Hey. It's been something of a crazy time for me. Things are starting to look up though; for one I've finally found a job. Not a great one, but it's something. And summer movies have been good to me, so that always helps. And I've got another creative project that will supposedly help make me and a friend of mine money. We'll see how it all goes, but enough of my rambling! Here's the next chapter! So please, enjoy! As always, I've noticed I've been getting many details of Code Geass wrong (too many in my opinion) so if I make a mistake, make sure to let me know!

"Once more." Lelouch fastened his helmet as he once again became Zero. He wasn't sure if he could ever get used to this, but it was getting easier with each passing day.

As briskly as possible, he made his way towards the bridge in full costume. Like everyone else, he saw on the screen the periscope's vision of the Tasmanian coast. "A beautiful place." Zero noted. "Even more beautiful is that this landscape is not occupied by Britannia."

"We are not here for sight-seeing, need I remind you." Todoh interrupted.

"I haven't forgotten, Todoh." Zero replied. "Only making a statement."

"Zero, I recommend we take precautions." Ohgi said. "While Australia is not an enemy per se, I'd imagine it would fiercely guard it's neutrality."

"So, if they fire, we'll just return it twofold!" Tamaki proudly exclaimed.

"You really are an idiot." Chiba muttered.

"WHAT!?"

"Australia may not be our friend...but we don't have to make them our enemies." Zero said. "I'd imagine the time will come when Australia will play an important part in this war. I can't say what, but in the meantime, we best stay on good terms with them, hope that they will become our allies." "Play a part?" Lelouch thought. "Doubtful." History had shown once a nation stayed neutral it would never take sides unless the nation itself was attacked. If anything, they would take the safe bet and side with the Britannians; even if their forms of government were total opposites, they had many traditions in common. Besides, the Australians, while not as bad as the Britannians, still had a reputation of being racist to foreigners. Nonetheless, the truth of how to approach this was clear. They had to get in without upsetting the Australians. "Ohgi, find a secluded cove we can find cover in."

"Yes, Zero."

As he got to work, Kallen approached him. "So, how do we go about finding Kaguya once we anchor?"

"I'll go on land." Zero proclaimed, to which Kallen stared at him. "Not as myself, of course. But...as myself." Thank goodness Kallen was the only one who heard that.

"Zero! I think we found something!" A huge hole in a cliff's side was brought up on the monitor. It could easily have fitted an oil tanker from the old days, and would be perfect for the Shitora so long as it remained submerged.

"Any navy patrolling the immediate area?"

"None that we can see sir; it looks to be the coast of a national park."

"Excellent." "Take us in, Ohgi." Zero commanded.

As soon as the Shitora made its way to it's new hiding place and anchored, Zero got ready to get things going. "I will be taking Kallen with me, should anything go wrong." he informed the crew. "The rest of you will remain here. Since we cannot come and go as we please, I will only return once. I will keep in contact via e-mail on our encrypted servers whenever I can, but if it seems something has happened to me...you may continue on without me."

There was a bit of silence among the soldiers. "Will do, sir!" one finally saluted. Others followed as well.

"Very good. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

"Zero." Zero turned around to look at Todoh. "If you don't mind, I have some questions for you. Questions regarding that submarine from a couple of days ago. I didn't get the chance to ask how you pulled that off."

Lelouch sighed. He was hoping Todoh had forgotten that promise. Thankfully, he had thought something of a cover story just in case. "Scopolamine." he answered.

"What?"

"Scopolamine; a drug that originated somewhere in Area 6. It's a potent drug that can make people vulnerable to suggestion; you could say it is a method of some sort of mind control, albeit temporarily."

Todoh raised his eyebrow. "I know what it does. But how did you administer it to the whole crew?"

Zero sighed. "He wasn't playing around with that promise I made him!" "See this?" Zero stuck out his hand to show off what seemed to be a needle protruding from his glove. "Inside is a syringe that will administer the drug. It's in a concentrated dose; I just prick a man's skin and they quickly fall under the drug's spell."

