Code Geass: Lazos de Sangre (English Version)

by AliceXS

Lelouch was a child when his family was devastated by order of the president of the Britannia Corps. Years later, he'll return as a successful lawyer to reveal the truth and cruelly do justice, since evil can only be punished with evil. Will he make it? Will you dare to relive Lelouch's rebellion against Britannia like you never thought you would? (Retelling)

10. Chapter 9: Brother

Code Geass: Lazos de Sangre

Chapter nine:

Brother

"Everything is going just as I planned." In a couple of months, Lelouch had achieved a high prestige, he had appeared before the Britannia family and had managed to put her young heiress in his pocket, he had earned the admiration and support of the citizens like Zero, he had got Kallen to work for him—although it, she wasn't part of his plan yet; first, she had to prove what wood she was made of— and soon his first target was going to fall into his clutches. If that wasn't a good start, what else could it be?

The trial against Dr. Asprius was to begin today and he was already preparing to attend. Lelouch stepped into the shower jet. This broke into millions of drops that splashed everywhere. He raised his head and covered his face with his hands. He stepped back a little, letting the life-giving rain wash over his hairless white chest. The water reeled at his arms and legs. "Fortune is on my side." The thought brought a smile to his lips because more than an idea it was a reality. He loved when reality worked his way. Lelouch turned around. The water and foam trickled down his back. Finishing the shower and drying his damp hair with a cloth, he went to his bedroom. His body glistened with wetness. He opened his huge closet where he had all his clothes organized. He chose a white shirt and a black suit. He opened the drawer where he kept his ties. Almost all of them were violet tones with different degrees of saturation. He picked up a burgundy one. He dressed and headed for the court.

The room was more or less full. Taking into account that the deceased was a public figure, it seemed normal. He sat on the second bench. He wanted to be relatively close to the defendant's side, to study the prisoner's reactions and to be observed by him. He didn't mean to hide. His goal was instantly fulfilled. Dr. Asprius's eyes landed on him as he walked over to the lawyer Gottwald. Lelouch smiled at him and waved happily at him. The man averted his gaze sharply. The prosecutors appeared and, later, the judge. And this began the trial.

Prosecutor Weinberg stood up, indicated the charge under which he was being charged, and went on to narrate the events. The defendant visited the victim, killed him by hitting him with a vase as soon as he turned his back on him, left, bought gasoline, returned to the place, set fire to the house and kidnapped the body. The autopsy revealed that the cause of death was severe trauma to his head. The first piece of evidence was a shoe print, discovered on the lawn of the victim's house, which matched the one the doctor was wearing that night. The following were the gasoline that was in the trunk of his car and the receipt that underlined that he made the purchase half an hour before the fire. The strongest evidence was the murder weapon: the vase, now broken.

"In this vase," Gino said, holding up a plastic bag containing the pieces, "Mr. Asprius's fingerprints and the victim's blood were found."

The performance of the defense had been weak, bordering on the mediocre. The lawyer didn't refute any of the evidence provided by the prosecution when he could so easily argue, for example, that the purchased gasoline was not necessarily used for that purpose. His laziness could only be explained in two ways: he was a lousy lawyer (which would belittle his reputation) or he did it on purpose (being him, Lelouch would have tried a little harder playing his role). The distraught gesture of Dr. Asprius evidenced the lack of communication between him and his lawyer.

"First, there was a print of the defendant's shoe which, according to its freshness, places him on the time; second, a receipt for the purchase of gasoline that, by the way, was in the trunk of his abandoned car three blocks from the north and, third, the fingerprints of the accused and the blood of the victim on the murder weapon," prosecutor Alstreim listed. "Every piece of evidence points to the fact that Bartley Asprius committed this murder."

The prosecution's witness was called to the stand. None other than the housekeeper who reported Dr. Asprius. Lelouch thought her statement was unnecessary as the vase and shoe prints confirmed the defendant's presence at the crime scene, however, this would be the defense's opportunity to discredit the eyewitness. He focused his gaze on Jeremiah. He was curious as to how he would proceed. Was he saving his ace for last or not? The witness recounted, after prosecutor Weinberg asked her if the defendant was the man, she saw the night the house caught fire and her boss disappeared:

"Not many people come to Mr. Sawazaki's house. It wasn't unusual, so I looked several times."

"No more questions, your honor."

And the prosecutor withdrew, following those words.

"The defense may cross-examine the witness," the judge conceded.

The lawyer Gottwald straightened.

"The defense has nothing to interrogate."

The defendant felt overwhelmed. He felt that each piece of evidence handed over by the prosecution was a new nail in the coffin. This had signed his sentence. Faced with such shamelessness, Lelouch couldn't help but chuckle. He went away. There was nothing new to see. The lawyer Gottwald made everything easy for him. Asprius would be an asshole if he didn't realize that they were going to lose if they continued on that course. Since the defense provided scant evidence, the trial was concluded. It seems that the judge had taken pity on the accused due to the ineptitude of the lawyer. The next trial was declared to take place in four days. Therefore, that would be the period he would have to put together the defense. Lelouch had decided to visit the doctor, after hitting a few laps in his car. He told himself that this time he wouldn't leave empty-handed.

---

At the same time as the trial, Suzaku's meeting with President Charles was taking place at the Camelot facility. It was the first time he had heard the name. Although they didn't try to keep its existence a secret, the members were reserved revealing information to the public, so the media did not pay attention to them, among so many news that happened daily. This way they could work comfortably hiding in plain sight. However, that moderation is about to change. Since President Charles didn't clarify, Suzaku guessed the reason was tied to his election campaign. Otherwise, he wouldn't be there.

What was Camelot? A special research division founded by the Britannia Corps specializing in robotic engineering. What were they busy with? In developing a robot that would completely revolutionize the technology industry. The prosecutor would have the honor of knowing in advance. Euphemia too. Apparently, her function was limited to receiving Suzaku, but President Charles asked her to join them much to her surprise. She saw no way to refuse. They were served by the leader, Rakshata Chawla, a tall, attractive woman with copper skin. She led them through the headquarters. Suzaku had a hard time keeping up with the scientist's chatter. Still, he listened politely; while he scanned the area with his eyes. Suzaku was impressed by all the technological advances he got to see. He had no idea how many pro-science projects the parent company of the Britannia Corps had promoted. At most, all he knew was that the conglomerate completely razed the small, dark, old-fashioned city of Pendragon and that its demolition gave birth to the vast, bright, modern metropolis it was today. It wouldn't have occurred to Suzaku that the president would be so interested in science and technology. He had to share it with her: his stupor didn't go unnoticed.

"It was thanks to my brother."

"I didn't know you had a brother."

"Because nobody talks about him. He died years ago," he said with an effort. "Contrary to me, who dedicated my life to business, he gave up his heritage to devote himself to science. Still, there was always that twin connection between us," he explained. "It made me realize that science is the future of humanity, the light in the midst of ignorance and the remedy for the uncertainty that has long subjected us."

It was strange. The thing he wanted most in the world as a child was to have a sibling. Being an only child was bittersweet: although he had all the attention of his elders, he sometimes felt lonely. With his mother dead and his father uninterested in remarrying, his hope was diminishing. By befriending Lelouch, that void was filled. Lelouch was older by a few months and that was enough for him to treat him like an affectionate brother, which meant protecting him from those who bothered him, sharing, playing with him and teaching him. Ironically, it was Suzaku who ended up learning the most from Lelouch. At least, Suzaku always had the role of the protector.

"Suzaku, are you alright?" asked Euphemia, who was walking beside him.

"It's nothing, Euphie," he smiled, reassuring her. When he turned to her, he had to lift his head, realizing that he had unconsciously lowered it. "I was just thinking about what your father said. I may have felt that connection with Lelouch. He was the brother I never had."

Those words tore at Euphemia's insides. Her cheeks lost their color and she slowed her walk to a stop. In spite of herself, she preferred to wait for her breathing to catch up and move on. They arrived at the test room cabin where Suzaku met Lloyd Asplund, one of Camelot's main scientific assets and, with the consent of the president and under the supervision of the leader, was the developer of the prototype that was to be seen in action. Aforementioned invention was behind glass.

"Come on boy. Take a look, it's what you want," Rakshata encouraged. "I promise you it won't bite. We haven't designed teeth."

Stricken with cravings and gnawed by doubts, Suzaku carefully approached the window. Below them, within a gray space, was an imposing white humanoid robot that must have been at least four meters tall.

"What do you think?" the president asked with a friendly smile.

"It's...huge," he wheezed. He was mesmerized admiring the robot like children when they saw a puppy in the pet store.

"Do you want to ride it?." Lloyd snapped hungrily.

The unexpected question made Suzaku take his eyes off the machine for a minute.

"Lloyd, please don't harass Prosecutor Kururugi," President Charles admonished gently. "The Knightmare doesn't operate remotely, they need to be piloted."

"You can see the cockpit jutting out into the unit. It's the one that looks like a hump. Fortunately, you don't have to ride, prosecutor. We already have a pilot," Rakshata added.

"Our prosecutor will get a better idea of what a Knightmare is capable of with a demonstration," the President pointed out.

"It will be a pleasure."

