sides. Lelouch smirked under his gas mask. He wasn't worried. With Lei on his right side and Minoru on his left, Lelouch knew he was as well guarded as he could be.

Presently, they reached a large tent. It was about three times the size of Lelouch's own; with the top about two stories high. He enters the tent, followed by his guards. He looked in front of him. _Well, this is a slight dilemma._

_Fuck__,_ was the one thing that went through Minoru's mind as he looked in front of him. In the middle was the man from the monitor. That wasn't the worrying part, though.

The worrying part was that that man was flanked by six men on either side of him, pointing their submachine guns at them.

Minoru slowly reached for the gun he kept under his black shirt. He saw Lei do the same. Both of them had hidden at least two guns and daggers under their clothes. It was part of the reason that all three of them were wearing the same clothes from their Hamza operation, despite the heat they absorbed.

"Nice weather we've been having these days." commented Lelouch nonchalantly, as if he didn't see the guns in front of him.

_Nice weather,_ thought Minoru. During the two days in the Bamides, Lelouch had drilled over a dozen codes into everybody's heads. At the time, he had thought it was unnecessary. Now he was grateful that he could take orders without raising suspicion. _'Nice weather' … __pretend nothing unusual happened__._ He saw that Lei had already let her hand drop to her side, weaponless. Minoru did the same.

"It _is_ quite hot and sunny. Makes it odd that you're wearing black. Though, I suppose it's odder that you don't seem surprised about your situation here. Why is that?" the man questioned.

"It's understandable for you to take precautions. I just hope we can all trust your men." _Precautions_, Minoru thought, _open a line to __the others__._ He pretended to readjust his mask and tapped on his mask's mike, automatically connecting to Emeka in the Bamides.

"We can trust them. What I'm more worried about is whether I can trust you."

"You can trust me as long as I'm sure you're the leader here. Give me a demonstration of your authority, and I'll give you Hamza's message."

Back at the Bamides, Emeka paid attention to what the prince had said. _Demonstration… _Emeka opened a line to Rafael, who was outside. "Lelouch wants a demonstration."

"…Roger that. I'm almost done."

Back at the tent, the elderly man raised his brows. "You doubt that I'm the leader here?" He chuckled. "Then here's a _demonstration." _He pointed to a soldier on his left. "You there, take off their masks."

"Understood." The soldier slung his gun so that it was by his side, strap on his left soldier. He slowly walked closer.

Lelouch waited until the soldier was more than halfway towards him. Then he said, "I'm afraid that I'm not satisfied at your show of power. I'll need a bigger demonstration."

"What do you mean?"

Back at the Bamides, Rafael ran in, handing a remote to Hazel. "They're in the hanger two buildings over."

Hazel nodded. "Good job. Lelouch just gave another code." She smiled slightly. "He says he's not satisfied with their demonstration."

_Not satisfied. T-20 seconds._ Rafael smiled. "Well, he'll be satisfied with this, alright."

Back inside the tent, Lelouch calmly continued, "If you force your will on those around you, then you are no better than the corrupt nobility." _Corrupt nobility_. _Attack the moment they've been distracted__._ Minoru and Lei tense up.

The soldier doesn't seem to notice. Instead, he simply takes a hold of Lelouch's mask. The prince raises his hands to help.

At that instant, for Minoru, time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time. A violent explosion could be heard in the distance. For a few seconds, all the soldiers are looking towards the source of the noise. A few seconds was all they needed. Lei took out a handgun and fired at the five men standing on the right.

Minoru strikes out with his right hand, snapping the nearby soldier's neck. He then takes the submachine gun and fires in six quick bursts at the remaining six men on the left.

Lelouch, unperturbed, takes off his mask and lets it fall. By the time it hits the floor, all the soldiers lie dead. He walks over a dead soldier, making his way to the gray-haired man.

The man looks slightly comical. Grasping the throne he sat in, he was a pale white, with his eyes bulging slightly in surprise. He looks up to the standing Britannian in front of him. All he can gasp out is, "Please… don't kill me."

Lelouch smiles. "Just do as I say, and I won't." He turns to Lei. "Contact Emeka. Make sure Cornelia's coming. Tell him to report when he's done with his program. And tell Rafael to place some surprises in the hanger next door. Hazel will know where to put them."

"Got it."

* * *

><p><strong>1430 hours<strong>

"Lelouch," said Lei through her foot soldier's helmet. "Emeka and Rafael are both done."

"Have Emeka run his program."

"Roger that."

A few moments later, speakers and radios alike turn on all around the city. Next to Lelouch, their elderly captive starts shaking as he recognizes his own voice speaking. "Oh my god. Don't tell me… No! No, no, NO!"

Lelouch began to smile slightly, "Indeed. Just like at Hamza's fort. Using my subordinate's program, I can order your forces as if I were you. It'll be your own voice that leads them to defeat."

"You…" gasped the man in fear. "You are a demon! You're the son of Satan!"

Lelouch thought about his father. "You're probably right." Outside, he hears footsteps as the soldiers outside gather in an empty hangar. Slowly, they fade away.

Through a receiver in his ear, Lelouch hears Hazel's voice. "They're all here."

Lelouch takes out a microphone from his black clothing. Through Emeka, it was connected to speakers throughout the city. "This is Lelouch vi Britannia of the Holy Britannian Empire. I've captured your leader, and those of you gathered in the hangers are advised not to move. Not unless you wish to trigger the explosives I've planted throughout the city." That was quite a lie, considering that he had explosives planted in only the hanger, but it was easily believed. "All enemy forces are to throw aside their weapons. The city of Syraval is now under Britannian control."

* * *

><p><span>Encyclopedia Britannica:<span>

The Ambush at Syraval-

Britannian Commander: Lelouch vi Britannia

Middle Eastern Commander: Aarif Majid

Britannian Forces: 6

Middle Eastern Forces: 11,739

Britannian Casualties (killed/injured/captured): 0 (0/0/0)

Middle Eastern Casualties (killed/injured/captured): 11,739 (12/0/11,727)

* * *

><p><strong>1600 hours<strong>

_He did it again, that bastard. _Thought Cornelia as she entered the city of Syraval. Everywhere she looked, she saw Britannian soldiers taking prisoners away. _Just when I was done cleaning his leftovers from Hamza, he did it again. With five commoners, he took over an entire city. With only a dozen dead__, too._

Just then, Cornelia got a call. She listened for two minutes before hanging up.

_Damn you, Lelouch, you're going to get yourself killed!_

"Hey Lelouch, why did you tell that man, 'You're probably right'?" asked Minoru, voice filtering through his gas mask. They were walking back to their Bamides, where they planned to meet with Hazel, Emeka, and Rafael.

"Is it a lie?" Lelouch replied, startling Minoru. "I consider my father a demon, if not Satan incarnate." Minoru and Lei blinked in surprise behind their masks. That sounded like…

"That sounds like treason?" Lelouch said aloud, voicing his subordinate's thoughts. Slowly, they nodded. Lelouch sighed, "I disapprove of the Britannian Empire as it exists currently. It is far too oppressive towards the weaker members of society." Thinking of Nunnally, he adds, "Being weak in not a crime. Rather, it is a crime on the part of the strong to take advantage of that. If I was emperor, I'd take away the Numbers system, as well as the Nobility."

_A Britannian idealist? Isn't that an oxymoron? _"If that were to happen, we would help and protect you every step of the way." Minoru found himself saying. He noticed Lei nod in agreement.

Lelouch smiled, "Thank you. Both of you."

"Lelouch!"

Lelouch turned around to see a _very_ annoyed Cornelia marching up to him. "Cornelia, what's the matter?"

Cornelia, followed by Guilford, came to a stop just a few feet from Lelouch. "I've just gotten orders from the Homeland. You're being sent on an operation!"

Lelouch's eyes widened. He was finally getting an actual assignment. "Is that so? Then why are you so annoyed?" Lelouch asked with fake innocence.

He enjoyed watching as Cornelia tried to refrain from sounding childish. "Lelouch, you came to the Middle East less than a week ago, yet now you've completely isolated me from the battlefield."

"But securing prisoners is an important job too." he mused, "Orders are orders, dear sister." Behind him, Minoru and Lei struggled to keep from laughing at the frustrated Cornelia. "Besides, I've been doing well. Why are you angry about that?"

His tone was so innocent that Cornelia couldn't think of an appropriate answer. Meanwhile, he changed the topic. "What's the operation?"

Cornelia was more than slightly eager to respond to a question she could answer. "You'll be attacking a large convoy of Bamides units. You can borrow anything you need from my forces."

"Excellent." Lelouch started grinning. "Then, I'll need a G-1."

Cornelia's jaw dropped, as did Guilford's, Minoru's, and Lei's. "That's it? You'll be fighting over four dozen Bamides units with a G-1?"

"And with my royal guard." Minoru and Lei felt slightly flattered that Lelouch put so much faith in them, but… _He's kidding, right? Right?_

Cornelia muttered, "You're going to get killed one of these days. You're trying to do the impossible on a regular basis. They're just commoners." Then she sighed as she looked into Lelouch's purple eyes. "You can't be serious."

"I am."

"You're crazy."

_No, I'm a son of Satan. As you will find out, dear sister._ Lelouch smirked. "Even if I'm crazy, I'm still serious."

**Author's Note: Review!**


	3. Leaving the Middle East

**Author's Note: Nothing to say here, lol.**

" " for dialogue

_Italics _for thought (or stress when just a word or two)

Mask 3: Leaving the Middle East

**Middle East  
><strong>**North of ****S****yraval  
><strong>**2017 a.t.b.  
><strong>**1800 hours**

Lelouch sat in the sand. In front of him was his Guard. Emeka had a laptop open on his lap, headphones on. Minoru and Rafael were sitting next to a motorbike, polishing their submachine guns. Lei was putting a custom scope on her sniper rifle. Hazel was scanning the distance with binoculars. All of them were wearing desert camouflage.

Beyond the nearby dunes, to the right, dozens of Bamides units were moving in front of them. Vaguely similar to a herd of cattle, the group was moving towards Lelouch's left.

"You know, I thought you were joking, Lelouch."

Lelouch smiled as he heard Minoru. "How so?"

"I don't know. Maybe the fact that you plan to use an empty G-1 and six foot soldiers to take down about 50 Bamides units."

_Skeptical as ever, huh, Minoru. _"Relax. Being foot soldiers gives us an advantage." reassured Lelouch.

His guards looked at him. "How so?" asks Minoru.

It's Hazel who answers. "I think it's because now everybody is used to knightmare combat. They've forgotten how to deal with guerilla tactics." Everybody turns to look at her. She realized that she had denied a royal prince his chance to reply. "A-at least, that's what I think."

Lelouch smiled. "And you're correct. Most of this invasion has been composed of Cornelia's straightforward charges using Sutherlands and Gloucesters. By now, that's what most people in the area expect."

Lelouch sees that the enemy has almost passed their hiding place. "That's why they won't see this coming. Emeka, move the G-1 into position."

"Got it, boss." Emeka presses a button on his laptop, and presently the Bamides units grind to a halt. If Lelouch had been aiming to kill, he could have just planted charges, so predictable was the movement of the enemy force. _But capturing them looks better in the newpapers._

As the Bamides all aimed their main cannons, Lelouch ordered, "Emeka, jam their radars. Minoru, Rafael, move out."

"Roger that."

Soon their motorbike is on its way to the rearmost Bamides. Rafael had had some time to examine the sand-colored metal giant. Because of that, they knew a number of its weaknesses. One was that it couldn't turn in the moments before or during it's the firing of its main cannons. This was to make sure the shot was on target and, more importantly, to make sure the recoil didn't put unnecessary stress on the Bamides.

That meant that, if their radar was jammed, then the Bamides was all but blind on its flanks and rear. Meaning that Minoru and Rafael could sneak up on it with their motorbike with little difficulty.

Meanwhile, Emeka reported, "I think I've found the leader, boss."

Lelouch smiled. He'd had Emeka intercept the enemy transmissions for that single goal. "Good job, point it out to Lei, then give me their frequency." Emeka complied.

Lelouch raised a handheld radio to his face. "Attention leader of the Bamides convoy, this is Lelouch vi Britannia. If you want to live you'll surrender now." As he spoke, Rafael placed a charge on the rearmost Bamides. Before the pilots could understand what had happened, the two had sped forward to another Bamides.

Soon the radio started crackling to life as the pilots of the rearmost Bamides start reporting sightings of an unknown vehicle. Unfortunately, they couldn't fire at the small vehicle without hitting an allied unit.

Lelouch smiled, "As you most likely have realized, my men have placed explosives on your units. If you don't want to die, I suggest you all surrender."

Someone spat over the radio, "My men would rather die than let you take us alive."

"Pity." Lelouch gestured to Lei. She had used her sniper rifle's heat-detecting scope to find the leader within his Bamides. She took a deep breath and fired.

Over the radio, Lelouch heard frantic shouting as their leader dropped dead. "If you don't want to follow your leader to the gates of Hell, I suggest you all surrender."

The shouting quieted down, and presently a nervous voice spoke over the radio, "W-We surrender."

"Thank you."

* * *

><p><span>Encyclopedia Britannica:<span>

The Ambush at North Syraval-

Britannian Commander: Lelouch vi Britannia

Middle Eastern Commander: Abbas Hadi

Britannian Casualties (killed/injured/captured): 0 (0/0/0)

Middle Eastern Casualties (killed/injured/captured): 251 (1/0/250)

* * *

><p><strong>Syraval<br>****The Next Day  
><strong>**0800 hours**

"Yes, thank you." says Cornelia as she and Guilford walk to the north wall, where Lelouch had left with his Guard just yesterday. From a distance, she saw that all six were back in one piece. He'd given the base quite the fright, bringing back 50 captured Bamides units. When the foot soldier's heard that he'd only fought with five of their own as his comrades this whole time, rumors began to circulate. Some said he was demon in human form, to be able to do so much with so little. Some said he was becoming the prince of the people, choosing commoners to fight alongside him. It didn't hurt that he was the son of Marianne 'The Flash', a commoner herself. Whatever the case, he was quickly becoming something beyond a mere mortal to the common soldiers.

Above all, it still irked her slightly that Lelouch was doing better than her, with just five common soldiers. None of them were even Britannian!

She didn't really dislike him. In fact, she felt slightly relieved that he was doing so well. After the death of her idol, Marianne, Cornelia had tried to be a mother figure for them. It frustrated her that she didn't know who killed their mother, and she sympathized with Lelouch and his sister.

But that didn't change the fact that she loathed being stuck cleaning up the countless thousands that he captured. And that didn't include dealing with all the non-combatant refugees.

Still, thanks to Schneizel, he would soon be out of her way. "Lelouch!" called out Cornelia as she approached.

Lelouch was surprised. For once, Cornelia didn't look annoyed. "What is it, sister?"

Cornelia stopped a few feet from Lelouch. "The Homeland decided that these early victories are probably getting to your head, considering your latest stunt."

Lelouch's heart dropped like a stone. Surely he wasn't being sent back to the Homeland for politics, not when he'd finally managed to get away from that monster of a father. "So…?"

"You've been transferred to Area 11."

Lelouch, as well as his guards, blinked in surprise. _Japan? Why? _wondered Minoru, silently eager to return to his homeland. "Why, Cornelia?" Lelouch had decided to voice what they were all thinking.

Cornelia sighed. "Clovis hasn't made much progress reforming the Elevens. Even now, it's got the largest number of active terrorists among all the Areas."

Inwardly, Lelouch smirked. _Of course, that fool Clovis is too spoiled to know how to deal with terrorists._ "Understood, we'll leave immediately."

_It happened a bit earlier than I anticipated, but I guess I'll have to speed my plans up a bit._

**Author's Note: Yay, Lelouch finally gets to Japan. One thing I disliked about most Prince Lelouch fanfics were that they overextended the beginning, making it to lengthy to be enjoyable. Then they'd stop updating once they got there . Anyways, I tried to do the opposite. Sorry this chapter is so short, but I wanted to take a bit of a break here . I'll be updating soon, probably tomorrow. I actually already have more chapters, but I need to pace my uploading and writing, since I won't be writing for the first few months of school :(. **

**Oh, and Review! It'll seem a bit pointless for me to update unless I get replies as to how I'm doing -8/25/11**


	4. Entering Japan

**Author's Notes: Hey, so now Lelouch is in Japan . I _wanted to_ give a response to _all_ my great reviewers, but even a day later, there are too many, lol. I'll just settle for answering any reviewer questions that others may have had.**

**Lol, now that I know people like my fanfic, I'm nervous about not meeting your expectations.**

**XIIIth Antagonist****: "Will you have Clovis try to kill him for finding C.C.? Will you have him as Zero while maintaining the facade?"**

**Unfortunately, I don't want to spoil the coming chapters by giving you the details, so you'll have to wait and see. I'd love it if you could leave a review when you're questions are answered. Your first question will be answered around chap 7 (*hint* the Shinjuku Incident *hint*), so I'll be looking for your name in my email alerts then. I can tell you that the Shinjuku Incident isn't really that canon.**

**abinash: "Is suzaku is a friend of lelouch or not"**

**Unfortunately for suzaku fans, he doesn't seriously appear until later, lol. I can say that he at least becomes a friend of Lelouch, though whether he stays a friend is unknown :). However, Lelouch was never used as a 'bargaining chip' in Japan, if that's what you're asking. In other words, before the story, Lelouch had no idea who suzaku was.**

**"I think you are going too this rate lelouch will take over britania in 20 episode with out try to give lelouch geass other than absolute obedience."**

**Lol, actually, I know I'm going a bit fast. This is because I won't be able to write very soon because of school. While I promise to be back in a few months, I wanted to write as much as I could in what little time I have. However, with my current planned storyline, it's still going to take him a significant amount of time to take over Britannia. Also, I never said anything about giving him absolute obedience :). I know I can't make him too powerful (though he might still be too powerful, lol).**

**"Is lelouch is going to join in asford academy."**

**...No. He's going to have a lot to do with the Ashfords, but not really as a student. Wait till around chapter 8 to see.**

**Also, thanks to Ragez, Edwiddlem, XT3, LelouchVi, dalc789, snakeboy33, Umbra8191, and hollow-lelouch for reviewing.**

**Review!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics _for thought (or stress when just a word or two)

"_**Bold Italics**_" is speaking in a different language (other than English)

Mask 4: Arriving at Japan

**Area 11 Airspace  
><strong>**1600 hours**

Minoru was stunned. Lelouch had asked him to teach him Japanese. Of course, he complied, but he had no idea of Lelouch's aptitude for learning. _Inoue would probably have been a better teacher._ Minoru started smiling absentmindedly. Soon, he'd be able to visit his old friends. Taking care of him as an orphan, Inoue was like his older sister.

Emeka spoke up, "_**Hey Minoru, you all right?**_"

Minoru and Lelouch blinked. "_**You know Japanese?**_" they said at the same time.

The African smiled sheepishly. "_**Now I do.**_" At their questioning glances, he explained, "_**I was listening in on your lessons.**_"

Lelouch was slightly perplexed. "_**But you didn't talk during the lessons. How is your pronunciation almost perfect?**_"

Emeka sighed and switched to English. "Remember how I said my last name's Azubuike?"

Now the entire Guard was looking at him. "Yes…" said Lelouch, for once not sure what his subordinate meant.

"Actually, it's reversed. My birth name is Azubuike Emeka. I simply changed it on a personal preference." He could tell his comrades still had no idea where he was going with this.

With a sigh, he explains, "In my homeland, our last names are normally our father's first name. That's where I got Emeka. My first name is supposed to be an indication of who I am. In my native language, Igbo, Azubuike can mean 'the past is your strength'. For me, that's the exact truth."

He chuckled as he saw that almost nobody understood what he meant. He noted that Lelouch and Hazel seemed to be realizing, though. He decided to give a more concise explanation. "I have a photographic memory."

There was an ensuing silence, ended by Rafael, "Well, why didn't you say so sooner?" Disbelief was heavily laden in his voice.

"It's true!" said Emeka, indignant.

_If he's telling the truth, then that ability will be useful._ "I believe you." Lelouch decided to stick up for the African, considering his sudden increase in value.

Emeka looked in relief at his prince. One of the reasons he didn't talk about his ability was because most didn't believe him, yet Lelouch was willing to believe him immediately. As for the rest of the group, Lelouch's words were final, so they had little choice but to believe Emeka.

Hazel looked out of the private jet. "Whatever the case, It looks like we'll be landing soon."

* * *

><p><strong>1610 hours<strong>

"Lelouch!" drawled Clovis la Britannia as he walked up to meet his disembarking half-brother. "It's been so long…" Then he noticed the people behind Lelouch. He moved by Lelouch's ear. "Who are these _Numbers_?" He whispered with obvious distaste.

Lelouch smiled wearily. Was every one of his siblings a racist? "Non-Britannians is the correct term, not all of them are from the Areas." He looked directly at Clovis. "They're my Royal Guard."

"What!" Clovis exclaimed, stepping back. Then he composed himself and smiled. "Lelouch, you joker."

"I'm not joking, Clovis."

Clovis's jaw hung open slightly. He composed himself for a second time and said, "Lelouch, you're making your political debut with _these_ as your guards? My, my, you'll be neck-deep in scandals before you're done here."

Behind him, his Guard began feeling slightly guilty. Their prince was risking his reputation for them. Lelouch smiled. "If I will, I will. That's why I'll need my Guard to be as skilled as possible."

"Skilled, you say…" Clovis started to understand. "Don't tell me that these are your fabled 'Masked Soldiers'."

Now it was time for Lelouch to be confused. _Masked Soldiers? _"What in the world do you mean?"

Clovis said in a condescending voice, "My, my, Lelouch. Have they no signal in the desert? You and your five companions are all over the media and Net." He changes to a dramatic voice. "Lelouch vi Britannia, the Prince of Masks, leads his five unknown foot soldiers on covert operations to capture thousands, without any Britannian casualties. You're already practically a war hero."

Lelouch smiled. By the sound of things, his reputation had increased more than he had expected. _Excellent_. "But I'm just getting started."

Clovis laughs softly. "Save that for the press conferences. Today, you _must _let me show you around."

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Administrative Building<br>****Next Day  
><strong>**0900 hours**

"So, you're going to exterminate the terrorists." Clovis la Britannia looked up from his desk, where he was almost done with paperwork. It was more of a statement than a question. "How much of my forces will you need?"

"None." stated Lelouch.

Clovis looked at his younger half-brother with amusement. "You probably plan to fight with your 'Masked Soldiers'."

"My _Royal Guard_." clarified Lelouch. Although the name helped him in reputation, it sounded annoying hearing it from his spoiled brother's lips. "And yes, I do. You can continue to work as normal, with just two conditions."

"Conditions?"

"First," explained Lelouch, "You will tell me where and when every operation is taking place. EVERY one. Second, if I say stop, you will stop. I doubt I'll need you to do more than that, but I'll tell you if I do."

"Fair enough." Clovis sighed. "So I suppose I should tell you that, in two hours, my men will be doing a terrorist investigation in Shinjuku."

* * *

><p><strong>1000 hours<strong>

"Your Highness." A green-haired man kneeled in front of Lelouch's desk.

Lelouch frowned. He wasn't supposed to get any guests today. He didn't officially debut for a while. "Who are you?"

The man said, still kneeling, "Jeremiah Gottwald, Your Highness. I was a guard stationed at Aries Palace."

"Stand." Lelouch masked the surprise he was feeling. "You were there when 'it' happened?"

Jeremiah stood and said, "Yes, Your Highness, and I can't even began to apologize."

"Apologize for what?"

"For allowing the death of Her Highness, Empress Marianne." He swallowed. "Even now, I consider it my greatest failure."

Lelouch paused. Honestly, he didn't blame this man the slightest bit. But if he was honestly apologetic, why approach now? "Why are you telling me this now?"

Jeremiah looked at the floor, unwilling to look the prince in the eye. "I was transferred from the Palace immediately. I never had the chance to apologize." Summoning courage, he looked the prince in the eye while kneeling again. "I'd like to offer you my services as leader of the Purist Faction as retribution."

Lelouch eyed the man carefully. _He may come in handy._ Solemnly, he replies, "I accept your offer. Rise, Jeremiah Gottwald."

Relieved, the man quickly complied. "Thank you, Your Highness!"

Lelouch smiled at the enthusiasm. "You may leave now. I'll call upon you when I find the need."

"Yes, Your Highness!" He turned around and marched through the door, almost knocking into five foot soldiers on their way in.

Closing the doors behind them, the soldiers took off their masks. "God I hate having to wear these stuffy helmets!" complained Rafael.

Lelouch smiled slightly. "Don't worry, your official helmets will be larger."

"Well, when are we getting 'em?"

"They should be done by the time of our official debut."

"At which point it'll be too late to refuse to wear them?" noted Hazel with a slight smile.

Lelouch changed the topic. "Anyways, I have something to give you all." He reached down and picked up a small, rectangular box. Opening it, Lelouch revealed what looked like six black and white watches. He gave one to each of the guards and kept one for himself.

"What are these?" Rafael was already toying with the watch.

Lelouch smiled. "They're just little things to help us out. They work like normal watches. Except for one thing." He pressed a screw at the side of the watch, typically used for setting its time. Then he pressed on the face of the watch itself. Immediately, all six watches vibrated.

Lelouch then took out his laptop and turned its screen to face them. On it was a satellite image of the surrounding area. Their location was shown by a single red dot. "In case we run into trouble, we can use these to contact each other." He noticed Rafael was looking the watch over. "Rafael," The Brazilian man turned to look at the prince. "Feel free to come up with improvements to the design."

Lei voiced the question that all of the guards were thinking, minus Rafael, who was busy studying the watch, "Why do we need these? We'll always be by you."

Lelouch smiled slightly. "Not always. For example, I also called you guys here because I thought you guys needed a break. Most of you won't be needed for the rest of today."

Upon hearing this, the Guard relaxed. They had avoided saying it, but they had all wanted to explore the area. It's not every day that you visit a new Area. "Most, Lelouch?" asked Minoru.

_Observant as ever, Minoru._ "Well, I was going to ask you a favor, but you don't need to accept."

"What is it?"

Lelouch sighed. "Clovis has taken great care to show me around the Area 11 Concession. But that's not all that's in Japan. If you could, I'd like you to escort me to the ghettos."

* * *

><p><strong>Shinjuku Ghetto<br>****1100 hours**

"Eleven scum!"

Kallen Kozuki clenched a fist. She watched from a window in their hideout as an officer with dark-blue hair pointed a gun at a Japanese woman. Next to Kallen were Ohgi, Tamaki, and the others. Their faces showed similar hatred.

The officer had come, backed by a dozen armed guards, and gathered all the nearby inhabitants of the ghetto. His dark maroon outfit identified him as a member of Prince Clovis's Guard.

"I am here because our Britannian agent said that this area was housing terrorists. You _will_ give us their location." The man smiled slightly. "Or else this woman dies."

An elderly man stepped forward. "Please believe us, we don't know the location of any terrorists."

The Britannian scoffed, "Believe an _Eleven_ over a Britannian? I think not." He pointed his handgun at the elderly man.

Tamaki grabbed a submachine gun. "That's it, I'm going to teach that Brit a lesson."

Ohgi turned to the red-haired terrorist. "No, that'll just tell them where we are!"

"So we leave those people to die?" Tamaki was indignant.

"Well…" Ohgi said, knowing what he suggested was morally wrong, "but…"

Before he can finish that sentence, the rebels hear a shout. "What the hell are you doing?"

The terrorists turn to back to the windows. A teenage boy had, followed by a foot soldier, approached the soldiers, coming to a stop only a few feet away. The officer turned to look at him. "Who the hell are you?"

The young man straightened up. Raising a hand, he proclaimed, "I am Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of Britannia."

The officer seemed amused. "And I'm an Eleven. You should be careful, boy; most would kill you for impersonating His Highness."

The teenager had his back turned to the terrorists, but Kallen could practically feel the man smirking. "Is that so?"

Wordlessly, the foot soldier accompanying the prince ran forward. The terrorists could only watch open-mouthed as the soldier quickly twisted the officer's arms behind his back. The officer's underlings hadn't even had time to fully raise their guns at the man.

In that time, the prince got out a cellphone. He quickly pressed a number on speed dial and brought it up to his face. Quite loudly, he began to talk into the phone, "Clovis, dear brother. Did you forget to show your soldiers a picture of my face?... I don't care if I haven't debuted yet, your men almost killed me!... No, don't do it now! I already have the problem under control. Perhaps you'd like to have a word with your underling instead."

Lelouch then held the phone by the officer's ear. Even from a distance, the terrorists saw the officer's face go white. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. Please forgive me."

"Looks like he's the real deal." commented Ohgi.

"Perfect, I'll get to kill a prince." Tamaki said as he raced out the door before anyone could respond.

"Damn it Tamaki, you're going to get yourself killed." muttered Kallen. It took great effort for her to avoid yelling out at the red-haired man as he came into view below their window. If he was going to die, he might as well do so after killing the prince.

However, he never got the chance. Before he could even level his gun, the raven-haired man turned and pointed a handgun at him. "Don't move."

"Fuck." breathed Kallen. Ohgi reached for a handgun concealed in his jacket. He wasn't going to leave Tamaki to die, even if he was a pain in the ass.

Lelouch, with everyone's eyes on him, walked up to the red-haired terrorist. The foot soldier followed.

_Fuck,_ thought Minoru, _why the hell did Tamaki do that?_ He walked up beside his prince.

"He's your friend, correct?"

Minoru looked at Lelouch, who was still looking at Tamaki. _How did he know?_ Then he thought it might have been a test. Under normal circumstances, a Britannian officer wouldn't hesitate to kill someone who admitted to be a friend to terrorists.

He knew he should probably say 'no', that he should cut off his ties with the terrorists. But some part of him pitied Tamaki, whose face had gone slightly white. The terrorist still had his gun slightly raised. Another part believed that Lelouch wasn't a normal Britannian officer. Perhaps that's what made him say, "Yes."

Lelouch smiled. "Thanks for telling the truth." He let the magazine of his handgun drop.

After a second, Tamaki continued leveling his gun at the prince. Automatically, Minoru ran up to the terrorist and knocked the gun out of his hands. He then twisted his arms behind his back, as he had with the officer before him.

Only when he was done did Minoru realize what this meant. Subconsciously, he'd protected Lelouch, rather than his old friend. He'd chosen to follow Lelouch, even if he killed Minoru for have ties with the terrorists.

Calmly, Lelouch walked over to Tamaki. Then he asked, in a voice that projected to both the Japanese civilians and to the terrorists hiding nearby, "Why did you try to point your gun at me?"

Tamaki spat, "Ain't it obvious? If you're a prince, killing you would help us Japanese."

"How?" asked Lelouch.

Tamaki didn't seem to be able to think of a good answer. "B-B-Because it'll show we're serious about liberating Japan from you Brits."

"Oh really?" Lelouch cocked his head slightly, as if considering what the rebel had said. "But as long as you _are_ serious, does that really matter?"

Tamaki was silent, so Lelouch continued, "By killing me you kill just one out of the many princes and princesses of Britannia. All that'll do is bring attention to you terrorists, nothing else will change."

"How would you know?"

Lelouch smiled grimly. "My mother, Empress Marianne, was killed by terrorists." he lied, "That didn't really help them that much."

Then Lelouch took a second magazine out of his clothes and stuck it in his handgun. "Let me ask you something, _terrorist_." To everyone's surprise, he raised the gun to his own head. "If I let you kill me, would you let my subordinate kill you?"

Everyone stared at the man in surprise. Was he implying that he was willing to die that easily? Lelouch continued, "Think of what would happen. All your friends here would probably be hunted down by Britannia. Did you consider that?"

Tamaki's mouth was open, but no words came out. He'd known that he'd be chased by Britannia for killing their prince, but he hadn't thought of actually dying, much less bringing the same fate upon his friends. Slowly, Tamaki shook his head.

"No?" Lelouch sounded disgusted, "Then why the hell were you carrying that gun?" Lelouch brought his gun down. "The only ones who should kill," proclaimed Lelouch, "are those who are prepared to _be_ killed."

At that time, the Britannian officer walked up, eager to repent for his earlier blunder. "You Highness, should I get rid of the terrorist?"

_Here it comes, _thought Minoru.

Lelouch walked over to Tamaki's gun. He crouched down and picked up Tamaki's gun. "What terrorist?"

The officer was confused. "Why, this man here."

Lelouch showed the gun to the officer. The magazine was gone. "He pointed a gun without ammo at me. I think he's more of a jokester than a terrorist."

The officer was silent. The gun had obviously held ammo earlier, but he couldn't just tell a prince that he was wrong. Lelouch signaled the foot soldier to follow him, and tossed the gun to Tamaki.