Todoh looked at the hand, and looked away, taking a deep breath. "Okay." Todoh said gruffly. "But that is illegal contraband in almost every country. How did you get hold of it?"

"The same way all those who weren't captured managed to obtain everything else here." Zero proclaimed, spreading his arms. "None of this was obtained legally; I dare say some of it wasn't even BOUGHT. So, C2 got it anyway she could."

Todoh only stared at him, clutching his katana. Finally, his grip relaxed. "Very well then." Todoh said. "Good luck, Zero. And be careful." he bowed.

"It's my job to be careful." Zero replied. "I have to change now, if I've any hope to find Kaguya in due time."

As Zero, Kallen and CC excused themselves, Tamaki approached Todoh, nudging his side. "See? He's legit! We'll just have to copy his strategy..."

"He lied to me, Tamaki."

Tamaki only stared at him. "WHAT!?" Tamaki fumbled for words. "But...he..."

"Scopolamine doesn't act that quickly...and those men were too alert to have been drugged. Even if they were vulnerable to suggestion, I doubt they would all have been able to walk to the top of the sub without falling over."

"So...what now?" Ohgi asked, concerned. "He lied to you..."

"Yes. But what would you have me do? However he did it, he got us out of that incident and stocked us with food. And right now, we need Kaguya; and if I know her well, Zero is the only one who will be able to find her."

"Why is that?" Chiba asked.

"Because she wants only HIM to find her." Todoh replied as he growled. "She may be brilliant and influential, but even she is vulnerable to those idiotic teenage crushes." Looking at the closed door, he said "So for now, we need him."

New Zealand was a sparsely populated area, and was of little economic importance to the empire. Historians still debated why the area was conquered. But the Britannians had enough sense to preserve the natural beauty, and developed a lucrative tourist industry out of it. Their agriculture and livestock industry also became famous in the empire, as the Knight of Three was currently finding out as he and Anya dined outside on a picnic table.

"MMM!" Gino exclaimed as he bit into a New Zealand steak. "This is good, much better than the homeland! I don't even need to use Z-10 sauce! What do you think, Anya?"

The girl only took little pieces of hers as she continued chewing. "It's good." she simply replied, cutting another piece.

Gino sighed. "Anya, sometimes you're just too polite to have fun around."

"Is everything alright, Master Weinberg?" a servant asked coming up to him.

"Excellent." Gino replied in bliss as he took another bite.

"Forgive my intrusion, but a phone call came in. Something about a sunken submarine. The details our sketchy, but it seems this has the 2nd Prince interested. I'm sure it can wait until tomorrow..."

Gino put down his utensils and groaned. "No; it can't." He stood, and handed the servant his plate. "Would you be so kind as to put this in the fridge? I'd like to have it for breakfast tomorrow."

"Certainly, sir." the servant replied as he collected his plate. Anya handed hers over as well, following after her comrade.

Entering his make-shift office during his stay in Area 9, Gino logged onto his laptop, and made a video call to the Britannian Navy around Area 14, Papua New Guinea. The video came alive as an old commander's face came into focus."To whom am I speaking?" An officer replied on the other end.

"Sir Gino Weinberg, the Knight of Three." he stated.

"Sir Weinberg, an honor to speak to you." the commander bowed.

"I understand that Prince Schneizel wanted me to look into what appears to be an accident within the navy?"

"Yes. One of our submarines and the crew went missing for a few days. We investigated, and found it in the bottom of the ocean."

"And the crew?"

"All dead; the sub breached a hole, most likely from an explosion. The entire crew drowned."

Gino winced. "Not a good way to go. I'm sorry about your men."

"None more than me." the naval officer sighed. "Anyway, as you can guess, this happened days ago. But, as standard procedure we investigated the incident as best we could. We found something...something that didn't make any sense."

"How so, may I ask?" Gino inquired.

"Looking at the way the metal was bent and the scorch marks, it would suggest the explosion came from the inside."

