Author's Note:

Alright, here's that second chapter I promised. I'm honestly surprised there are so many people interested in this story. I've always considered a chapter a worthwhile post if even just one person enjoys it, and it seems as though more than that have decided to give this story a chance. Well, I'll see what I can do as I get back into the swing of writing again. It's certainly been quite a while.

What the hell… Lelouch and C.C.? Was he the one speaking earlier?

If Kallen had been just a little more confident, she would have loved to savor the expression of complete shock on Lelouch's face. Now though, her eyes kept darting back and forth between him and C.C., her confusion making her almost forget about the advantageous knife in her grasp. Not that she could stab C.C. with it, not with her being so close to Zero and all. Lelouch however…

The vice president recovered quickly, pasting on a smile that was just a little too tight.

"Kallen," he said, "did you need something from storage for the horror house?"

Lelouch spoke the words so evenly that Kallen had to wonder if he even noticed the knife in her hands. No, it was pretty obvious. He was just choosing to ignore it for some reason. Shouldn't he care as a member of the student council that she was threatening him with a weapon? Well, Kallen supposed she'd already done that to him in the shower that once… not that she ever wanted to think about that incident again. The only reason she'd had to go that far was because she thought he might have…

Kallen narrowed her eyes and glared at C.C. The woman seemed to be enjoying the situation they were in, staring back at Kallen with a bemused smile. Why was she here, and in an Ashford uniform too? Kallen was sure she didn't attend the school. In fact, Kallen doubted the woman was even high school age at all. She looked like a teenager, but the woman certainly never acted like one.

Lelouch must have noticed the two staring at one another because he decided to intervene. "Oh, Kallen, this is Catherine. She's a… friend of the family…" C.C.'s smile fell just a little. "…who came by to visit for the festival this weekend. She lost her luggage during the trip and had to borrow a school uniform instead, so there's no reason to be concerned." He nodded towards her knife.

"Uh-huh." Kallen slowly shielded her blade since she doubted either of the other occupants could overpower her but made no move to change her stance or her positioning in front of the entryway. He thought she was on edge because she, what, thought C.C. was some invader at Ashford? On a day campus was open for a festival? Bullshit.

"So, what were you two talking about before I interrupted? Out here alone in the storage shed?" Kallen pondered.

Lelouch flicked his gaze to C.C. in a barely-hidden display of anger before turning back to Kallen with ice in his eyes. She shivered. "Catherine kept pestering me for some of the pizza we're making later, but I knew that if Milly caught news I had a girl staying with me, I'd never hear the end of it." He made an attempt to smile again as he shrugged. "You know the prez."

That she did. After the cat hunt, Kallen had begun to live in fear that the student council president may try to auction off their virginity next… no! She had to focus! Lelouch was trying to distract her from C.C., and Kallen realized that he'd already inched a bit closer to the door. She backed up a little to block the way.

"That wasn't really what I meant." She had to go for it now, before he tried anything or got a chance to escape. "You see, I could have sworn I heard you mention something about a 'coup d'état', but that'd be ridiculous." Kallen narrowed her eyes. "Right?"

The Black Knights' ace knew she'd caught him when his eyes widened in horror, like how he'd looked when she first spotted him and C.C. together. He glanced over at C.C. as if expecting her to do something, but she suddenly didn't seem interested in anything other than twirling a few strands of green hair around her finger. The vice president turned back to her again.

"Shouldn't you head back to the horror house, Kallen? I bet your class is wondering where you've gone."

Kallen was about to launch back that he was obviously hiding something, that she knew C.C. wasn't a "visiting family friend," and that she wanted answers now, but she never got the chance to voice her response. Suddenly, she heard the sound of someone running up behind her, and before she could try to defend herself, she found her arms pressed against her back, unable to move. Her pouch fell to the floor.

"Kallen, we had an agreement," a familiar voice stated (damn that traitor), "and if you aren't going to hold up your end of the bargain then – "

There was a pause, and Kallen realized that Lelouch had attempted to retreat towards the back of the warehouse with C.C., but he'd stopped midway once Suzaku noticed him.

"Lelouch?" his friend questioned, probably confused why Kallen was pulling a knife on him. His next question, however, turned Kallen's world upside-down. "Is that the girl from Shinjuku?"

Kallen relaxed in the knight's grip and stared at the duo wide-eyed.

'Don't tell anyone about Shinjuku.'

"You were in Shinjuku?"

Lelouch opened his mouth to respond, but Suzaku cut him off with an edge to his voice.

"No, you already lied to me when you claimed you didn't know her whereabouts weeks ago, so I'll do the talking." He then addressed his captive directly. "Kallen, do you know this girl?"

