A/N: Given the response rate… it seems I'll have to post up the original versions first or updates will stall for a while longer (minimum…). One other note, I'm now using italics for emphasis instead of thoughts, aside from the pre-chapter (block) quote.

*Special thanks to Beta Reader Mint Pizza Queen, MaverickBuff, KazeNoSakura, and The Wistful Bloom.

Phase 1: Turn 4: Gray Bishop's Move

"Some plans are difficult to execute if due to the likelihood of an unknown variable. A few close subordinates of great ability employed as a fail-safe measure would temporarily reduce the possibility of derailment. But after the first several deployments are registered by the enemy, they'll come to expect them, making that measure useless without modifications later. If they expect them, they'll allocate more resources to countering them which can then be abused by employing them elsewhere. The main problem then is finding a competent field officer to execute my orders effectively. It's a pain that the majority of those are either in the EU military, JLF, or situated elsewhere in Britannia. I guess I'll have to make do with these few pieces until then."

Lelouch Lamperouge to "Orange". Exact date unknown. Year – 2017 a.t.b.

Lelouch's POV

I haven't left the cockpit yet, I can't afford to let another person see my identity, especially if I can't see hers. Clovis' broadcast loops itself in my mind, the abruptness of it all is just staggering. What the hell… Could it be 'N'?... Either way I have to wrap this up first."Q-1, Q-2. Please make your withdrawal, the battle is over."

"Ah, thanks. Laters," says 'Kallen'.

"Go on ahead. I'll… be along shortly," says Q-1.

I shut off the walkie-talkie, flip my phone open and bring myself to my list of 'special contacts'. A call to 'Orange.' Two rings this time.

"Yo—Yes 'L'?" answers 'Orange'.

Compromised? No. But a call at this time would be highly suspicious. Then again, it could be due to possible eavesdroppers or possible record devices on his end. "A 'suggestion'. Check the command deck, something 's off. No, send someone you can trust to check."

"…I understand." *click—beepbeep* I hang up as well.

Q-1's Sutherland comes into view of my monitors and stops about five meters away from my cockpit. The cockpit opens up and Q-1 emerges with her Striker Unit active. At least this time she doesn't have her firearm leveled at me.

I switch to the external speakers and make sure the walkie-talkie is turned off. "What business do you have with me, Q-1?"

"The JLF would like you to join their ranks… Lelouch Lamperouge, no. Lelouch Vi Britannia," declares Q-1.

"I'll think about it. But I hardly think that's all you're here to ask me about," I say. If it were they'd send a proper messenger instead of a Witch. And her privy to my lie and real name, someone in the JLF knew… or one of their backers or supporters do. Even though my presence was public knowledge, my mother's maiden name wasn't. Then again… did I miss some trace of evidence? I'll have to silence her if she won't take no. "Unless the JLF can afford to risk its Witches for mundane tasks. Personal interest correct?"

"Correct," confirms Q-1. "I've come for… my sister."

"Your sister?" I take care to keep my tone neutral. For all she knows, I could have foreseen this and planned accordingly. Though, given the directness of her actions so far, I highly doubt the latter. But her sister? For that sort of reason? Well, that's understandable but still, a bit silly when given the amount of risk and low probability.

Three masked, figures dressed in full black attire come into view of my external cameras. Two with modified Striker Units and one with a Land Strike Unit. Shirayuki, Hayate, and Goshiki respectively. By logical assumption Sayoko is hidden somewhere nearby and probably has a recording of the girls' performance. Goshiki tackles... erm, hugs Q-1. "Ah. Onee-chan!"

Oh freakin' great. Just great. This will end 'well'. I shake my head.

Clovis' POV

The command staff and crew lay dead at their posts. A mere moment ago they were still alive. Killed. Gunned down by some masked terrorist who's now holding me and Natalie at gunpoint. Well there's still Natalie's Knight between the terrorist and Natalie. "Is that all?"

"Excellent, for a Brit," says the terrorist.

Tch, damn bastard. How can a single person clear a path to the command deck! "What's next? Want me to sing a song? Maybe play a game of chess with you?"

"How about a game of 'kill the Brit'?"

"What—wait, let's not be hasty!" I shout. His voice is definitely male… and his tone, he has to be a Number! That ski mask, goggles, rough shirt and vest. So uncouth, then again what does a Number know about style? Nothing, why else would he pick out a rotten brown color scheme, smeared over with blood of the dead, and even that stolen rifle is bloodied!

"Natalie—" Alice edges back towards Natalie. I fail to see the purpose of such an act.

"Move and I'll kill you both," states the masked figure.

"Please leave Natalie out of this! Natalie tell your 'Knight' to hold still!" I command.

