Disclaimer I don not own code geass. On with the story.

Kill ten men people will hate you. Kill a thousand they'll line up to fight you. Kill one man make him scream. Make him bleed. Hang his corpse for all to see. Then they will fear you.

Chapter 7

South Africa, Johannesburg, Southbank hospital, Psychiatric wing. 2000 A.T.B

A ten year old boy with ebony hair sat in the waiting room. By his side were half a dozen books. Another was held in his hand David Weber's 'A short victorious war.' The boy's eyes were moving over the text rapidly. At first glance it would seem as if he was an ordinary bookish boy reading a science fiction novel. But a close examination of the texts beside him would reveal - A book on high end mathematics, a book on theoretical physics, two treatises dealing with electric and vehicular engineering, a book on metallurgy and Sun Tzu's 'art of war'. A small notepad lay next to him and occasionally the young man would write in it. Although if anyone tried reading the notes they would be perplexing consisting of confusing mathematical formulas and some kind of strange gibberish language that resembled German.

Next to him sat his mother. The woman was gigantic, muscled and looked like she could have picked up the couch they were sitting on and broken it. Her hair was midnight black but cut short. Her eyes were a pale blue and faint scars traced across her right cheek and down the slope of her throat. A silver cross hung from a chain around her neck along with a set of dog tags. She also sat with the straight back and discipline of a soldier. But for all that she looked at the boy next to her with a mixture of love and concern. Her large hand gently stroked his hair even as his eyes scanned the pages in front of him. The receptionist across the room spoke up. "Mrs Wulfenbach Doctor Sigmund will see you now."

The woman sat up and then kissed her son on the forehead. "I'll be back soon Luthur be safe."

The boy looked up and his eyes held the uncomplicated love of a child for his mother. "Of course mum." Then they immediately went back to scanning the page in front of him.

The woman walked into the doctors office and sat down. Across from her sat a bald man with a trim black beard and round glasses. "Mrs Wulfenbach we have completed our tests and I can assure you of this. Your son does not suffer from any mental defect or illness."

The woman's face showed relief. "He, he is alright."

"No Mrs Wulfenbach in fact he is very much alright. Your son is smart. In fact your son has a genius level intellect that places him in the top ten percent of people on the planet. He is not only smarter than me his IQ is higher than the most experienced professors at Johannesburg university. I know because I checked the survey records."

Sarah Wulfenbach raised her right eyebrow slightly. "If this is the case then why is he having such trouble at school?"

"Madam I believe it is because of his intellect that he is experiencing trouble. As I understand they have already moved him up a grade. But he has already made it through his year's curriculum by independent study. He is skipping classes to study in the library on his own because he does not feel challenged or enlightened by the level of his lessons. The same is true of his classmates. He is frustrated and angry over their inability to understand what he is talking about. They in turn react negatively to the realization that he is so much smarter than them. Which has led to bullying."

Sarah raised her head in a sign of fierce pride. "Those who have tried have done so only once."

"The fact as you say that he has won conclusively in every fight he has been in also prevents people from approaching him out of any sense of pity. Your martial training has certainly helped him avoid being badly hurt but it is my belief that he will only be happy if he is moved up to a high school grade at the least."

"He's not even twelve. Even if what you say is true putting him amongst teenagers will not be easy for him. What are the other complications?"

"Well madam as you have seen people who exhibit such a degree of intelligence at his age often suffer from a sense of social isolation from their peers. This will be true whether he remains in primary school or not but you must be aware that it can seriously affect his ability to interact with people in later life. If I may ask madam perhaps you should talk to his father."

The woman's face went cold. "His father is in Japan and does not even know he has a son."

Area 11 Brittanian settlement 2017 A.T.B 9.30 PM

The Reaper.

The wind buffeted Luthur as he sat wrapped in shadow upon his perch. It was a strange thing to remember. That fateful day when it had been confirmed that there wasn't anything really wrong with him. He wondered what that doctor would say now. "Hmpph."

His perch was a small maintenance cupboard at the top of a bridges support pylon. The Brittanian who'd been up here was lying in a state of unconsciousness. After the crowborgs had carefully cloned his voiceprint Luthur had been able to subdue him without worrying about any radio messages of alarm. Now the flock of crowborgs sat along the cables of the bridge. Looking down you could see either side of the bridge lined with Brittanian citizens awaiting the approach of the traitor Kururugi. As he listened in on the Brittanian broadcast and checked that the cables to his harness were secure Luthur whispered a single word "Showtime."