Kallen really didn't want to answer that question. What could she say? Yes, I know her. She's a member of the Black Knights, apparently Zero's mistress, and does nothing but sit around and mock the other officers. Yeah, that would go over well, not to mention reveal her double life to Lelouch. Although, considering her knife threats and his choice in companion, that was probably already a moot point. Still, she remained silent.

Suzaku gave a long exhale and Kallen inwardly cursed as she realized her silence probably confirmed his question regardless. "Kallen, I don't know why you cornered Lelouch and that girl the way you did, but I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and let you go. Will you promise to stay put for the time being?"

Well, that was a surprise.

"And why would you do that?" Kallen scoffed.

"Obviously you had some reason for being on guard. I'm also assuming you want the truth as well. We all have a right to that." He glared at his friend.

Kallen eyed Lelouch, who seemed to be running through possible justifications in his head. Slowly, his face seemed to be morphing into some form of panic, giving the redhead just a bit of satisfaction at seeing him caught off-guard for once. "Alright, then. I'd… appreciate that." Suzaku let go of her arms, and Kallen shook them out while trying to figure out how to regain her fallen pouch.

"Suzaku, Kallen, we should really continue this discussion another time. The festival's still going on and –"

"Don't you start!" Suzaku snapped. "Who is she?"

Before Lelouch could answer, Kallen cut in, "Lelouch said she's a visiting family friend."

Apparently, that wasn't the right answer. "A family friend? I didn't know you had any of those in Area 11 besides the Ashfords. What was a family friend doing in a poison gas capsule in Shinjuku? Or out on the battlefield at Narita, aiding Zero's escape?"

So, it seemed Suzaku did already know about C.C.'s connection to the Black Knights. But what did he mean by 'in a poison gas capsule in Shinjuku'?

Shinjuku. Why the hell was he in Shinjuku?

Lelouch's eyes widened. "Zero…?" He looked over at the green-haired woman.

It seemed to be getting harder for Lelouch to keep a straight face, and for once, Kallen felt glad that Suzaku was around. At least he seemed to be able to cut through Lelouch's lies pretty easily. But this one… Kallen didn't think anyone at Ashford really knew much about Lelouch's family, so why was Suzaku so informed? Regardless, Kallen could settle for a few answers here until she could get Lelouch alone again to grill him.

"Please, I'm not playing this game right now. Just tell them the truth so you no longer have to deal with this mess."

That was the first time C.C. had spoken since Kallen had first entered the warehouse. All traces of her original amusement were gone from her face, replaced instead with a familiar distant indifference. When did that change happen? After Suzaku started asking too many questions?

Lelouch reeled back a bit in shock before his expression settled into a calculating mask.

"Very well then," he said, having finally decided on a response. "Let me introduce you to C.C. We met for the first time in Shinjuku, on the day of the 'poison gas' incident."

"C.C…" Suzaku repeated, testing out the strange initials. He didn't ask about that detail, though. "You never explained why you were in Shinjuku in the first place."

Oh, yes. Please do explain.

"Rivalz and I had a match that afternoon." Suzaku glowered at his friend's gambling habits, something Lelouch immediately took notice of. "As much as you and the rest of the student council disapprove, Suzaku, I still need to pay for Nunnally's expenses so the Ashfords aren't saddled with the costs. I don't know how you'd expect me to get a more honorable job when any other options would require a forged government identification."

Kallen wanted to ask a few questions, but Lelouch didn't give her the chance before he continued. "As I was saying, while we were driving back to Ashford, Rivalz's bike was almost run off the side of the road by a truck." Lelouch looked distinctly at Kallen as he said this, who tensed. "They crashed, I went to check the wreckage, and I somehow ended up in the back of a terrorist vehicle being chased by the Britannian military."

Kallen couldn't believe it. He knew. Lelouch had seen her in Shinjuku. He'd known this entire time about her other life, and he'd only really slipped that once. Why hasn't he told anyone about me yet?

"Then, the truck crashed for a second time, and, if I remember correctly, you knocked me over with a kick to the face, Suzaku."

"Because you were in a terrorist vehicle with stolen military weaponry! What else was I supposed to think?"

This must have been after I launched in the Glasgow, Kallen thought, since she didn't remember this so-called 'second crash'. Did Lelouch see Nagata die? The ace of the Black Knights still couldn't comprehend her oversight with the Ashford vice president. I can't believe he knew this whole time! And I almost had him too, that once. What Kallen really didn't want to think about, what she refused to think about, was the role she'd once suspected Lelouch of playing in Shinjuku.