Gino became interested. "Could it have been an accident?"

"All submarines must undergo routine maintenance before departing. And even if we missed something, there is no way a minor flaw could cause such an explosion. What's more, it came from the latrine."

"That does sound suspicious." Gino said as he rubbed his chin. "What about the records? Anything?"

"No; in fact, there are none."

"How can that be?"

"It's as if security deleted all their files; nothing could be recovered. We are downright flabbergasted, if I may say so myself." He wiped some sweat from his brow. "What am I supposed to tell their families!? They demand vengeance!"

"Just tell them the investigation is ongoing." Gino said calmly. "Even if you had the answers, they wouldn't be satisfied until the saboteurs themselves faced a firing squad. Tell me, which direction was the submarine facing?"

"South, my lord."

"Okay." Gino said as he turned away from the screen to address his servant. "Bran; get me a world map, please."

"Right away, my lord." the butler said as he briskly made his way to the library.

"What were the coordinates of the submarine when you found it?" Gino asked, turning back to the commander.

"31.5 degrees south, approximately 129 degrees East. Off the coast of an island called Molucca."

"Thank you for your time, commander." Gino said as he wrote them down. "I promise you the ones who did this will be brought to justice, somehow."

"I'd rather prefer to see them burn." the commander growled.

"If it comes to that." Gino saluted the man as he signed off. "If it came from the inside in a place with little possible accidental reactions...that was no accident." Gino thought as he stared at the blank screen in deep thought.

"Sir, I've a map for you. It doesn't mark the current political geographical borders..."

"As long as it has all the continents and seas, it will do." Gino replied as he took the map.

He laid it down on the table, and took a pin. "The sub sunk right about...here." He placed the pin somewhere on the island specified. "And the direction it was facing...south." Gino took a marker and traced a path. The line went straight to Australia. "If this was Zero's doing, going to Australia has some logic. He could hide well in a neutral country." Gino got up and walked back to his computer.

"The lost sub was pointed south." Anya stated in an unusual moment of conversation. "That doesn't mean that's where the enemy was headed, nor that it was Zero."

"That's why it's best to be sure." Gino said as he began to type an e-mail. "We have spies in Australia; I'm going to tell them to keep an eye out." Gino clicked "Send", and leaned back against his chair. "Still, there are just as many reasons NOT to go there. Australia may be neutral, but Zero wouldn't expect aid from that country. If we find him there, the Australians will sell him out. They don't have the military force to oppose us, and it has many who sympathize with the empire." Gino looked at the map of Australia. "So, Zero... if that's where you're headed, what are you really looking for?"

"So, still thinking of hitting the pubs?" Kallen asked as she, CC and Lelouch looked over the suburbs of a small Tasmanian city down below a hill.

"Maybe later." Lelouch said. "We'll be out here for days at the least if we just try to catch gossip in a random bar. We need a starting point."

"There should be some kind of Asian ethnic community in the area; there's bound to be some Japanese there." C2 stated. "Perhaps those would be the best places to start."

"Not directly." Lelouch said. "You and I would rouse immediate suspicion. Why would two Caucasian people stop by a business normally patronized by immigrants?"

"Good point." CC conceded. "Though if you make it look like you're a fan of their the products or services they provide, they are generally more accepting."

"Perhaps. But we'd have to fake too much eventually. Do that often enough, and people will find out." He then looked to Kallen. "I'd ask you to do this, but you look equal parts Japanese and Britannian. That might be a problem."

Kallen's eyebrows twitched; Lelouch was feared he may have offended her. "Don't worry; while my looks may draw some suspicion, I know more than enough Japanese culture and mannerisms to fit in. They'll just think I look a bit odd, that's all." she huffed.

That last sentence had a touch of hurt to it. Lelouch imagined that even after all she had done for the Japanese, she still had trouble fitting in. Lelouch gently squeezed her shoulder. "No matter what they may identify you as, you don't seem strange in my eyes at all." Kallen only stared at him a moment, while her heart skipped a beat. Both stepped away and looked the other direction as they felt how awkward it was.

