Slayer Anderson
JUSTICE II
A Code Geass/Miscellaneous X-over
07/18/10
Disclaimer: Okay, first off, I don't own anything save my story. Any recognized characters/devices/worlds are the property of their respective owners. I am using said property without permission and without profit or personal gain.
Second, there will be a large amount of material used from various different sources in this fanfic. Do not readily assume that I'm using 'cannon' versions of any material I pull from. For instance, I will be using material from both Resident Evil, though it will not be presented in full in this fanfiction. This is the principle reason it is not listed as a crossover and is, instead, in the Code Geass Section. Likewise, though I will be using Code Geass as the 'base concept' for this fiction, do not expect me to adhere to the cannon storyline. To put it plainly:
Anything Goes.
Chapter 2 – Into the Abyss We Go
When the railcar stopped and its doors opened, eight firearms were pointed into the empty space beyond.
There was a painfully tense moment when those with a single hand free, due to carry one-handed pistols, shone their flashlights through the shadowy darkness. Unlike the recessed chemical lighting of the previous station, this terminal possessed minimal electrical incandescent bulbs strewn through various alcoves. The air was stale with the smell of day-old spilled blood and, unlike the already gruesome scenes that the Black Knights had viewed, there was a dawning horror in their minds as red gore slowly, agonizingly, dripped from the ceiling. The red, syrupy liquid had been mixed with a black ichor that couldn't possibly belong to any type of human being, being especially thick among the scattered limbs and…pieces of raw, red flesh that lay in congealed pools of blood which the Knights tried to avoid looking at, instead fixing their gazes on the still-sickening, but less disturbing, smatterings of bodily fluids.
"S_it," Sugiyama cursed in a hushed, horrified tone.
Inoue dropped to her knees and, much like Ohgi earlier, vomited loudly onto the floor before her.
It was only by an act of supreme willpower (save for one already-empty stomach) that no one else followed her lead. Only the fact that many of the Knights had not dropped their guard saved them from the gaping disbelief at the terrifying sight of the dead room before them as a shape emerged from the dark depths. Being that none of them were in any shape to act rationally, a veritable hail of bullets rained down on whatever it was which was coming at them. The cacophonous racket left the Knights' ears ringing, and, as soon as the monstrous form dropped to rest in front of them, their eyes wide in disbelief.
"No," Tamaki said, shaking his head as if rejecting the current reality. "I've had to deal with some weird shit tonight. Buncha' crazy nutjobs dead before we get there, fine! Secret Britannian science stuff, okay! People trying to EAT us! That's pushing it, but they stay down if you put enough lead in them. But MONSTERS? Real, honest to God monsters? No, just no! F_ck this shit, I wanna' go home! I signed up to fight people, not some…big, red, long-tongued thing with its brain on the outside!" Tamaki's…passionate description of the creature that had taken dozens of bullets was, for the most part, correct. His peace said, the man turned from the…thing on the ground before them and marched back inside the train…
Until the thing's tongue launched out and grabbed Tamaki's leg, tearing it out from under him and bringing him, screaming, to the ground. Inoue, Yoshida, and Sugiyama flinched and cried out in fright, falling back from their captured ally with shock and fear. Minami frantically grabbed at Tamaki's hand; Zero and Kallen, meanwhile, brought new clips up, reloaded their firearms, and fired as quickly as possible directly at the creature's head…er, brain. Having pumped enough ammunition to kill a dozen people at least twice over, the thing finally collapsed, its brain now little more than a pink soup pooling in the bullet-pocked ground. Jerking his leg free, Tamaki scrambled away from the horror that had nearly-nearly…whatever it was it was going to do to him, he really didn't want to know.
"I'm afraid that retreat is no longer an option," Zero said gravely, his mask never moving from the creature, nor did his gun move either…save for the almost unnoticeable tremor in his grip. "Judging by how much punishment…whatever these things are, can take, I fear that they will either be waiting for us should we return or might be lying in wait in the tunnel. I have no idea if their…abilities would allow them to stop the car or if they are even now in pursuit. Our only real option is moving forward."
His proposal made, Zero surveyed the faces of his troops. Each, without exception, was pale and clammy, wide-eyed from their friend's close brush with death, and clutching their guns close to them. Kallen remained the most composed of them, although that could be merely because she, next to Lelouch himself, was perhaps the most competent actor of their small group. Breathing deeply, she nodded, having made her own decision, "I'm with you, Zero."
Minami snorted, "Of course you are."
The volatile redhead frowned, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm just questioning your objectivity," the brown-haired man said lightly, regardless of the treacherous ground he was treading on. "Zero this, Zero that…I bet you think he's some kind of God, don't you? Well, here's a newsflash, Kallen…he got us into this mess! We followed him straight into the plot of a horror movie," He spun, looking at each of the assembled Knights in turn, "And don't pretend it's not true…I saw the bite marks on those corpses! Do you think normal people get right back up after five rounds in the gut? Wake up people! We're dealing with Zombies! It's Zero's fault that we're down here," Minami reiterated, "and you're still going to follow him?" Finally, Minami's fierce glare had come full circle, fixed on a furious-looking Kallen, "What's wrong with you?"
"You ass!" Kallen roared, "There's no way he could have known-"
"Exactly my point!" Minami exclaimed, "If he's going to follow faulty intel then he shouldn't lead us!"
The accusation hung in the air as the Knights exchanged nervous glances. Zero, as always, seemed unmoved by the miniature uprising and insubordination. Behind the mask, though, Lelouch grimaced, his thoughts reflecting the turmoil among his Knights even if the impassive mask didn't. I had planned for such an eventual attempt to usurp my command, but not until much later in my agenda and in a much more controlled situation. The ideal scenario would have been to place the Black Knights, after acquiring many more members, in a setting where they would have to accept my authority or die pointlessly. The plan had been to convert them from hit-and-run terrorist tactics into a military-minded force willing to charge into battle at my command. But, this is much too soon…ah well, when needs must, the devils wins out… "If you're quite finished?" Zero asked, his tone neither angry nor vengeful, though there was a certain hint of steel behind it. "Minami is, in a sense, correct. I am not a God."
The bespectacled man blinked, taken aback by the masked vigilante's agreement. Then, Zero turned and spoke to the rest of the Knights. "However, if you are waiting for some omnipotent, all-knowing deity to come down from on high and lead you to victory over Britannia…I daresay you will be waiting quite a long time."
Zero paused, allowing his point to sink in before continuing.
"Before now, I have asked for your alliance, to work with me…now I ask for your allegiance, to work for me. Each of you has committed themselves to my orders time and again over the last four months. Each of you has glimpsed victory over a system designed to crush the will of your native land. Each of you has been given more than enough time to consider what I have offered at the outset of our partnership…and now I am asking you to decide. Do you believe any among those assembled here have the ability to lead you out of this impossible situation…"
"You have eight people, limited ammunition, no reinforcements, and are faced with the prospect of horrors beyond your wildest nightmares come to life." At this point, Zero spun his pistol, holding the barrel and extending the grip to Minami. "Yoshitaka-san, you have been the most vocal…are you willing to order these people into combat, to take responsibility for their deaths, and to carry on with the objective no matter how much blood stains your hands?"
