DISCLAIMER: I do not own Code Geass or Transformers. They are (respectively) the property of Sunrise/CLAMP and IDW/Takara/Hasbro.
Rated: T for violence and language
At the night of the Tokyo Festival, the Americans make their way as citizens rejoice in a moment of celebration. Lelouch enjoys whatever moment of peace he can before.
Chapter 31 – Necessary Measures Western District
Tokyo Settlement, Area 11
After three days of observation, all went as Spike had intended. The festival was minutes away from starting, and there were a few VIPs in attendance. The Americans would use the crowd and the festivities as cover in which to snatch the person who may have ties to the bane of their operation ever since they arrived. There were only six of them, with Spike and Agent Faulkner the most senior individuals of the group. The SEAL commander wanted to hold the rest of the NSA agents in reserve in case things went south.
The chief liaison composed himself and spoke: "Gentlemen, listen up. Today's our lucky day, and Lelouch Lamperouge is out in the open. This fellow's got a connection with the Black Knights, which means that if we get him, we get to Zero."
"Exactly why are we going after this kid?" one of the agents asked, scratching his head with a curious look.
"About several days ago I uncovered evidence that linked to Lelouch Lamperouge. The hard drive contained classified intel that couldn't be decoded on site. Which suggests there's some kind of connection when the attack occurred after I recovered the server hard drive from the city hall," Spike explained.
"So Zero somehow got wind that you were fishing for information?" an operative asked.
"At hindsight, the evidence seems minimal. Seeing it now, the occurrence of the attack was far too coincidental for it to have happened within a short time frame. That's why we're going to bring Lelouch in for questioning."
"Are there any hostiles?" Faulkner asked.
Spike nodded. "Likely. Right now we are operating under the assumption that he is not without protection. Whoever he spoke to back at the school will obviously be helping to provide security for himself and his classmates. That means we need to be careful in how we maneuver around the area."
"At least we can move on without the Autobots goddamn babysitting us," one of the agents chimed.
"Hey, mind yourself. They have their reasons for doing this, and so do I. It took a lot of convincing on my end to ask Optimus to let us continue unhindered. And to be frank, this is technically their expedition, so I don't wanna hear crap about that nonsense. Got it?"
The agent begrudgingly nodded. Spike saw the distrust in a couple of the men's eyes. In their minds, he understood that they believed they were working for aliens that only wanted to use them for their own ends. In all honesty, he felt the same way once. Everybody had an ulterior motive, and the Autobots were no different from humans in that regard. However, kept the lesson of actions speak louder than words in mind, with the deeds displayed by Optimus and his forces serving as a prime example. A part of himself believed that each action that they took had grand implications for the sake of the greater good. After working with them for a long time, he believed that perhaps that as a group that could make a difference in the long run.
Spike focused back on the task at hand and glanced at the team's surroundings. They were lucky to pull in and secure slots at the last minute which they could proceed unhindered. All of them donned coveralls, disguising themselves as technicians that were conducting repairs and maintenance if the need arose. A few of the men that the chief liaison recruited for this particular mission had technical backgrounds in fixing equipment that needed to be serviced if they broke down. Combined with the fact that all of them worked in the field operations, their skill sets made them assets that could be used in accordance with the conditions of the situation at hand.
"All right guys, so we got the game plan down. Keep in mind that we need to blend in with the civilian population as good as possible. We don't want to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves."
"How do you want us to play it out if we encounter the hostiles?"
"Use non-lethal force only. We don't need dead bodies and turn the festival into a morgue."
"Are you serious?" another one of the agents asked, earning a reprimanding look from the chief liaison.
"Alright, let's go," Spike said.
All of the men nodded in agreement and dispersed into the crowd to their assigned locations.
_ _ _
Lelouch, Shirley, and the rest of the student council stood in front of the auditorium where there would be a commencement speech. The ex-prince opted to come not only because Milly asked him to do so for Shirley, but because he received intelligence that his half-sister would be attendance. Unfortunately, that proved to be faulty, since Cornelia was nowhere to be seen on sight. That fact irked him greatly, since the intel was received from none other than one of Tamaki's sources. As soon as he returned with the Black Knights, Lelouch was going to give him a stern talk down.
