Disclaimer: I don't own Code Geass, nor do I own Dino Crisis. If I owned either one, the former would have ended differently, while the latter wouldn't have produced that abomination known as Dino Crisis 3.
A/N: I apologize for this taking even longer to publish this, which should have occurred 1-2 months ago. I had been writing my first Rosario + Vampire fanfic, and a fanfic for an unrelated fandom, which I have written some ideas for last year, while leaving them currently on hiatus. Along with the writing I've done, I began reading the manga of Rosario + Vampire in May, before I finished reading it in June, and then I started reading the sequel manga. As of right now, I'm currently at Chapter 40 of Rosario + Vampire: Season II. Anyway, what's done is done. I would like to thank Tyrant Overlord Killidia and Wolfpackersson09 for the help they gave me. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Tyrant Overlord Killidia - I can't disclose that information here, but I won't deny the geass used on Marrybell is the least of Lelouch's problems.
*Ibis Island, Protectorate of Borginia, Britannia, October 31st, 2017 ATB*
Oldrin escorted Marrybell back to her seat, while the red rings around her eyes disappeared, and Marrybell sat down, before Oldrin approached her seat. Lelouch walked through the office doorway, while Darlton and Milly faced the princess. Lelouch halted, before Milly returned to her seat, and Oldrin too had seated herself, while the group made eye contact again. Marrybell removed her hands from her head, while she spoke, "I apologize for making everyone worry."
With a smile on his face, Darlton replied, "It's fine, your highness. I'm just glad you're okay."
Marrybell smiled, while she nodded, before she eyed Milly, and the blonde commented, "Indeed, and it's good to see you're in good spirits."
Marrybell kept smiling, while she turned to face Lelouch, and the prince crossed his arms, before he said, "I'll admit you surprised me too, but I won't deny there's still something wrong with what you told me."
Marrybell and Oldrin frowned, while Lelouch continued, "Despite there being a problem, I'm willing to ignore it, because our survival requires us to cooperate, and I'm willing to trust you not betray me."
Marrybell and Oldrin quickly turned their frowns upside down, before the former clasped her hands, while she responded, "It's official. Since that's out of the way, we should discuss what we'll do."
Lelouch frowned, while he replied, "I believe you and Oldrin need to form a group with Tamaki, whom can be found in the control room, because his submachine gun is in one of the hallways, which a couple of raptors forced him to leave behind."
With the same frown on her face, Oldrin questioned the ex-prince, "For someone that lost his weapon, how is he still alive?"
Lelouch sighed, before he replied, "I've never been able to figure that out, especially since he's a poor excuse for a knightmare pilot. He constantly gets ejected from his knightmare, but he seems to be better off as a foot soldier. When this is over, I'm going to have to reassign him to another duty in combat."
Oldrin kept frowning, while she responded, "I see. Where can we find the hallway that contains the submachine gun?"
Lelouch continued frowning, while he answered, "Unfortunately, I don't know which hallway it is, but it might be on the second floor."
Marrybell nodded, while Oldrin replied, "It seems we don't have much of a choice. After we scout that area out, we'll check out the other nearby hallways."
Lelouch nodded, before he responded, "Good. We'll head in the same direction, because my group needs to meet up with Cornelia's group at the main entrance."
With a smile on her face, Marrybell uttered, "It would be so good to see Nellie again, but sadly we're here on business."
Marrybell pouted, while Oldrin resisted the urge to giggle, and Lelouch shook his head, before he approached the bloody door. Marrybell, Milly and Oldrin got out of their seats, while Darlton followed Lelouch. Marrybell, Milly and Oldrin followed the men, while the ex-prince opened the door, before he held the door open. Darlton halted, while Milly, Oldrin and Marrybell set foot in the management office hallway, before the burly soldier followed them into the hall. Lelouch immediately entered the hallway, before he closed the door behind the group of five, while most of them approached the double doors leading to the main entrance, and he quickly caught up to them.
Marrybell opened one of the doors, before Oldrin, Milly, Lelouch and Darlton set foot in the main entrance. Marrybell stepped into the main entrance, before she immediately closed the door behind her, while Darlton, Leouch and Milly approached the large glass double doors. Oldrin stood, while she waited for Marrybell, whom approached her, and the princess stepped past her knight, before the blonde followed the pinkette. Marrybell and Oldrin approached the stairs, which they started to ascend, before they turned left. Oldrin and Marrybrll resumed ascending the stairs, before they set foot on the second floor.
Marrybell and Oldrin went around the rails, while they walked on the second floor. Oldrin and Marrybell approached a large cube, which they halted in front of, before they began to push it forward. Marrybell and Oldrin stopped, before they saw a first aid kit, which the princess grabbed. Marrybell proceeded to open her packet, which she placed the first aid kit into, before she shut her pack, and she walked around the cube. Oldrin followed the princess, while they approached a door, which they stopped in front of, and the princess opened the door.
Oldrin immediately walked into the second floor hall, before Marrybell followed her inside, and she closed the door behind her. Marrybrll and Oldrin saw a submachine gun in front of them, which caused them to smile. A couple of hisses were heard from around the corner, before the princess and her knight unholstered their pistols, which they aimed in the direction of the noise. Two raptors ran out from around the corner, while the knight and princess squeezed green triggers, which fired three bullets each at the raptors. The raptors yelped, while blood dripped out of their wounds, and they closed the distance, which the primordial beasts took as an opportunity to lunge at their prey.
Marrybell and Oldrin jumped out of the way, before the raptors accidentally bumped their heads against the walls, which disoriented them. The raptors shook their heads, while Oldrin and Marrybell quickly holstered their pistols, before the blonde unsheathed her sword. Marrybell quickly grabbed the submachine gun, which she aimed at the raptors, while the raptors spun around, and they growled. The raptors ran toward their prey, before they closed the distance. The raptors lunged forward a second time, before Marrybell and Oldrin dodged again. Oldrin immediately brought her sword down, which sliced through the raptor's neck, before the body and decapitated head landed on the floor as blood landed on the knight's face.
A stream of blood shot out of the raptor's head, while more blood poured out of the rest of the body, which formed a pool of blood around the body and head. The other raptor stepped back, while Marrybell coldly spoke, "No. There is no escape for you."
Marrybell pulled trigger, which sprayed a hail of bullets at the raptor, and the raptor yelped, while the bullets pierced its hide. As blood seeped from its wounds, the raptor collapsed, before it squirmed, and a pool of blood formed around its body. The raptor ceased its movements, while Marrybell sighed in relief, before Oldrin and her turned around. Oldrin and Marrybell walked into the center of the hallway, while they noticed a couple of couches, which were shredded. The princess and her knight frowned, while they also took note of a smashed mirror, in addition to the blinds of the windows being torn up.
Marrybell and Oldrin stared at the door to their left, before they turned to look at the door at the end of the hallway. The blonde and pikette faced the door to their right, which they approached, before they halted in front of it. Next to the door was a DDK lock, which Oldrin and Marrybell noticed, while also taking note of the Letter h on it. The princess narrowed her eyes, while she commented, "This must be the DDK system big brother Schneizel told us about, but we don't have any of the discs necessary to open this door. Hmm. I wonder if Cornelia or Lelouch's groups are in possession of the necessary discs."
Marrybell reopened her packet, before she reached inside, and she pulled out a communicator, which she placed around her ear. Marrybell pressed a button on the communicator, before she spoke, "Nellie, can you hear me?"
While Marrybell waited, she heard Cornelia answer, "When I'm on duty, please refrain from referring to me by that name, Marrybell. How goes your part of the mission?"