Minami swallowed deeply, his eyes wide as he looked into Zero's unyielding black mask and then to the gun pressed towards him. The reality of the situation had come crashing down on him and he had panicked, throwing accusations at the only person available to take the blame. Looking considerably more pale than he had before, he realized that Zero had not objected to the blame he'd heaped on. Only then did true realization strike him at what it meant to lead. Slowly, deliberately, he shook his head and watched as Zero extended the pistol to each Knight in turn, all of them refusing.
Ultimately, Zero was their best hope for survival.
"I do not promise all of you will get out of here alive…but I do promise you that I will not stop. I will not let Britannia win. I will carve a path for us out of their cave of horrors…if you will follow me!"
A chorus of raucous agreement rang aloud in the train-car, Lelouch's face twisting into a satisfied smirk. Ordering a quick equipment check, rounds counted, and a survey to look for any feasible secondary weapons around the train, Zero gave the first of his commands to his Black Knights. All of them jumped to obey, filled with the urgency that only a life-or-death situation can create.
Now, Lelouch thought as he steeled himself for the hours to come, all I have to do is deliver on that promise…
"Zero, we've got 1000 .45 rounds…six coilgun pistols and four assault submachine guns, and a few small knives. All of our radios are in working order and we also have six flashlights, three chemical torches, three medical kits, Sugiyama had one of Clovis' research group's laptops when they started running, and Minami was carrying a block of demolitions clay and detonator." Ohgi's report was given with a professionalism that Lelouch had come to expect, though the man glared slightly at the mention of explosives.
"We'll need every little bit, most likely. Ration the ammunition evenly and alternate point men, middle men, and rear guards. Sugiyama and Tamaki are up first, then yourself and Yoshida. Minami and Inoue, last. Kallen, you're with me. Move in pairs and cover each other, do not go anywhere alone. Conserve ammunition. Conserve flashlight power."
Zero's mask rotated between them, the seriousness of the situation lending a grim chill to his next words. "I can't confirm or deny what these…things are, however they are trying to kill us. Do not attempt warning shots. Do not shoot to maim. Due to the fact that we have no idea how many enemies we are facing…I am ordering every person here to take headshots; one bullet, one kill."
The Black Knights shuffled nervously as they traded uneasy glances. Finally, Inoue spoke up. "Zero…we can't kill civilians."
"Regardless of what they might have been, Shikinami Inoue," Zero stated gruffly, turning his attention towards the pale woman, "They are not civilians anymore. These things are mindless, bloodthirsty, and will kill without remorse. Either make your peace with that or give your gun to someone who can."
With that pronouncement, Zero spun, stepping out into the dark void. "Point men, pair up behind me…middle men reload; rear guard, watch our backs. This facility is likely running on emergency power, indicating there might be some kind of master power grid or command center."
"Shouldn't we look for an elevator…or stairs, Zero?" Tamaki asked swiveling his assault rifle in a paranoid manner at the slightest sound.
"Putting aside the power failure and the surety that we'll run into locked-down areas," Zero started as they moved through the inky darkness and through a pair of wide-open vault-like doors, "I wouldn't have expected anyone to notice it, but the monorail we were on was traveling at a downward angle."
"How…how deep are we?" Kallen asked hesitantly from her place behind her leader.
"Several hundred feet."
Various muffled curses rang out through the group.
"Shouldn't that make finding stairs or a way out more urgent?" Ohgi pressed, somewhat disturbed…somewhat more disturbed by this new development.
"If we happen to find an exit we will, of course, make use of it," Zero nodded. "However, the depth we're at indicates a facility of massive size…one which we will likely not be able to leave without access to the mainframe…or fighting through the horde back at the warehouse."
"Bullshit!" Tamaki growled, "I don't care who Britannia think they are, they couldn't have just wished for something that big to pop up here! Hell, we would have noticed it being built! They'd need cranes and drills and construction stuff!"
"I hate to say it, but Tamaki's right," Yoshida said, ignoring the man's glare. "If this place is a big as you think it is, Britannia would've needed to at least cordon off miles of the city to build beneath it."
"And they did," Zero replied, bringing the entire group up short as they cautiously made their way up to a set of doors. Trying the lock and finding it open, the masked man continued, "In hindsight, it was rather clever…cutting off the access to the Northern sections of Tokyo due to 'unstable veins of sakuradite caused by intensive bombing.' All that heavy machinery moved in…and no one questioned it."
Zero's turned, finding some grim satisfaction in the shock and realization on his Knights' faces. Each one was probably thinking of the 'restricted zone' which encompassed several old prefectures of the city and had been off limits from the aforementioned 'geological instability.'
Kallen slammed a hand into the wall in frustration, her face set in a rictus of anger and revulsion, "Raping even the ground beneath them…Mt. Fuji must weep."
The room beyond the door was an almost painfully clean white, with none of the blood and gore that had stained the walls, ceilings, and floors of the previous locations. The Black Knights were temporarily stunned by the shift of environment, leaving them staring at the sight that emergency lights revealed. It looked, for all the world, like the lobby of any upscale high-rise skyscraper, complete with windows over-looking scenes of urban sprawl and the noise of a crowded city beneath them.
"Okay…what the hell?" Tamaki asked, breaking away from their groups, "I could'a sworn we were still underground, what's with this mess?"
Following him, Zero stared curiously at the 'windows.'
"Pictures and white noise," Ohgi said from behind them. As everyone's attention turned onto him, he flushed slightly. "When I was teaching psychology primers in high school, we did a unit on applying certain principles into real-world situations. One of the recurring projects I usually saw was replicating low-stress environments for high-stress individuals."
"The illusion of working in a normal building, when one is actually working far below ground," Zero surmised, looking approvingly at his lieutenant. "Very clever…although, this does present us with another problem."
The Black Knights turned and, in the harsh glare of the emergency lighting, saw the torn and gaping maw of a pair of elevator doors and the darkness of an empty shaft beyond. Zero's flashlight was probing into the wall of inky black and catching, now and then, the lightly swinging end of a long belt hanging down from above. A muttered curse was heard as Inoue, the closest to the shaft, reached out and took hold of the rope-like chain, showing the empty attachment at the end.
"Isn't this a…" Inoue asked, trailing off as she searched for the right words.
"Elevator safety cable," Minami said, adjusting his glasses to stare hard at the damning object. "What the H_ll happened that the elevator safety cables disconnected? That would have made it impossible, or at least very difficult, to send help back down here."
"But much easier to contain whatever it was that was down here," Zero stated, his mind whirring with possibilities. Something happened here, that I know for certain now. This wasn't some industrial accident or gas release…in all likelihood, some kind of sabotage was involved. Still, Umbrella, to the best of my knowledge, is a medical company…what kind of research would merit a facility this large, or this secretive for that matter. This whole situation…
"So you think this was something they did to themselves?" Kallen asked in disbelief.
"Not wholly," Zero clarified as he carefully approached the only remaining set of doors in the small lobby area. "I have the feeling that this is the handiwork of some third party. The…contamination, or whatever it is, probably resulted from our third party's involvement and the shutting down of access points was their response to contain the incident."
"Then why did…" Kallen started, before throwing open the only remaining door in the lobby, allowing the rest of the Black Knights to aim their coilguns into the empty stairwell beyond. The group let out a collective sigh as Ohgi and Yoshida stepped up behind their masked leader and their designated Knightmare pilot. Taking a deep breath, Kallen began again, "Then why did they get out into the warehouse?"
