Thank you all for patiently waiting; here is what you've requested. CHAPTER 4!

*Insertassortedcheersandfanfarehere*

Ahem, yes. I apologize for the wait. Things have been rather… complicated these past few months. For further details, please examine the Author's Note at the end of the chapter.

Also, due to the nature of what is planned in the next chapter, as well as some of the language found in this one, the story's rating is being raised to M.

And without further ado, let us begin, shall we?

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass or anything associated with it, with the exception of this particular story. Please do not sue me, I have no money.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

"Let's go on a trip", she said. "It'll be fun", she said. Note to self: never trust Milly's definition of "fun" again. Ever.

Rai glared at the soldiers in front of him, who had announced themselves to be part of the JLF, or the Japanese Liberation Front, all of whom were armed with rifles, each trained upon the group of hostages gathered inside one of the hotel's storage rooms.

Their leader, a large, bearded man, stood in the doorway flanked by two soldiers, his hands resting upon the hilt of a sheathed sword.

"I am Kusakabe, of the Japanese Liberation Front," he announced, as his eyes strafed over the hostages with a look of apathy and disdain. "We are taking this stand for the liberation of Japan! You may not be soldiers, but you are still Britannians! You are the ones ruling us! If you keep quiet, you'll be fine. If you don't-!" He stopped, letting the unspoken threat permeate through the air.

Rai let out a low growl of anger at that. This man claimed to be a soldier? What kind of soldier would harm civilians? "Bastard!" He whispered.

Milly turned her head towards him, her eyes serious with a warning look as she held a fearful Nina. Rai understood her nonverbal message: Don't start any trouble.

But damn it all if this entire situation didn't piss him off.

He furiously scanned the room and its occupants, carefully examining the few soldiers who remained to guard their charges, all the while thinking the same thought again and again: Just how on earth are we going to get out of this?

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Kallen couldn't help but wonder what Zero had called her and the others for. His statement of it being "the key to our future successes" was too vague to glean any sort of understanding. She had already met with Ohgi and the others, upon which the motley group of terrorists began to make their way to the location Zero had decided to meet them.

Other than a few questions to see if anyone knew anything about what was going on, and Tamaki's excitable venting of ideas of what Zero had to show them, -A million trained troops and Knightmares? Really? - the walk was quiet, and Kallen felt a growing feeling of anticipation. Just what did Zero have in store this time?

Upon arriving at the abandoned underground parking garage, Kallen was surprised to see a large transport vehicle parked there. With some trepidation, the group slowly made their way towards the vehicle, with Ohgi in the lead. Cautiously, Ohgi opened the door, releasing a gasp of surprise.

"What's wrong?" Zero's voice called out. "Hurry inside! As of right now, this will be our hideout."

Kallen watched as Ohgi leaned forward to get a better look inside, before stepping inside. "So, you think it's a good idea for you to join up with us?"

"Yes," Zero replied as the others began to file in. "We're comrades, after all."

Kallen stepped inside, taking a look around. The vehicle looked as though it would belong to a rich Britannian. The interior was incredible, and everything looked high class. There was even a television built into the wall! Nothing like they had back in their base in Shinjuku could even compare.

"How did you manage to get this?" Ohgi asked.

"I asked a rather licentious nobleman to let me have it for free," Zero responded modestly.

"You asked for it?" Ohgi replied incredulously. "Just like that?"

"It's all right. No strings attached."

Kallen looked around as the others let out exclamations of amazement. The entire vehicle was nothing short of amazing.

But she couldn't help but wonder. Zero had just asked for it, and gotten it free of charge? Impossible. He must have blackmailed the previous owner for it, right?

The television flickered on as one of the group, Yoshitaka Minami, took hold of the remote, displaying an image of a reporter in front of a large building in the middle of a lake.

"So, how do things look at the scene?" A male voice spoke on the television.

"Right," the reporter began. "I'm standing in front of the Lake Kawaguchi convention center hotel. The hoteljackers have identified themselves as the Japanese Liberation Front, and have taken hostage members of the Sakuradite Allocation Meeting, notable among which is Chairman James, as well as several tourists who happened to be there as well."

