Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or any of its characters. Code Geass is the property of Sunrise and Bandai Entertainment.
The Black Rooks
It was nearing dinner by the time Marianne's car pulled up in front of Aries Palace. Jeremiah was waiting for her again as she exited the car. Her own servants and guards, accustomed to the mannerisms and pace of their empress, had the door open. Jeremiah made sure the doors were closed before striding off to personally inspect the palace security and review the guard sentries. The palace's head butler Higgins was by the empress's side as soon as she stepped into the main hall, informing her of the goings-on of the palace while she had been gone.
The butler was an austere looking man. A full head of gray hair was combed back neatly and his chevron mustache was impeccably groomed. Though he stood at an unimpressive five feet nine inches, his ice blue eyes could make him seem ten feet tall when at full power.
"Where are Lelouch and Nunnally?" She looked around. Normally her children could be found helping the servants either cook or set the table around dinner time. Marianne had not forgotten her common upbringing and roots when she became an empress. Ever since they were young, Lelouch and Nunnally had been expected to perform a portion of the household chores.
Her children cleaned and organized their own rooms without assistance, helped plant flowers in the spring and tended to the empress's vegetable greenhouses year round. After Nunnally had thrown a particularly violent tantrum over beets, Marianne had the chefs teach the princess how to cook and the prince volunteered to learn as well. Subsequently the siblings were given the additional duty of making at least one dinner each every week and helping to set up and clean the table every day they did not cook.
"The prince and princess are still inside the study. They seemed to be doing something important so I took the liberty of releasing them of their chores for this evening. I hope you don't mind." Higgins came from a long line of imperial servants. He firmly believed in the class lines that divided Britannian society and frowned upon a prince and princess performing servant's tasks. Thus he took every chance he could to relieve the vi Britannia siblings of their chores.
"Just don't make a habit of it Higgins." Marianne chided, the standard response whenever her butler allowed her children to skip chores.
"I won't ma'am."
Though he often disapproved of his empress's methods, Higgins understood that giving the prince and princess chores to perform, instilled a sense of responsibility, work ethic and understanding of the working classes. Traits that the other imperial children lacked. Children like Ricardo la Britannia.
The empress could not get Victor's words out of her mind. It did seem strange that Gabrielle la Britannia would allow her youngest and only child join the military. The two consorts got along relatively well as Lelouch had been Clovis's favorite playmate and vice versa. Gabrielle was a fine mother but she could be smothering with her mothering. There would have been some serious arm-twisting to get her permission for Ricardo to join the army.
Higgins interrupted her thoughts, "Dinner will be served in ten minutes ma'am. Should I go inform Prince Lelouch and Princess Nunnally?"
"No. I'll go myself."
Jeremiah left his empress in the capable hands of the palace's butler. Though the old man was at least sixty, he had once been an elite operative in His Majesty's SAS and was still fully capable of protecting his mistress. Jeremiah had the scars and broken nose to prove it.
Higgins had insisted upon testing Jeremiah when Marianne announced she would be taking him as a knight. The old butler told him there would be a series of tests involving shooting and physical combat. Jeremiah had laughed out loud when he learned his opponent in all these contests would be Higgins. It was a massacre.
The knight-to-be was left slack-jawed as the butler fired bullet after bullet from every distance perfectly into the bullseye. The combat portions were actually even worse. Higgins was equally dangerous with a sword in his hand as he was with a gun and there were several close calls where Jeremiah barely dodged in time and received a cut instead of losing a limb. And in the unarmed combat test, the only thing he remembered was getting his nose smashed. Later on he was told that after his nose had been hammered in, the butler had quickly choked him out.
Despite the abysmal showing, Higgins pronounced him a "passable" candidate for Marianne's knight and slowly passed on the handling of Aries Palace's security over to the young soldier.
For the last six years it was part of his duties to check every possible entrance point in the palace, create and assign the guard rotations and be present when the guards changed. He also performed background checks on all potential employees and kept track of who the servants and guards associated with outside the palace.
