Suddenly, Suzaku flew down in the Lancelot. Cornelia said, "Suzaku, the Black Knights have exited their mechs, in order to congratulate their friend. Since their mechs are unaccompanied, you know what to do."

Suzaku replied, "Yes, your majesty." Suzaku pressed a button on the Lancelot, that made a flamethrower pop out. Suzaku started using the flame thrower to set the Black Knight's mechs on fire.

Zero asked, "How could any mech have such a device?"

Suzaku replied, "It's something that Lloyd installed. It's one of the few reckless inventions of his, that I'm fond of."

The Black Knights looked nervous, while watching their mechs burn up. Kallen screamed, "We gotta do something!"

Ohgi responded, "There's nothing we can do, Kallen."

Tohdoh said, "Ohgi's right. If we run to where the mechs are, we'll get burned. Besides, the mechs have already been burnt too much, to ever work again."

C. C. said, "It's sad to see Rakshata's inventions be burnt to the ground."

Cornelia smirked at Zero and the Black Knights, while saying, "It appears you've lost your greatest method of fighting us. Because of that, you've become far less of a challenge."

Suzaku started using the Lancelot, to attack the Black Knights. He used the Lancelot's arms to fling Black Knights around and he pressed buttons, that blasted Black Knights around. Zero started running closer, so he could help his teammates. However, Cornelia grabbed him and said, "You're not going to be facing against the Lancelot, Zero. I have a special opponent for you."

Jeremiah popped out of the shadows, while having a big smirk on his face. Zero asked, "Orange-boy?"

Jeremiah looked offended, while saying, "How dare you call me that. You have no loyalty, no self-respect, and no standards."

Zero said, "The Britannians are the ones that fit that bill, not me."

Jeremiah replied, "Your cheap insults won't be affecting Britannia for much longer, you disloyal vigilante. Professor Lloyd made some adjustments to me. I'm stronger than ever."

C. C.'s eyebrows went up in fear. She asked, "Lloyd's out of prison?"

Jeremiah answered, "He sure is and he's madder than ever. As for me, I finally have the strength necessary to bring Zero down."

Zero said, "That isn't happening."

Jeremiah smiled, while responding, "Go ahead and keep ignorant. It's nothing new, for you to underestimate what you're up against." Jeremiah grabbed Zero and punched him in the stomach. He threw Zero to the ground and started stepping on him. C. C. ran by, to try to help Zero, but Jeremiah picked her up and threw her into the bushes. Zero tried to get up, but Jeremiah used his fists, to punch Zero's mask, five times in a row. Cornelia gleefully grinned, while watching Zero get beaten up. Jeremiah looked down at Zero, with a proud smile on his face. He said, "Zero, I need you to do something for me."

Zero asked, "What would that be?"

Jeremiah replied, "Admit that I'm a better fighter than you and stop calling me orange-boy."

Zero responded, "You're the one who's weak, orange-boy."

Jeremiah looked stressed-out and confused, while asking, "How could you possibly feel that way? I'm standing on your stomach, as we speak. I hit you around, with ease. I've been throwing all the punches, while you haven't gotten a single hit in."

Zero responded, "Yes and despite that, you're the one who's paranoid and is doubting himself, while I remain calm and collected. Even when I'm beaten to the ground, I'm still the one calling the shots and you're still a lackey, who's never going to beat me."

Jeremiah replied, "You're wrong, Zero. You have to be."

Zero said, "I'm going to be just fine. As for you, you're not looking so hot. You were below average looking, to begin with. With all those robot parts the Earl of Pudding put in you, you look pretty bad, orange-boy."

Jeremiah replied, "Zero, I'm not going to tolerate your immature insults. You been sentenced to death, by Princess Cornelia. I am going to have you destroyed, because of my loyalty to Britannia and for my self-respect."

Zero said, "Go ahead, if that's what you desire. My life being on the line is hardly a concern to me."

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow and asked, "How could you say that? This is your own life we're talking about. Without you, the Black Knights would be lost."

Zero said, "I used to fear that would be the case, but not anymore. Even without their mechs, their most useful tool of all, they are just as brave and determined to save Japan, as ever. I believe they'll continue to keep that strong-willed attitude, even without me around. Plus, I know you're not going to destroy me, because Princess Cornelia is almost certainly reserving that honor for herself."

Cornelia walked closer and replied, "You know me well, Zero."

Zero said, "I know more about you, than you could ever predict."

Cornelia replied, "That intrigues me. I'm guessing there's something of significance, concerning your secret identity."

Zero responded, "You could say that."

Cornelia said, "If Jeremiah or I got rid of you, right now, we'd never know who you truly were. Considering you're apparently a Britannian, I find it essential that we find out who you are. You'll go down in history, as the biggest trader in all of Britannia."

Zero replied, "Then it appears I get to live another day. So, are you ready to let me and the Black Knights go, just like last time?"

Cornelia scoffed and responded, "Yeah right, Zero. You're never going to slip through my fingers, ever again. You're going to surrender, but this time, surrendering is going to have a different meaning. Last time, surrendering just meant admitting you've lost the fight and going home. This time, you'll have to agree to be imprisoned. After being put behind bars, I'll unmask you and have you eliminated."

Zero said, "You're as crazy as orange-boy, if you think I'll agree to that."