For the moment, he just wanted to relax with his friends and family. In his heart, he considered the council to be like family. After living at Ashford Academy for so many years, he shared a bond that rivaled that of Euphemia and Cornelia back at the olden days when he still lived back in the mainland.
"Is something wrong, Lelouch?" Rivalz asked.
"Oh, it's nothing," Lelouch lied, trying to look as innocent as possible.
"Thanks for bringing me along, big brother," Nunnally chirped happily.
The ex-prince smiled in response. "I'm just happy that you could come along with us. You could use a little fresh air."
The Tokyo festival only happened once every year, and since his sister couldn't see the sights, at she could hear and experience them for herself. Nothing made him more content than the smile of his sister, since he'd been spending more of his time away from the school.
Moments afterward the lights in front of the auditorium illuminated the grassy floor all around. Lelouch remained alert as the stage ahead was covered by a massive red curtain, showing very little underneath. Slowly the curtain raised and the stage was brightened by the overhead lights mounted on the railings.
His eyes spotted a man dressed in formal attire with all of the stage's lights directed at him. His uniform indicated his station as a member of one of the viceroy's personal staff, which . Only two members of the royal guard accompanied the speaker, the latter being the most enthused to be up in front of every citizen present.
Another one of Cornelia's lackeys, the ex-prince concluded.
"Is thing on? Ah," the man said while composing himself. "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen... I am Minister Nirren."
"Ugh, get on with your speech already," Lelouch growled in a low voice.
"Today, we would like to commemorate the seventh year of the colonization. The war between our two peoples was a tragedy, but now we can celebrate in a peace that was hard fought by both sides."
A slaughter, Kallen thought bitterly. She never would forgive the empire for enslaving the Japanese, which she felt that she was at heart. She loved her father and her mother, but never forgot the weight of Naoto's death upon her mind. Kallen looked around and looked at her friends with a morose state of mind, she couldn't bring herself to harm those she had become friends with over the past few months.
"So here we are gathered, regardless if you are Japanese or Britannian, to symbolize the friendship in which we now share that has lasted for more than five years."
Not exactly the greatest achievement conceived by the empire, Lelouch thought before the concluded his oratory.
"Now, let the festivities commence!"
Everyone watched in awe as fireworks boomed overhead, the rockets carrying them exploding a bright and dazzling display of colors across the night sky. Much of the audience broke off and went to the different stalls and rides that were scattered around while other remained to watch the illumination overhead, no doubt wowed by the beauty in which the fireworks portrayed as the colors began forming into distinct shapes.
The student council gathered back to one of the stalls in front of the auditorium before they walked together towards a tower-ride called 'The Mountain Giant', imitating a 100-foot creature that imitated a massive creature which appeared to have come from ancient Britannian folklore. Rivalz rushed towards Lelouch as the latter pushed his sister's wheelchair along.
"What did you think of the speech?" Rivalz asked.
"It was uninspiring," Lelouch said flatly. His response to the address to the crowd made it clear to his classmates that the black-haired teen was not impressed by the delivery and execution of the speech to the audience. At least he felt confident in himself that he could inspire hope amongst the disenfranchised Japanese within the colony.
"Aren't you ever the political type," Milly giggled and tapped Lelouch playfully.
"It helps to remain detached," Lelouch stated. As the group proceeded through one of the food stands, Shirley locked her arms around his as the group strolled along the festival area. One in particular caught her eye as she halted the council and guided them towards one of the stands.
A cashier gave an offering of cotton candy to Shirley and she held the sweet treat in triumph. The auburn-haired girl tasted it, savoring the texture of the soft mound of sugar before she offered the stick of which it was mounted on to Lelouch. The ex-prince was caught by surprise when she came up next to him.
"Try this!"
With a shrug the student vice president leaned forward and tasted the cotton candy. He enjoyed the sweetness as it melted in his mouth. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that there was someone watching him. It was subtle but very distinct, with weeks of observing professionals in disguise, Lelouch knew the differences of regular workers vice agents that were attempting to track his movements.
"Hmm, not bad," he said in all honesty.
