Thank you people for the reviews, and please keep them coming, unfortunately this is another slow chapter, no real fights yet.

Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass

Chapter 2

--One Year Later--

--Caerleonalter--

Lelouch sat in a black leather chair, typing on what he could only call what was likely one of the most enhanced computers in Brittania. Lelouch served many purposes in secret to Cornelia and the military, mostly tactical plans and strategies to wipe out terrorist groups and religious fanatics. Most of the world stayed under the one banner, no country actually going off on its own, just the small groups who had once relied on war for profit, and that was reason enough to obliterate the small terrorist cells.

"Cornelia, if the plan goes well, then the black knights will push the enemy units into line of fire from your units" he'd announce over the private channel, after all nobody was supposed to know he was alive. He watched the battle progress from multiple screens, privately having a small laugh with himself since he found it ironic, helping his sister now after he'd faught her up till his death, it had seemed. He boredly sat back in the chair, head resting while keeping an eye open to watch the battle progress as well as the tactical map the mobile command unit was equipped with. Of course he occupied the command level with only a few other operatives, all sworn to speak nothing of his being there.

"Once your past checkpoint one, have Zero and the Black Knights close in on the right flank from their position, the enemy will try to slide to the left, and thats where they can be taken down at our leisure, since the preparations have been completed" Lelouch continued, watching as the Sutherland Knightmares that were being caught in the recordings from Cornelia's and Zero's knightmare frames. It was all rather boring these days, Lelouch thought, he was used to being in his own command-unit Knightmare frame, not from a command center.

From the right sleeve, he slipped out a king chess piece, holding it in two hands boredly as the video feed let him see the cliffs come tumbling down on the sutherlands and the few Glasgow, a pitiful end to a pitiful group, Lelouch thought. Frankly he was irritated at how it seemed the terrorist groups were receiving frames from somewhere, though old models.

It was that point he stiffened, looking from the corner of his eyes around the room. Everything but the machinery seemed to be silent, radio chatter was continuing on, but there were no replies. Lelouch slowly turned his head for a moment to see them all still at their posts, though they seemed to be not doing anything.

At that Lelouch turned in the chair, finally noting five people standing in the center of the room, one dressed in what seemed to be some sort of ceremonial robe, which vaguely reminded him of the type of thing V.V. had been wearing as the head of the Geass Directorate. It was at that point Lelouch noticed that two of the individuals had glowing geass symbols in their eyes, and that left him speechless, although it had no effect on him. "Lelouch Vi Brittania, we know we cannot kill you since you possess the code from the ninety-eighth emperor, Charles, so we merely bring you a message" the over-dressed.

"We of the Geass Directorate were not all exterminated, and in the brief time you thought Charles had vanished, he re-formed the project with his code, because of his distrust of former Director V.V. he already had taken the research files and a group of scientists. And I, the director, oversee what happens at the directorate."

Lelouch stiffened at the mention of the Directorate, silently fuming that it was still in existence in any form, however there was nothing he could really do. Cornelia had been training him to fight, but he was still hopelessly unfit, and he didn't have his weapons on him since the research division had wanted to work on them.

"We are watching you, Demon Emperor, and you will do as we say, unless you want your dear sister to be assassinated. We will re-take Britannia, and by our decree you shall not get in our way, upon her life"

Lelouch adopted a look he'd only worn on several occasions, staring burning daggers at the 'Director' and the subordinates, already attempting to arrange a course of action for this situation. "And we cannot have you impede our escape, since I imagine that iss what you'd intend to do, and might do since you aren't affected by our Geass. However you are immortal so this will only hurt, but it will hurt" the Director firmly stated before a gunshot was heard, Lelouch then felt a great amount of pain, and finally darkness swarmed with its soothing embrace.