The empress made things simple by keeping only the minimal amount of servants needed but Jeremiah now prided himself on running a tight ship. He was passing the study on his way to the security room to review camera footage during his absence and prepare for the arrival of the night guardsmen when he heard Nunnally scream.
"Princess!" he burst into the room with his sidearm drawn and ready.
Instead of finding an intruder attempting to kidnap the princess as he imagined in his worst nightmares, Nunnally was covered in a mountain of manila folders and paper as she lay on a chaise. Her brother turned to look at Jeremiah with wide eyes. Then he looked back at his sister and burst into laughter.
Lelouch stopped laughing long enough to explain, "It seems we fell asleep after going through these files. Nunnally had a big pile of the ones we were done with on the table next to her and I suppose they must have just tipped over and caused an avalanche of sorts on her." He snickered and got out of his chair to gather the papers on the ground.
Jeremiah sighed with relief and put away his weapon. He started picking up the papers and matching them as best he could with the right folders.
The princess stood, causing the rest of the papers on her to fall to the floor, "Don't worry about matching them Jeremy. That was our 'No' pile. The ones we have an interest in are still on the table."
He glanced over to see less than ten files in all sitting on the table in two uneven piles. The prince saw where he was looking, "You and mother trimmed it down to five hundred. Nunnally and I trimmed it down to seven. Dreadfully boring work. How many did you start with?"
"About three thousand Your Highness."
"Gods above! Three thousand?" The prince looked staggered, "How did you not die of boredom Jeremy?"
Jeremiah chuckled, "I know many of the candidates around my age so my experience with them factored into it. Her Majesty also saw a great deal of the same candidates when she was looking for a knight. In reality we only had to read about one-third of the files."
"If you know most of the candidates around your age then you can help us cut it down even further," Nunnally grabbed a folder, "What can you tell us about Lieutenant-Colonel Dirk Schrader?"
"Schrader was in the same West Point class as me. He graduated near the top of the class if I remember correctly. But the man's a bit of a war junkie. There wasn't even time to throw our graduation caps before Dirk was in Bolivia hunting down insurgents. From reunions and talking to other classmates it seems that he's been going from warzone to warzone nonstop. Little wonder he's already made O-5."
"So he's like Lord Bradley then?" The princess asked, referring to the bloodthirsty Knight of Ten.
Jeremiah shook his head, "Maybe I should have said he's an adrenaline junkie. Nothing gets his blood pumping like bullets flying all around him. Schrader actively seeks combat zones and his abilities under fire make him a great soldier but he's very average otherwise."
"None of his superiors mentioned that in his records." She said.
"Strictly speaking, only the facts are supposed to appear in military records. Any personal observations or opinions about a soldier are usually exchanged by word of mouth behind closed doors."
"Like right now," Lelouch walked over to the table and picked up a file from the smaller stack, "Now what about Major Kewell Soresi?"
The knight smiled, "Kewell eh? Well he and I go way back. We've known each other since we were fourteen year-old cadets at VMI. The great thing about Kewell is that he's very straight-laced and organized. He does everything by the book. The bad thing about him is that he's very straight-laced. Don't misunderstand, Kewell is creative enough but he'd just rather follow the book's way of doing things."
"And what of his soldiering abilities?" The prince asked.
"He's a fine KMF pilot. I remember him scoring only a ninety or so on his field tests but he was deathly ill the week before. It was a wonder he got those old machines at the academy to move at all! He's a dead shot with almost any gun. Strong as well. All VMI cadets are taught Judo and Krav Maga and Kewell was usually top of the class in unarmed combat. After me of course." Jeremiah gave a big grin.
Nunnally giggled, "So you mean Higgins would still kick the sh-"
"Nunnally!"
The princess snapped her head around and saw her mother eyeing her disapprovingly from the open doorway. Jeremiah turned and bowed. "What have I told you about using that kind of language?" the empress demanded.