"It's a shame that the Snyders are missing out on this. I'm sure they would've enjoyed this immensely..." Milly said somberly.
Lelouch placed a hand on his friend's shoulder as a sign of sympathy to the brothers' absence. "Perhaps we can invite them for another time. Hang on, I'll be right back."
The young woman nodded in response as the rest of the student council joined in the festivities along with their fellow citizens. Lelouch instead came up to a Britannian security guard and Geassed him, bringing the hapless individual under his will. The ex-prince studied his victim and looked like he was big enough to crush him with his bare hands. He hoped it would be enough to take down those the people that were tailing him and his friends.
"I need you to do something for me."
"Yes?" the guard replied, his eyes red showing the influence which the ex-prince held over him.
"There is a man in a cap and coveralls that went that way. Look for him and find out what he's doing. If he resists, kill him. Understand that this conversation never took place, and you will follow my command. Do you understand?"
The guard nodded and spoke with a zombie-like tone. "I understand..."
Lelouch shot a sinister grin. "Good..."
_ _ _
Outer Shed
Tokyo Festival
As the people went about enjoying themselves, Agent Faulkner snuck around a corner and peered at the Ashford student council. He was caught by surprise and froze in place at the sound of a gun clicked behind his head. His own weapon was holstered inside of his coveralls, so he was unable to draw the weapon unless he wanted to get himself shot. Instead he froze in place and waited for the person who held him at gunpoint to say something.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm supposed to be working on the merry-go-round here."
"You don't look like you're from around here. Let me see your ID," the bulky brute demanded, red light emanating around the eyeballs. His gun gave him confidence, and there wasn't much else the NSA operative could do except heed to the man's demand. He slowly put his left hand up while using his right to pretend he was grabbing an I.D., the guard maintaining a cautious eye for any suspicious trick that the American intended to pull.
"Hang on, give me moment while I fish it out," Faulkner offered while walking forward.
"Stay back!"
Ignoring the command, Faulkner lowered himself and rushed towards the man's position, knocking the gun away with a swipe of his hand. He noticed the man swinging a hard left hook that was heading towards his jaw. Anticipating the movement, he sidestepped the attack and kneed the guard in the stomach. Air escaped from the man's mouth as he dropped onto his hands and knees, trying to recover himself.
Big fella for being able to withstand that.
Faulkner parried the attack and knocked out the guard with a strike to the midsection and another blow straight at base of the neck. The man dropped onto the floor without so much as getting back up. He knelt next to the body and tied him up in plastic binds before lifting the man up and carrying him to an isolated spot. Walking to a line of trees and bushes, he lowered the body where nobody could disturb him and his victim.
"That's what you get for pointing a gun at me, pal."
Faulkner examined the eyes and closed them back shut. He scratched his head in a confused state. I could've sworn I saw a red glow there a minute ago...
He looked on the ground and saw three shadows converging on his location. The agent made a dash towards the trees and knelt behind the bushes, pulling out a scope to see who was tailing him. Three men in black suits, all of them suspicious looking, fanned out and did a search pattern around the spot in which Faulkner and his foe fought earlier. His swept the area and founded a path which he could use to escape. By the time the trio fanned out too far from each other, he had already disappeared from view.
_ _ _
"Let's head to the stand over here," Rivalz suggested. The stand had the billboard 'Athena Gallery' overhead. Within were a set of three BB guns lined up on the stand, with a wide array of targets placed behind. They were different picture stands of Knightmare frames, each with a different numerical point value. A lot of the common ones were worth at least five points, with other targets valued at ten and fifteen.
"How much for this one?" the blue-haired teen asked.
"Five pounds," the worker said. "If you hit several of the targets and get a minimum score of one-fifty, you get a prize."
Rivalz rubbed his hands and grinned in anticipation when he saw a prize that caught his eye. He always wanted to get Milly a cute and cuddly, and the teddy bear was the answer. He figured that winning the stuffed toy and offering it to the young woman would be a good start in possibly dating her. His smile brightened even more at the chance that it would help him in winning her heart.
"How many points for that?"
"Two hundred and fifty."
"I'll try it out!" Rivalz said excitedly, giving the bill to the man.