With a smirk on her face, Marrybell replied, "You really need to loosen up a bit."
From the other end of the call, Cornelia muttered unintelligibly under her breath, which made Marrybell giggle, and both princesses stopped. Marrybell's expression became more serious, while she added, "As for how things are going on my end, Oldrin and I got separated from the rest of our squad. Most of us landed on various parts of the facility grounds, but Private Frost landed somewhere in the jungle. After we entered the facility through a hole in the fence, we ran into Darlton, Lelouch and Milly, before we engaged in a necessary discussion."
Marrybell paused, while Cornelia responded, "I see. Darlton, Guilford and I were split up from the Glaston Knights, whom landed elsewhere at the facility. As for Sergeant Dewey, he too landed in the jungle, which can't be good for him, nor your other subordinate. I don't know if they're okay, because there's a large animal in the jungle, which has been near the main entrance of the facility, and it did quite a bit of damage to the structure. As for how I know it was an animal, it left behind a set of tracks, which are 3.3 ft. long and 1.55 ft. wide. Whatever animal left behind those tracks is definitely larger than the beasts, one or which my group had an encounter with in the management office hallway, and I would advise you not to go into the jungle, until we know it's safe again."
Marrybell tightened her grip on the submachine gun, while she replied, "I see. Don't call me crazy, but I'm sure the animal you encountered was a raptor. As for how I know that, Darlton, Lelouch, Milly, Oldrin and I came across a raptor in one of the hallways.
Marrybell paused a bit, before she continued, "About the remainder of our subordinates, the ones in the facility are in less danger, but the ones in the jungle might be dead, especially since there's a large theropod in the jungle."
Marrybell paused, while Cornelia uttered, "That's what concerns me, and you're correct about my group encountering a raptor. Before they set foot into the jungle, Lelouch and his group gave my group their electronic gear, because they didn't want to risk them getting damaged. I tried to talk him out of it, but he told me they wouldn't take any unnecessary risks."
Oldrin turned pale, while Marrybell stared in shock. Despite feeling overwhelmed, Marrybell questioned her sister, "Why? What possessed Lelouch to do something so careless?"
From her end of the call, Cornelia answered, "From atop the radio tower, the deputy commander of the Black Knights looked through a pair of binoculars, and he caught a glimpse of a parachute hanging from one of the trees, which is on the other side of the ravine. He immediately contacted Lelouch, before informing him of the find. With the newfound information, Lelouch deduced this could potentially lead us to the whereabouts of our missing subordinates and their equipment, before his group climbed over the gap in the wall."
Marrybell shook her head, while she responded, "I see. He had better make it back alive, especially since I intend to punish him. Anyway, I found a DDK lock, which has the letter H on it. As for where it is located, it's on the second floor."
From the other end of the call, Cornelia replied, "That's great news, because I'm in possession of the two discs required to unlock that door. Before I use them on the security system, I'll wait for Lelouch to return."
Marrybell smiled, while she uttered, "Understood. I'll speak with you later."
Marrybell ended her call, before she removed her communicator from her ear, and she put her device back in her pack, which she shut. Marrybell and Oldrin decided to take a break, before they approached the sofas. Oldrin and Marrybell immediately sat down, before they tried to relax, while the princess thought, 'You already died once, so please try to come back alive, Lulu.'
*Elsewhere in the jungles of Ibis Island*
On a dirt path, Lelouch, Milly and Darlton walked, while they kept their weapons unholstered. The ex-prince, former noble and veteran soldier kept their wits about them, while the moonlight made the area somewhat visible, which did very little to put them at ease. With each step they took, they felt like their sanctuary was getting further away from them, but they didn't cave in, because the slightest mistake had the potential to create a disaster. As they kept walking, they heard a couple of nearby bushes rustle, which caused them to freeze, but they quickly turned around. Darlton, Milly and Lelouch pointed their weapons at the bushes, while Gail stepped out of the shrubbery.
Darlton, Lelouch and Milly lowered their firearms, while Gail sternly spoke, "At ease. My name is Gail, and I'm the leader of the SORT unit sent to Ibis Island."
Lelouch and Milly nodded, before Darlton sighed, "You may refer to me as General Darlton. I'm pleased to see another friendly face, and I ran into your comrades earlier. If I recall, their names are Rick and Regina."
With a frown on his face, Gail remarked, "I see. As long as Regina and Rick carry out their respective duties, the mission won't become a failure. Did either of them come across Dr. Kirk?"
Darlton frowned, while he answered, "They haven't located Dr. Kirk, who seems to be avoiding us or the strange beasts, which I think you encountered."
Gail narrowed his eyes, while he replied, "I did encounter one of them near the generator room, and it looked like a lizard."
With the same frown on his face, Darlton corrected Gail, "It's no lizard. It's a dinosaur."
Gail's eyes briefly widened, while he responded, "A dinosaur? That definitely sounds like something out of the ordinary, but their presence doesn't mean the mission will be abandoned."
Darlton, Lelouch and Milly frowned, while Gail turned to face the ex-prince, before the SORT agent commented, "I think I now know why the emperor wants you alive, Zero."
Lelouch glared at Gail, whom continued, "Because you're Lady Marianne's son, the emperor still has use for you and your sister."
Lelouch crossed his arms, while he coolly replied, "I won't deny I'm Zero, but I'm not related to Lady Marianne. As for my real identity, it's Lelouch Lamperouge."
Gail glared at Lelouch, while the SORT agent responded, "That fake name would fool most people, but it won't deceive me, because your surname is Lady Marianne's maiden name, which isn't the best method of hiding from his majesty."
Lelouch cursed his under his breath, while Gail turned to Milly, who he addressed, "If I'm not mistaken, you're Lord Ashford's granddaughter. Why is a civilian on this island?"
With a frown on her face, Milly answered, "My fiancé, Earl Asplund pulled some strings to invite the Ashford Academy Student Council to the research facility, which he did to impress me."
Gail clenched his fists, while he uttered, "That damn fool just made the mission more complicated than necessary. One of these days, he'll be the death of me."
Milly and Darlton shook their heads, while Gail questioned them, "Why are you two with Zero? What are you and Zero doing in this jungle?"
Darlton and Milly frowned, while the latter answered, "We're with Zero, because Cornelia and him agreed to split their forces off into separate groups, which will make dealing with the dinosaurs somewhat easier. By working in separate groups, they should be able to complete some of their objectives, while gathering supplies, and looking for survivors. As for why we're in this jungle, Lelouch spotted a parachute, which might have belonged to one of the missing soldiers, and we could potentially find any nearby equipment. There's also the off chance we'll find the missing soldiers, but there's no guarantee they're still alive, especially since there's a large theropod in the jungle, which did some damage to the area surrounding the facility's front entrance."
Gail frowned, while he remarked, "That's definitely not good. We should find the equipment, and bring them back to the facility, because we shouldn't stay in this jungle any longer, especially since neither of us wants to become a meal for a hungry dinosaur. For the time being, I'll stay with your group, especially since I have my orders to bring Zero in alive, which I will accomplish."
Lelouch glared at Gail, while he replied, "Very well. The ravine should be up ahead, which is where we'll find a bridge to cross. As long as we stick to the dirt path, we shouldn't get lost in the jungle."
Gail narrowed his eyes, before he responded, "Alright. Lead the way, Zero."
Lelouch, Milly and Darlton turned their backs to Gail, before the four of them marched forward. Darlton, Gail, Lelouch and Milly kept walking down the dirt path, while they passed by the jungle, which felt eerily. As the group continued their trek, Gail didn't hear any wildlife, which made him frown, and he whispered, "Do you hear that?"