"I was going to say shtuffing! That's how the Germans pronounce it. You're always telling me I should pay attention to other cultures so say it with me: 'shtuffing.' I know it starts out sounding the same but…" The princess's protests died when she saw that Marianne was having none of it. She sighed and recited, "Don't swear unless I'm sure no one else will hear me."
Marianne smiled, "That's right. It does a princess no good if she's caught cursing like a sailor. Now, I came to tell you dinner will be ready in a few minutes so come on."
"Alright mother," Lelouch turned to his mother's knight, "Would you be able to answer questions about the other candidates after dinner? There are five more."
"Of course Your Highness. I just need to speak with the night guardsmen and review the security. Should I meet you here in the study?"
The prince nodded and left.
The vi Britannia family were seated at a round colonial dining table in a small alcove that faced eastward overlooking the palace's famous gardens. It was late spring and the myriad blooms the family had planted earlier in the year were at their best. The setting sun cast a shadow of the palace onto the gardens allowing those sitting in the alcove to view the rainbow flower fields without light glare.
Lelouch enjoyed the view while his mother and sister finished up their salads. He was curious as to how the empress's visit had gone but knew she would tell him eventually. As soon as their plates were clean he collected the dishes and silverware and took them into the adjoining kitchen before bringing back the main course. His family took the plates with polite thank-you's and he sat down, starting into his own meal.
"Your father is doing well." Marianne put her knife and fork down and looked at her eldest.
Lelouch swallowed what he was chewing, "That's excellent news. Long live His Majesty." It was the expected response but his mother did not continue. Instead she picked up her utensils and resumed eating.
He tried again, "How was the rest of your visit mother?"
"It was fine. Charles was with your uncle and Bismarck today so I got to see them as well. They were all curious as to what you intended to do career-wise."
"What did you tell them?" He ate another bite.
"I told them I couldn't be certain as you hadn't discussed the matter with me but that it seemed you were leaning towards the army." Marianne said, bending the truth quite a bit.
Lelouch chewed thoughtfully before answering, "The army is certainly an option. It's the most prestigious of all the military branches and father and uncle were both field marshals. Not only that but none of the emperor's other children have had any success in the military except for Cornelia."
His mother agreed, "That's right. You have a mind suited towards strategy Lelouch and you could rise up quickly if you joined the army. Your father has agreed to let you enroll at West Point. You'll be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant when you graduate."
"Although that is a tempting offer, I'd prefer to join the diplomatic service."
Marianne put her knife and fork down again, "For what reasons?"
Lelouch looked at her, "In order to get into a position of influence in the army I'd have to be promoted rapidly. Father has all of his children earn their way but some of the others are in high positions in the army because of who they know instead of what they know. Despite the fact that you are a former Rounds, I have no such connections to help me up. It's much more likely I'd have to fight against our enemies seeking to keep me down. So really the only way to gain promotion would be through actual combat. If our antagonists in the Defense Ministry and General Staff see that I am doing well on the battlefield then I'll simply be recalled and put in reserve to prevent any further promotion. Or worse yet, I'll be given more and more dangerous assignments with the hope that the enemy will do their dirty work."
Nunnally objected, "I'm certain Cornelia would transfer you to her command."
"I'm not sure being serving under Cornelia would be beneficial either. She might use me as a staff officer to keep me from danger. There would be promotions then, but they would come slowly. Or she could see me as a threat and use me for only the most dangerous missions." He stated darkly.
His sister gave a soft laugh, "Don't be ridiculous Lelouch. She treats us as well as she treats Euphie. Our other half-siblings may want to kill us but Cornelia has always had our best interests at heart."
"We can't be certain of that. Many seem to believe that Cornelia has lost her edge now that she's settling down with Lord Guilford but you don't become an army group general through political connections alone. One day we may all be bowing down to Empress Cornelia li Britannia and Prince-Consort Gilbert." He began cutting his food again but did not eat any, "No, the diplomatic service will be safer. I'll also be under Schneizel's employ."