The Orange

Jeremiah checked the controls of his new knightmare. With his increase in status he'd requisitioned a sixth gen frame from the armory. A harrier frame like the one in which he had risen to the rank of margrave for his actions in area 9. The Sixth generation frames were less well known because they'd been the first attempt at making knightmares for specialized combat roles. An attempt that had mixed success. For the ones that did work properly the only use they saw most of the time was by special weapons teams or deep raiding commando units. Case in point his Harrier a knightmare designed around indirect fire and anti tank weaponry. It was painted a dark blue. With mortar launchers on the shoulders and one long black anti tank rifle held forward like a lance. In fact it actually had a bayonet attachment. It's head wasn't even remotely humanoid consisting of six separate cameras clustered together with the factsphere located in the chest. A design feature that had carried over to the Lancelot.

At that thought he felt a twinge of guilt. He actually had been impressed by Suzaku's performance with the Lancelot. But regardless of that he had to go through with this. Only through such acts could he hope to one day ascend to the rounds and stand any chance of discovering the murderers of Lady Marianne. Only then could he avenge her and repay the debt of honor he owed.

Viletta Nu chimed in on the com "My Lord Jeremiah are you well?"

Jeremiah realized he must have let his thoughts affect his expression. "I'm fine move out." The parade began its journey out of the government centre.

The Fan

Diethard Reid watched the video screens as the procession went along. The street lined with good patriotic Brittanians as Jeremiah had wanted. It's all a theatre and I'm the stage manager not a reporter. The camera showed a bound and straight jacketed Suzaku exposed to the jeers of the crowd. The script the commentator used was so predictable he could have recited comatose. "Voices of hate saddened by the loss of their beloved prince raining their condemnation down on a terrorist."

Hardly I doubt Jeremiah and his flunkies even bothered looking for Clovis's killer "And I'm as corrupt as the rest of them." He muttered under his breath. Wait what is that?

The Beloved

In her room Nunnaly had propped herself up using pillows and sat next to the radio listening to the commentator. She hugged a pale horse plushie that Luthur had gotten her five years ago. Her head picked up at a sudden change in the commentators voice.

The Lady

In a darkened room behind a folding screen an eighteen year old Japanese woman watched the procession on the television. Her breath caught at what she saw.

The Queen

"What is this? It appears to be Prince Clovis's personal vehicle approaching the convoy?"

What it is. Is pure suicide. Kallen was cursing as she drove the car. Barely three hours ago she and Ohgi had met Zero at a junkyard an event which had proven only slightly less terrifying than what she was doing right now.

"So you are the only ones?"

"Look I'm sorry maybe if you explained more of your plan."

"No need. You two will be all that is necessary I need you to assemble this." He'd then handed them a diagram of prince Clovis's car.

"Really?" Ohgi had been disbelieving.

"Oh don't worry you'll have help" And zero inclined his head towards a point just between them.

Kallen and Ohgi had turned around to find Death standing behind them.

"Shinigami!"

The figure raised his hands. "Please call me death or if that is too eerie simply reaper."

The bone armoured knightmare turned towards Kallen. "I must offer my apologies to you Kallen Kouziki."

"For, for what?" Why the hell would death feel he owed her an apology?

"The knightmare you were using at Shinjuku should not have been sold to you it was slated for destruction. I assure you the one responsible for its poor condition has been fired."

They both blanched. Death sighed. "No I did not burn him to death. Are you going to stand there or are we going to build a princes car out of junk?"

The Devil

Beneath his helmet Lelouch smiled. Jeremiah had allowed the vehicle to proceed no doubt intending to make a more dramatic arrest. The HUD of his helmet projected a computer image of the bridge formed from the crowborgs cameras. The marker point for the vehicle was a floating arrow just in front of them. "Kallen stop here. Pale Rider are you ready?"

"I am ready." The anticipation in the reapers voice was palpable.

"Enough arrest these criminals who dare defile Prince Clovis's vehicle."

