Chapter XVII
Suzaku discounted C2's notion of his identity. He still believed in giving people a second chance, all they needed was a little re-eduction, but he was no longer naïve. Still, she was right in some respect. But he was a lot less trusting of others after he found out about Lelouch.
He turned to Rolo. "Since you're his guardian, have you a way to track his whereabouts?"
Rolo nodded, and consulted his personal phone. "I added a secret tracker app on his phone," he said, and then C2 laughed. "What is so funny?"
"Do you really think Lelouch hasn't thought of that?" she said.
Rolo frowned, then checked his phone. Suzaku watched Rolo consult the app. He looked up. "She's right, the app isn't active. He may have found it, or he's turned off his phone."
"I ask you again. Do you know where Lelouch is?" demanded Suzaku to C2.
"I told you I don't know," replied C2.
"Then I'll play to the assumption he's gone AWOL and his memory is restored," Suzaku said, retrieving his own phone to call HQ. "I'll hunt him down. The Emperor can easily erase his memory again. But with the countless times he's tried, Lelouch may not get another chance."
"You're making a mistake," C2 said irate. "Nothing has been done to foil your precious Emperor's plans of absolute rule, but if do this then you'll be at fault."
"I'll gladly take the blame if it means the prevention of another insurrection."
C2 stepped forward and slapped Suzaku across the face. Suzaku's mouth went agape in shock, feeling the sting on his left cheek. "Lelouch gave you a gift, the gift of life," she said. "And you're squandering it on a pettiness, egotistical, self-absorbed ambition. He's your friend!"
"He killed Euphie. I'll never forgive him for that. I was her personal knight, but I also loved her."
"And so did Lelouch, more than you'll ever know."
"So then why did he kill her?"
"You'll have to ask him."
"I will. Now, I'll ask you a final time." Whether he could kill her or not, he took out his pistol, and aimed the gun at her head, taking a step back for a proper target. "Where is Lelouch!"
But C2 stood firm. "You know what, Suzaku, you've turned into a nasty villain."
Suzaku eyes narrowed. "What did you say?"
"You heard me. Your new status in life has changed you. Lelouch is better off not knowing who you've become. He still knows you, but the old you. Not the bastard you've become."
Suzaku lowered the gun. "I am not evil," he said defensively.
"I never said that, but you're something not likeable," C2 replied. "Just look in a mirror, look into your eyes. Better people than you have turned bad for less. Britannia has corrupted you."
"No! When Lelouch used Geass on me, he corrupted me! Twisting my convictions!"
"If you want to atone, then just shoot yourself and get it over with," said C2.
"I can't!"
"You killed your father. You've put yourself in harms way, taking countless risks when you were in the Britannian infantry, hoping you'd be killed to atone for that murder. Seven years later, you've risen the ranks, betrayed your best friend to the Emperor, and are now attributed to stealing the most precious thing away from him, his sister. If that doesn't make you a villain, then I don't know what does!"
"Stop it!"
"Why? Does the truth sting so bad?"
"You're right." He tossed the gun to C2, she caught it. "I can't kill myself, so do it."
Rolo immediately stepped in between them, faced C2, spreading his arms out wide to barricade Suzaku, even before C2 could raise the gun, which she didn't. "Stop it. Whatever your inner demons, Suzaku Kururugi, you deal with them. As for you, C2, leave us. We'll deal with Lelouch by ourselves. I believe you when you say his memory isn't restored, and he's gambling."
"You called me by my name?" Suzaku said to Rolo.
Rolo turned. "At this point, I'll have to start calling you by your name anyway to avoid suspicion at school. I'm supposed to know you and have for seven years. It's only correct I start now."
Suzaku agreed with a nod.
Rolo extended a hand to C2. "Please give me the gun. You have no use for it. You have the power of Geass, but for the mean time, stay out of sight, and trouble. But if you come for Lelouch, and have even the slightest notion to restore Lelouch's memories, we'll be ready. But I have my orders. If Lelouch gets his memories back, I'm have to kill him."
C2 seemed to smile. She tossed the gun back. But said nothing in reply.
Suzaku saw C2's face, looked into her eyes. He said, "Why are you smiling?"
