It was so late. Another night, another success. Despite being very tired, Lelouch was proud. He was now in a cab, on his way home.
The phone called! It was Nunnally's.
Lelouch: Hey, Nunnally!
Milly: It's Milly! Nunnally is with me!
Something was odd and Milly seemed unusually serious. Lelouch got alarmed in a second and feared the worst.
Lelouch: What happened!
Milly: They found out about you... the military came and started searching for you two. You can't stay here anymore.
Lelouch: Where are you now?
Milly: We're at the crossroads, as you exit the campus to the left. Will you come here soon?
Lelouch: I'll be there in ten minutes.
Milly: I have to go Lelouch, I'm sorry. If I don't go back, they might suspect me as well. Take care of you!
Lelouch: Milly! Don't hang...
Nunnally: Hi, Lelouch.
Lelouch: Are you ok? I'll be there in 10 minutes.
Nunnally: Ok.
Lelouch: Milly left? Are you alone there?
Nunnally: Yes.
Lelouch: Are you hurt?
Nunnally: I'm fine. Are you fine too?
Lelouch: I'm fine as well. Everything went as planned.
Nunnally: That's good to hear. I was scared... I still am a little scared. But it's ok. I'll just wait here.
Nunnally's voice was trembling and she was having a hard time choosing her words, so Lelouch knew that she wasn't ok at all. Yet there was nothing he could do at the moment.
Lelouch: Ok, hang in there. Don't stand in one place. Cross the street and go towards the station.
Nunnally: Ok.
Taxi driver: You look like you're in big trouble.
Lelouch: True.
Lelouch thought: "I must not forget to order him to keep silent about us."
A few minutes later, the taxi stopped next to a young girl moving in wheelchair. Lelouch jumped out of the car, took Nunnally in his arms and placed her on the back seat. Then he packed the wheelchair and, with the help of the driver, he put it in the luggage carrier.
Taxi driver: Where now?
Lelouch: To the Fuji Hotel, please.
Taxi driver: An Eleven Hotel? Well, if you really want to hide, that might be a good choice for a Britannian.
Lelouch didn't pay much attention to him. He turned to his sister. She was trembling.
Lelouch: You're trembling, Nunnally. And you're only dressed in your nightgown.
Nunnally: It was so sudden. I didn't have the time to take anything with me.
Lelouch: How did that happen? I don't understand! I have to make a phone call. Take my coat in the meanwhile.
He gave his coat to Nunnally to wear as he was looking for a phone number in his agenda.
Lelouch: Diethard! It's me, Lelouch!
Diethard: Finally you called. I wanted to call you, but only you had my number, I didn't have yours. Cornelia is here!
Lelouch: What?
Diethard: There was a rebellion at the government center, but she arrived a few minutes ago and silenced everyone.
Lelouch: I see. Very well. Find out as much as you can. Find out what happened there. I'll call you later. Don't look for me at home. I'm not there anymore.
Diethard: Ok.
Lelouch closed, searched for another number in his agenda and called again.
Lelouch: Oh, come on, Kallen! Answer me! I need you!
The taxi driver laughed.
Taxi driver: I tried that "I need you!" line on a girl once, too. It didn't work, you know.
Lelouch: I need her to hide us, but it looks like we'll have to manage on our own.
Taxi driver: Does she know that you're with another girl right now? Maybe that's why she won't answer.
The driver was amused, but Lelouch was in a bad mood.
Lelouch: This one here is my sister, damn you!
He turned to Nunnally and tried to ignore the driver.
Lelouch: I didn't expect Cornelia to come so early.
Nunnally: Our sister, Princess Cornelia?
Taxi driver: Aha, so your sister is after you two? And you're princes also... maybe she wants to get rid of the royal competition?
Nunnally: Cornelia would never do that!
Lelouch: Who knows... Anyway, are we there yet?
Taxi driver: Yes, we're there!
Lelouch: Very well.
Lelouch went out of the car. The driver helped him take the wheelchair out of the luggage carrier. Then Lelouch put Nunnally in the wheelchair and paid for the drive. As the driver went back into his seat, Lelouch remembered:
Lelouch: One more thing...
Taxi driver: And that would be... ?
Lelouch: I command you to forget anything what happened tonight.
Taxi driver: Maybe... maybe not.
Lelouch: What? You're not obeying me?
Lelouch was surprised.
Taxi driver: Maybe your Geass doesn't work on me, have you thought of that?
It was actually the first time Lelouch heard this word.
Lelouch: Geass?