"W-what did you say his name was?" Suzaku stammered.

"The line of robots will be called Knightmare," Lloyd replied. "Ordinary, right? Since it is the first of its kind, I renamed it Lancelot. I had the right. After all, I'm its creator."

Knightmare. It was an English pun on "Knight" and "Nightmare." Suzaku deemed it appropriate to hint at its intimidating appearance. Once the pilot got into the cockpit and turned it on, it circled the room. The Knightmare was equipped with self-propelled skids, allowing it to be highly mobile and reach high speeds; two retractable motion sensors on the chest enabled in the collection of visual and thermodynamic data; two ray shields on his forearm and four projectiles on its wrists and hips. It was trained in defense and attack. For sample of it; a machine shot at the Lancelot and he protected himself by projecting a green energy in the form of a shield, being completely unscathed. The Lancelot subsequently fired one of its missiles at a solid wall, destroying it in a single hit. Everyone applauded. Suzaku saw how the pen on the board didn't stop jumping since that thing started moving.

"It's still experimental, so we haven't fitted an ejector seat to it," Rakshata said. "I'm not convinced by those sensors. I'm considering removing them and changing the propulsion system." The scientist put her arm around Suzaku's shoulders and made him lean out the window. He shuddered. Their faces so close together gave him a smell similar to tobacco. It could be that she was smoking before she saw them. "Do you notice that the motors are on both sides of the feet? It would be better if they were placed on the legs, don't you think?"

"Sensors and motors are fine!" Lloyd disagreed angrily. "Just needs to design an armament for it."

"Something like a sword? Would not be bad. He is a Knight, after all."

"There's something you haven't made clear to me, Mr. President," Suzaku interjected, interrupting Lloyd and Rakshata ramblings aloud. "If you intend to mass produce these giant robots, what will you use them for?"

"I thought there was no need to say it. You're intelligent. You had to have inferred it," he replied without erasing his smile. "With the Knightmares we will enhance the armed force ensuring security on our borders. These robots are part of the plan that I'm designing for this city and, gradually, for this country: the Ragnarök Connection."

Prosecutor Kururugi imagined the expressions of terror of tourists and immigrants looking at rows of Knightmares deployed at the border points of the country. To control illegal immigration, they would need to enforce existing policies and create new reforms, not robots as if they were at war. He did not like that powerful machines were at the disposal of the militia. Charles could swear that the Knightmares would help safeguard the nation's sovereignty, but these were the kind of weapons that were used for repression. Some politicians or President Charles himself would argue that the potential of the Knightmares was wasted, so they would expand their functions and from there what? Would it become the new police? The image of a defenseless citizen against that monster gave him chills.

"You disapprove, or am I wrong?" the President asked.

Suzaku was always expressive. He guessed he would have pursed his brows or lips. Or maybe it was his silence that gave him away. Saying nothing was an answer. Suzaku felt the eyes of the Camelot scientists, Euphemia, and the President pierce through him like arrows. He took in his surroundings and was more awestruck. It was in their territory. What could he say that he didn't know?

"Prosecutor Kururugi, I told you, science and technology are the future," President Charles continued. "When you get married, you will certainly have a robot that prepares your meals, makes your bed and babysits your children. If we want to own the future, we must adapt to change and evolve."

"Prosecutor Kururugi doesn't disapprove of you, Dad," Euphemia interjected. Her voice, like her posture, was firm. Her tone was devoid of petulance, an attitude that was often latent in Charles' words, even Lelouch's. The tycoon glanced at his little daughter. "I'm sure he understands that change is an unstoppable force and that he agrees because it is necessary many times. It's possible that the Knightmare are seen as aggressive and it doesn't seem to me that the reinforcement of our security implies breaking borders."

"We aren't going to break them, we'll impose limits, which is different. It's the only way to put an end to this crisis that leniency has brought us," her father corrected her. "It isn't possible, dear daughter. It is a fact. I know that, just as I know that listening to other people's opinions will get us nowhere. A president knows what is best for his country. Nobody else."

"And perhaps the way to put an end to them is by inventing war machines?" Suzaku questioned briskly. "You and I have different visions of the future, Mr. President, and I can think of several ways that rule out violence."

"I don't doubt it," he agreed. "Too bad you can't put them into practice unless you have the power," the president hinted, stretching the right corner of the lip. In theory, that grimace was a smile. "Regardless of whether you think your modes are correct, there will be someone who differs from you because their benefits are affected. Violence is inherent in change."

Well, he didn't ask him if he'd thought through his proposal, which was why he presumed he'd been invited, but that suggestion was a subtle reminder of their talk at the party. In any case, he already realized that Charles intended to govern the country and elevate it in the same way that he managed his house and made his conglomerate great: by instilling fear. Whether he was right or not, he didn't know. The thing was, Suzaku didn't like it. And he wasn't alone. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Euphemia. They exchanged a smile. Arthur wasn't all they had in common.

---

Dr. Asprius wasn't surprised to receive another visit from the lawyer Lamperouge. They had seen each other at the trial. It would be an even confrontation: he hadn't brought the sexy redhead along. After sitting down, he missed her. To a certain extent, the idea of being alone with the lawyer Lamperouge caused him anxiety. There was a darkness in his gaze that made him uncomfortable. Perhaps his impression was a delusion. Without his monocle his vision wasn't perfect: he saw blurred images through his right eye. He hadn't slept the recommended eight hours since he was admitted: his bed was too hard and cold for his back and he didn't trust his cellmate. He hadn't eaten well either. His palate was very accustomed to French gastronomy. The food in prison was of average quality and the rations were insufficient. Under those conditions, he wasn't in his full faculties.

"You again, did you come to sign your contract?" Bartley asked.

"In principle, yes. Although, anyway, I'm here to talk. You must not have made many friends, right?" he ventured, tilting his head. "You're a newcomer yet" the prisoner refrained from confirming it. It wasn't his purpose to provoke him, so he changed the subject. "Go through this with me, will you? In 2008, a man was sentenced to five years for robbing a bakery. In that same year, an investment banker who manipulated stock prices was put on probation. Tell me, in both cases, did the judge pronounce a bad sentence or was the lawyer inept? What do you think?"

"What?" Bartley blurted out with a grimace.

"Answer, please," Lelouch asked, smiling.

The doctor scratched the back of his neck. He didn't understand what these stories were about. Was he trying to tell him that his lawyer was incompetent because of his lack of work at trial?

"I don't know…. Was the lawyer inept?" he replied, listless.

"Error. There is a third option: it was a rigged trial," he countered. Bartley blinked, stunned. It had been a trick question. The lawyer leaned back in his awkward seat, kicking his leg up over the other. "Today was a disaster, wasn't it? You may not have legal knowledge, but, deep down, you know that something went wrong. You're not wrong. At the time the prosecution accused you of murder, you were able to win this trial, do you know why?" He asked. The man's frown deepened. Lelouch held the answer to his question on the tip of his silver tongue until he noticed that Asprius was listening with all five of his senses. "Because the charge is murder. Look, in order for you to be tried as a murderer, it must be proven that you had the intention of killing him. In other words, it was a premeditated crime. And you have no reason. That's the difference between a murder case and a homicide case," Lelouch claimed. The inmate released air through his mouth. "Your amazing lawyer didn't explain it to you, eh, doctor? Both don't communicate."

"How did you…?" Asprius started. He couldn't finish phrasing the question. He fell silent as if he were scolding himself inwardly. "Listen! Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want from me so you'll leave me alone," he moaned.

Asprius made a sharp gesture with his arm, as if inviting him through the door. As soon as he put it down, he turned in his chair trying to turn his back on him. The attempt went halfway, so he stayed in profile. Lelouch looked at his neck. There was a not very deep cut. Mao complied.

"This isn't about what I want, it's about what you want," he pointed out. "The last time we met, I told you to think of you. Did you? Have you found what you want?" He paused. The prisoner hesitated. "Do you want to go out?"

"What innocent man in his right mind wants to stay in prison?" Asprius growled, offended.

"I thought so," Lelouch agreed. "And after what you saw at trial, you're sure you will be exonerated?"

"No," Asprius admitted. "I'm not even sure if I should trust you."

"Well, there are only two ways to get out of here: winning the case or in a coffin," he observed. The prisoner touched the cut, suddenly, as if he were crushing a mosquito. He turned to face him, as they were at the start. "If your attorney can't help you, I can. I'm the closest thing to hope you have right now." Lelouch reached down, put his briefcase on his lap and pulled out the contract. He placed it on the surface. "I'm afraid it will be impossible to deny that you were there. The prosecution has compelling evidence. But I can show in court that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time when someone else murdered him, as long as you give me the chance. Don't let your distrust get the best of you, man. He has no reason to think less of me, other than that I'm a stranger who wants to help you." Lelouch took his watch out of his breast pocket and checked the time. "You have seven minutes left. How do you want to take advantage of them? Talking about the weather or telling me what happened that night?"

Lelouch put the watch away and crossed his fingers. He rested his hands in his lap, waiting for Asprius to make a decision. The doctor sighed. Although the lawyer put the watch back in his pocket, he had the feeling that Asprius heard its tick tock drilling into his ears. That man was an open book. That was why Lelouch already knew the decision he was going to make before Asprius himself knew it.