"Good luck, lad," the man challenged, adjusted his cap. Brimming with confidence, Rivalz picked up the rifle and began shooting the moving targets, attempting to pick away at them. But as the gallery moved on to other targets, the higher-value boards shifted back and forth. Their rapid movements made it difficult to hit, so he tried to aim and hit to no avail. He only managed to scrape up a hundred points, and lowered his head in disappointment.
"Can I try?" Kallen asked, offering one five-pound bill to the worker.
"Sure, miss," the man said, graciously accepting the money. By then the Guren pilot took her aim and struck a bullseye through each of the targets in rapid succession. The last few targets shifted left and right, while another batch moved up and down. She leveled her sights and took her time. All of the other students gasped in amazement at the accuracy and precision in which she took her shots.
"You're actually quite the crackshot, Kallen," Milly complemented. The redhead was flattered by her friend's remark.
"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" Rivalz asked, his jaws dropped in disbelief.
The redhead lowered her weapon and explained to them: "My father actually went hunting from time to time, so he would often bring me alongside and teach me how to shoot."
"He must've been a good teacher!" Shirley exclaimed, to which Kallen nodded in response. Her explanation was something of a half-lie. She received most of her training during her time in the resistance. Her longtime proficiency in pistols and other weapons while serving as a member of the resistance made her something of a deadly marksman. She then thought back not only to her father, but her brother as well, who taught her the tricks of the trade when he himself was a member before she joined.
"Kallen? Are you alright?" Shirley asked with concern.
"Wha –?"
"You won!" the auburn-haired girl pointed while chuckling.
"I did?"
"Look, silly!"
The man who worked at the stand chimed in to support Shirley's claim. "You were daydreaming there for a second. Suffice to say you're a good shot, lass."
"Oh, I'm sorry about that," the redhead answered.
"So, what would you like?"
"I'll take the teddy bear," Kallen answered bashfully. The man nodded and took the teddy bear that hung over the ceiling and offered it to her. She in turn took the stuffed bear and offered it to Rivalz, whose jaws still remained open.
"I believe you wanted this?" the redhead said with a giggle.
Rivalz closed his mouth and accepted the gift graciously. "Uh, thanks..."
Elsewhere from where the student council stood, Lelouch crept around the corner and observed another man in the coveralls moving as though nothing was wrong. The vice president kept his eyes peeled to study the patterns in which these agents were spying on him, trying to find a weakness within their net. He figured this would happen at some point during the night, and was grateful that Kirihara was generous enough to provide bribed Britannian hitmen to take down his enemies should they pursue him to the festival.
Whoever's trying to keep tabs on me must've bugged this location before we arrived.
He heard the rustling of grass just several feet away from his position. It was none other than one of the hirelings which Taizo sent over to assist Lelouch, who donned a suit (which didn't help make him look any less conspicuous). The ex-prince used the shadows to cover himself in darkness as he walked forth quietly to the unsuspecting individual, who was taking a smoke break away from the crowd.
The attempted to flick a match that he had on hand to no avail, cursing to himself. "Dammit."
"Need a light?" Lelouch offered, extending his hand as the lighter's flame flickered.
"Yeah, thanks."
"Good," the ex-prince grinned before he used his power again. "Now freeze."
The man stood still in his place as Lelouch kept him under the gaze of his Geass. "See that man over there?"
"Yes."
"I need you to find out why he's been following me. Call your friends and have them search for any other person that are donning the same type of coveralls that these men are wearing. You are to forget that you ever saw me once this conversation is over."
All Lelouch received was a nod, and the man did as he was told.
_ _ _
Several minutes passed while Faulkner continued his search for the target. He was thankful he didn't have to pull his weapon. For past fifteen minutes he kept himself out of sight, careful not to kill any of the guards despite his training. As he moved close against one of the stalls, he noticed a man wearing a suit with his gun lowered. The Splinter Cell suspected that the hitman/bodyguard was looking for him.