Then Lelouch walked over to the gathered Eleven civilians. "So," he said as he looked at those who had gathered, "There are no terrorists in the area?"

The crowd was silent. How were they supposed to answer?

Lelouch raised one hand. The crowd flinched. The prince sighed, "What kind of Area is my brother creating? I can't even raise an arm without a fearful reaction. No wonder there is such a terrorist problem." He continued to raise a hand, and gestured at the old man from before. "You there, are you sure there are no terrorists in the area?"

The old man waited. As he saw everyone look at him, he gulped. "T-There are terrorists in the area, but I'm afraid I can't tell you where."

The officer walked over to the old man. "You dare say that to a Prince of Britannia?" He raised his hand to slap him.

"Stop!" Lelouch said. He'd drawn his gun, but he'd pointed it at the officer.

"Y-Your Highness?" the officer stammered in confusion.

Lelouch sighed, "I had no intention of finding the terrorists in this area. Step away from the man. You have to understand how hard it must have been for him to admit that much."

After the officer complied, Lelouch put back his gun. He then announced, "I, Lelouch vi Britannia, declare that there are no terrorists in this area."

There was silence. Then the officer protested, "But, Your Highness, that man just admitted…"

"Admitted what?" Lelouch asked, "He said there were terrorists in the area, but he would not reveal their location. That shows that the terrorists have gained the people's support, rather than the government. This is a failure on the part of Britannia."

"The people's support?" the officer was confused, "But, Your Highness, they're just Elevens…"

"The terrorists are also 'just Elevens'." retorted Lelouch, "If you want to resolve the terrorist problem here, first give the _Japanese_ a reason not to become terrorists. Look around you." He gestured at the run-down buildings around them. "I'd be a terrorist too if this was the living conditions given to me by Britannia."

The officer was speechless. With an imperious gesture of the arm, Lelouch commanded, "I, Lelouch vi Britannia, declare this area to be clear of terrorism, now MOVE."

After a moment of silence, the foot soldiers rushed to comply. Lelouch and his foot soldier followed. After they were gone, the Elevens dispersed, talking to each other about the eccentric new prince.

"I guess not all Brits are that bad," commented Ohgi. Some of his comrades nodded in agreement.

"The news _did_ say that he avoided as many casualties as he could with the M.E.F.." noted Yoshida.

"But the news also said he was here to get rid of terrorism." argued a blue-haired woman, Inoue, "Maybe he's just trying to trick us into thinking he's a good guy. He _is_ called the Prince of Masks."

Kallen didn't know which side to agree with.

_Who are you, Lelouch vi Britannia?_

**Author's Notes: That's chap 4. Expect chap 5 within a week.**

**I have up to chap 8 written, but, as I've said, I'll have to temporarily stop writing for a few months. I really could either give them all to you before I have to stop, or try and space them out over the weeks to make them last until I'm back. I'm leaning towards doing like one a day for the next week, but I want to hear your thoughts. PM or review with your opinion.**

**My preferred pairing is Kalulu, so that'll probably the pairing in this fanfic. I might show other pairings, but I think I'm sticking to Kalulu. Still, I think this story should be enjoyable for even people who don't like Kalulu, so plz don't stop reading cuz of something like that.**

**Oh, and I used to make AMV's on youtube, though they aren't the best. I might start up again later, too. My account is zlelouch0 (just like my pen name :)).**

**FYI: Azubuike is an actual Igbo name that does mean 'the past is your strength' in Igbo. One of the reasons I ended up spending a lot of time deciding on OC's was that I wanted to make their names be realistic. And please don't complain about me giving him photographic memory. In a world of immortality and mind control, I doubt you can argue that's unrealistic.**


	5. Masked Soldiers

**Author's Notes: Here's Chap. 5. Hurricane Irene is heading my way, so my power might be cut. In my experience, all power outages at my place last a few days, so I won't be able to update then. To compensate, I'm going to try and publish Chap 6 within the day I have before it gets serious, though I may fail :(.**

**I have some responses to reviewers, which I'd like people to read in case they were about to say the same thing. Both reviewers here had great comments that helped me edit my past writing:**

**Scarred Seeker: "…****Cornelia and Lelouch relationship are not as stepbrother or stepsister but half siblings. (half brother or half sister)****"**

**Thx for telling me this about chap 2. The first time I wrote my story, I accidentally wrote Lelouch, Cornelia, and even Clovis as step-siblings. I later changed it to half-siblings, but I guess I forgot to do it with the 2****nd**** Chap. I'm updating the chapter to half-siblings right now. Thanks again for telling me about it, please tell me if I make the same mistake in the future.**

**Random Shinobi: "…****To put it bluntly; Your writing is relatively enjoyable, but it fails to suspend my disbelief. This is mostly because you seem to have only little understanding of how armies operate.**

**Also, one man cannot possibly defeat twelve armed men in hand-to-hand combat. Hell, they should have shot him far before he even reached them...****"**

**I admit that I don't know much about how real-life armies operate, and I realized that 1 man v 12 armed men was a bit ridiculous. I even changed that part of chap 4 to something less unbelievable. However, I believe logic and real-life warfare have little to do with Code Geass, where Suzaku could outrun an automated machinegun, run along a wall, and kick the daylights out of the afore mentioned machinegun. And considering that the original story revolves around someone with mind control powers… Sorry if this is sounding like a rant, but my stories will most likely continue being as unrealistic as they are xD. I don't mean any offense, tho. I'm grateful for the honest review.**

**In addition, thanks to the following for reviewing: ****Lycosyncer****, ****wedgegeck****, ****XT3****, ****LelouchVi****, ****Umbra8191****, ****Dirac Blade****, ****lisia****, ****Ragez, and abinash. If I didn't know people enjoyed my writing, I probably wouldn't have sent this update as quickly as I did.**

**Oh, and a last minute reply to XIIIth Antagonist: "...Looking forward to the Shinjuku massacre."**

**...Your review makes massacre sound like a good thing o.0. lol, jkjk, glad you liked my story so far.**

**My editing for this chap was a bit rushed, so tell me if there's something that needs fixing.**

**Enjoy!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics _for thought (or stress when just a word _or two_)

Mask 5: Masked Soldiers

**Ashford Academy  
><strong>**One Day Later  
><strong>**1700 hours**

_What's Prince Lelouch's plan?_ wondered Kallen as she walked towards the student council room. Being on the student council was annoying, but it helped her cover as a Britannian student. Also, the ridiculous amount of clearance the student council members received was useful sometimes.

In the middle of her thoughts, she bumped into someone. She stepped back and asked, "A-Are you okay?" Kallen hated that she had to act so weakly, but it was a necessary part of her cover.

She couldn't help but feel that she knew the man in front her, yet she couldn't quite place a name on the teenager. He was wearing glasses, his black hair was combed down, and his uniform indicated that he was a student here. "Uh, Y-Yes. I'm alright." stuttered the teenager.

Kallen turned to go, but the student caught her by the arm. "Excuse me, can you tell me where the student council room is?"

"You don't look like a freshman." Internally, Kallen groaned. She did NOT want to spend more time with Britannians than she had to.

The man scratched behind his head. "I-I know, but I'm hardly in school. I-I've never went to the council room even once."

"Fine," Kallen gave in. It would seem strange if 'little miss sheltered' showed her annoyance. "I was going there anyways."

"Thank you."

Kallen clenched her fists. Something about this man seemed familiar, but, for some reason, being with him ticked her off. She attributed it to her overall hate for Britannians and was silent for the entire walk. Eventually, she opens the student council room's door.

"Kallen!" Kallen sighed. It was Milly. "You're late, you know." noted the blonde. Then she saw the person behind her. "Oh? You're boyfriend, Kallen?"

"Kallen has a boyfriend?" Shirley jumped up from her seat for a look.

"NOo…" Kallen realized that she still had to act sickly, and the end of her protest faded away awkwardly.

The man pushed ahead, and to the surprise of the student council members, said, "It's been so long, Milly."

A blue-haired Britannian jumped up in confusion. "W-Who is this, Milly?" He pleaded, "Please tell me it's not another marriage candidate."

Milly put a finger to her lips. "I'm not too sure, Rivalz. Who are you?"

"You don't recognize me, Milly?" The four student council members looked as the man smirked. He took off his glasses and ruffled his hair. Kallen gasped slightly. It couldn't be…

"What about now, Milly?"

Milly gave a little gasp. "Don't tell me… Lulu?"

"I do wish you'd stop calling me that." Nonetheless, the man smiled. "It's good to see you again."

"Milly," whined Rivalz, "Who _is_ he?"

Raising a hand as if to scold him, Milly faced the blue-haired teenager. "You know, it's impolite to act like that in front of royalty."

"What's that got to do with any…" Understanding lit Rivalz's face. "Lulu… Lelouch? As in Lelouch vi Britannia? The Prince of Masks from the MEF?"

"At your service," said Lelouch as he bowed gracefully.

Kallen reached in her bag. If she wanted, she could probably kill the prince. Then she remembered something:

_Tamaki spat, "Ain't it obvious? If you're a prince, killing you would help us Japanese."_

"_How?" asked Lelouch._

He'd only said one word, but, for some reason, it stuck in her mind. _How? Do I even have an answer to that?_ wondered Kallen. She decided to wait. _I won't kill him, yet._

Meanwhile, Rivalz was apologizing profusely for his bad manners, while Lelouch vi Britannia, smiling, tried to explain that no apologies were necessary.

Meanwhile, Milly spotted something interesting in Rivalz bag. "What is this, Rivalz?" She drew out a champagne bottle. "Surely you weren't planning on drinking underage?"

Rivalz stood up and grabbed the bottle. "N-No, of course not!" He said, covering the bottle label. "It's just seltzer!"

"Rivalz!" remarked Shirley, "That's why you shouldn't be working as a bartender!"

"Oh," Lelouch asked, "Drinking in school? Interesting..."

"Y-your Highness, it's not like that." Rivalz had turned his head to face the prince. Milly took that chance to make a grab for the bottle. Rivalz leaned out of her grasp, shaking the bottle as he kept it away from the Student Council President. Shirley sneaked over to take the raised bottle.

The blue-haired bartender notices Shirley's approach. "Kallen, catch!" With a flick of the wrist, Rivalz throws the bottle at the redhead.

Rather, that's what he tried to do. Instead, it flew awkwardly towards a certain black-haired prince. Fumbling, Lelouch catches it. However…

Pop!

Lelouch barely avoids getting hit in the head by the cork of the champagne bottle. Unfortunately, he can't avoid getting soaked by the bubbling champagne that follows.

* * *

><p>"Sorry about that," apologized Kallen. Internally, she seethed. <em>Why did they force me to give him spare clothes? After all, they're Rivalz… <em>The blue-haired teenager had been too scared of the prince's wrath to bring them in person.

Suddenly, Kallen had an idea. _This is my chance. Even if I don't kill him…We still have a lot of questions to ask him._

Outwardly, she tried to remain shy, adding, "The others can be a bit rough sometimes."

"It's fine. Nothing wrong in cutting loose every once in a while." assured Lelouch through the shower curtain.

"...Then would you like to go cut loose after this?"

The prince paused before answering, "With you?"

"Of course, I could show you the area."

"Sorry," said Lelouch, "If I'm going out with a commoner, the media will be all over me."

"Oh." Kallen hadn't thought about that. Then she realized something. "Well, I'm not exactly a commoner. My father, Mr. Stadtfeld, is the most influential real estate tycoon in Area 11." _Of course, that doesn't make him any better of a bastard._

Lelouch was silent. "…I suppose that'll work."

Inwardly, Kallen seethed, _You probably only care about those with status, don't you?_ Outwardly, Kallen brightened. "Ok then, meet me at the North Gate."

"Alright."

* * *

><p>"Hazel, I'll be out a bit longer than I expected."<p>

Hazel paused. She had been busy planning for Lelouch's debut into society, becoming his secretary in all but name. "Why, is something the matter?"

Hazel could almost feel Lelouch's smile. "No. Just that I'm trying to solidify some political alliances here in Area 11. I'll be with Mr. Stadtfeld's daughter, Kallen."

For some reason, Hazel felt slightly cold. "A d-date?"

Lelouch sighed. "Yes, though I hardly expect it to be at all interesting. The most important thing is to establish a firm link with Mr. Stadtfeld. I just hope I won't have to do the same thing often."

"I-I see, for political purposes."

There was a pause. Then Lelouch spoke, "You aren't, jealous, are you?"

"I-I-Idiot!" Hazel quickly responded, "Of course not!" She immediately hung up. After a few moments, she called all the other guards. Except for Minoru, who was having his break today.

_I'm just making sure he's safe… That's all._ Hazel assured herself.

* * *

><p><strong>Shinjuku Ghetto<br>****1730 hours**

Cautiously, Minoru entered the terrorist hideout. He recognized a man resting, face lying on a desk. The wide-set man had curly black hair...

"Ohgi?" whispered Minoru.

The man spun around in his chair with a start. Then recognition showed in his eyes. "Minoru? Is that you?"

Minoru smiled, "Yes it is, Ohgi. I'm back."

The man leaped up and drew the foot soldier into a bear hug. "God, you gave me quite the scare." Calling out, his voice echoed throughout the hideout. "Hey, Minoru's back!"

"Minoru?" Tamaki poked his head through a door. "You're really back?"

The foot soldier turned. "Yeah, I was finally transferred back here." He still wasn't sure whether he should tell his friends about Lelouch.

"Good to see you, Minoru." Inoue followed Tamaki, as well as a number of other terrorists. "How have you been doing?"

"Good enough."

"That's great, Minoru." said Minami, readjusting his glasses. "You're just in time."

"In time for what?"

Minami smiled. "Kallen just called. She tricked that Lelouch guy into going for a walk with her. Yoshida and Nagata took a truck to help bring him along."

Minoru gulped. _Lelouch._ Minoru wished he could contact him. _Maybe I'll ask Rafael to put communicators in our watches._ "I-Is that so?"

"Excited? I can't wait to get him back for yesterday." remarked Tamaki.

Inoue whispered to Minoru, "Tamaki got caught trying to kill the prince."

Minoru remembered that they didn't know he had been there. "Really? What happened?" he whispered back.

"Nothing. That's the strange thing," explained Inoue, "The prince just let him go."

"Really?" Minoru tried his best to sound surprised.

Inoue nodded. "It's true. He did it in front of everyone."

Suddenly, Minoru realized his cellphone was vibrating. Bringing it out of his pocket, it said, "Hazel".

"Sorry, I need to take this." He steps outside the hideout and answers the phone. "Hazel?"

"Minoru, where are you? I've called you at least five times already! Lelouch activated his watch's GPS tracker. According to it, he's headed-"

"Into Shinjuku ghetto." Minoru finished. "I know, it's because of some old friends of mine. Apparently they have a bone to pick with Lelouch because of our visit yesterday. I'm at their rendezvous point."

"…Do you need help? Rafael and Lei are both on their way. It'll take 5-10 minutes for them to intercept, and 15 for Emeka or me to go.""

Minoru considered. He rested the phone on his shoulder and started turning on his GPS tracker. Pressing down on the watch, he asked, "Can you see me?"

"Wait a moment... Now I can."

"How far is Lelouch from my position?"

"Less than a minute away, it seems he's moving in a vehicle-"

"Nagata's truck," Minoru clarified, "If he's going to be here that soon, 5 minutes is too long. Get as much of the Guard here as possible. I'll be here to backup Lelouch."

"Got it… and be careful."

"I will." With that, Minoru hung up. Going back inside, he shook his head to prepare himself. Going through the door, he smiled. "Sorry, it was a friend from the Army."

Inoue smiled. "Good to hear that you've made some friends." With that, Minoru settled back among his old friends.

He did a bit of catching up. Everyone didn't seem to have changed much since he'd left, so he found himself being pressured to talk about the military life. He talked about being recruited, trained, and fighting against the MEF. He added a lot about the prejudiced system and the racist officers, but he found he couldn't put as much conviction in his complaints as he would have, before Lelouch.

A shout came from outside. "We're here!" _Kallen,_ recognized Minoru. He gulped, _with Lelouch._

Tamaki rushed outside, "Let me get a look at the Britannian bastard!"

Minoru winced. Tamaki and Kallen came inside, dragging a black-haired high school student behind them, his hands and legs tied together. Behind him was a man with dark-brown hair, Yoshida, as well as a black-haired man, both of whom had helped in the kidnapping.

They set him roughly on a wooden crate. Then they took off the duct tape that was sealing his mouth. Lelouch smirked as he looked at Tamaki. "Hello again, Mr. Jokester."

Tamaki scowled. "Shut up! I didn't need your help taking care of that Brit." He punched Lelouch, forcing him on his side.

By instinct, Minoru almost stepped forward to save his prince. However, he heard Lelouch saying, "What nice weather we're having." _Nice weather…_

"Shut up. You don't seem too tough now. Remember this?" Tamaki threatened with the same gun from before. "This time it _is_ loaded."

Lelouch righted himself, still seated. Then he stared down the barrel of Tamaki's gun. He spat. "So these are the terrorists of Japan. I had hoped you'd be better than this, but all I see are hot-blooded terrorists."

"What did you say?" Tamaki lifted his gun to hit the prince, but Ohgi stopped him.

He turned to the prince. "What do you mean by that?"

Lelouch smiled calmly. "There are two kinds of rebels in this world: those who fight for freedom and those who resort to terrorism. The latter is feared and hated by the people. This is because terrorists foolishly choose to involve civilians in their violent actions. They are as bad as _corrupt nobility_." Lelouch glanced at Minoru, who gave a slight nod in response to the code term. However, Minoru quickly grew white. Would Lelouch really have him kill his friends?

The prince continued, "The other kind of rebels is freedom fighters. They fight for what they believe in and are just in their actions. Most importantly, they show _absolute mercy_ towards civilians. Those rebels are ones I can respect." Minoru sighed slightly in relief. _Absolute mercy… No lasting injuries._

Inoue seemed unconvinced. "Weren't you sent here to get rid of us 'rebels'?"

"I was sent to get rid of _terrorists,_" Lelouch emphasized, "My orders weren't specific, so I've taken the liberty to decide that that excludes freedom fighters."

"Like hell a Britannian would help us Japanese! You're just saying whatever you think will keep you alive. I'm gonna teach you a lesson." Tamaki raised his arms to hit the prince with the butt of his gun.

Looking at the door he'd entered through, Lelouch smirked, "Now!"

Minoru smiled slightly at the obvious diversion. Nonetheless, it did draw away everyone's attention to the door for a moment. Before they knew what was happening, Minoru had moved. Using his bare fists, he swiped at Tamaki's raised arms, forcing the redhead to drop his gun.

He then grabbed the dropped submachine gun. Holding his new gun in his left arm, he takes out a switchblade he kept with him, and he cuts Lelouch's bonds with his right hand. After Minoru was done, he put the blade away.

Ohgi was the first to realize what had happened. "Minoru, what are you doing?"

"Protecting my prince," replied Minoru as he passed Lelouch a handgun he had brought with him.

As the terrorists took in this new information, Lelouch stood, rubbing his wrists, which were slightly red from having been tightly bound. "I suppose introductions are not necessary, but let me do so for the sake of formality. Minoru Takahashi, vice-captain of my royal guard.

_Vice-captain?_ wondered Minoru. Despite the fact that he was facing his old friends, Minoru felt slightly glad that Lelouch had decided to introduce him by that position.

"Vice-captain?" asked Kallen. Without getting confirmation, she turns to Minoru. "Liar! You said you were joining the Army to assassinate Prince Clovis, not be his brother's bullet shield!"

"Assassinate Prince Clovis?" repeated Lelouch. It made some sense. Despite all his research, Lelouch had been unable to discover Minoru's reason for joining the Army.

Minoru's shoulders sagged. "Sorry, Your Highness. The initial reason I joined the Army was to kill Prince Clovis."

_Initial?_ "Then why were you out fighting against the MEF?"

Minoru sighed. "I wanted to kill Prince Clovis because his men killed Naoto, our leader."

"So you were a terrorist as well?" Lelouch had suspected as much.

"Yes, I was transferred away because of that. Then I met you."

Lelouch thought for a moment. "Do you wish to kill me?"

Minoru hesitated. Say 'yes', and he might be able to rejoin his old friends, who were still staring at him in shock. Say 'no', and he would be reaffirming his allegiance to Clovis's half-brother. "No."

Lelouch smiled. He picked up the handgun Minoru had thrown earlier. He lifted the safety and pointed it to Minoru, who flinched. Then the brown-eyed teenager realized the prince was holding the gun with the trigger away from him. He was offering it to Minoru. "You sure?"

That act was somewhat heartwarming to the Japanese man. Minoru took a deep breath. "Lelouch. Ever since I began working under you, I've realized that you are different from the other Britannians. I believe that, somehow, the world will become a better place if I support you. Can I say that with confidence?"

The Eleventh Prince of Britannia smiled gently. "Of course."

Minoru smiled in response, and pushed the offered gun away. "Then I don't wish to kill you."

Minami protested, "Minoru, have you gone crazy? He's a Britannian. He's obviously just using you for his own purposes."

"Then so be it." Minoru said, still smiling as he turned to face his old friends. Despite the fact that his old friends probably thought he'd gone insane, it felt so relieving to be able to declare his loyalty, like he'd been cleansed of a dark secret. "I'd rather be Lelouch's chess piece than a terrorist blinded by racism."

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<br>****A Week Later  
><strong>**1300 hours**

Lelouch smiled as he looked out a window from his new home's living room. In front of him was the backyard. Clovis had insisted on a grander home, but Lelouch liked this house just fine. In fact, it was still slightly large. Consisting of three floors, it looked like the house of a noble's cousin. Lelouch remembered hearing that it used to be the home of the Ashford family, when Ashford Academy was still under construction.

On his right was one wing. It held various empty rooms, such as guest rooms. On his left was the other wing. It held bedrooms, including his own and those of his guards. All in all, he really only needed half of the house anyways.

Unlike most, Lelouch had insisted against servants. Servants could snoop around and gossip. Instead, to his Guard's surprise, he handled most cooking and cleaning. After his mother's death, he'd learned to pass the time working with the servants, hearing gossip at the same time as learning to care for himself.

Lelouch looked at the time. 1 PM. Lelouch walked to the left wing. He entered a room he'd claimed as his study. On his right was a desk with a laptop. On his left was a round table with six chairs.

Five of those chairs were occupied by his guards, most of whom rose automatically to salute, before awkwardly stopping themselves. If Lelouch had made anything clear, it was that formality was to be thrown out the window when no witnesses were around.

Lelouch smiled. He went to stand behind his desk. "You're probably wondering why you're all here."

His subordinates nodded. Hazel chose to speak up. "Is it about your political debut?"

"Exactly," Lelouch smiled. "Tomorrow is our debut, and it's expected that you all will be attending." He lifted up a black suitcase with a white Queen, like those found in chess sets, on its side. "Luckily, you're new uniforms and masks have arrived. Here's Minoru's."

As Minoru stood to take the suitcase, Lelouch lifted another suitcase. This one had a white King. "Hazel."

The next one had a white Bishop. "Lei."

Then there was a white Knight. "Emeka."

Finally, was a white Rook. "Rafael."

Minoru had gone back to the table and laid the suitcase on the table. He noted that the other side was white, yet it displayed a black Queen, opposed to a white one. He opened the case and looked inside. On the bottom was some sort of white and blue mask with matching folded clothes. He observed that there was also a black and purple mask with matching costume on the top portion of the suitcase, matching the black Queen.

Apparently, everyone else had noted the same. Rafael grabbed his white costume and looked accusingly at Lelouch. "What are these? Halloween costumes?"

"Why are there two?" Hazel asked.

Lelouch smiled as he sat down at his desk. "Answer me, all of you. Where does your loyalty lie?"

The answer was immediate. "With you, Lelouch."

"Really?" Lelouch rested his head on his left hand, allowing his fingers to spread like a spider's web across his face. "And not with Britannia?"

There was silence. His Guard was unsure how to respond. Minoru answered first, "Yes."

Lelouch smiled and surprised the guards by taking out another suitcase. This one had a black mask on its side. "This is my 'costume'."

"Why do you have one?" asked Rafael.

Lelouch smiled. "As Lei and Minoru have no doubt told you during our time at the MEF, I believe that the current Britannia is corrupt. I wish to change it. I have also told Minoru that I respect freedom fighters. I believe that, by fighting for justice, you can do something to change this world."

_That sounds like… _"Do you want us to become freedom fighters?" asked Hazel.

"In reality, the term 'freedom fighters' sounds a bit crude. My preferred term is knights for justice. But the message is the same."

"But isn't that High Treason?" asked Hazel, more importantly… "That would mean fighting your siblings."

Lelouch waved the notion away. "My half-brothers and half-sisters are mostly corrupt and spoiled. My only relation to them is through that monstrous excuse of a father." Then Lelouch turned to his Royal Guard. "That is why I'm fine with fighting against them. The question is, are you all fine with helping me?"

Then he pointed to the suitcases. "I can have those black disguises destroyed. We can forget this ever happened."

There was silence. Rafael retorts, "You're going against Britannia? Your motherland, which controls over a third the world?" Lelouch nods. "You're crazy." Rafael smiles, "But you're our prince. Of course I'll help."

Lei slowly smiles. "We can hardly have our liege dying, can we?"

Emeka smirked slightly. "Somebody's got to make sure you don't do anything foolish."

Hazel smiled. "My sentiments exactly."

Minoru simply pulls out the black costume. "I've already declared my loyalty to you. It would be pointless for you to even bother asking."

Lelouch smiles. "Thank you, all of you."

Then he leans forward. "Now, about your names…"

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Administrative Building<br>****The Next Day  
><strong>**1300 hours**

"Are you all ready?" asked Lelouch_. As though it matters_, thinks Lelouch. Their debut into society would start with a press conference, which was about to start in a minute.

Regardless, his Guard nods. Privately, the prince envies them. _They_ only needed to stand and look intimidating. Perhaps that's why he'd chosen such extravagant costumes. All though each was a custom design, they were all dressed in pure white and blue with gold outlines. Lelouch himself was wearing a similar white, blue, and gold suit.

"Introducing Lelouch vi Britannia, the Eleventh Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire and 17th in line to the Imperial Throne!"

Taking a deep breath, Lelouch walks on stage. He hears murmurs, which only increase when his Guard appears behind him. He approaches and needlessly proclaims, "I am Prince Lelouch vi Britannia."

He motions behind him at his guards. Closest is Hazel. She is wearing a white mask with three spikes at the top, like a King in chess. The only thing that varied from this image was her obvious feminine figure. A one-way, blue glass oval covered the area around her face.

"This is the captain of my Royal Guard. As of now, her codename is Quasar." The murmuring increases. Offstage, Clovis smiles, _Military call signs. You've truly become a military man, Lelouch._

Lelouch gestured to Minoru. He was wearing a white mask with a white cover flowing from the back. The cover's underside blue and made him look like a Queen in chess. An identical glass oval covers his face. "This is the vice-captain of my Royal Guard. As of now, his codename is Kira."

Next is Lei. Her mask has a general, unremarkable spherical shape. The only unique part of her costume was the decorative, curtain-like cover that went from her neck to above her elbows. With arms at her side, she looked greatly like a Bishop. "This is Blackheart."

Then he comes to Emeka. His suit is like most of theirs. His mask, however, is a slightly elongated towards the front. Taking advantage of the slightly larger surface, Emeka's mask has three spikes, like Hazel. However, these spikes are arranged in an isosceles triangle, resembling the three spikes of a Knight. "This is Nighthawk."

Finally, he reaches Rafael. His mask has four spikes arranged in a rectangle, like a streamlined version of the conventional Rook in chess. "And this is Rogue."

**2345 hours ago**

"Rogue, Nighthawk?" scoffed Rafael. "What's with these codenames?"

Before Lelouch could answer, Hazel speaks. "They're military call signs. Judging from our suitcases, your call sign means R for 'Rook', as in the rook in chess. Emeka's, 'Nighthawk', stands for N, or Knight. Lei's, 'Blackheart', stands for Bishop." Then she frowns and turns to Lelouch. "But I can't understand Minoru's or mine. Minoru's case has a Queen, but Kira starts with 'K', as in King…

Lelouch smiles. "As sharp as ever, Hazel." The Korean blushes.

Then Lelouch explains. "Indeed, they're call signs and symbolize chess pieces: Rafael, our demolition expert and engineer, can utilize explosives and optimize weaponry to deal direct blows to the enemy. Just as the Rook is meant for causing direct damage. Little variety, yet often difficult to avoid, that's the Rook."

"Emeka, our multipurpose hacker and computer specialist, is the Knight. In chess, the Knight fights on a different plane from the other pieces. No other piece can easily keep up with it. The Knight thrives on a physically crowded area and is most suited to staying out of harm's way, working on giving his comrades a little more breathing room."

"Lei, our covert operation specialist and sniper, is the Bishop. The Bishop is limited in movement and can't target a large amount of pieces at once. However, one of the easiest mistakes in chess is to forget the importance of the enemy Bishop. Many experts hide their Bishop, using it to target very specific points at just the right times to bring about a quick checkmate."

"Minoru," Lelouch pauses, "Your skills as a soldier surpass any other. I'm tempted to give you the position of Queen." Noticing Minoru's expression, he added, "However, I thought that may be embarrassing, considering you're male. Therefore, you will act as the Queen does in chess, but, in name, you'll be the King, _Kira_."

He gestures to Hazel. "The same applies for Hazel. She isn't a foot soldier and thus less suited to direct combat. However, I believe her tactical prowess will come in handy. Therefore, she will be Queen only in name. In function, she shall be the King, captain of my Guard and responsible for leading you all in case you can't contact me."

Lelouch waved his hand to his own case. "So far, I've simply told you your codenames as a part of Prince Lelouch's Guard. However, you'll need different codenames if you'll be serving the rebel Lelouch. When we are fighting against Britannia, I am Zero."

"Zero, as in nothing?" asked Lei. "That's an interesting name."

Lelouch smiled but spoke as if he hadn't heard her. "Your 'rebel' codenames should be easier to understand. The Rook Rogue becomes R.R., the Knight Nighthawk becomes N.N., the Bishop Blackheart becomes B.B., the King Kira becomes K.K., and the Queen Quasar becomes Q.Q. Any questions?"

"Yeah," Rafael raised his hand. "How many codenames do you have?"

Lelouch chuckled. "Did you all forget? I'm the Prince of Masks."

**Current Time**

"Your highness," asks a reporter, "Why are your guards hiding their identities? There has been speculation that you've been employing particularly _dangerous_ individuals for your operations against the MEF."

Lelouch smiled slightly. "I assure you, my Guard is composed of five members of the regular military. I'm hiding their identities as part of my operations against terrorism in this area." At this, the murmurs increased.

"So is it true that you were sent here to eliminate the terrorists?" Another reporter asked.

"Indeed."

"How long do you expect it will take before all the terrorists are gone?"

Now Lelouch was smiling for reasons the media could never have guessed. "Within the year."

**Author's Notes: . Sorry if the codenames confused you, but I wanted them to have them settled within one chapter. The Guards' codenames are from a pdf I found of military call signs. I just started with the letters Q, K, B, N, and R and wanted to see where I got. I originally wanted to use the phonetic military call signs (i.e. A-Alpha, B-Beta, C-Charlie, etc.), but I stopped when I saw Q – Quebec o.0**

**Also, I know Kira isn't a call sign, but I wanted to use it since I learned from death note that it was based off the English word 'killer'. (btw, Code Geass is undisputably better than Death Note ;), lol)**

**If you want an idea of what their costumes look like, google image "code geass chess set". Some people made amazing graphics of the chess sets in CG, and I based the outfits on those.**

**Anyways, I'll try to come up with Chap 6 soon, though it needs a bit of editing. And by a bit, I mean a LOT, lol.**

**Also, you guys might want to know: I took a bit of inspiration for my OC's from the TNT Show Leverage. Of course, the OC's are different, but Emeka was inspired in part by Hardison, Lei slightly by Parker, (and ?Minoru ?by ?Eliot? I'm not too sure about that one, maybe subconsciously).**


	6. The True Beginning

**Author's Notes: I couldn't finish before Irene, but my power's not out. I'm taking that as a sign that Irene wants me to update ^.^**

**Here's chap 6. It's time for things to run along the canon storyline, though I can promise things will be really different from the anime. I spent a lot of time editing, deleting, and adding things here, as well as in my next chap. Although I'm not 100% satisfied with this version, in the end, I decided to just send it out now. If there's any problems, I'll fix them.**

**Reviewer Response Time!**

**abinash: "…****Is lelouch will be the the one who generate idea of honorary britannia system…****"**

… **Honestly, I'm not 100% sure what u mean here. However, the Honorary Britannian system is technically already in existence, both in the canon and this story.**

"…**What will the code name of kallen is it still Q1.****"**

**Hazel's 'rebel' codename is Q.Q. (Q-2), so I don't see why Q-1 isn't free for the taking :).**

**XIIIth Antagonist: "...please put in an action chapter soon."**

**... Define 'action chapter'. If you mean stuff like the Shinjuku Massacre, that kicks into full gear in the next chap.**

**LelouchVi: "…****scientists have found a planet made almost entirely of DIAMOND****"**

**…O.O**

**Thanks to Umbra8191, hollow-lelouch, wedgegeck, XT3, bukay, and inuboy86 for reviewing!**

**Enjoy!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics __for thought _(or stress when just a word _or two_)

Mask 6: The True Beginning

**Area 11 Concession  
><strong>**1330 hours**

Kallen Stadtfeld stared at the masked figure called Kira. _Minoru._ She'd never been that close to the former terrorist, but she still felt deep betrayal at his change in allegiance.