"So, what now?" CC asked.

"Kallen will do her own thing." Lelouch stated. "If she's confident she can do it, we'll trust her. You have your personalized cell?"

"Yes." Kallen said as she pulled it out of her jacket. "But the service is pretty lousy; I'd imagine here I'll just get some static."

"Price to avoid detection, I suppose." Lelouch said. The cell phones they were using now relayed a signal with the Shitora. They helped to prevent state surveillance, but they were no where near as good as registered cell phones connected to cell towers. "If you're having trouble with verbal communication, text me. That should be enough." Lelouch then turned to CC. "You come with me. We'll search for any locals who have a connection with the Japanese and other immigrants."

"Well then..." CC suddenly wrapped her arm around Lelouch's. "Come along then, darling." she smiled.

Lelouch's eyes widened. "I beg your pardon!?"

"We need a story of why we're together." CC told him. "We look nothing alike to be siblings. And working together as a couple makes more sense."

Lelouch chuckled nervously. "Um, I guess you make a good point. But maybe-"

"It's fine, Lelouch." Kallen told him.

Lelouch turned around and asked "You sure?"

"Why not? It would make more sense for you to go with CC than me." Lelouch could tell that Kallen was not lying; she honestly did not take issues with them putting on an act.

Lelouch looked back and fourth between the two women. "Well...I guess if it's okay..."

"Let's go, sweetie." CC failed to coo with any real emotion as she dragged Lelouch down the hill. He noticed the small woman a lot stronger than she looked from the pressure she exuded as she squeezed his arm.

Kallen walked down the opposite way. Though she had no reason to be against the plan, something tugged at her. "The nerve of him! Why should I be bothered? After all, it's not like we're together." Kallen didn't know why the sight of the two together bothered her, even if it was just an act. Then again, CC seemed to put extra effort in emphasizing the romantic aspect... "Enough." Kallen chided herself. "Just focus on the mission." she told herself as she continued down the hill.

Lelouch kept looking back as CC dragged him along. "Regrets?" she asked suspiciously.

Lelouch sighed. "What's there to regret? You were right; it makes more sense in this situation for US to be together." Lelouch looked back up the hill, to see Kallen absent from sight. "Besides...what would a woman like her see in a guy like me?"

Schneizel enjoyed the quiet moments. As prince, he rarely got such occasions whether it had to do with war or parties he was bound by honor to attend. But when they did happen, it was bliss for him. In this case, that moment he chose to spend by the pond of his royal garden, feeding the swans. Just watch the birds skim the surface brought him totally at piece. As Schneizel threw them more bread crumbs, he leaned back on the bench and smiled slightly. "Thank you for not disturbing my peace. But you know I'm not so pompous as to demand no interruptions from my servants, especially with matters concerning the realm."

Canon stepped out from behind the tree, carrying papers under his arm. "How long did you know I was there?"

"Long enough." Schneizel replied. "A prince should always be vigilant when his knights are not present; you never know if an assassin is around the corner."

"Excellent point as usual, your excellency." Canon walked up and took a seat beside him, documents in hand. "But if it wouldn't trouble you, there are some pressing matters that I thought may concern you."

"Please enlighten me." Schneizel said as he tossed the swans more crumbs.

"Very well. First, Sir Weinberg has looked into that submarine accident you requested. If the Black Knights are responsible, he believes they headed for Australia."

"A reasonable deduction. Any solid evidence to that theory?"

"None as of yet. But he's using our spies to ensure we're not on a wild goose chase."

"Very good. What else?"

"A date has been set for your eldest brothers' wedding." Canon's face squinted slightly before returning to it's normal stoic self. "I must say though, I didn't imagine Odysseus had that kind of taste."

"He doesn't." Schneizel sighed. "It's purely political; he'll probably lock her in a room stuffed with toys and take a mistress on the side."