---

C.C. received a message from Jeremiah indicating that he had lost the trial, just as she finished her manicure. He risked making things easy for Lelouch, but if that was the way he could help them, he took the consequences. C.C. wrote to him to be careful, warning him that being too obvious might tip off Schneizel. She was aware that Lelouch went to court that morning. If she knew him as well as she thought she would, he would go visit Dr. Asprius to finish convincing him to sign with him. It would be a matter of time before he arrived with good news.

Immediately after sending the message, she noticed the date indicated in the upper right corner of the screen and remembered something important. She put down the phone, zipped up the lime-green glitter polish, and walked into Kallen's office, who was scrolling through the case news on her computer, researching it.

"Hey! I have a female emergency; would you mind giving me a pad?" She asked.

Kallen reached into her bag and pulled out a case. She uncovered it and handed her a tampon.

"I only have tampons. Do you know how to use it?"

"Yes, I know it. Don't worry. Thank you."

C.C. took the tampon and left. Then, she locked herself in the bathroom. She removed the bottom plastic, stretched out the blue cord that was sticking out, stuck her finger into the base, and removed the excess plastic. She sat on the toilet with the lid closed and hiked up her skirt, exposing her legs. Around her left thigh was a knife sheathed in a leather sheath. She grabbed it and with surgical precision cut the inside of her right thigh. C.C. bit her lip, repressing the gesture of pain. Quickly, she wiped herself with the buffer. As soon as the bleeding stopped, she wrapped the tampon in toilet paper and discarded it in the trash. She opened the bathroom mirror and took out a gauze pad with which she covered the cut. It was already itching less. She calculated that in an hour the burning would cease. She sheathed the knife and lowered her skirt. To think that she got that weapon from a petty thief who tried to rob her. She decided to keep it. A woman alone in the underworld had to defend herself. The irony was that she had inflicted more injuries on herself in her secret purging rituals than on thieves and murderers. Currently, she uses it for his punctual visit every month.

At the end, the furniture doesn't bleed.

In front of the mirror, C.C. tidied herself up. Perhaps she had to wait until she got home? She shook her head. No way! As long as Lelouch, Tamaki and Kallen saw it, it was fine. The time didn't matter. She had a craving for a cigarette, so she went out to get it. Outside she bumped into Tamaki, who was drinking a beer. She hadn't revealed where she kept them, he must have found them on his own.

"Hello Cecilia!" Tamaki greeted her happily. "Look, I got this somewhere hidden" he said when noticing where her topaz eyes rested. He offered his bottle, "Would you like some?"

"No, thanks."

"Are you sure? Well, if you change your mind, there's more in the kitchen," Tamaki point out, jerking his chin in that direction. Tamaki took another long drink and stood up. "I'll see if the new girl wants it".

She was about to tell him, for the umpteenth time, she had already lost count, not to call her by any of those names, that she hated it, however, she dismissed it as a hopeless case. She asked instead:

"Do you think it's wise to drink with your liver problems?"

"Oh, my little Catalina! It's not about what you live, but how you live. I can't give up beer. I love it too much. At least if my guts explode here, I'll have the things I like best: beer and pretty women."

C.C. started laughing. She didn't think Tamaki would one day speak sense. It might be the only time they agreed. We've got to die of something. Tamaki smiled, ingratiated. Lelouch came at this. Tamaki hid the bottle behind him.

"Good afternoon team. I just came from visiting Bartley Asprius in prison. I'm pleased to report that we will work on his case."

"How? He signed with us?" Kallen asked, coming out of her office as she recognized his voice.

Within seconds, everyone had gathered in the center of the waiting room.

"I told you we'd get it. See for yourself," he reminded her, turning to her with a beaming smile. He took the contract signed by Dr. Asprius out of his briefcase and handed it over. The redhead reluctantly accepted it without fully digesting the announcement. "Today the first trial was held and I was able to find out more details of the incident. The prosecution charged our client with murder. It will be easier for us to prove his innocence. So far, they have an eyewitness and a shoe print as evidence that he was there. Dr. Asprius doesn't deny it. In his words, he went to see the victim. They were friends. Before being the director of the Britannia Medical Center, he was a psychiatrist for his daughter, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder; even though she died in an accident a few years ago, they continued to chat from time to time. That night, according to the good doctor, he was with another person: Luciano Bradley, the bodyguard of Schneizel el Britannia."

Lelouch sent both Tamaki and C.C a knowing look. All three knew that Luciano was involved in Bartley's clandestine departure. If he was telling the truth, Luciano may have been more than an intermediary between the human trafficker and the suspect. In his mind, Lelouch had established a timeline to reorder events and realized that Sawazaki was murdered the night he dined with the Britannia's. He didn't see Luciano at the mansion. That would explain his great absence.

"I'll guess. Asprius says the bodyguard killed him, scared him and ran away," C.C. interjected.

"It's doable," Kallen opined. "If he didn't, someone else had to, and if there is evidence that a third party is responsible, Dr. Asprius is just a witness and would be better off building our defense."

"How strange that the housekeeper didn't see Bradley!" Tamaki exclaimed.

"Witnesses can be coerced or bribed," Lawyer Lamperouge indicated. His smile tempered the bitterness in his tone, although he couldn't hide the strange sparkle that came into his eyes. The shadow of a painful flashback flashed through his mind. "Fear not for the housekeeper: it isn't impossible to take down a testimony. Even if the murder weapon has our client's prints, which seems like the worst evidence against us, it's not dispositive. I suspect the prosecution's next move will be to find videos that prove Dr. Asprius is the arsonist. We have to get ahead of ourselves. If fortune is with us, it could be that we capture an image of Luciano. Tamaki, you and your men will follow the prosecutors."

"And after that?" Kallen questioned, turning to Lelouch. "Suppose the prosecution will look for the video and Tamaki gets there first, what will he do next? Will he steal it for you? You can't present illegally obtained evidence in court."

"It wouldn't be convenient either if the video does indeed show Asprius burning down the house."

"Let's see if I understand. You still don't trust your client, but are you going to free him anyway?"

"I prefer to believe in tangible evidence that doesn't lie," Lelouch said. "I'll give him the benefit of the doubt though."

The redhead snorted as she placed a hand on her waist and rubbed her forehead, what was she surprised about? Or rather, what was bothering her? They weren't his methods. Lelouch had already told her that this was the way to do justice and she had moderately resigned herself. He was sincere and she found him more unpleasant. It was his unfair suspicion and his malicious attitude that she didn't like. Kallen took care of his clients as well as his friends. Suddenly, a phone rang. Lelouch threw to C.C. a discreet look. She nodded.

"Kallen, it's lunch time. I would like to eat pizza, do you join?" She invited her.

"Yes, why not?" she sighed.

That wasn't difficult. The friction served them well to take Kallen away. Due to C.C. didn't want to get on Kallen's motorcycle, she borrowed Lelouch's car keys. The last they heard from them that day was when the redhead mockingly called her a "coward." C.C. must have ignored the comment because she didn't reply. Immediately, Lelouch went to his office and took out the cell phone from one of the drawers. He threw it at Tamaki who was standing in the doorway. He had rehearsed the script Lelouch had supplied him with numerous times. He knew exactly what to say:

"Kyoto Services Agency. Tell me, how can I help you?" Tamaki said, deepening his voice to give his words more formality. "Yes." He paused. "To opt for our services, you need to become a member, are you interested?" he inquired looking at the ceiling to remember what was coming next. "Very well, in that case, we need you to send us a series of documents: your family book; a proof of income; the document of ownership of your home can serve... Are you writing everything down, Miss li Britannia?..."

Tamaki instinctively moved away looking for a better signal. Lelouch found it unnecessary to follow him. He wrote the script based on Euphemia's candid and gentle personality, therefore, on the possible questions she could ask. If a mishap arose, he trusted the gangster's street wit to help him —there was a first time for everything, but not this one: the dog liked to make his master proud—. Lelouch had collected specific information from the Britannia in his dates with the naive Euphemia up to the present. Even if his relationship with the family was good and he eventually became the young heiress's fiancé, he knew he could get even closer. In a few days, a maid would start working for them and that woman would be his eyes and ears in that house. Very soon he would be aware of their secrets and their sins.

---

Suzaku summoned the human trafficker to his office to question him as part of his investigation into Zero. He had questioned the murder suspect, Bartley Asprius, but had found nothing crucial to add to the report. He barely made out what his attackers looked like. The trafficker's story wasn't unlike his statement to the police department. It was useful and useless at the same time. He didn't need a description of Zero and the Black Knights or what he did. He knew who the criminal was and on what charges to sue him. For now, the trafficker was the only lead he had.

"I've told you everything I know! I can't give you what I don't have. Let me go!"

"Impossible. We have a recording of you confessing to transporting Dr. Asprius out of the country. I'm curious to discover the reasons a masked vigilante would have to catch you and send you to the prosecution."

"And how am I to know?" he moaned defensively. "Ask him yourself! It's your job."