"How long do you expect it will take before all the terrorists are gone?"

"Within the year."

The redhead shifted her attention to Lelouch. No matter how hard she looked, she couldn't detect a trace of falsehood in the prince's words. _Is he crazy?_ wondered Kallen, _He plans to get rid of all the terrorists in Japan in less than a year?_

However, she has no time for musing, as her stepmother appears through her bedroom door. "Hurry up, you lazy girl! We need to look our finest for the party."

_That's right,_ Kallen reminded herself, _Us 'terrorists' still have a job to do._

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Administrative Building<br>****1500 hours**

Lelouch looked out his black limousine's window. Coming ever closer was the Area 11 Administrative Building, where Clovis spent most of his time as viceroy.

"How like Clovis to turn his workplace into a party location." said Lelouch to no one in particular. However, his guards were steadily realizing that Lelouch held nothing but contempt for his kin.

Hazel, Emeka, Lei, and Rafael would be heading home. The press conference over with, Lelouch, accompanied by Minoru, was to attend a party with Area 11's most influential nobles.

Personally, Lelouch wished he could be going back home with his Guard. The party would mean talking to and establishing connections with as many powerful people as possible, something Lelouch loathed doing. It made him feel like Schneizel.

Eventually, the limousine came to a stop. Minoru stepped out and opened the door for Lelouch. Nodding his thanks, Lelouch composed himself.

"Introducing Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of Britannia, and 17th in line to the throne."

Lelouch entered through large white double doors into enthusiastic applause. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Minoru walk towards the palace guards, from where he would stand guard. _You have no idea how much I envy you, Minoru._

"Lelouch," purred Clovis, "How great, you _must_ let me introduce you…" Soon enough, Lelouch was whisked away by his half-brother to meet his political allies, which made up the majority of those in attendance.

After half an hour, Clovis brings up a blond-haired man. "…And here is Diethard Reid. He's been a great help with the media, being a reporter himself."

Lelouch noted with slight interest that this was the first man he's met that wasn't flattering Clovis profusely. "Your highness," Diethard bows to Lelouch. "It's an honor." He smiles. "If I could get an interview on your work with the MEF…"

_Ah, _realized Lelouch with slight amusement, So _that's what he's after._

Lelouch is interrupted by a voice in his ear: "Can everyone hear me?" Lelouch resists the urge to smile. Emeka, working with Rafael, had created miniature communicators. His guards had installed theirs in their masks, and Lelouch had hidden his on the inside of his white shirt collar. This was its first test run.

"Yes," Lelouch says, both to Emeka and the reporter, "Well, we shall see."

The reporter had lifted his brows fractionally at Lelouch's slight hesitation. _This one may be too sharp for his own good, _noted Lelouch.

Four or five nobles later, Lelouch is free to walk around by himself. Murmuring softly, "Emeka, can you ID the Stadtfelds? Use Minoru's camera." Lelouch could probably find Ms. Stadtfeld without Emeka's help, but it was a good opportunity to test run the camera installed in Minoru's mask.

After Lelouch's little kidnapping incident, Rafael had also installed cameras in the prince's black and white watch. He'd even done the same for the rest of the Guard, but there'd be plenty of time to test those.

At first, there was silence. In preparation for this party, the African had memorized profiles of all the guests in attendance. "…Red-haired man about 30 meters to your 4 o'clock."

As Lelouch turned to move in that direction, the prince asked, "Any useful information?"

Emeka replied, "Yes. Mr. Stadtfeld is a nobleman who deals in real estate. His company owns a number of large properties across the Empire. You might want to know that our house was bought through them. He's often away due to business and is one of the wealthier people in Area 11."

"His wife, Maria Stadtfeld is the blond on his right. Likes gambling and social gatherings. Rumors are spreading that she has, how do I word this… _intimate_ relationships with numerous young nobles. Kallen Stadtfeld on his left, though I suppose you know enough about _her_." Lelouch's Guard was still bitter of Lelouch being tricked by the redhead.

"Thank you, Emeka."

"No problem, boss."

Smiling slightly, Lelouch approached the Stadtfelds with open arms. "Mr. Stadtfeld, I'm pleased to see you could attend. I didn't know if you were in the area."

The family seemed surprised, but then Mr. Stadtfeld smiled. It was not every day that you were personally approached by royalty. "The pleasure is all mine."

"Even so, I must thank you for selling us such a nice piece of property. I've found it very accommodating considering my time fighting the MEF."

"I'm glad you found it to your liking. If you wish, I would gladly find grander houses for you." The man bowed to the teenager. Then he introduced his family. "This is my wife, Maria, and this is Kallen."

Lelouch, glanced at the redheaded girl. Wearing a blood-red dress that matched her red hair and blue eyes perfectly, Lelouch almost made the mistake of staring. Despite knowing that she probably wanted to rip the dress into shreds, Lelouch thought, _She looks… beautiful._ Then he gives himself a mental shake. It had taken barely a second to do all that, but it seemed significantly longer to Lelouch as he smirked slightly.

"Oh, did your daughter not tell you? We've already had a chance to get to know another." Lelouch winked at the redhead, who began to struggle with her sickly personality. Lelouch knew that she likely wanted to slap him, but that's not something a frail girl would normally do when greeted by a prince. She decided to settle on a deadly glare, which _almost_ froze the prince's blood.

Meanwhile, her parents had turned to their daughter. "Is this true?" asks Maria, "We've heard nothing of it."

Actually, Kallen had avoided mentioning it because she wasn't sure how Lelouch would react after their little 'incident'. She knew she was quite lucky not to be in jail by now, but 'why' was something she still couldn't fathom.

Before she could think of how to respond, Lelouch saved her. "I asked her not to mention it. If word got out, a scandal would probably break out in no time..."

"…But, I suppose you all seem very trustworthy." He smiled gently at the Stadtfelds.

Mr. Stadtfeld made a slight bow. "You honor us with your trust, Your Highness. Please tell me if you need our assistance in the future."

"Thank you." Lelouch spotted another figure and said to Mr. Stadtfeld, "I have to go now, so if you'd excuse me…"

"Of course."

Lelouch walked away and started to give a genuine smile. _One family down, only another dozen to go._ Though, Lelouch doubted that even that many weren't under Clovis's thumb.

Despite being the guest of honor, Lelouch was being mainly ignored as nobles took the opportunity to flatter Clovis even more. With a polite smile, he waves away an offered drink and walks to his next target. Pretending to adjust his collar, he muttered, "Any data on one Earl Asplund, Emeka?"

"…Lloyd Asplund, head researcher in the Advanced Special Envoy Engineering Corps, also known as ASEEC. Although that's the official name, it's really a pet group of Prince Schneizel's Project Camelot. Although the rumors are being kept low, it's said that they've created a prototype seventh generation knightmare. Being kept equally low are rumors that they've been having a bit of trouble with funding…"

"I've heard the same…" Lelouch noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Kallen Koz-Stadtfeld was walking out of the ballroom with barely hidden determination and… excitement? Whatever she was doing, it was _not_ just going to the restroom. "Minoru, you there?"

"Y-Yes, Lelouch." comes a reply. The Japanese teenager was whispering, even though it shouldn't be necessary. Rafael had installed soundproofing equipment in their masks, which activated upon use of the communicator.

"Kallen Stadtfeld is leaving through the door to my 3 o'clock. She's up to something. Follow her and report back if you notice anything."

"…Understood."

Lelouch knew Minoru dreaded having to face his old comrade alone. "Remember, you are Kira, not Minoru. Stay out of her sight for as long as possible."

"…Roger that."

Lelouch sees Minoru move to comply out the corner of his eye. Then he looks forward and smiles. "Ah, Earl Asplund, a pleasure to meet you."

"Same here," says Lloyd flippantly, his lack of formality the first hint of his eccentricity. The Earl tugged at the collar of his starched brown outfit. "I don't normally attend useless get-together's such as these, but my assistant insisted that I be social every now and then."

"Ah, likewise." admitted Lelouch, only partially lying. Hazel's insisting had been one of the reasons the prince hadn't called in busy or sick. "I'd much rather be in the field, where one's creativity can explore the limits of reality. That's how I won in the Middle East, after all."

"A military man, I suppose." Lloyd shrugged, "Though, I can't say I'm much different. Of course, my forte is machinery, not strategy."

Lelouch tried to shrug as flippantly as the Earl, though his pride made the gesture much smaller. "We're both inventors in our respective fields, unlike my dear brother Schneizel."

"How true…" Lloyd looked the prince over. "…Dear Schneizel is great with checks, but a bit overwhelming with formalities and all that."

Now Lelouch made a genuine smile. He knew _exactly_ how the earl felt. "I agree. Then let me skip the formalities…"

Lloyd lifted his brows. "You want to buy my services? I'm sorry to say, but I'm all tied up with work for your half-brother. Maybe another time…"

"I'm afraid that's not necessary." assured Lelouch. "I simply wanted to help with your little budget crisis…"

Lloyd seemed amused. "And what makes you think we have a budget crisis?"

"Why Lloyd," Lelouch spread his arms open, "If you are half the inventor I figure you to be, you wouldn't let yourself be limited by something as changeable as a budget. In fact, I bet you've been so carried away, you even forgot to save funds for an ejection seat."

Lloyd winced, and Lelouch knew he'd hit the bulls-eye with his guess. He muttered, "Not you too. Cecile has nagged me about that forever."

"How about I make that nagging go away?" Lelouch smiled as he took a check out of his white suit.

Lloyd took it and looked at the sum printed on it. Then he looked back at the prince. "A-Ah yes… I'm sure this will satisfy any 'budget crisis' my group has, assuming it has one." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "But money normally comes with strings attached…"

Lelouch waved his hand as if to shake away the very notion. "Just a gift from one inventor to another. Oh, but make sure Schneizel doesn't hear about it. We wouldn't want to trouble him with such details, would we?" Lelouch gave a small smirk. In fact, Lelouch did intend to make the scientist pay him back, but that could wait…

"No," Lloyd says as he pockets the check, "I suppose we wouldn't." Lloyd turns around without excusing himself, and says over his shoulder, "I suppose this gathering wasn't a waste of time. I look forward to seeing you again, Your Highness."

Lelouch's eyes follow the eccentric noble, slightly amused. Then his communicator comes to life. "Lelouch, this is Kira. You won't believe what I'm seeing."

* * *

><p><strong>10 Minutes Ago<br>****1700 hours**

Minoru, no, Kira, didn't feel the least bit comfortable. His feet made a soft clacking sound as he stepped, so he ended up having to match steps with Kallen's high heels in order to disguise the sound. She walked down a servants' hallway, which was surprisingly quiet. In fact, the halls were so empty that Minoru had to stay a good distance away to avoid attracting attention.

Kira hid behind a stone column as the redhead moved into the ladies' room. Silently, Kira groaned. _Don't tell me she just came this whole way to use an empty bathroom._

He didn't know how to react when Kallen Stadtfeld walked out of the bathroom a minute later. Or rather, when Kallen Kozuki did. Hair uncombed, casual clothes, and a generally tougher aura, the redhead looked like one raised on the streets, not a mansion. Kira gulped. Whatever she was planning couldn't be good.

Down a few more hallways, Kira followed the terrorist from a distance. Presently, she joined another terrorist with mid-length black hair. _Nagata,_ Kira recognized. He'd had often been their getaway driver, back when Minoru was a terrorist. Though, now, Minoru could only guess that he still was.

Actually, before he had left for the army, Nagata had been one of Minoru's closer friends. Not many had approved of a teenager being a terrorist, but Nagata had stuck up for him. "Give the kid a gun. It's not like he's your sibling too." That had been one of Nagata's very few requests to their leader, and he'd stuck to it until Naoto had given in, much to Kallen's annoyance. Naoto hadn't even allowed Kallen to be in the hideout, though that hadn't stopped her from coming. Maybe that's why he'd never gotten that close to the redhead.

_If things had been different,_ Minoru realized, _I might have been working with them on this job._

For the first time in a while, Kallen spoke. "Is the cargo already loaded?"

_Cargo?_

Nagata nodded. "I looked at the container. It seems like poison gas, just as intelligence said." The two turned and passed through a pair of open metal doors.

_Poison gas?_ Kira waited a few moments and then followed behind them. He passed through the doors just in time to see Kallen close the back of a truck and go up to the passenger seat. When the engine started, Kira ran up to the truck door and opened it, closing it quietly behind him.

Soon, the truck leaves, and light filters through an small opening at the top of the truck. Kira sees clouds through the opening. Then he turns to the contents of the truck.

In front of him is some sort of spherical container. Although he'd never seen anything like it, Kira could guess its contents. On his right is a red Glasgow. Licking his dry lips, he turns on the communicator in his helmet. "Lelouch, this is Kira. You won't believe what I'm seeing."

* * *

><p><strong>1715 hours<strong>

Lelouch finally found a non-alcoholic drink. Sipping it, he spoke into the glass. "Emeka, stay where you are. Have everyone else head out. The terrorists are probably heading to Shinjuku. It'll be only a few minutes before Clovis finds out and blockades all entrances to the ghetto. Get in and rendezvous with the truck before that happens."

Rafael's voice. "Aren't you coming?"

Lelouch sighed. "I wish. I need to stay here to avoid raising suspicion. If needed, we may need to act against Clovis. This is why I asked for you and Rafael to make these communicators. Don't forget to change into the black set of clothes, to avoid identification. And make sure to bring Minoru's case."

"Got it."

Lelouch had lowered the glass casually and looked around. No one was looking at him. He raised the glass again. "Minoru, stay hidden. Tell me if anything else changes."

Lelouch then left his glass on a nearby table. Turning, he noticed that one side of the ballroom has become quite crowded. He walked over to Mr. Stadtfeld. "What is the commotion about?"

The red-haired noble smiled. "Your Highness, your brother is giving us another performance."

Before Lelouch could inquire, he heard his half-brother make a proclamation. "To all my imperial subjects, including, of course, the many cooperative Elevens who chose to serve the Empire of Britannia."

Lelouch saw that his half-brother has added a regal cloak to his outfit. Clovis la Britannia continued to speak to the cameras, gripping his heart for emphasis. "Do you not see my pain? My heart was ripped from my chest, only to be torn apart. The remnants are filled with rage and sorrow."

"However, as ruler of Area 11, I will not tolerate terrorism of any kind! Because the battle we fight is a righteous one; a virtuous battle to protect the wellbeing of one and all."

"Now then, everyone. I would like you to join me in observance of the men who died for justice, in the line of duty."

Lelouch looked to the side. He noticed that Diethard was the only guest in attendance that seemed uninterested. He locked eyes with the blond man for a few moments, before he smiled and turned away. Now that the silent moment has passed, the praises were overwhelming.

"You were magnificent."

"Spectacular performance."

"No one would have guessed you were attending a party, Your Highness."

Clovis la Britannia simply pulled on his collar, looking every bit like a satisfied peacock grooming itself. "The viceroy is his area's key actor. If the media wants a charismatic prince, that's what I have to give them."

"Untrue, untrue," assured a rotund man, another member of the media, "Our goal is simply to assist your reign in any way we can." This statement was followed by murmurs of agreement.

Suddenly, a man even more rotund then the previous speaker walked up to Clovis. Wearing the uniform of a military official, he whispered in the viceroy's ear. Lelouch wondered, _About the poison gas?_ To the confusion of the onlookers, Clovis fled the room, apologizing profusely about having duties as a Viceroy.

"Heads up, Minoru." murmured Lelouch. "It looks Clovis is onto your old friends."

Then Lelouch sighed and tried to force a smile. Now that Clovis was gone, many heads were already turning to talk to the so-called 'Prince of Masks'. "Get ready, Emeka. I'm going to need a lot more I.D.'ing."

* * *

><p><strong>1730<strong>

Rivalz Cardemonte was simply coming back to school after working part-time as bartender.

"Get out of the way!" yelled a truck driver from behind.

"Crap!" In a panic, Rivalz sped onward. He only came to a stop after he'd passed a block, where he was pulled over for speeding.

* * *

><p>"Get out of the way!" yelled Nagata. <em>Uh-oh,<em> thought Minoru. He braced himself for impact. One thing about Nagata was that he easily panicked if he couldn't move as fast as he wanted. Which normally meant a sudden 'detour'.

A sudden turn to the left proved him right, as well an equally sudden crash. Minoru was worried about his old friends, even if they didn't seem to care much for him right now. It took all his self-control to keep from shouting 'Are you guys okay?'.

As if to answer his silent call, the truck reversed direction and righted itself. However, it wasn't long before Minoru heard a voice through a speaker. "Terrorists, this is your only warning! Pull over and you'll have a chance to defend yourselves in court!"

Minoru tried to make himself as small as possible, hiding behind the gas capsule. As he expected, Kallen came out to the back and got into the red Glasgow. _God, I wish my outfit wasn't such a bright white._

Soon the Glasgow jumped out of the back of the truck. After a few gunshots and sudden turns, the truck entered a tunnel of some sort. From the regular bumps, Minoru assumed that they're on subway tracks.

Suddenly, the truck crashes. Minoru is flung to the side of the truck, which gradually begins to open. Quickly picking himself up, he gets out of the truck to check on Nagata. He's met with a horrifying image.

There's broken glass all over the truck, with some pieces stuck in the driver. Blood all over his face, Minoru realized his old comrade had little chance of survival. Still, he dragged his close friend out of the driver's seat and into the main body of the truck. Minoru flung aside his mask as he leaned over the old friend.

"Nagata. Nagata! Wake up, Nagata!"

"…Minoru?" recognized the injured man. His eyes were almost locked shut by drying blood, but Nagata tried to open them to see his old friend. Then the injured man's eyes seemed to suddenly focus. "I thought you sided with Britannia. You betrayed us for that no-good Britannian. You betrayed Japan."

Minoru gulped. "No, I didn't betray Japan. I'm still going to free the Japanese, just I'm going to do it my way."

Nagata chuckled slightly, coughing up blood. "Free Japan your w-way?... I suppose that's why you stopped us earlier," the dying man gestured to the stolen capsule. "This used to be your way, you know."

Tears welled up in Minoru's eyes. "A-And look where it got you." Minoru had meant to retort, but his quivering voice made him sound mournful.

"Be quiet, kid."

It took Minoru a while to realize Nagata didn't sound hurt or hateful. Rather, he sounded like he was scolding a misbehaving child. Nagata seemed to see his realization, and the wounded driver started to smirk. "You've changed a lot, kid. Let's just hope it's a change for the better."

The black-haired man took a shuddering breath. "Long live Japa…"

With those last words, Nagata grew quiet. It was then that Minoru's tears truly fell. "L-Long live Japan."

It was only after he said that that he heard rapid footsteps. Turning to face the open side of the truck, he soon found himself flying across the room. As he hit the gas capsule, the wind was knocked out of him, and he felt a sharp pain in his back as someone jumped on top of him.

"Cease and desist, terrorist."

Nagata looked up and saw a Britannian foot soldier. "What the hell do you mean?" In his anger at being forced away from his dead friend, he shoved the soldier. To his surprise, the soldier lands on his feet like a cat.

Meanwhile, Minoru grabbed his helmet. Raising it as proof, he slowly got up and proclaimed, "I am Kira, loyal guard of Lelouch vi Britannia. What the hell do you mean by 'terrorist'?"

"Don't be ridiculous," responded the foot soldier through his mask. "What would a Royal Guard be doing here, crying over a dead terrorist?"

Something in Minoru snapped. He jumped over to the guard and grabbed his neck. "Don't," warned Minoru as he tightened his grip, "Call him a terrorist."

Tears still in his eyes, Lelouch's words ring in Minoru's head, "He was a freedom fighter. A man fighting for justice. He'd never resort to killing the innocent."

Before the soldier could respond, the gas capsule started lighting up. Minoru grabbed the soldier's gasmask, determined to let him die in the poisonous gas. In response, the soldier kicked Minoru in the legs, tripping him. Minoru brought the soldier down with him, knocking him against the floor and rendering the soldier unconscious. Looking up, he saw something peculiar.

Rather than toxic gas, the capsule opens to reveal a woman with long green hair. For a second, she appears conscious. However, her eyes were closed before she touched the ground. Minoru walks up to the figure and stares for a few moments.

Then, recalling his senses, he put on his mask and presses on his watch to turn on his communicator. "Lelouch, it's not gas they stole, it's a prisoner."

* * *

><p><strong>1750 hours<strong>

"Lelouch, it's not gas they stole, it's a prisoner."

Lelouch had a sudden coughing fit. He turned away from the nobles he was talking to, and muttered, "Are you sure? Why would they do that?"

There was slight hesitation. "When I overheard their conversations, it seemed like they were convinced they were stealing poison gas. They probably had no idea that they were kidnapping a woman. She's got long green hair and the clothes of a prisoner of war."

Lelouch cleared his throat loudly. "Emeka, check the Area databases for a green-haired prisoner."

Turning to the nobles, Lelouch said, "Sorry about that. I haven't been feeling well these days. Must be the change in climate." The six nobles around him nodded sympathetically.

Emeka. "Lelouch, I'm coming up empty. No mention of a green-haired woman anywhere. And there shouldn't even be any prisoners in your immediate surroundings…"

_Clovis was hiding something? _Lelouch wondered, _What's so special about this woman?_ Aloud, he wondered, "I wonder what's taking my guard so long."

Rafael retorted over the line, "We're going as fast as we can. We're almost at Minoru's position."

Lelouch pretended to listen in as two nobles argue over some trivial piece of gossip. Musing aloud, "When will I get Clovis's military frequencies? A military officer is pretty helpless without them."

After just a moment, Emeka's voice came back on the line. "Just did it. Not much is happening… Wait, I'm locking on the military's coordinates. A unit is moving towards Minoru."

Minoru responded in a pained voice, "I know."

**Author's Notes: Sorry it's a bit short, but I thought this was a good place to stop :). I took more time editing this than the last one, but I'm worried things didn't come out quite right for some reason… Especially cuz I had the feeling I didn't really do Lloyd's personality justice :)**


	7. The Shinjuku Massacre

**Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 7. I was already editing it with Chap 6, so I found it easy to finish editing once the other chap was done.**

**Reviewer Response Time!**

**XT3: …****So i guess Lelouch will lead the terrorists to victory.**

…**kind of ^^.**

**LelouchVi: "…****I do hope that Lelouch gets his Geass and it's not Minorou instead…****"**

**Don't worry, I don't plan on giving the Guard geass anytime soon. One of the things I consider most important to CG fanfics is keeping Lelouch's power in check. The last thing I want to do is make him too powerful. (Tho I may fail, lol).**

**Thanks also to inuboy86, Ragez, SrgntDrew, Umbra8191, and wedgegeck for reviewing!**

**Last minute response to Akito89Lelouch:**

**... weren't you abinash? If not, no big deal, just that I might be going a bit crazy, o.0 lol. Thnx for the review ^^**

**Enjoy!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics __for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

Mask 7: The Shinjuku Massacre

**Shinjuku Ghetto  
><strong>**Abandoned Subway  
><strong>**1800 hours**

"Well, well, it looks like today's my lucky day." said the Britannian officer. Minoru recognized him as the same officer from a week ago. Again, the officer was backed by twelve lackeys bearing submachine guns. All of which were pointing at Minoru.

Minoru tried to stand, but he was crippled by a sudden pain in his legs. _Must be from that fight earlier_. Instead of getting up, Minoru fell limply out of the truck.

The officer laughed. "So this is one of the fabled 'Masked Soldiers' of_ His Highness_ Lelouch." observed the officer, "Too scared to even stand upright." He raised his handgun. "One of your comrades embarrassed me greatly last week. Luckily, I've been ordered to kill whoever comes in contact with the captive."

The officer points with his handgun at the unconscious soldier and dead terrorist. "Soon, you'll end up just like them."

Minoru couldn't believe it. Because of a small wound to the legs, he was going to die. However, instead of fear, Minoru felt rage. An overwhelming amount of rage.

Using the truck for support, he tried to stand and smirked when he found that some of the pain had gone. "Tell me, Brit, what gives you the right to kill others?" Through his mask, his voice echoed ominously.

The officer snorted. "I have the right to kill because I'm the one with the gun in hand."

"Really?" sneered Minoru. His prince's words rang in his head once again. "I've always believed that the only ones with the right to kill are those who are willing to be killed."

"Your damn prince said the same thing." The officer cocked his head to the side. "Know what? This conversation has gotten dull surprisingly quickly, so let's end it. Now."

The officer raised his pistol to point at Minoru's head. Unfortunately for him, he never got the chance to pull the trigger. A sharp sound echoed around the old subway, followed by the hard clanking of the officer's gun hitting the floor, in turn followed shortly by its owner.

Before anyone could realize what had happened, another man, then a third, is picked off with a sniper rifle. Five more are gunned done with a pair of handguns. A submachine gun sprayed wildly over the remaining survivors. Within a few seconds, Minoru was the only one still standing.

A black-clothed woman steps out of the shadows, holding a pair of pistols. "Looks like we got here just in time." Minoru could feel Hazel smile slightly behind her mask.

Another black figure stepped into the dim light, toting a submachine gun. "Thanks to my excellent driving."

Soft chuckling came from a third figure. Lei repeated, "Excellent? Who'd have thought you to be such a stickler for speed limits?"

"W-What's that supposed to mean?" Rafael asked indignantly, "I just didn't want to waste time by being pulled over… You saw that blue-haired kid earlier."

After everything Minoru had been through, alone, he couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" Rafael asked, "My driving's what saved your sorry ass, so you have no right to laugh."

Minoru took of his mask to wipe off tears. "No, it's not that. Just glad to see you guys again."

* * *

><p><strong>1805 hours<strong>

"Ce-cile!"

The blue-haired assistant looks up to see a white-haired man wave. _What happened this time?_ "You seem quite happy, Lloyd."

Lloyd pulled out a check. "Seems like we won't have to worry about our budget anymore."

Cecile sighed as she took the check. "We wouldn't have had to worry in the first place if you'd simply stuck to the budget…" Then she looked at the check. "…That's a lot of money."

Lloyd smiled. "Indeed, it's signed by the famous Prince of Masks himself."

Cecile checked the signature. "Lloyd, how are we going to pay him back?"

Lloyd's smile widened. "I don't think we'll need to. He's simply giving us a gift."

Cecile was doubtful. "Still, I told you that money has strings attached, and we don't even have a pilot yet. Margrave Jeremiah refused to leave the frontlines."

"Ah, a devicer?" Lloyd looked at his prize possession, the Z-01 Lancelot. "I was thinking… Lelouch is the son of Marianne 'the Flash', right?"

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Administrative Building<br>****1807 hours**

"Pilot your knightmare?" Lelouch asked, surprised. He didn't think his talk had been this effective.

Lloyd seemed slightly embarrassed. "Yes. You see, Jeremiah was supposed to pilot it, but the idiot refused to the leave the frontlines. His loss, really."

_Jeremiah's that skilled a pilot?_ Lelouch mentally stored that tidbit of information. "So I'm a substitute?"

A woman's voice came on the phone. "No, no, Your Highness. Please forgive Lloyd's rudeness. We simply thought that, as the son of Marianne 'the Flash', you may want to pilot out new knightmare."

Lelouch considered. It would provide a good alibi, and having access to the first seventh-generation knightmare would be useful. On the other hand… "I'd be more than willing to do so, but I hope you understand that I won't be following Schneizel's orders."

Lloyd's voice was back on the phone. "Of course, I don't very much like listening to him either."

"Lloyd!"

"I'll be there." Lelouch smiled as he hung up. Lloyd and his assistant certainly made an interesting pair.

* * *

><p><strong>1816 hours<strong>

Minoru looked up the stairwell. On the elevated train tracks, there wasn't a soul to be seen. He signaled behind him and a black figure ran up to join him.

"Is everyone ready?"

Using a black and white watch, Minoru turned on the communicator in his black helmet. "Yes, Lelouch."

In a building about half a kilometer back, Lei lifted her helmet to her face. Tapping her watch, she reported, "I'm all set here."

In a broken-down truck stuck in an abandoned subway was a fourth black figure. The Brazilian teenager glanced through his mask at an unconscious green-haired woman. Tapping his watch, Rafael muttered, "Nothing to report here."

"Good. Time to give these terrorists a call. Emeka, hook me up to their frequency."

* * *

><p><strong>1817 hours<strong>

"Crap," muttered Kallen. Looking at her energy filler, she saw that she only had a good fifteen minutes' worth.

"You won't get away, filthy Eleven!"

Kallen gripped her controls tightly. It was the same voice as the Sutherland pilot that had forced her to eject an arm. Very little kept her from turning around and charging at the Sutherland. She might have, had there not been a second Sutherland chasing her.

_Am I going to die like this?_

"The West Entrance."

Kallen stared at her remote in shock. "Who is this? How do you have our frequency?" she demanded.

"There's not enough time to explain. Just get on the tracks towards the West Entrance."

Kallen scowled, but she didn't really have any better ideas. Piloting her one-armed machine, she turned west.

Jumping on the tracks, she muttered, "Now what?" In front of her, a train was quickly approaching.

"In front of you should be a train. Jump on top."

"Got it." Effortlessly, she piloted her Glasgow on top of the train, leaving dents in places where she jumped. She felt the train slow, presumably because of the Sutherlands behind her. "What now-"

Her words were cut off by a sudden explosion behind her.

* * *

><p><strong>Moments Earlier<br>****1818 hours**

Lei licked her dry lips as she adjusted her rifle. For this portion of the mission, she'd taken off her black mask. Instead, her face was concealed by a black fabric that covered her nose and mouth. She took a deep breath through the cover and pushed her short, black hair to one side.

Through her custom scope, she could see the heat signatures of the three approaching knightmares. It would have been easiest to take out the Glasgow, stopping the two Sutherlands...

...Unfortunately, she'd been given orders to destroy only the last Sutherland. Apparently the first was a potential ally, and the second was Jeremiah.

At least, according to Emeka's data, the second _should_ be Lelouch's green-haired friend. She'd been able to hear rapid typing even over the communicator, so he was obviously busy with _something_, making her doubt that he had full attention on the knightmares.

She focused the scope so that she could only see the last Sutherland. Although heat showed up throughout the knightmare, the most visible part was a small spherical point in the Sutherland's chest. It was the Yggdrasil Drive, the source of every Sutherland's energy. And _much_ more explosive than any electrical batteries of matching size.

Lei watched as the Glasgow jumped on top of the train. For an instant, the Sutherlands stopped to slow the train.

An instant was all she needed.

* * *

><p><strong>1818 hours<strong>

_Trying to slow us down?_ Jeremiah smiled. _It doesn't matter, since you'll be dead soon enough._

As he held back a train, he yelled at his subordinate behind him. "You there! Go after the..."

He's interrupted by an explosion behind him. Turning, he sees that his comrade's vehicle has been reduced to rubble. "What the hell?"

He pulled on his controls to turn back towards the train and the fleeing Glasgow.

Nothing happened.

Cursing, he pulled on the controls again. _A system malfunction? At a time like this?_

Suddenly his monitor blared red. All the knightmare's systems were being shut down one after another.

_A virus?_ Jeremiah shook his head. _Impossible. No one can hack a Sutherland._

"Damn it, MOVE!" He hit the side of his cockpit with a fist. Suddenly a blue window popped up: 'Automated Ejection System Activated'.

* * *

><p><strong>1819 hours<strong>

"You managed to hack a Sutherland?" This time, Lelouch was talking over a phone rather than using his hidden communicator.

Emeka's voice responded over the line. "Sure did, boss."

Lelouch frowned, "…I thought it was impossible to hack a knightmare."

"Not impossible, Lelouch, just extremely difficult. You need to custom-create the virus to incorporate every detail about the knightmare's configuration, which is hard even with computers helping you. Since each and every knightmare has slightly different personal configurations... this makes hacking a waste of time for most. But that's where my photographic memory steps in."