"The door we passed," Ohgi reminded them, "Was open, right? Do you think someone left it open on their way out?"
"Indeed," Zero said dryly, "Very inconsiderate of them to do, don't you think?"
The small snorts of suppressed laughter ended abruptly as they descended the stairs (down being the only way to proceed, as there was no avenue upwards possible); there was more blood and small pieces of flesh along the railings and the stairs themselves. The exact reason why there hadn't been any gore in the lobby area wasn't clear to any of the Knights, though the reappearance of signs of violence sobered all of them.
"I still don't get-"
Tamaki didn't get to finish his sentence, as a veritable stampede of the violent, bloodthirsty, and unarmed civilians flooded through a crushed remnant of a stairway door. The sudden noise in the confined space was a cacophonous mixture of human moans, the Black Knight's cries of surprise, and the sharp retorts of coil guns fired at close range and en masse.
As it turned out, wishes were complicated things.
The strange Egyptian man who had appeared in her dream, was specific about certain things. Her answers to various questions, like how fast she wanted to be able to run, had come off the cuff and were fairly vague, though her new friend seemed to smile regardless of what she said. There had been even more difficult questions and points that the 'genie' had brought up that left her baffled. For instance, he knew she wanted to be able to protect Lelouch, though how he knew wasn't something he would discuss no matter how hard she pressed; then again if he was her dream, then the question was moot. At any rate, she hadn't the foggiest exactly how she had hoped to do so…
It already felt as though they had been talking for hours, and the whole of the 'wish' was no closer to being resolved than it had been when they first began. The imaginary sun was still high in the sky, though it's rays fell on a landscape entirely unfamiliar to Nunnally's eyes, which was yet another mystery in a long line of enigmas that this dream had brought. The waves lapping on their beach made a pleasant sound as the smell of the salty sea before them filled the air. The inexplicable vividness, the feel of the sand underfoot, the scratchy towel underneath her, and the sun on her flesh only added to the oddness of her situation.
The Egyptian, who had still declined to offer his name, sat on beach chair next to Nunnally, sipping from a glass of lemonade held in one hand and a pencil in the other; an open notebook rested on his right knee as he scribbled notes with a careless attention to detail. Bright and joyous eyes looked over a pair of dark sunglasses as he contemplated their latest topic of discuss…her appearance. "…you understand that I don't mean to be critical, little princess, but I do suggest a change of at least hair color, perhaps eye color too…though that is almost a moot point."
"…But, how will people recognize me if I don't look like…me?
"And as the bard would say, 'therein lies the rub.' You see, little princess, no one can recognize you…for if they should, how will you explain your sudden and remarkable recovery? Here, now, you may see that I am a guileless doer of good deeds, hear to aid you, but will your friends think the same about someone they've never met, nor will ever meet? Then there is the matter of the miracle itself; your 'healing' and the sensation it will probably cause…which will bring attention to yourself and your brother…"
As his voice trailed off meaningfully, Nunnally grimaced at the thought. Lelouch had always pointedly removed himself and Nunnally as well, from any situation that might result in their faces being in a newspaper, filmed by a news crew, or even letting their photos be put on the Academy's webpage. In fact, Nunnally was fairly sure that the only real proof of their current existence lay in a protected server underneath Ashford Academy.
"So…" Somewhat dejectedly, Nunnally continued, "I have to hide the fact that I can walk and see again…even from onii-sama?"
"Well, I think you should," her new friend stated, "But if you really don't want to hide, then I suppose I can't stop you."
"…what should I look like, then?" Nunnally asked, trying to imagine herself as anything other than…herself. Granted, she didn't exactly know what she looked like in the real world…even what she saw in mirrors and reflections in her dreams was little more than an educated guess at what she should look like. When her question was asked, though, the Egyptian man merely grinned widely and snapped his fingers. At once, a shinning mirror leapt into existence right in front of her, reflecting brown hair and light violet eyes. Shock seared through her at the thought that this might be what she really looked like, before the surface of the mirror rippled like water, and reflected something altogether different. Looking back at her now was a girl approximately her own age with slightly shorter blonde hair and blood red eyes. Her features were somehow sharper…maybe a little harsher than the prior image. The girl in the reflection wore nothing like what she had ever seen anyone wear, a skin-tight single-piece black suit of some kind with plates of armor strewn over vital areas.
"Well?" The reflection demanded sternly, "What are you waiting for? Let's get out of here! I'm ready to run and jump! I'm tired of sitting in that damn wheelchair all day!"
Nunnally stared in disbelief, her jaw hanging open. Turning to the Egyptian man, who was wearing a mysterious and somewhat mischievous smile. "Wha-what…how, who is she?"
The reflection snorted in a rude manner and looked away from her counterpart, displeasure creasing a frown in features. The Egyptian man grinned even more widely at the interaction, "Well, I took the liberty of…speculating a suitable disguise for you. Granted, I didn't think she'd act so…brass, but even that would be to your advantage. Think, who would suspect you of being this young woman?"
"Bu-but," Nunnally paused, biting her lip. "I didn't think it would change me! I though I'd just be wearing some kind of mask or wig!"
"Strictly speaking," the Egyptian man said slowly and calmingly, "It's not 'changing' who you are. Instead, I merely…how should I say this? I merely brought forth some aspects of your personality that you dislike. For instance, this girl in the mirror is slightly vain, a little arrogant, self-confident, and…well, angry. She's part of that little, secret, dark section of your heart that resents your father, Britannia, and all of those 'friends' you have at school. In fact, if you asked her, I wonder what she'd say about Zero?"
Nunnally blinked, taken aback by the sudden seriousness of the conversation, before turning back to the blonde-haired girl standing in the broad, water-like mirror. "What do you think about Zero?" The young princess asked, her voice almost a whisper, as if frightened by the possible answer.
The blonde's mouth twitched as if fighting off a smirk. "Well I should think that's obvious. He saved Suzaku, didn't he? He saved our friends, too. Milly, Nina, Shirley, and even our sister Euphemia…though she probably didn't deserve it."
Nunnally gaped at the insolence and disregard for what had been one of her favorite family members.
"Oh come off your high horse!" The blonde shouted. "They deserted us! Cornelia, Euphemia, Father," she practically spat the word. "When mother died, our entire family turned their backs on us…our entire country…except onii-sama. Zero is standing up to them, for the first time in over a hundred years…and, I think, that if it weren't for our eyes and our legs, that we'd be helping him any way we could. I'm part of you, so don't even try to lie to me."
There was an empty silence as Nunnally stared at her darker half, shaken by the extremist truth the blonde had spoken. "I…I don't want to hurt anyone. I-"
"You don't think that people should fall to harm due to another's actions," The blonde said quietly. "That's the world you told your brother you wanted, but you don't want anyone to have to bleed for it…and you've already turned your back to the truth…that Lelouch bleeds for it every day by protecting you, you and your dream of a better world. You want to think of onii-sama as a saint, but he's not. We know he does bad things and that he doesn't want you to know about them. So, with the help of Mr. Genie here," She said, shooting a distasteful glance at the Egyptian man, who merely raised a cautious eyebrow, "Your repressed emotions finally get a say in this whole 'life' thing."