Lelouch had a stoic expression, while he answered in a hushed tone, "I'm aware the forest has gone dead silent, which means a predator has spooked the animals. For all we know it could be either be a pack of raptors or that large theropod."
Milly felt her heart drop into her stomach, while she quietly uttered, "Lelouch, I think we should go back."
With a frown on his face, Leouch opened his mouth to reply, but Darlton put his hand up, which halted the group. Darlton and the rest of the group spotted a dead Arab, which surprised them. Darlton approached the corpse, before he stopped in front of it, and he carefully inspected it, while he noticed the shrapnel on his chest. Darlton also noticed the third degree burns on his body, which made him frown, while he turned around, and he commented, "He must have died recently. As for the cause of death, it appears a grenade went off. If I had to guess, he's probably a rebel from Area Eighteen, or he's working for Peace Mark."
Gail narrowed his eyes, while he remarked, "That makes the situation worse, because the rival powers and factions have indeed sent their own units here, which means we'll have to eventually fight them. As for what we need to do right now, we should recover the equipment, and then return to the facility, while making sure not to end up in a dinosaur's stomach."
Darlton narrowed his eyes, while he replied, "Very well. I personally think we should go back, but I'll let his highness make the decision on what the best course of action is."
Darlton, Gail and Milly faced Lelouch, while he kept he coolly uttered, "I can't deny the situation is getting worse, but we need to recover the equipment up ahead."
Witha frown on his a face, Darlton responded, "Alright. We'll keep pressing forward. Should the situation get too dangerous, then we'll have no choice but to go back."
Lelouch nodded, before Darlton turned around. Darlton, Gail, Lelouch and Milly resumed their trek, while they stayed on the dirt path. As the group kept walking, the bridge came into view, before they reached the edge of the ravine, and they noticed a pair of tracks on two slopes. The tracks were the same as the ones spotted near the facility's front entrance, which made Milly, Darlton and Lelouch freeze, while Gail narrowed his eyes. Leouch, Darlton, Gail and Milly turned to stare at the other side of the ravine, where they saw the remains of a partially consumed soldier, which caused the fallen noble to shudder, "Lelouch, this is too much. I don't think I can keep going, especially if whatever carried out that carnage is still nearby."
Lelouch glanced at Milly, while he replied, "I know things are looking grim, but we'll be done soon, Milly."
Milly frowned, while she nodded, and then Gail set foot on the bridge, which creaked. Lelouch followed Gail onto the bridge, before Milly stepped on the bridge, and Darlton strode onto the bridge, while each of their steps also created creaking noises. Milly, Gail, Darlton and Lelouch held onto the ropes, which helped them maintain their balance, while they continued walking. By the time the group was a quarter across the bridge, they halted, while the general felt a set of vibrations, and he shuddered, "Did my hand vibrate, or was it the bridge?"
The nearby trees shook, which caused the birds to fly away, and Gail narrowed his eyes, while he barked, "Nobody move."
Darlton glared at Gail, while the general questioned the SORT agent, "You can't be serious? I don't think now is the best time for us to stop."
Milly trembled, while she noticed Lelouch staring intently at the water, which she too noticed had ripples forming in it, and she questioned him, "Lelouch, what's going on?"
Uneasiness filled Lelouch, while he answered, "Something immense is approaching us, and it's coming from the curve of the river."
Milly felt the color drain from her face, while the group listened, and they heard thunderous footsteps, which grew closer. Gail and Darlton stared intensely at the river bend, while Lelouch felt his uneasiness grow. With each thunderous step, more ripples were formed. From behind the rocky structure, the head of the Tyrannosaurus Rex came into view, which shocked Darlton, Gail, Lelouch and Milly. The bridge shook, which caught the attention of the primordial animal.
There was horror etched into their faces, while they stared at the behemoth, which didn't seem to notice them, but the SORT agent spoke, "Don't be alarmed. If we panic, it will notice us."
Darlton, Lelouch and Milly didn't say anything, because their minds were trying to process the situation. The wooden plank under Milly's feet creaked, before the plank gave way, and Milly screamed as she began to fall through the newly formed hole, while Lelouch reacted quickly enough to catch her. Darlton too grabbed ahold of Milly, before Lelouch and him lifted her out of the hole, while they had hoped the tyrannosaurus hadn't noticed them. When Milly was pulled back to the safety of the rickety bridge, Darlton, Lelouch and her turned to the T-Rex, which was staring directly at them. With a mighty bellow, the tyrannosaurus lunged forward, while Gail, Lelouch, Milly and Darlton started running across the bridge.
Gail pulled his assault rifle off his back, which he aimed at the T-Rex, and he squeezed the trigger, before a hail of bullets flew at the primordial carnivore. The bullets made contact with the immense carnivore's hide, but they only seemed to annoy it, which forced Gail to stop firing, before he quickly slung the strap of his weapon over his shoulder. The tyrannosaur opened its mouth wide, before it clamped its jaws onto the bridge, which it shook, and the group stumbled. The group tried to maintain their balance, while Gail yelled, "Brace yourselves."
The primordial beast jerked its head upwards, which tore the bridge in half, while Lelouch, Darlton and Milly plummeted into the water. Gail jumped, before he grabbed onto the ledge of the ravine, which he held onto, and he quickly pulled himself up. Then Gail threw himself over the ledge, before he quickly got back on his feet, and he ran down the dirt path, while he didn't look back. Milly, Darlton and Lelouch resurfaced, while they stayed afloat. Milly grabbed onto a plank, before the T-Rex roared, and it opened its mouth as it lunged at her, while she fearfully closed her eyes.
The tyrannosaurus narrowly missed the Ashford heiress, while it unintentionally grabbed the wooden plank, which it lifted her into the air, and Milly wondered why she wasn't feeling any pain. Milly opened her eyes, before she was greeted to the sight of the tyrannosaur, which stared directly at her, and she saw the eye following her every movement. Darlton and Lelouch could only stare in horror, while their companion was inches away from the jaws of the beast. Milly let out a shriek of terror, while the dinosaur jerked its head again, which flung her and the board into the air. Milly and the plank began to plummet, while she landed atop the head of the behemoth, before the board landed in the water.
The tyrannosaurus felt Milly, before it roared. Milly quickly got back up, immediately before she made a break for it, and the tyrannosaurus jerked its body, which caused her to stumble. Milly did her best to not lose her balance, while she ran across the dinosaur's back, before she stopped at the center, and she leaped off the immense animal. Milly dived into the river, which she didn't resurface from, while Lelouch and Darlton decided to take a gamble. The general and rebel leader submerged themselves in the water, before the tyrannosaurus swung its massive body around.
The tyrannosaur didn't see its prey anymore, which frustrated it, and it roared, while it started thrashing in the water. From under the water, Milly, Lelouch and Darlton had their mouths closed, while they were pinching their noses. The trio watched the behemoth continue trashing in the water, while it narrowly missed them, and it stopped, before the Tyrannosaurus Rex sniffed the air. The beast was unable to locate its quarry, which caused it to growl, before it turned around, and it started to go back in the direction it came from. The trio observed the tyrant lizard king, while each step caused more ripples to form in the water.
By the time the large theropod was out of sight, Darlton, Milly and Lelouch resurfaced, while they gasped for air. Darlton, Lelouch and Milly swam to the slope, which they set foot on, before they climbed it a bit. Once Darlton, Milly and Lelouch were far enough on dry land, they halted, while the blonde wondered, "Was that a T-Rex?"
Lelouch frowned, while he answered, "That unfortunately seems to be the case, and this proves the jungle has been compromised."