"Interesting. So the Sutherlands in that train we found…"

"Those were brand-new, factory condition Sutherlands. No configurations at all. Working on those is like stealing candy from a baby, minus the crying. Their IFF's are deactivated and login codes bypassed."

"Good," Lelouch smirked slightly. "Hazel, take command of the situation. Tell me if anything goes wrong."

"Understood, Lelouch."

Lelouch sighed as he hung up the phone. "Driver, can you pick up the pace? Earl Asplund wanted me there as soon as possible."

* * *

><p><strong>1819 hours<strong>

Minoru gulped. As per Lelouch's anonymous instructions, the terrorists had gathered by the train. Footsteps behind him announced Lei's arrival. Quickly, the three masked figures snuck inside the train from the opposite side that the terrorists were gathering at.

_Just like Emeka said._ First Minoru, Hazel, and finally Lei each entered a Sutherland. Within his cockpit, Minoru took off his helmet. Then, gesturing with his Sutherland's hand, all three jumped out of the train, ripping out one of its many doors.

As they drove around to the terrorists, they heard panicked shouts. Minoru heard Tamaki shout, "I told you it was a trap!"

Minoru turned on his Sutherland's speaker. "Wait, we're here to hel…"

He didn't have time to finish because Kallen's Glasgow had shot towards Minoru. By reflex, he grabbed the knightmare, as he would have a person. Flipping her onto her back, he backed away, raising his hands. "We come in peace!" He succeeded in stopping most of the fleeing terrorists.

"Says the guy in a Sutherland!" shouted Tamaki. Murmurs of agreement followed.

Minoru resisted the urge to get out and strangle the redhead. Luckily, Hazel stepped forward. "Listen, we're here to help. Follow our instructions if you want to win."

On the ground, Kallen started wondering, _To win? They can't be serious?_

Disrupting Kallen's thoughts, a third Sutherland spoke up. A sigh could be heard over the knightmare's speakers. "Listen, we've got orders to make sure as many of you survive as possible. If you wanna live, you better get in the train and follow our instructions."

Most of the terrorists, including Kallen and Ohgi, began wondering, _Orders? From who? _Then Tamaki retorted, "How do we know it isn't a trap?"

The second knightmare spoke, "If that's what we wanted, I could just kill you right now." To emphasize her point, she lifts her giant submachine gun at the loudmouth terrorist. "Would you like that?"

Kallen got up and decided to check the train's contents. Still a bit suspicious, she carefully opened the train door.

"Wow."

Inside were a number of Sutherlands, empty and free for the taking.

_Maybe we do stand a chance._

* * *

><p><strong>1830 hours<strong>

"Kallen, you ready?

The redheaded girl grabbed her radio. "How do you know my name?"

"…"

"Answer me!"

This time a woman answered. It was the same person who had pointed her gun at Tamaki. "That can wait, Unit 13. First, we need to take down Clovis's force."

After a pause, a third voice spoke. "You sure you don't want a Sutherland, Unit 13?"

Kallen frowned. Her Glasgow was still missing an arm, but she couldn't just leave it behind. She'd spent countless nights cleaning it and countless days training in it. It would feel akward to just leave it. "I'll be fine."

* * *

><p>"I'll be fine." Lei said. They were speaking on a private channel connected to the rest of the Guard, as well as their prince.<p>

"I'm sorry I never got any of you Sutherland training." apologized Lelouch.

Lei tried to smile, but she knew it couldn't be seen through the communicators. "It's fine. It'll be like piloting a Bamides solo."

"Except that a Bamides is a five-man-job and not even a third as maneuverable as a Sutherland." pointed out Rafael.

"It's not the maneuverability that bothers me," retorted Lei. _And it's not like you're here, piloting one._ "In fact, that helps. The problem is that you're always so in the open." For a covert operations specialist, that was like being covered in blood and dumped in a shark tank.

"Well, so is everyone else," reminded Emeka, "Except for me, Rafael, and Lelouch. _We're_ all safely away from the action."

"…"

"What?"

* * *

><p><strong>1845 hours<strong>

Lelouch took the stairs to the top of a mobile knightmare hanger. There he spotted Lloyd among a half dozen other workers. Donning a polite smile, he walks over. "Hello, Lloyd."

"Your Highness!" Lloyd exclaimed as he walked over. "So glad you could come." Ignoring social etiquette, he slings an arm over the prince and points to a large white figure. "I present to you, the Z-01 Lancelot.

Lelouch looked the knightmare frame up and down. It had a white and gold exterior, like his Guard's uniforms. He whistled in appreciation. "You created this yourself?"

"With help, of course." Lelouch glanced over at a blue-haired woman. She looked down. "A-Ah, Your Highness." She added belatedly.

Lelouch surprised her with a smile. "Please, call me Lelouch. Both you and this genius here."

Lloyd smiled with pride. "I just knew someone like you could understand the Lancelot's beauty." purred Lloyd. Then he stepped away from the prince, lifting a white and gold key. "Now, how about helping me collect some combat data?"

Lelouch made a dramatic bow. "I'd be honored."

* * *

><p><strong>1847 hours<strong>

Lelouch looked around the locker room. They'd wanted him to change into a pilot suit, and he'd have to take advantage of this small amount of time alone.

"Minoru, you said the soldiers that tried to kill you were ordered to get rid of any witnesses?"

"…That's right."

Lelouch took off his hidden communicator and inspected it. Clipping it onto the pilot suit, he said, "If I remember correctly, Emeka said that unit was under the direct control of Clovis. He's most likely the one who gave the order."

Emeka. "That's right, they were a part of Clovis's Royal Guard."

Lelouch sighed. "When I launch in the Lancelot, we'll have to put on a good show. Have all the terrorists rendezvous at an isolated point. I'll clean them up while you, Hazel, and Lei make your way to Clovis. Kill anyone who gets in your way."

Minoru's voice hardened slightly, "We're going to leave the terrorists to die?" Even if he had betrayed them, the terrorists had been his old friends…

"Of course not." Lelouch zipped on the pilot suit. He noted that it hung a bit limply around his thin arms and chest. "I'm just going to get rid of their Sutherlands before the military has a chance to kill them."

Minoru's voice softened. "…Thank you."

"I could hardly have your friends dying." Lelouch stepped towards the locker room door. "Hey Emeka. I was wondering, can you hack a seventh generation knightmare?"

"I should. I just need its coordinates. I've hacked a satellite, so I'd just need it to stay outside long enough."

"…Out of curiosity, how many things have you hacked today?"

"…As many as necessary. And maybe one or two more for practice. Or three."

* * *

><p><strong>1900 hours<strong>

"Squad 5, fire at the walls to your left."

First one, then another blue light disappeared.

"Squad 6, fall back 600 meters. Squad 3, ambush the forces Squad 6 draws in 5 seconds after my mark. Squad 5, work your way east 1000 meters. Mark!"

After 5 seconds, a cluster of blue dots disappeared.

Lelouch smiled. Hazel was good with strategy, he'd give her that. The main issue was that she seemed unable to manage soldiers on a single unit scale. He also wasn't completely satisfied with her naming system.

There were approximately 36 terrorists, all using Sutherlands. Hazel had divided them into six teams of six. On top of that, every soldier had a corresponding unit number from 1-36.

_The problem is,_ Lelouch thought, _that tells us nothing._ For all he knew, Unit 28 was the best melee fighter, Unit 32 the best long-range fighter, and Unit 13 the best overall pilot.

If it had been left up to Lelouch, he would have changed the naming to chess designations. Someone on the R-Team would have similar tactics to R.R., also known as Rafael. R-3 would have been the designation for the best unit on the team, besides Rafael himself.

Speaking of his guard, Lelouch noticed that his Guard wasn't fighting much. Except Minoru, of course. He was tearing through Britannian after Britannian as if he wasn't using a ten-ton machine.

It made sense that the other two members of the Guard didn't fight, since they haven't piloted Sutherlands before, but he doubted that was the sole issue. He made a note to himself to create custom knightmare frames for his Guard, ones that better fit their personal strengths.

"Your Highness, are you ready?"

Lloyd face popped up on the Lancelot's monitor, startling Lelouch. "Y-Yes, can I launch?"

Lloyd smiled. "By all means, go ahead."

"Thanks."

Cecile's voice came over a radio. "Z-01 Lancelot, prepare to launch."

"3"

"2"

"1"

"Zero." finished Lelouch, activating the ME boost. Within seconds, the Lancelot had sped into the city.

_This is amazing. Nothing like the Sutherlands I used to practice with._ Lelouch looked around the cockpit. He turned off the receiver for the radio, so that the ASEEC couldn't hear him. "Hazel, I've launched."

After a moment, she answered, "Understood. We'll begin with phase 3. The terrorist rendezvous is at point L-15.

"Got it. Remember, the capture of Clovis is our objective, but don't get yourselves caught. And definitely don't die."

"Thanks for worrying, but we'll be ok, Lelouch." Lelouch smiled as he heard hissing in the background. Lei was already getting out of her Sutherland.

Gripping his controls, Lelouch turned a corner to see a clump of Sutherlands without IFF codes. "Sorry," he muttered as he charged, "But Lloyd wants combat data."

Before the Sutherlands could react, Lelouch fired two slash harkens, taking out the heads of two Sutherlands. As they ejected, Lelouch swiped with the Lancelot's leg, knocking a third Sutherland to the ground. Anticipating a counterattack, Lelouch engaged the Lancelot's shield.

A flurry of bullets confirmed his prediction. Lelouch ran forward, shield still up. He rammed against a fourth Sutherland. The bullets had stopped to avoid hitting their comrade, and Lelouch pushed the Sutherland to the ground, forcing it to eject. Then he quickly jumped to avoid the inevitable volley of bullets, landing on yet another Sutherland. Then he jumped forward to kick another Sutherland.

Trying to avoid using the energy-wasting shield, he moved behind a building, only to appear on its roof. Firing two slash harkens, he took out another pair of Sutherlands. He retracted his harkens only to jump behind yet another Sutherland, punching it to force it to eject. Then he used the remains as a bullet shield while he drove to another Sutherland.

* * *

><p><strong>Lancelot's Transport<br>****1910 hours**

"Lloyd," The blue-haired assistant tore her away from the monitors to look at the scientist. "Did you know…"

"That this would happen?" finished the white-haired man. "I'm afraid not even my genius mind was able to predict this. His efficiency is higher than all the other candidates, even that Jerry guy. " He glanced at some data being taken from the cockpit of the Lancelot. "Oh-hoh. Interesting."

Cecile turned to see what he was looking at. There were two bars that kept rising and falling slightly. One read 'Stress', and the other read 'Fatigue'. "Lloyd…"

"Indeed. According to the data we're getting, his mental stress is at an all-time low. Unfortunately, his fatigue is also at an all-time high." Lloyd put a hand to his lips. He muttered, "Normally it's the other way around. The mental stress of piloting a seventh generation knightmare is supposed to be much greater than the physical stress. By that standard, his stress should be about twice his fatigue, but apparently he's barely feeling tested, mentally."

Lloyd started to smile. "What fun! I _must_ get to work on a knightmare that matches his mental capability."

Cecile stood up. "Lloyd," she scolded, "Thanks to Lelouch, we've barely fixed our budget crisis. Building another knightmare is impossible right now."

To her surprise, Lloyd gave in. "Fine, fine. You know, sometimes I think you think I'm a child."

_That's because, sometimes, you are._ Cecile sighed with slight relief.

"I'll just remodel the Gawain for his use."

Cecile just stared at Lloyd.

"Scary, scary," Lloyd joked, "Don't worry, I'll stay in budget."

"…"

* * *

><p><strong>1910 hours<strong>

Lelouch smiled. It was almost too easy. Driving the Lancelot put a great amount of physical stress on his body, but it wasn't difficult to pilot. Even though he was panting slightly, he felt as if his mental strength had been barely tested.

Suddenly, he saw movement on his right. _What the…_ He raises his shield just in time to block a red machine.

Lelouch recognizes it as a red Glasgow, the knightmare that Kallen girl was using. _She's got guts to fight without an arm._ Indeed, Lelouch had almost been hit by a _fourth_ generation knightmare. If it wasn't for the fact that it had only one arm, Lelouch might not have been able to block a second punch.

However, the difference in technology becomes clear as the Glasgow's remaining hand crumpled to bits. With a quick kick, Lelouch knocked the Glasgow into the ground, forcing it to eject.

Even as he turns, he sees the redhead jump out of her cockpit. _Kallen Stadtfeld… I'll have to remember that name._

* * *

><p><strong>1915 hours<strong>

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

The three black figures turn to look as a guard approaches them, pointing his gun.

Minoru reached for a pistol by his waist, but he's beat by Lei, who pulls out twin handguns. Before the guard can react, a single bullet pierces his head, while another hits him in the chest. Minoru smiled inside his black helmet. "Were two really necessary?"

Lei shrugged. "Maybe." Still holding the guns, she enters the large G-1. When the two others follow, they see a hall with two dead guards. Lei looks at them, and Minoru can feel her try to smile. "Here, they were."

In response, Minoru led the way. Two more floors and five officers later, the three rebels entered the command room. Minoru quickly killed a large bald man that he recognized as General Bartley. Minoru's companions got rid of the rest, leaving only one blond-haired man sitting on a throne.

Lei hurried over to a computer terminal, taking out a small device, which he plugged into an open computer terminal.

"We've secured Clovis, and Lei is getting Emeka's transmitter hooked up." reported Minoru over his communicator.

"Emeka, drain their computers dry." Lelouch smiled "And, Minoru, can you ask Clovis a few questions?"

**Author's Notes: So that was chapter 7. Chapter 8 should be following soon. REVIEW**

**If you think the OC's got too much screen time, I'm sorry. However, I wanted to establish them as Lelouch's arms and legs, letting him act like a prince without revealing his true objectives.**


	8. Geass

**Author's Notes: Here's Chapter 8. Things become steadily less and less canon from here on out (Not like it was very canon in the first place). That's the only way it can get interesting :).**

**Reviewer Response Time!**

**Jarm957: "****Great chapter but i di notice one mistake,**

**in this line "I'll just remodel the Shinkiro for his use"..."**

**xD I told myself to fix that, but I guess I never did. Thnx, it's fixed to Gawain now.**

**Lycosyncer: "…****So would Lelouch try to recruit Kallen and the others into his Royal Guard or will he decide to have the Black Knights as his unofficial group of loyal knights fighting for a just cause?****..."**

**Kinda both, lol. ^^ I don't wanna spoil it, though.**

"…**I expect that everything should still follow canon events of when Lelouch gives his public debut as Zero and by the way, Lelouch hasn't receieved Geass yet and I hope it happens next chapter…****."**

**Yeah, most of the events for now will be based off the canon, at least for the majority of the first season. As for geass… One of my main rules for fanfics is that I must avoid making Lelouch too powerful. Otherwise, that means throwing in OC antagonists, which can overcomplicate the story. Right now, I've given him a lot without taking much away, so you may have to wait for Lelouch to get his geass. Don't worry, according to my preplanned outline, that should happen in the next few chaps.**

**LelouchVi: "…****I hope you keep up the update frequent like this****…"**

**As I think I said in my earlier chaps, school is coming quickly. Once that happens, I'll need a few months to adjust. After all, graduating well is a bit higher on my priority list than fanfics… After a few months, I'll be able to pick up writing again, hopefully again at this speed. I hope you all continue to read what I publish ^^**

**Thanks also to Umbra8191, Akito89Lelouch, XT3, Dirac Blade, wedgegeck, Ragez, XIIIth Antagonist, turbotails23, MisterSP, william12, Vampire Princess 789, Otaku HoLic, and The Strike Freedom for reviewing.**

**Again, like 'The True Beginning', I'm not too sure with this chap. That's because I decided last minute to delay some of the events I had planned for this chap, replacing it with some others. That made the rest of the chap feel a bit awkward at first, but hopefully I managed to fix it. ^^**

**Also, I'd like to ask that, if someone has criticism or a complaint, check other reviews to see if someone else hasn't already mentioned it. I could understand one person complaining about Lloyd supposedly having the Shinkiro, but it became a bit ridiculous when PM's followed with the same complaint. Look, I've been reading a bit of R2/R3 fanfics, so that's why I accidently replaced the word Gawain with Shinkiro in the last chap. I wouldn't throw something like that in on purpose without putting some sort of explanation first. I read all reviews/PM's, be they praises or insults, so if someone made a complaint, I'll be sure to address it. Please don't just send the same complaint as others, it gets a bit annoying/demoralizing after a while.**

**Pheeeeeew, sorry if the above paragraph sounded like a rant. I've been having a bad week at work, and I thought that made the best place to relieve some stress ^^.**

**Anyways, Enjoy!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics __for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

Mask 8: Geass

**Shinjuku Ghetto  
><strong>**1918 hours**

Lelouch gritted his teeth. Having done away with the rest of the 'enemy' Sutherlands, Lelouch had looked around for a way to spend his time while his guards made their way to Clovis. It was as he was doing so that he saw a group of tanks crash into an abandoned warehouse.

Through his factspheres, Lelouch saw that there were a number of people huddled within the warehouse. He watched with disbelief as the Britannian soldiers prepared to shoot. _It's obvious they're not terrorists…_

"Stop!" shouted Lelouch through his speakers.

He saw the Britannian soldiers turn in surprise. Lelouch got out of his knightmare, careful to take the activation key with him. He started walking towards a man atop one of the tanks. "Are you in charge here?"

The man recognized Lelouch and bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Can I ask what you're doing here? It's obvious that these people aren't terrorists."

* * *

><p><em>What the hell is he doing?<em> wondered Kallen as she gripped her gun. She'd been sure she was going to die, when, all of a sudden, that Lelouch guy had stopped the Britannians.

Within the warehouse, Ohgi nudged Kallen. "Look outside."

Barely visible through the recently-made hole in the wall, the white knightmare from before was calmly standing upright. Kallen realized what this meant. She muttered fiercely, "That bastard! He's the one who took us down!"

Neither of them could hear what the prince was saying, so they both tightened their grip on their guns. Kallen slowly pointed hers at the prince.

However, to their surprise, the tanks started reversing direction. Within the minute, they were gone, leaving Prince Lelouch by himself. He turned to face the Japanese, civilians and terrorists alike. "I suggest you all stay here for the time being."

It looked like he was about say more, but then he seemed to be surprised by something. Then the prince simply turned to go back to his knightmare, apparently muttering something. A few words made their way to Kallen and Ohgi, "Emeka, drain… dry… And… ask Clovis…"

Soon, he was back in his white monster of a knightmare, leaving Kallen and her friends to wonder,

_What. The Hell. Just. Happened?_

* * *

><p><strong>Prince Clovis G-1 Command Center<br>****1920 hours**

Clovis gripped his chair in fear. Mere moments ago, three men in black costumes had barged in and killed his staff. He had no idea who they were or what they wanted. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good for the viceroy.

_And what's with those dark costumes?_

Suddenly, the Third Prince of Britannia recognized the outfits. Although they were hard to identify because of their ominous black and purple colors, Clovis knew that they were the same as those of Lelouch's Guard. Finding new confidence in this bit of information, Clovis stands up and demands, "Did Lelouch send you? How dare you kill my men?"

In answer, one of the black figures raised a pistol at the prince's face. "We'll be asking the questions, _Your Highness_." The voice echoed sinisterly.

The majority of Clovis's confidence immediately broke. He managed to splutter, "D-Do you have any i-idea who I a-am? I a-am Clovis l-la Britannia, Th-Third P-Prince of the Holy Britannian Empire!"

The gun-wielding man was intimidatingly expressionless. Clovis had no idea what the man was thinking. Finally, the man spoke, ignoring Clovis's outburst, "Who is the green-haired girl?" The abruptness of the question made it sound as if the speaker was in the middle of some hidden conversation.

Shocked by the sudden question, Clovis quietly sat before responding. "I have no idea what you're-"

The man slowly took a few steps forward. "You know full well what I'm talking about. The _so-called_ poison gas."

Clovis sank back in his chair. "D-Don't come any closer!" The man ignored him. Stepping even closer, Clovis had the sinking feeling whatever he was going to do wouldn't be good. Lifting his arms in front of his face, he screamed, "Fine, fine. I'll talk! Just… don't… come any closer!"

The man stopped, but he kept his gun pointed at Clovis.

With a deep breath, Clovis started to talk, "You may not believe me, but that green-haired girl is an immortal."

For a while, there was silence. Then, two of the three masked figures started laughing. The echoing sound was eerie, like demons from hell had risen to mock him. The only one retaining his composure was the man with the gun.

Partly to end that noise, Clovis shouted, "It's true! Check the military files if you're not sure! The folder's called Project Code-R."

* * *

><p>"The folder's called Project Code-R."<p>

That's what Lelouch heard Clovis say through Minoru's communicator. He was back in his cockpit, turning his Lancelot back on. After a moment, the prince heard Minoru speak. "Lelouch, what should we do?"

Emeka was the first to respond, "I'm looking at what my receiver is sending me from the G-1. There is a folder called Code-R, but it was hidden extremely well and has top-grade protection. It'll take a bit of time to crack it open."

Lelouch considered. "Minoru, ask Clovis for the password."

Minoru didn't bother turning off his communicator. "What is the password to the files?"

"C.C. C-dot-C-dot."

Inside the Lancelot's cockpit, Lelouch frowned. _Just like our codenames._

Even over the line, Lelouch could hear the sound of furious typing and clicking. "I'm in. What he said about immortality seems correct, according to these files."

Lelouch considered. "How high's the chance it was faked?"

"You don't actually believe this guy, do you?" Laughter still saturated Lei's voice.

Another moment of silence, filled with the small sound of typing. Ignoring Lei, Emeka answered Lelouch's question. "Pretty low. There's a lot of data and time logs, as well as video. It would be more effort than it's worth to fake all this."

Lelouch was silent, thinking. Finally, he spoke, "We'll go bring the green-haired girl's body as we leave. Rafael, you're still with her?"

"Yeah. She's woken up, but I've kept her tied up."

"Good," Lelouch adjusted the collar of his pilot suit. "Minoru, The next question's going to seem a bit strange. Ask Clovis what he knows about a blond-haired boy that was close to the Emperor a few years back."

"Uh, okay…"

Minoru left his receiver on to let Lelouch listen in. "Clovis, what do you know about a blond-haired boy from a few years ago? A boy very close to the Emperor…"

Even over the communicator, Lelouch could hear the confusion in his half-brother's voice. "Blond-haired boy? There's Odysseus and Schneizel, and myself…"

"Not them," said Lelouch.

"Not them." repeated Minoru, addressing Clovis.

Clovis seemed to be thinking. "I've got no idea who you're talking about… There shouldn't have been any other boys that were close to Father…"

Lelouch refrained from biting his lip. It was maddening, but he could hear the truth in his half-brother's voice. Lelouch sighed. "Minoru, Take off your mask and give it to Clovis. I want to ask him something personally."

The prince heard hissing as Minoru takes off his mask. Then there's Clovis's shocked voice. "I know you! You're my brother's guard! What are you doing?"

Minoru didn't give an answer. At least, not one that Lelouch could hear. However, he did hear hissing as the mask tightened around Clovis's head. Lelouch took a slow breath.

"Hello, Clovis."

"L-Lelouch? What're you doing? W-Why's your Guard here? They shot Bartley!"

"Clovis, why did I see your troops get ready to fire at civilians?"

"L-Lelouch, that was just…"

"Just what?"

"Those were just Elevens! I was doing society a favor in getting rid of them!"

"Just Elevens? They were _unarmed civilians._ Just as human as you or me… I'm already sick of listening to you make excuses. Give my soldier his mask back."

"L-Lelouch, promise me they won't kill me."

Lelouch sighed. "… I promise. Now hurry and hand back the mask."

Lelouch heard hissing as Clovis complied. After a few moments, Minoru was back on the line. "Yes, Lelouch?"

"Minoru, you said that you originally joined the army to kill Clovis?"

There was absolute silence. None of the other guards had heard this before. Eventually, Minoru replied, "Yes, but now…"

"Do it."

Minoru wondered if he'd heard incorrectly. "…Lelouch?"

Lelouch tightened his grip on his Lancelot's controls. "He uncaringly gave an order to kill all the Japanese in the area, including unarmed civilians. He doesn't deserve to live another moment."

Minoru, as well as the rest of the Guard, objected. "Lelouch, but he's your…"

"My what?" asked Lelouch, starting to feel slightly bitter. "The only blood relation he has to me is through that Emperor, who is just an excuse of a father! Do it."

"…Yes, my lord."

The rest of the guards exclaimed in surprise, "Minoru!"

Bang!

It became so silent, it was as if everyone had died, not just the blond viceroy.

Lelouch gripped his temples and muttered, "Emeka, use the recorded audio we got to mimic Clovis's voice. Order the retreat of all Britannian forces." Barely remembering the terrorists, he added, "Have both Britannian and Japanese alike given medical care." Bitter, Lelouch drove the Lancelot back to its transport.

* * *

><p><span>Encyclopedia Britannica:<span>

Attack at Shinjuku-

Britannian Commander: Clovis la Britannia

Japanese Commander: Unknown

Britannian Forces: 365

Japanese Forces: 47

Britannian Casualties (killed/injured/captured): 218 (146/72/0)

Japanese Casualties (killed/injured/captured): 11 (11/0/0)

* * *

><p><strong>1930 hours<strong>

"What took you so long, Your Highness?"

Lelouch quietly sighed and quickly donned a bright smile. "Nothing, just thought I'd walk the Lancelot around to look for surviving terrorists." He raised his brows slightly. "I trust I got you the data you wanted?"

"It was wonderful!" Lloyd smiled. "With this, maybe we can get more funding…"

"Which we'd use to give the Lancelot an ejection seat, right?" added Cecile.

"Ah, of course." Lloyd gave a small frown of distaste. Then he seemed to recall his manners. "Ah, Your Highness. You can go back to the locker room. Don't worry about the suit; you can just leave that there."

Lelouch smiled wearily. "Thanks. Then, if you'll excuse me…" He turned to walk off to the locker room.

After a while, the blue-haired assistant spoke. "You never asked…"

"He doesn't need to know that we know."

Cecile paused, then asked, "What do you suppose it meant?"

"It could really mean anything. For all we know, it could have just been a glitch."

"But the period was too long to be a simple glitch."

Lloyd sighed, "All we know is that the data output stopped for a while. From what we saw on the chest-mounted camera, the Lancelot was simply doing a simple jump. There really are only two possible causes… Either it was a simple fault in the data output that _happened_ to coincide with the Lancelot's jump, or it was because the no data input was being received for the jump"

Cecile frowned. "But, if that was the case, wouldn't that mean the Lancelot was being controlled remotely?"

Lloyd shrugged. "Theoretically, that would be the logical explanation, but that would mean someone actually managed to hack a knightmare, which is supposedly impossible, especially on a seventh-generation knightmare. But, hey, who knows? I'll just need to work on the Lancelot's software security."

Then the earl looked around. "More importantly, where's my pudding?"

* * *

><p><strong>1935 hours<strong>

In the locker room, Lelouch thought about what he'd seen. It may have just been because he was tired, but Lelouch could have sworn that Lloyd and Cecile's emotions had been a bit more… forced then they had been before he'd used the Lancelot.

_It couldn't be…_ Lelouch realized that he'd been too focused on his Guard's activity to remember why the Lancelot had been sent out in the first place. To collect data. It was possible that they'd noticed what had happened earlier…

**Flashback  
><strong>**1913 hours**

To Lelouch's surprise, Emeka's face popped up on the Lancelot's monitors. "Hey, boss."

"E-Emeka? H-How did you?"

The African smiled. "You asked me if I could hack the Lancelot, so…" Lelouch saw his monitors blink red for a second. Then he watched as the Lancelot, seemingly of its own accord, jumped. In midair, Lelouch noted that he could no longer move the knightmare. Only upon landing was control restored to the prince.

Lelouch slowly smirked. "Amazing. Is there anything you can't hack?"

To his surprise, Emeka glanced away.

"What is it?"

"…A few weeks back, I was looking around the area using the satellite. I found something strange moving in Ashford Academy, so I zoomed in. It was a blue Ganymede."

"A Ganymede? As in the third generation knightmare?"

Emeka nodded hesitantly. "Beats me why they had it out, but I thought I'd try hacking it, just for practice. I did it the same way I would any other knightmare, but for some reason, I couldn't access it."

Lelouch's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying an old, energy-cell-based knightmare blocked your hacking attempt?"

**End Flashback**

It was possible that something had shown up in the combat data when Emeka had taken remote control of the Lancelot... Hopefully, they'd soon dismiss it as a glitch with the data output.

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<br>****One Hour Later**

"You're sure the files weren't faked?"

Emeka nodded. "I've answered 'yes' over the line three times already, and my answer hasn't changed since then."

Lelouch looked at the green-haired… thing and asked, "So she's actually immortal?"

"Seems like it. Apparently she calls herself C.C."

The green-haired woman frowned. "You know, I'm still conscious. And hungry. Got any pizza here?"

"Maybe after you answer us. Are you really immortal?"

The frown twisted into a teasing smile. "Why don't you try and find out?" Unable to use her bound arms, she shook her head to clear her forehead of her long green hair. "Here, just try, _boy_."

The strange woman seemed to take joy in Lelouch's hesitation.

"Lelouch, I've told you this before, but Clovis didn't look like he was lying."

The prince sighed tiredly. "I know, Minoru." He gets up and walks out of the spacious living room. "Bring her outside."

Outside, in the grass lawn, Lelouch looked around. In order to ensure privacy, the Ashfords had apparently made the property's walls as tall as the house. No one should be able to see him or his group. This had been one of their main reasons for getting the house, as this let his Guard walk around unmasked. Now it would serve another purpose.

"Stand her up, facing away from the house."

Hazel complained, "You can't be serious, Lelouch." Her silver eyes followed Minoru and Emeka as they stood the green-haired woman with her back to the Guard. And Lelouch.

Lelouch took out his handgun and lifted the safety. "Listen, woman. If you want to take back what you said earlier, now's your chance."

The green-haired woman cocked her head, as if to consider. "I think I won't."

Again, the Korean protested, "Lelouch, have you gone mad?"

_Maybe. _Bang!

The woman fell with a soft thump. Lelouch glanced at Rafael. "Check her heartbeat."

The orange-haired teenager stepped back. "You can't be serious, Lelouch. She's obviously dead."

Indeed, the prince didn't know what made him so sure the C.C. woman had told the truth. Regardless, he stepped forward to kneel by the woman's neck. Sticking out two fingers, he checked for a pulse.

At first, he felt something faint. So faint, he thought he was imagining it. However, it slowly grew stronger, until it felt like his own.

Lelouch stood up and rubbed his temples. "Rafael, convert one of our most remote guest room to a prisoner cell. We'll need sound proofing, harder, tinted glass windows, and locks for the outside."

The Brazilian's rust-colored eyes widened. "You can't be serious. She's a-alive?"

Lelouch sighed. "For now. We'll be keeping her prisoner here until we learn more." He glanced at the monster of a woman. "We can't get any information out of her as it is. Try to get some rest." Then he calmly walked inside.

"How the hell does he do it?" Emeka wondered aloud, "Going from having his brother killed to finding out someone can't die, and all he says is 'Try to get some rest'.

"He's a fucking demon." For once, nobody argued with Rafael.

* * *

><p>Lelouch leaned over the toilet, throwing up. Wearing masks all the time was wearing him down.<p>

_Damnit. Damn it!_ Lelouch tightened his hands into fists. _I need to be tougher than this! I am Lelouch vi Britannia, the __**Prince**__ of Masks! I ceased thinking of Clovis as my brother a long time ago!_

So why did Lelouch mourn his death? Why did tears mix with his bile?

After a while, the Eleventh Prince of Britannia wiped both away with a toilet paper, which he flushed down the toilet. He couldn't let his Guard see him act so disgracefully weak. Not them, not anyone.

Now he had passed the point of no return. There was no atoning for his sins. Even if he hadn't pulled the trigger, his hands were stained too deeply to be cleansed.

Wearily, Lelouch stood up and walked towards his study. He wished for nothing more than to go to sleep, but he still had to double-check his plans for the future. And do some research. And maybe even more planning.

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Administrative Building<br>****One Day Later  
><strong>**1400 hours**

"You called me, Your Highness?"

"Indeed," Lelouch vi Britannia smiled sorrowfully. "As you know, my brother is dead." The prince got up to walk around to the green-haired soldier. "Technically, I should become temporary viceroy until a candidate is properly decided, correct?"

Jeremiah was unsure what the prince was hinting at, "Yes, Your Highness."

Lelouch continued, "However, I'm completely wrapped up in my counter-terrorism operations. Therefore, it becomes necessary for me to elect someone to rule in my place… That's why I was wondering if a certain leader of Area 11's largest faction, the Purebloods, could take over for the time being."