"That's still not an ideal position to be in though. He could stifle you just as easily as the General Staff or Cornelia." Nunnally interjected.
"Schneizel may very well be the second or third most powerful man in the empire. He knows his position is unassailable. Hence he cares more about performing his duties and the welfare of the empire than family politics. He'll cultivate the careers of others as long as they're able to serve the empire or him," Lelouch pointed out, "If Schneizel recognizes my abilities, which he will, then he'll ensure I have opportunities to advance myself. Look at Clovis. He may have been more interested in the arts and society but he was also a charismatic negotiator. He got his start with Schneizel as a diplomat and eventually secured the Area Eleven governorship with his help."
"And then Schneizel had him killed." His sister pointed out dryly.
"That hasn't been proven and in any case Clovis didn't have a Knight of Honor, just a very inept Royal Guard led by an even more inept commander. I'll be sure to pick my guards more carefully. Besides, the only people who know of my goal are sitting at this table. Clovis may as well have yelled he was striving for succession at a full court."
Their older sibling had not been subtle with his ambitions. As soon as he secured the governorship and thus a base of power, Clovis had denounced the chancellor's policies in the press and generally become a nuisance to his former benefactor. The irritation he was causing was poised to become a full-blown threat when he successfully courted and became betrothed to Amanda Hearst, the only child of George Hearst, Earl of San Francisco. The earl was a powerful media mogul and his assets would have made Clovis a powerful player in the game.
Marianne seemed to be thinking over his arguments, "Do you understand that a Britannian military base is one of the most secure places you could be other than the palace?"
"I do." The prince replied easily.
"And you know that it would be highly unlikely you would be assassinated on a military base because the killer would be caught almost immediately and his employer exposed?" She questioned.
"Yes."
His mother pressed further, "And you know that as a diplomat, you will be expected to live in unfamiliar environments when you travel. Your rooms may or may not be trapped or bugged. There may or may not be entrances for hit men to enter and make your death look like an accident."
Lelouch looked her in the eye, "My knight and guardsmen will protect me. I'd rather take my chances with the assassins than with flying bullets on a battlefield."
Marianne sighed, "Then I have no objections. All a mother can do is help where she can and be a cheerleader. Your father will be a bit disappointed though. He seemed so pleased that I told him you thinking about military."
He smirked, "Father should be used to disappointment seeing who his other children are. I'll make it up to him soon enough."
Lelouch stretched his arms out and yawned as he walked out of the study. It was nearly midnight now and the palace was asleep. He, Nunnally and Jeremiah had spent hours in the study going over the candidates in detail. Then he decided that they ought to go over the dismissed candidates as well with the knight's insight, just in case they missed a gem. It was a good idea as Nunnally decided to interview two candidates she had originally discarded. Warrant Officer Charmelle Finlay and Captain Villetta Nu joined Lieutenants Marika Soresi and Liliana Vergamon as possible knights.
It was less productive for Lelouch. None of the originally discarded candidates seemed capable enough to him, even with Jeremiah's commentary. He sent the knight to bed and stayed by himself in the study, debating the choices for more than an hour. In the end the prince cut down his list until only the older Soresi remained then added a warrant officer by the name of Zectole Vignal after some deliberation.
As Lelouch walked up the stairs to his room he contemplated the two non-commissioned candidates. Finlay and Vignal made for unusual candidates. While warrant officers and other NCOs were often included in the knighthood candidate pools, they usually were older and more experienced soldiers. Finlay would be considered a statistical outlier at twenty-three and Vignal was a complete anomaly, being only nineteen. The prince's curiosity had allowed Vignal to make the cut. There would have been a good reason he had been put forth as a candidate for knighthood.