"Ah yes, the stolen military weaponry," Lelouch went on. "Tell me, Suzaku, did you ever wonder why C.C. was imprisoned within that capsule instead of the supposed poison gas?"

Now, Kallen was confused. "Wait, are you saying that there was no poison gas in Shinjuku?" We went through all that trouble to obtain it for nothing? Then, she registered the other part of what Lelouch said. "C.C. was in the capsule?"

"Correct. C.C. was being held by the Viceroy for the purpose of human experimentation."

"Human…" Suzaku trailed off. "Aren't you jumping to conclusions? Maybe she committed some sort of crime or –"

"I assure you, boy, that your friend is telling the truth. I possess a skill which that vain prince desperately wanted to get his hands on."

Suzaku and Kallen turned to face C.C. "Which is…?" he asked.

"I cannot die."

Both of Lelouch's classmates blinked as he jumped in. "Bluntness aside, I wouldn't have believed the witch myself if I hadn't experienced her recovery from a fatal shot to the head firsthand. Considering it's her fault that we're all in this mess to begin with," C.C. smirked, "I would love if she could demonstrate her ability for you…" She raised a brow, "…however, I think that a crowded public facility is not the place for that to occur."

Suzaku's eyes widened. "Demonstrate? Lelouch, you don't mean-"

"I believe I told you already, Suzaku, that she would return unscathed."

"But how is that possible!?" Kallen exclaimed. She could tell that the green-haired beauty had recovered a little of her previous amusement by the situation in front of her, but Kallen didn't want to think about her specifically right now. Someone who couldn't die? If such a power existed, no wonder Zero tolerated the insufferable woman as his ally.

Lelouch looked down at C.C. "Would you care to explain this? I certainly don't have the answer."

C.C. met his gaze with a neutral expression. "What do you think?"

"Tch." Lelouch breathed. "As incredulous as it may seem, I encourage the both of you to just believe what we've said thus far as fact."

"But - !"

"Lelouch," Suzaku cut in. Kallen growled in irritation at being interrupted, but Suzaku apparently didn't care. He instead looked between his friend and the supposed immortal. "Let's just assume you've been telling the truth until now because, although you've obviously been lying to me about some things, I don't think you'd make up something this crazy."

Lelouch nodded. "Fair enough."

Kallen really didn't want that to be how the matter was settled. What the hell was C.C. even saying, and why would Lelouch agree with her? Was she supposed to believe that C.C. was really… a witch? She looked at C.C., and although the woman's expressions never seemed to vary beyond stoicism or gentle amusement, she now met Kallen's gaze head-on. Her golden eyes twinkled as if anticipating a challenge, but the strength never wavered. Did that mean she and Lelouch were telling the truth, or did that mean they were lying? Lelouch, at least, had already proven to be an effective liar.

Immortality definitely didn't seem possible, but, although she hated it, she had to agree that Suzaku had a point. This was so out of left field that she didn't think Lelouch would even try to make up such a thing. Honestly, C.C. being kept in a capsule by the Britannian military for human experimentation made more sense than anything else about Shinjuku at the moment. It definitely sounded like something those scum would do.

"Fine," Kallen huffed, ready to get on with the rest of the explanation. "Then what happened?"

"Well, as Suzaku can tell you, his commanding officer shot him for protecting me, then C.C. and I barely managed to escape the ghetto with our lives."

Kallen turned to the knight, trying to contain her anger. "You're telling me that you were shot by your comrades in the Britannian military and yet you still believe they're the good guys?"

"I never said that everyone in the military is always in the right, but I do know that it's wrong to provoke violence and create chaos when there are already systems in place to – " Suzaku stopped before he got too worked up. "Look, we're not here to discuss my ideals. Keep going, Lelouch. How was it that you got away, considering we both agree that Clovis's royal guard was after your head once you discovered their secret?"

Kallen wondered if Lelouch had inched backwards a little more or if she was just imagining it. Regardless, he answered, "The terrorist vehicle suddenly exploded, giving C.C. and me an opportunity to slip away."

"Nagata," Kallen breathed. Though they'd obviously heard the remark, no one commented.

Lelouch continued, "As for what you're claiming about C.C., Suzaku, I can't confirm or deny her associations with the Black Knights. I offered her shelter from the military, but she comes and goes as she pleases; I have no control over that."

"But you wouldn't care if she chose to associate with terrorists? Is that what you're saying? I find it hard to believe that you had absolutely no interest in the activities of someone you'd let so close to Nunnally."