"W-What do you mean, Your Highness?"

"I mean exactly what I said. How would you like to be viceroy for a while?"

Jeremiah was speechless. Did this mean the prince was giving his faction full control of Area 11's government? "W-Why me, Your Highness?"

"Because I believed you when you declared your loyalty to me, and I reward loyalty to the best of my ability." _And because you're going to be my sacrificial pawn. _Lelouch walked to stand in front of the soldier. "Do you accept, Jeremiah Gottwald?"

The orange-eyed man dropped to his knees in a sign of fealty. "Of course, Your Maj-" The words 'Your Majesty' had tried to spill out of Jeremiah's mouth. And it didn't sound that wrong to say… He awkwardly finished by saying, "Y-Your Highness."

Lelouch smiled. "Thank you. Prepare for a media announcement immediately. I need to go meet my counter-terrorism operatives."

Silently, Jeremiah realized he'd rather be an operative, serving directly under his prince. Still, his faction would tear him to bits if they found out he'd let such a chance pass by.

* * *

><p><strong>One Hour Later<br>****1500 hours**

"He WHAT?"

A dark-skinned woman looked around as the people in the bar turned to look at the commotion. "Kewell, keep your voice down." warned Villeta.

"Still…" The orange-haired man lowered his voice to little more than a whisper. "This is amazing. If what you're saying is true…"

"It is true," repeated Jeremiah Gottwald. He was slightly regretting the fact that he'd invited Kewell for a celebration drink. For some reason, the orange-haired Knight annoyed him to no end. "His Highness told me himself."

Villeta Nu was silent, thinking. "If you become viceroy, we Purists can control the investigation for Prince Clovis's assassin. If we 'discovered' that it was an Honorary Britannian, then…"

"Goodbye to those damn Honorary Britannians." finished Jeremiah. "While I dislike the idea of letting the real murderer get away, I must say that option has too many benefits to refuse."

"Why did he pick you, though?" asked Kewell.

Jeremiah replied, "His Highness said, 'I reward loyalty to the best of my ability.'"

"Because of that job at the Aries Palace?" Kewell complained. "How much of a fool is he to trust you because of tha-" He stopped after a cold glare from the Purists' leader.

"I suggest you stop drinking, Kewell Soresi. Besides, I doubt His Highness remembers enough about that time to care." answered Jeremiah coolly. He leaned forward. "Actually, a few weeks back, I pledged my loyalty to him. It seems that what helped him make the decision."

Kewell spat. "My God, he's an even bigger fool than I imag-" He stopped after Jeremiah gave him a second glare. "…Still, I think he's believing you too easily."

"All the more reason to make sure I don't fail His Highness."

Villeta noticed something. "Jeremiah, why do you keep calling Prince Lelouch 'His Highness'? You're acting as if he's the only prince out there."

Jeremiah smiled. "Perhaps, to me, he is."

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<br>****1700 hours**

"There's _nothing?_"

Emeka shrugged. "Besides being immortal, there weren't any other interesting facts in the files. It seems they've been busy trying to find out the limits of her immortality. And ways to gain it."

"Which are?" asked Lelouch as they made their way to the right wing of the building.

"Reports say the woman refused to explain how she became immortal, and all her biological data matches that of a normal human. In other words, they've got no clue what lets her avoid death. As for the limits of her immortality," Emeka shuddered, "They've got some pretty gruesome footage on tape. They've severed parts of her body, only to have it regenerate after a day or so."

Lelouch shivered. "A monster."

"Exactly."

They came to the last door at the end of the wing. It had a basic lock on the outside, which Lelouch slide out of the way. "Can't you install anything more secure?"

"Not on such short notice," replied Rafael.

"Try to install more. How long until the soundproofing's ready?"

"Not long, though I could use some help."

"Minoru?" asked Lelouch as he opened the door.

"Got it, I'll help."

Lelouch was about to enter the room, but he was gently held back. He smiled as Minoru stepped through the door first. The Japanese teenager muttered, "Sorry, but we need to make sure she isn't planning anything."

"I wouldn't plan anything."

Minoru jumped slightly in surprise. Then he motioned the rest of the Guard inside. "We can't be sure of that, witch."

Lelouch was the last one to enter. The green-haired woman was sitting on a white bed, an empty pizza box lying on the floor nearby. Not being given any clothes, she was still in her prison uniform. "You ready to talk?"

C.C. shrugged. "I suppose so."

Lelouch leaned against the wall "Then, why are you still alive?"

C.C. smirked. "If you must know, it's because I'm not mortal."

Lelouch rubbed his temples. "We inferred that. The question is _why_ aren't you mortal?"

"Because I can't die."

Lelouch almost got out his handgun, but then he remembered who he was dealing with. He gritted his teeth. "You'll be kept prisoner here for as long as you refuse to answer."

"Like keeping me prisoner worked _so_ well for Clovis," noted C.C. "What about pizza?"

Lelouch tensed at the mention of his step-brother. "Not until you give us the information we want."

"Starvation? I never thought Marianne's son would be so cruel." _Marianne and Charles aren't nearly this fun to tease._

Lelouch froze. "How do you know my mother?"

She lay down on the bed they'd provided for her. Sighing, she thought, _I'll have to tell him someday._ "…I was her closest friend, back when she was alive. Actually, we were more than friends. She was my contractor."

"Contractor? To what deal?"

C.C. smiled. _Boy, I'm going to blow your mind._ "Geass."

Lelouch wasn't sure if he'd heard correctly. "Geass?"

**Author's Notes: And that's where I'll end this chap ^^. C.C. tells Lelouch and his guard about geass. Is it finally time for him to get his?**

**I know this chap might seem a bit short, but that's because of the last minute editing I mentioned at the beginning. To compensate, I'll probably be sending another chap within a few hours of this update. I've found that the quality of my chaps can deteriorate as time passes, so I'm trying to send them before I mess them up xD.**

**Also, XT3:… "…****I hope Lelouch is the one to kill Clovis. I believe that would make the most sense…****"**

**When I first saw this, my first thought was 'Damn it! I forgot to set that up." But the chap was already written, so I stuck to what I had. I changed it to make what I consider the second best thing, though, which is him ordering his death ^.^**

**As I said earlier, I wasn't 100% sure about the quality of this chap, which is why I kept holding on to it for a while. If you find any mistakes, just tell me and I'll try to fix them.**

**On a side note, I recently read some things on the Net about ****Code Geass GAIDEN: Boukoku no Akito****, which is apparently airing in 2012, according to Sunrise ^^. If anybody reading this has any more info, I'd love to hear it :). I do hope it's not like those other spinoffs, where it ended up as a manga, not an anime.**


	9. I Am Zero

**Author's Notes: Here's Chap 9 ^.^.**

**I said I'd post in a few hours, but I'm not sure if I should be, considering that I didn't get any interesting reviews to answer ^^ Oh well.**

**Reviewer Response Time!...  
><strong>**JK, not this time, lol**

**Thanks to Otaku HoLic, XT3, and Umbra8191 for reviewing :)**

" " for dialogue

_Italics __for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

"_**Bold Italics**_" is speaking in a different language (other than English)

Mask 9: I Am Zero

**Vi Britannia Residence  
><strong>**1730 hours**

"Can that woman really eat this much pizza?" Rafael sounded doubtful as he put down the phone. "Pizza Hut didn't believe me at first."

Lei replied, "Who knows? She _is_ a monster."

Silence.

"…Can we really believe that stuff about geass, Lelouch?" Minoru looked at their prince, who was staring at his laptop's screen.

"I don't know."

There was silence.

Lelouch vi Britannia, the Prince of Masks, was admitting that he wasn't sure about something. For his 'Masked Soldiers', that was a first.

As if he could hear their thoughts, he added, "But it doesn't really matter. We'll pretend it's true, and she won't get any more pizza if it turns out to be some sort of sick joke. Better safe than sorry."

"But it's quite convenient that she can't give _us_ geass," noted Rafael. He tried to mimic the green-haired woman's arrogant voice, "Cuz, 'You can only get it when you lack the power to live on.' What a great excuse."

"Still, who would have believed in immortality?" countered Hazel, pushing her long black hair behind her shoulders, "I certainly wouldn't have, before this."

Lelouch had fallen silent. What worried him wasn't geass, but rather what she'd said after that:

**Flashback  
><strong>**45 Minutes Ago**

The Guard was silent; deciding whether or not to believe in what the witch had called geass. To them, it sounded like something you'd find in myth.

Lelouch had changed the topic, asking, "You said you knew my mother?"

C.C. smiled. "I thought we'd settled this already, boy."

"You don't have a right to call His Highness '_boy'_." replied Minoru hotly.

The prince ignored C.C.'s condescending voice. "Do you know how she died?"

Suddenly, C.C. averted her eyes. "No."

"But you have an idea, right?" C.C. was silent.

Lelouch sighed. "Fine, then how about I ask something different? What about a certain blond boy that was close to the Emperor a few years back? Seven years ago, to be exact."

Surprised, C.C. turned and locked eyes with Lelouch. "How do you know about V.V.?"

Lelouch stepped closer, shocking his guards with his excitement, "V.V., are those initials? What's his real name?"

Regaining her composure, C.C. smirked. "I'm not telling you."

_She doesn't know,_ guessed Lelouch. "Fine, then is he like you?"

"If you mean immortal… maybe."

Lelouch swore she was mocking him. Tightening his hands into fists, he'd retorted, "Very well, you no longer seem to want to chat. We'll be talking later." With that, he'd turned and left the door, his Guard only moments behind.

**Flashback End**

"Say, boss, what was that about V.V.?"

The prince was startled from his thoughts by Emeka's question. Now the entire Guard was looking at him. Clenching his hands into fists, he said, "He's the one who had my mother killed."

Hazel frowned. "But didn't you say he was close to the Emperor? Why'd he secretly kill the Emperor's wife?"

Lelouch's hands tightened even more. "It wasn't in secret."

There was moment of silence. Emeka asked, "What did you say?"

Lelouch sighed. "My father knew. He even agreed to it."

Now there was a real silence. After a while, Rafael whistled. "No wonder you don't like the bastard."

* * *

><p><strong>One Day Later<br>****0800 Hours**

"Lelouch, you need to see this!"

Lelouch looked towards his closed bedroom door. It was unusual for Emeka to yell. Forgoing his miniature camera/communicator, the prince put on his black and white watch. He made his way out the door, down to the source of the shout.

He entered the living room on the first floor. On one side was a flatscreen TV, where the news was on. Looking around, he found that all five members of his Guard had gathered, including Emeka.

He saw his African guard gesture to the monitor. Looking, he realized what the anchorwoman was saying.

"We repeat, Suzaku Kururugi, son of former Japanese Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi and an Honorary Britannian, has been arrested for the assassination of Clovis la Britannia."

After a few more comments, the screen changed to show Jeremiah, backed by Purists, making some speech or another praising Clovis and denouncing Honorary Britannians.

Lelouch hardly noticed what they were saying. _That man must be a scapegoat for the Purist Faction._ It made sense. By quickly pinning the blame on someone, they showed the 'capabilities' of the Purist Faction. The scapegoat could be easily believed, considering that Suzaku Kururugi was the son of Japan's former leader. And since he was an Honorary Britannian, it would aid the Purists in get ridding of the Honorary Britannian System, which that faction despised. The perfect scapegoat.

_Jeremiah's intelligence isn't half bad,_ decided Lelouch. _Everything's going exactly as planned_

"So, what're we going to do?" Lei's question brought Lelouch from his musings.

He smiled. "Who said we're going to do anything?"

Rafael spat, "You wanna just leave him to die? You know he's innocent!"

Lelouch's smile turned to a smirk. There was something entertaining in provoking the hotheaded Rafael. _Maybe this is how C.C. feels with us, _he realized. "No, not at all, I just wanted to judge your feelings on the matter."

He glanced at the monitor. The anchorwoman was announcing that Suzaku would stand trial later that day. Lelouch turned and walked out the room. Over his shoulder, he said, "Get your Guard outfits on. It's about time you all got Sutherlands."

* * *

><p><strong>1500 hours<strong>

"Come at me!"

The Sutherland complied, bringing its submachine guns up towards Rafael's cockpit.

Just in time for Lelouch and Emeka to fire from the nearby windows. Trapped in the open street, the Sutherland couldn't find cover and was soon destroyed.

"That was too easy," joked Rafael, "I could take a hundred more."

"_You_ just stood there. We did all the shooting." reminded Emeka.

"Both of you, stay focused." warned Lelouch, "We've got no idea where the other two ar-"

"Shit! When-"

Lelouch turned just in time to see an explosion from a window across the street. Where Emeka had been. He saw a flicker of purple through the window. An enemy Sutherland.

"Rafael, regroup!"

"Rog-" Rafael's knightmare burst in flames as a second enemy Sutherland shot from down the street.

Lelouch cursed, "Crap! When'd he get behind us?" The prince backed his Sutherland further inside the building he was in. Then he crouched, gun ready.

Suddenly, a purple mass flew through a glass window. Instinctively, Lelouch fired.

Only to find that it was the broken remains of one of his comrades.

He heard the whir of slash harkens. Before he could react, a real Sutherland burst through a glass window to his right. Lelouch opened fire, obliterating the knightmare frame before it touched the ground.

He didn't have time to reload. Instead, he heard the whirring of slash harkens behind him. Not having enough time, Lelouch jumped into a hole in the floor, dropping his Sutherland to the ground floor. _Damn it, they've broken my tempo. To make matters worse, my gun's out of ammo._

After a while, a Sutherland dropped onto the same floor. However, Lelouch was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, the enemy knightmare's cockpit went black. Lelouch had jumped up one floor through the hole, only to ambush the attacker. He drove his blunt stun tonfas into the Sutherland's cockpit.

Then everything went black for Lelouch.

Lelouch wiped the sweat off his forehead. After a while, he opened his cockpit. "Nice try. Maybe next time, Minoru."

"How'd you know it was me?"

Lelouch smiled. "Your tactics are too obvious. You may be a very skilled fighter, but you don't think before charging into a mess."

He turned to a Chinese teenager with short black hair. "Nice tactic, using the building to sneak up on Emeka. Good idea throwing Emeka's cockpit, but you took too long to move afterwards."

The Chinese teenager smiled at the compliment. "Thanks. Though, the throwing thing was Hazel's idea."

"Interesting tactic." Lelouch turned to the Korean. "Out of curiosity, why did you use yourself as bait?"

Hazel pushed aside her long black hair. "If the king can't lead, how can he expect his subjects to follow?"

Lelouch smiled. "It seems our chess matches are having some effect, after all."

"So, now what?" asked Rafael. Quite frankly, the Brazilian was tired of being blown up. Half his job was to blow _other_ things up.

Lelouch smiled. "Now we put this training to good use."

* * *

><p><strong>Shinjuku Ghetto<br>****1900 hours**

In a small part of Shinjuku ghetto, a number of terrorists sat in their hideout, watching the news through an old, small TV. On the monitor was a Japanese teenager in prisoner's garb being displayed and moved on an armored personnel carrier, which was escorted by four Sutherlands. The leading Sutherland was driven by Jeremiah Gottwald, the temporary viceroy of Area 11.

"Do you think that Suzaku kid really did it?"

Kallen glanced at Yoshida. "I've got no idea. My guess, though, is that it was that woman giving us orders."

"That's impossible." retorted Tamaki, "We all know they left us to die. 'Go to point L-15'. Right, so we can get slaughtered! I wouldn't be surprised if they were Brits."

"Well, I didn't hear you protest when she said it." noted Ohgi.

"Well…" Tamaki couldn't think of a reasonable excuse.

"That's because we thought they were trustworthy." explained Inoue, "They gave us small victories, only to betray us later."

"What I'm wondering," said Kallen aloud, "Is how they knew my name. Or that I was in the Glasgow."

Minami thought aloud, "Say, you don't suppose they interrogated Nagata to find out?

Yoshida answered, "I found Nagata's body in the subway. He was full of cuts, so it's not impossible."

"Monsters." summarized Inoue.

"Hey, wait a moment." Ohgi said, "These are all just assumptions. We can't say for sure that that's what happened."

"It doesn't matter anyways." Minami sighed. "There's no way to track three faceless voices."

Kallen's attention was on something else. "Hey, Ohgi, can you turn up the volume?"

"Why?" Then he saw that the procession had stopped. He turned on the sound.

"Something's happened! This is an unscheduled stop! Has something gone awry?"

After a few moments, the monitor changed to show the open bridge in front of the small procession. A white and blue car was heading towards the camera. "I-I don't believe it! It's Prince Clovis's personal transport!"

The small car kept coming closer and closer to the Japanese prisoner, coming to a stop a mere 100 meters away. At the front of procession, Jeremiah shouted indignantly, "You dare desecrate His Highness's transport? Come out of there!"

As if to comply, the top part of the car, which was covered by a Britannian flag, burst dramatically into flames. Behind the disintegrated flag stood a black figure.

Looking much like a hawk, or a bat, the man had a mask similar to those of Prince Lelouch's Guard, except that it was pointed on the bottom, with a half dozen spikes facing behind him on the back. His body was covered by a large black cape with a red underside.

"I am… Zero!" he proclaimed.

Immediately, the media went crazy. "Who is this man calling himself Zero? This masked man who's standing in front of a full military convoy! Is he a terrorist coming to Kururugi's rescue? Certainly not the wisest of such, if that is the case!"

Jeremiah smirked. _What an idiot of a terrorist._ "I've seen enough, _Zero_." The Purist Faction leader shot his gun in the air. In response, four Purist Sutherlands that had been on standby fell from their aerial transports, surrounding the masked man. "First thing's first, why don't you lose that mask?"

The masked man lifted his right hand as if to comply, but, instead, he continued to lift his hand above his head, snapping once with his black-gloved fingers.

At first, Jeremiah didn't understand what had happened. Then he heard the whirring of landspinners behind him. Looking back at the convoy, he managed to see Villetta's Sutherland get knocked to the ground. One of the three Purist Sutherlands that had accompanied him had apparently defected, next going after Kewell with stun tonfas.

Jeremiah retracted and closed his Sutherland cockpit, and he brought up his submachine gun to bear on the defector. However, the alarmed cries of the spectators reminded him of the danger of accidently killing them. _Damn it, I can't use my gun on him. _Hearing more sounds behind him, he turned back to the man that called himself Zero.

Of the four surrounding the terrorist, two 'Purists' had defected, quickly disabling the other two with their tonfas. Quickly, Jeremiah pointed his oversized gun at Zero, the apparent cause of confusion. "Order your men to stand down!"

"My men?" The masked man seemed amused. "I think you're mistaken. These are all _your_ men. Fellow Purists, just like you."

"Like hell they are!" Jeremiah, not willing to believe that his comrades had betrayed them, "Just spit out what you want!"

The man chuckled ominously. "My request is simple. Release your scapegoat."

"Scapegoat?" Jeremiah was growing more nervous as time passed, and it showed in his voice. "What do you mean?"

"I think you know full well who I mean. Suzaku Kururugi, son of Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi. You thought that the public was foolish enough to believe that he'd killed Clovis." Zero tapped twice with his foot, and the car slowly approached Jeremiah's Sutherland. "If you don't want things to get complicated, I suggest you hand him over now."

"As if I could! This man is charged with regicide, charged with the murder of Prince Clovis! I _can't_ just hand him over."

"Regicide?" Again came that low, ominous chuckle. "I think not. After all, it's impossible to kill a man twice."

"What are you saying?" Jeremiah was infinitely close to pulling the trigger, but even he wanted to hear what this man called Zero had to say.

"I'm saying that you're mistaken, Jeremiah." responded Zero,…

"For _I_ am the one who killed Clovis!"

Again, the media went crazy. "Can it be? This man named Zero is claiming to be the real assassin! So what does that mean for the previous suspect, Suzaku Kururugi?"

"What the hell? _He_'s the guy that killed Clovis?" Tamaki was incredulous. As were most of the terrorists. They'd narrowed the possibilities to either the mystery woman from Shinjuku or Suzaku. They hadn't even considered that someone else might have been responsible.

Back on the bridge, Jeremiah gritted his teeth. All his comrades had either defected or been disabled. The only way to avoid a complete disaster was… He pulled the trigger of his gun.

Nothing happened. He pulled on the trigger again.

Nothing.

A feeling of déjà vu appeared as his monitors went red. One system after another was breaking down, until Jeremiah couldn't do anything. He pressed the button to open his cockpit, but even that refused to work.

Starting to really panic, Jeremiah furiously tried to eject. However, his knightmare was no longer his. He could only stare in confusion as a single blue screen popped up at the bottom right of his center monitor, saying, 'Speakers Activated'. Then, to his surprise, he heard his own voice.

"Understood, we'll release him." After a moment of incomprehension, Jeremiah desperately started pulling levers, pressing buttons, _anything_ that might work.

Instead, he felt his Sutherland move of its own accord, turning towards the prisoner. Speaking at the two guards next to the Japanese man, he heard a perfect replica of his voice order, "Release him!"

After a few moments' hesitation, the guards complied. He heard Villetta and Kewell shout over their speakers, asking what he was doing. He wished desperately that he could tell them what was really happening, but his knightmare refused to listen to him.

He could only watch as the rogue Sutherland that had taken out Villetta and Kewell opened its cockpit. Out came a second masked man. However, his outfit caused even more murmurs to immediately spread throughout the cloud.

It was the same as Kira's. The mask, the patterning on the clothing, the gold outlines… everything was an exact replica of the costume of Prince Lelouch's Guard's Vice-Captain. The only difference was that, where there had originally been a pure white was an equally pure black, and where there had originally been a bright blue was a mysterious purple.

The 'dark' Kira walked over to the freed Suzaku, escorting him to Zero's transport. Then, the onlookers could only watch as the other two rogue Sutherlands also opened, revealing a 'dark' Blackheart and a 'dark' Rogue. Without saying anything, the three guard lookalikes escorted the Honorary Britannian into the back of the car. If any onlookers had been inside, they'd have been able to see the 'dark' Rogue press a remote.

Almost instantly, gas spilled out from the sides of the bridge, as well as from all the Purist Sutherlands. Within Jeremiah's, he finally managed to eject, but the gas filling his cockpit was different from most, quickly put him to sleep. This was a blessing in disguise, considering the swarm of reporters that tried to surround his ejected cockpit.

* * *

><p><strong>2000 hours<strong>

"Congratulations, Mr. Kururugi. You're now free."

The Japanese man only stared at the masked terrorist known as Zero. They were in some abandoned warehouse, and the other masked soldiers had moved to guard the perimeter. "I'm not going to join you, if that's what you're thinking."

Personally, Zero had no intention of asking, but, out of curiosity, he asked, "Why is that? If you go back, you'll just be abused again."

Lelouch saw that his words had a big effect on the Japanese man. Not even the Honorary Britannian could avoid the truth in his words. No, especially the Honorary Britannian.

Lelouch saw the Japanese man tighten his hands into fists. "That may be true," Lelouch could tell the coming words had been well rehearsed. "That may be true, but I can't agree with terrorism. Nothing good will come from endangering the innocent!"

Zero cocked his head. "But who said anything about terrorism? I'm not a terrorist, but a knight. A knight for justice. Notice, I didn't endanger a single civilian life today. Rather, the ones who endanger the innocent are people like Clovis, who uncaringly ordered the massacre of innocent civilians."

Even through his mask, Lelouch could see that his words were having effect. But, he had no use for a single Honorary Britannian. With a twirl of his cape, Zero walked away. "I'm not really asking you to join me, but I _am_ asking you to consider who is truly in the wrong."

With that, Lelouch called his guards away, leaving Suzaku to consider what he'd said.

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Administrative Building<br>****One Day Later  
><strong>**1000 hours**

"Suzaku Kururugi, you have been hereby cleared as a suspect to regicide. You are free to go."

After hearing that, Suzaku walked out the building in a daze. He was free. Until just now, he'd resigned himself to being executed, mainly because he didn't believe anything could be done about it. _Maybe Zero was right…_

"Watch out!"

Suzaku comes to his senses just in time to catch a falling Britannian woman. From where, he could only guess.

His first guess was that the woman would yell at him for touching her. That's how almost all Britannian men, women, and children acted.

To his surprise, the woman shakes her bright pink hair out of her eyes to smile. "Thank you."

* * *

><p><strong>Unknown Area<br>****1300 hours**

"Are you sure, Clovis?" Emperor Charles zi Britannia was standing on a raised stone platform, seemingly without walls or supports.

Another, younger voice spoke out, "That's quite interesting, Clovis."

"Brother!" The Emperor turned around in surprise. "I-I didn't know you were here."

Standing on the other side of the platform was someone who couldn't have been older than ten, based on his face and frame. "What difference does it make, Charles?" The boy smiled, "You know what this means…"

The Emperor regained his composure. "Hmph. It doesn't have to be him. Someone could have faked his voice."

"But, _dear_ Charles," the boy walked closer. "Your own _son_ is telling us that Lelouch was responsible for his death. I think we oughta trust him."

The Emperor narrowed his eyes. "You're just itching to kill off one of Marianne's offspring, aren't you?"

The boy shrugged. "It doesn't matter whether they live or die, as long as the plan succeeds. I just think they're making you grow soft."

"You said the same thing about Marianne." noted the elderly man.

The boy seemed to consider. "Then, how about we make things a bit more interesting?"

The Emperor narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

The boy walked closer. "Simple. I'll send one of my men to kill him." Seeing his brother's expression, the boy adds, "_BUT_, if that man fails, I'll let you kill him anyway you choose." The boy stopped a mere few inches from the Emperor. "It's certainly much better for you than just having me send assassin after assassin."

"One of your men?" Suspicion filled the Emperor's voice. "As in a geass user?"

"That's correct."

"That's absurd. From what Clovis is saying, Lelouch barely knows about C.C. He might not even have geass."

The boy raised his brows. "So you admit that it's Lelouch who killed Clovis?"

After a while, the Emperor turns to look beyond the platform, away from his brother. "…Fine, I accept your deal."

The boy smiled. "No need to be so solemn, Charles. It's not like I'm giving you geass a second time."

**Author's Notes: Ha! Bet most of you forgot that last scene from the canon, :P lol, jkjk. But, I know I didn't remember Charles talking to the dead Clovis. And, looking at other Prince Lelouch fanfics, I'm guessing not many others did either, lol.**

**To help anybody who's having trouble remembering, it's from the beginning of episode 6, before the opening. A Geass Order official tells Charles about receiving Clovis's remains, and Charles responds by saying he'd been talking to Clovis in the World of C, presumably about Lelouch murdering him… Anyways, if you're memory's bad like mine and you forgot, you might want to rewatch it to remember. In the anime, it was a short, really unimportant scene, but in a situation where Lelouch is right where the Emperor and V.V. can get him…**

**Anyways, Lelouch does **_**not**_** have geass yet, in case anybody forgot.**

**Also, since this fanfic focuses on Lelouch, I hope you'll understand that I'm not going to show Suzaku and Euphie's date in detail, primarily because most of it'll be the same.**

**Again, sorry if you think it's a bit short, but my writing time is being slowly shortened, making it harder to make good, long chaps. I'm actually not sure when I'll be forced to stop due to time constraints. For all I know, this could be my last chap for a few months, tho I'm pretty sure I'll squeeze **_**at least **_**one more in.**

**On a side note, by this time, how many readers guessed (correctly) that Rafael was partly based off Tamaki? I loved that idiot enough to make an oc off him in the same anime, lol ^^ Of course, they aren't identical, but Tamaki was the base for most of Rafael's personality.**


	10. Secrets

**Author's Notes: Here's Chap 10 ^.^**

**Reviewer Response Time!**

**Akito89Lelouch: "…Please try to make it lelouchXccXkallen…"**

…**I wanted Kalulu, but I'm trying not to force it. I don't want to ruin the story by filling it with too much romance or such. I'll probably just going to go along with what I have, and see where it gets me. HOWEVER, I'm considering continuing another CG fanfic idea of mine, which WILL be C.. It's called "Code Geass: Demon or Angel".**

**AnubisGundam0: "****The path your story is taking is very intriguing and is moving at quite a pace but don't be afraid to slow down abit it can't all be non-stop action and sometimes depicting your character at rest before a streak of high intensity chapters can be refreshing especially Lelouch who needs more rest than any other character in code geass.****"**

**Well, this is chap is about as non-action as I'll probably get. There will be a lot of build-up, action, repeat. Also, I understand Lelouch needs rest, but I think one important component from the canon is that he never really got rest. Instead, he needed to just keep pushing along. I'm going to do pretty much the same.**

"**In previous chapters you refered to the Stadtfeld's as 'Mr' & 'Mrs' being nobility shouldn't you have refered to them as 'Lord' & 'Lady'.****"**

…**I'll get right on that… except for the fact that I'm a bit lazy about small corrections like that. I figure it should be alright for now, and I wanted to spend my last moments of non-academic free time just writing.**

"**Also you might want to address the fact(if you haven't already) that because of the similarity between the offical and rebel uniforms of Lelouch's guards it's naturally the first thing the populous will speculate on, you might want to have Lelouch give some kind of explantion about that, if not next chapter perhaps later ones.****" **

…**Read this chap… lol**

**Lycosyncer: "****My only complaint is that you didn't have Lelouch call him Orange!****"**

…**&#*! HOW DID I FORGET? *writes furiously in document labeled Mask 10* There, done :).**

"**I personally hope you don't kill off Euphie because I love her too much and sparing her would do us a sigh of relief.****"**

**I like Euphie a lot too, so I'm not going to kill her off, I think. I even have my plot thought out till the beg. of the anime R2, and she hasn't died yet :)**

**Thanks to KageYami, XT3, Otaku HoLic, Ragez, The Strike Freedom, LelouchVi, nxkris, wedgegeck, MisterSP, codegeass727, and alchino for reviewing!**

**Check out 'Code Geass: Demon or Angel', the story idea that I might continue alongside this one.**

**Oh, also, I've been considering NOT giving geass to Lelouch, just cuz I think he's badass enough and can handle not having it. It also might help make things interesting. Review with your opinion. Remember, it's not a definite thing, so don't complain, just give positive support for your preference.**

" " for dialogue

_Italics __for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

"_**Bold Italics**_" is speaking in a different language (other than English)

Mask 10: Secrets

**Area 11 Administrative Building  
><strong>**One Day After Zero's Debut  
><strong>**1130 hours**

"What the hell is she doing here!"

Lelouch vi Britannia, Eleventh Prince of Britannia, had finally settled down in the Viceroy's spacious office. The former, temporary viceroy, Jeremiah Gottwald, and a large number of the Purists in the military had been imprisoned, awaiting trial for 'helping' Zero yesterday. Of course, Lelouch had easily settled into the newly-vacated office.

Just in time to hear sudden news from his hidden communicator.

"You're saying _she's_ here?" Lelouch rubbed his temples. It was way too soon. Out of all the people he had to deal with, why _her?_

As if to answer his questions, the double doors to the spacious office opened.

"Hello, Lelouch."

Lelouch forced a smile. "Hello, Cornelia."

Out of all the possible candidates, Cornelia had been chosen as Area 11's new viceroy. _What the hell is the Emperor planning?_ _It might have been too much to ask for Euphemia or Nunnally, but why not Odysseus or some of my other spoiled siblings? Hell, why not promote some noble or another? _Lelouch had assumed the Emperor wouldn't waste any more people with military talent on Area 11, considering that 'the Prince of Masks' was already here.

With Cornelia here, it would be harder for Lelouch, who had less combat experience, to establish his authority over the Area, in comparison with the 'Witch of Britannia', who was also Chief General of the Imperial Army. Cornelia would also be more likely to notice any signs if Lelouch acted the least bit suspicious…

Heedless of Lelouch's musings, Cornelia walked to his desk and spoke, "Judging from your lack of surprise, I guess you've heard the news. I'll be taking control as viceroy of Area 11. This means that all your actions are now under my jurisdiction."

"Yes, Sister." Lelouch sighed as he got up. "Pity, I just got here."

"As I've heard," noted Cornelia, unamused and without pity. She knew her half-brother was planning something, though she couldn't tell what. "What progress have you made concerning the terrorists, Lelouch? And what can you tell me about this 'Zero' figure?"

Lelouch scratched the hair on the back of his head. "I'm afraid, not much. All we can assume is that he has strong connections to the Britannian military. He had subordinates who could get into Purist Sutherlands, and, considering that the Purebloods have the most rigorous application process…"

"We can't guess the extent of his influence." finished Cornelia. She raised her brows. "What interests me is that his subordinates were seen wearing uniforms similar to your guards'…" She had not forgotten that the Guard were really non-Britannians.

"Are you implying that my guards are involved with Zero?" Lelouch looked scandalized. "That's impossible. The terrorists probably did it on purpose to draw confusion and rumors against the man in charge of eradicating people like him."