With a frown on his face, Darlton commented, "We're definitely in over our heads. I would suggest we return to the facility, but our weapons were soaked from our dip in the river, which makes them useless, especially since the electromagnetic properties of the firearms don't mix well with water. As much as I don't want to admit it, we need to keep moving forward, because the dead troops might have some weapons we should be able salvage, and there's one at the edge of the ravine."
Milly frowned, while she uttered, "I think we should abandon the gear, and return to the facility, because we just escaped death, which wasn't easy. After all, what's to stop Rexy from coming back?"
Lelouch gazed intently at the edge, while he remarked, "We've come too far to go back empty handed, but both of you have made good points. As dangerous as this jungle is, we're going to need those weapons, because there might be raptors out here too, and the facility still has dangers lurking about. As for why the tyrannosaurus isn't coming back, it doesn't know we're still here, because we aren't making any noise, nor has it picked up our scent. Because it has its back turned to us, it can't see us too."
Milly's eyes widened, while she responded, "Okay. That explains a lot. As long we stay out of its sensory range, we'll be safe."
Lelouch nodded, before he turned to Darlton, and the general frowned, while he uttered, "We don't have much of a choice, your highness. Once we recover the weapons and equipment, we'll most likely figure out what happened to our comrades, before we can finally return to the facility."
Lelouch nodded, before Milly sighed, "I see. There's no point in dilly-dallying, because Rexy could return at any moment."
Darlton and Lelouch frowned, while the latter uttered, "Indeed. Stay close and don't make any loud noises."
Milly and Darlton nodded, while Lelouch turned to gaze at the collapsed bridge, which he thought about, 'We could use that to climb up, but our combined weight could cause it to collapse.'
Lelouch started descending the slope, while Darlton and Milly followed him. Lelouch, Milly and Darlton set foot back into the water, before they swam towards the bridge. Lelouch grasped the rope, before he spoke, "Follow my lead, but please go one at a time."
Milly and Darlton nodded, before Leouch started ascending, while he looked at the cliff. Once Leouch was close enough to cliff, he grabbed it, before throwing himself over, and he got up. Milly then grasped the rope, which she began climbing, before she got close to the cliff, and she grabbed ahold of it. Milly threw herself over the cliff, before Lelouch caught her, and helped pulled her up, while Darlton grasped the rope. Darlton started his climb, while he approached the cliff, before he got close to it, and he threw himself over.
Darlton got back on his feet, while he stared at Milly and Lelouch, whom made eye contact with him. Darlron, Lelouch and Milly upholstered their weapons, which they dropped onto the ground, before the former turned to look at the chunks of the Chinese soldier. Darlton frowned, while he noticed the eviscerations, which looked gruesome, and he redirected his attention to an assault rifle next to a tree. Darlton approached the weapon, which he picked up, and he noted it was a Chinese model, instead of the standard Britannian model. Darlton narrowed his eyes, while he uttered, "I'd prefer Britannian made weaponry, because they're more sophisticated, but this will have to do, until I find a better weapon."
Darlton returned to the soldier, before he noticed a pouch. Darlton knelt as he reached for the satchel, and he opened it. Darlton dug through the pouch, before pulling out a dog tag. Engraved on the dog tag was the name "Joo Dee", which caused Darlton to comment, "So, she's from the Chinese Federation. We're definitely going to be experiencing a firefight, unless the dinosaurs killed the other members of the Chinese unit."
Lelouch and Milly frowned, while choosing to remain silent. Darlton reached for one of his breast pockets, which he opened, before he shoved the dog tag inside, and he removed his empty hand from his pocket. Darlton closed his breast pocket, before he shut it. Darlton reached for the pack again, before digging inside, while finding only a few ammunition clips and a couple of rations. Darlton proceeded to pull out the items, before he opened his pack.
One-by-one, Darlton shoved the items into his packet, before removed his hand from his pack, and he immediately closed it. Darlton stood back up, before he turned to face Milly and Lelouch, while the general spoke, "Since that's taken care of, we can resume our trek, your highness and your ladyship."
Lelouch and Milly nodded, before the former turned around. Lelouch started walking forward, while Milly turned around, before she began following him, and Darlton too followed them. Darlton, Lelouch and Milly continued striding, while they noticed a parachute up ahead, which was in one of the trees. Lelouch, Milly and Darlton then noticed a briefcase, in addition to the lower half of a corpse. Milly, Lelouch and Darlton grimaced, while they got closer to the corpse, which they realized was partially consumed.
Lelouch, Milly and Darlton halted, before the latter knelt close to the corpse, which he inspected. Darlton looked around the corpse, while he noticed a pistol and pouch. Darlton approached the pistol, which he picked up, before he walked over towards Milly, and he handed it to her. Milly accepted the pistol, while she spoke, "Thanks."
Darlton gave the former noble a small smile, while he replied, "You're welcome, milady."
Milly held onto the pistol, while Darlton approached the corpse again, which he removed the pistol holster from, and he returned to the Ashford heiress. Darlton handed the weapon holster to Milly, while he said, "You'll need this for your pistol, Lady Ashford."
Milly nodded, before she accepted the holster, which she gently placed the pistol inside of, and then she placed the holster on her right leg. Milly wrapped the straps around her leg, before sliding one of them through a loop, and Milly then raised the prong, which she slid through one of the notches. With her gun holster tightened around her leg, Milly grinned. Darlton approached the pouch, which he opened, before he dug through it, and he pulled out dog tag. Darlton carefully looked at the dog tag, which had the name Cooper engraved in it, and he narrowed his eyes, while he uttered, "So, this is the missing SORT agent mentioned by Regina. When we get back to the facility, we'll report his status to them."
Milly and Lelouch nodded, while Darlton reopened his breast pocket, which he shoved the dog tag into. Darlton then closed his breast pocket, before he reached into the satchel a second time, which he dug through again, and he found there were only a couple of pistol clips left. Darlton removed the pistol clips from the pack, before he opened his packet yet again, and he shoved into his pack, which he immediately closed. Darlton redirected his attention to the briefcase, which Lelouch and Milly were also looking at, while they gathered around it. Lelouch grasped the briefcase, which he unlocked, before he unfolded it, and his group saw there was a monitor built inside.
Darlton and Milly smiled, while Lelouch had a stoic expression. Lelouch closed the briefcase, before he set the locks back in place. Before Milly, Lelouch and Darlton could walk away, bang emitted from behind the group, while a bullet penetrated the communicator. Lelouch, Darlton and Milly turned around, before they were greeted to the sight of Gail, whom had a malicious look, while he was aiming his pistol at them. Milly and Darlton stared in shock, while Lelouch narrowed his eyes.
With the barrel of his pistol smoking, Gail uttered, "I can't let you do that, especially since this island will be taken over soon."
Darlton looked at Gail, while General raised his voice, "What do you think you're doing, Captain? Are you even remotely aware of what you've just done?"
With a smirk on his face, Gail answered, "Really punctual. I'll tell you right here and now. To be honest with you, I intend to give the Third Energy data to this group of rebels."
No sooner did Gail finish his sentence, a couple of VTOLs began to descend, while the air currents blew against the trees. Milly glared at Gail, while she shouted, "Why are you doing this?"
Gail gave Milly an irritated look, while he answered, "Special forces isn't going to cut it for me anymore. What I want is money."
Darlton and Lelouch too glared at Gail, while the two VTOLs had landed, before their doors slid open. A group of armed rebels stepped foot outside of the aircraft, while Lelouch, Darlton and Milly noticed their distinct physical characteristics, which they recognized as tanned skin associated with the natives from the southern Britannian colonies. With a frown on his face, Lelouch thought, 'If I had to guess, they're from either Area Three, Area Six or Area Eight.'