"Time to raise the curtain." Lelouch pressed a button and the banner on the top of the car exploded into flames.

Those watching were amazed the front part of the princes cabin turned into a roaring furnace and standing in the midst of the flames was a nightmare. A figure garbed in smooth black armor that seemed to drink in light not even reflecting the red of the flames. Licks of fire swirled around curved plate greaves. The chest was an assembly of carved metal bound to a pair of shoulder plates with raised ends that bracketed the head. His hands were gauntlets of ebon steel. In the gaps of the plate could be seen nothing but black muscle. The only color was a twisted silver trident on the breastplate just below the neck. The helmet was a simple reflective visor of purple shaped like an eagle's silhouette with twisting golden designs on its base. Behind him his thick cloak billowed in the updraft of the flames but like its wearer it did not burn.

"I am ZERO."

"Whatever" Jeremiah sneered from the open cockpit of his harrier "Your little spectacle ends here." A team of Sutherlands dropped down from there VTOL's above surrounding the car and pointing their rifles at its armored occupant. The wind buffeted the armored figure who stood unmoving even as the flames died down. "Now take off that helmet terrorist."

The figure slowly raised up his hand as if to remove the mask and then raised his middle finger towards the Brittanian. The rest of the car behind him broke apart revealing a large spherical container with tubes attached. Another shrouded object was just behind it.

"Lord Jeremiah that's-"

"The Poison gas weapon from Shinjuku. Hold your fire." Jeremiahs voice was the iron control of a veteran dispassionate in explaining the disaster they were in. "He's just taken every Brittanian here hostage and he's done it without any of them even knowing it."

Suzaku looked on in shock "Wait that's' arrgh." The shock collar about his neck silenced him.

Jeremiah cursed under his breath as he aimed his pistol at the figure. If I can take him out perhaps I can prevent detonation. A very big if, that armor looks like it could stop a cannon ball. "Going to shoot? I think you know full well the consequences if I should activate this little device of mine.

Jeremiah holstered his pistol "Fine what do you want?"

"A simple trade this for Suzaku Kururugi. In return for a single eleven you'll save scores of your precious Brittanians. I consider that to be a bargain.

At the edge of a crowd Diethard held a camera and focused on the armored figure. This is all a performance to him.

"This man is charged with killing Prince Clovis. I cannot hand him over."

"You're wrong. Suzaku Kururugi is many things but a murderer is not one of them. The man who killed Clovis was myself." Everyone gasped "Unlike you pureblood." His voice dripped with scorn. "I can prove my claim. Behold my horseman." The armored hand pointed upwards. Everyone's gaze followed it and they saw descending downwards a dark figure surrounded by crows flying in every direction. The figure's descent slowed for a few seconds and then slammed into the roadway.

Slowly the figure rose from its kneeling position. It looked like some animated corpse wearing samurai armor made from blood drenched femurs. Its eyes were pits of burning yellow flame set in mask of blank bone. In its left arm it held a staff with two scythe blades at each end and in its right it held up. Now people began to scream. It was Clovis's head the face locked in an expression of terror. Contemptuously the figure flung the head towards Jeremiah where it bounced and rolled on the concrete looking straight into Diethards camera lens.

Zero continued "Clovis begged like a weakling child for his life. Oh the secrets that spilled from his mouth as he tried to save himself. Including one you know of. You wouldn't want everyone to know about Orange would you?"

"What?" The vehicle moved forward and zero kept his head level with Jeremiah's

"If I die it will all go public if you don't want that to happen." A small rectangle on the helmet retracted "You'll let me take Suzaku Kururugi away from here." The red bird flew forth into Jeremiah's eyes.

"Very well. Release the prisoner."

Viletta turned her head towards Jeremiah in shock "My lord what are you doing?" She felt a chill down her spine and realized that the skeletal warrior was looking right at her.

The figure began calmly walking across the tarmac towards where Suzaku was held captive. He picked up Clovis head as he did. When he reached the platform Suzaku was on the guards trained their weapons on him.

Jeremiah's voice barked out. "I gave you an order. Let him take the prisoner."

As Death ascended the platform he handed the head over to one of the guards.

"You'll probably want to hang on to this." The guard dropped his rifle rather than risk letting the prince's head touch the ground.