Cornelia couldn't hear any falsehood in her half-brother's voice, but she kept her suspicions high. She shrugged. "Whatever the case, I simply came to make sure you didn't forget your place. You're here to _help_ _me_ eliminate terrorism."

Lelouch locked eyes with Cornelia, still keeping his voice casual. "Help you? I thought it was the other way around. I'm here to get rid of the terrorists, and you're here…"

"…to govern Area 11." interrupted Cornelia. "And one of a viceroy's primary duties is to protect her people from terrorism and the like. This duty surpasses that of any others within her Area. I did just say that _you_ were under _my_ jurisdiction."

Lelouch shrugged, still acting casual, "Suit yourself." Then he turned to leave.

"By the way, Lelouch." Cornelia said, acting equally calm, as she reorganized some of the paperwork on the desk. Without turning to look at her half-brother, she added, "Euphie's here."

After a moment's pause, she heard her half-brother sigh. "Am I _always _the last one to be told these things?"

Inwardly, Lelouch's brain was already whirring. Maybe he could find a way to use Euphie against Cornelia…

* * *

><p><strong>ASEEC Mobile Transport<br>****1300 hours**

"Lloyd?"

"Here!" The scientist called from the second level of the transport. Despite being labeled the ASEEC _Mobile _Transport, the transport was really a miniature building on wheels.

Cecile went up to find Lloyd playing with some of the data they'd collected from Shinjuku. "Lloyd, remember what we talked about, when His Highness Lelouch returned the Lancelot?"

"About that bug with the data output?" Lloyd sounded like he could barely remember. "What about it?"

Cecile paused, taking a deep breath. "We said it might have been due to remote access, remember?"

"Oh, that?" Lloyd waved a hand as if to dismiss the idea. "Even now, I doubt it. Hacking is supposed to be impossible with knightmare frames." He turned back to his work.

"Lloyd." Cecile's call brought back the head researcher's attention, though he still stared at his computer's monitors. "But it seems Jeremiah said the same thing. He's saying that his Sutherland was hacked."

"Weeellll… Anybody could say they were hacked. It's a convenient way to pin the blame on some unknown source." Lloyd still seemed barely interested, keeping an eye on the monitors in front of him. "Besides, they found records of illegal bribes to the Purists in Jerry's private computer. Under the codename 'Orange', or something, I think. And even if someone supposedly hacked him, who could mimic his voice so perfectly?"

Cecile was quiet for a moment. Indeed, Lloyd's arguments matched those of almost every media outlet in Area 11. But… "The Sutherland received signals similar to the Lancelot."

Now Lloyd actually turned to face his assistant. "Hmmm, are you sure?" Sudden interest flashed in his eyes.

Cecile hesitated. "Well, the Sutherland wasn't equipped like the Lancelot, so we couldn't find all the same signals from before, but we definitely found traces of some, about 40% of the number experienced before."

Lloyd raised his brows. "Oh-hooohh. That sounds promising. If that was true… Does that mean there _is_ someone who can hack knightmares? By the looks of it, whoever's doing it likes Lelouch more than Jerry…"

Lloyd walked back to his own computer terminal. "Looks like His Highness has more tricks up his sleeve than we expected… What fun."

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Concession<br>****1200 hours  
><strong>**60 Minutes Earlier**

"Uh, boss, I think you might wanna see this."

Lelouch and his Guard were resting in the living room. From across a glass table, Emeka passed his liege lord a laptop.

Lelouch glanced at the monitor and chuckled. "They've started already, huh?"

"What?" asked Lei, sounding almost childishly curious. "Let me see!" She got on Lelouch's right side and looked over his shoulder. "…Wait…"

Lelouch summarized, "Our white and black outfits are so alike that people have already started making the connection. Some are going as far as guessing that Zero is one of my 'masks'. I suppose it makes sense, considering I'm called the Prince of Masks."

"Ssssooo," Emeka asked, "What are we going to do about it?"

Lelouch smiled grimly. "You'll see. Start putting on your Guard uniforms."

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Concession<br>****1330 hours**

James Cather used to be a costume designer. Keywords being _used to_. After growing old, he'd retired and took over his deceased brother's bar. His only employee was a part-timer named Rivalz Cardemonte.

Though the bar wasn't very popular for its drinks, many used it for gambling. After all, it was often easier to gamble with games such as chess when you were away from the bustle of casinos. Many low-ranking nobles rented out the bar for private matches, and Mr. Cather was even sometimes coerced into playing a game or two. Of course, he never won.

That was why he'd been surprised when a black-haired teenager had come to him. Apparently, he was a member of some obscure school's student council. He'd asked if the former costume designer could help him make some custom outfits. Although he'd been suspicious of the strange masks that the boy had requested, Mr. Cather had agreed.

A week later, while watching a press conference, his frail mouth practically dropped to the floor. The boy had been _the_ famous Prince Lelouch! And behind him were his so-called "Masked Soldiers", wearing _his_ costumes. The joy Mr. Cather felt was immeasurable.

Later that day, Mr. Cather let his part-timer head for school. It was only then that he started to wonder, _What about the black set…_ The old man now took pride in what he considered his last masterpiece.

The white and blue set was created to give off a regal, calm aura. In stark contrast, the black and purple set had a sinister, intimidating aura. Personally, Mr. Cather thought that the best of them all had been a unique, black, purple, and red costume he'd created. With a black and red cape, it truly made it look as if the wearer was not human, but rather a demon.

Not long after Lelouch's public debut, Mr. Cather had gotten a call from the prince himself. The message was concise yet confusing. "Do not say anything about the black set you made. If you do, you will truly regret it."

Mr. Cather had had no clue why the prince had given him such an instruction. At least, not until Suzaku Kururugi's trial, where Mr. Cather learned the scary truth.

_Is Prince Lelouch… Zero?_

It didn't take long for the media to begin wondering the same questions. Even one day later, Prince Lelouch was being accused of helping the terrorist. Mr. Cather was seriously considering disobeying the prince's order.

"Hurry up, it's your move."

The arrogant, authoritative voice woke Mr. Cather from his thoughts. In truth, Mr. Cather never wanted to gamble with the nobleman. He simply didn't have enough money to waste on a chess game. Not that he'd really had a choice. The baron had brought three guards. A flash of metal and the old bartender had gone out back to get the chess set.

Ring-ding. Ring-ding.

"Times up." noted one of the guards emotionlessly, "Now you only have 20 seconds per turn."

The nobleman smiled. "Very well, I'm game. Hurry up and make your move."

The old man was about to do so, but was stopped by the sliding of doors behind him. Mr. Cather froze. _There shouldn't be any other guests at this time._ Across the chess table, he saw the three guards reach for their hidden handguns. Mr. Cather could guess what they were thinking,

_Are they intruders? Hostile?_

Three bullets answered the silent question. Mr. Cather could only sit still, shocked, as blood soaked the black suits of the three guards. They fell without uttering a word, and, after a fourth shot, so did their employer.

Mr. Cather didn't dare turn around. There's no way the intruders would kill an unarmed, old man, was there?

The old man heard the rustle of clothes as the intruders walked by. He tried to count the footsteps. It sounded like there were two of them, though one was obviously quieter than the other. The one with quiet footsteps slid into his view, and Mr. Cather gasped.

It was one of the costumes Mr. Cather had made for the prince. Black and purple, it was made to look like the bishop in chess.

Mr. Cather barely found the air to ask, "W-Why?"

* * *

><p>Lei felt a bit nauseous. It definitely wasn't because of that nobleman or his guards. After her hometown had been razed to the ground by order of the High Eunuchs, Lei no longer cared for those of the upper classes. The only exception was Lelouch.<p>

No, what made the Chinese teenager nauseous was the unarmed, old man that had gasped, "W-Why?"

Slowly, Lei bent her wrist, triggering her mask's internal communicator. She muttered, hoping she was wrong, "Is this him?"

There was a pause. Then Emeka sighed. "You don't even need photographic memory for this. You saw the photo. It's obviously him… Just let me deactivate the camera first."

Lei bent her wrist again. She knew that, if the African heard what was about to happen, he'd never be able to sleep. _This is the one time I'm glad I don't have a photographic memory._ Lei didn't even bother trying to don the cheerful smile she'd always worn in front of others.

Not hearing Lei's conversation, the old man's eyes widened as he recognized the man that was with Lei.

Rafael was wearing his black 'Rook' suit. Which they both knew was made by a certain Mr. Cather.

Again the man asked, "W-Why? Why are you two here?"

Lei didn't have the heart to answer. Instead, she just lifted her handgun.

_Secrets have to be kept secret._

Bang!

* * *

><p>Bang!<p>

Rafael looked away. Despite knowing it had to be done, the Brazilian wished there was some other way.

It was while he was looking away that Rafael noticed something. Behind the dead nobleman, one of the bleeding guards was still alive. More than simply alive, the guard was moving. The man's right arm pointed at Lei's head, and Rafael realized what it held.

Rafael had only a toolkit. His job had not been to kill, but to remove any possible evidence, particularly video footage. Normally, they would have had Emeka do it, but the Guard knew that the African's perfect memory would have come to haunt him about such a cold-blooded event. Knowing that security was lax, Rafael hadn't even brought a single weapon. Instead, he jumped.

Before Lei knew what had happened, Rafael had tackled her out of harm's way.

Bang!

Rafael was knocked aside by the force of a bullet piercing his helmet. Instincts kicking in, Lei emptied her gun into the guard, who died without another sound.

"Rafael!" The Chinese teenager got up onto her knees and turned Rafael on his side. The bullet had pierced the helmet around Rafael's right ear. Lei tried to remove his helmet, but the unlocking mechanism was broken by the bullet. Quickly, Lei reached in and removed the broken-off pieces of mask.

"Rafael!"

Eventually, she could reach inside and break the mask open. A few streaks of blood decorated Rafael's face, drifting from his right ear to his chin. His eyes were closed.

"Rafael! Rafael!"

The Brazilian smiled weakly. "It's R.R., remember?" Slowly, he opened his eyes.

Lei sighed in relief. "Thank goodness, are you ok?"

Rafael licked some blood by his mouth. "Besides the ringing in my ears, I oughta be fine."

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Administrative Building<br>****1500 hours**

The white-clothed guards were resting in a large guestroom. Considering their reputation and status, they could probably have chosen any other room in the building, but the guestrooms were among the few rooms without civilians, the media, or cameras around.

It also served as an alibi for Rafael and Lei. A few hours ago, the entire Guard had entered the room in full view of everyone. Then Rafael and Lei had left via the open window, disguised in civilian clothes.

Now, the entire Guard was idly resting in the room. It was meant to house a large number of people, so it was more than enough space.

Minoru was standing guard by the door, which had been locked from the inside. Emeka was surfing the net, carefully avoiding talk about what they'd done. Hazel was busy on the opposite wall, trying to solve a complicated chess puzzle Lelouch had left her.

Lei was busy looking over her handgun, taking it apart and inspecting each part carefully. She carefully avoided making eye contact with Rafael.

In turn, the orange-haired boy tried not to notice, resisting the urge to press down on his ears. He'd recovered most of his hearing, but every now and then his mind played tricks on him. No one dared speak, so sometimes Rafael couldn't even be sure he wasn't actually deaf. To distract himself, he played with Lei's black helmet. His rust-colored eyes scanned the mask carefully for possible improvements.

Quite frankly, Rafael knew he'd been lucky. He'd been shot with a regular handgun, meaning the bullet hadn't contained as much force as it could have. On top of that, the bullet had hit by his ear, where the individual plates for the mask overlapped. His bleeding had only been caused by broken pieces of his own mask, not really the bullet himself. The bullet itself had been stopped by the mask, not even touching Rafael. He'd been really lucky.

And Rafael knew that luck would run out eventually.

Suddenly, the silence was broken by a rap on the door. Quickly, Lei and Minoru pointed their handguns, the others quickly reaching for their own. A number of people knew that the infamous Masked Guards were in the room. Not all who wanted to come in were necessarily friendly.

"It's me, Lelouch."

Carefully, Minoru looked through the door's peephole. He looked at the rest of the Guard, nodding. Then he opened the door.

Lelouch noted that every guard either had a hand on or near a gun. Without entering the room, Lelouch gestured, "Come, it's time to go."

Rafael placed Lei's helmet aside on the table and donned his white one. Then the Guard followed their prince out the door, locking it behind them.

Time passed. In the dark room, through an open window, a very small, dark figure crept in the room.

* * *

><p><strong>1510 hours<strong>

Lelouch stood silently in the large room. It was the same room from the press conference at his debut. The difference was that no noisy reporters were present.

"Lelouch, what is the meaning of this?"

Cornelia had arrived on Lelouch's left, Guilford and Euphemia both in tow. The viceroy was gesturing at the entire room. Lelouch smirked.

Meanwhile, Cornelia drew within a few feet of Lelouch. Scolding, Cornelia repeated, "What is this?"

Lelouch changed his small smirk into a polite smile. "I'm just clearing my name. You _do _know what the papers are saying, don't you?"

The purple-haired princess was about to respond, but Lelouch sidestepped to face one of her companions. With open arms, he faced his other half-sister "Euphie,"

Euphemia le Britannia hugged Lelouch. "Hello, Lelouch. It's been a while."

Lelouch nodded as he smoothly stepped out of the embrace. "Indeed. How's Nunnally?"

Euphemia replied, "Just fine, though she wished she could come see you."

Lelouch's smile had dimmed fractionally, but his eyes shone with rare, genuine warmth. "Good. And your studies?"

Euphemia seemed to grow a bit sullen. "Apparently, I'll have to stop soon, as Cornelia wants to make me Sub-Viceroy."

Behind Lelouch, Cornelia added defensively, "It's for your own good, Euphie. Studying with commoners is no way for a princess to get an education."

Euphemia sighed slightly, "I know, Sister."

Lelouch felt a gloved hand tap his shoulder. He turned to see Hazel, who gestured with her masked head to a certain blond Britannian. Lelouch smiled politely, warmth having mostly faded from his eyes. "Diethard! Just the person I wanted to see."

Diethard Reid bowed. "The pleasure's mine, Your Highness. I'm honored that you asked me to interview you."

"Well, you _did _get recommended by my late brother," Lelouch reminded the man. _And I hope this will keep you under my thumb. It will be a good measure of your talents in media manipulation._

Lelouch turned to smile at his sisters. "I apologize, but I've got to go." The prince stepped away from his half-sisters. "Let's get started, shall we, Diethard?"

Before the princesses could ask what was happening, Lelouch and his Guard made their way to a cleared platform. Lelouch sat in a chair, his Guard standing at attention behind him.

Instead of using another location, Lelouch had purposely chosen to use the press conference room as the spot for an interview. The setting would remind the viewers the promise Lelouch had made not long ago.

Less than a year…

Seeing Euphemia's questioning look, he smiled and put a hand to his lips.

Diethard spoke quietly with a cameraman before turning to the prince. "Whenever you're ready…"

"…3,"

"…2,…"

"…1."

"Zero." breathed Lelouch quietly.

Diethard wasted no time asking questions. "Your Highness, there are many who can't help but wonder about the _attire_ of the terrorists seen yesterday. They were wearing clothes and masks strikingly similar to that of your Guard. Some have gone as far as to suspect there to be a hidden connection between the two."

Lelouch visibly sighed. "Indeed. I was quite appalled when I heard the news. Even now, it surprises me that these lowly terrorists have the audacity to dress like my compatriots. I can assure everyone that these terrorists have nothing in common with my noble Guard."

"In fact, I recently called the man who'd made our masks, hoping to get an explanation. Unfortunately, I'd done so too late. I was alerted by the police that the elderly Mr. Cather, as well as Baron Elmsley, had been murdered." Lelouch looked genuinely sorrowful. "I can only assume that Zero's men had something to do with this."

Then he tightened his fist. "I refuse to believe that such cold-blooded murderers have anything to do with me, or any true Britannians, for that matter. In fact…"

Now Lelouch stared directly at one of the cameras. "Zero, I know you're watching this. And know this: In the name of justice, I _will _hunt you down. And when we meet, I _will _repay you for my dear brother's death."

Later, Lelouch reflected, _At least the last part was true… to some degree._

* * *

><p><strong>1545 hours<strong>

Lelouch sighed wearily as he walked down the bare hallway. The 'interview' had gone well, even if it was more propaganda than honest statements. Whenever he lied on such a large scale, he felt as if he'd taken another step closer to being like Schneizel. And that was a feeling he _loathed._

With all visible obstacles taken care of, Lelouch was free to move further along with his plan. The prince inwardly groaned. Another late night of planning, double-checking, and more planning was awaiting him. Now they'd just pick up whatever they'd left in the guestroom and leave.

Lelouch unlocked the door. Flicking the light switch, something caught his eyes. Something which was sitting on the open windowsill.

It was dark, furry, and had a peculiar object around its head. With a high-pitched cry, he realized what that peculiar object was.

It was Lei's black mask.

"Meow."

**Author's Notes: Sorry, that's all for now.**

**For anybody who's incredulous about Rafael surviving getting shot, remember the end of season 1, where Zero got shot in the forehead, but didn't even flinch.**

**School's back, and my work hit me harder than Irene did. Needless to say, I'm probably going to have to take that break from writing that I've been mentioning before... -9/10/11**

**EDIT: Lol, nvm, look at my next chap! - 9/28/11**


	11. Arthur

**Author's Notes: Sooo… Remember when I said I wouldn't be back till New Year's? I sorta lied… a few of my big commitments have been cancelled, so I have **_**some**_** time to write. It won't be as often as over the summer, but it's something ^.^ I can't even put in words how glad I am to be able to continue writing :).**

**As this is my main fic, I can estimate that I'll be updating **_**at least**_** every other week, though at least once a week is **_**much**_** more likely. I like the idea of making this a weekly thing ^.^**

**On a sorta side note, I find it pretty cool that I'm announcing this on Sept. 28****th****, the day the Japanese R2 ended (and thus the assumed day of the Zero Requiem and Lelouch's 'death') ^.^**

**I'm going to try (not saying I'll be at all successful) to cut down on my long author notes, so without further ado…**

**Enjoy!**

" " for dialogue  
><em>Italics <em>_for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

Mask 11: Arthur

It was dark, furry, and had a peculiar object around its head. With a high-pitched cry, Lelouch vi Britannia realized what that 'peculiar object' was.

It was Lei's black mask.

"Meow."

The cat walked out the window.

_Fuck. _Lelouch tried to stay in control of himself as he ran to the window.

The cat was walking on a small ledge that ran across the building's walls.

"Minoru,"

Practically before the prince had called his name, the white-clothed Guard started to climb out the window. He was almost at the cat, when a voice called from the open doorway.

"What are you looking outside for, Lelouch?"

Quickly, Lelouch and his remaining Guards turned. In the doorway was Cornelia and Euphemia li Britannia. Automatically donning a polite smile, he said, "Nothing, Sister."

"Oh really?" Suspicious, Cornelia walked over to the open window. Lelouch and his Guards simultaneously held their breaths as she looked outside.

* * *

><p>Sometimes, Minoru Takahashi felt he'd lost touch with reality. So much of being Lelouch's guard was irregular and unexpected, so Minoru wouldn't actually have been surprised to wake up any moment now. He'd certainly never had imagined being stuck in his current situation a few months ago, back when he was just a normal foot soldier.<p>

His right hand was grasping at a cold, stone ledge, while the other held a cat with a black mask on its head. Add the fact that falling would almost certainly mean death, that one suspicious princess was looking out the window just one floor above you, and that he needed to somehow stay silent enough to avoid attracting attention…

Yup, this was a situation the former Japanese terrorist had never seen coming when he agreed to join Lelouch's Royal Guard.

Gritting his teeth, he carefully put the cat on his right shoulder. Then, he lifted his freed left hand onto the ledge, slightly relieving the strain on his outstretched right hand. As he winced, he grimly recalled exactly why his right hand hurt so much…

He had just scooped up the cat, when he suddenly heard the Witch of Britannia speak, announcing her presence. Then, hearing a good deal of motion inside the building, Minoru had, without thinking, jumped down to the ledge just a floor below. He'd missed, just barely grabbing the ledge with his right hand.

Even with both hands extended, his right arm still felt sore. Still, Minoru didn't dare get up from below the ledge, afraid he'd catch the princess's attention. He avoided dropping down for the same reason. Instead, he simply did his best to remain motionless.

Despite that, there was soon motion on Minoru's right shoulder. As a tail swept by Minoru's face, he was glad he was wearing a mask. If not, he'd probably have sneezed. However, the Japanese teenager soon realized that wasn't the only problem he was facing.

With a feeling of dread, Minoru felt a certain furry creature creep up his right arm. Unable to move for fear of being noticed, he could only watch helplessly as the cat walked onto the ledge, black mask still around its head. Soon it disappeared into an open window.

Thus, Minoru felt only slight relief when Cornelia withdrew her head from the window. Cautiously, he slowly lifted himself back up.

* * *

><p>"I guess there wasn't really anything special out there after all."<p>

Inwardly, Lelouch sighed in relief. Whatever Minoru had done, he'd done it well. "Of course. If you'd let me explain-"

"Still," Cornelia interrupted, slowly turning to face Lelouch. "That doesn't excuse the fact that you were acting suspicious." She eyed the masked Guards, knowing their true nationalities. "Or the fact that you were standing so close to _these_ people."

Lelouch took the opportunity to change the topic. "They're my Guard. Of course they'd be staying close to me."

After staring suspiciously at her half-brother for a while longer, she slowly made her way back to her knight, who was waiting with Euphemia. "If you say so. Just don't forget that you are under _my _control. Don't even think of pulling stunts like you did in the Middle East."

Lelouch smiled. "I wouldn't dream of it."

The prince waited a few moments before motioning Rafael to close the door. Then he turned to look out the window. Only slightly surprised, he found that he couldn't find the Japanese guard.

"Minoru?"

"Down here."

Lelouch looked down.

Sure enough, partially obscured by the window ledge, Minoru stood, hands placed cautiously around one side of the open window below. For a moment, Lelouch relaxed. Then…

"Where's the cat?"

Face turning grim, Minoru gestured at a nearby, open window. "It ran away while I was hiding."

_So it's just running around inside with Lei's mask on. _Silently cursing, Lelouch turned to the rest of the Guard. _I just cleared the suspicion about the masks. If Lei's black mask is found…_ "Lei, go help Minoru chase the cat."  
>"Emeka, remotely activate the fire alarm, then hack the security cameras. Everyone else, follow me."<p>

As Hazel picked up Lelouch's suitcase, Lelouch, flanked by Rafael and the Korean, walked out into the hallway, face donning a calm, unconcerned look. Privately, Rafael wondered how the prince changed expressions so smoothly. Did he not realize the seriousness of the issue?

"Lelouch, I'm done. Alarm triggering in 3, 2, 1…"

"Zero." muttered Lelouch, slightly amused. Everything went to Zero, in the end. He increased his pace only marginally as a loud alarm sounded throughout the building.

Luckily, they were only in the residential wing of the Administrative Complex. Separate from the Government Building, it was a great deal smaller than the main building. This meant relaxed security and less people. Indeed, despite the cry of surprise here and there, the few occupants of the building made their way calmly to the exit. Soon the building would be empty.

At least, that was the theory.

* * *

><p>With a sigh, Diethard picked up a small case. He'd brought a portable camera just in case he'd run into a key opportunity for unexpected stories, but it looked like he had no such luck…<p>

Walking in the hallway, Diethard was mildly surprised by the sudden ring of the fire alarm. Fires weren't common in the Administrative Complex… Then, the blonde man saw something that made him stop in his tracks.

At the intersection of two hallways stood a white-clothed figure, his back turned towards the reporter.

_Kira? But shouldn't he be with Prince Lelouch…_ Then a second figure came into view. _Blackheart? There's no doubt it's them, but…_ Diethard quietly listened as snatches of conversation reached him.

"Can't find…"

"Where… damn cat!"

_Cat? There's a fire and they're worried about a silly cat?_ Diethard's reporter's intuition kicked in. After the two figures had split up, going opposite ways, Diethard turned on his radio. "Attention all Area 11 News crew members, look out for a certain cat…"

* * *

><p><em>What's Lelouch planning?<em>

Despite having left him alone, Cornelia was still quite suspicious of her half-brother's actions.

Then the fire alarm went off.

_Lelouch?_ Although she had no solid support, Cornelia had a hunch that the sudden, rare alarm had to do with whatever Lelouch had been watching from his window…

"Your Highness!"

The Witch of Britannia glanced at the speaker and considered ignoring him. _Great, the media. What is it now?_

As Cornelia had neither accepted nor denied Diethard's existence, the reporter risked getting close to the princess. He was stopped a few feet away by a certain black-haired knight. "Her Highness does not wish to have an interview at this time." cautioned Guilford.

Diethard smiled. "That is a wish I can respect. However…" He turned to face Cornelia. "I was simply wondering if _Her Highness_ knew anything about Lelouch's cat."

Cornelia was perplexed. "Lelouch's… cat?" _Is that a code word for something?_ Knowing how cold Lelouch could be, Cornelia simply couldn't imagine her half-brother… raising a cat.

"Lelouch's cat?" repeated a certain higher-pitched voice. However, this time the voice was filled with delighted surprise, not cautious suspicion. "Why hasn't he told us that he's raising a cat?" Euphemia was positively delighted.

Diethard pretended to look disbelieving. "Your Highnesses! You both had no idea? The entire building's in an uproar because of it. Some think that Lelouch himself pulled the fire alarm in order to clear the building for searching! I myself saw his trusted Guards running around, looking for a cat." Of course, the first few statements were _slight_ exaggerations, but, with a high-pitched alarm irritating everyone, it wasn't hard to make them sound plausible.

Cornelia frowned. There was no way that Lelouch was causing such a ruckus for some silly cat…

"Guildford, alert all security personnel to find and bring Lelouch to me. His Guards as well!"

Diethard smiled. Just follow Cornelia and he'd end up with either a stunning story or interesting battle between royalty… A win-win situation for one blonde reporter.

* * *

><p>Minoru sighed. "Where is that damn cat?"<p>

Then he felt a tap on the shoulder. Looking behind him, he saw two guards. "You are Kira, correct?"

Dumbly, Minoru nodded, his white mask bobbing slightly.

"I apologize, but you're going to need to come with us."

* * *

><p>"Lelouch."<p>

Lelouch vi Britannia stopped as he heard Minoru's voice, Rafael and Hazel following suit. "What's the matter?"

Minoru's voice sounded strained. "The guards, they caught me."

Lelouch's breathing stopped. "Caught you? As in found out who you are?"

"No, my mask's still on, but apparently they have orders from 'Her Highness' to detain me and bring me to her. The same goes for you and the rest, apparently."

At the word 'No', Lelouch had managed to remember how to breathe. Now he almost forgot.

_Has she found Lei's mask?_

Minoru added, "Oh, and they're looking for the cat, too."

Lelouch wasn't sure if he was relieved or terrified.

"Your Highness!"

Okay, now he was terrified.

Lelouch turned to look behind him. Walking down the hallway were three guards. Lelouch rubbed his temples. "Emeka, you have control of the cameras now, correct?"

"Yeah…"

Lelouch sighed. He _hated _running...

"On top of looking for the cat, make sure we don't run into anymore guards."

"Anymore? What do you mean?"

Without warning, Lelouch burst into a run. He ignored the surprised calls of the guards behind him, slightly reassured that he was being escorted by Rafael and Hazel. But…

_If Cornelia finds the mask, everything's over!_

* * *

><p>Emeka was sweating slightly, mouse clicking furiously on his laptop. "Lelouch, make a right at the second intersection."<br>"Lei, there are two guards making their way behind you. Take a left, then a right…"  
>"Lelouch, I've found the cat. It's on the fifth floor. The stairwell to your left is clear."<br>"Lei, the quickest way is the stairwell on your right, seven doors down."

Emeka sighed as he momentarily stretched his aching hands. "Do these guys realize how hard it is to track every moving being in the building? And on a laptop?"

His complaints were interrupted by a rap on the door. "Open the door."

For a while, Emeka entertained the idea of mimicking Minoru and Lei. However, jumping out a window, hoping to hit the ledge below, wasn't something Emeka considered a perfect escape plan. Instead, he remotely turned off the fire alarm and prepared a little entertainment for his unwelcome guests.

* * *

><p>"The guards are here, boss."<p>

Out of breath, Lelouch didn't bother to respond. To his utter embarrassment, he'd ended up being carried by Rafael down the stairs. The jolting steps threatened to fracture Lelouch's teeth, but his pride refused to let him complain.

Emeka continued, "They're getting a key to the room as we speak, so I'm going to have to leave you guys final directions…"  
>"Lelouch, or rather, Rafael, when you're on the fifth floor, turn left and make your way to the north side of the building. Lei will need to do the same, only she'll have to move right to get there. Good luck."<p>

* * *

><p>Cornelia tapped her foot impatiently as a guard came running, out of breath. Taking the key, Cornelia unlocked the room Lelouch had been using.<p>

"Lelouch! Come out immed-" Cornelia, and her companions, froze in shock.

Sitting on the floor was a white-clothed man. Going by the codename Nighthawk, the man had three white spikes at the top of his helmet. He, at least originally, looked similar to a white Knight in chess.

But that wasn't the stunning part.

Laptop on, headphones on, the man was _singing_ along to some song. Faint music could be heard through the blasting headset. The white mask was bobbing comically up and down.

"Just, step it up, STEP IT U-*****" The figure turned around, apparently just realizing he had visitors.

"Geez, can't you guys knock?"

While Guilford looked scandalized, and Euphemia happily noted, "You seem to sing very well, Mister Nighthawk."

If the pink-haired princess hadn't been there, Cornelia may have used her gun. Murder _was_ acceptable for most Britannian princesses…

Behind them all, Minoru was glad he had his mask on, soundproofing installed. It muffled his chuckles extremely well.

Only Emeka would. Only Emeka

* * *

><p>"There you are!"<p>

Lei ran at the window, where the cat had decided to walk outside.

"Not so fast!"

Lei let out a sigh of relief as she finally caught a hold of the troublesome cat. She retrieved her mask from the pesky animal.

"Good… going, Lei."

The Chinese teenager turned to see a _very_ tired Rafael, kneel down, at which point Lelouch got off his back with an embarrassed cough. "Indeed, good job, Lei."

Lei beamed as she handed her mask to Hazel. The Korean then opened Lelouch's suitcase and put it inside.

"Lelouch!"

Lelouch took the suitcase as he turned to smile at his half-sister. "What is it, Cornelia?"

"What do you mean, what?" Cornelia was practically fuming. In the background, Diethard was filming with his camera. _Here it comes._

Lelouch smiled, as if hearing the reporter's thoughts. Then he made a fake sigh. "So you knew, didn't you?"

Cornelia nodded. It was so obvious that Lelouch was trying to hide something…

Lelouch motioned with his right hand. At Lei.

More specifically, what she was still carrying.

"Meow."

Cornelia wasn't the only one confused. But suddenly, Euphemia made a cry of delight, "It's Arthur!"

Lelouch made a genuine smile. _Even better._ "Cornelia, you know how long Euphie's wanted a pet. I'd planned on waiting until its leg was better, but I thought this cat would be a good companion for her."

Euphemia smiled at Lelouch. "Truly, Lelouch? That's great, isn't it, Cornelia?"

_Damn it,_ Cornelia gritted her teeth. How was she supposed to say 'no' to her precious younger sister? "If Lelouch has gone this far already…" She grudgingly gave her consent.

Suddelny, eyeing Lelouch's suitcase, Cornelia allowed herself a smile. "HOWEVER, I'm more curious as to what exactly Lelouch is holding in that suitcase there."

To Cornelia's surprise, Lelouch smiled. "Of course, Sister." The prince swung the case in front of him, holding it horizontally.

Diethard quietly zoomed in on the piece of baggage in question. _Finally..._

Slowly, Lelouch opened it. And inside was…

A laptop.

* * *

><p><strong>One Hour Later<br>****Lelouch's Limousine**

"That was a close one." noted Rafael. The rest of the Guard nodded in agreement. He may have been just imagining it, but Emeka thought he saw Lelouch also give a slight nod.

Lelouch then turned to the African. "Emeka, about that reporter…"

Emeka gave off an impish smile.

"Taken care of."

* * *

><p>"So, Diethard…" The cameraman tried to sound respectful. "Why exactly did you have us search for a cat during a fire drill?"<p>

In turn, Diethard tried to avoid looking smug. "The fire drill was a fake, triggered by Prince Lelouch. I was with the Princesses, looking for Lelouch's crazy Guards." He smirked as he remembered a certain man called Nighthawk. Diethard considered himself lucky to be able to have recorded it.

"What's so funny?"