His thoughts shifted to sleep as he neared his door. When he opened it he was hit by a blast of chilly nighttime air. He flipped the lights on and saw the source. "Forgot to close my windows again," he muttered, shivering a bit as walked through his cold room to the windows.
The windows proved immovable as he strained against them.
"I don't think you'll be able to close them. I've made sure they're jammed open."
His heart hammered as he spun around. A masked man dressed entirely in black leaned against the wall by the door. A knife hung loosely in his right hand.
"I must ask that you leave at once." Lelouch said, attempting to keep the fear out of his voice.
The man gently closed the door and began to stalk forward, "I don't think so, not until I've done what I came for."
As the prince opened his mouth to yell, the man leapt forward. Lelouch felt the blade under his chin. The words died in his throat. "Stay quiet or else I'll cut your throat and let you bleed out on the floor," The assassin threatened, "But I don't want to do that. I'd rather not leave marks. So if you'll move over to your bed and lay face down on your pillow, I can make it look like you suffocated in your sleep. Slowly and quietly now."
The man walked behind him as Lelouch took slow deliberate steps towards the bed. "I'll pay you double whatever you're being paid to let me live. I won't even tell anyone you've been here." He promised.
The hit man chuckled quietly, "I don't think so. Clovis offered me triple before he died. What makes you think double will do it?"
"Quadruple it then."
"I'm a dead man as soon if I take you up on that. Besides, I'm getting steady work killing you Imperial brats and I've been promised more. Wouldn't want to jeopardize that."
The prince stopped in front of the bed and put his hands up. "What are you doing?" the assassin hissed.
"It won't look natural or accidental, if that's what you're going for," Lelouch kept his hands up and slowly turned around, "My family, my mother's knight, the guards and all the servants know that I sleep in pajamas. If I'm found dead on the bed wearing my day clothes that'll immediately arouse suspicion. You should let me change into my pajamas first before killing me."
"I'll just change you after you're dead. Now turn around and lie down." The man replied with a leer in his voice.
"But you'll have to stay longer just to change my clothes. The night guards make rounds and check in on us at night. My mother has many enemies so we take precautions like these. There's every chance you'll get caught." Lelouch lied quickly. The night guards were never allowed into their rooms without first receiving permission.
The man snorted, "You're being too helpful. I don't believe you."
The prince affected the most pathetic face he could as he pleaded "I don't want my poor mother to know I was assassinated. We were just discussing this earlier at dinner and she's always feared for our lives. It would go a long way to soothe her if she thought I died naturally. As my dying wish, please?"
The assassin seemed to stare at him for ages before he finally relented, "The knife stays at your throat. One word and I cut it. Understood?"
Lelouch winced as the blade was pressed into his skin, "Understood."
He took his shirt off first. As he spread his arms out to pull the pajama tops on, the assassin's view of him was briefly obscured by the shirt. Lelouch took the opportunity to quickly step away from the blade and roll onto the ground towards the door, barely escaping a knife swing. "Guards! Help! Intruder in my room!" He pried the door open quickly and tried to escape.
The hit man growled, "You've done it now." He leapt forward and slammed the door shut before the prince could escape. Lelouch dodged a knife swing by rolling out of the way again. He scrambled to his feet but fell backwards as he dodged the incoming blade. The bed caught his fall but he was only able to complete half a roll when the knife found its mark. The blade entered his side above the hip and he cried out.
"I don't normally enjoy this," the assassin snarled, "But sometimes it's a real pleasure."
Jeremiah was awoken when one of his men burst into his bedroom, "Sir Gottwald, there's an intruder in the prince's room!"
Instantly alert, the knight jumped out of bed grabbed the pistol he kept underneath his pillow. He blew past the guard and flew towards the prince's room. A gunshot made him speed up. The sound of three more bullets being fired echoed through the halls as he stopped in front of the open door.