"You can learn a lot from this one," she said. "He has strong, but honest convictions. Although, one day, they'll be challenged. Let's just see if they stand up to the test."
C2 made her way to the window, opening the panes. A cool brisk wind blew the curtains haphazardly. "I hope you enjoyed my card, Suzaku; it came from the heart," she said. "Remember, always keep hope alive. Without it, life isn't worth living." Then she leapt out.
Suzaku went to the window and watched C2 land safely to the ground from the second floor, then she ran across the courtyard into the darkness of forest cover. It quickly dawned on him—the card at the hospital. She was dressed as that cute nurse: Charlene Chapman; CC, or C2.
"Clever," Suzaku muttered to himself. He smiled.
C2 had been watching over him. And if he had to wager a guess, she was the one dressed as Zero, saving him from Hachirou Chika. So, it hadn't been a hallucination, after all.
Suzaku suddenly heard a click, like from a gun. He turned around and saw Rolo pointing his own pistol at him.
Rolo smiled. "There's something to be said about a person who carries an unloaded gun around. If the chamber was full, you'd be dead, and your death would've been attributed to the rebels." He lowered it. "You're not a villain, Suzaku—far from it, in fact. But you are naïve." He tossed the pistol back, and Suzaku caught it. "Do you still want to see Lelouch?"
Suzaku returned his pistol to his jacket, there was much more to Rolo than met the eye.
He shook his head. "I'll see him at school tomorrow. I can honestly say campus life is more simpler than my present status. I believe C2. I looked into her eyes. It was like looking into Lelouch's. You can tell a lot about a person by their eyes. Lelouch doesn't have his old memories, this time I think the Emperor got it right."
Rolo smiled. "Your heart is good, Suzaku. You've just frustrated, and I can understand that with all you've been through. We both have our orders. Let us initiate them fully now."
Suzaku nodded.
He then left the mansion.
When Suzaku returned home, Arthur greeted him at the front door with a happy meow. He picked up the feline and cradled the cat in his arms, petting him.
"I'm glad you're okay, Arthur. I assure you, nothing like what happened with Hachirou Chika will ever happen again. Gino's security system is now fully activated. I'll make sure to arm it every day and night, even if I have to work late, so at least you're safe."
Arthur purred contently.
After spending some time with Arthur, he got something to eat. Then he armed the security system and retired to his bedroom. He was eager to continue another book Gino loaned him, a collection of stories and poems by a renown author, Edgar Allen Poe. They were filled with dark imaginary and wayward thinking, but every one of them had a moral.
His favourite was "Lenore", and some of the wording, strangely enough, reminded him of his relationship with Lelouch, he could see so much comparison. He loved Lelouch like a blood brother, but he would no longer feel guilt for what he had done to his friend.
But before he settled fully for the night, he wanted to check his voicemail. He had turned his phone off while at the mansion. He had forgotten to turn it on until now.
There was a message from Gino. His voice sounded somber.
"Hey Suzaku, listen, I won't tippy-toe here—I have news about, um, that guy Hachirou Chika; bad news, sorry. The guy—just died an hour ago. Apparently he had developed an unknown infection from the surgery last month that remained undetected. He never complained, so no one knew about it. Sorry buddy. Talk to you later."
Suzaku sat down on his bed in shock, lowering his phone to his side, it dropped to the floor. He looked at Arthur, staring blankly.
"I cost someone their life for something petty as revenge," he said. "Hachirou Chika was Japanese, one of my own people…"
Suzaku had issued a stay of execution and instead opted for a different punishment for Hachirou Chika, he had the tattoo Hachirou's dead brother drew on his body removed—completely. It was like removing his memory of his sibling, like the Emperor removed Nunnally from Lelouch's mind. He had given the order, but he hadn't followed up.
But now he realized his death was a result of Suzaku's directive, so it was like signing the death warrant himself.
Suzaku cupped his face into his hands, and began to cry.
END
Thanks to all my readers for enjoying the extended, combined version of "Identity Crises" and "The Price of Power".
And please enjoy the story "Betrayal From Within", that tells of the Knight of Two, Vincent Glasgow.