In that he was right. Suzaku twirled the pen in his hand absently. He ordered Inspector Darlton to escort the man. It was clear that he was tormented by reliving the trauma. Cooperated with them more than he could not. The guards, the other witnesses, couldn't see anything. The boxes in which the suspects were packed were being processed. The prosecutor had a hunch they would come out clean. He hoped he was wrong.

He was lost in thought when suddenly a thought struck out. Neither Zero nor his people could carry heavy boxes on foot. In fact, the guards declared that they had seen a fleet of bottled water passing by. The prosecutor's office had security cameras. It was likely to catch an image of the license plate. Moreover, it was a fact that he must have stolen the vehicle. Something like that had to have been reported. If his hypothesis was correct, he would manage to draw a trail that would lead him to Zero. How many trucks with those characteristics are stolen? Gained by the momentum, Suzaku stood up and asked Cécile to come with him. She complied assuming that the prosecutor would explain later. Coincidentally, in the corridor, they bumped into prosecutor Weinberg who was leaving. They exchanged polite smiles of greeting and walked past.

Gino was looking for the black boxes of cars parked in that area that night. The police obtained a record and investigated almost all the cars, except for two. None of the CCTV contained anything that contributed to the case. Thus, the evidence they were desperate for was perhaps in one of those cars. His prayers were answered: Detective Nu phoned him to inform him that they located one. The prosecutor expressed his desire to be there. Hanging up, he stopped what he was doing, put his jacket back on, and left.

---

What was the similarity between a reality show and a presidential campaign? There was more than one, to begin with. In short, both tried to attract the attention of an audience with the help of a camera and rarely a scandal. Charles zi Britannia understood how the media game worked. His relationship with the press had been turbulent. The tycoon repeatedly accused the media of manipulating the truth and of being accomplices of officials who carried out terrible management. However, there he was giving a press conference. Being a presidential candidate meant being in front of the screens frequently. Only then his word was spread throughout the country. President agreed to answer one more question before ending. Several journalists raised their hands. The president of the Britannia Corps chose the blonde sitting in the back. The aforementioned got up with energy.

"Milly Ashford from KT-TV News," she introduced herself. "Mr. zi Britannia, it is well known that immigration is the nerve center of your electoral campaign, in your most recent rally you declared that immigrants were different and took out advertisements for Japanese people under the influence of the refrain, don't you think you are demonizing them?"

"You are decontextualizing my words to provoke controversy and I'm not going to allow it. You, the media, are not interested in publishing the truth, but sensationalist news at the expense of the good faith of the people." He cut her off, fixing her with his steel gaze. "It's true. I said that we are different, therefore, the priority of the nation should be with its citizens, not immigrants, and I said that they are welcome as long as they do it legally. The ads aren't rigged. Are real. I think so and I said so, but I can't interpret it for you."

What was a conference without the candidate getting into a fight with some reporter? Nothing that would generate interest in people. Charles ended the round of questions and left. His loyal adviser, Alicia Lohmeyer, was hot on his heels. The couple got into a white BMW and left the place to the parade of camera flashes and a typhoon of disparate voices.

"What a cynical girl. Let it be the last time they let her through my lecture."

"I'll take care of it, dear," Alicia assured him.

"How's the doctor's case going?"

"Dr. Asprius signed Lelouch. He's already got to work," he reported lightly. "For now, he is in a race against the prosecution in the hunt for evidence, looking for a copy of CCTV. I have no doubt that he will end up finding her. He is just as determined and insightful as you are," she observed, smiling oddly. "I keep thinking, though, that maybe he's at a disadvantage," she added with a sigh. "He has to deal with two prosecutors."

"He'll need all the help he can get. Very well," president affirmed. "You reported to me that he's working with a lawyer."

"A suspended lawyer, that's right," Alicia confirmed. "His newest asset. Lelouch sees in her a potential ally."

"The poor lawyer has suffered enough." He smiled, shaking his head. "That her license be restored to her so that she lends all the collaboration she can to Lelouch."

Alice nodded. President used to use a slightly grave tone and always ended his sentences with inflections, as a sign that he wasn't giving suggestions or requests. With her he didn't have to position himself. She was aware of the boundaries between them. An intelligent woman. Quality that he esteemed. Old Britannia glanced out the window. They walked past a poster for his campaign that coined his slogan: "Evolution is Progress."

Not only Lelouch's plans were going from strength to strength.

---

Prosecutor Weinberg met with Detective Nu in front of the car owner's home. The sun was extremely irritating. Summer was hitting Pendragon horribly. By virtue of working in the fields, she was prepared: she was wearing dark glasses. Gino had to settle for narrowing his eyes and forming his hands into a kind of binoculars for the day.

"From now on, will you be monitoring crime scenes, prosecutor Weinberg? You're becoming very friendly with prosecutor Kururugi," the detective pointed out, half serious, half joking.

Gino took the comment as a compliment and smiled. They advanced together. Being the detective on the case, he let her ring the bell. Patients waited to be opened. After a few minutes, a woman came out. Villetta took out her badge and showed it to her. She spoke first:

"How are you lady? He is the prosecutor Gino Weinberg and I'm Detective Villetta Nu from the police department. We would like to ask you for the black box of your car. We think it contains something important. We will be quick. I promise you. We would appreciate your help."

The interlocutor looked from the plate that the detective was holding to her and to the prosecutor as if that way she would detect the authenticity of the act. The woman accepted. She took them to her garage, which was open when they arrived and, judging by the alarmed reaction of its owner, it wasn't an oversight. The car was still there. Nevertheless, someone smashed the windshield and stole the black box right under their noses! The detective ordered her officers to comb the area in the hope that the thief wasn't far away. They wouldn't find his. None of them, really, because just then they were in their truck on their way to deliver the loot to Lawyer Lamperouge.

---

Two days later, a policeman discovered the trafficker dead in his holding cell in the morning. Everything seemed to indicate that he hanged himself: he hung himself from the bars of his window with the sheets. They rushed to lower it. The horizontal marks around his neck could have confirmed the cause of death, although they did not give anything for granted.

Did Zero change his mind and decide to kill him at night? The autopsy would provide more details. Suspects in custody have committed suicide in the past. The peculiarity was that he was not accused. They just kept him under surveillance while they investigated him, as there was nothing more than a recording that hinted that he was a human trafficker. He was also to appear as a witness in the Sawazaki murder case at the upcoming trial. That wouldn't please the prosecution. Except for Chief Tohdoh. It would degrade the image of the police station. In the midst of the chaos as the coroner was called and the police came and went from one place to another, there was one who slipped away whistling nonchalantly without fear of sounding insensitive. Luciano looked over his shoulder at the shock for a few moments. His lips curved into a mischievous smile.

---

The Kyoto Services Agency dispatched a maid to the Britannia mansion. Her name was Shiroi Yuki. Of Japanese nationality. She had been working for the company for ten years, even though she moved to Pendragon twelve years ago. In addition to cleaning, Yuki knew how to massage and cook. Her specialty was Japanese cuisine, of course. Director Cornelia imagined that the servants of this agency must have certain skills that made them stand out above the average. That resume was exorbitant in a positive sense. For a young woman, she was capable of doing a little of everything. Her references were good. She was in the service of two reputed families. She didn't stay with any for various reasons. Yuki told director Cornelia under her breath that it was a mutual agreement between her and the wives. Director Cornelia smiled. She could sense that. Yuki was pretty. Surely her big amber eyes captivated men. Director had scheduled a meeting with the shareholders at eleven o'clock, but with Yuki's imminent arrival, she postponed it. Someone had to welcome her and assess her qualifications. That person was her, no more, no less. With her father seldom home and her brother busy with the business, Cornelia herself took responsibility for the household and with the ferocity of a lioness had protected it.

"Currently, our kitchen doesn't need support, but an extra hand never hurts," she explained. "What would you say is your best skill?"

"Keep secrets," Yuki answered in her thick voice. "But I guess you're asking me what I'm most efficient at. I would say cleanliness."

Skillful, discreet and smart. Yuki was perfect, at a glance. Certainly, a maid wasn't like an intern. In the contract to be part of the clientele (which she had read completely three times in order to avoid confusion and make sure what she was getting into) there were two clauses: first, once she acquired the permanent membership, she had to renew it each year paying a modest sum and, secondly, there was a trial period of two weeks in which if the client wasn't satisfied with the service she had every right to "fire" her maid and be replaced by another. A meticulous and strict system, but functional.

Director Cornelia ordered the other maids to help her adjust and inspect her. She thought, in turn, to ask Euphie to handle it; meanwhile, she was in the company. Director Cornelia went to Euphemia's bedroom, where she noticed that there were several pots of paint on the floor and that she was painting on an easel, and she shared it with Euphie. Gladly, she agreed:

"Sure! I will gladly do so," Euphemia exclaimed. "I won't be here all afternoon, so I'll take a look now."

"It's okay. I'm glad to have you," she said fondly. "I see you are painting. Has the inspiration returned?"

"Yes! Isn't that great? I had a spark these days and I took advantage! I already feared I had lost it"

Director Cornelia walked over and brushed a smudge of paint from her cheek with her thumb. The gesture tickled Euphemia.

"I don't want to keep you any longer, so I'm leaving. Thanks, again."