Kallen drew closer to the screen as the reporter spoke. Lake Kawaguchi? Isn't that where-

The image changed, showing a group of people surrounded by armed JLF members. "This is footage which was taken by the perpetrators," the reporter continued, as the camera panned to the side revealing more hostages. "You can clearly see Chairman James, as well as several students."

Kallen's eyes widened in surprise. There to the side, with their arms held above their heads, were the members of the student council, and in the middle of them, eyes glaring furiously towards the camera, was Rai.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

At Ashford Academy, in a certain Britannian prince's bedroom, a green haired girl in a prisoner's uniform watched the news report with an expression of mild interest, slowly chewing on a slice of pizza as her eyes were drawn to a familiar face.

"So, you've finally woken up," She wondered. "But why?"

She briefly recalled the words of the youth whose room she now stayed in. He had mentioned someone who seemed to be an amnesiac. She certainly hadn't expected it to be him.

She pondered this unexpected turn of events briefly, before giving a noncommittal shrug. It wasn't any concern of hers. If the boy survived, his… talent could prove helpful. If not… well, no great loss. She certainly wouldn't be bothered if that one lost another contract.

The girl reached for another slice of pizza.

"So, what will you do now?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Suzaku was getting restless as he gazed upwards towards the hotel from the lakeside. So many people, innocent lives, were in danger, and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Can't A.S.E.E.C. help out with the rescue operation?" He asked the two people behind him.

"I asked them," Lloyd Asplund, Suzaku's patron and leader of the Britannian Special Research Division, otherwise known as Camelot, replied sullenly, clasping a stone in his hand. "But we're an irregular unit with a different chain of command. Besides…" He stopped abruptly, tossing the stone out into the water where it skipped upon the surface a few times before inevitably sinking below to the lake bottom.

"They can't entrust the operation to an Eleven, right?" Suzaku guessed.

"Princess Cornelia is very discriminating about Britannians and Numbers."

"We're still not accepted enough."

"But then what's the point of even having the Honorary Britannian system?" Cecile Croomy, Lloyd's assistant, asked.

Suzaku couldn't answer that, and turned his gaze back towards the hotel. It felt as though his goal was farther and farther out of reach.

"Do you really think it'd be that easy? Just work your way up the food chain and change everything yourself?"

Suzaku narrowed his eyes as, unbidden, memories of his last conversation with Rai began to surface.

"I know what you're going to say", Suzaku replied. "Trust me, I've heard it before."

"Then you should have a reasonable idea of just how improbable it is that you'll succeed, right?"

"You're wrong. I believe Britannia can be changed. It just needs someone to point in the right direction."

"You are incredibly naïve, do you know that?"

Suzaku chuckled dryly. "Maybe. But regardless, I have to try, otherwise things will stay the way they are, and all the Elevens will keep suffering the way they have for the past seven years."

Rai's expression darkened at that. Suzaku had been aware of Rai's trip to the ghettos. It would have been difficult not to be, with how Shirley had reacted upon the amnesiac's return, bruised from a fight with less than friendly thugs who didn't take kindly to finding a Brit on their turf.

"Fair enough," Rai replied. "Just remember, you can't do everything yourself. Don't be afraid to call on others."

I understand what you want to tell me, Rai, Suzaku thought sullenly. But I will change Britannia. I just hope you and the others will live to see it.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Lelouch cursed softly as he watched the news. It had been hours since he first found out about the hotel's hijacking, and the JLF wasn't backing down. Worse, if the Britannian military had thus far been unable to do anything, then no doubt they were being routed on every front.

After the initial report, he had chosen to relocate to a room of his new base that he had designated as his private quarters.

He viewed the screen of the small television in front of him quietly as Shirley Fenette's father spoke to the reporters, desperately asking for someone to help his daughter.

We need organization if we're to fight Britannia. He reflected. As Zero, he had been hoping for some time to rally sufficient backing before revealing his organization to the world. But this is too soon! Still, we can't just do nothing either. Knowing Cornelia, she'll just sacrifice the hostages!

A sudden thought struck him. Then why doesn't she move? Is it possible?

His thoughts were interrupted when the door behind him opened with a clatter.