Jeremiah's worst fears were realized when he entered the room. The prince was lying on the bed, his naturally pale skin growing pallid as the white sheets around him turned red with blood. One of his men stood with a rifle aimed out the window. Another was administering first aid to the prince. The knight turned to the guard who had called him, "Tell the garage to bring a car around and send four men each to guard the empress and the princess. Then bring a stretcher." The man ran off to fulfill the orders.
He turned to the man helping the prince, "How bad is it?"
"A stab wound above his left side above the pelvis missed hitting any organs. The throat was cut but it's shallow and the jugular and carotid were missed but his heart was hit. It isn't hemorrhaging and the heart isn't punctured but there may be internal bleeding. I'm applying pressure to both wounds. He'll live if we get him to the hospital quickly."
Jeremiah's heartbeat rose as he absorbed the information. Knowing he could do nothing until the stretcher arrived he turned to address the soldier by the window, "Did he get away?"
"Yes sir. He jumped out the window and ran. What should we do?"
Jeremiah pulled out all the stops, "Close all entrances. Send out all off-duty guards to patrol the grounds and secure the perimeter. I want search helicopters to assist them. Leave no inch of the grounds uncovered. Then alert the Household Division and ask them to secure the perimeter of St. Darwin's. After that call Pendragon police and bring the K-9 unit in. We're going to find this bastard."
Two guards ran in with a stretcher, "Sir, the car you asked for is in front of the palace."
"Help me move the prince over. Be gentle."
He addressed the prince, "Your Highness, we're going to move you now. There's a car waiting to take you to the hospital. Don't panic. You'll be fine."
Lelouch blinked once to show he understood and the knight calmed a bit. Jeremiah and one of the messengers gently lifted the prince onto the stretcher. Two guards carried the stretcher while the third continued to apply pressure. They were out the front door when Marianne and Nunnally came rushing down the stairs still in their nightgowns, guards running hastily after them.
"Jeremiah what is–" the empress paled when she saw her son on the stretcher, "Lelouch!"
She hurried forward. Nunnally stood on the bottom steps, stunned into silence and her eyes wide with shock.
"He'll live if we can get him to the hospital," Jeremiah assured his mistress, "We're taking him there now. I've put the entire palace on lockdown and the men are hunting for the assassin. It would be best if you and Princess Nunnally returned to your rooms."
"I'm coming with you." The princess spoke up. She ran to her brother's side and gasped at the blood-soaked cloth covering his chest and neck wounds.
"There is no room in the car princess. I can have another car brought up if you insist on coming but His Highness needs to go to the hospital now."
"I want to stay with Lelouch." She protested, watching the guards move her brother into the backseat.
Marianne put a hand on her daughter's shoulder, "Jeremiah's right." She turned to her knight, "Go with him. Nunnally and I will wait for another car."
He bowed, "I've already called for three more cars so guards may accompany you. Please stay inside until they come around."
She nodded and guided her daughter back into the palace. Jeremiah got into the front passenger seat and the car drove off.
Jeremiah was sure this was his personal hell. He had called the hospital while in the car to let them know of the prince's arrival. A team of doctors and nurses was waiting for them when the car pulled up. After a quick inspection, Lelouch was rushed into the emergency room and Jeremiah was given no explanation other than a quick, "You got him here just in time."
That had been five hours ago. Five hours contemplating how exactly an assassin had penetrated the defenses he took so much pride in. The knight knew he was at fault. He must have missed something on the tapes or one of the men had chosen for duty was unfit. Perhaps one of the servants had been bribed or blackmailed into letting the assassin in. It did not matter what the reason was. In the end he had failed. As soon as the prince was stable, he would give the empress his resignation. Serving Marianne was the only thing he had ever wanted to do. The thought of vacating his post made him miserable.
Jeremiah's misery was compounded with guilt when the prince's family appeared minutes after his own arrival. No words had been exchanged. Instead the three sat together quietly in a private waiting room, each reflecting on the events of the night. Marianne's face was stony and she sat silently, her back ramrod straight. He knew she would be an anxious wreck on the inside though. Nunnally was not so disciplined. The princess vacillated between silent sobbing and feigned nonchalance. Wet patches under her eyes gave away that she had been crying whenever she tried to imitate her mother.