Gail narrowed his eyes, while he continued, "As early as I knew about this operation, the rebel guerrillas had negotiated this deal with me. The original plan was to eliminate all the rival factions, after getting the Third Energy. The accident with the beasts was unexpected, so I had to call them. In order to deal with these animals, more firepower was required."
The rebels approached Lelouch's group, while holding them at gun point. Darlton put his assault rifle on the ground, while Lelouch and Milly raised their hands in the air, before the Britannian general immediately raised his hands in the air. Gail put his pistol in his holster, before he pulled a pistol out of his second holster. Gail aimed at Lelouch, while the other rebel leader snorted, "So, this is the infamous Zero. It's a damn shame he's going to die, especially since he could have kept Britannia busy in Area Eleven."
Darlton, Lelouch and Milly glared at the rebels, while Gail squeezed the trigger, which fired a dart into the exiled prince's neck. Lelouch clutched his neck, while Milly and Darlton stared in shock. Gail opened his satchel, which he removed a dart from, and he put one of them in between his teeth, before he pulled a second dart out of his pack. Gail then loaded his dart into his pistol, before he closed his packet, and he aimed his pistol at Milly, while he kept his index finger on the trigger. Gail immediately fired a dart at Milly's neck, before she too clutched her neck, and the traitorous SORT agent removed the dart from his mouth, while he brought the dart close to his gun.
Gail loaded his dart into his firearm, before he pulled the trigger again, which fired a dart into Darlton's neck, and the general also clutched his neck. Darlton, Milly and Lelouch glared at Gail, while they started to feel wobbly. Milly, Lelouch and Darlton began losing consciousness, before they collapsed onto the ground. Gail and the rebels stared at them, while the rebel leader ordered his men, "Tie them up around that tree. Until we return, I'll need a volunteer to stay behind to watch them."
One of the rebels stepped forward, while he spoke, "Consider it done, jefe."
The rebel leader nodded, before he turned to face Gail, who he questioned, "You never did say what kind of beasts we're going to be dealing with."
With a smirk on his face, Gail responded, "You'll find out soon enough, friend."
*Meanwhile with Cornelia's group*
Cornelia, Guilford, Kallen and Regina stood outside of the facility entrance, while they frowned. Cornelia kept her right arm close to her holster, which sheathed her rifle sword. Guilford felt tempted to unsling his assault rifle from his back, while he glanced at Cornelia, who was staring in the direction Lelouch and his group had headed. Cornelia clenched her left fist, while she broke the silence, "Where are they? They should have returned by now."
Guilford kept his cool, while he uttered, "They've probably gotten sidetracked, your highness. They should eventually return, which could be at any moment."
Cornelia drew a bit of blood from her left hand, while she replied, "You're right, Guilford. I should trust them, because Darlton is a seasoned soldier, in addition to Lelouch being a brilliant strategist, but Milly has no combat experience of any kind."
Guilford stared his superior, while he responded, "That's unfortunate, but true. Darlton and Zero will keep her safe, especially since they've been in more dangerous situations."
Cornelia narrowed her eyes, while she sighed, "I know, but I'm mostly worried about my brother, because this island is crawling with monsters, which reek of death. If Lelouch isn't careful, he'll meet a grizzly end."
Guilford opened his mouth, while Kallen angrily cut him off, "Don't you dare take Zero lightly. Even if something terrible has occurred in the jungle, Lelouch should be able to salvage something out of it, because he has performed miracles, and he has also given my cell their first victory."
Guilford glared at Kallen, while Cornelia and Regina stared intently at the rebel, who continued, "When we started out as a group, we were nothing more than insects opposing a mighty giant, before Zero came along, and he gave my people their first victory in over seven years. Lelouch transformed our group into a powerful force, which can now go toe-to-toe with Britannia, while giving the Japanese something they haven't felt in years, and that would be hope. When we met him, he wore his mask, and we didn't take him seriously, while we demanded he reveal his face to us. Instead of removing his mask, Lelouch offered to demonstrate hid power to us, which helped us save Suzaku, and in the process got Margrave Gottwald court martialed."
Kallen paused, before she resumed speaking, "When my nii-san died, his best friend, Ohgi became the new leader of his cell, but he didn't see himself as great as a leader, because Naoto-nii was everything a leader should strive to be. Prior to the invasion of Japan, Ohgi was a teacher, before he formed the same cell alongside my nii-san, and they've working together ever since. Because Naoto-nii died, his group's morale had taken a blow, which had left us in a state of grief, anger and depression. After Zero stepped in, he proved to be a far more efficient leader, while keeping us together, and he made the most difficult of situations work in his favor. Thanks to Lelouch, our actions were recognized by the the JLF, and we were able to defeat the Chinese Federation at Kyushu, before Schneizel took action against us, which proves we aren't weak."
Cornelia, Guilford and Regina listened, while Kallen added, "Even though my nii-san died, his dream won't die, and Zero will be the one to carry on his dream, which is to free Japan from Britannia. I'll admit I was confused and angry at Lelouch being Zero, but what he said about his motive struck something in me. After I realized he was hurt and betrayed by Britannia, I had plenty of time to remember Narita, where he demonstrated his rage against Britannia. To sum it all up, Zero is Japan's greatest chance at freedom, and he has plenty of reasons to hate his own country, which makes him trustworthy in my eyes."
Kallen sighed, before Regina commented, "That was quite the speech you gave there, Ms. Kozuki. If you weren't a terrorist, you'd make a great public speaker."
With a scowl on her face, Kallen spat, "You still know nothing of my people's suffering, Regina. Despite being mixed race, I'd bet you've had it easier than the Japanese, because your Britannian parent took you in, and gave you everything you could ever ask for."
Cornelia, Guilford and Regina frowned, while the latter replied, "First of all, I know your people have suffered, because I was discriminated against for my Eurasian heritage, and I had to work hard to prove myself better than my pureblooded peers. Secondly, my father is a Britannian, who has French ancestry, and my mother is Japanese. Thirdly, my mother had to take care of me by herself, after my father abandoned us in Britannia, and he left us without any means to survive."
Kallen's eyes widened in shock, while Regina continued, "Next time, don't you dare act like I'm a privileged woman, otherwise I'll show you just how outclassed you are, and it won't be pretty."
Kallen was left speechless, while Regina glared at her. Kallen opened her mouth in an attempt to say something, before a roar emitted in the direction of the jungle, which Cornelia, Guilford, Regina and her redirected their attention to. The four of them felt uneasy, while Guilford exclaimed, "What in the hell was that?!"
Cornelia , while she responded, "Whatever it is, it doesn't sound friendly. As much as I'd hate to admit it, I think it would be best for us to head back inside."
Guilford, Kallen and Regina didn't say a word, while Cornelia walked away. Regina, Guilford and Kallen followed Cornelia, while they approached the front entrance, which they halted in front of. The double doors slid open, before Cornelia, Guilford, Regina and Kallen set foot inside the facility. The front entrance doors closed, while Cornelia's group approached the stairs, which they began to ascend, and they eventually reached the second floor.
Cornelia and her group approached the door, while she thought, 'We already lost you once, Lelouch. Please stay safe.'
*At the Passageway to the Communication Area*
Marrybell and Oldrin stood in front of the door to the second floor hall, while they had their weapons holstered. Marrybell and Oldrin stopped near the communication antenna room, while they heard rummaging inside, which caused them to frown. Marrybell and Oldrin upholstered their pistols, before the princess grabbed onto the doorknob. Marrybell turned the doorknob, before she swung the door open, while Oldrin and her aimed their pistols in the room. Instead of seeing raptors, Marrybell and Oldrin saw a teenage girl, which surprised them.