Diethard shook his head as he hooked up his camera with their news van. "Here, let me show you."

All of a sudden, the screens went blank. After a few moments, music started to play, and bold white words showed up. This is what they said:

Just, step it up, STEP IT UP!

-NH

_NH, NightHawk…_

* * *

><p><strong>So that's that! This was meant to be a relatively relaxed chapter, telling you all that I'm back earlier than expected, woot! So yeah, expect almost weekly updates of chaps like the ones I've published till now ^.^<strong>

**After much deliberation, I've decided that Lelouch won't get a geass… yet. The reason is simply because, at the moment, I've written up two full-length plot storylines, one with him getting Absolute Obedience and one without. Quite frankly, the one without geass is much more interesting, in my opinion ^.^ Of course, geass still exists, so it's not impossible he gets it later…**

**Also, I haven't talked much about my OC's physical attributes. I did this because I wanted to leave a good amount of it up to your imagination. Now I wanna ask:**

**What do YOU think my OC's (should) look like?**

**Of course, I've already set some characteristics, but those are changeable ^^. Just tell me what you think, and, if I like it, I'll set your description(s) as "facts's". Describe one aspect or everything; I'm simply doing this out of curiosity! Oh, and plz PM your responses, it'll be easier to keep track that way.**

**Next chapter will be the start of a new "arc"! I don't normally classify my chaps into "arcs", but I don't know what else to call it xD**

**I bet you all wanna know what's going to happen with Kallen, the terrorists, and V.V.'s assassin? Be ready, as I've extended the anime Saitama Ghetto episode to an entire arc! (Of course, it won't all be about the battle itself, but what it **_**is **_**about? ^.^ Wait and see ^.^)**

**Thanks for reading and…**

**Don't forget to Review!**

***Note: Happened to be listening to "Step" by KARA when I was writing, thus Emeka's very small line from the song. Korean-pop FTW!**

**EDIT: LOL, I'm looking back and remembering that I wrote that I was going to try to cut down on my author's notes… The problem is that I always ramble on and end up telling myself "Oh well, I'll shorten it next time."**

**Oh well, I'll shorten it next time. ^.^ (hopefully)**


	12. Saitama

**Wow! 113 Reviews! I actually wanted to update in celebration of 100, but 13 more got in before I had the time xD.**

**Thanks to Orchamus, Blitz182, seth12619, Zerothehedgehog, The Puppeteer Master, Akito89Lelouch, Umbra8191, LelouchVi, XT3, and XIIth Antagonist for reviewing!**

**For those of you reading my other fanfic, "Sin of Truth', you probably know that I'm actually using shorter author notes now! xD I do hope you guys have read my notes so far, tho… -.-**

**Lol, anyways…**

**Read and Review!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics __for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

*for sounds*

Mask 12: Saitama

**Area 11 Concession  
><strong>**Vi Britannia Residence  
><strong>**0930**

"Cornelia li Britannia, who arrived in Area 11 just recently to take over as viceroy, has announced that there will be a counterterrorism operation in Saitama Ghetto at 2:30, 5 hours from now. As I speak, Britannian forces have already begun to surround the area."

Rafael was the first to speak.

"Well, that's stupid. Why the hell is she telling everyone that?"

Lelouch was staring intently at the TV. "She's trying to draw out Zero," he said, almost to himself.

"What?" Rafael was confused. "How the hell is that going to work?"

Lelouch sighed and leaned back. "She's trying to repeat the same circumstances that preceded Clovis's death, hoping that Zero wouldn't be able to resist the bait." As if to confirm, the phone began to ring.

After a moment of silence, Lelouch stood up and slowly walked towards the phone. Emeka clicked the remote to turn off the TV. On the third ring, Lelouch picked up the phone. "…Yes?"

"Hello, Lelouch, have you seen the news?"

"Cornelia? I have, but-"

"You are to stay out of Saitama until the operation is over."

"…what?"

Lelouch heard Cornelia sigh. "Listen, Lelouch. I know you are a skilled officer. Your work against the MEF has shown that. However, for my operation, we need to keep as many variables as we can out. I know that you are currently the pilot of a seventh generation knightmare frame. I will not commandeer what is yours, but I can't have you acting like a loose cannon. I know from our time against the MEF that you prefer to work independently, but I can't have that here… Do you understand?"

Lelouch smiled but nevertheless heaved an audible sigh. "I understand, Sister."

"…Thank you for understanding."

"No problem, _Dear_ Sister. Goodbye." Lelouch hung up without waiting for a reply.

Rafael's rust-colored eyes jumped from the phone to his prince. "What was it?"

Lelouch kept smiling. "Cornelia said she wanted Lelouch to stay away from Saitama."

"Lelouch?" Minoru observed, "Why are you saying your name in third person?"

Lelouch's smile widened to a smirk. "Have you forgotten? I am not just Lelouch vi Britannia..."

"I am Zero."

* * *

><p><strong>Area 11 Concession<br>****Prisoner Detainment Center  
><strong>**1330 hours**

The green, bullet-proof glass barriers retracted upwards, giving Cornelia li Britannia and her knight, Guilford, a clear view of one Jeremiah Gottwald, one Kewell Soresi, and, in the neighboring cell, one Villeta Nu. A good two-dozen other "Purists" occupied the nearby cells.

"Y-Your Highness!" Jeremiah stuttered. "Surely you understand that we're innoc-"

Cornelia interrupted the leader of the now-defunct Purist Faction, "In exactly one hour, I will be attacking Saitama Ghetto."

For a moment, hope glimmered in Jeremiah's eyes, as well as those of his compatriots. Were they going to get a second chance?

"However, the Pure-Blood Faction will _not_ be participating." Cornelia tossed a rolled up paper by the feet of Jeremiah. "You have been stripped of your status as Margrave."

Any slimmer of hope Jeremiah had been nurturing was immediately destroyed. For a noble, losing one's title was the equivalent of being forcibly booted out of society. No number of connections could restore the loss of one's status as a noble. There was simply no way to recover. Even a demotion to the rank of Private would be better…

"In addition," Cornelia eyed all three prisoners. "You _all_ are demoted to the rank of Private.  
>Everyone here is to be suspended for an unspecified amount of time. This includes all members of the Pure-Blood Faction."<p>

The Second Princess of Britannia shook her head. "What has Area 11 come to? An entire faction succumbing to the will of terrorists? Unbelievable." As she spoke, the green barrier began to come back down. "If you learn anything, learn this: I despise those who give into terrorism."

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<br>****1400 hours**

Lelouch picked up the suitcase that held his Zero costume. _It's time._

*Ding-dong*

Lelouch froze.

…_The only ones who know this address…_

*Tap, tap, tap*

As the sound of footsteps drew closer, Lei popped her head through Lelouch's bedroom door. "It's Princess Euphemia!"

_Euphie? What's she doing here?_

Then a thought popped in Lelouch's head.

_Cornelia!..._

_Cornelia must have sent Euphie to watch over me…_

*Ding-dong*

Tentatively, Lei intruded upon Lelouch's thoughts, "What do you want us to do?"

Lelouch thought for a moment. "I'll let her in myself. You and the rest will have to go on ahead first."

The Chinese teenager opened her mouth as if to speak, but, after a moment, she shut it and turned around, short black hair twirling.

After glancing at his suitcase, he decided to kick it under the bed…

For now.

_Hopefully, not for long_. Almost as an afterthought, Lelouch attached his hidden communicator inside his collared white shirt.

* * *

><p>"Euphie!"<p>

The pink-haired princess pretended to pout. "What took so long?"

Lelouch smiled gently. "Sorry, I was a bit busy." He leaned slightly on the doorway. "What brings you here, Euphie?"

Euphie smiled and brought her hands from behind her back.

"Meow"

Lelouch made an effort not to flinch. This cat had caused so much trouble before…

Outwardly, Lelouch smiled. "It's Arthur!"

Euphie smiled in turn. "Cornelia said you might be lonely, living by yourself in this big house. She suggested that Arthur and I come and keep you company."

Lelouch's smile faltered for a millisecond… _Cornelia!..._ but he recovered quickly. "Is that so? That's quite thoughtful of Cornelia. I don't have much time, but I suppose you can come in for a while."

Thanks to a certain cat's stunt, Cornelia was apparently still extremely suspicious of him. Thus, it looked like Lelouch would have to take extra pains to act innocent…

"Hey, Lelouch, what are we going to do now?"

Lelouch narrowly avoided biting his lip.

_If only I knew, Rafael._

Lelouch sighed and spoke, seemingly to Euphemia, "Right now, I'm the only one home. I've given my guards a vacation, so they probably won't be back for a few hours."

"If this is a vacation, I wanna see what 'work' is." retorted a certain Brazilian teenager over the radio.

Minoru responded with a bit more understanding, "I assume you want us to do our best without you?"

As Lelouch closed the door behind Euphie, he made sure it slammed with a little more force than necessary. Utilizing the sudden sound, he muttered, "Exactly."

Hazel was the one to respond. "Understood. I'll keep you updated with our status."

Not for the first time, Lelouch was grateful for his ever-reliable Guards.

* * *

><p><strong>Saitama Ghetto<br>****1430 hours**

At exactly 2:30 PM, Sutherlands and Britannian foot soldiers alike began to move into the ghetto. The streets were mostly deserted, as its Japanese inhabitants had long taken cover inside the worn-down buildings. In one building in particular, a certain red-haired terrorist ran down the corridor.

"Kallen, are you there yet?"

Kallen Kozuki took cover in a windowless room, careful to keep her submachine gun pointed at the door. With her left hand, she raised her radio to her mouth, slightly breathless. "Almost, just a few floors to go."

Over the radio, Ohgi grunted, "Got it. Yoshida's group will be there in a moment, so try and clear the building in the meantime."

"Got it."

Three floors and five minutes later, she reached the fifth floor of the half-demolished building. When she got there, she couldn't believe what she saw.

* * *

><p><strong>Saitama Ghetto<br>****1434 hours**

Up. Down. Up. Down.

Minoru played with the black mask in his hands, throwing it straight up, so that it almost touched the ceiling. Sitting with his back on a half-worn pillar, his secondary, black cloth mask hung under his chin.

God, how he hated that suffocating fabric, which was supposed to cover his nose and mouth. Minoru knew that keeping his identity was vital, but what was the chance of someone seeing him here, inside one of the hundreds of broken buildings?

Minoru checked the time. Any moment now.

With a sigh, Minoru picked himself up, donning his helmet.

"Okay, Minoru. He should be there any moment now."

Indeed, the Japanese man soon heard the nearby whirring of landspinners. Soon, a Sutherland came into view. It stopped right in front of the half-demolished building Minoru was hiding inside. The Japanese man neared the window, taking out a handgun with the silencer attached.

After a moment, the cockpit opened, revealing a very confused Britannian Knight.

*snip*

As the nameless Knight fell out of the cockpit, Minoru lowered his handgun. Flicking his left wrist in order to activate his mask's microphone, Minoru reported,

"He's out. Move it closer."

"Got it."

Pilotless, the Sutherland turned and slowly backed towards Minoru. One hand against the crumbling building wall, Minoru stepped to the side of the Sutherland cockpit.

Maybe he had been too intent on the Sutherland, but Minoru realized, too late, the sound of footsteps.

"Freeze!"

* * *

><p><strong>Moments Earlier<strong>

_That's…._

Kallen recognized the black-and-purple costume from Zero's "debut". The question was, why was Zero's lackey here?

Quietly, she backed away from the doorway, into the stairwell. Raising her radio,

"Ohgi, you won't believe who's here."

"…Who?"

"It's one of Zero's lackeys, the one that has a darker version of… _Minoru's _Guard outfit."

"… Are you sure?"

Kallen sighed, glancing towards the doorway. "Who else would wear something as crazy as that?"

"You have a point. Any chance of getting to talk with him?"

*snip*

Kallen peeped through the doorway, just in time to see the mysterious figure pocket a handgun. "He's armed…"

"Ok, Kallen. Yoshida and his group should be there soon, so just try to keep him there for a bit."

"Roger that."

Inspecting her gun for defects, she quickly decided her approach.

Walking through the doorway, she raised her gun.

"Freeze!"

* * *

><p><em>Kallen?<em>

Almost unconsciously, Minoru took a step towards his former comrade.

"Didn't you hear me? Freeze!"

That brought Minoru to his senses. _That's right; right now I'm K.K… _The former terrorist raised his weaponless hands.

Slowly, Kallen walked towards Minoru. "Let's start with the simple things. Who are you?"

Inside his mask, Minoru smiled. Who _**was**_he? Minoru? Kira? K.K.? Or all of the above?

His voice, projected by his mask, rumbled slightly, "I am K.K."

Kallen frowned, gun still pointed. "K.K.? Why a codename?"

"Who knows, Kallen?" Minoru grimaced. That last word had slipped out accidently.

Kallen's eyes widened in surprise. She opened her mouth to ask how he knew her name, but then she remembered that she had asked another anonymous man the same thing… at Shinjuku.

Eyes narrowing, Kallen tightened her grip on the gun. "You're from Shinjuku! You're the one who betrayed us to that white knightmare!"

Minoru tensed. Within his mask, the Japanese teenager's eyes jumped from the gun to its holder. As his heartbeat quickened, he realized that there wasn't much distance from Kallen and himself. There was definitely less distance than with that Britannian officer, back during his "tour" of Shinjuku with Lelouch…

Minoru decided to risk it.

Running forward, he jumped to the right, preparing to disarm Kallen.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<strong>

Carefully, Lelouch placed the teapot back on the clear, glass table. He passed Euphemia a cup.

"Here you go."

The Third Princess of Britannia took a sip and wrinkled her nose. "It's a bit bitter."

Lelouch smirked. "Who told you tea was sweet?" Internally, Lelouch's patience was wearing a bit thin. He should be out in Saitama, making sure the operation went well. It took all his self-control to avoid looking at the clock every thirty seconds.

By his neck, under his right ear, a miniature speaker buzzed, hardly above a whisper, "Lelouch, this is Hazel. We're going to start the operation now. Is that alright?"

Lelouch made as if to readjust his collar. Using his index finger, he tapped the mike twice.

Two taps - Yes

"Got it. I'm making contact with the neighboring terrorists now."

Lelouch failed to conceal a sigh. How long would he have to keep wearing a mask?

"Are you tired of me already?"

Lelouch smiled. "Of course not, Euphie. Cornelia's just caused me a bit of stress, that's all."

The pink-haired teenager tapped her lips with one index finger.

"I know! Let's place chess! That'll cheer you up."

* * *

><p><strong>Shinjuku Ghetto<strong>

"Plant, plant, plant your bombs~"

Rafael was singing softly to himself as he attached explosives to the base of the bridge. He was completely unaware of the foot soldier that was climbing down the ladder behind him.

"Hey you, what are you doing here? This is a restricted area!"

Rafael turned to face the unwelcome guest. "Oh, nothing…"

"What's that behind you?"

Rafael heard some motion and looked up. The soldier's shouts had brought two additional soldiers, who were looking down from atop the bridge.

Rafael swallowed his saliva, trying to come up with a good excuse for being under the bridge's surface during a full-scale counter-terrorism operation.

Luckily, he didn't have to.

There was no sound, but the reaction made what happened obvious.

First, one of the soldiers above the ladder fell. He was soon followed by another.

"Wh-What the hell?" The soldier who had descended looked up at his dead compatriots. Then he looked back down at Rafael. From the red light of Rafael's explosives, the foot soldier finally made out what Rafael was wearing. "Oh my god, yo-you're-"

Quickly, Rafael took out his gun, silencer attached. He wasted no time pointing it at the confused foot soldier standing before him.

"Take off your uniform, if you want to live."

* * *

><p>"That was close."<p>

Lei leaned back from her scope. Standing up, the Chinese teenager stretched. "Really, Rafael needs to be more careful. I almost didn't fire in time."

Next to her, Hazel waved aside her long black hair, clearing some sweat. "Let's just hope that doesn't happen again." She raised her left wrist to her mouth. On top of the masks, the black-and-white watches could work as secondary radios.

"Hey Minoru? Are you ready to help our terrorist friends?"

The response that she got confused her:

Silence.

"Minoru?"

Still no response.

"Emeka, do you know if Minoru's mike malfunctioned?"

"…I don't think it has. Anyways, the Sutherland I gave him is moving."

Hazel frowned. "Can you get a visual of his cockpit? Try to see what's wrong."

"No problem… Crap."

* * *

><p><strong>Minutes Earlier<strong>

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Minoru's heart skipped a beat. He'd misjudged Kallen's reaction speed.

_At least I wasn't shot._ Minoru thought dimly as he knocked the gun out of Kallen's hands. With a sweep of the arms, he tried to restrain Kallen…

In time for a kick to the stomach.

Minoru barely managed to stand up in time to get out of the way of yet another kick. Then Minoru instinctively countered with a series of punches…

Only to see Kallen dodge them. Then, Kallen started throwing punches in return…

Only to see Minoru, still masked, dodge them.

As Minoru jumped back, he found himself against the wall, standing only a few meters from the open Sutherland cockpit. He moved forward to kick, but Kallen quickly jumped back.

Then, Kallen suddenly surged forward, arms poised to punch…

Just in time for Minoru to block with his arms. However, as blow after blow wore away at Minoru, he winced. He still felt the pain from Kallen's kick earlier. For a moment, he lowered his guard.

A moment was all Kallen needed.

First, a jab to the stomach. Then, a swing at the face…

Soon, Minoru, still masked, lay on the floor, unconscious. His mask had been cracked, and Kallen had to rub her knuckles to wear away at the pain of doing so.

"Kallen! Are you all right?"

The red-head smiled as she turned to face the newcomers. "Yeah, I finally gave the bastard what he deserved."

A man with dark-brown hair frowned. "What he deserved?..."

Kallen, adrenaline still rushing, didn't bother with a long explanation. "He attacked me, so I fought back."

One of the men behind Yoshida whistled. "You sure did."

Kallen smiled. "Thanks." Then she realized something.

It had taken a while for her to notice, but the Sutherland cockpit, which had been protruding oddly into the building, was empty.

And it looked 100% usable.

Kallen slowly walked over to the cockpit, afraid to have her hopes destroyed. While her newly-arrived comrades whispered amongst themselves, she entered the cockpit.

It automatically closed, bringing her up to the Sutherland's controls. She checked its IFF codes, which were deactivated. As a test, she drove the Sutherland around a bit. After a while, she smiled.

_Just like the Glasgow._

She turned the Sutherland to face the building she had been in just moments earlier.

"Yoshida, I'm going to take this for a spin. Can you look after 'Mr. Mask'?"

Before the fellow terrorist could reply, she sped away, eager to try her newfound weapon. After a moment of watching, Yoshida simple shook his head and smiled. Then he walked over to where a certain unconscious figure lay.

"Let's see who's really behind this mask."

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<strong>

"Lelouch, we have a problem."

"Lelouch, you're going easy on me, aren't you?"

Lelouch resisted the urge to smirk. "How so?" This he asked both Emeka and Euphie.

Euphemia li Britannia was the first to respond. She moved a white pawn to the edge of the board, replacing it with a white queen. "First of all, you let me play white, which gets to move first. Second, you're letting me turn one of my pawns into a queen."

Lelouch smiled gently. "Euphie, you know that I'm letting you play white just because I like to play black. As for the second…"

Emeka chose that moment to respond. "It's Minoru… Apparently, he got ambushed by that red-head. Karen was her name, I think?"

Lelouch's heart stopped for a moment.

Emeka quickly added, "Of course, the sensor Rafael put into Minoru's watch is registering a heartbeat, so he's not dead. It's just, the red-head's in the Sutherland meant for Minoru…"

Hazel also added her voice over the radio. "What should we do?"

Lelouch, by force of habit, raised his left hand to his face, thinking.

"What is it, Lelouch?"

Lelouch vi Britannia blinked and reinforced his smile. "Nothing, nothing, just lost my train of thought, Euphie. I've got a lot on my mind, that's all."

As he looked at the new enemy queen, an idea began to take shape in Lelouch's mind. "As for your second point, it's a matter of tactics…"

Lelouch tugged on his collar, thus pressing on the mike and signaling to Hazel that he was about to answer. "Sometimes, it's better to keep a close eye on the enemy and move later, rather than to attack immediately."

* * *

><p><strong>Lol, I've noticed that when I use pronouns for Cornelia, I accidently type "he" more often than "she" xD<strong>

**Today is the only time I have this weekend to write, so sorry if there were some mistakes. I really wanted to update today, as well as hopefully work at least a bit on my next "Sin of Truth" chap ^^**

**Anyways, academic testing (also known as Hell Week(s)) has finally caught up with me. I can't promise weekly updates, but I'll try to get back to updating as soon as I can (hopefully, at most, 3 weeks). I know this may seem a bit abrupt, but… :/ Sorry**

**Review!**


	13. Minoru's Secret

**Thanks for the reviews, everyone! Though, I would appreciate if you could tell me exactly what I'm doing right/wrong xD**

**For example, I'd like to thank N. Silvutra Mayhem for the recent review: In retrospect, I suppose sound effects aren't that nice xD. Please keep in mind that I'm just a beginning writer. There are so many great writers out here, much better than me, and I'm just trying to improve my writing bit by bit, hoping to one day match them. Sound effects are now out!**

**I'll be toying with different aspects/varieties of writing, so please tell me if you liked/disliked some part of my writing.**

**Thanks to Orchamus, Umbra8191, XIIIth Antagonist, seth12619, clr2, XT3, Lycosyncer, N. Silvutra Mayhem, Hitsugaya1995, MarchHare95, bakapervert, and wedgegeck for reviewing! Reviews like yours are what keep me writing this fanfic!**

**Read and Review!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

Mask 13: Minoru's "Secret"

**Shinjuku Ghetto  
><strong>**1440 hours**

"**Sometimes, it's better to keep a close eye on the enemy and move later, rather than to attack immediately."**

Emeka leaned back in his black rolling chair. In front of him was an array television monitors, as well as six keyboards, lined up side by side. Surrounded by polished, metallic walls, it was hard to believe he was inside the ghettos.

In a semi-demolished parking lot, Emeka was hidden away in an ordinary-looking silver van, with fake dents added to make it look abandoned and worthless. Just another piece of scrap metal in the junkyard.

But that was the last thing he was thinking about.

"Keep an eye… and move later?" Emeka mused to himself. "What exactly does he mean, Hazel?"

The reply was barely hesitant, yet still slightly so. "I think he means to track the redhead's progress, but don't fight with her yet."

Emeka scratched his chin. "It's possible."

Two scratchy taps over the radio line confirmed their thoughts. _Exactly._

Emeka leaned forward, stretching his fingers. "Alright then, I'll start collecting battle data now… More importantly, what about Minoru?"

A third voice, slightly rough from exertion, replied. "You said my sensor's working," Rafael said, "so that means he's alive. Just track his watch and we'll know how he is."

Emeka glanced at a monitor on his right. "Already did. Heart rate is relatively stable, but it looks like he may be unconscious." The African flicked his eyes to a monitor above the first, "He's still at the Sutherland drop-off point."

"In other words, he hasn't moved from where he last contacted us."

Emeka nodded, even though it couldn't be seen beyond the lonely van. "Exactly, Hazel."

_Not that that helps us much._ Emeka sighed, making sure it wouldn't be heard over the radio.

_I hope you're alright, Minoru._

* * *

><p>"Hey, lady! So, is Zero going to help us or not?"<p>

The response was slightly more subdued than last time. "Zero… is busy at the moment."

Arata Sakamoto spat. "What the hell? You told us that Zero would be here to help! That's why we agreed to listen you!"

One of Arata's terrorist comrades agreed. "How can we even believe you? That 'Zero' might even be a recording!"

Over the radio, Hazel Park winced. It was true, to some degree. Earning the terrorists' cooperation had taken the use of a recording of Lelouch's "Zero voice". But, apparently, Zero wouldn't be joining them anytime soon.

"Listen, I'm out. Get off our radio line." Arata practically spat. Within moments, the rest of the terrorists had agreed.

The Japanese man angrily turned off the radio receiver. Turning a head to his friends, Arata sighed. "We don't need those idiots."

* * *

><p>"Don't worry about it."<p>

Hazel turned her head wearily.

Lei tried to smile. "I mean, come on! If they're going to be stubborn, let them! Besides, we have a bigger issue."

_Minoru_, Hazel nodded. "You're right. Minoru comes first." Tucking her hair inside her Q.Q. outfit, the Korean put her mask on. The Chinese teenager soon followed suit.

Hazel slowly bent her wrist, turning on the communicator. "Emeka, what's Minoru's status?"

"The same as before… Oh shit."

"What is it?"

Emeka licked his lips. "Hazel, it's his mask…"

"…it's off."

* * *

><p>"Hey Ohgi..."<p>

"Yeah, Yoshida?"

"Remember that guy I mentioned? The one that Kallen managed to knock out?"

"...Yeah? What about him?"

"How do I word this... I took off his mask, and... He looks a hell of a lot like Minoru."

"..."

"Ohgi? You there?"

"Y-Yeah... Are you sure it's him?"

"I'll have to check when he wakes up, but I'm pretty sure."

"But, Yoshida, I thought Minoru was working for that Lelouch bastard."

"...I thought so too, Ohgi."

"Then, why would he be here? Didn't you say he was dressed up as one of Zero's lackeys?"

"Well, here's what I think... Keep in mind, it's just a theory."

"Go on, Yoshida."

"Well, I think Minoru may actually be..."

* * *

><p>Taking refuge in a windowless room of an abandoned building, Rafael took off his foot soldier mask. <em>I may be crazy, but I think I liked the R.R. one better<em>. _Much less suffocating._

Leaning against the building wall, Rafael heard his watch buzz. Lifting it to his ears, he increased the volume just in time to hear Emeka:

"Hazel, it's his mask… it's off."

_Fuck!_

Rafael let his left arm drop, and he sighed. From one mess to another. He just had to hope the Jap didn't screw things up too much. Checking his surroundings, he brought his right arm back up.

"I'll be there in a moment. What's our plan?"

* * *

><p><em>Am I dead?<em>

That was the first thought that entered Minoru's conscious mind. With some effort, he was able to crack open one eye. Too-bright light answered his silent question. He was alive, for now.

Minoru groaned softly, closing his eyes tightly.

"…So you're awake?"

At first, Minoru couldn't recognize the voice. Then, a faint thought crossed Minoru's mind. _Yoshida? What's he doing here?_

…Surely it was a dream. What else could it be? He wouldn't be able to see bright light through his tinted K.K. mask, and, besides, Yoshida had no idea that Minoru was K.K.

"Well, you have some serious answering to do, Minoru."

_This is quite the lucid dream._ Then Minoru noticed something, some sensation he felt. He could feel it by his stomach, his ribs, and face. Suddenly, he realized what it was.

Pain.

Not the sharp, biting pain of a cut in chest. Not quite the stinging pain of a bruise.

No, it was an aching pain. A pain that was so numbing that it felt almost natural. A pain that made Minoru want to moan constantly, but sapped his energy to do so.

So all he could do is wait. Wait while knowing one thing:

This was not a dream.

With growing dread, as well as fading pain, Minoru felt himself lifted to a sitting position. His back was placed against the nearby wall. The rough, rock surface was uncomfortably cold on his back.

After what seems forever, Minoru cautiously cracked open his right eye.

He soon wished he hadn't.

"Hello... Minoru."

It took a while for his eyes to adjust to the sudden light, but Minoru willed his right eye to stay open. After a while, it focuses on the man in front of him.

Yoshida. The old friend of the deceased Nagata.

Minoru didn't dare speak. He didn't trust himself to be able to.

Luckily, Yoshida began the conversation. "Soo… you're K.K?"

Minoru's silver-gray hair shimmered slightly as the brown-eyed man tried to respond. At first, he knew he needed to lie. The word "No" almost formed on his lips.

But, he was tired, and the pain certainly gave him no room to think.

Quietly, he murmured, "Yes."

* * *

><p>"Yoshida!"<p>

As Ohgi rushed into the half-torn-down room, Yoshida raised his head. Without making a sound, the light-brown-haired terrorist jerked his head to the wall behind him.

"Hello, Ohgi" The voice sounded weak, as if it had resigned itself to its fate.

Ohgi had been told the truth over the radio, but that didn't make it any easier to believe what the terrorist leader saw in front of him.

Against the wall sat Minoru, dressed in a black outfit that mirrored his Guard outfit. Fragments of a black-and-purple mask lay by his side. It was a costume now known throughout Area 11; that of one of Zero's subordinates, of one who was audacious enough to mimic the Royal Guard of the enigmatic Prince of Masks, Lelouch vi Britannia.

For a moment, Ohgi didn't do anything. Then he walked over to his former comrade. "...So, it's true?"

Minoru glanced away, not meeting his eyes. "…yes."

If Ohgi hadn't been as hardened from terrorism as he was, he might have cried. "Thank goodness." The man smothered Minoru in a bear hug. "So, it was all an act."

Minoru smiled faintly. _The secret's finally out._ Minoru thought. Although… Minoru was slightly confused of Ohgi's last statement.

_An act? How was this all an act?_

Then he realized that Ohgi was murmuring something else, something else that made Minoru's faint pulse suddenly spike.

"So, it's true. It's really true..."  
>"You're not that prince's puppet. You're Zero's spy. You're still fighting Britannia, like us."<p>

* * *

><p>To say that Minoru was shocked would be an understatement. As his strength returned and the pain subsided, Minoru was continually perplexed by his situation.<p>

Him, a spy?

Apparently, that had been Yoshida's immediate conclusion, which the terrorist had shared with the rest of his comrades. Minoru couldn't blame him. Before Lelouch, he would have thought it impossible for such a "snobby, spoiled, and arrogant" Britannian prince to become a terrorist against his own country.

_No, not a terrorist, a freedom fighter._

Whatever the case, that did nothing to stop Ohgi and Yoshida from peppering him with questions.

How had he met Zero?

How long had he been a spy?

How the hell had he gotten a Sutherland when Kallen first saw him?

Did Zero really kill Clovis?

Minoru only gave short, ambiguous grunts, yet that didn't seem to bother the terrorists. They were simply glad to have an answer to Minoru's "betrayal", which had remained an enigma for most. Besides, they now had their friend back.

But then Ohgi came up with a new question. His voice was hesitant, hoping that he was wrong. "Were you the one in Shinjuku? The one that betrayed us to Lelouch's white knightmare?"

Any joy the few terrorists there felt suddenly dissipated, replaced by a tense silence. Minoru replied cautiously. "...Yes."

For a moment, Ohgi and the rest didn't respond. The sound of small, distant explosions accented the silence from the background.

Ohgi eventually asked the thought on their minds, "Why?"

Minoru answered slowly, "It's because I knew Lelouch wouldn't kill anyone." Remembering that he was supposedly against the Britannian prince, he added, "The bastard likes humiliating people more than killing."

Ohgi frowned. "Are you saying that you did that to keep us alive?"

"Correct." confirmed a feminine, slightly echoing, voice.

Ohgi, Yoshida, and the few other terrorists in the room turned to look at the new speaker.

Standing in the doorway was a black and purple figure, the mirror image of the Britannian Guard Quasar's white outfit.

_Hazel. _Minoru felt relief wash over him. Hazel would know what to do.

The terrorists subconsciously picked up their guns, but Ohgi motioned for them to lower their weapons. "And I suppose you're the woman that helped us, back in Shinjuku?"

The figure slowly nodded, her black mask shimmering in the rays of light that broke through the ancient building wall.

* * *

><p><strong>Mobile G-1 Command Center<strong>

Sitting rigidly in her miniature throne, Cornelia was growing a bit impatient. "Still no sign of Zero?"

The officer was hesitant in replying, "N-not yet, Your Highness."

"Shall I go, Princess?"

Cornelia thought for a moment. "I think that may be best, Guilford. Take a couple of my men and look for Zero. There's no way he'd miss an opportunity like this."

_Unless Lelouch really is…_ Cornelia shook her head. _Impossible._

Suddenly an officer turned from the monitor. "Your Highness! Bradley's team reports an enemy Sutherland approaching."

Cornelia frowned. On the one hand, the only terrorist known to have access to Sutherlands was Zero, meaning that the masked regicide may very well be present… On the other hand, what could one Sutherland do?

* * *

><p><strong>"Take this, you Britannian bastards!"<strong>

Kallen pushed her newfound Sutherland to its limit, moving it as fast as it could go. She simultaneously pulled the trigger for her oversized submachine gun.

The three enemy Sutherlands barely had time to react as the terrorist drew closer. As Kallen's bullets pierced and demolished one, the other, surviving two robots took out their guns.

"Damn Eleven!" A shower of bullets began to fly towards the redhead's machine.

Kallen quickly maneuvered her Sutherland off the road, disappearing between a series of desecrated buildings.