The door opened and a doctor entered, looking exhausted. He was dressed in bloody scrubs and his forehead had a light sheen of sweat. Jeremiah tensed, preparing for the worst. Nunnally looked like she was ready to start a new round of crying. Marianne took charge, "How is my son?"
"Prince Lelouch will make it." The doctor informed them.
The empress relaxed, her back no longer so upright as she buried her head into her hands. The princess burst into fresh tears, this time in relief. Jeremiah let out a breath he had not known he was holding.
"It was very fortunate Sir Gottwald got the prince here when he did," the doctor continued, "The knife hit the right atria of the heart which gave the prince the precious minutes he needed to get here but it was very close. We've operated and repaired the damage. Given enough time to recuperate, His Highness will make a full recovery. We've also sewn up the wound to his side and the cut on his throat. He'll be able to speak in a few days."
Nunnally wiped away the last of her tears, "Can we see him?"
"Of course princess. Prince Lelouch is asleep and resting. I just ask that you not wake him."
Lelouch was being kept in a private room on the top floor of the hospital. Guards were stationed at the elevator, the stairs and outside the prince's room. They sat in near darkness, the only light in the room coming from the LEDs of the machines monitoring the prince and helping him breath. Tubes ran into his mouth and and nostrils, sustaining him while he healed. Marianne held her son's hand as she ran her fingers through his hair. Nunnally held his other hand.
"Your Majesty," Jeremiah began, "I am immeasurably regretful for my failure and no longer feel adequate to serve as your knight."
The empress looked at him, "What are you saying Jeremy?"
"I'm offering my resignation my lady. Prince Lelouch's condition is a direct result of my failure as head of security." He explained.
She waved off his concerns, "Don't be stupid. The men that saved my son, were they not trained by you? Was it not your idea to make sure every guard was proficient in first aid? This was one mistake. I know you'll never make one like it again. Now I don't want to hear any more of this nonsense."
"But–" His cell phone rang before he could finish. He answered it, "Gottwald."
"Sir Gottwald," the voice on the other end said, "This is Higgins."
"Higgins? Do you need speak to Her Majesty?" Jeremiah looked bewildered. Marianne looked at him questioningly.
"That won't be necessary. I wanted to inform you that I've apprehended Prince Lelouch's would-be assassin."
"I will. Please send His Highness my best wishes for a speedy recovery." Higgins hung up.
The butler walked over to a table. His prisoner was lay face up on it with his arms, legs and neck strapped against the surface. The assassin appeared to be of Britannian or European descent and his brown eyes glared up at his captor with hate.
"One last chance, who sent you?" Higgins asked.
He turned away as his captive spit at him. With a resigned sigh the butler covered the man's head with a piece of cloth. He reached down and pulled up a bucket of water and began to pour it over the prisoner's face. At first the man didn't move but after twenty seconds he began to writhe against his restraints.
"You're very well-trained," Higgins remarked as the last drops of water splashed onto the table. He dropped the empty container and picked up another one, pouring again. This time the man began to thrash immediately. His muscles tensed and his back arched as he tried to break free. Higgins paused the pouring to deliver a vicious blow to the man's midsection. He stopped struggling and began to choke. The butler removed the cloth once the bucket was empty. His prisoner wheezed and coughed up water.
Higgins leaned down, his ice blue eyes flashing with the promise of pain to come, "Who sent you?"
Thank you for all the kind reviews! I said there would be a flashback in this chapter but there wasn't any place to put it. It's saved and will appear in a future chapter. I do not condone torture or waterboarding but Higgins is a BAMF.
Apologies for any spelling or grammatical errors.
Reviews are always welcome. Even hate mail. As long as it's constructive hate mail.