"That's comforting." Canon said in a rare show of relief. Though none dared speak against the decisions of the royal family, the rumors about Odysseus being a possible pedophile were quite damaging to his public image. "Also, I've requested an audience with your father for you." Canon continued, moving on to other news. "Unfortunately, he says he has more important matters to attend to."

"Mundane affairs, as he calls them." Schneizel replied.

"How could he be so neglectful to the empire's needs, my lord?" Canon asked. "I'm sure in his old age he wants to retire, but until then he should oversee these matters."

"He's overseeing matters. Just the ones none of us are aware of. And what's more, he's not looking for a successor."

"But he has a hundred children. Surely, at least one of them..."

"Odysseus is nothing but a spoiled brat. He has some diplomatic skills, but has no idea how to run an empire. On top of that, he's a coward in battle. Cornelia would have been a worthy successor, but she's gone now; I don't have the foggiest idea of where she could be, if she is even alive. Many of my siblings have similar defects, I am unhappy to say. It is perhaps egotistical for me to say this, but I feel I am the only one worthy of the throne."

"Of that I have no doubt, sir." Canon said with great sincerity. "But how would you go about obtaining the throne?"

"Walk with me." Schneizel suddenly stood and walked back towards the palace, his servant trailing behind him. "The royal family has long advocated survival of the fittest. If my father is the man he presents himself as, he would expect us to betray one another until only one was left standing. According to tradition, only the most cunning and ruthless are worthy to rule. Though I do not wish to betray any of my brothers and sisters, if only to live another day, I will have to, if only because many will act first if I let them. I've been planning for such a day before I even became a man; after Nunally's supposed 'death', I made sure to stay one step ahead of any would-be killers. Life, I say, is like a game of chess; you anticipate the factors which you cannot control, and place your pieces accordingly."

"Sage advice, sir." Canon agreed. "How may I help you in accomplishing this?"

"You already are, my dear friend." Schneizel smiled. "Even if I cannot divulge the exact details, rest assured you are a most important piece in the game."

Though most would have assumed Canon to lose face, instead he was most amused. "If I were to be used as a piece in chess, I figured I would be nothing more than a pawn."

"And who's to say you aren't?" Schneizel asked. "Pawns are the most important parts of the game. And rest assured, whatever sacrifices I make, they won't be in vain."

"Comforting. But I'll do my best to stay alive until absolutely no options are left."

"And if I put you in a situation you can't escape from, you'll know." Schneizel was almost upon the front door to the palace. "There is one more thing you wish to tell me, isn't there?"

"Yes. Miss Einstein has developed a prototype of the weapon and is ready for testing. She invited you personally to observe it."

Canon handed him the folder, which the prince looked over quickly but thoroughly. "Most promising." he smiled.

"Okay." Lelouch said as he hung up a payphone, the conversation of which CC was not privy to. "I've got us a lead."

"Tell me." CC ordered him.

"If Kaguya is here, she has to have some kind of connection with the local immigrants here. The wages here may be better than what Britannia pays its own minorities, but legal protections are still problematic. If I were her..."

"As you are now, you don't even know her. And you've only spoken to her once before your memory loss."

"True. But you and Kallen told me enough about her to pretend I do. Anyway, if I were her, I would reach out to them. It would connect her to her people, and give her a vanguard, if not a full army."

"Interesting theory. How do we connect with them without raising any alarms?"

"Simple. We're going to hire a maid." Lelouch said.

CC looked around their surroundings"Well, if you want to watch her clean this entire town, I hope she's up to the task. Or perhaps you mean the Shitora? I'm sure the Black Knights would be delighted to see a breach in security."

For a change, Lelouch chuckled. "Good point. That's exactly why we need to get a place. Follow me."

As CC followed him, she noticed they were coming into one of the wealthier places in town. "We might be able to afford one of these places...if you're willing to leave your army bankrupt."

Lelouch smirked again. "Why spend what little money we have when we can take it?"