Lelouch shrugged. "You know my opinions of the military. I'm sure it comes at no surprise to you that I would sympathize with the Black Knights at least a little."

Kallen's eyes widened. Opinions of the military. Sympathize with the Black Knights. C.C. Coup D'état.

Lelouch shot the redhead a funny look, as if considering how to deal with her. Kallen wondered briefly if he could somehow read her mind.

"If you'd like any more, I'd suggest you ask Miss. Stadtfeld for your answers, since according to you, it seems we're all already aware of her… evening activities."

Kallen's face grew red enough to match her hair. "Why you –"

Lelouch smirked. "Ah, there it is. The real you."

Somehow, that made her even angrier. "And what would you know about that? Obviously, you saw me piloting a Knightmare in Shinjuku, so why didn't you say anything before?"

"Why interfere in a battle I have no stake in?"

He looked over towards Suzaku. "It seems like you now have someone in the military turning a blind eye to your actions as well, and a royal knight no less. How convenient."

Kallen almost blurted out a question about what she'd heard outside the warehouse before remembering that she was still technically in the company of the enemy. She breathed deeply, forcing herself to calm down after his non-answers. I just need to get him alone later. Then, I can confront him and maybe even C.C.

"I'm turning a blind eye, as you say, because this isn't the proper setting. Kallen isn't at school to support the Black Knights. She's trying to get an education like every other teenager that'll eventually join a productive society. This peace won't be applied to the battlefield. Our reasons are not the same."

"Shouldn't you apply the same logic to C.C. then? Anything less would be hypocritical since I'd hardly consider my and Nunnally's suite to be a battlefield."

Suzaku still looked annoyed, but he also wasn't answering his friend. Kallen knew Lelouch had a sharp tongue, but to be able to worm himself out of this tight situation so easily… it almost seemed likely that Suzaku would just let him and C.C. off the hook along with her. Leave it to Lelouch to use his own friend's morals against him. But if he thought he was escaping the ace of the Black Knights, he had another thing coming.

Obviously, however, she couldn't confront him with Suzaku around.

"Well, since that's over with, I'm gonna head out. I'm sure they're missing me over at the horror house…" Kallen walked over to her hidden switchblade, stashing it back in her jacket before Suzaku could get a closer look at it. Leaving wouldn't be a complete win because Lelouch was still hiding something. At least it wouldn't be a complete loss either, considering what she'd learned about C.C., Shinjuku, and Lelouch's feigned ignorance. Now, she even knew how to find C.C. outside of the Black Knights, and that could provide a direct route of contact to Zero.

Unless he's closer than he seems, a small voice whispered, but she pushed it away.

Kallen turned towards the door, feeling all three pairs of eyes on her back. Just when she thought she was in the clear, Suzaku's voice rang out from behind her. "Wait, Kallen."

Why can't you just leave me alone already?

She faced them again. Lelouch and C.C. were intently watching Suzaku, but now she could definitely see them trying to sneak backwards while the knight was focused on her and had his back turned. Do they have an escape route in the back of the warehouse? Lelouch had lost his flippant mask and seemed to be the more concerned of the two, tugging C.C. by the sleeve as her eyes bore like daggers into the Japanese boy. Lelouch then locked his gaze with Kallen in some sort of warning.

So, that's how it was.

"What is it?" she answered Suzaku before he got suspicious.

They were trying to escape Suzaku and whatever he'd discover about them, they knew that Kallen had noticed them, and Lelouch wanted her to let them go. If I didn't already know they were hiding much more than they were letting on, this would be pretty damning evidence. Well, fine. She'd play along for now, but they'd both pay for this later, hopefully in answers. They'd already claimed that C.C. was essentially immortal, and Kallen could only think of a few secrets that would be more worth keeping than that one. Unfortunately, a few of those possibilities were ones Kallen really hoped weren't true.

Instead of narrowing his eyes like someone with suspicions would usually do, Suzaku widened his, appearing genuinely confused. "Why did you corner Lelouch and C.C. to begin with?"

Shit.

Author's Note:

I hope you enjoyed reading what was essentially just a single conversation. I'm still thinking through how exactly I want to continue posting this story in the future, so don't be surprised if I eventually end up reorganizing or editing some of what is already written. I'll mark it clearly if that ends up happening.

I think I'm going to clean-up/post another chapter for my other fic before I come back to this one. I'm nearly finished with that fic, so I'm determined to polish it off as I've been planning to do for a while now. I do have another two chapters basically written for this story already, but I think I want to change a few things before I post them.

Thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, reviewed, or even just read this story so far. I appreciate you all and love to see that people are still so active in the Code Geass community. See you in the next update!