"Not at all!"

Euphemia followed her sister with her eyes until she disappeared through the door. She turned to her canvas. It was not long before she finished her work. She decided to draw something simple and chose the porcelain rabbit that decorated her dresser. At times like this, Euphemia was content that painting wasn't her job since in such a situation she would always have to paint, even if she lacked inspiration or didn't feel like it or was going through some emotional downturn. Instead, she so she could paint whenever she felt like it. Art helped her assimilate and expel her emotions and feelings and, in the long run, she brought him calm and, assuredly, she needed that. Her days had been intense, especially the night she went to the theater with Lelouch. Soon a desire to paint a portrait was born. Euphemia loved drawing faces. She considered expressions to be powerful. They could transmit a lot. She had someone specific in her mind. Well, first of all, she had to ask him if he would be willing to model for her…

---

Kallen, from another part of the city, was leaving the law school. They contacted her in the morning requesting her presence to discuss her suspension. That could mean one of two things: either her license would be reinstated or it would be taken away forever. Her logic favored the first option, since a suspension, applying to the concept, was temporary. However, a part of her harbored doubts. Having lost her appetite and knowing she wasn't going to find out anything by folding her arms, she braced herself and set out to end it all at once. In the end, her fears dissipated. They revoked her suspension. She didn't get it immediately. She barely knew what was happening. It was like being and not being in that room. The sentences sounded like a cryptic message. They weren't severe. They repeated it. This time more slowly. She could practice again. She nodded.

It wasn't until she was outside that the words made sense and sank into her. She was forced to make a stop, since the street was turning. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. She was smiling.

She waited to compose herself. She wiped the wetness off her face with the back of her hand as she laughed to herself. "I must look crazy." At that instant, she received a message from the Viper Tongue. He wanted to see her in the office. He didn't explain why. By the time she forwarded her reply, Kallen was feeling better. She got on her motorcycle and started off.

The law firm was open. There was a palpable silence. Where had they all been? Being a secretary, C.C. should be in the lobby to serve customers and Tamaki didn't have to be there, but he was so noisy that his presence was felt. Usually he was lying on the couch scratching a testicle or drinking beer.

"Lelouch! I'm here! Where are you?"

At a minimum he should be. Why else would he have summoned her? Kallen spun around as she went inside. There was no one in the next room either. She went into her office to drop off her bag and ease the weight. She sat down at her desk and see that Lelouch, out of nowhere, was standing at the foot of her door. She flinched.

"Oh! Dammit! Don't do that!" Kallen scolded with an accusing finger.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I forget that I can be too stealthy," he stated softly. "As you should have noticed, neither C.C. nor Tamaki are. C.C. will take a very long leave. She promised to visit us from time to time. And Tamaki continues to follow up with the prosecutors, just as I asked. So, we'll have the office to ourselves," Lelouch indicated, walking towards her while displaying his feline grace. He ended up resting both hands on the corners of her desk. "It's fine like this, right?" he asked, bowing.

"No," Kallen replied, looking up at him, "although you don't offer me alternatives either."

He flashed that predatory smile she'd seen before, when he had her on the ropes. Or so she thought. She put her hands behind her and leaned back to make herself comfortable, thinking that if she relaxed her posture and kept her cool it would disguise her nerves and he wouldn't notice the effect he was having on her. Kallen hated that he knew so well where her buttons were and which ones to push, as if she were his wrist. But she hated even more that he was so ridiculously easy to provoke her. That was why she tried to return his smile.

"Excellent," he purred. "Are you pleased with this announcement or did you receive any external news? You are very happy…"

Lelouch wouldn't be Lelouch if he wasn't observant.

"My reaction doesn't match your expectations, is that it?" Kallen replied defiantly, arching an eyebrow. "It's not about the announcement. I came from the law school; they gave me my license back!"

"So that's the explanation! I almost hit it: it was my number four chance. Congratulations, Kallen," Lelouch said honestly, smiling. "Well, Urabe gave me the video of the black box that the prosecution was about to obtain. I would like you to review it".

"Okay," she stated. "By the way, who is Urabe?"

"One of the members who is in Tamaki's gang. He is a good man. you would like it. Come with me," he invited, straightening up and leaving at once. Kallen went after him.

They went to his office. She deduced that he had examined it alone the first time, since the video was already ready to play on his computer and he didn't say that she watched it with him. Lelouch lay down on his seat. She stood back. He started it. CCTV showed a man, presumably because of his build and height, hastily stuffing a body, a corpse by implication, into the trunk of a car. It was dark. Did the lighting not work that night? Kallen leaned forward to take in more details of the black silhouette. A lock of hair fell to the front brushing against Lelouch. She picked it up. He was distracted by the scent of the woman's hair. He cocked his head. They were very close to each other, to the point that their breath sanded their eardrums. His cunning eyes slid down the contours of her face. Her long eyelashes, her upturned nose, her full lips, red and shiny like rubies. Cautiously he stepped back and redirected his gaze to the screen.

"Looks like it's Asprius hiding the body, doesn't it?" she ventured to say something. If he was testing her, she didn't know what exactly he wanted her to notice.

"In fact, we can't say it is because the image is dark. His face can't be seen well," he pointed out with a sigh. Kallen detected something latent in that sigh. She thought it was a malaise. "I demanded a copy of the file with the evidence gathered. According to the license plate, this is the suspect's car, which was abandoned a few streets to the east, and it was not in this vehicle that the police discovered the body... "

"He changed cars on the way. That occurred," Kallen snorted. "He planned it all."

"Or he got help. Dr. Asprius told me that his car experienced some problems and for that reason he had to leave in another car in which the owner coincidentally forgot the keys."

"Ah! He doesn't know how to lie. You should have noticed," she growled, frustrated.

"What are lawyers for? To lie for his clients," Lelouch admitted, smiling.

"Doesn't explain why he's running away with a corpse he supposedly had nothing to do with!"

"He could have been coerced or extorted," Lelouch suggested, shrugging. "Keep in mind that we are lawyers, it isn't up to us to judge our clients, and that the truth is that it doesn't matter what happened, but what the jury believes could take place. I longed for the video to confirm Luciano's presence at the crime scene, but he watched his back" the man pinched the bridge of his nose. It was there that Kallen verified that, indeed, he was upset: he had to deal with an unexpected mishap. "I'm going to have to set him up. I'll invite him on the premise that I've got him on video and I'll get information out of him."

"Attack with what you know and play with what you don't know, ha!" Kallen repeated scathingly.

She exhaled forcefully and collapsed into the chair in front of his desk. She picked up her legs and crossed them. Lelouch just watched her attentively.

"What are you thinking about?"

"I find it strange that a lawyer who uses loopholes to his advantage would disapprove of a masked vigilante."

"Because my means aren't clean doesn't mean they're illegal," Lelouch defended himself measuredly. "And Zero will break any law that stands between him and his vision of justice. In my opinion, his plan has so many logical flaws that it's an idiot: he can't fight the nights and eradicate injustice forever. It's like aspiring to a prosperous and peaceful world. Only an idealistic teenager would believe that something like this is possible. The good and bad times prescribe. It's the law of the pendulum. And Zero is just a man with his own limitations, while evil is inherent in human nature, how can you defeat something that is inexhaustible? " Lelouch declared. Beneath the teasing note in his voice, pain weighed down his words. Kallen didn't notice: she wasn't looking at him. "Unless Zero has other plans," Lelouch wanted to add. His prudence stopped him, and instead he said afterwards: "I could say the same about you, charlatan, why can a madman put on a mask, break the law in the name of justice and be well and why can a lawyer that handles a few unconventional methods is wrong?"

"Uhm?" she blurted out, confused. "Can't you figure it out?"

"I'd rather you tell me."

"What does it matter," she grumbled, hugging her legs.

"I care," he whispered.

His statement prompted Kallen to meet his gaze. Perhaps because of the light it cast against the back of his chair, she felt that the violet in his eyes was more penetrating than usual. They shimmered in a way that made Kallen shiver.

"Do you know why I was suspended?" she asked in a weak voice.

"No."

"Not even out of curiosity did you find out?"

"The records of my staff aren't pertinent precautions in hiring."

"Oh!" Kallen exclaimed, feigning a smile. She leaned in his direction. "At the firm where I worked, since I was a rookie, they assigned me small cases: divorces, workplace harassment, things like that. Most were related to women. Perhaps because they thought I would understand them better. Did you know that the most frequent causes of bruises on the face of a woman are rough sports and domestic abuse?" she asked. Lelouch didn't reply. Maybe because he didn't want to interrupt her story. Kallen laughed mirthlessly, to quell the silence. "I don't. I learned it at work, just as women with long hair are the common victims of sexual assault and rape. Don't think that's why I have my hair like this!" she added right away. Lelouch smirked at her ultimatum. "As time went by, I gained more experience and they gave me heavier cases," she explained, returning to her role as narrator. "The one I got suspended for was one of a woman who killed her husband in self-defense. I tried to reduce her sentence, but the trial didn't rule in my favor. I couldn't understand why: he was going to hit his son to punish her, and what could a woman abused for ten years do against an abuser? The judge justified it by saying that the husband could not react otherwise when he found out that she had a lover. Who the hell appoints our judges?!" The redhead snapped, raising the timbre of her voice, annoyed. "I saw red and hit it. I was suspended and fired from the firm," Kallen continued. She bit her lip, to swallow the emotions that were surfacing as she unraveled her string. "Call it pride or whatever you want, I didn't regret it and for months I felt bad about feeling good," Kallen admitted breathlessly. "And you come with your perception of the law and you make it look so easy…"

"It wasn't easy," he interrupted, his features hardening. Now he was the one not looking at her.