CC would have smiled if it was in her nature. "He's beginning to act like his old self."

"I hear that this is one of the wealthiest districts on the island. By global standards, still not much, but enough for basic rich people privileges. And enough to hire servants." Lelouch explained.

"So, you're going to make such a person give us their assets."

"In a way of speaking, yes. But, I'd prefer to find someone much more...deserving of such a misfortune."

"This is war; there will always be collateral." CC told him.

"Yes. But until I'm left with absolutely no choice...I'd prefer to avoid bringing misfortune on other people who don't deserve it, even if it's for the greater good." he said defiantly.

CC still remained emotionless, but was as sad as she was intrigued. "Very well; we'll do it your way for now. Where to first?"

Lelouch only smiled back at her. "NOW, my dear, we go get a drink."

"Are the bars even open yet?"

In another part of town, Kallen began her mission. In the "Japan Town" block, she found the best place that was hiring Japanese immigrants; and it was just her rotten luck that it involved services. Not the sexual kind, but standard things like cleaning and house care. It didn't sit well with Kallen, but she learned to put up with a lot of things she didn't like over the years. Upon being allowed to see the manager, he gave her a quick look from head to toe. His inspection irritated her at first, but she let it go as soon as he sat down and looked at her application. What she didn't expect for him to do was bring up her looks. On one hand, it was a relief that he didn't focus on anything obviously sexual, but he had to bring up her mixed heritage. "I guess we could use some help." he began. "But..."

"I'm half Britannian, sir." Kallen interrupted. "My biological father raped my japanese mother, and here I am. I was raised by her, and learned everything about Japan from her. So, given my troubled history, I identify myself as Japanese." Kallen hated to tell a lie like that; she didn't have the highest opinion of him nowadays. But there was a point where he did genuinely loved her mother, and at least tried to provide for her and her brother after their break up. But that didn't matter right now; he wasn't here, and the manager of this small business needed a story that would buy her some sympathy.

"I'm sorry." the other man said. "I didn't mean to bring it up. It's just...some of our employees might feel a bit uncomfortable around you, even if they knew your story."

Kallen smiled sadly. "It's okay. I've gotten dirty looks from both both sides of the aisle. I just figured here I could get a fresh start at least."

"As fresh as any of us can hope for, anyway." the manager said as he got up from his desk. "It's not government policy around here to actively persecute us, per say, but human nature is human nature I guess. We can be the same species, but if we act, talk or even think different, it just leads to bad things." Kallen puckered her nose as the elderly Japanese man lit a cigarette and took a puff. "Forgive me; I've a bad tendency to go out on a tangent. Anyway, I think we may have a space available. If you could just leave me your phone and address..."

"I have a cell phone." Kallen interrupted. "But at the moment, I'm staying at a hostel."

"It's fine. So long as I have SOME method of reaching you." As Kallen filled out the form, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. It was a maid's uniform, hung up on a pole. Granted, it wasn't sexualized like so many similar outfits she saw in the lingerie stores (story for another time), but Kallen felt uncomfortable at the idea of wearing it nonetheless. "I know, I know." the manager said. "It's standard protocol. Our customers prefer our female employees to wear that. Gives them a sense of power. That, and...well, I don't think I need to explain the other reason. I try to make the outfits as sensible as possible. Unfortunately, some of your masters...well, just be careful. And whatever happens, don't hit them. It'll hurt all of us."

"Don't worry." Kallen said. "I've had to wear worse before." "Much worse." she reminded herself, thinking of the bunny suit.

While he reviewed her information one more time, she quickly placed a small transmitter under the phone while he wasn't looking. Hopefully, he wouldn't notice, and reveal some tantalizing information. "Okay. Everything seems to be in order here...Suzumiya Miyuki-san. This is an on-call job, so be ready at any time. It's going to be rough, serving these people you're going to call master. You may meet some nice people, but don't hold your breath. If you need to talk someone, there's plenty of other girls under here whom you may be able to reach out to."

