Chapter 10
A day later Kallen was peacefully sleeping in a hospital bed. As Ougi Viletta entered the room she slowly opened her eyes.
"Are you feeling well?" Viletta asked while approaching Kallen.
"Yea, I just have this terrible headache." Slowly she realized she was in a hospital. "Why am I in a hospital? Where's Gino!"
"Calm down. The police found you two lying unconscious at the entrance of your father's house. You were immediately taken here. According to the doctors you might have been given some kind of unknown drug." Viletta explained calmly.
Kallen took a deep breath. "Does my mother know I'm here? How long have I been here?"
"She was next to you holding your hand until about an hour ago, Kaname took her home, don't worry about her for now. You've been here for almost a day." Viletta replied with a bit of worry.
"I see..." Kallen said with a calmed expression. Suddenly she remembered what had happened to her and Gino, tears formed in her eyes because of how frightening the scene had been for her. "Geass..."
"What do you mean? The people that attacked you know about Geass?" Viletta became nervous upon hearing Kallen say that word.
"That girl... she could use Geass but, it was different from Lelouch's." Kallen answered nervously.
"Are you sure? Do you remember how they looked like?" Viletta paused for a minute. "Still... it couldn't be Geass-"
"It was. I can't forget the image of that girl's eyes, the mark she had on them was the same as Lelouch's. That man... he, mentioned something about some Code of inversion and Geass of fear-" Before being able to say anything else, Kallen passed out.
Viletta hurriedly called a nurse and left the room. She then quietly entered Gino's room at the hospital where Nunnally Vi Britannia, Cornelia Li Britannia and Ougi Kaname were calmly talking about the current situation. Since Britannian nobles and a member of the Knights of Rounds were victims in the incident which had taken place in a foreign country, the Britannian Empress had to personally make sure it would not harm Britannia's and Japan's relationship as fellow members of the United Federation of Nations.
Kaname noticed that something was bothering Viletta. "I heard some noise outside, did something happen with Kallen?" He asked his wife.
"She was awake for a bit but collapsed as she remembered who attacked them and how they were attacked. From what the doctor told me her life is no longer at risk." Viletta answered in a depressed tone.
Kaname approached Viletta and held her hands. "What did she say that you have that look in your face?"
"If what Kallen said is true, we are facing an enemy worse than Lelouch. Sadly, what Kallen told me makes sense in a very frightening way the more I think about it." As she started to shake, Viletta took a deep breath to calm herself down.
"Worse than Lelouch? Are you serious Viletta!" Cornelia said while clenching her fists.
The young empress expressed her thoughts and concerns about the issue at hand. "It's certainly possible that we are dealing with someone more dangerous than Brother. This reminds me of a mass murder incident that took place several months ago near the Imperial Village of Aries. While some of the victims died by beheading, it was found that all the victims that weren't beheaded died after having a heart attack." Nunnally said in a calmed tone.
"The incident where Guinevere and Carline were the only survivors..." Cornelia Li Britannia sighed. "Didn't they all die after being shot in the head?"
"The incident was originally handled by Brother but, I had it re-investigated two months ago. Although the new investigation shed some light on the cause of death, not even the best experts were able to find out what method was used to kill. What concerns me the most is that after the incident both Guinevere and Carline presented the same symptoms as Kallen-san and Gino-san." Nunnally looked at Gino with sadness and worry.
"'Code of inversion and Geass of fear', that's what Kallen told me..." Viletta sighed.
"That's impossible! Didn't Geass die with Lelouch!" Cornelia told Viletta in a loud and angry tone.
"Please calm down Princess Cornelia, we are in a hospital." Kaname attempted to calm down Cornelia. "Let Viletta explain everything."
Viletta took a deep breath. "As far as we know Lelouch was the last Geass user but, as long as Code bearers exist there is a chance that a new Geass user will appear. Also, if C.C. isn't the only Code bearer alive then there might be one or more Geass users that we don't know of-"
Nunnally interrupted Viletta. "The inverted form of an open door is a closed door. A Code ability of inversion can be used to easily explain what happened, like how the doors of the house were locked at all times yet they managed to go in and out of it without forcing the lock nor using a key. Also, there certainly must be a proper medical explanation on how the feeling of fear, and what happened to Kallen-san and Gino-san, are related." Nunnally's hands were shaking. "If we truly are dealing with a Geass user we will have to take some extreme measures. Geass has only brought us death, pain and sorrow. It destroyed my family and any bonds of friendship I had..."
Kaname looked at Viletta and then turned his gaze to Nunnally. "We can only try to figure out the pattern of their attacks and try to protect any possible future victims. Several months ago we tried to find C.C. but all investigations lead to nothing. Honestly, there's not much we can do for now. I want to find whoever did this to Kallen as much as you do but, we don't have any leads."
Nunnally gave a faint smile. "I understand that perfectly Ougi-san. If we don't know how to lure them out then, how about we lure C.C. out? Anyway, let's rest for tonight. Once Kallen-san wakes up I'll talk with her about any way we might have to get C.C. to meet us, she's the only person that might know who attacked her and Gino-san."