"Okay! Whatever," she snorted sharply.

"You know, I think that woman wasn't the only one who was marked by violence," she mused. "In my adolescence I was rebellious. I always said what I thought and I used to run away at night to race on my motorcycle. I was looking for emotions. My stepmother used to slap me when she saw the bruises on my legs," she said. A sad smile roamed her lips. "And, well, when I was a child, I was eager to learn martial arts to hit. Not to care and protect. I already told you, didn't I?" she asked, remembering. Nostalgia possessed Kallen, the muscles of her face flexing. "My brother changed my way of seeing things. He suggested that I become a lawyer and I decided to convert for him. I promised to be the best and…"

Visualizing her brother's gentle smile in her mind, she forgot the rest and couldn't finish. She blinked several times and tried to pick up the thread. It wasn't necessary because Lelouch intervened:

"And since he disappeared you feel like honoring that promise is all you can do for him, right?"

"Yes," Kallen confirmed, opening her eyes wide, surprised that he had rescued her thought. She nodded her head. "I don't think this was his idea of a good lawyer, or is it?"

She was acknowledging him. She was learning to look at things from the angle he wanted. Lelouch half smiled at her.

"It is," he agreed under his breath. "There's nothing wrong with you, Kallen. Violence is a response and your brother helped you channel it out in a healthy way. It's the same with law," Lelouch assured her, joining the tips of his fingers. "Listen, lawyers aren't always on the right side of the law. Sometimes we will have to defend heartless people. However, it isn't our job to make value judgments and determine which side is socially fair. That is up to the judge. Our job is to protect the rights and interests of clients. That is why many lawyers override their moral sense. Priority is duty to the client and duty is the death of honor," he declared. Kallen reluctantly nodded. She wasn't liking the slant Lelouch's instruction was taking. That was when he widened his smile. "Ironically, we lawyers can't do our jobs without judging the cases that pass through our hands, which leads us to a dilemma. Personally, I believe that in situations like these, the wisest thing is to opt for what is right and I believe that if we lawyers are going to strip ourselves of our honor, it must be for a just cause."

"You mean...?"

"I'd rather use questionable methods than violate my principles."

"Even if that means betraying the client like in this case?"

"Then you prefer to betray yourself?" Lelouch questioned her. Kallen pouted. He didn't agree with that either. "It's hard, isn't it? Although I should make a precision: we aren't going to betray Asprius, he will betray himself," he pointed out. "If you didn't want to make these kinds of tough decisions, you should have become a prosecutor or a judge. It is their job to protect the law. But, if you want to protect people, you chose the right path. Now, you just need to think about what kind of lawyer you want to be. Although I define myself as a winning lawyer, I'm also a firm lawyer in my convictions and in that sense we are similar. For that and more, I would love for us to work together," expressed Lelouch, offering her, in turn, a confident smile. "And I promise you that from now on I will help you make your brother's dream come true, what do you say?

In her heart, Kallen took in a mouthful of self-reproach. She always appreciated sincerity. It was considered transparent. She was proud of who she was. But ever since Kallen met Lelouch she made her uncomfortable to be so frank. Every time his intense eyes locked on her, she couldn't help but feel like he was undressing her with his gaze, sinking into her skin and reading her soul. She didn't like him doing that to her. It was an absurd feeling. It embarrassed her to think about it. And yet, both times she had opened up to him, he had been warm, regardless of her usual hostility. She realized that his kindness bothered her more than his haughtiness. The proposition made her hesitate. The feeling was remotely familiar.

---

Lelouch managed to understand Kallen much better than anyone else could or even than she understood herself. The judicial system had also disappointed him. He also had to keep a promise to his sister. Their goals were aligned. The two could help each other and win. He already knew that she hated Charles zi Britannia and his company almost as much as he did for destroying her life in some way. Same as him. He wondered how many boundaries she was determined to break in order to bring justice to her brother. Her answer would be key.

The chime of her cell phone startled Kallen. Lelouch calmly answered the call.

"Yes?"

"Lelouch, I'm Suzaku. I hope I haven't interrupted anything important. I need to meet with you. In my apartment, it could be. Is it too much to ask?"

"Don't. Now it will be fine."

"Perfect. Please write down my address…"

What did Suzaku want to talk about? If he asked him to meet at that precise moment, it wasn't to have a duel of looks. He wouldn't dare bother him over a trifle. However, Suzaku didn't sound distraught. On the contrary, his tone was calmed down. That detail piqued his curiosity. He wrote the address on a piece of paper and said he would be there in forty-five minutes. His friend thanked him. Lelouch hung up and sat up.

"I had an unforeseen event. I'm going to have to close the firm first," he announced. "Think about my proposal and…"

"Yes," Kallen claimed, getting up a minute later. "My answer is yes. Let's work together."

Her words were an echo of the certainty and poise that her voice and eyes reflected. Lelouch sensed that this would be the last time Kallen would disapprove him. He responded with a knowing smile.

---

Fifteen minutes ahead of the time he had calculated it would take, Lelouch stood face to face in Suzaku's apartment. His arrival coincided with the departure of one of the residents of the building who was kind enough to hold the doors to let him pass. Lelouch pressed the bell. He remembered that his friend used to live in a traditional Japanese two-story house. Maybe Suzaku sold it when his father's business went bankrupt or he got rid of it because it was big enough for a man drowning in solitude.

"Lelouch? Where did you come from?" The aforementioned moved in the direction of that sweet voice that whispered his name.

"From a fairy tale," he replied playfully. His joke brought a smile to Euphemia, who lowered her head to hide the blush that had risen her cheeks.

"Sorry, I meant, what are you doing here?"

"Suzaku called me. You too?"

"No, no, I came for Arthur. A cat that we adopted as a pet."

Actually, Euphemia was coming to visit Suzaku. Her white lie was perhaps not very convincing since he would find it strange that they "shared" a cat, but it was the only pretext that had come across to her mind. Lelouch, true to his discreet character, didn't question her, because he was shrewd enough to see her true intentions.

"Being like this…"

Lelouch leaned over the access control system next to the door. There were thousands of combinations, but he only needed one, which one would be the right one? He shuffled sixteen possible codes. He would have three attempts, so he quickly discarded them and tried his luck.

"You can't do that. It's not right," she indicated doubtfully. "We should wait for Suzaku…"

"We can wait for him inside," Lelouch replied without breaking eye contact so as not to lose his concentration. He was wrong with the first one. He tried the second. The security system gave him a click and he smiled. "Done."

He pulled the door. He extended his arm in an inviting gesture. Euphemia sucked in a resigned sigh and entered. Then he and closed the door. He nearly tripped over the animal Euphemia had mentioned as he turned around. Lelouch waited for the cat to go away. But Arthur sat up and fixed its big green eyes on the curious stranger, forcing Lelouch to step past it.

"Don't you like cats?" asked young heiress.

"My relationship with animals is the same as with children: I don't approach them unless they do first," he replied laconically.

"Oh! I could have sworn you liked them. I think you are similar." She smiled, amused.

"Oh yeah? Why?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh! Well, because they're independent, smart, and…"

Euphemia cut herself short. The third similitude had to do with their gazes: they were just as intense. She refrained from saying it for fear of his reaction and because, then, he was inches away from her. It was too late to regret making the comment.

"And that's it?" Lelouch asked when those words hung in the air for a while. Embarrassed, she nodded her head affirmatively. "I wouldn't have thought of it. You're right: there is a certain resemblance," he conceded, smiling mischievously. "I like it."

A priori, a cat didn't surpass a lion for being small and puny; but underestimating it was a mistake. The centuries had made people forget that cats were only two thousand years old as a domestic animal, therefore, they retained their predatory instinct. A cat was a feline like any other with long claws and sharp teeth and making up for its lack of strength with cunning. Lelouch liked the analogy. He was curious: could a cat tame a lioness? Finding himself in an apartment with just her and a couch behind them, inspiration hit him like a bolt of lightning. The saying goes that the mice play when the cats is away. In this context, the human was the one who wasn't there and this kitten wanted to mark his territory.

Lelouch stamped his lips on Euphemia's, throwing her onto the couch. As her fingers anchored at the nape of her neck, his free hand trailed down her side until it reached the hem of her blouse. He hailed it. Euphemia felt a current of air rise up her belly as he cupped her hand around her bare waist. Lelouch let her hands slowly roam over her hips and her bottom. For a second, he had the impression that he was an artist and Euphemia was a work of art whose delicate and beautiful forms he was sculpting. He pressed her ass against him, causing her to arch. Euphemia couldn't help but reciprocate shyly to his cold tongue that snaked inside her mouth in order to unleash the deepest feelings of her heart and her belly. Just like that, they were savoring the drops of saliva and getting intoxicated with each other's breath, with their hearts beating a thousand times when Arthur's meow brought the woman to reality. Euphemia put aside slightly Lelouch away with both hands. He frowned, confused.

