5 December

18:57

Nina

"Everything it's ready president the explosives are in position".

18:59

Kallen

"Everything works here".

19:03

Shirley

"The C. Plan it's ready".

19:17

Nunnaly

"The target is in room three".

Rivalz

"We are moving".

Milly

"This will be perfect".

POV Lelouch

If he is right... This could be a big problem, But what can he do, warning him would even change his mind? Or...

He heard the door open, and without even looking at who had entered he asked "Sayoko wha..." before being blinded, tied, and carried away.

What? How? They have been discovered?

Lelouch questions were answered in a few minutes, when he was partially released (he was still tied to a chair), all was clear.

"IT WAS YOUR DOING WITCH" He shouted to Milly".

"It was mostly teamwork" Nunnally stated.

"Poor Lelouch, betrayed by his own sister".

Lelouch was still clearly pissed.

Come on don't be mad, look what we prepared, she said indicating something behind Lelouch.

Lelouch sighed "If someone had the decency to untie me".

"Oh right, Sayoko could you do it?".

After being released, Lelouch turned looking at a set table, with a cake on it.

"Happy birthday Lelouch" everyone screamed.

the initial confusion soon turned into awareness, it was today, he was so busy and tired he didn't even notice it.

He was then dragged to his seat, and the party started.

It was pretty chaotic, but nothing compared to what Milly usually did (he was grateful to have been spared), they spoke for the majority of the time, at some point Rivalz poured some Wine in Nunnally glass, Sayoko quickly exchanged it with one filled of water; After the cake, they brought some gifts, Nina and Rivalz gifted him some clothes, Kallen a chessboard(Lelouch was pretty sure it was a way to mock him about what she considers his "obsession") he was about make a joke about it, but then noticed how Kallen disappeared, he continued to open the gifts, Shirley bought him a photo frame, red with gold-colored finishes, and a little letter 'I hope you can save a good memory in it', Lelouch thanked her, before opening the last one, it was a folded piece of paper from Milly, Lelouch opened it 'look outside', he did, in the same moment Milly made a call. The lights turned on, in the courtyard there was Kallen inside a Knightmare, as she began to move, fireworks ignited right behind her, bursting into the sky, after one lap, another wave started and even the Knightmare joined the spectacle and fired some fireworks, he was hypnotized by the performance, it was all perfectly synchronized; Only at the end of it Lelouch returned to the real world.

Lelouch "How have you done it?".

Milly herself seemed impressed "I wanted to do this for years, but hiring a professional pilot was out of budget".

Rivalz "But in the end Milly always gets what she wants".

Lelouch laughed at this "Yes, it's true" Becoming more serious he added "But there was no need to do all of this".

Nunnally took his hand "Instead of complaining, why don't you just say"Thank you".

Lelouch was surprised and even a little embarrassed "I... You are right, thank you guys".

They spent the rest of the evening cleaning before returning home, Rivalz gave a ride home to Nina, and soon after Shirley's dad came to pick her up, Milly and Lelouch reached Kallen still in the warehouse, The left leg of the old Knightmare was presenting some problem.

Milly seemed sad about this, another reminder of how the Ashford industry was a thing of the past.

Lelouch "Milly you can go help Sayoko clean outside? We'll see if we can fix the problem in the meantime".

Milly "OK, if you need anything call me" Then she headed to the courtyard.

Lelouch started searching for the problem, he was not an engineer, but growing up close to the Ashford family surely helped him, at the same time he and Kallen have to talk about Naoto.

But Kallen gave him no time to speak "So did you like the show?".

Lelouch replied while trying to remember where a component was located "It was a great execution, Milly some time ago said you were a natural, I admit she was right" he noticed a crack in the stabilizer "Wait, when the Knightmare started giving you problem".

Kallen thought about it for a minute "I noticed something at the end of the first lap, but I think during the second something broke, Why?".

Lelouch couldn't believe it, he spent a fair amount of time driving this machine and still, he doubted he would be able to use it in those conditions, HE DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE SOMETHING CHANGED, that was ridiculous.

Kallen noticed his silence "Is everything ok down here?".

Lelouch simply sighed "Yes... Kallen we're done here, but I have to talk to you about Naoto I think..." Obviously they had to be interrupted.

Milly and Sayoko entered the room "Everything clean, how's it going here?".

Lelouch "The stabilizer is gone, we need a new piece".

Milly "OK, it's getting late, we'll deal with it tomorrow, Kallen do you need a ride home?".

Kallen "There's no need, Thanks anyway".

Milly was about to say something else when she was called "Yes, I am coming, good night guys" and then she left.

Lelouch "Sayoko, can you take Nunnally home? I'll be back when Kallen's car arrives".

Sayoko "Of course".

After a minute or two, sure they were alone, Kallen asked "What about Naoto?".

Lelouch was starting to doubt telling her about his suspect was a good idea, but it was too late to go back "I've kept an eye on him and on his operation".

Kallen seemed a little betrayed "And you didn't tell me anything, you knew despite all I was worried about him!?".

He was not expecting this reaction "Naoto was doing fine and..." Lelouch was smart enough to stop himself, he knew very well how she hated being lied to "Ok sorry, I should've told you, but that's not the point right now".

Kallen looked slightly calmer "Very well, what changed".

Lelouch "A few days ago a document was leaked, on December 25th a large load of war materials and Knightmare will be transported, I think he is planning to steal them".

Kallen was visibly confused "Isn't that a good thing?".

Lelouch "Yes, it's perfect, we know when and how containers full of materials will be transported, furthermore, many people in the empire are still Christians, so surveillance will be at a minimum".

Kallen understood quickly what he was suggesting "Do you think this is a trap?".

Lelouch "Yes, Obviously there is a chance that I'm wrong and that's the problem, I've observed how Naoto works, even if we warn him I doubt he will listen, he will try anyway".

Kallen"Yes, he don't trust us, we are just children to be protected, he made it clear, but then what can we do?".

Lelouch"We will send an anonymous message, at least he will be prepared".

Kallen"There is something else, right? You have a plan".

Lelouch "Yes but..." There was too much at stake, if they fail they will die, and he didn't dare imagine what would happen if they were recognized, what would happen to Nunnaly, for years he plotted his revenge, he stopped himself to keep Nunnaly safe, but she is growing up, if something happen to him Sayoko will take care of her, and right now there is an actual chance to strike, that doesn't make the idea any less dangerous "Kallen... I'm not sure... ".

Kallen asked in a desperate voice"Lelouch Please".

He looked at her, if Nunnaly was the one in danger he would do anything, this thought was enough to convince him"I have a plan, but one mistake is enough to get us killed, are you with me Q1?".

Without hesitation, she replied"Yes".

On her way home

Kallen POV

Despite everything, she wouldn't let any of her family members die, she wouldn't betray and abandon them like they did.