Suzaku tried to speak but all that happened was another electric shock. The reaper broke his staff in two as the blades moved to right angles to the hafts. Then he made a sliced through the restraining cuffs and hauled the prisoner to his feet. "Come on private Kururugi. Oh and keep holding onto that head Brittanian. Not wielding a rifle may be the only way you get through this alive." Everyone remained tense watching as the bone armored figure escorted the prisoner back to the car then opened a box on the back of the vehicle and made him don a motorcycle helmet.

Villetta noticed that the skeletal figure was standing next to the sphere. Again he was looking right at her. Then she realized if they got away the purists would be discredited utterly. The fear of disgrace prompted her to action "If they get away we lose everything." She powered up her knightmare but before she could even raise her rifle Jeremiah knocked her aside with his stun tonfa.

"Were my orders unclear Villeta you must not interfere with."

"Too late." Zero held up a detonator and pressed it. The container broke apart and a massive cloud of purple smoke exploded outwards.

"That's bastard he's released the poison." Over the sound of panic could be heard a dull roar. Shooting out of the purple cloud away from the Britanian knightmares was Death and a helmeted figure in a straightjacket. On a motorcycle.

A cameraman who'd been standing from further down the bridge caught it on film. Later it became one of the most popular slow motion clips on the internet. The massive bone armored warrior driving out of the smoke on a motorcycle with a horse's skull at the centre. His hair billows behind him like a banner and flocks of crows are either side. One hand holds his scythe staff high as he drives. The vehicles exhaust trails green fire as it burns down the roadway and then accelerates past with a roaring engine. He weaves in between three Brittanian knightmares. The scythe swings, for a moment there is a flash of purple light and it carves a burning track across the last knightmares knee joint. He speeds past the toppling mecha and approaches the bridge exit.

"My lord the horseman is escaping with Kururugi." I'll let Zero take Suzaku Kururugi away Jeremiah hesitated then the red glow faded from his eyes.

"Damn them all. I'll run that terrorist down. After him." Rather than risk crushing the civilians who could be stumbling all through the smoke Jeremiah launched his harkens towards the bridge structure and swung over the expanding cloud to land on the other side. "You two form up on me. Viletta call for ambulances and hazard containment get those civilians clear NOW." Then he rammed the harrier's acceleration into high gear and sped after the fleeing reaper the others forming up on him.

When fighting tanks knightmares won by dodging. The light armor of a mecha was nothing next to a tanks main gun so in order to survive a knightmare had to swerve faster than the tanks turret could track. The Harrier took this further its advanced tracking systems were meant to maintain a weapons lock for the arms to fire even as it dodged all over the place at speed. The multiple cameras zoomed in on the fleeing motorcycle. Once the enemy reached the first turn off after the bridge exit he'd lose his shot. Not needing to dodge Jeremiahs chances of missing were almost non existent. The targeter chimed and a icon appeared an orange circle surrounding the back of the cycle. Weapons lock. Jeremiah went to pull the trigger then tiny projectiles shot off the back of the cycle the driver swerved and a massive flash of light overtook the screen. Flashbangs Time slowed down and Jeremiah moved his weapon in the direction he'd seen the bike swerve. He pulled the trigger. The Harrier shook as an armor piercing round exited the barrel. The screen returned to normal. Ahead there was a crater carved into the roadway. "Did I hit him?"

"Almost my lord but he's dropped the prisoner." Indeed Jeremiah could see the straight jacketed Suzaku rolling across the concrete as the bike turned a corner and vanished out of sight. Continue pursuit of the terrorist I will capture Suzaku." Jeremiah pulled up beside the broken body. Probably dead He reached to pick up the figure and the helmet fell off. It was a shop front clothes dummy. "It's a decoy. Knights report. Have you captured the terrorist?"

A rather chagrined and pain filled voice came over the com. "Apologies sir. The street we followed him down had high tensile cables strung across it. Our knightmares just coathangered themselves."

"Viletta?"

"Nothing seems to have happened to the civilian's sir. We'll have to wait until the containment teams check but so far our sensors confirm it as just smoke."

And I didn't stop to ask where Zero had gone did I? "Damn it."