Cornelia replied, "You'll have to agree to that, if you want your teammates to live."

Zero asked, "What do you mean?"

Cornelia said, "Look around." Zero looked around and saw that the Britannian military, with the help of Suzaku's Lancelot, were beating the Black Knights.

Cornelia said, "I've instructed my men and women, to just knock-out your teammates and have them locked up. However, if you refuse to surrender to me, I will have my people eliminate yours. Your plans will completely crumble apart, without the Black Knights. You'll be all alone, while watching Area 11 be in worse shape in ever before. You'll become the person, who ruined Japan the most. Is that really the reputation you want to gain?"

Zero paused and thought about what to do. He angrily sighed and said, "I surrender, Cornelia. You've won the fight. You can take me in. Just spare the Black Knight's lives. Since you're true to your word, I know you'll do the right thing."

Cornelia faced Guilford, Darlton, and her guards., while saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, Zero has agreed to forfeit the rest of the fight, in exchange for letting his teammates live. You are to imprison the Black Knights. Not a single one of them is to be shot, from this moment on."

Zero (talking in his head): "I figured you'd say that, Cornelia. As stubbornly ignorant as you are, I know you have some good in you."

Cornelia said, "Zero is to be taken to a separate cell, where he will be unmasked and then face what he's got coming to him."

Kallen screamed, "No! Zero, don't surrender! You can't let Japan down!"

Zero looked at the Black Knights and confidently said, "You need to trust me. I'm making the best of a bad situation. I'm going to get us the victory we need. I'm forfeiting the fight, but I will never forfeit on saving Japan."

Jeremiah put handcuffs on Zero. Darlton and Guilford started escorting Zero away, while the guards put handcuffs on the Black Knights and started taking them to their cells. Cornelia stood around, while having a giant grin on her face. Suzaku got out of his mech and stood by Cornelia. Cornelia looked at him, while saying, "So, do you feel like we've won this time, Kururugi?"

Suzaku answered, "Yes. Not everything feels right, just yet, but I can't deny this isn't a strong victory."

Cornelia said, "You did an excellent job. Professor Lloyd is a complete madman, but his Lancelot was a brilliant design. You were very heroic, today."

Suzaku replied, "Thank you. I'm honored to hear that from you, your majesty. However, I do have a question for you."

Cornelia asked, "What is it?"

Suzaku asked, "Why did you re-hire Lloyd? That guy was arrested for kidnapping and frankly, he deserves to remain behind bars."

Cornelia said, "The woman he kidnapped is on Zero's team. If anything, he was doing us a favor, by going after her. Every decision I make has a meaning behind it. Don't lose sight of that, Kururugi."

Suzaku replied, "I understand, your majesty." Suzaku (talking in his head): "This time, I destroyed all of the mechs and Zero got arrested. Despite that, I don't feel like we won. Why is that?"

C. C. opened her eyes and realized she was tied to a table and had been put in Lloyd's lab. She looked around and saw Lloyd and Jeremiah standing around. Lloyd walked up to her, while having a grin on his face. He held a container of pudding near her, while asking, "Would you like some pudding?"

C. C. gave Lloyd a disapproving look, while asking, "Are you actually joking around, at a time as serious as this?!"

Lloyd said, "Indeed I am. A lot of people think they have to lose their sense of humor, when placed into perilous, dramatic situations. I've never been a believer in that. I think one's spirits should always be lifted." Lloyd ate some pudding, while giggling. C. C. gave him some dirty looks. Lloyd said, "Anyways, it's great to be reunited with you, my dear. I've missed you." Lloyd playfully rubbed C. C.'s hair and face. C. C. bit his fingers. Lloyd looked amused, while saying, "Wow, you pack quite the bite."

C. C. smirked, while replying, "Of course I do. I don't know why Princess Cornelia released you from prison. She must have gone crazy. Regardless, you have to let me out of here."

Lloyd burst into crazy-sounding laughter, before saying, "Oh, C. C. Do you think I was being genuine, when I said I missed you? Like I said, I don't like to lose my sense of humor and you better believe I was joking, when I claimed I missed you. If I had any amount of love and sentimentality in my heart, you broke it."

C. C. replied, "And you broke mine. That would make us even, but you're currently keeping me captive, so you're still in the wrong, as usual."

Lloyd said, "C. C., you broke my heart. I'm afraid you're going to pay for that, but first, I want to show you something."

Lloyd raised Jeremiah's visor, to show C. C. that Jeremiah now had a geass. C. C. looked scared and confused, while asking, "How did you give Jeremiah a geass?"

Lloyd explained, "After meeting you, I became fascinated with the thought of geass. There were so many scientific possibilities, in the power of geass, that I knew I'd have to create one. I've done years of research and after getting some advanced technology, from Princess Cornelia, I was able to make a geass. I had it installed in Jeremiah. However, Jeremiah's geass is unlike the one you gave Lelouch and unlike any of the other geasses, that you have seen. Jeremiah's geass is geass canceller. It can forfeit whatever geass commands people were put under, within a hundred-mile radius."

C. C. asked, "What the heck are you going to do with that?"

Lloyd answered, "I'm going to undo all the commands that Lelouch has used on people. Go ahead, Jeremiah."

Jeremiah responded, "Okay, Professor Lloyd." Jeremiah activated his geass canceller.