This time, the blonde sneered, "Do you want to know something? Something that you've lied to yourself about for so long that, even now, you think it's the truth? The reason we will take up Mr. Genie's offer isn't because our brother's in danger or because we hate Britannia. Really, it's because we're sick and tired of sitting in a wheelchair, in a world that will be forever dark, and doing nothing with our life."
There was a seemingly endless moment of silence before someone spoke.
"What should I do?" Nunnally asked, quietly, seemingly to herself.
The blonde girl shrugged, her face loosing some of it's sharpness and, in doing so, looking much kinder and softer than the princess had seen yet. "Well, that's the hard part. As much as I'd like to tell you what to do...I can't. I'm only a small part of you, one that you don't even like…you have to make your own decisions."
With that, the surface of the mirror rippled, and Nunnally was left looking at a teenage girl who seemed very confused and at a loss for exactly what to do. Swallowing deeply, she turned to the Egyptian man, who smiled patiently. "I-I'd like to make my wish now."
Hours later in the dreamworld, when Nunnally departed for the waking world, the Eygtian sat on his beach chair, holding a book and idly flipping the pages. Though he still wore the same tolerant smile, there was a certain predatory edge to it. An imaginary breeze fluttered the artistically rendered scenes as he snorted in subdued humor at one picture in particular. The paperback book had been turned to an illustration depicting a mushroom-like object and a young woman very closely resembling the one he had just parted ways with.
"Magical Device Nemo, Indeed," He snorted. "Honestly…what kind half-assed insanity is that? I had hoped the authors would at least follow their own rules. A shame I couldn't do anything about the Irregulars…though at least their abilities will be more plausible this way." Nyarlathothep sighed, the Endless One's human dream-guise turning another page of the Nightmare of Nunnally manga he held in his hands.
"And I mustn't forget those lampshades," He muttered. "After all, the glare on that fourth wall is making it look positively transparent."
It was, quite possibly, the worst place they could have run into a horde of the bloodthirsty creatures. Had the Knights come upon them in a hallway or even a single room, they would have been much more inclined to make a stand together than allow themselves to be separated. Despite their much-improved degree of discipline in the past months, a slavering group of apparent cannibals was not something they could rally against in any fashion. In an instant the Black Knights were cut into two groups and moving through two different floors.
Lelouch found himself with the two people who had been closest to him when the horde had fallen upon them, namely Kallen and Tamaki. As they ran down a narrow corridor, pursued closely by the ravening mass of bodies behind them, Lelouch cursed himself behind Zero's mask; he had been too complacent! Even the most basic of predators could tell that the stairway was a perfect ambush point! Even if these things aren't capable of anything more than rudimentary logic…
Thinking quickly, Zero spun and slammed a pair of double doors shut, locked them, and wedged a piece of metal between the handles. Both Kallen and Tamaki took shaky and relieved breaths, looking around them for any clue as to a possible escape. The two knew, from the sound behind the doors and the possibility of more…things around the next corner, they needed to move as soon as possible. The room they had found themselves in was some indeterminable distance from the main elevator/stairway, but more than six stories down from where they had gotten off the train-car.
"Damnit!" Kallen cursed, "Where the H_ll did Ohgi and the others go! I thought they were right behind us!"
"Those things separated us," Zero almost growled from behind his mask. "Ohgi, Inoue, Minami, Yoshida, and Sugiyama should be on the floor beneath us."
"F_ck!" Tamaki spat, pacing in front of them and gripping his firearm with white knuckles. "This is bad, bad, bad. What're we gonna' do now Zero?"
Removing his walkie-talkie from a concealed pocket and pressed down, speaking into the rectangular box. "Ohgi, come in. Tamaki and Q-1 are with me. We believe ourselves to be at least one floor above you. Can you relay your position? Over." Annoyingly, all that came from the other end was blank static. Lelouch scowled beneath his mask. The walls and floors must be either too thick or made of signal-buffering materials. It would make sense…spies or infiltrators couldn't get reports out, whereas normally, anyone working within the facility would have access to a reliable communications network. Unfortunately…
The masked man turned towards the dreary space beyond their flashlight, then shook his head. "Our retreat has been blocked off. We'll have to trust Ohgi to get them somewhere safe so that we can meet up later. Or first priority should be finding some manner of control room from which we can turn the power back on and locate our comrades."
With the continuous thumping of flesh on metal behind them, all three revolutionaries looked about the confined space with varying levels of apprehension. The combination of their own flashlights and the facility's emergency lighting did little to alleviate the overall gloom that oppressed each of their conscious minds. What would be a normal office area in any other situation was instead a silent mausoleum, strewn apart in disarray, and showing no signs of life-normal life, at least. Cautiously and quietly, all three made their way through the cramped and gently curving space, guns at the ready and their nerves frayed to the point of snapping.
"What's happened down here," Tamaki finally hissed quietly. "This doesn't make any sense! Isn't Umbrella like, a medical company, or something?"
"For all intents and purposes, that is the face it chooses to show publicly," Zero affirmed. "Originally, the Umbrella Corporation was under the auspices of the Ashford Foundation, headed by Charles Ashford. Charles was the son of Reuben Ashford, the current Headmaster of Ashford Academy."
Kallen gasped, turning to Zero in surprise. "Bu-I thought you had to be a noble to…"
The black mask bobbed up and down once in a precise manner. "Indeed. Reuben Ashford was, once, a Duke. The Ashford foundation's primary line of research and production was that of prototype weapons…among them, the first Knightmares. The Umbrella Corporation was created as a catch-all, just as the name implies, for any research that didn't involve military applications. Unlike the majority of the Foundation, which fell to financial ruin seven years ago, Umbrella's interests were diversified enough so that it didn't collapse. In fact, the company soon became a victim of its own success and was nationalized several months ago."
"Wait," Kallen interrupted, "So we're in a secret underground facility of a defunct company filled with horror movie rejects guarded by a fake research team from a dead prince. This…doesn't make any sense. Why…why don't we see more guards? I mean, if it's a secret facility, then I know there wouldn't be military guys everywhere, but I'd think there'd be plenty inside the building."
"I agree with you Kallen," Zero affirmed gently, naturally wary of antagonizing the volatile redhead. "This entire puzzle stinks of back-room Britannian dealings. Charles Ashford, for instance, would have never condoned utilizing the company he'd built from the ground-up for military purposes. He and Reuben had a relatively famous quarrel over the same matter several years ago, yet the involvement of Clovis' troops leads me to believe that our dearly departed prince-"
Lelouch ignored the twinge of guilt at the mention of his fratricidal crime.
"-was somehow funding or sheltering some of Charles' research without the Emperor's knowledge. That would imply some benefit for him, though…" Zero abruptly froze, halting their progress as his mind slid seemingly random pieces of information into a very probably, if not downright likely realization. Though…Clovis did have C.C. in his labs for an unknown amount of time. If he wanted to unlock the secret of her immortality or that of Geass, he'd need gifted scientists, talented medical specialists. To keep such research away from the Emperor, it would have to be strictly a Black project. So, brother, I wonder what deal you brokered with Charles Ashford?
"Zero?" Kallen asked tentatively, "Is everything okay, sir?"
"I'll have to check with one of my contacts," Zero said at length, "But I may have a lead on this facility. If the medical research they were doing down here is the kind I believe it to have been, though, then it makes this situation somewhat less mysterious."