The Knight and The Devil

In the chaos of Luthur's exit the four had landed on the train. By the time anyone thought to check the railway lines they'd moved to a car. The terrorists led Suzaku to the broken remnants of Tokyo State University. As they entered the building Suzaku saw more people some in Black combat gear others in civilian garb with old weapons and red headbands. When they passed the headband wearing ones it felt like Zero was showing him off. Then they passed into a ruined auditorium. The others waited behind and Suzaku followed. Standing beside a pile of rubble was the Shinigami casually feeding small tidbits of meat to a crow perched on his shoulder guard. Zero turned around and spoke.

"I can see that they were pretty rough on you. Now at last you see them for what they are. Brittannia is not worthy of your service. If you truly wish to bring change to this world then join me."

Suzaku's face was calm and bore a strange determination. "Did you really kill Clovis?"

"This is war. Why wouldn't I kill an enemy commander?"

"You mutilated him."

At this point the pale rider chimed in. "Actually that was me. But I did it after Zero shot him. He didn't suffer. Pity."

Suzaku's face grew more serious. "And the gas weapon? Those were innocent people out there."

"A bluff it was nothing but smoke. The result. A prisoner extraction without a single casualty."

"The result I guess that's all that matters to you." Then Suzaku looked up and his face was now utterly determined. "But this nation it can be changed for the better from within."

Change? Lelouch was stunned. Luthur stopped feeding Dust and looked at Suzaku like he'd just grown a second head.

Suzaku turned around and began walking away "And any ends gained through contemptible means aren't worth anything."

"Where are you going?"

"My Court Martial starts in an hour."

"Are you insane? The whole point of the trial is to find you guilty the judge, the jury and the defense."

"Even so rules are rules. If I don't go they'll start cracking down on Elevens and honorary Britannians. I'd try to take you in but you'd probably kill me. If I'm going to die it will be in service of the people." Suzaku squared his shoulders and walked onwards.

"ENOUGH" The harsh roar of the reaper echoed through the room. Dust had flown away and Luthur stood his gauntleted hands tightening on the hafts of his weapons until they creaked. The cold calm of Shinigami had vanished replaced by tightly controlled rage. "The service of the people? I've never heard such a load of utter bullshit in my life. Was it in the service of the people that you helped the Brittanians massacre them all in the Shinjiku ghetto?"

Suzaku's flinched "I didn't kill anyone."

"Oh I believe you. If you'd been right in the thick of the slaughter Jeremiah would have had a harder time pinning it on you. Still you would have had to have been there in a support role or maybe you got wounded before the killing began. Either way you were there. Helping them kill."

Luthur came closer towering over Suzaku his yellow eyes blazing with anger.

"My Lord offers you service despite what you were involved in. You throw it back in his face and call our ends worthless. Clovis only gave the ceasefire at gunpoint. Do you dare tell me that the saving of those innocent lives, of CHILDRENS LIVES is worthless?"

Suzaku said nothing. There was nothing to say.

"In the war to come innocents will die though we may strive our hardest to prevent it. You could have been one. The whole point of them convicting you was so they could crack down on the Japanese. But we weren't prepared to let Genbu's son be killed for our actions."

At last something like anger came from Suzaku's face. "My father has nothing to do with this."

"He has everything to do with it. He's the reason you're still alive. If it was anyone else we would have let them kill you."

Suzaku's face didn't change. Even though the reaper looked like he as only two inches away from decapitating him he stared right back. "The only thing that will come from fighting the Brittanians is more death. It won't change anything. Fighting against Brittania is why that battle got started in the first place. If you're going to kill me get on with it I've got a trial to get to." Suzaku did not flinch whatever else he might have been he was not afraid of death.

"You're a fool." Zeros voice echoed about the room. His own voice was calmer though no less shocked then Luthur's.

Suzaku looked aside and smiled. "An old friend always used to call me that. He was probably right. I guess it's just my nature. Even so thank you for saving my life."

With that he turned and continued walking away.

Lelouch saw Luthur's shoulder plate rise as his muscles tensed. "Death don't hurt him."

Luthur turned back towards Zero and his voice was carried over their private encryption link. "I wouldn't kill him if even if he was not … Even if …" He paused too consumed by anger to even say the words. "He's simply too worthless to bother killing."

