Chapter 13: A safe haven
Bangkok, 4:00 pm
"Lunch is to your liking?" Asked Khuang Yodkamol, governor of the province of Indochina, a man in his thirties with short black hair and eyes of the same color, addressed to his two guests.
"Yes, it's all delicious." Zhou answered.
"I agree ... This Pad Thai is exquisite!" Hong said.
"Glad to hear it. I've been told you're headed to the Toromo Institute, right? "
"Exactly," answered the woman.
"It's because of the aliens, right?"
"Exact."
"I suspected it. Are you afraid they are hostile? "
"We do not know." Zhou answered quickly.
"I understand ... Anyway, to reach your destination you can use my private helicopter."
"We are grateful to you."
"This and more for a colleague."
"By the way, am I wrong or Bangkok in contrast to Luoyang is particularly quiet?"
"Only for the presence of aliens ... Until a few days ago the city was the scene of manifestations of nationalist and separatist roots, which demanded the independence of Indochina from the empire."
"Even in Luoyang, before their arrival, there were strong protests against the imperial government."
"If you can not sit them down they will get worse and worse, resulting in open revolt. And if this were to happen, if it spread to other provinces ... "
"The empire would fall apart, right?" Hong asked.
"There is a serious possibility. And when an empire breaks up, anarchy, instability and other unpleasant consequences arise. "Zhou intervened.
"In my country, China, things like this have happened many times over the centuries ..."
"It refers to the fall of the Zhou dynasty in the eighth century BC and the dissolution of China into various independent kingdoms, called a period known as the fighting kingdoms? "
"Yes ... It took five centuries before it was unified. And it was not the last time she broke into several independent states ... "
"I know ... I'm passionate about history, especially the Chinese one."
"Really? Why?"
"A millenary civilization, an ancient and refined culture, ancient traditions ... Need to say anything else?"
The woman smiled, feeling flattered by the words of the man. In her heart, too, she hoped that one day her homeland would regain her freedom, governed by a native leader and not by an empress residing overseas. She snorted.
With the aliens who plot who knows what is above our heads is not really the moment of daydreams.
She told himself.
Pendragon, 1:15 am
Faye was watching from the window of her bedroom the immense alien spaceship standing on the skies of the imperial capital.
I would love to be together with the others ... That thing gives me the creeps!
She thought, restless.
She shrugged. She did not know why but she had the impression that these aliens were are not peaceful. She lit a cigarette, then decided to go back to the kitchen.
When she reached her destination, she noticed that he had left the TV on. Milly Ashford was still talking about the arrival of the extraterrestrials, and behind him flowed images of cities with the giant spaceships above them: London, Tokyo, Luanda ... And others.
"Still no sign of life comes from alien spaceships. They are suspended above the skies of the main metropolises of the planet, doing nothing. This only feeds people's doubts about visitors. Someone even speculated that they may have died and that spacecraft have come here guided by a sort of automatic pilot. If this were true then the question is: how are they dead? "
If they died better for everyone ... Above all for me.
Suddenly someone rang the bell.
She went to open, finding herself in front of Killua and Roy.
"Hi, Faye!" The latter greeted her.
" Hi guys."
"We can get in?"
"Sit down."
She escorted them to the kitchen and made them sit at the table, and then sat down.
"What good wind brings you here?" She asked.
"Alien wind." Killua answered.
"I would have bet ..."
"Many are leaving Pendragon heading to an unknown destination ... Roads and highways have formed traffic jams."
"I would have bet on this too ... Maybe we should leave too."
"The problem is: where?"
"I have no idea, Roy."
"Joy ..."
"Maybe I have an idea." Killua intervened.
"Which one?" Faye asked him.
"Some time ago, CC handed us a list of Geass worship sites, remember?"
"Yes, it was to identify the subject M. So?"
"Perhaps one of these rises there."
"You mean we could take refuge there?"
"Yes, admitting that one exists in this area."
"Do you still have the list with you?"
"We really had entrusted it to you."
"Ah, yes, it's true ... I think it's in the room, I'm going to get it."
The woman came out of the room, while Roy snorted.
"Assuming that there is a cult site here, where should it be located?"
"A ghost town, a canyon, certainly an abandoned place."
"Logical ... But will we only go?"
"Who else should come?"
"I see…"
After a few minutes, Faye returned with a CD in hand.
"This contains the list of all the places of worship." She explained.
"Do you have a laptop?" Killua asked.
"Yes."
"Then take it. We will consult the list during the trip. "
"But the streets are clogged with traffic!"
"We will find another means. Maybe a helicopter. "
"Did not you see that thing in the sky? We risk crashing into it! Besides, the aliens could consider us hostile and break us! "
"I know, it's risks, but it's always better than getting bottled up in traffic. You understand? "
"True…"
"Then let's move."
Tokyo, 6.30 pm
A woman with long brown hair, purple eyes and a prosperous physique was watching from a window in a corridor the spaceship that dominated the now former capital of Japan. The brunette wore a white dress with a sweetheart neckline, a skirt that extended under her belt and long white gloves.
It is since the war between Britannia and the United Federation of Nations that there was no such crisis.
She think.
"Mom?" A voice called her.
She turned, crossing her eyes with a girl with long red hair and blue eyes, staring at her worried; it was her daughter.
"Rias ... Akeno and Issei are here?"
The redhead nodded.
"Also Kiba, Koneko and Xenovia."
"And what about the others?"
"They did not show up."
"I suspected him ... Come on, Rias."
"Yup."
In a room in the estate were gathered 7 people: a man with short red hair and blue eyes, his son, a boy with short brown hair and eyes of the same color, another with short blond hair and gray eyes, a girl with long hair blacks tied in a tail and purple eyes, another with short blue hair with green fringes and yellow eyes and finally a fifteen year old girl with short white hair and golden eyes.
"The separatist demonstrations were not enough ... Now the aliens get involved too!" The man exclaimed.
"Honestly speaking, I fear more the aliens than the local nationalists." The black haired said.
"Akeno is right ... I feel like I have a sword of Damocles ready to pierce my skull at any moment."
"You say well, Xenovia, I think so too."
"By the way, Issei ..." The blond boy tried to say, but at that moment Rias and his mother entered.
"Venelana ... Rias ..."
"Dear ... Sorry if we interrupted your business meeting."
"Just imagine ... It had already been canceled due to ET's arrival. But why gather here? I mean, we and these people. "
"Obious... Over Tokyo has positioned a colossal alien spaceship."
"Even on other cities."
"Exactly, Koneko. And since their intentions are unknown to me, I intend to secure myself, at least until they are clarified about their goals. "
"Keep us safe in what way?"
"Simple, Kiba. Below the Ashford institute there is a vast underground complex, used first by the British secret services and then by the anti-Lelouch resistance. Now it is abandoned, but we could take refuge there. "
"How do you know?" The son asked her.
"Merit of Minerva, a dear friend of mine. It will be our guide. "
"Are you sure?"
"I hope. However it is our only card to play. "
"We could not leave the city?"
"No, Akeno ... We would be bottled up in traffic for hours and hours."
"Okay ... But what if someone discovered the shelter?"
"The institute was evacuated, the students and teachers escaped ... There will be only us. So, are you there? "
Everyone nodded. Venelana smiled.
"Very well ... Then we can also go."