In terms of appearance, the girl had short dark blue hair, fair skin and green eyes. When it came to her height and weight, she was average. As for her attire, she wore the standard Ashford Academy female uniform. When it came to her age, the girl was 16-years-old. The girl raised her hands in the air, while Marrybell questioned her, "Who are you?"
With a frown on her face, the dark blue haired girl timidly answered, "You can refer to me as Kabeko. I'm a student from Ashford Academy, your highness."
Marrybell narrowed her eyes, while she questioned her, "If you are a student from Area Eleven, why are you in this research facility?"
Kabeko frowned, while she answered, "I stowed away on the ship bound for Ibis Island, because I didn't think it was fair for only the Ashford Academy Student Council to get a private tour of the facility, and I wanted to see what was on the island, which was a huge mistake, your highness. When I saw the dinosaurs on the island, I panicked, before I ran and hid inside of this room, your highness."
Oldrin and Marrybell frowned, while they lowered their weapons, before the princess uttered, "I see. Normally stowaways are punished, but I can overlook this crime. After all, my group came here to protect Dr. Kirk, and you're better off heading to the control room, which I promise is safe."
Kabeko stared intently at Marrybell and Oldrin, while the latter spoke, "I know the word of a Britannian princess might not seem like much right now, but you can trust us, because her highness wants to help keep everyone safe, which makes it worth serving under her command."
Kabeko paused for a bit, before she sighed, "Very well, your ladyship. I'll accompany you and your highness to the control room."
Marrybell and Oldrin smiled, while the former replied, "Alright then. Before we leave this room, we need to search it first, because we need to gather supplies, and there's probably some useful information in this room."
Kabeko frowned, while she responded, "Understood, your highness. Until you and your ladyship are ready, I'll just stand here."
Oldrin and Marrybell nodded, before they walked past Kabeko, while the princess approached a desk. Marrybell halted, while she noticed a pair of notes, which she grasped, and she commented, "It's a memo from an antenna operating engineer."
Marrybell felt curious, while she began reading the memo out loud, "As a result of tonight's experiment, a strong magnetic storm may occur. Consequently, the Communication Department will close at 6:00 PM. At that time, the antenna will be temporarily stored. To prepare for the emergency, be sure to check the weapons storage locker in the lounge. You can unlock it with the combination "8159". Recently, inexperienced guards have been assigned here, and a common problem is that that they do not know how to use the DDK. Here are some points that may not be clear in the manual."
Kabeko and Oldrin listened, while Marrybell continued reading out loud, "Make sure that your staff becomes familiar with this important information. After you set the DDK to the door's locking device, you'll be asked to enter the password code. You will then need to derive the code by using the basic elimination rule. Eliminate the key letters to reveal the correct code. Be sure to try this out by setting an actual DDK to the door locking device. For example, Code: "OXPYEZN". Key "XYZ". In the above case, the correct password would be "OPEN"."
Marrybell set the memo back where it was, while she commented, "That was pointless, especially since big brother Schneizel already told me about DDK system, but I should notify Cornelia about this memo, because she probably doesn't know enough about how the DDK system works."
Marrybell turned to face her knight, who she questioned, "Did you come across anything, Oldrin?"
From the other side of the room, Oldrin answered, "No, Princess Marrybell. I combed this room, and I found nothing of use."
With a frown on her face, Marrybell sighed, "I see. Then there's no point in staying here. Move out."
Marrybell walked toward the doorway, while Oldrin and Kabeko followed her. Marrybell, Oldrin and Kabeko exited the communication antenna room, before they turned left. Kabeko, Oldrin and Marrybell walked forward, before they turned right, while they heard a roar in the distance. Kabeko, Marrybell and Oldrin froze, while the former squeaked, "What was that?"
With a frown on her face, Oldrin replied, "I don't know. Whatever it is, it doesn't sound friendly. If I had to guess, it might be that large theropod running around in the jungle."
Kabeko felt her blood run cold, while she responded, "I don't feel safe out here, your highness. Can we please go back inside?"
Marrybell too frowned, while she uttered, "The feeling is mutual. We'll be back inside of the facility soon, because we're taking a shortcut to the control room."
Kabeko twiddled her thumbs, while she questioned the princess, "No offense, your highness, but how do you know that?"
With a smile on her face, Marrybell answered, "Big brother Schneizel gave me a digital map of the facility, which tells me we're close to the communication room. Anyway, we should we should save the talking for later, because we're exposed out here."
Kabeko smiled, while she nodded, before Marrybell and Oldrin resumed their walk. Kabeko followed Oldrin and Marrybel, while they kept their eyes forward. Marrybell, Kabeko and Oldrin eventually reached a corner, where they made a left turn. Oldrin, Kabeko and Marrybell approached the door, which they halted in front of, before the princess opened the door. Kabeko and Oldrin stepped inside of the communication room, before Marrybell followed them inside, while she closed the door behind them.
Marrybell released the door, before she walked past Oldrin and Kabeko, while the three of them felt a sense of relief. Marrybell approached a red box, which she halted in front of, while she gazed at it, and she remarked, "It's an emergency box, which I could store ammunition inside of. I need a red plug to open it, but I lack one."
Marrybell sighed, before she approached the elevator in front of her. Marrybell stopped, before she pressed a button, and the elevator began to ascend, while her group. Once the elevator stopped, the double doors slid open, before Marrybell, Kabeko and Oldrin stepped inside of it. Kabeko pressed the first floor button, which closed the double doors, and the elevator started to descend, before it soon came to a halt. The elector doors slid open, before Marrybell, Oldrin and Kabeko stepped inside of the control room.
The elevator doors slid shut, while Marrybell's group saw Rick, Tamaki and Nina typing on the monitors. Kabeko was surprised to see Nina was still alive, which made her sigh in relief,. Tamaki, Nina and Rick continued typing, while the former spoke, "Access main program."
Characters appeared on Tamaki's screen, which could be read as "Access denied."
Tamaki kept typing, while he continued speaking, "Access main security."
The same characters from earlier appeared on Tamaki's monitor, which he ignored. Tamaki kept typing, while he spoke again, "Access main program grid."
The same characters from before appeared yet again on Tamaki's screen, which now could be read as "Access denied, and you didn't say the magic word."
The last six words repeatedly spammed on Tamaki's monitor, while a window popped up, and a man in a white suit popped up on the rebel's screen, which confused him. The man in a suit wagged his index finger, while he taunted, "Ah, ah, ah! You didn't say the magic word."
Tamaki angrily slammed his hands against the desk, while he raised his voice, "Please. Damn it! I hate this hacker crap."
Nina and Rick continued typing, while the former commented, "That proves you're terrible at hacking, Mr. Shinichiro. It would be best if you left the programming to professionals like Rick and I."
Tamaki glared at the spectacled girl, while he rudely replied, "Oh, yeah? That's so typical of you stinking Brits. When I make it big, you're not gonna end up working for me, because you're not even fit to work as a bureaucrat, nor as a waitress. After all, you're all bark and no bite, which means you're not even cut out to survive the workplace of Japan. A Brit like you isn't even fit to lick my boots, which even stray mutts would have more of a right to."
Nina continued typing, while she uttered, "For someone that hates the language of Britannia, your words sound very Britannian. Should I find myself in your independent nation, I'll do just fine, because I have a friend that will look after me, and I won't have to rely on a brute like you."