Seeing his opportunity, Faulkner moved in and locked his arms around the guard's neck. He tightened the lock to constrict the flow of air before rendering him unconscious and dragging the limp body back into the shadows of the nearby forest. As he laid the body down, he searched the pockets and founded a line of wire running towards the earpiece. He fished a cellphone out of the man's pocket and listened in on the enemy's conversation.
"Spread out, these guys have got to be around here somewhere..." one of the guards radioed out.
Taking the cell with him, he radioed in to warn the team of the new danger. "Commander, it looks like the guards are aware of what we're up to."
"Stay sharp. Remember: non-lethal force."
"Copy that," the Splinter Cell answered until he spotted the student council walking by. They couldn't see him, but he could see them perfectly. As he kept his distance, Faulkner adjusted his cap and had his eyes trained on the leaders of the Ashford student body. The veteran agent fished out a sticky cam and situated it against a pole where it had optimal coverage and provided a clear picture of where the teenagers. Lelouch stood right out in the open.
Faulkner held his PDA and zoomed in closer to the Britannian's face to ensure that it was the right boy. The shadows from the roofs of the stalls overhead provided good cover from the crowd,
"Subject spotted. I'm about forty meters away from his position. He's with his friends, heading towards the ferris wheel."
Spike praised the senior agent for his diligence. "Good. Keep him within your sights. We need to find a way to isolate him from his classmates without the security guards or the private detail noticing."
Faulkner perked his head up when he saw two crowds intersecting with each other, blocking his view of the student council from across his vantage point.
"Shit, I lost him. There's people in the way," Faulkner called out. "Watts, Lewis, where are you?"
"We're both on the northeast of the carnival," Watts answered.
"Move to the east. I need some extra set of eyes to keep track of his movements."
"Copy," the other agents replied.
"Hang on, I think I have an idea," Faulkner radioed. "Chen, can you triangulate the signal from Lamperouge's cell phone?"
"Hold on," the analyst announced. "Got it. He's in the center of the carnival. Satellite's picking several heat sigs bunched together around his location. Probably the other students."
"See if you can send a false call."
"Working on it right now, Agent Faulkner."
Faulker hated waiting, but it was what he did. If his plan worked as it did, he would've given the NSA team a huge break, and Spike would get all the answers he wanted out of Lamperouge.
_ _ _
Lelouch settled himself on one of the benches so that he could have a moment alone before he joined back with the student council. The use of his Geass over several of his victims has put a slight toll on his mind. He figured a little bit of rest would help him to recuperate before he got back into the swing of things. Shirley noticed his tired look and sat alongside him.
"Are you alright."
"I'm okay, I'm just tired is all..."
"Hmm, I'm glad you came along with us, Lulu," Shirley said as she leaned her head across his shoulder while they sat on one of the benches. The student vice president was happy about the fact he didn't need to use his Geass on her, though he understood that the illusion of happiness couldn't last forever. It would just be a matter of time before she discovered the truth of her father's for herself. He prayed that the moment would never come to pass. His state of mind was interrupted by the ring from his cell.
"Lelouch Lamperouge?" called a voice, deep and authoritative. The ex-prince noticed that it was digitized to prevent any form of recognition. Which meant that it was someone from an agency that was out looking to capture or kill him.
"Move to the lamp posts, alone," the person commanded him.
"Why?"
"Because if you don't, you will die. Along with your friends. Choose wisely."
Lelouch froze and widened his eyes in alarm. Was there a sniper nearby? Where were the guards that Kirihara had hired to protect him? How did the enemy manage to elude them so easily? What he knew now was that he needed to get away in order to ensure the safety of everyone within the group.
"What do you want?"
"Just move to the area east of your location. There is a line of lampposts you can follow which will lead you straight where you need to be."
"What's wrong, Lulu?" Shirley asked.
"Nothing, I have to take this phone call. I'll be right back."
Walking towards a street lamp where he would be alone, the black-haired Britannian fished out his cellular phone and checked his caller ID. The incoming call was listed as an unknown, with a series of random numbers that he couldn't make out. He didn't have the necessary equipment on hand to trace back the call, and his curiosity got the better of him.
"Hello? Are you still there?" Lelouch said. There was nothing he could hear in the phone but dead air. He realized too late that he was set up and walked straight into a black zone, where his transmissions couldn't reach anybody. The young lad felt something hard strike him in the back, knocking him unconscious.