"Zero," Kallen began. "What will happen to the hostages?"

Lelouch paused for a moment. Without turning around, he took hold of the remote and muted the television. Willing away any hint of emotion in his voice that might betray concern, he replied. "Eventually, there'll be no reasons to keep the Britannians alive."

"Yeah," Kallen uneasily agreed. "Yeah, you're right."

Even if they aren't soldiers, they're still Britannians… the enemy. Kallen thought. But even so, why do I-

"Hey Zero, should I hand these out to everyone?" Ohgi called out as he walked into the room, a cardboard box in his arms.

Kallen glanced into the box, noticing what appeared to be black clothes inside.

"I mean, they look cool and all, but we're just a resistance group, so…"

"Wrong!" Zero suddenly exclaimed, whirling around in his seat to face them. "We're not a resistance group!"

"Then what are we?" Ohgi asked.

"What we are trying to be…" He began, rising to his feet, "are knights of justice!" He proclaimed, sweeping his arm outward dramatically.

Lelouch smiled as he watched the surprised faces of the two. "Now," he instructed, "distribute those amongst the others, and tell them to get ready. We have work to do."

The two nodded, and left the room. Returning to his seat, Lelouch turned to face the television screen once more. Now, let's see if my hunch is correct.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Night had fallen now, and still no further orders had been given out. Suzaku sat inside the cockpit of the Lancelot, the Knightmare frame given to him for his work with Camelot, with Cecile behind him as they, in an effort to occupy themselves, examined the Lancelot's systems for the umpteenth time, despite both of them knowing they'd find nothing wrong.

Silence had reigned for a time, as the two wholly devoted themselves to the task. But after a while, Suzaku began to feel unsettled. The longer this situation continued to drag on, the worse things would get.

As though sensing his frustrations, Cecile spoke up. "Those students are in the student council, aren't they? They'll keep the negotiations up for them."

"I believe in the system," Suzaku replied with certainty. "I prefer the logic of systems to personal emotions."

Suzaku blinked as the display monitor in front of him located movement.

"Miss Cecile," he called out, "Look!"

"What?"

The screen zoomed in. "That's…" A sudden chill ran up his spine. Up on the rooftop were five figures. Four were armed and garbed in the green JLF uniforms. The fifth was bound in ropes, and was being pressed closer and closer to the edge.

"Are they going to?" Cecile cried out in shock.

"Don't…" Suzaku whispered, unable to do anything but watch as the prisoner was pushed forwards by soldier. "Don't do it!"

He leapt out of his seat and his eyes widened in horror as the man fell from the edge.

"NOOOOOOOO!"

/\/\/\/\/\/\

Author's note:

I have to say it. I hated writing this chapter with a passion. The reason why being that I essentially had to steal practically all of the dialogue and most of the scenes themselves from the episode itself. But it had to be done. There was no other option. If, by doing this, I have committed some form of a Fanfiction taboo, then I humbly beg for forgiveness.

In an effort to remedy what could possibly plagiarism, and in an effort to keep myself protected from any lawsuits, I made sure to add in additional scenes and alter the existing ones as best as I could. I hope it works.

Now, to account for the long break between the last release and now. First off, I finished my first semester of college, and dove into summer break, a time when all worries and concerns simply drift away. So, I am sorry to say that my attention during that period of time was elsewhere. Secondly, there were issues with the planning. Initially, chapter four was supposed to encompass the entire Kawaguchi Hotel Incident, and perhaps a little more afterwards, but that soon became impossible. While the original idea was totally devoted to Rai's perspective, the event simply encompassed to many things for me to simply ignore and skim over. Therefore, the new plan is to break the event into two parts.

Thank you again for your patience, and though I wish I could say you wouldn't have to worry about going through this again, well… I have to be honest. I'm a whimsical person. It may perhaps take even longer for chapter five, so… here's to hoping!

Lastly, I'd like to thank Alastor Wolfkin. He's a good friend of mine who's been kind enough to look over my stories before I post them and help me correct any mistakes I've made. Without him, I'd probably suck more than I do now.

PS: Does anyone know if I have to keep writing disclaimers up there? It's kind of annoying.

See you next time!

GraveBreaker, signing out!