"Alice please… It'll be all right. I have faith in brother," says Natalie.

"…Natalie…" mutters Alice. She bites her lower lip and nods.

"So touching, I'd shed a tear if I actually cared," remarks the masked man.

That's very reassuring to know you have so much confidence in your brother. But your Knight's stupidity has only made things worse! I sigh and force a smile. "What are your demands? In exchange for our lives?"

"Oh they're quite simple, but before that. I want you to give me your word that you will unconditionally uphold your end of the deal."

"What do I have as proof that you will uphold your end of it?" I ask.

"You'll just have to take my word for it. But… I'll concede this and only this: To me, you two are worth a little more alive than dead. Though dead will do just fine."

"Fine. I promise I will uphold my end of the deal, in exchange for our lives," I declare. Well it can't be that bad. Given enough time I can get rid of this guy.

"Good. And… address me as… Kira," says the masked man.

Third Person POV – G-1 Defensive Perimeter

"What do you mean no one's responding?" shouts Monica.

"... I understand," mutters Jeremiah. He closes his phone as he steps out from the Special Envoy's mobile locker truck, parked nearby the Lancelot's transport vehicle. Kewell's already back, Villetta returned a moment ago and Monica is already back as well?... Prince Clovis doesn't trust her so that means…

"I-I'm sorry. We don't know the status on the G-1," apologies the officer. He's interposed between Monica and the G-1's personnel entryway. The question is… why is an officer doing that task?

"Send someone—no send three squads up there now!" orders Monica.

"B-But—the Prince ordered—" stammers the officer.

"You fool, their lives are in danger!"

Villetta heads across from the edge of the G-1's defensive perimeter towards Jeremiah. "Jeremiah, what's going on here?"

"Villetta, take several of our number and check the command deck. I'll take responsibility for this," commands Jeremiah.

"Y-yes. You two, come with me. Now!" Villetta motions to two fellow members of the Purist faction. They automatically respond and break into a run to join her approach towards the G-1's personnel entrance.

"Move now or your life is forfeit," declares Monica.

Why do all our guards have to be this stupid? Jeremiah frowns and runs towards the guard. "You there! Move it! That's an order!"

Hayate's POV

Ah… shoot. I should have brought an extra set of clothes. I sigh as I glance between Goshiki and her sister. The one time I don't, this occurs. "I'm afraid you'll have to go on ahead to the car, Suwa-san."

"Eh? You didn't bring an extra set this time?" asks Goshiki.

"If I did I wouldn't have to cut your bonding time short," I reply. I make my way across to them. "Go get changed T-5, and hurry up."

"Muuu, just because you're on retrieval duty—" complains Goshiki.

"Please hurry up. I would prefer we get back home soon…" says Shirayuki. She glances about the perimeter.

Now that Shirayuki's finished changing, Goshiki is really late now. She's going to get chewed out by either Lelouch or Sayoko later. But still, a family reunion should be saved until they're off the battlefield. "T-5, hurry up. Now."

"It'll be fine. I'll go on ahead. You two, please be careful. And, thank you for looking after my imouto," says Masuzu.

"Your sister is a handful, and a pain at times—" I begin.

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean," demands Goshiki. She pouts and glares at me.

"—but she's reliable when it matters. Usually."

"What's with that usually!"

"Like right now?" asks Shirayuki.

"She hasn't changed much," notes Masuzu. She chuckles and pats Goshiki's helmet covered head fondly.

"Yes. So get moving if you want to prove us wrong," I say.

"Muuu…." Goshiki rolls off towards our makeshift changing room, well it is a properly sealed off windowless room with a curtain in place of its door, which was missing.

"Well then, later," says Masuzu. She turns and heads for the car.

"I doubt Goshiki is going to do her end of things," I mutter.

"She has her own priorities. Family… is important too. So, shall we get started then?" asks Shirayuki.

That smile… No. She is not plotting something… But that's a bit too hopeful. "Um. Yeah."

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine," says Shirayuki. You know, that isn't the least be reassuring. In fact, it's better if you don't say that at all. You're the last person I want to hear that from!

Don't leave me alone with her Goshiki. Just don't. I'll make it up to you another time. I sigh and make for our transport vehicle. This is going to be a long trek back.

Lelouch's POV

"Let me get this straight. Your entire reason for coming, personally, was your belief that she wasn't dead?" I mentally meet my palm with my head. What kind of idiots do they put in charge of important tasks these days? Which is actually quite reassuring, after all, a more competent JLF will only serve against my—no, the world's best interests. Well, except for Britannia.

"But I was right. That's what matters no?" says Masuzu.