"Euphie?"

"I'm sorry, Lelouch," Euphemia moaned sadly. "We can not…"

"Why not?" he inquired. "Euphie, what's the problem?"

Arthur mewed. Lelouch and Euphemia looked to the left of him. A few meters away the cat was watching at them with a certain voyeuristic pleasure. Lelouch dismissed such a ridiculous thought with embarrassment. Cats don't have paraphilic behaviors or disorders. It was he who projected his libido onto Arthur. "Damn cat". Lelouch had never had the desire to kick an animal. If it weren't for Euphemia's outright disapproval, he would have done it.

Euphemia, on the other hand, thought she caught a hint of disapproval in those slanted eyes. The ray of light that penetrated the glass of the window fell on the feline. The shadow changed the yellow of his eyes to green, the same as those of...

"Suzaku!"

They both heard the cheerful tune of the access control system. Someone was opening the door. The human had come home. Euphemia pushed Lelouch off of her. She used so much force that she unintentionally knocked him to the ground. She helped him to his feet. Suzaku was stunned to find Lelouch with Euphemia in his living room.

"Lelouch! Euphemia! How did you get in?"

"By the door," his friend answered, adjusting his clothes. "You have to use a more efficient security system."

"And what happened?" Suzaku asked tentatively. Not sure if he was ready to hear the answer.

"Lelouch tripped on the rug," Euphemia lied. The lawyer gave the woman a dark look out of the corner of his eye. "We weren't here for more than ten minutes. I'm leaving now: I just came to pick up Arthur. I don't want to take any more of your visitor's time," she said, heated. It was hard for her to get the words out. "It was nice to see you again Lelouch" she added, addressing the aforementioned for the last time. Euphemia turned to Suzaku. "You don't have to walk me out. I know where it is."

Euphemia nervously took the cat in her arms, as if she was afraid that she would begin to tell what had happened in his absence and left. A dismayed Suzaku followed her gaze.

"Euphie…" Suzaku muttered. Eager to stop her, he held out his hand.

"Suzaku," Lelouch said. The questioner turned to him. From the way he caught a glimpse of it, he seemed to remember the lawyer being there. "Did you want to talk to me?"

"Yes."

Suzaku looked around the room as if he didn't know where to focus. He decided to sit in the soft chair. Lelouch followed suit, stretching out on the couch where he had been lying with Euphemia. Suzaku rested his elbows on his knees, laced his fingers together, and hunched lightly. He admired his hands. Between his right thumb and forefinger, the skin was wrinkled. It was a pale, shiny scar that he had had for quite a few years. When Lelouch was already getting impatient from the silence, Suzaku had put his thoughts in order:

"Lelouch," he began. His voice was hoarse, he paused to clear his throat. "Gino or Prosecutor Weinberg, who is in charge of the Dr. Asprius case, notified me that you would represent him in court…"

"And you want to know why?" Lelouch managed to guess, leaning back against the backrest and throwing one leg over the other. "You didn't call me to confirm official information, I guess."

"Last time, when you showed up at the Britannia Corps vice president's first trial and claimed to be his defense attorney, I let it slide, even though it was strange. I don't calculate probabilities as well as you do; but coincidences happen once, not twice." Suzaku emphasized the last word, while staring at him.

Lelouch let out an airy laugh. Except in the trial seventeen years ago when he acted in solidarity, Suzaku was selfish and conceited, a legitimate attitude of the heir to a company and, moreover, of an only child. When Lelouch considered Suzaku as his ally in the prosecution and in the administrative system, he had contemplated only the bright side. He didn't imagine that Suzaku was going to interfere in his moves, but here he was playing the role of the concerned friend. Demanding an explanation that he couldn't give, at least not now. Just like Kallen, Suzaku had to prove himself.

"Suzaku, for the nonce, you should have inferred that Charles zi Britannia has his hands in this, he is one of those who benefit from Sawazaki's physical disappearance, and you know perfectly well what he is capable of because of his goals and how he manages to cover up his crimes. I spoke to Dr. Asprius and he told me he didn't kill him. I feared that the lawyer Gottwald wouldn't do his job to get him to jail out and, indeed, he didn't. Ask prosecutor Weinberg. He'll tell you that in the first trial he presented little evidence. And, well, I decided to defend him: I don't want another innocent to be harmed by the Britannia Corps goings-on," Lelouch explained, using a soft tone to infuse his actions with a reasonable air. "Ten percent of prisoners in our country are innocent. How much is that translated into numbers? It's the same, it is enough for an innocent man to be imprisoned for the imperfections of our judicial system to be demonstrated."

It was the same explanation he gave his sister when she questioned him about the vice president of the Britannia Corps. She improvised in the final line alluding to her talk at the pizzeria, thinking that if she touched some of his heartstrings, he would have no choice but to adhere to his motives. Emotions sometimes overcame logic and Suzaku had proven to be a sensitive person. So much so that he had earned a reputation as an empathetic prosecutor because of his natural attunement to the feelings of others. Suzaku looked down. He was spinning it.

"I'd like to believe you, Lelouch, but it's hard for me to suppose that you don't feel resentment against a person who lied to you and perjured you at your mother's trial," Suzaku confessed. "You know, my first class in college was Introduction to Law. The professor told us about the Hammurabi Code and the Talion Law. Even if we didn't go to the same school, you should have studied it," he counted. Suzaku was forced to pause to swallow hard. Suddenly he had a lump in his throat. "I'm afraid you'll take advantage of that man's naivete by approaching you with good intentions to make sure he goes to jail."

Suzaku was a perceptive prosecutor. Against his enemies, that quality was going to be needed. Against him, a problem. Lelouch pretended to be horrified, raising his shoulders for a brief moment like cats when they bristle, as if a perverse idea had never crossed his mind.

"Suzaku, please! Don't offend me."

"Are you going to deny me that this would not be a good opportunity to take revenge?" Suzaku faced him.

"No, but I've already made my intention clear to you and you don't have any proof of your hypothesis," he indicated harshly. He wanted to avoid at all costs getting defensive or sounding aggressive so as not to encourage Suzaku's suspicions. He had to put a stop to his interrogation that was beginning to annoy him. He threw his arm on the backrest and said, "Look, I assure you that you have nothing to worry about. I was a child and I suffered a lot of pain then. It was logical that I wanted them to pay. However, I grew up and matured. That man was a Britannia Corps pawn, why waste my youth hating him? Revenge is a puerile act," Lelouch stated. He accentuated his unconcern with a smile. "Although if you don't believe in your best friend, I can't do much."

"Don't take me the wrong way," Suzaku implored. "All I want is to help you…"

"Oh yeah! Surely you want to help me by falling in love with the daughter of the man who ordered my mother's murder," Lelouch replied mercilessly. "Wake up Suzaku. You aren't Romeo and Euphemia aren't Juliet. She is the daughter of Charles zi Britannia, the man you want to bring to justice. How dare you accuse me of revenge when you plan to prosecute her father while fooling around with her? Is it part of your plan?" he asked. Suzaku shook his head briskly, opening his mouth to defend himself, but Lelouch continued, "Do you think you have the courage to look Euphemia in the eyes and tell her that you must arrest her father? Or do you seriously think you won't break her?" The questions hit Suzaku, taking his breath away. The scenery distorted his expression. "No, obviously not" he replied himself through clenched teeth.

He stood up.

Lelouch left leaving Suzaku rooted to the couch. The fears and doubts he instilled in order to divert Suzaku's train of thought clouded his minds achieving his goal. Euphemia herself had told him that her family was everything to her. She wouldn't forgive him (not to mention compromising the cases on a more intimate level). Already Euphemia had shown a set of values and principles similar to his. But, even if she understood, the damage would be there. Nothing would ever be the same again between them. Suzaku couldn't stand her hating him or, worse, treating with indifference. Imagining the pain running through that beautiful face unsettled him, making him open his eyes to the truth. He was in love with Euphemia and his love for her conflicted with his duty and led him into a situation that forced him to choose between his love for Euphemia or his promise to his friend.

---

The last few hours had been intense for Schneizel. Dr. Asprius signed with Lawyer Lamperouge. He couldn't judge him. Lawyer Gottwald didn't attempt to present a decent defense, according to the report of the informant he had appointed to attend the trial. Immediately, he summoned him to his private study in the mansion. He was direct. He asked if he thought they were joking. Lawyer Gottwald dropped to his knees, bent forward onto all fours, and begged for forgiveness. President Schneizel got up from his desk and shoved him with his foot, knocking him over.

"Get up," he ordered. Jeremiah quickly rejoined and turned to him, chin sinking into his neck. "I didn't go so far that you derail all my efforts. Neither the success nor the money nor the reputation that you have belongs to you. With a snap of my fingers, I can make them disappear. I don't care about the past or if my father gave it to you: he is no longer the president."

The door opened, interrupting them. At the threshold, Kanon appeared.

"President Schneizel…"

"I'm busy," he muttered without taking his eyes off the lawyer.