(Somewhere in the former Euro Universe)

With a slight buzzing noise, the small group appeared back where they were, four of the others taking their hand off of the shoulders of one of the ones standing in the front, the geass symbol fading away as the man clutched his eye. "Once we have C2 in our custody, we can take her code and transfer it to one of us, fully starting the directorate properly again. We could have taken the Demon Emperor, but he's far more useful alive, if we can make him work for us that is" the man said, striding over to a black chair and lowering himself into its padded cushions.

Three of the four remaining men bowed lowly and left the room, the fourth striding over the front of the chair and kneeling down. "What would you have me do" the man asked, and the Director tilted his head. "You have done enough for now, Rezin, I have much planning to do, and need solitude to think" the Director yawned, the fourth standing and bowing again before leaving.

--Caerleonalter--

Cornelia was furious, and it was obvious to all around, from Zero to even the small-standing soldiers who scurried out of the way of the Witch of Brittania. "What do you mean? Those five waltzed into the command center, and nobody even stopped them to check ID?" she asked in a rage, the poor soldier she was speaking too shrinking away fearing the lance from her knightmare might appear and squash him like a bug. "The...infiltrators....we..were asked for ID, and those...th...that took he ID confirm who they are" the soldier stuttered under the narrowing gaze of the Royal.

"Go retrieve the ones who took the Identification, and have them wait for me outside my tactical room" she'd say, turning and storming off, down the hall and pretty much all the way to the medical center, where Lelouch was slowly sitting up, a healing bullet-wound on the side of his head. "So who were they?" she'd ask, causing Lelouch to shift his attention from the physician running the tests on the wound to Cornelia herself, and she noticed the smoldering rage that was boiling inside of him.

"A remnant of the Geass Directorate, it seemed that when the Black Knights wiped out the original Directorate, dear sister, father organized a few of the members who weren't present at the city into a new form of the Directorate. I was just told to stay out of the way or they'd try to kill Nunnaly" Lelouch stated coldly, only the hint of indecision creeping in his voice. At that the breath caught in Cornelia's throat, Lelouch had done many-a-reckless thing when his sister was threatened, and it was likely to not change.

"It appears, dear sister, that they gave us an advantage" Lelouch stated simply with a rueful smile. "I know two things, from the fact they attacked and Geassed everyone else, it seems they forgot about Jeremiah, and number two, they obviously don't know where C.C is" he'd state. Before when he mentioned the name, it had confused Cornelia greatly who this mysterious person was, however over the last year Lelouch had gradually been sharing the pent up secrets that he no longer needed to hold with Cornelia, mostly with her persistent inquiry.

Lelouch stood up, and with a slight change in his posture, he'd put the mask of the cold strategist back on yet again, though malevolence shone deep within his eyes. "With your permission, sister, I'd like to form a Knightmare group, and I have the members of that group in mind, it would mostly be the command circle" he'd say with a grunt. "If we're fighting Geass users, I can't afford to be in the shadows, however the world will take me when I finally am seen again." he'd say, glancing between Cornelia and the ever silent Zero whom had followed her in. "And if you would like, both of you would play instrumental parts in it" he'd say, glancing between the two again. "I'd also need Kallen, C.C, Jeremiah Gottwald, and perhaps your knight, Guilford" he'd say, seeming to be gazing off who knows where, holding a blood-stained black king chess piece, presumably the one he'd had when he was shot.

Cornelia seemed dazed by that proclamation, but remained silent, merely nodding. Even she had figured out the fact that if the Geass cult was involved, the tentative peace that the Zero Requiem had made would likely be broken over the struggle for survival that would commence.

"Also, each in the unit would receive new knightmare frames" Lelouch would say with a lopsided grin, seeming for a moment to be like a genius who was unveiling his master plan to the rest of the world, or a kid wanting to show off his new toys. "Whatever you say" Cornelia said with a slight uneasiness in her voice. She hadn't ever been able to argue Lelouch out of anything when he had that sort of expression, so she never bothered to. "I can ask Guilford, however the others are your responsibility" she'd say, and Lelouch merely nodded as she departed the room.