"Your logic is faulty," I note, while gesturing towards the side window. Not for any real purpose, just effect. After all, there's nothing interesting outside, even if a cross-dressing boy with long black hair passed by a block away from our location. "What if she wasn't here or alive?"

"That's…."

"Nee-nee Onee-chan." Goshiki barrels into Masuzu… again. I fail to see how that's safe, especially given the lack of restraint by Goshiki. "Let's not talk about depressing stuff, okay?"

I ignore Goshiki's interruption, though there's no need to be crude. So I'll move to the other matter. "So, I suppose you'll be… staying with us for a while then?"

"Correct. Until I get an answer from you," confirms Masuzu.

"Hmm…." That was expected, but the situation remains the same. "That's a problem."

"You can trust me with it," she says. By 'it' she means my identity.

"No." I shake my head. On a scale of one to ten, with one being not at all, she'd rank in the negatives, somehow. Hayate is about at six point five, Orange at ten, and Shirayuki at fifteen, and Goshiki at five. But that's speaking strictly by solid numbers. "Not after that display earlier. You're too careless with sensitive information."

"Eh? Did something happen between Onee-chan and Lelouch?" asks Goshiki.

"It's fine Goshiki, nothing happened. Please, go help out your friends?" says Masuzu. She pats Goshiki over the head and hugs her for a moment.

"Ok…" Goshiki hugs back and snuggles up to Masuzu for a while longer. She releases her grip and crawls backwards out and off the car. She smiles one last time at her sister before running off in the direction of the other two girls.

Masuzu closes the door and the car starts. Really, Sayoko's timing is impeccable. "You caught me by surprise—"

"You're military and also dispatched on a highly classified mission of sensitive nature, so it's logical for me to expect you to know better." I shake my head again. "But no. You couldn't censor yourself and had to say it out loud. If I'm compromised, I'm sure you know what will happen to Goshiki."

"I'll be taking her with me," declares Masuzu. "So you're threatening me—no, us now?"

"No. It's a simple fact. I have options still. You don't. Simply put, if my cover is blown, you'll fall soon after. I'm sure she won't take that very well." To match the direction of the conversion, I smirk. After all, she's coming to me, not I to her. So why not play up on my presumed worth? It only further reinforces my position.

Masuzu grabs me by the collar of my uniform and growls. "What are you implying?"

"Here, I'll spell it out for you. My life is worth enough to warrant being used as a tool to further the Emperor's schemes. I have no doubt he already has designs on me in the case he finds me alive. Yet… you are just another Number—" My back slams into the door. This. Is. Nothing! I shove the pain away. "—a nothing in his – no Britannia's eyes. One possible plan of his would be to use me to fasten the destruction of the Japanese. Is that what you want, Suwa Masuzu?"

"…No. If it were like that then you shouldn't have to hide from him. And I don't see how he could make someone like you dance like a puppet," says Masuzu.

How predictable. She's not one of those who put a lot of thought into figuring out how the Britannian system works and by extension, how to take advantage of it. The one who sent her, probably has some idea, though I have to question their logic in sending her. "Of course you wouldn't know. Like how he won't let the dead stay dead. No. He has to tarnish their memory or erase them. Just like what happened to Japan—no, every single Area controlled by Britannia. You are just a pawn in the greater scheme of things, used by forces outside your control. The evidence is in front of you, yet you refuse to admit it. If you keep thinking like that, then I'm afraid the Japanese will be short one piece against Britannia."

Her grip slackens and her hands drop downwards, shaking. She blinks, her mouth opening and closing wordlessly. Oh, I wonder where that hand was supposed to go.

I smirk. "Well, aren't you going to assault me? I don't particularly mind but… I doubt you'll survive long enough to get away with it."

"…E..eh?

"If you're not going to make the first move then…" I grab her by the collar of her uniform and pull her down, face to face. Or rather lip to lip. Check—

"...mmmh!"

The door behind her opens. I release by grip and drop my guilty hand down freely. All three girls… no Sayoko's here as well as she's the driver, are present. I would say something but… Masuzu still hasn't moved. —and mate.

"O-o-onee-chan—" Goshiki's linguistic capacity just nosedived.

Creaking… no cracking sounds? Ah perfect. Shirayuki's eyes have that… fair glare to them. If my lips weren't occupied, I'd smile. Checkmate. I win. Hmm… how long is she going to stay in this position.

A camera flash from the frontside, Sayoko had lowered the divider during the commotion. Thank you Sayoko.

A/N: Hm… it seems Lelouch is dealing with his consolation prize a bit too well… that can't possibly end well. Right? And well… Who, is Kira? Review and comment.