Kallen and Tamaki exchanged curious looks. Both knew their leader tended to become introspective at time and it was obvious that he was no longer talking, strictly, to them. Cupping the 'beak' of his mask in his hand as one would a chin, Zero was more likely thinking aloud, though that didn't mean they couldn't use such a mood to their advantage. Zero was at his least guarded when thinking deep thoughts, and it was probable that they could get much more information out of the mysterious man under these circumstances.
Not that they didn't trust him, strictly speaking, but…
"What kind of research, Zero?" Kallen asked, Tamaki urging her on silently.
Lelouch narrowed his eyes behind his mask, debating on whether or not to give his subordinates a hint or two as to the source of their current situation. In the end, he nodded once, to himself, before deciding that, having followed him this far, they truly did deserve some of his trust. "If I am correct in my reasoning, and at this point I admit that such is largely guesswork and supposition, then I believe this research facility was intended to create regenerative medicines…with the eventual intent of attaining immortality."
"Holy S_it," Tamaki said solemnly, even as Kallen's eyes widened in disbelief. "No way! I mean, sure we're in some horror movie bulls_it, but…really?"
"Just think," Zero replied, "If someone were to advance the medical field so that injured or mutilated limbs could be re-grown, new organs generated, cancers and tumors would be concerns of the past. Such a person would be in an ideal position to seize the throne…after which, they would reveal their greatest breakthrough…immortality. Only a select few, of course, would be in a position to acquire such…the nobility of Britannia. This would, in turn, consolidate their hold on the country so that he, or she, could rule for as long as they pleased."
Kallen's jaw had dropped sometime during the small speech and she hadn't bothered to close it. Really, no one would blame her, given such a startling revelation. Tamaki, on the other hand, had never been one to be short on words.
"Zero," he started, "Not that I doubt ya' or anything, but…if they were lookin' to live forever…how'd they turn inta'…well, zombies?"
Tamaki's question caused both teens to swallow slightly. The first time, when Minami had said the word, back in the underground train, it had been easier to ignore. Now, though, given the almost casual admission of the 'identity' of their foes and the faint thumping of the horde against the doorway still in the background…it was much harder to disregard. Zero sighed, "Truthfully, I'm not any manner of medical expert, so I can't truly explain any of what we've seen so far…even if I were to have their data and enough time to study it. And, again, though this is based on supposition, I believe medical science can be quite volatile in specific stages…especially if they were trying to create a carrier to hasten the dispersal of their panacea…possibly a bacteria, parasite, or even perhaps a virus. If such were to mutate or be inexpertly created…yes, I can see where the root of the matter lies, now."
Zero's modulated voice hummed as he considered the situation further. "It wouldn't even have to be a carrier mechanism, truthfully. The drug or medicine itself, depending on exactly what it is, could have interacted with a common bacteria or virus and, in turn, spawned whatever it is that did this."
I need more information, Lelouch thought silently.
Kallen opened her mouth to ask another question, but her eyes widened again as the sound of breaking, cracking metal reached her ears. All three paused in their movements, listening to the sound intensely, even as the moaning of inhuman things grew louder and louder. A resounding crash rang out through the offices, and the three Black Knights rushed forward, all in full retreat once again. It felt like an eternity of running for the physically inept Lelouch, the distance trying his lackluster reserves as his breath came in deep gasps.
Zero nearly snarled as another set of elevator doors came into view under the emergency lights. If his mind had properly mapped out their course, then they had made a half-circle around the central shaft…meaning that at least some levels were circular in nature, though this side lacked one very important feature-
A stairwell.
Lelouch's mind spun into overdrive. If this side of the complex doesn't have a stairwell, it stands to reason that this elevator system is independent from the other. It isn't likely that I'll be able to make it all the way around the circumference of the facility with my meager endurance. Though, there is a chance that either one of the cars is still in the shaft or that the safety belt for this shaft extends down to here or below…Stopping abruptly, Zero stared into the empty maw of the elevator shaft, a vicious grin crossing his face when he saw the hanging chain.
"Tamaki, Kallen, jump into the shaft and grab the chain. You should be able to shimmy down a few feet and swing into the next floor. Go, now!" Zero shouted, pointing into the darkness.
"But Zero-!" Kallen objected.
"Go! I'll be right behind you!" Zero affirmed, the sounds of chomping mouths and slavering moans echoing so closely behind them. Tamaki took a deep breath, then thrust himself into the shaft, his hands grasping for the barely-visible chain. One shouted curse later and they heard the sound of flesh meeting ceramic flooring, then more mumbled and angry adjectives. "C'mon Kallen!"
With a push from Zero, the redhead leapt into the darkness, grabbing at the emergency belt of the elevator before leaning into a swing that sent her careening into the open doorway of the elevator shaft one floor below her leader. The rolling impact was jarring, but she quickly managed to get out, "Clear!"
Lelouch snarled, firing off two shots into the horde before making a much less graceful leap into the unknown. Hanging onto the chain for dear life, the masked revolutionary dodged a surprise dive-bombing body from above-and another, another, and another! Cursing repeatedly, the Black Prince pushed off the back wall of the elevator shaft and attempted to tuck and roll to bleed off his momentum somewhat less painfully than his compatriots.
Well, he attempted to.
The last memory Lelouch could clearly recall afterwards was a an ungainly roll that sent him headfirst and far too fast, into the wall opposing the open elevator doors on the floor below. What followed was both a blessing and a curse as Zero's mask took the brunt of the impact, merely knocking the prince unconscious rather than breaking his skull open. Instead, the sound of shattering plastic-composites rang loud in his ears along with Tamaki and Kallen's gasps before…
Then everything went black.
Cornelia li Britannia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose to attempt to stave off her oncoming headache. Months had gone by with surprising speed, leaving the Japanese resistance forces all but crushed…save, of course for the JLF stronghold and the Black Kngihts. Truthfully, both were sources of near endless aggravation that required diligent study, constant guard, and competent soldiers to combat. With Zero's public relations surge, she'd had no doubt he would be a nuisance, but…the JLF was a surprise. Shortly after the debacle at the hotel, the resistance organization's movements had shifted dramatically. The move from offensive operations to stealth was…worrying, especially as, by all accounts their resource allocation had not dwindled.
Granted, the shadowy workings of the illegal funding operations was difficult to track, but still…she liked to have some faith in Britannian Intelligence.
Knock! Knock!
The two polite raps against the door preceded, "Sub-Viceroy Euphemia li Britannia to see the Viceroy, Lady Cornelia."
Relaxing at the thought of a visit by her sister, Cornelia nonetheless moved a hand to the holstered gun at her side, only releasing the weapon when the pink-haired princess was within the room and the door closed behind her. Inattention had once cost her a bullet to the shoulder when she had thoughtlessly opened the door for an assassin claiming a visit from Euphie. Even now, the wound twitched each time Euphie came to her door.
It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you, Cornelia mused privately as the pinkette sat down opposite the desk.
"Sis-ah, Viceroy Cornelia," Euphemia greeted, catching herself. "You summoned me?"
"Yes, but we are alone, Euphie…you may address me informally." Cornelia granted, noting the slight relaxing of the younger woman's muscles. "And I'm sorry I had to schedule this meeting so late at night…I wanted to be able to have a private discussion about certain things…and there never seem to be enough hours in the day."
