One Last Shot at Life…One Last Shot at Victory

by: KazeRose

Stage 2 "The Moon's Silent Tears"

Tohdoh paced the floor of the Order of the Black Knights hideout, they're own secret area that Zero had constructed. Kallen had pulled him aside and told him the situation, everything that she hadn't said to the rest of the Knights.

"Zero is the eleventh prince of the Holy Britannian Empire, Prince Lelouch vi Britannian." Kallen muttered, her chin resting on her folded hands. "His father wants to kill him; after I left I don't know what happened to him…"

Tohdoh slammed a fist down on the table. "Dammit…" he growled, annoyed. "Suzaku, how could you go against…I thought Zero had m-"

"…a treaty with him? Oh no,"

Tohdoh turned around, his dark coloured eyes narrowing. "Oh, it's you, Rakshata…what do you want?"

"It isn't good that Britannia has Zero, you know." She smiled coyly…only she knew what was going on inside of her mind, and no one would change that.

"I know that, Rakshata, why do you think I'm pacing these floors? Waiting for someone to come in and dance with me?" Tohdoh hissed sarcastically. He wasn't in the mood for Rakshata's games.

"Tohdoh?" A voice whispered from the door. "I have ideas from the Knights about how to get Zero home…"

Tohdoh glanced up. It was Kallen, a face he was actually happy to see. "Yes, come in Kallen," he glanced at Rakshata, "and you, get out. Go make some new Knightmare prototype or something."

"But I…"

"Now, Rakshata…" Tohdoh growled.

Rakshata huffed and swung her pipe to her other hand. "Fine, fine," She purred. "You just find a way to get Zero back." She smiled seductively and then sauntered out.

"That woman really creeps me out." Kallen laughed, trying to lighten the tense, dark mood in the meeting room. Tohdoh only nodded, making Kallen tense up slightly. "Here, Sir, the reports from everyone on what to do," she whispered, handing the files over.

Tohdoh graciously took them from the pilot and started to flip through them. "I wonder how many of these are bull-shit." He growled, he stopped flipping, his eyes catching Ohgi's report. "Kallen, where was Zero last seen?"

Kallen blinked. "In the throne room in the Britannia homeland, Sir…why?" she asked, taking the file that Tohdoh had stopped at, and looking at it.

"That one is Ohgi's." Tohdoh said, before Kallen could ask him, he saw her close her mouth, her question being answered. "And why? Because we need to stage a rescue mission," Tohdoh picked up a radio and then radioed in to Rakshata and C.C. "Hey, you guys need to try and locate Zero. Try the prison cells under the throne room in the homeland of the Holy Britannian Empire." Tohdoh ordered. He paused, letting the two on the other end of the radio transmission take in all he had said.

"Go on," C.C. said, urging Tohdoh to finish his instructions to her and Rakshata. "Under the throne room in the homeland?" She asked, making sure that she had heard him right.

Tohdoh nodded, not that C.C. could see him. "Yes, that's right." He answered back to her. "Now, we need to stage this rescue fast, Kallen was there when all this happened, and she said none of it was looking good for the Black Knights." Tohdoh imagined that C.C. nodded from the other end when he got no reply. "You got that?" He asked, making sure that the green-haired witch had heard him.

"Yes, roger that." She answered. Tohdoh could tell that the girl was chewing on pizza, and most likely, clutching to Cheese-Kun…like usual. Nothing ever changed with her.

Kallen glanced over at Tohdoh. "Are we going to get the Chinese Federation involved? Lord Xingke always tries his best to help us out."

Tohdoh thought about this. Kallen had a point, Li Xingke always seemed to back the Order of the Black Knights in some way shape or form, what would make now any different? Tohdoh stopped thinking for a moment. Xingke had gone against them before…but, he and Zero were allies, weren't they? That didn't matter now, the Black Knights needed their leader and the Chinese Federation could be their path to Zero. "Fine, Kallen, have Ohgi, or even you contact the Chinese Federation, see if we can work a deal out with them, and request to talk to Li Xingke." Tohdoh ordered.

"Yes Sir." Kallen complied. "Do you want me to collect the rest of the files from the Knights?" she asked, picking up some of the files that Tohdoh had laid down.

"No, leave those too, Kallen, I'm going to read the rest of them later, we need a back up plan just in case things with the Chinese Federation don't go as planned." The general replied. He sighed and plopped himself down in a chair, watching the pilot of the Guren Mark II make her way out of the room. Everything was up to him now, the leading of the Black Knights, and the rescue of Zero.

****CODE****GEASS****

Lord Li Xingke sighed, leaning back in his seat. He wasn't sure if he should comply with the Order of the Black Knights or not, but something in his head was telling him he should. But, would that complicate things with Britannia? He wondered to himself. Glancing up at the screen where he saw Kallen's face, he sighed, ready to tell her his answer. "I'll work with you all on this mission." He stated, calmly, his fingers playing with his sword that rested on the table that his feet were propped up on. Xingke saw a small spark of determination and thanks light up in Kallen's sapphire blue eyes. The girl was sweet, and had good intentions, he was sure of that.

"Thank you, Lord Xingke." Kallen said, smiling from the other end of the transmission. "The Black Knights are in your debt, really, we are. We are very thankful for all that you and your country have done for us."

A slight smile tugged on the Lord's lips. "Yes, you're very welcome, Ms. Kallen. Now, there is no need to be in debt to China, really there isn't."

Kallen blinked. "What? Why not, with everything you've done for the Knights, just…all you need to do is request help and we'll be there." Kallen offered.

Li sighed softly. This girl was very modest and not acting herself. She was, from when Li had met her, one to speak her emotions loudly and proudly, but now, she just seemed distressed and uncoordinated. Had Zero's capture really disoriented the Guren Mark II's pilot this much? Xingke felt a pang of sorrow and sympathy for the girl in his heart, and he knew that helping the Order of the Black Knights rescue their leader would probably drag a genuine smile back to the red haired pilot's face. "Thank you very much, Ms. Kallen. The Chinese Federation will be sure to take up on your offer if it is ever needed."

Kallen nodded from the other end. "Yes, of course. The pleasure is all ours, Lord Xingke."

****CODE****GEASS****

"Nunally…Nunally…get…"

Suzaku looked over at Lelouch's unconscious form. Was he dreaming of Nunally? Obviously if he was muttering her name, over and over again, it made him think, something Suzaku didn't want to do. The Lancelot's pilot pushed himself up from the wall he was leaning against and bent down by Lelouch, adjusting the wet wash cloth that was draped haphazardly over his fevered brow. "Just hold on, okay? I'll attempt to straighten everything out, I promise, Lelouch."

A/N: Well, there's chapter 2…now, I received two reviews asking me what Suzaku's intentions are and all I have to say to that is "wait and see". I promise everything will be cleared up…really I do. So, anyway, I would love to thank all those who reviewed, favourited and put this story on their alert list. This really means a lot to me. I am also very pleased with the amount of response to this story. I get home after shopping and I have something like five or six emails in my inbox about this. It really made my day, so I'd love to extend my gratitude to all who read and made a motion about letting me know. Thank you all! So, just hang on until the next chapter, all right? KazeRose is outta here!