Taxi driver: You don't even know how your special power is called like? You're not the only one who has one. There are other people with this ability as well.
Lelouch: So you are well informed.
Taxi driver: Well I'm not going to lecture you about Geass, now, why should I? And really now, finding a taxi right in front of the government's offices at this hour, what are the odds? I'm disappointed that you have found nothing intriguing about me so far. I guess you were overconfident that you will be able to use your Geass on me at the end.
Nunnally: Please don't tell anybody!
Taxi driver: Why would I care for what you say... But sure, I won't tell anybody, your secret is in good hands.
Lelouch: Who are you?
Taxi driver: See you, kids!
The taxi ran away. Lelouch yelled from behind:
Lelouch: Don't go! Who are you?!
Nunnally: Please don't shout, Lelouch... the street is so silent... we might get unwanted attention...
Lelouch: Oh, damn it... you're right, let's go inside... Wait, no! He knows we will stay here, in this hotel, overnight. Let's go in a different place.
Nunnally: Where?
Lelouch: I don't know. I don't even know the neighborhood. But we'll find a place. Do you have any money?
Nunnally: No.
Lelouch: I have a little, but not that much.
Lelouch took the wheelchair and his sister and went along the street. It was getting colder and colder. No one was on the street at this hour since it was already past midnight. They walked silently for a while. A few drunken Eleven guys passed by. They were very talkative and were continuously laughing.
Drunken guy 1: Hey, kids! Have a lovely night!
Drunken guy 2: Come with us, let's have a beer together! Hahaha!
Nunnally grabbed her brother's sleeve and whispered:
Nunnally: Are they talking to us?
Lelouch: Apparently so. They don't seem too dangerous, just some friends having drunk a little more than they could take. Anyway, I can control them. I wonder if my power... my Geass... works on drunk people. I'll try. Hey, you three!
Drunken guy 2: You... coming with us? Beer? We don't... money... unless you pay for the beer!
Lelouch: I command you three to treat us as your friends and bring us to a good hideout for the night.
Drunken guys: Yeah! We'll do!
Drunken guy 3: Come to my home, it's close.
Lelouch: Do you have a car?
Drunken guy 3: I do. I do do do!
Lelouch: Please give us a ride to the other side of Tokyo!
Drunken guy 3: Sure thing! For a friend like you? Anything! Come!
Lelouch: Thanks. I owe you this one! Even though you're not doing it on your own accord.
Nunnally chuckled. "You're good, Lelouch," she thought.
A few moments later they were in the guy's car, and he gave them a ride to the other side of Tokyo, as Lelouch asked him. But his driving has awful because of the alcohol. Lelouch whispered to his sister:
Lelouch: If he goes on like that, he might commit an accident. I wish I have found a sober guy instead.
Nunnally: ...
Lelouch: Please, drive more carefully! You're putting us all in danger!
Drunken guy 3: I... I'll try... Boy, I feel weird...
His driving got suddenly better. Lelouch wandered: "Did my Geass force him to snap out of his drunkenness? He looks a lot soberer now...". So they soon arrived at a random spot in another Eleven Ghetto from Tokyo.
Drunken guy 3: Is this place fine?
Lelouch: It's perfect! Thanks a lot! See ya!
Drunken guy 3: See ya later!
He drove back on his way home.
Nunnally: What now, Lelouch?
Lelouch: We'll find a random house and I'll command the people there to host us for the night. Let's try out this one, the lights are still on.
They went to the only house on the street where the light was still on. Lelouch knocked at the door. A few moments later, the door opened and a man appeared in the threshold. He looked rather moody and tired.
Man: What is it?
Lelouch: I command you to host us as long as we need.
Man: Ok... you may come in...
Lelouch: Do you live alone?
Man: No, there are also... I'm married... actually... was married... my wife was... was shopping in Shinjuku when...
He started crying. Lelouch understood that the wife had never returned from Shinjuku.
Lelouch: I see... so you expect no one to come for the moment?
Man: No one... no one will ever come here again... no one like her...
Lelouch was to tired to feel compassion for the poor fellow, so he didn't say a word.
Man: Please, you may stay in the guests room. It has only one bed, but I'll bring another one in a moment.
Lelouch nodded. A minute later, he and Nunnally were in the guests room. Normally, he would have talked to Nunnally a bit before going to bed. He knew she must be scared by everything that has happened. But all he could say was: "Sleep well, Nunnally!" before falling asleep the very next moment. But Nunnally was too disturbed by all the recent events, so she only managed to get asleep a couple of hours later.