Euphie smiled, Cornelia feeling as though the room, if not the world was that much brighter for the gesture. "It's not a problem Cornelia, I'd just gotten finished speaking with…a friend, anyway…so it wasn't any trouble."
"Indeed," Cornelia stated, making note of the momentary hesitation in her sister's voice. A secret liaison? It would have to be looked in to and, possibly, dealt with if it was deemed…inappropriate. "To business then; I wanted to talk to you about your position as Sub-Viceroy…I'd like you to step down."
Euphie blinked, confusion and hurt flitting across her eyes. "Cornelia, if this is about the recent revision in the Eleven's Political Involvement Prohibitions…"
"No," Cornelia interrupted, curt despite her best efforts not to be, what Euphie saw in the numbers was beyond her. "It's not for anything you have or have not done, sister. It's about what I, what this area needs right now. The JLF has gone underground in a way I didn't think was possible…there are reports of racially-motivated hate crimes occurring in small coastal towns…and then there are The Black Knights."
There was a moment where both sisters paused, considering silently the name that had become so infamous in so short a time…and what that name meant to each of them. Cornelia pressed onward, not about to be dragged into another debate about the course of action to be pursued when dealing with the rebel terrorists, "Currently, It seems Area Eleven will need a sub-viceroy more used to running military campaigns than entreating with the people, especially given this report."
Euphie blinked, looking over her sister's desk to read the thick sheaf of papers and immediately paling. "Is that…the Chinese Federation?"
"Unfortunately," Cornelia agreed. "Intelligence is spotty at best right now, but there are…stirrings, indications of army units being mobilized and other tells which point to a large operation sometime in the future. There have been a few resistance movements cropping up in India, Vietnam, Korea…but nothing that would call for this."
Euphemia regarded the report gravely, as if it were a poisonous snake. "Are they rallying…against us?" Against Britannia? Against Japan? It went unsaid, but, then, it was the most obvious conclusion.
"Possibly," Cornelia allowed. "But all of these things mean our hold on Area Eleven needs to be solidified as quickly as possible. We'll likely be seeing reinforcements to the army coming in the next few weeks; I've even heard that two prospective Knights of the Round will be put under the new chain of command."
Euphemia nodded, her face grim. "Then what would you have me do, sister?"
"Go back to school, Euphie," Cornelia asked, almost pleaded.
"I can't just-"
Holding up a hand to forestall the protest, Cornelia nodded. "I know. You don't want to consigned to the sidelines again, but…" There the viceroy paused, her tone softer as she continued, "If it comes to war, you will likely be called out onto the battlefield as a commander of a provisional unit, at least. If that happens, your former privacy due to age and student status will be cast aside and Britannia, by long custom, will release your image to the papers and the communications net. This is, in all probability, your last chance to be a normal student, Euphie."
I know what it would mean to you to lose this, again the words went unsaid, but between sisters as close as the two were…such sentiments were common.
Euphie, ready to bluster up, deflated in the face of such an argument. She knew being attached to Cornelia, and the military, so closely, would have repercussions. Clovis, kind soul that he was, had stayed clear of the military until out of college and then taken the purely political office of Viceroy. The fact that it contained a roll associated with military leadership was of little concern to him at the time. Viceroy was, first and foremost, a government office. Euphemia, though, had had extensive tutoring in the art of military engagement, under the guise of being groomed as Cornelia's second-in-command. Still, her heart wasn't in such violent matters, but…
In a war, it would matter little.
I would be called upon to defend my nation, the pinkette realized somewhat bitterly, though with no real venom attached to the thought. It was the lot of the ruling class…to enjoy the privileges of power, but ultimately pay the price for wielding such might.
"It would also set my mind at ease," Cornelia said at length, "to know you were enjoying yourself. I took the liberty of checking and Ashford Academy would gladly accept you."
"Ashford," Euhpie muttered, biting her lip in a rare show of nervousness. How long has it been since I saw Milly? If I remember correctly she would be…sixteen, seventeen? So would Lelouch… "If only for your sake, then, Cornelia."
Then the pinkette grinned.
"I assume I'll be attending with Suzaku, then?"
Cornelia twitched, her mind racing. Suzaku…Kururugi, the pilot of the Lancelot and the anticipation Euphemia spoke his name with was…disturbing. Yes, she would have to do something about that. Perhaps a reassignment? Yes, Schneizel owed her a favor or two…moving his pet monkey and his science experiments to another lab should be easy enough. Maybe back to the homeland? No, too close. Ah…the European front always needed more moving targets and even if he didn't die, being on the opposite side of the planet would certainly curtail any-
Cornelia shivered minutely.
-relationship between the two.
"Oh and Cornelia, you'll absolutely have to come to the Ashford Academy's spring fair in a few months. Suzaku has told me so many interesting stories…and I wonder if I'll be able to join the student council, it sounds like so much fun!"
Oh dear, Cornelia thought dejectedly, she has her heart set on this…then perhaps… "I will of course, assign the usual security team-"
"Who will stay outside of the Academy, as usual, correct sister?"
Danm!
"Of course, Euphie," Cornelia allowed. "Though I am worried about your safety inside the school, perhaps a guard or two? Just for my peace of mind?"
"I'm sure Suzaku will be more than enough deterrent for any assassin, sister," Euphemia deflected, holding her sister's gaze for a beat.
Cornelia's eyes widened minutely at the aggressive defense, then further widened with realization. She knows what I'm trying to do! "Is Warrant Officer Kururugi really such an integral piece of your enjoyment at Ashford?"
Euphemia weighed her answer carefully, knowing full well her sister's protective streak, before nodding very lightly. "He is."
The cold bore of Cornelia's gaze set full upon her, "I think it is far past time we had a…talk about that boy."
One particularly heated…discussion later, Euphemia wearily stepped from her sister's office with a tired smile, but a smile nonetheless. A sense of accomplishment filled her and, though almost dead on her feet, she practically floated to her bed. That was a shame, though, since she didn't hear the intercom click on beside the secretary's desk, nor did she hear her sister's voice emerge.
"Could you please have Guilford bring Warrant Officer Kururugi to my office? And tell Darlton to get my sword."
Lelouch awoke with a curse, his faculties rapidly assembling themselves despite the pounding inside his head. Very quickly, the situation became apparent and the hidden prince forced his body into motion. Eyes snapping wide, he was relieved to not find the gaping jaws of one of those…things, though he could hear the faint sounds of moaning distantly in the darkness surrounding him. After a moment, his eyes adjusted and something much more frightening than mere undead dawned on him. The strange tint of light-focused artificiality that he had grown so used to over the last few weeks and months…was gone.
The acrid stench of death hit him full in the face and, for a moment, he thought he would vomit…
The sight of Kallen and Tamaki, watching him like hawks, sobered him, though.
For a long, long moment, no one dared say a word.
Finally, Kallen held out the cracked remnants of his Zero mask, her gaze chilling him as she practically pinned him with silent accusation. "Explain."