Tamaki narrowed his eyes, while he mockingly shot back, "Ooh, look at me. I'm a brainiac, who loves computers. I go to a fancy school, and I want to build weapons for the military."
Nina ignored Tamaki, while Rick responded, "Mr. Shinichiro, if you're going to talk smack, you're more than welcome to make yourself useful by stepping outside and becoming dinosaur bait, while we have a chance to get away from the raptors."
Tamaki redirected his glare at Rick, while the Japanese got out of his seat, before he walked close to the doorway, and he mumbled unintelligible curses. Rick chuckled, while Tamaki stopped close to the wall. Rick then turned to face Kabeko, Marrybell and Oldrin, before he addressed the latter two, "I'm relieved to see you, your highness. Your presence also reassures me, your ladyship."
Marrybrll and Oldrin smiled, while the former replied, "I'm glad you feel that way, and I am glad to see some order has been maintained in the facility."
Rick nodded, before Marrybell uttered, "Indeed. It will take some time, but I'm certain we'll find more survivors."
Rick nodded again, before he noticed Kabeko, who he questioned, "Who are you?"
Kabeko nervously twiddled her thumbs, while she answered, "You can call me Kabeko, and I'm not comfortable explaining my surname at the moment. As for my occupation, I'm a student from Ashford Academy."
Rick opened his mouth, while Kabeko cut him off, "Before you ask, I'm not a member of the student council. Long story short, I stowed away on the ship that arrived at Ibis Island, because I was jealous of the fact that the student council got a private tour of the research facility, but the dinosaurs on the island have made me realize I'm in over my head."
Rick frowned, while he sighed, "Well, this is unexpected, Kabeko. I know things look bad, but I promise you're in good hands. Anyway, you can call me Rick. As for what my surname is, it doesn't matter, because I'm a member of SORT, and members like myself tend to have code names too."
Kabeko kept frowning, while she responded, "Thank you, Rick. I understand."
With a grin on his face, Rick replied, "No problem. I'm glad we're on the same page. In the meantime, you could stay put in here, or another safe room, because the dinosaurs are still hunting inside of the facility."
Kabeko continued frowning, while she uttered, "Again, I understand, especially since I have no combat experience, let alone any combat training."
Rick kept grinning, while he responded, "I'm glad you're not pushing your luck and limits. Anyway, I need to continue my conversation with Princess Marrybell."
With a smile on her face, Marrybell replied, "Okay."
Rick stared at Kabeko a bit more, while he redirected his attention to Marrybell, who he spoke to, "Your highness, I haven't received any new updates from Princess Cornelia's group and Zero's group. I'm wondering if you had any contact with them."
Marrybell frowned, while she responded, "I was in radio contact with big sister Cornelia, who notified me of Lelouch's situation, which isn't good."
Rick frowned, while Marrybell resumed speaking, "Despite her protests, Lelouch and his group went into the jungle, while he left the electronic gear with Cornelia. Big sister Cornelia was right to be worried, because her group found a set of tracks, which belong to a large theropod, and the tracks are outside the front entrance of the facility. The tracks are 3.3 ft. long and 1.55 ft. wide, which concerns me."
Rick's eyes widened, while Marrybell continued, "Without their communication equipment, we cannot contact Lelouch and his group, which means we don't know their status too. I want to believe Lelouch is alive, but we're facing a threat unlike any."
Rick frowned, while he replied, "I see. Until we receive contact from Lelouch's group, we'll know of their status, your highness. For the time being, I should get back to work."
With a smile on her face, Marrybell responded, "That would be best."
Rick redirected his attention to the computer, before he resumed typing. Marrybell turned to face Kabeko, who felt uneasy, and the civilian spoke, "After you mentioned Zero's group, you made some references to Lelouch and his group, which confuses him. Is Lelouch somehow involved with the Black Knights? Why are you speaking of him like he's someone you're familiar with?"
Marrybell frowned, while she sighed, "This was inevitable, but you should know the truth. Lelouch is involved with the Black Knights, because he's Zero."
Kabeko's eyes widened, while Marrybell kept speaking, "Lelouch is also the supposedly deceased son of Lady Marianne, which makes him my half-brother."
Kabeko trembled, while she commented, "Impossible. Lelouch is both an enemy of Britannia and an heir to the emperor. By that same logic, Nunnally is a princess."
Marrybell smiled, while she reassured Kabeko, "That's correct. I know it's a lot to take in, but you can trust Lelouch too, because he believes in his own brand of justice, which means he will put your needs above hie own. As a civilian in need, will you give him a chance?"
With a frown on her face, Kabeko uttered, "Mmm. I suppose he isn't as bad as Britannia make him out to be. Then again, he caused the disaster at Narita."
Marrybell and Oldrin frowned, while Kabeko continued, "I'll tell you what, your highness. I will let Lelouch's actions speak for themselves."
Oldrin and Marrybell smiled, while the latter replied, "That's good to hear. Anyway, Oldrin and I have some business with Mr. Shinichiro."
Kabeko frowned a bit, while she responded, "Okay, your highness. If you need me, I'll be resting."
Kabeko walked over to the chair right across Nina's chair, before the blue haired girl pulled the seat back. Kabeko pushed her seat forward, before she stopped, and Marrybell approached Tamaki, while Oldrin followed the princess. Marrybell unslung the submachine gun, while she spoke, "Mr. Shinichiro, Here's your firearm."
With a scowl on his face, Tamaki replied, "I don't need help from a stinking Brit, especially a spoiled daddy's girl."
Before Marrybell or Oldrin could say anything in response, Tamaki snatched his submachine gun, which he slung over his shoulder. Oldrin clenched her fists, before she addressed Tamaki, "Mr. Shinichiro, I would normally punish thugs like you for disrespecting her highness like that, but we have bigger things to worry about. With the dinosaurs in the facility, we will need to cooperate, especially since it's too dangerous go off alone, and a single mistake could potentially get any one of us killed."
Tamaki clenched his fists, while he vehemently spat, "Fine. I'll work with you stinking Britts, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. Based on your social hierarchy, I suppose I'm taking orders from you two?"
Oldrin frowned, while she responded, "Not even close. You're only taking orders from her highness, because she's a strategist, who can match wits with Zero."
Tamaki frowned, while he shot back, "Oh, yeah? I'd just like to see little Ms. Liar try."
With a smirk on her face, Marrybell replied, "Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it."
Tamaki grumbled, while Oldrin and Marrybell giggled, before they stopped. Marrybell turned to Kabeko, who she spoke to, "Oldrin, Mr. Shinichiro and I are about to head to the other safe room, which you would also be safe inside of. You can either stay here, or you can accompany us there. What will your choice be?"
Kabeko tapped her chin, while she zoned out, and she stopped tapping, before she responded, "I might as well head there, because I don't want to get in the way of the work Rick and Nina are tending to."
Marrybell smiled, while she responded, "Sounds good."
Kabeko got out of her seat, before Marrybell opened the door. Marrybell entered the hallway, before Oldrin, Tamaki and Kabeko followed her, while the princess made a right turn. Oldrin, Tamaki and Kabeko walked followed Marrybell, who made a left turn, before they approached the office management door up ahead. Marrybell, Oldrin, Tamaki and Kabeko halted, before the former opened the door, which she held open for the latter three. Kabeko, Tamaki and Oldrin set foot inside of the management office, before Marrybell followed them inside, while she closed the door behind them.
Kabeko saw the blood trail, which caused her to feel uncomfortable, while Marrybell took note of her body language, and the princess spoke, "It's better that you don't look."