Seconds passed and everything turned into a blur. The person who took down the former prince bounded his hands in plastic links behind his back so that he could not move them. The same was done for his legs in case Lelouch thought of trying to escape.
"Target's neutralized," a male voice called.
"Good, bring him to the van so we can interrogate him." another man called from a radio.
"Understood. Be seeing you at the rendezvous point."
_ _ _
While the festival continued, Shirley went to the location where Lelouch indicated he would be. The lampposts around the spot provided only moderate illumination, which made it difficult to see what was around the light save for the area which the post covered.
"Lulu?"
She looked around searching for her date to no avail. She took cautious steps before she saw something blinking on the ground. Her head swiveled left and right to find no other person in sight. Curious, she walked forth to find what appeared to be a small device on the pebble road, which was none other than a cell phone.
"Oh no..." Shirley said in a panicked state. She dug into her purse and picked up her cell phone, dialing 911 while holding Lelouch's cellular, wondering where in blazes he went off to. At that point, she could only assume the worst.
_ _ _
En route to unknown location
Lelouch awoke to find that the world around him was all black. He realized much to his horror that his face was shielded by a wool bag. With his left eye shielded, he would be unable to use his Geass power on his captors, which led him to assume that they knew about his power. If they were working for the Britannians, it meant that Cornelia's forces had him in their grasp.
Or is it the faction that's been hunting me for the past few weeks? he thought to himself. Lelouch shifted his weight until he felt something flat behind his back. He figured it to be a flat surface and leaned against it while using his legs to prop himself up. His ears perked slightly as he overheard rumbling in the background, gradually shaking his body.
The lack of air circulation made it difficult to breathe through the bag. It covered the entirety of his head, which made it impossible for him to shake off unless his kidnappers took it off for him. He considered that possibility to be unlikely, and was unsure of their motives.
"Where am I?"
One voice answered: "You'll find out soon enough."
"Who are you people?" Lelouch yelled, his voice muffled under the mask.
"You and I are going to have a little chat, kid."
"What do you want with me? If it's money that you need -"
"I don't care about money. You're here because you have something I want."
"Seriously, I don't know what you're talking about!"
"If you don't answer my questions, you're going feel like you're in hell for a long time before I'm done with you."
_ _ _
Dangreal Plains
Tokyo Settlement
From the edge of a nearby grassy hill C.C. watched with interest over the van which she knew had Lelouch in it. She donned her ally's red jacket and wore leather pants to accompany her 'commoner' outlook. Her psionic link with the ex-prince's mind allowed her to track him from afar, which would allow her to find wherever he's being taken to. She can only speculate that the captors want him for vital information. The immortal girl also considered the possibility that the kidnappers suspect that he is the leader of the Black Knights. Whether they knew for sure, she was uncertain. What she was sure about was that she was not going to let the boy off easy, and intended to track him down to the ends of the Earth.
We are partners. I'm not willing to let you go until our contract is fulfilled...
The witch spun back and walked towards a motorcycle that she hid next the road, which she acquired with one of Lelouch's credit card. She chuckled softly as she never thought that her freeloading off the ex-prince would eventually lead her to pursue him. She picked up the helmet from the bike and inspected the back compartment to make sure that her cargo was with her. After she finished her check, she donned her helmet and mounted onto the motorcycle. She had a little experience in riding motor vehicles prior to her encounter with Lelouch, which helped her get to the festival before her comrade was taken.
Her link with Lelouch enabled her to follow the trail in which the vehicle drove to whatever the destination was. C.C. lowered her helmet's visor and leaned forward as she revved the bike up. The roar of the engine rung loudly and within a few clicks was ready to go. She hit the accelerator pedal and moved forward as the motorcycle rode off into the night.
End of Chapter 31
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, folks. After I got out to Japan my ship's pretty much deployed just days after I arrived. Thankfully we're back in port and I have some free time on my hands. What better way to utilize it than to entertain the crowd, eh?
Unfortunately I'll be heading out to sea again soon. Thank you all for your patience and have a great day (or night, depending on where you are).