When the door closed, Lelouch turned his gaze to the motionless Zero, whom seemed to be regarding him from behind the mask. "Can I count on you yet again, though I don't deserve any of it?" he'd ask, and Zero seemed to pause, shaking his head. "Though you have walked the path of blood, and have done things I can't forgive you of, you can count on me" Zero, or Suzaku would say, turning himself to leave."

(Several hours later)

--somewhere in Italy

Lelouch was frankly appalled at the ammount the account in the Brittanian treasury that had vanished, presumably from the amount of pizzas that C.C. had purchased. Lelouch just sighed slightly as he looked through the records, tracing the purchases till he came to a small place which was in range of all the local pizza parlors, which he found to be rather amusing. Several hours later and a plane flight he found himself standing outside of a small house in the residential district, most of the lights being off.

Lelouch went to a building in a refugee district once he got off of the jet, the make of the door seemingly plain and simple, as Lelouch had expected, thus confirming his suspicion. Lelouch of course wasn't out in public showing his face, so he wore what seemed to be a hooded coat with a scarf, since this time of year it was rather cold.

In his hands he held a peace offering for C.C, of course the surprise pizza would calm her down, however he still might have hell to pay. Of course he couldn't be hurt, but that was beside the point, as assumed, she would be the one who knew how best to torture an immortal.

Once he knocked on the door it was only shortly that it was opened, as if she had caught the scent of pizza from the other side of the door. Once the door was open, Lelouch found himself staring at a dumbfounded C.C.

"So....the life of a refugee getting boring?" Lelouch asked in a slight amused tone, the green-haired code bearer narrowing her gaze. She'd recognized him the moment she saw his eyes. "It has, and where have you been?" C.C. asked as she snatched the pizza box from Lelouch's hands, taking it back into the main room where she collapsed backwards onto a couch, right next to the recognizable cheese-kun.

"Helping Cornelia with her terrorist problem, however a day ago I got shot by a small group from what seems to be the new Geass Directorate" Lelouch merely stated, noting the look of mild surprise on the code-bearers face. "And I'm alive because of the human unconsciousness in C's world, I think, it seems to have given the code my father had possessed to me" he'd say, C.C. then looking half startled before she worked what likely happened out herself. "And since the directorate is still there, I assume you wish me to help you take it down again, since we are immune to the effects of Geass now, hm?" she'd ask and Lelouch merely stayed silent, knowing it was more a rhetorical question than one that needed an answer.

"It was boring, and... so long as you keep pizza coming, I'll help you in this little vendetta" she'd say, getting that mischevious glint she always had when she found something amusing. "Very good, that puts another advantage on my side, two immune to Geass stand to be a substancial advantage." Lelouch said, turning to the door. "I presume your ready to go, aside for that rediculous doll you don't carry much else around, do you" he'd say with a smirk, only to be rewarded by said doll slamming into his head from behind, causing him to smash onto the floor. Mentally Lelouch smirked again, pondering whom he should contact next, he'd probably contact Jeremiah next, since he'd probably need both him as well as Sayoko, who would likely come along anyways, to keep Kallen from shooting him, or coming after him in the Guren.

(somewhere in the country outside of Tokyo Settlement: Gottwald Orange Farm)

Jeremiah Gottwald leaned against a wood pillar on the porch of the two-story farm-house that he had bought using the considerable amount that was left to him because of his services. Though the life of growing oranges was much more relaxing than fighting battles in a large knightmare, he found it to be getting exceedingly dull too fast. Unlike growing oranges, which you could do almost nothing but aid to survive, knightmare battles could change direction at any turn in a battle between skilled tacticians, as demonstrated the numerous times Lelouch had fought Schneizel.

In truth, he was waiting to be called upon at any time, being one of the few who knew that the prince had survived. He knew of the survival in one fact, that the body that had been used in the funeral was not been the Emperors, merely a corpse which was made to look like him. Jeremiah had brought that fact up with princess Cornelia, whom had hesitated, then told him not to bring it up with anyone else.