Kabeko nodded, while door ahead began opening, which caused Marrybell and Oldrin to unholster their weapons. Tamaki unslung his submachine gun from his back, while Oldrin marrybell and him pointed their weapons the doorway. Kabeko retreated closer to Marrybell, while the door swung open, which revealed Cornelia, Guilford, Kallen and Regina came into view. Kabeko stared in shock, while she thought, 'What? Kallen is with the Black Knights?'
Cornelia's group entered the room, before the princess closed the door behind them. Marrybell beamed, while she squeed, "Nellie."
Cornelia's face twisted into glare, while she sternly spoke to her sister, "Marrybell, please stop referring to me by my nickname."
Marrybell smirked, while she replied, "No promises, Nellie."
Cornelia's left eye twitched, while she uttered, "I see Nonette has rubbed off on you."
With the same smirk on her face, Marrybell responded, "Guilty as charged."
Cornelia shook her head, before she noticed Kabeko, which caused the princess to frown, and she questioned her sister, "Who is this? Why is she here?"
With a frown on her face, Marrybell replied, "This is Kabeko, and she's a student from Ashford Academy. Unlike the student council, Kabeko is a stowaway."
Cornelia narrowed her eyes, while she questioned her sister again, "In other words, she's a potential spy."
Kabeko frowned, while Marrybell responded, "No, she isn't a spy. I'm certain of it, because I paid attention to her body language, which tells me she is frightened, and you can trust me enough to take my word for it."
Cornelia frowned, while she uttered, "Fine. If it turns out Kabeko is indeed a spy, I'm holding you accountable, Marry."
With the same frown on her face, Marrybell replied, "Very well. Anyway, did Lelouch, Milly and Darlton returned from the jungle?"
Guilford, Kallen and Regina frowned, while Cornelia responded, "I'm afraid not. I haven't received a signal of any kind either."
Marrybell, Oldrin, Kabeko and Tamaki frowned, while the former uttered, "I see. If Lelouch hasn't returned yet, then he'll be back soon."
*Back in the jungle*
Lelouch, Darlton and Milly stirred, while they slowly opened their eyes. When Milly, Darlton and Lelouch finished opening their eyes, they noticed they a rebel eyeing them, while they tried to move. Lelouch, Milly and Darlton then took note of a rope, which was binding them, while it was wrapped around a tree. Darlton, Milly and Lelouch noticed the assault rifle nearby, along with a pistol, which caused them to frown. Milly looked down, before she saw her pistol was not in its holster, which caused her eyes to widen, and she cursed under her breath, "Dammit."
The guard glared at them, while he spoke, "Don't try anything, Brits. I'm here to make sure you don't escape, and don't think for a moment I won't hesitate to use this on you."
Darlton, Milly and Lelouch took of the rebel holding an assault rifle, which was a Britannian model. With a scowl on his face, the rebel continued, "Because you're in no position to defend yourselves, you might as well wait, before jefe returns, and then he'll decide what to do with you. If I had to guess, I'd say he might feed you three to the sharks."
Darlton, Lelouch and Milly glared at their captor, while he resumed speaking, "That's right. All you can do is show your hatred towards me. If you'll excuse me, I have some business to take care of."
The rebel turned his back to his captives, before he approached the tree lines, which set foot into, and he was soon out of sight. Milly, Lelouch and Darlton turned their heads in various directions, while they looked for something to free them. Darlton gritted his teeth, while he thought, 'Blast! Damn that traitor. If I wasn't tied up, I'd make him pay.'
Milly struggled against her bindings, while she spoke, "It's no use. I can't reach for my shirt, which has something hidden underneath to get us out of this bind."
With a frown on his face, Darlton questioned Milly, "What are you talking about, Lady Ashford?"
Milly stopped struggling, before she replied, "Underneath my shirt are a pair of kunai, which sayoko taught me how to use."
Darlton raised a brow, while Milly added, "When my grandfather made sure I took some self defense classes, he had Sayoko teach me how to use kunai too. Before you say anything, Sayoko was my nanny, prior to becoming Lelouch and Nunnally's primary caretaker."
Darlton stared intently at Milly, while he uttered, "Now I understand. With those weapons, you could take these rebels by surprise, but it works better with a single rebel, especially if you were able to sneak up on him. Like you, I have a knife, which is hidden somewhere on my body."
Milly smiled, while Lelouch frowned, and he looked up, which confused his comrades. Milly and Darlton frowned at Lelouch, while they too stared at the sky, where they saw a C-17 Globemaster. Darlton and Milly were stunned, while Lelouch thought, 'I don't like the look of this. Now there's another faction arriving on the island, which means they're either potential allies or more foes.'
The rear door of the C-17 opened, which revealed a woman with light blonde hair and light purple eyes, while she wore an outfit that implied she was from the military. Her uniform consisted of a short black skirt and a dark blue blouse, which had white cuffs, in addition to some red parts that were enough to feel a slight chill. The woman also wore a mask, which was connected to an oxygen tank on her back. She kept a firm grip on her hang glider and then proceeded to jump out of the plane with it, gliding down to Ibis Island with grace comparable to an Olympic swimmer. The woman landed in the forest, before she released her glider, and she landed on a branch, while she surveyed the area.
The woman removed her mask and oxygen tank, which she hung on the branch, before she spotted the rebel taking a leak. The woman grimaced in disgust, while the rebel finished his bathroom break, before he zipped his pants back up, and he reached for his assault rifle that was leaning against a tree. The rebel grabbed his assault rifle, which he tightly gripped, while he walked away from the spot he marked, and the woman followed him. Lelouch, Milly and Darlton frowned, while they redirected their attention to lone rebel, who came out of the forest. The rebel approached the trio, while they saw the blonde woman jumping from branch to branch, before she stopped close to the clearing, and she remained hidden from the unsuspecting rebel.
The woman spotted the rebel and his captives, while she noticed the latter three staring at her, before she put a finger to her lips. As if they understood the woman, Darlton, Milly and Lelouch redirected their attention to the rebel, who kept an eye on them. The woman unholstered a beretta M9, before she opened her pack, which she reached into, and she pulled out a silencer. The woman pressed her gun against the silencer, which she screwed on, before she stopped, and then she began a slow, steady descent from the tree. Once the woman released her grip on the tree, her feet had touched the ground, before she quietly and carefully approached the lone rebel.
The rebel kept his eyes forward, while the woman halted behind him, before she aimed het weapon and she pulled the trigger. A bullet flew into the back of his neck, which caused him to gurgle, while blood shot out of him, and he coughed up blood. The rebel gripped his neck in agony, while the woman redirected her aim upward, before she squeezed the trigger a second time, and another bullet pierced the back of the rebel's head. This caused grey matter and more blood to fly out, while the rebel collapsed onto the ground. As the rebel laid in a pool of blood, Darlton, Lelouch and Milly stared in shock, while the woman unscrewed her silence from her handgun.
The woman returned her silencer to her packet, which she shut, and then she grabbed a knife, which she removed from her sheath. Darlton, Milly and Lelouch struggled, while the woman approached them. The woman raised her knife, before she brought it down.
A/N: That certainly was hectic, but there's more twists to come, especially from the manhua, which I will need to read more of. Just to be clear to anyone not familiar enough with the manhua, Gail does end up betraying SORT in the manhua, but that makes him less loyal than his video game counterpart, because he is canonically dedicated to completing the mission. If anyone spots the references, before correctly pointing them out, then congratulations are in order. I would like to credit Wolfpackersson09 for his involvement in this chapter, especially the portion focusing on Tamaki, and I would also like to credit Tyrant Overlord Killidia for his suggestion involving the mysterious woman, whose identity shall be revealed soon. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long.