"Damn Eleven monkeys," muttered Bradley, "How the hell did they get ahold of a Sutherland?" Cautiously, the Britannian Knight and his surviving comrade drove their knightmares forward.

Suddenly, a distinct whirring sound could be heard to their left. Quickly, Bradley and his companion turned their machines.

But they were a moment too slow.

Rushing from out of an alley, Kallen fired both of her slash harkens simultaneously, taking out Bradley's factsphere and driving the second into the other Knight's arm. Bringing back a fist, her machine pummeled the Britannian Knights in sequence, first Bradley, then his nameless friend.

By the time the machines were registered as "Lost" in Cornelia's G-1, the terrorist had disappeared, seeking more prey.

* * *

><p><strong>G-1 Command Center<strong>

"What the hell was that?"

No officer dared answer the viceroy.

Cornelia was in a state of disbelief. A single Eleven had taken down three fully-equipped Britannian Knights? Impossible!

After a moment of hesitation, Cornelia calmed herself and raised her arm imperiously. "Direct Claube's unit toward the last known location of the enemy Sutherland."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

As she lowered her had, the Britannian Princess then tapped a panel. "Guilford, what's your status?"

"My apologies, Princess. We have yet to encounter Zero."

Cornelia sighed. "Understood, carry on." She raised a hand to rub her temples. She truly disliked suited for operations like this. Unlike in the Middle East, there was no visible, single army to charge directly at, at least in a ghetto.

"Your Highness, George's unit has sighted unidentified individuals via thermal signature."

Barely moving, Cornelia turned her attention to the speaking officer. "Are they terrorists? Where are they?"

The officer faltered slightly under Cornelia's gaze. "It is quite possible, Your Highness. They appear to be hidden in the upper levels of a building in sector J-17."

Cornelia frowned. _What would terrorists be doing hidden in plain view?_ If they were recovering, it would be an optimal time to interrogate terrorists…

_They would know about Zero,_ realized the Witch of Britannia.

"Send the nearest squad to engage. Order them to capture one alive for immediate interrogation."

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<strong>

"Checkmate."

The Third Princess of Britannia pouted childishly. "I never _could_ beat you in chess."

Lelouch smiled as he stood up. "I'm sure you will, one day."

In reality, it had taken all of Lelouch's patience to make the game seem unrushed. What could have been checkmate in two moves had to be turned into checkmate in twenty, or else it would become obvious that the "Prince of Masks" was anxious about something. And that was the _**last **_thing Lelouch wanted Euphemia to tell Cornelia, even in passing.

With a sigh, Lelouch looked around the room. Then Lelouch realized something.

_Damn it!_

Behind him, an innocent voice voiced his concern. "Where's Arthur?"

Lelouch froze for a moment before turning to smile at his dear sister. "I'm sure he just got lost somewhere. I'll go look for him." The prince started to leave.

"I'll help."

Lelouch turned once more. "I… don't think that's necessary. You can just wait here."

Euphemia rose and smiled apologetically. "I brought him, so it was my responsibility to look after him. I don't want to cause you any trouble."

After a moment, Lelouch nodded. "Alright." He pointed towards the bedrooms (where his Zero suitcase was hidden). "I'll go this way. You just look around here." Lelouch smiled. "Maybe he's just hiding nearby."

At least, he certainly hoped that was it.

* * *

><p><em>The walls are pretty high,<em> noted a young boy, brown bag hanging over his shoulder. Obstructing his path was a great black gate, the front entrance to a relatively large mansion.

_So this is the house of Lelouch vi Britannia._

His youthful face betrayed no emotion as he walked to the right of the gate, where there was an opening for people to pass on foot.

_Security is at a minimum, _he noted. Although, it did make some sense. The entire complex depended on no one knowing who resided in it. After all, nobody could invade the vi Britannia residence if they didn't know where it was. Most believed that the estate was still owned by Mr. Stadtfeld.

_A Prince of Masks indeed._

The only ones who knew the true, current owner of the estate were people who couldn't be forced out anyways, such as Viceroy Cornelia.

Dimly, as Geass Order assassin X-013, sometimes known as Rolo Haliburton, walked through the pathway, he wondered if he could consider himself one of those people.

_Well, it doesn't matter anyways_.

Nothing mattered except the mission.

* * *

><p><strong>So… it seems that there were a lot of mixed feelings last chapter about Minoru being unmasked. You guys didn't really think I'd let one of Lelouch's "mask" drop so easily, did you? Lol, anyways, please keep in mind that the theme for this fanfic is Lelouch being the "Prince of Masks"…<strong>

**I know I'm nowhere near a perfect writer, so any advice would be greatly appreciated! If you don't have any, plz tell me what you do/don't like so far (Just don't flame, lol). Perhaps I'm reiterating this too much, but I've recently read some other great fanfics, and I'm starting to feel like I have a long way to go to improve my writing, lol.**

**BTW, sorry for not updating in a while. Real life is a big obstacle in fanfiction writing. However, know that I won't EVER give up stories. The whole point of publishing only 3 out of ~6 developed stories is so that I can keep my promise of continuing them.**

**On that note, if you want to see what I have so far for the potential stories, just let me know! I can't promise to continue them, but I will publish what I have so far if there's enough reviewers asking.**

**Review!**

**P.S. For those of you who've read "Angel or Demon", know that an update **_**is**_** coming up! I'm really busy at the moment, but, at my first chance, that's the story I'll be working on. Sorry for the delay!**


	14. Crisis

**Happy New Years! I wish all my readers good health for 2012 (so please don't kill me for not updating as often as I said I would xD)**

**I'm really so sorry for not updating! I've been too busy with real life :( I'll try to update more!**

**Thanks to Umbra8191, Nalya, bakapervert, OBSERVER01, N. Silvutra Mayhem, Sacchin, XT3, fod of all, FearWolfXZ, Viktorius, saiyan prince1, GoldenAmaryllis, Cows are my friends, Samantha626, chronodekar, and splitice for reviewing! Reviews like yours are what keep me writing this fanfic!**

**Actually, the support for this fanfic is sometimes worrying xD. I'm worried that, one day, I will make the story will get worse instead of better. I don't want to fall lower than your expectations…**

**Don't worry though; I don't see any possible discontinuation for this fanfic!**

**Read and Review!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

Mask 14: Crisis

**Saitama Ghetto  
><strong>**1500 hours**

"So, you're saying we should work together?"

Hazel, face concealed by a reflective black mask, nodded. "Indeed. You already seem to be on good terms with one of my comrades."

Ohgi hesitated. Yoshida took the opportunity to ask a question that all the terrorists were silently wondering. "How can we be sure that you won't desert us, just like you did at Shinjuku?"

Meanwhile, Ohgi glanced to his right, where a certain silver-haired teenager was sitting against the wall of the crumbling building.

_Minoru._

For a moment, Minoru locked his eyes with Ohgi. Then the alleged Japanese spy took a long breath. Exhaling, he decided to speak up.

"Use me as a hostage."

Immediately, the dusty room became silent.

"What do you mean, Minoru?" Yoshida asked, "We could never-"

"Never what?" Minoru's vitality was returning steadily. He slowly leaned forward, lifting his back off the wall. "Never kill me? I was pretty damn sure that's what you'd been planning, before you took my mask." Then he rested his head on one hand.

"Last time I checked, I'm still a subordinate of Zero. The very same Zero that you don't seem to trust all that much."

Hazel said nothing, but she couldn't help but notice how Minoru looked. There was only one other person she knew that held his head on his hand like that…

_Lelouch, you **are** our one and only prince._

It was Yoshida's turn to fall silent. Instead, Ohgi spoke up. "Very well, we'll listen to what you have to say. What do you suggest?"

Hazel opened her mouth to speak, but she was stopped by a familiar sound by his ear.

"Hazel, everybody, we've got a slight issue."

The Korean woman frowned for a moment, despite it being masked by her black-and-purple mask. Then, she made an almost-imperceptible twist of the wrist, tapping a button on her black-and-white watch.

"What is it, Rafael?"

* * *

><p>"What is it, Rafael?"<p>

Rafael paused for a moment, "Well, where do I begin…" The Brazilian looked down the street, outside the window he was hiding behind. He silently wished he had been imagining things, but everything was as he'd first seen it.

"Hazel, Minoru. You guys might need to move. I see an infantry unit moving towards your position. Hopefully they're just passing by."

_Hopefully._ Rafael rested against the wall. He had run all the way from the bridge, just in time to see the small Britannian infantry unit pass by and was quite out of breath. _I just hope that I'm wrong._

* * *

><p><strong>G-1 Command Center<strong>

"Viceroy, Infantry Unit Twelve is approaching the unknown terrorist unit."

For once, Cornelia made a small smile. "Order them to surround and prepare to engage the enemy. Make sure they cover all possible escape routes before attacking."

Looking at the monitors, she added, "And remind them to keep at least one conscious."

Hopefully these terrorists would be able to answer a few of her questions.

* * *

><p><strong>Saitama Ghetto<strong>

Meanwhile, Rafael cursed.

"Scratch that. They aren't passing by. I repeat, they are NOT just passing by. You need to make a plan ASAP!"

_Just when it seemed Minoru was safe. _The rebel watched as the Britannian foot soldiers begin to surround the decaying building in which Minoru, Hazel and some terrorists were hiding. Rafael cursed once more. _From bad to not-so-bad to terrible. God damnit, does Fate like screwing around with us?_

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<strong>

"Found you!"

Euphemia li Britannia, Third Princess of Britannia, smiled as she discovered one furry animal hiding under a chair. "Come out now, Arthur. You've already caused Lelouch enough trouble."

At least, that was what Euphemia assumed. Something about how Lelouch was acting seemed a bit off. He seemed troubled. Even without considering that stunt earlier, when Lelouch had mobilized his entire Guard to catch Arthur…

The pink-haired princess knew Lelouch was up to something, even if she hadn't yet decided to tell Cornelia. Lelouch probably didn't know, but Euphemia had had to convince Cornelia that Lelouch's 'stunt' was a prank that Euphemia had asked him to play against Cornelia's too-serious attitude. That in itself had almost been too big a lie for Euphemia to tell (and she couldn't even be sure if Cornelia had believed her).

Euphie would be the first to admit that she was not exactly the smartest of the royal family, but she did pride herself on reading emotions decently well. Besides, having played with Lelouch for most of their childhood certainly didn't hurt her understanding of the "Prince of Masks".

Lelouch was hiding something, and Euphie was well aware that Cornelia was still as suspicious as ever. For now, Euphie'd do her best to cover for her brother, but...

_Still, I wish he'd be a bit more open with his thoughts. We are family, after all._

Suddenly, she realized that Arthur was missing from her vision. She shook her head, trying to physically shake off her distracting thoughts. Then Euphie spotted a blur of fur run out of the room.

"Arthur, come back here!"

And soon, Euphemia followed the runaway cat, chasing it in the opposite direction that Lelouch had gone.

Towards the cell of a certain green-haired prisoner.

* * *

><p><strong>Saitama Ghetto<strong>

"_Very well, we'll listen to what you have to say. What do you suggest?"_

Minoru Takahashi watched as Hazel stood silent, wondering exactly what she was planning to asks the terrorists to do. However, curiosity was soon supplanted by worry, then by trepidation. Surely Hazel had a plan ready? Then Minoru noticed a faint buzz.

The buzz was coming from the watch, and Minoru soon realized what was happening. Without his mask, Minoru no longer had easy access to the Guard's communication line, but his watch would have to provide a substitute. Carefully, he raised his arms to rest behind his neck, bringing his watch close to his ear in order to hear what was being said.

"Are you sure, Rafael?"

_Hazel._ Minoru resisted the urge to smile. He had been right. She _was_ busy talking on the Guard's frequency.

However, the urge was soon replaced by concern. What had happened that kept Hazel occupied enough to avoid answering the terrorists?

"Positive." Minoru easily recognized Rafael's voice. "There's no time. They're surrounding you as I speak."

Minoru sat still for a moment, unable to react. _Surrounding us?_

Meanwhile, Ohgi was growing impatient. "Come on. What are you planning?"

Yoshida joined in. "Don't tell us that you don't _have_ a plan?"

Meanwhile, Hazel spoke rapidly over the radio, "Emeka, try to hack us some Sutherland support. Rafael, keep me posted on the surrounding forces. I'll deal with the terrorists here."

Just as the terrorists' were about to ask again, Hazel spoke up, sound proofing deactivated, "I'd advise you all to quiet down. If you haven't noticed, we're surrounded."

Of course, this did anything but quiet the terrorists down.

"What the hell?"  
>"You crazy, bitch?"<p>

As the protests of the terrorists grew, Minoru felt, rather than saw, Hazel glance at him. He sighed, standing up slowly. "She isn't lying."

Quickly, the terrorists grew silent. Getting told this by an unknown, masked woman was one thing, but having it confirmed by Minoru, who most of the terrorists had known since he was child, was another...

After a while, Ohgi sighed. Things kept happening one after another...

"So, again, what's your plan?"

* * *

><p>Inside the van, Emeka wiped sweat off his brow. "Jeez. Nobody realizes how hard this stuff is." He complained to no one in particular, "I wonder if there's <em>anyone<em> out there who can do all this."

With an air of finality, the African pressed the "Enter" button on his keyboard. "I'm gonna ask the boss for a day off, after this."

* * *

><p><strong>ASEEC Special Transport<strong>

"Lloyd, it's coming! The signals for a hack are targeting Lord Jackson's Sutherland." Cecile's call echoed inside the mostly-deserted ASEEC transport.

The Earl smiled, coming to stand behind the seated Britannian. "So we were right. The hacker really is here, too." He readjusted his glasses.

"Launch the program."

Cecile was already busy typing on her keyboard.

* * *

><p>"…What the hell?"<p>

Emeka had been lying back on his chair, waiting for the hack to follow through. Then the first error message came up.

Then another. Then another.

Soon Emeka's screen was filling with red error messages.

* * *

><p>"Good, good! It looks like it's working. Now, launch the tracker."<p>

Cecile nodded, making a few more strokes on the keyboard. After a moment, she pressed 'Enter' and leaned back in her seat. "Say, Lloyd, how'd you know how to stop the hacker?"

Lloyd simply gave his regular, cheerful smile. "A genius is always a genius, no matter the field."

Cecile resisted the urge to roll her eyes, and instead she turned her attention back to the computer screen. She would just have to try to find out later.

* * *

><p>"Shit, shit, shit, shiiiiitttt."<p>

Emeka began typing furiously on the keyboard. Silently, he wondered who his unknown adversary was.

The fact that his hack had apparently failed didn't surprise him much. What was worrying was that the counterattack was program-based. Nobody could develop such a quick response on the spot.

Which meant that someone knew about Emeka's past hacks.

Emeka watched as a tracker program was blocked by his preemptive defenses. _These people were well-equipped. If that virus had gotten through, they'd have found my location by now._

Sitting back, Emeka watched his computer monitor, checking for any more attacks. Then he pressed a button to give Hazel a report.

* * *

><p>"Awww, it didn't work."<p>

Cecile said nothing. The fact that they'd repelled the hacker, no, the fact that there even _was_ a Knightmare hacker out there, was still settling in. The blue-eyed woman turned once more towards her superior. "Now what, Lloyd?"

The scientist shrugged. "Not much we _can_ do, I'm afraid. Since the tracker failed, there really isn't a chance we can launch a counterattack. Besides, Cornelia doesn't want the ASEEC to participate in the operation." Then he smiled.

"Remember, officially, we did nothing today."

* * *

><p>"Kallen!"<p>

Driving away from the remains of her latest victims, the red-haired teenager parked her Sutherland inside an alleyway before picking up her radio. "What is it, Ohgi?"

"We need your help. We're surrounded by those damn Britannians, and we need some backup. Is your Sutherland still alright?"

Kallen checked her energy filler status. "I should be alright for a while. Where are you?"

"Back where you took the Sutherland."

At this, Kallen's cheeks turned slightly red with embarrassment. Now that she'd thought about it, she _had_ acted a bit irresponsibly by taking the Sutherland. "Understood, I'm on my way."

* * *

><p><strong>Vi Britannia Residence<strong>

"I give up."

Lelouch sighed as he stood up. Thankfully, the damn cat didn't seem to be in any of the Guard rooms, or his for that matter. He hurried back down the hallway. "Euphie? Have you found him?"

"Over here!"

Lelouch's heart skipped a beat. It sounded like Euphie had travelled further down the hallway.

_Wait, that witch is…_ Lelouch picked up the pace.

* * *

><p>"Bad cat, Arthur." Euphie scoldingly tapped the Arthur's nose.<p>

In response, the black cat simply reached a paw towards a nearby door. Euphemia turned, planning to ignore him, but she suddenly noticed something interesting.

Of all the mansion doors, the door Arthur pointed to was the only one with an outside lock. In fact, the lock was almost glaringly visible, its gold surface brightly reflecting the light of a nearby window.

_Could this be what Lelouch is so troubled about?_

At first, Euphie was scared of the possibilities. If the thing behind that door was what was troubling Lelouch, it could be quite dangerous to open it…

However, Lelouch would have surely told Euphie if he was keeping anything dangerous inside his house...

After some deliberation, Euphie lifted a hand to open the door. Slowly, she undid the lock. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to throw the door open. She turned the knob, and, just as she opened the door, she heard her brother's voice.

"Euphie, watch out!"

At first, she was sure it was a warning of whatever mysteries the locked room held.

Too late, she realized that Lelouch was talking about something else entirely.

For, outside a nearby window, Rolo Haliburton had raised his handgun to bear on the princess.

* * *

><p><strong>Sigh, this chapter probably wasn't my best; I'm a bit out of practice. I'm sorry if I dissappointed this time, I'll try to update more often!<strong>

**This one might have seemed a bit short. I just really wanted to update and show that I'm still alive! (And to create more suspense for the next chapter. I just hope the next chapter can match that suspense!)**

**Again, sorry for the late update. Recently, I've been caught up with a lot of non-profit work. I'm leading a non-profit with the goal to raise a large sum to help the poor/uneducated in Cambodia! And I am NOT using this as an excuse for not updating xD**

**Seriously, I really am sorry, but the real world must always come first :(**

**Review!**


	15. Surrounded

**Hey all! I know it's been a while, sorry, sorry! All my grades have been dropping, and I just recently brought some of them into the safe zone. I'm focusing on school now so I'll have time to write stories over breaks from school (esp. during Summer!). I apologize in advance for future irregular updates because of this. However, I'll keep doing my best to write more.**

**Now, about this chapter… it didn't turn out as well as I wanted, so I've been holding onto it for a while. However, I couldn't think of how to improve it :(**

**Anyways, as always, thanks to Honey-Heartbeat626, Fangking2, bakapervert, Sacchin, Cows are my friends, Umbra 8191, Fan of Fanfics21, god of all, XT3, saiyan prince1, Mars Ultor, Suzyn, XIIIth Antagonist, Pedro Boncompagni, dsgundam00, dzk87, and Bunny153539.**

**Read and Review!**

" " for dialogue

_Italics for thought_ (or stress when just a word _or two_)

Mask 15: Surrounded

**Vi Britannia Residence  
><strong>**1520**

In a locked room, one green-haired woman lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"You know, Marianne, your son's quite the troublemaker."

After a moment of silence, she sat up. "…Don't worry, I'll keep him safe. He still _is_ my hope for lifting my curse."

Then C.C. heard a curious sound. It sounded like someone was right outside the room.

_Is it that boy again?_ C.C. got off her bed and started crossing her bleak room. She was only a few feet away when the door swung open.

"Euphie, watch out!"

C.C. frowned imperceptibly. _Euphie?_

Curious, the witch was about to step into the open doorway, but a sudden sound stopped her. Before she could even guess what it had been, C.C. watched as a body fell outside the door, pink hair just visible through the doorway. The body's fall was followed by a shout that could only have come from one man.

"Euphie!"

C.C. could guess roughly what had happened. However, she waited a moment more to find out.

She heard the crashing sound of glass. _So, the assassin shot from the outside._ Still staying inside the room, C.C. moved her head to catch a glimpse of the intruder.

Almost immediately, she froze.

_God, why'd they send __**him**__?_

* * *

><p>Rolo Haliburton rubbed his handgun as he walked through the recently-broken window. The gun's silver barrel wasn't exactly meant to be used to smash windows open. Meanwhile, security alarms started blaring in the background.<p>

This form of entry was definitely less elegant than his preferred methods. However, that didn't matter.

_As long as the mission is completed._

The purple-eyed boy carefully trained his gun on today's target, a black-haired man two years his senior. "Lelouch vi Britannia,"

"Where is C.C.?"

* * *

><p><strong>Saitama Ghetto<strong>

"Base Unit 1, this is Infantry Unit Twelve. We are in position, requesting further orders."

"…Unit Twelve, this is Base Unit 1. You have permission to engage. Her Highness orders that at least one hostile is to be captured alive. Confirm."

"Wilco, Unit Twelve, moving in."

* * *

><p>"Lei, are you in position?"<p>

"Yes, Hazel. Changing to armor-piercing now."

Already lying down, Lei Li carefully bent her wrist, remotely turning off her microphone, and tilted her masked head into her sniper rifle's scope. She really wanted to take off her bulky helmet, but taking off her main form of communication could be risky.

Besides, this time, Lei was just playing a supporting role.

* * *

><p>Kallen quickly brought her Sutherland to a halt. Far down the street stood three Gloucesters. Even if she was sometimes hot-headed, she knew the odds of a Sutherland tackling three Gloucesters-and making it out safely-were pretty slim.<p>

To make matters worse, she was out of bullets. However, any hopes of sneaking around were soon eliminated.

* * *

><p>"Lord Guilford, that must be the rogue Sutherland. It doesn't seem to be transmitting an IFF code."<p>

The black-haired Knight turned both his attention and machine to his right, where an unmarked Sutherland was barely visible in the distance. "I suppose you're right." _Perhaps the rebel knows about Zero._ "Try to avoid killing the pilot."

"Yes, my lord!"

* * *

><p>Minoru watched as three terrorists took turns firing down the stairwell in intermittent bursts. He was almost ready for combat, but his comrades had insisted that he rest. It appeared that, upon "realizing" that Minoru was Zero's spy against Lelouch, the terrorists had gained a new respect for their old comrade, along with a bit of guilt for doubting him.<p>

Still, as Minoru looked around, he watched his comrades discard empty cartridge after cartridge. _We're running out of ammo._

"Where's our support, Ohgi?"

* * *

><p>Even the most cowardly of Knightmare pilots knew there was no running from a Gloucester, much less three. That was why, when Kallen saw the abominable machines drive towards her, she soon found herself moving her Sutherland to meet her new foes head-on.<p>

Still, as she saw one of the Gloucesters raise its gun, Kallen bit back a curse. A small part of her mind shouted at her, _This is suicide!_

But, then, a small miracle arrived.

The gun-wielding Gloucester had barely lifted its weapon when, suddenly, it stopped. With a few sparks around the head, the knightmar fell on its knees.

* * *

><p>"What the hell?"<p>

Guilford smashed his fist against the unresponsive monitor. The red error messages told him what had happened, but he refused to believe it.

_What the hell happened to my factsphere?_

* * *

><p>Lei allowed herself to breathe a small sigh of relief.<p>

The factsphere was, after the cockpit itself, both the most fragile and most important part of the knightmare. Composed of an extensive amount of surprisingly delicate machinery, it was what allowed the pilot to see the world around him. Normally shielded behind retractable protective plates, the factsphere was resistant to standard bullet fire.

However, Lei's bullets were designed to shoot through a Sutherland. They could pierce into the delicate circuitry of a factsphere easily enough.

* * *

><p>Kallen didn't know and didn't bother trying to find what had happened. She only knew that there were still two other Gloucesters fully-operational. Both of which were holding up their lances.<p>

_My tonfas can't match their spears_… Instead of facing them both head-on, the terrorist quickly moved to the side, as to pass around one of the machines.

Predictably enough, both Gloucesters turned their lance to intercept her.

* * *

><p>"Trying to get around us, are you?"<p>

Bart L. Darlton smirked. _Simple-minded Eleven filth._

The Britannian Knight easily moved to strike the Sutherland as it shifted to the side of the road.

Quickly, Bart thrusted his spear towards the terrorist. By his side, Bart's companion followed suit. "Got you!-"

Suddenly, the Sutherland threw its left arm up over its chest. With a shower of sparks, it was soon pierced by both Gloucesters and ripped off the machine.

"Shit!"

* * *

><p>Kallen smiled as she saw part of her monitors go red. She'd lost her left arm, but it was a necessary sacrifice. Activating the stun tonfa on her right wrist, she hit the closest Gloucester on the back of the head. After some initial resistance, the Britannian knightmare's head collapsed in on itself, forcefully disabling it.<p>

Biting on her tongue, Kallen slammed the accelerator. The remaining Gloucester easily ripped its javelin free of the abandoned Sutherland arm and turned around.

However, Kallen kept moving. Speeding along, she ran to the gun-wielding, disabled Gloucester, simultaneously reaching out with her automaton's right arm, picking up the unused Gloucester lance it carried on its back.

As she turned to face the remaining Gloucester, sweat dripped off the rebel's spiked hair, and she grimaced. That had been close. She was already tired from fighting countless Sutherlands, and her own machine lacked its left arm. Even if she had taken out one Gloucester, the other still remained in perfect condition.

Yet, falling here would mean failing her friends. She knew that they wouldn't be able to dream of defeating a Gloucester, should it find them. Now that it had spotted her, she couldn't simply run off towards Ohgi. It needed to be eliminated here.

_I was always too headstrong about things… Now that I think about it, you died a similar way, didn't you, Naoto?_

Licking her lips, Kallen forced herself to grin. _If I live through this, I'll try to be more careful._

_If._

"Come at me, you Britannian bastard!"

* * *

><p>"Are you sure I shouldn't get rid of the third?"<p>

"Patience, Lei. Lelouch _did_ say 'wait and see'. Let's see what that terrorist bitch is capable of. She's already near her limit."

Lei frowned, "If you say so, Emeka."

* * *

><p>Kallen grit her teeth as the remaining Gloucester came closer. Wielding her new lance in her right arm, she shifted to the left side of the road, hoping to cover her armless side. As the Britannian drew closer, Kallen began to make her machine crouch, lowering its center of gravity. She locked the lance against her remaining arm, stabilizing it.<p>

Then, when the two knightmares had almost collided, both Kallen and the other pilot thrust forward their spears, aiming for the other's cockpit.

For Kallen, time seemed to slow. A second turned into a minute, and a minute turned into an hour. Quickly she realized, too late, that they would both die; their weapons would hit their targets at practically the same time.

_Even that much is a miracle_. Never before would Kallen have even dreamed that she would take down one— no, two— Gloucesters. Much less with an inferior Sutherland. Closing her eyes, she wondered if she had a death wish.

_I'm coming, Naoto._

Then, suddenly, time seemed to catch up with reality. Presently, she became aware of an irritating beeping sound. She vaguely felt her body being thrown backwards, but she no longer cared.

_So this is what you felt, Naoto?_

* * *

><p>"Hold up, lady." Emeka smiled as he watched one of his many monitors, where he could see into a certain red-head's cockpit. He whistled appreciatively. "Taking down 13 Sutherlands and 2 Gloucesters with a single Sutherland… I can see why Lelouch doesn't want you dying just yet."<p>

Then he glanced at another monitor, which was mimicking that of a Sutherland cockpit monitor. Everything had gone red except for one window, which read: "Emergency Eject Initiated."

_I may not be able to hack right now, but I can still control what's already been hacked._

* * *

><p>"I'm out!"<p>

_We're on our last clips of ammunition. _Hazel bit back a curse. Minoru was not so restrained.

The entire terrorist group, Hazel and Minoru included, were slowly but surely being pushed up the staircase towards the roof, which Britannian snipers were undoubtedly targeting. Hazel dropped her now-empty submachine gun and took out her pistol. "Rafael, please tell me you're done."

A tired, yet triumphant, voice replied, "What great timing; I was just about to tell you that I finish-"

Hazel turned off her mike. "Ohgi, is your support here yet?"

The terrorist lowered the radio he'd been holding. "They're in position."

"Tell them to move in when I give the signal." Hazel once again activated her mask's mike. "Rafael, do it!"

For a moment, there was no response. Then, it was as if all hell had broken loose.

The staircase shook violently, forcing everyone onto their knees. From all sides came a deafening sound, as if the building was being broken apart from the outside. Soon the terrorists heard a series of confused cries break out from below. Hearing this, Hazel and Minoru smiled. Thankfully, the staircase was located at the building's center, insulating the group from the worst of the chaos forming outside. However, small pieces of the building's foundation began to fall down, covering the terrorists in a shower of dust and peeled paint.

"Now, Ohgi!"

* * *

><p>After years of working with explosives, Rafael found that there were a few highlights in his line of work. A hasty job well-done was one of them. As Rafael rested his back against the wall of an old warehouse, he heard the satisfying explosions caused by his most recent work.<p>

Contrary to most people's beliefs, explosives and demolitions are not devices of chaos or destruction. A good demolition job was like a piece of artwork. Too much power and everything would fall apart. In this case, that could… inconvenience, to say the least... Hazel and Minoru. However, too weak and it would cause too little damage. And while this basic principle governed the use of explosives, it made the art a much more complicated one. Like the gears of a machine, explosives had to be placed in precisely the right locations for optimal effect. Not only that, but, with timed explosives, the times had to be precisely synchronized. It didn't help that, this time, Rafael had no explosives other than those he had packed for use on the bridge. He'd left the rest in Emeka's van, which was too far away to get to in time.

Still, that made it all the more satisfying when the explosives went off. He could tell that the effect had been as close to optimal as he could get it. Although he wasn't able to get close enough to kill the Britannians without killing Hazel and Minoru, most of them were in as much disarray as was possible.

_Now it's up to these damn terrorists to finish the job._

* * *

><p>Arata sighed. "Since when are the reinforcements the ones who need backup?" A few of his friends smiled grimly in response.<p>

Suddenly, a rumbling sound cascaded through, accumulating in sound and chaos. Looking around an alley corner, the terrorist cell leader watched as several buildings collapsed, blown apart by explosives. "And I bet that's the signal."

The crackling of a radio proved him correct. Arata picked up his submachine gun. "Oh well, I suppose we still owe Naoto's old pals something. Let's get going."

* * *

><p>Presently, Emeka Azubuike sighed. <em>What's a hacker to do?<em> _I can't fight on the frontlines, like Minoru. I can't fight from afar, like Lei. I'm stuck here, only pressing the occasional button._

Even worse, he couldn't hack, or else the "anti-hacker" from before could reappear.

_Anti-hacker…_ Emeka paused. _An A__nti-hacker...__ it couldn't be… is he here?_

* * *

><p>Gilbert G.P. Guilford sighed once more. He had finally given up reviving his malfunctioning machine. <em>This too great an embarrassment for words.<em> _Under Her Highness's command, I have fought countless soldiers and armies. I am the "Spearhead of Britannia", the man who's never once lost a duel, except against Her Highness. To have fallen for one of these petty terrorists' traps... I will never forgive these Elevens for humiliating me so._

Guilford slowly tapped on his communicator and prepared to give a report. _How they managed to disable my knightmare is still unfathomable_… _I'll have to request an investigation on the weaponry the terrorists used._ "Your Highness, I-"

"Guilford, is that you? I was just about to contact you. We must leave at once."

The Britannian knight paused. "I apologize, Your Highness... I think I might have misheard you. Did you just say-"

"Yes, Guilford, we're leaving the battlefield. The police have just contacted me."

Guilford asked, hesitantly, "What is the matter?"

"I'm not entirely sure. However, it appears someone broke into Lelouch's house." Although the Viceroy tried to sound calm, a sense of urgency pervaded her speech.

_Princess Euphemia._ Guilford suddenly realized the need for haste. "I'll be there right away."

The request for an investigation could wait.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, that's my latest Prince of Masks chapter. I'm sorry if it wasn't as exciting some of you anticipated; writing action scenes aren't really my thing… advice on writing future action scenes would be appreciated :D As long as there isn't too much criticism xD<strong>

**Btw, you guys might have noticed that I add some paragraphs that don't really... flow the same as the rest. (ex: the weakness of the factspheres or Rafael's use of explosives) I'm doing this on purpose, but you'll have to wait a bit longer before finding out why xD. Don't worry, I'm aware that they may seem a bit akward in context. Just tell me if you want less of them, or changes in anything else for that matter.**

**On the other hand, encouragement is also greatly appreciated :D Too much criticizm leads to a depressed writer xD**

**I'll be moving to Code Geass: Fate's Curse ASAP. I'll publish the 2****nd**** chapter as soon as I can!**

**Review!**


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Code Geass, Adventure, Sci-Fi