Of course that meant when the phone rang, Jeremiah picked it up immediately upon reading the caller ID. Of course since he wouldn't know if it was a trick, he answered with "Gottwald Oranges, we deliver anywhere" he'd say, and with a relatively amused tone, he heard the voice of Lelouch on the other end of the line. "Took the orange thing to heart, haven't you, Jeremiah?" Lelouch asked, Jeremiah nodding curtly, still formal even if on the phone.

"Small matter, really, what I'm calling you about is that the geass cult wasn't completely destroyed, and has threatened Nunnaly, that alone makes them my enemy, I have blood on my hands too much, already, a little more won't hurt." Lelouch stated, and Jeremiah noted the slight tone of resignation behind the voice. "So I must ask you, Jeremiah, to return temporarily to aid me, and if so, to meet me at the gates of Ashford at ten tomorrow" Lelouch stated, pausing for a moment. "And if possible, request that Sayoko come, I last heard she was attending to Anya

"I'll be there, my lord" Jeremiah flatly stated, and the conversation ended there, Lelouch having hung up the phone as he always did, a rather annoying habit, though Jeremiah before going about preparing.

Ashford Academy (Grounds)

Kallen was on her normal break from class, and thus was out wandering the grounds as she usually did, of course what did she have to do when everyone else seemed both scared and in awe of her skills with the Guren. She eventually just sat down on the same bench as usual, taking out a pen and paper, starting on her Math homework, oh how she loathed the word homework at first, however since it distracted her during break now she was thankful for it.

Almost half a boring hour passed, and with that she was starting to forget that people were out there, of course that came get her when she heard several footsteps heading towards her position. Of course it sounded like multiple people, however she never would have thought anything of it. She may have to watch herself at times, but never at the academy, since nobody would escape if trouble was caused there. "Miss Kozuki?" she heard a irritatingly familiar voice say, though from where she didn't remember. "Yeah, and what is it?" she'd ask, raising her gaze to see Jeremiah, though of course she had no resentment towards the orange farmer. "Bringing a shipment to the Academy, finally? I heard the oranges from your farm were the best around" Kallen would inquire, though the prideful Jeremiah didn't let it show, that pleased him greatly. "Well, yes and no, actually I'm here on business, you see...." he'd say.

Kallen merely looked around the area, now noticing that Sayoko was with him. "Some things hidden in Lelouch's old room?" Kallen asked in a amused tone to the bodyguard and the orange farmer. "Not that we know of, but you might want to discuss it with him" Jeremiah said, then the two broke apart to reveal Lelouch who had been following behind.

Almost at the same moment Kallen was startled and quite angry at the one in front of her, so much her right eye twitched slightly. "Hello again, Kallen" Lelouch said in such a tone it just made her even more angry, and it seemed to be written on her face since Lelouch seemed to back up a step.

Of course it lasted a moment before Kallen seemed to settle down, nodding. "I wondered if you actually died, though I must thank you since the world seems to have become not so violent" she'd say, and Lelouch merely shook his head. "Thats where the problem is, I'm afraid I must request your help in this matter, you can say yes or no either way" he'd say, and the tone of it was of course annoying again. Of course this was the Lelouch she remembered, not the demon emperor, more like Zero.

"I'll come, your not doing it alone this time" she'd simply state, and he seemed startled for a moment at how easy it had been. "Uh....okay" Lelouch said, frowning. "You have a week to prepare, I guess, then I'll send a Jet to pick you up" he'd finish, and stepped forward. Now that he was in range, before he knew it, he got a punch right to the face.

A few years before, Lelouch might have had broken bones from the strike, but he stood back up with minimal effort, of course with no visible injury to himself. Kallen, dismayed at that fact, was about to strike again when she was held back by both Sayoko and Jeremiah. With a sigh, Lelouch made his grand exit, disappearing as fast as he could before the enraged Kallen escaped.

Thats it for this chapter....though a few bits of it were rather lame, I tried to keep it as in character as possible....