Lelouch's mind raced, thinking through plans, deceptions, dismissals were all considered in the time it took most people to blink. The former prince considered the variables, the situation, the likelihood that he would get out of this disaster alive…and the odds weren't good. I am trapped within a secret underground base created by a conjunction of Britannian greed and fueled by the stuff of nightmares. Two of my subordinates have learned my identity and (somewhat belatedly he noted) decided to tie me up. We are in hostile territory, no one knows about us, and there is absolutely no possibility for rescue. Somehow, Lelouch felt 'disaster' didn't quite cover the almost farcical situation he'd found himself the punch-line of.
The possibility of using his geass on Tamaki occurred to him, briefly, but was dismissed. He wouldn't be able to meet up with the others by himself, much less make it out alive without help and using supernatural mind control on Tamaki would utterly shatter any loyalty the two had left. That narrowed his options considerably and, even if he were to geass Tamaki to remove his bindings, kill Kallen, then himself…find the rest of his Knights (presuming they were still alive)…and pass off Kallen's and Tamaki's deaths as results of those things…
Well, that would still leave him without his mask, in front of the remainder of the Black Knights, and right back at square one. That, of course, was disregarding the effect their death would have on his subordinates, particularly Ohgi.
Lelouch spared himself a moment to curse at the situation, this facility, and Britannia in general. It didn't exactly help, but it did relive a tiny bit of his anger. Finally, the heartbeat of time passed, the hidden prince resigning himself to death. If he was going to go out, though, he do it on his terms, by God.
"What would you like me to explain, exactly, Q-1?" Lelouch asked, smugness practically radiating off him in waves as he raised one eyebrow in a seemingly sincere attempt at confusion. If he took nothing away from his time as a prince, he would at least keep the attitude. He would have the world bow to his needs, no other outcome was acceptable.
"God Damn it, Lelouch!" Kallen hissed, hurling the already-broken mask at a wall as she visibly restrained herself from attacking him. "Explain who the hell you are!"
"Ah," Tamaki interjected tentatively, "Maybe you should listen to her, Ze-Lel-ah…anyway, I talked her into dragging you out of there…after you smacked into that wall. She's pretty mad."
"And you aren't?" Lelouch asked, his tone honestly curious. "I'd think the revelation that Zero was Britannian would inspire anger and distrust…among other things. It was why I wore the mask in the first place, after all. If I had approached you without some measure of anonymity you would doubtless have assumed I was some kind of spy or plant or double-agent."
"And does that mean you aren't?" Kallen spat, resolutely not looking at the man she'd once trusted.
"Hypocrisy doesn't become you, Kallen," Lelouch snorted, a dark amusement flickering behind purple eyes as the redhead spun on him, looking murderous. "I'd think you would be the last person to begrudge someone a double-life. What would Rivalz say, or Shirley, perhaps Nina?"
Kallen flinched, the verbal blow striking home despite her tenacious grip on apathy towards her classmates. She'd never asked them to be her friends, after all. "Shut up! I could ask the same thing! What about Nunnally?"
"I won't patronize you by saying 'she wouldn't understand,'" Lelouch stated blandly, coolly. "She would most likely hate me or fear me…which is another reason I became Zero, I suppose. I can't stand the though of Nunnally hating me and I wouldn't want her to love a killer. She deserves better than that. She deserves someone who can be there for her completely, utterly…someone who isn't consume by his own need for vengeance."
Tamaki and Kallen paused, taken aback by the raw pain and hurt in Lelouch's voice. He might have tried to hide behind the banality of an emotionless mask, but tiny twinges of heartache snuck through. Still, the sting of betrayal was too fresh for Kallen to let it go at that. "You want revenge? For what? You're Britannian, the most blessed empire in history!"
"For what?"
Those two words were the first indication that Kallen had miss-stepped. As Lelouch, Kallen had seen many emotions and inflections associated with the student, though mostly malaise and casual disdain. Granted, the 'Ice King of Ashford' did warm up around his sister, and to a lesser extent, his friends, but he was the picture of an average, disaffected, and slightly spoiled Britannian youth. As Zero, he had been decisive, charismatic, intelligent, and amazingly insightful. The teen was still prone to sounding unmoved and stony, though how much of that was the voice modulator was debatable…
But she'd never heard either when they were truly angry.
"'For What?' You ask," Lelouch mocked bitterly, acidic rage burning beneath his violet orbs, making them almost luminous in the dim light. "Did it ever occur to you, Kallen, that perhaps you were not the only one to have once had a happy family, torn apart by Britannia's cruelty? You lost your brother and had your mother hospitalized from drug addiction; I won't pretend that means nothing, but consider how much you would give to see her restored to health…or what you wouldn't give to have Naoto back?"
"When I was ten, my mother was assassinated…she died shielding Nunnally from automatic rifle fire. The physical wounds took away her legs, the mental shock of having our mother die in her arms took away her sight. When I dared to question the identity of the killers…my homeland decided Nunnally and I were too bothersome to deal with…we were banished…to Japan."
Some part of him was crying out for him to shut the hell up…that he was giving away far too much in the pursuit of a petty vendetta. That part of him, though, was awash with the self-satisfaction of shock and horror on Kallen and Tamaki's face.
"If you aren't familiar with the concept of political hostages," Lelouch continued, "You should know that they are insurance against an attack by another nation. The fact that Japan was invaded a mere three months after we arrived should tell you exactly how 'valued' we were by that point."
"I had to carry Nunnally through the wasteland that Japan had become. I had to see the people of my adopted homeland turned into corpses strewn by the roadside. You might have lost your country, I have lost two countries. You wanted to know why I became Zero? However much you hate Britannia…I guarantee that you can't even hold a candle to the impotent fury I have felt."
Kallen and Tamaki shrank away from the teen's gaze, his wrath like a living thing, hanging heavily in the room, suffocating them. "Britannia will burn if it's the last thing I do, I swear it!"
The monitors came to life with the soft hum of conventional electronics.
The first thing that came to mind, from the point of view of an onlooker, was the sterility of the room. 'Spartan' was an understatement of the highest order; nothing save for shadows covered the expansive space, thirteen eight-foot monoliths displaying roman numerals, each with a section of the world highlighted underneath. Six of the black tablets stood to each side of a long row, one standing at the forefront, opposite the steel door. Much like an immovable mountain peak, a lone person stood his ground against the, doubtless, countless hidden monitoring devices. The surveillance would reveal each twitch of muscle, every hesitation of body language, and even the unconscious tics unique to every member of the human species. The knowledge of that alone, the pressure coming from knowing that you were being watched every second of every minute that you stood in this room had broken many a weaker man…
Not even a flicker of unease shown on the man's face as he waited, patiently, for the meeting to properly convene. After all, there was no other option than to wait. These…people would not be rushed, even by the likes of him. To even attempt such would be the height of foolishness at best, and suicide at worst. So he waited…
For there was no other choice.
This meeting is called to order.
He resisted the urge to snap straight as a board at the voice, digitally altered, that issued forth through the concealed speakers near the monolith bearing the roman numeral 'I' above a red image of the North American continent. Instead, the man slowly, purposefully, raised his gaze to meet the assembled Committee before him.
I would ask for any old business to be brought forward at this time, North America continued.
I put forth the matter of the Middle Eastern Federation for final consideration to the Committee, Asia Minor, marked 'VII' stated, a slight accent marring his otherwise perfect English.
Objection, South America, number 'II,' called, raising her voice. The lilt of old Spanish was barely audible in her irritated tones. The matter of the Middle Eastern Federation as already been decided to the satisfaction of all parties save for VII.