"It's imperative," Kanon insisted. "The results came out."

Three words were enough. They said everything and they said nothing. With a wave, President Schneizel dismissed lawyer Gottwald. He got up clumsily, straightened his messy clothes and stumbled away. Almost running. Kanon patiently waited for both of them to be alone and proceeded. He held out the envelope that his hand was tensing. The man grabbed him. It was already open, so he just put his hand inside.

"Do you read it?"

"Yes."

"Which was the result?"

Kanon swallowed saliva, before answering.

"It was positive."

President Schneizel took out some papers. They were a DNA test that compared the blood of the lawyer Lamperouge, which they obtained a sample the last time Euphemia invited him to dinner, with his father's, which the laboratory kept for annual medical examinations. Indeed. Analysis revealed eleven alleles in common. His theory had been true.

"You don't look surprised," Kanon observed.

"Because I'm not. I knew that my father had a mistress for a long time. As for the existence of a bastard brother, in my heart I knew it too, even though I had no evidence," he replied, unperturbed. "I told you I never forgot a face. We had the pleasure of meeting seventeen years ago at his mother's trial: he has changed quite a bit" the president looked back where Kanon was. He apologized with a smile. "You don't know because we weren't that close back then. His mother was Marianne Lamperouge. She was the prestigious leader of our legal team and my father's personal lawyer and would have remained so if she hadn't been gathering information against us. It was to lose his lover or his empire and his legacy. The choice was clear. He was never going to get his life's work back. Instead, the pain of mourning was something heals over the years. But on the night of her death her children survived. A fatal mistake. Unjustifiable from my father," president remarked, rubbing his fingers thoughtfully. "Do you know how a soul break, Kanon?" He asked "Murder his family before his eyes and let him live and give him time for the pain to harden his heart and his blood to turn to gall."

"If an adult can hardly bear a tragedy on his shoulders; crushes a child."

"That's why they had to die."

"The children grow up…"

"And boys become men," he confirmed. "A man who hasn't finished breaking is dangerous: he knows he can survive. My father wasn't affected by these little loose ends. He was more aware of the trial," he pointed out, resentful. "I couldn't sleep knowing that the desire for revenge was germinating in the mind of a child. He was a threat to our empire, and as the son of Charles zi Britannia, it was my duty to act. I had to complete the work at that moment he was a child. So, I undertook my inquiries. I learned that he and his sister, who is quite possibly another bastard, were staying at Genbu Kururugi's house. He was the owner of a small business that was on the brink of bankruptcy at the time. We negotiate. I made him a tempting offer: he would give me the children and I would restore his power. I didn't have to insist too much. He was eager to get his company off the ground. However,..." President twisted his face "he killed himself that night" he said without sounding convinced "and Lelouch and his sister vanished in the wind. I sent to search the city, outside of it and the country. A year later, one of the search teams brought me some decomposing corpses of children who had tried to flee across the border. We identified them as our missing persons because of certain objects they had. I thought that was the end until now. Kanon, I told you the story so that you would have a better idea of who our lawyer is" president explained, slowly approaching his assistant "I want you to go visit our friend, Dr. Asprius, and tell him that Lelouch, the son of his patient, the lawyer Marianne Lamperouge, came from the world of the dead to exact revenge," he hissed. "I know you will persuade him to break the contract."

"Leave everything in my hands," he expressed, squinting to keep from nodding. "Do you think he knows?"

"I doubt it, frankly. He would have used that letter with us from the first moment."

"May I ask what you will do next now that you have this new information in hand?"

"Modify strategy," he answered. "Putting aside his thirst for revenge and that he is a bastard, he is my brother. A Britannia. And I promised that I would be a different president than my predecessors. I will do everything in my power to avoid a bloodbath."

President Schneizel and his assistant Maldini slipped out of the office. They turned to the right where their paths crossed someone else's.

"Euphie!" exclaimed the president, perplexed. "I didn't hear you came."

"I just did," she stammered. She was so white that she seemed to have seen a ghost. In addition to the fact that her eyes were wild eyes and her chess rose and fell at great speed. "I thought you were in the company, dear brother."

"I was able to come early," he replied, forcing a smile. "Were you...?"

"To my room to take a bath! In the street I was caught by a suffocating heat. Phew! I'm sorry. Let's talk later. Excuse me."

Euphemia quickly strode away. Schneizel followed her with his eyes. Without fear of being mistaken —because he knew her to the degree that he knew what her thoughts, her dreams, her secrets and her feelings were, although she had never shared that kind of confidence with him—, he had noticed her strange. It didn't give him a good feeling. Should he worry about his sweet sister too?

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A/N: Phew, roasted marshmallows! The pot was finally uncovered! Lelouch is the brother of Euphemia and Schneizel and therefore he is the son of Charles, his enemy, he is a Britannia! Surprised? Well, those who saw the series are not. It was a detail that was revealed early on. Undoubtedly, Lelouch's roots weren't an addition to the mix of this character, it was something vital in his DNA. In the early stages of this novel, I unconsciously wrote that Lelouch didn't know his origin and that eventually the readers were going to find out with him. As time went on, it was an idea that resonated strongly within me, took hold and I loved it. Today, you can no longer write tragedies like in the past. They have been adapting like everything. But here I found a way to go back to those origins of Greek theater. In case you didn't know, the public, when attending the plays, knew what was going to happen because they were myths that were told over and over again. Not here, or they know absolutely nothing (it isn't worth saying that they predict it) or they do know because it is the adaptation of something (cinema, in general, is no longer committed to astonishing, but rather to imitate the medium on which it was based). Because CGB was a fanfic, I was able to grab onto that to write a first part that I'd like to think Sophocles and Aeschylus would be proud of me.

The spectators of the classic tragedy felt a mixture of pain and terror when they handled some devastating information that the characters ignore and that supposes their own destruction and that of their surroundings. Terror for living a similar experience or that something like that would happen to them and sorrow because they see what happens to the poor hero. And this is followed by what would be a catharsis, which is a feeling of relief and emotional purging. Practically, it's a good therapeutic exercise to release the tensions that you carry (such as the fact of being confined for a year in your houses) and the problems of real life since, no matter what mistakes you have made in your lives, you will not have slept with one of your relatives... I think.

Incest has been a topic that has been latent in Western culture. We have seen it from Greek mythology to our pop culture with shows like Game of Thrones, the popular TV series. And, well, we know that many royal families practiced it. Speaking for myself, I find it such an intriguing and, at the same time, repulsive topic that I have never had the opportunity to deal with and although the Britannia in this fic are a kind of contemporary Kennedy's, they are still a powerful family that is equal to the bloodline of Agamemnon or to the family of King Lear. So, here's how and why I decided to make this decision. There are still things I haven't said, obviously, however, I trust you guys are smart and will connect the dots. It's been a terrible burden pretending I don't know Lelouch is a Britannia when some of you guys were throwing it in my face. These platforms where works of fiction are uploaded have eliminated that distance between author and reader/spectator; so, I wanted to keep up appearances and not ruin the experience for them. I know that the end of the episode wouldn't have had as much of an impact on you if you had shared this with me. Now we can talk openly.

By the way, this chapter didn't have a definite title and it was, already when I reviewed the draft, in the process that I decided on the name: up to this point I admit that I had not realized how many sibling relationships there are here. And I brought this from the series. You must know that brotherhood is an important theme in Code Geass.

Because I don't want to expand more than I already have, I'm going to move on to the questions: do you think that Euphemia heard what Schneizel told Kanon? What do you think President Schneizel will do next? Do you think Lelouch knows he's a Britannia? If your answer is negative, what do you think Lelouch will do when he finds out? Will he go ahead with his plan to seduce his own half-sister knowingly? Euphemia has no luck in romance because she is in love with two forbidden men: one is just her half-brother and the other wants to take his family to the authorities. What do you think Suzaku will choose: love or duty? Kallen and Lelouch are going to work together! Now, they will face Anya and Gino. If Asprius does not give up signing with them because Kanon will go talk to him, what are your expectations for this association? Does this increase your desire to see the trial? But first, why do you think Charles would have used his influence to give Kallen her license back? What did you like the most about this episode? What do you expect for the next one? What do you think of my idea of this tragic incestuous romance?

Lelouch vi Britannia orders you to leave your comments!

Without further ado, hoping from the bottom of my heart that you liked it.

Do not miss the tenth chapter of this story, already very close to the end of the first part: "Truth".

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P.S: Normally, in South American "telenovelas", it is believed that the protagonists, at some point in the plot, are siblings and then this information is denied. We don't do that here.

P.S #2: It's no coincidence that Lelouch and Euphemia are making out in Suzaku's apartment no more no less and in the next scene Schneizel shows up to tell us that they are siblings xD

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P.S Kathryn: Hello, Black Knights. It's my first time translating a chapter of this wonderful fanfic. It's been quite a journey and I hope you are enjoying this story as much as I am. From time to time I will be leaving you my greetings, for the moment I wanted you to know of my existence and that I will be watching you from the shadows (just kidding). What if it is not a joke is that I invite you to leave your comments and continue reading this story to continue bringing more translations. See ya later!