Then he spoke out loud. "But you were wrong my lord the Brittanians are utterly deserving of his service. Do you hear that you moron. They deserve you." He yelled at the slowly departing back of the young Japanese. "And don't act all self sacrificing either. We've already proved your innocence. They'll probably have to promote you just to diminish the bad press." If Suzaku heard he gave no notice. When he finally moved out of sight Luthur screamed and flung his scythe blade into the wall where it dug in and cracked the concrete. His shoulders heaved with the heavy breathing. Zero walked forwards. "Are you alright?" No answer "Brother are you alright?"

Luthur calmed. "No I'm not. But thanks for asking. My Brother." There was an emotion there other than rage. Luthur sighed. "So much for discouraging people from becoming honorary Brittanians."

"It wasn't a total loss. I think we've adequately demonstrated my ability to walk on water to our friends outside."

Death laughed softly. "Well your feet certainly didn't get wet. By the way I was right."

"What?"

"His compulsion was indeed affected by his perceptions. The moment it looked like I was the one making off with Suzaku he snapped out of it even though it was a trick. I win the bet."

Zero ruefully nodded. "Oh right. I have to give you that one. What am I volunteering for this time?" Even losing a bet was worth it to see his brother ease up.

"Don't worry I've already decided. You'll find out in a week or sooner. Ah well. I guess Zero had better go tell the troops we're abandoning this position a little earlier then we meant to."

"At this point I could tell them to dance and they'd probably start waltzing."

Then both of them started laughing.

Authors Note

Derain: Well that went well. Originally I was thinking of giving Zero more ornate armor Then I looked at the original costume and the design of the Shinkiro I realized that Lelouch is really a minimalist. Probably a reaction to all that fancy hair and clothing his family went in for.

Lelouch: Can you blame me? My father tries to look like a Victorian era judge.

Luthur: Yeah. And the others hair styles? They make me look subdued.

Derain: I am really happy with this chapter though and not just because I got to show death riding a flaming motorcycle. Which was awesome. I got to show how deep the bond is between Luthur and Lelouch. Harmless one upmanship. Concern over each others emotions. Each of them really is the brother they never had. Luthur because his family is complicated and Lelouch because his natural brothers are all… Yeah I don't need to elaborate on that.

Kallen: Plus Luthur as a little kid. Fun and kind of creepy.

Derain: Puts the reason why he made Lelouch the mastermind in focus doesn't it. From the perspective of a child genius having a little kid as the general isn't that weird.

Suzaku: Kind of harsh on me there though.

Derain: Oh rarely will I miss an opportunity to make you know the thick, bitter, brown taste of your own bullshit.

Suzaku: Isn't the author supposed to be more impartial?

Derain: I am impartial. You want to meet someone who really hates you? Meet my spell checker.

KRAKABOOM

The wall explodes inwards. Outside is a raging storm. In rides a massive red haired and red bearded giant on a chariot pulled by two flaming goats. He is bare-chested and wields a mighty warhammer in his hand.

Suzaku: Who are you?

BRANNOTH: I am BRANNOTH brother to Derain, Lord of thunder and lightning and spell checker of awesomeness. You are a self righteous douchbag. Now prepare yourself.

Suzaku: For what?

BRANNOTH: For the LIST!

BRANNOTH opens a scroll. It rolls across the floor out one window and then in the one on the opposite side of the room.

Kallen: Did that list just circumnavigate the planet?

BRANNOTH: Yes it did now be silent while I recite all the reasons Suzaku sucks.

Suzaku: Isn't there a second option?

BRANNOTH: Yes there is puny Suckzaku. THUNDER HAMMER!

BRANNOTH smashes Suzaku right in the crotch.

Suzaku: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ee.

Luthur: Oh that looks bad.

BRANNOTH: Now I must go to work on mother's new cottage for a week. Banjo, Gypsy away.

He cracks the reigns and the flaming goats pull the chariot into the sky.

Suzaku: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Derain: Don't seem so bad now do I Suzaku?

Kallen: Your brother really does not like him.

Derain: Suzaku is his most hated character in all manga and anime. And he reads and watches a LOT of manga and anime.

Suzaku: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Lelouch: Kind of loud though isn't he?

Derain: He may not be a perfect editor but he is the most enthusiastic.

BRANNOTH: FOR ASGARD!