Objection sustained, North America decreed before squabbling could break out. The Middle Eastern Federation was a regrettable loss to Britannia, but it is still a loss. This Council does not fund pointless terrorism nor resistance movements. The ruling to move operations to the DMZ between the MEF and the Chinese Federation stands. If there is no old business, let us move forward. I put forth to the Committee, for discussion, the matter of the Britannian conflict in the European theater.
The European representative cleared his throat for attention. Number 'III,' his voice colored by electric static, but definitively that of a younger man, spoke with a hint of a blended German-French accent. As you all well know, operations in the Holy Empire have been curtailed in recent years by the interference of OSI. Our own agents have been unable to infiltrate the organization, allowing it to remain the only nationalized agency which we do not have moles inside. As this trend is unlikely to change, any projects of dire importance have been moved out of Britannian-controlled territory. The Paris branch of the Committee has been reduced by fully two-thirds, which will allow it to remain operational, but will not be a debilitating blow to our organization should it be discovered. Subsequently, with the fall of France, we have maneuvered several individuals into both the Interim Government and the Government in Exile, currently house in the French Embassy in Prussia. I direct you to Report #7964 for a detailed breakdown of projects and their new locations. I put forth the matter to the Committee for general queries at this time.
A chorus of agreements pushed the matter forward to a small number of penetrating questions, none of the monoliths acknowledging the man standing stock-still in the center of the room. Finally, after an indeterminate amount of time, the representative of North America ended the discussion. Matters in Europe have been settled adequately, now, I would like to call your attention to the East Asian Representative.
The electronically-altered voice of an older man filled the room, Due to civil unrest, some of our material routes have been marginally disrupted within the Chinese Federation. Our forces enjoy very nearly complete freedom of movement in Japan, however. Between the corruption of former-Viceroy Clovis' regime and the lack of civil skills that Cornelia displays, we have managed to infiltrate all relevant government agencies as well as take control of the JLF, the dominant resistance movement of the native population. Currently, we have code-named the military-industrial micro-state around their headquarters NERV.
Underneath the stationary man, an emblem of a half fig leaf, the word NERV, and a trail of script twisting around the entire logo in a blood-red light. The East Asian Representative, 'VIII,' continued, Our guest today if you recall, was appointed as the head of operations for Japan ten years ago. He supervised the TRIPLE-BLACK construction project known as GEO-FRONT, which now serves as NERV's headquarters. Due to Britannia's speed in conquering the nation, we were unable to move PROJECT-E out of the country. Report #5877 discussed the necessity of maintaining the site as well, leading to our eventual housing of the JLF, Japanese Liberation Front in the upper complex to exert proper control over the local region. So far, we have been able to hide the base and the activities at Narita, but the new Viceroy's aggressive stance on rooting out terrorism may force our hand. I yield the floor to the Commander of NERV.
Silence fell as the man, who until now had been standing wordlessly still and seemingly impartially observing, took a single step forward, his hands still clasped behind his back in a mimicry of an at-rest military stance.
The Committee on Human Instrumentality recognizes the Commander of NERV, speak Gendo Ikari.
"As stated, my concern rests with the security of the installation I am in charge of. I would like to request permission to acquire and train a pilot for Unit-01 as well as to mobilize the Evangelion in the event of a military emergency which convention ground forces cannot combat," Gendo said, his voice a bland monotone.
An excited and nervous murmur rose across the different communications channels as files were accessed, opinions traded, and old grudges flared into new arguments. Finally, the electric chatter reached a crescendo, forcing the North American Representative's hand.
ENOUGH!
The room froze at the ancient voice and tone.
This request, Com. Ikari, is most irregular, but not completely unanticipated. With the eventuality of Britannian research in large-scale bio-mecha, ascertaining Unit-01 operational status is deemed a necessity. Though we do not have confirmation on the arrival times of the Messengers due to the destruction of the Scroll of Deliverance, we should presume the worst. I will authorize the acquisition and training of a pilot, should you find one compatible with it, of course. Do you have someone in mind?
Gendo's head bobbed up and down once. "Yes. Shinji Ikari, my son."
Noises of outrage flew through the council chambers, all of them objections. Through the cacophony, neither the East Asian, nor the North American Representatives spoke. Finally, the Chairman overrode the lines of communication, speaking directly to Gendo.
Com. Ikari, I trust you realize that the Evangelion is to be the source of the next step in human evolution, not a multi-trillion dollar toy for your child's birthday. You have good reason for this farce, do you?
"Indeed. I refer you to Psychological Evaluation #116, the profiling exercise for pilots termed the Marduk Report. Shinji meets each and every requirement, will draw less attention when he is taken into training, and is expendable."
There was a nearly collective blinked as they all processed the unfeeling tone with which the explanation was delivered. Some of the secret powers in the room even shifted uncomfortably at the bland manner Ikari had talked about sacrificing his own son. Regardless, this Committee would feel much more confident if at least two pilot candidates were selected from the Marduk Report. Should you feel confident in your son's ability to perform, there should be no objection to having a random sample to compare with.
Gendo was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking the matter over, but in reality the commander had anticipated this condition and already made a selection. It was all he could do not to smirk. "Agreed. What of my other request."
There was another long silence, this time as the Committee argued on closed communication lines, away from Gendo's prying ears.
Should a military emergency develop where the GEO-FRONT is in danger of being compromised and seized, we will agree to a deployment.
Ever-so-slightly, the corners of Gendo's mouth twitched upwards.
Dear God.
What have I done? What the Hell have I done? You know, I can't really even think about this right now, it's so disturbing. I'm pretty sure 'Gendo made me do it,' is my fallback excuse...or maybe 'Lelouch mindfucked me.' Yeah, that's a good one. Really, this story has taken on a life of it's own...
And, yes, I already know that Evangelions are 'frickin huge compared to Knightmares. I've planned for that. For those Cthulu scholars out there who recognized the Crawling Chaos...good show. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I recommend Wikipedia...or running away. Either's good. In other news, Euphie's going to Ashford, Suzaku has to deal with an over-protective sister AND the possibility of revealing his best friends accidentally...Shinji Ikari has a date with destiny and she's on the rag...oh, and zombies. Lots and lots of zombies...and the whole 'secret identity thing' has been blown all to hell and back. For those of you calling BS on Lelouch's reaction, recall that he never said he was a PRINCE, just that he was royalty and he has one hell of a grudge against his former homeland. The shock value of that ALONE, was enough to derail Kallen and Tamaki's lines of questioning...just like Lelouch knew it would. This was basically the only way I could get him out of this without killing Kallen, at the VERY LEAST.
Next chapter should have the Irregulars and Nemo make an appearance. Notice that I'm dropping the whole 'Magical Device Nemo' from Nightmare of Nunnally, but I'm keeping the character concept. I might do that more than once, so there's your warning on that front. Hmm...in other news, NERV. As if I didn't have ENOUGH psychological issues to deal with in this show already, oi! NERV is going to be a bit...different than in cannon Neon Genesis, so bear with me. And...I think that's everything. If I forgot or glossed over something you think is important, review or email me and I'll try to address it.
Oh, and for the person who expressed concerns about Kngihtmares...don't worry. There will be more than enough Knightmare action later...after I get past some of the survival-horror that I'm in right now.
-Slayer Out.