"I'll remember that. Thank you very much." she bowed.

"And good luck to you here." the boss replied. "You'll need it."

"We have landed in Area 11, MacArthur Station." a pilot's voice came over the radio inside a private Britannian plane. "I assume it was a pleasant flight for all of you, my lords?"

"Quite." Suzaku replied.

"Thank you." Dorthea answered as she stretched. "If nothing else, it's nice to be back on solid ground."

"If I may ask, have you ever been to Area 11, madam Dorthea?" Suzaku asked, starting a conversation. While Dorthea was normally a somewhat cold person, once you treated her with the proper respect, she was quite amiable.

"I have not; this will be my first time here." She smiled at him sincerely. "I'd imagine you're glad to be back home."

Suzaku looked out the window sadly. "There is a certain nostalgia here." He turned away from the window. "But the mission comes first. Besides, Japan has changed so much since it was...acquired. I doubt much of the Japan of old is even here anymore." Still, there was one site that remained unchanged. One that he commissioned the preservation and restoration of once he became the Knight of Seven. When he had free time, he would be sure to visit.

Dorthea gave him a comforting squeeze on his shoulder. "If you need someone to talk to, just ask. But for now, we better get a move on; I think our new Viceroy here is getting a bit restless."

Suzaku looked over to Nunally fidgeting in her chair, and smiled. "You're telling me." he chuckled. "Hold on, Nunally. I'll get your wheel chair out."

Soon, the party of three disembarked the plane, and traversed the smooth gravel of the airport. "I wish you could see this, Nunally..." Suzaku said sadly.

"I can't see...but I feel the air. It's the same as I remember..."

Suzaku didn't know how she did it, but he was glad that she had some sense that she was in a different place. He came out of his thoughts upon seeing a blond, bespectacled Britannian liason greet them with several of her subordinates, saluting. "Welcome, Sir Kuurugi! Madam Dorthea! And her highness! I am Alicia Lohmeyer. I have been in charge of administration of Area 11 while we awaited a new viceroy. It is an honor to work under all three of you!"

The two knights saluted back. "It is an honor to meet you, ma'am." Dorthea said. "For now, I'm just here to escort Area 11's new viceroy while Sir Kuurugi investigates the reappearance of Zero. And given the current situation, his highness Schneizel thought it would be best to deploy some Knights of the Round to protect the colony."

"Yes. Ever since Zero's reappearance, the..." The woman looked over to Suzaku. "...natives...have been harder to control."

Suzaku didn't know what was more offensive: the fact that they referred to the conquered people of their colonies as numbers, or that she changed her statement only because of him. Still, he feigned ignorance to make sure Nunally's trip would go smoothly. "I wouldn't worry. While they may cause trouble now and again, they are not a large threat. As long as we can destroy Zero, we can restore order."

"I hope you are right, Sir Kuurugi."

"Yes. But before we discuss that, I believe you need to bring our upcoming viceroy up to speed on things."

Dorthea nodded, and brought Nunally forward. "Greetings. I am Nunally Vi Britannia. I look forward to working with you all, and I eagerly await what we can accomplish together."

The soldiers saluted once more. "Your highness! It is an honor to meet you in person." Alicia exclaimed.

"Just make sure you don't let her touch you." Suzaku thought. It seemed, knowing ahead of time their viceroy would be blind and crippled, did not even attempt to hide the looks of disgust on their faces.

"What do you wager bothers them more?" Dorthea whispered to him. "The fact that their new leader is a cripple, or a child?"

"Hard to say, though Euphemia wasn't much older than she when she first started." Suzaku quietly replied.

"Point taken." Dorthea concurred. "But I suggest you keep a close eye on her. While I don't know any of these men and women well enough to judge, there's a possibility they may try underhanded tactics to manipulate her...or worse"

"I will." Suzaku answered. "But should any reason I am unable, can I count on you to do the same?"

"You're asking a fellow Knight of the Round to defend royalty. It's what they pay me for, and what I aspired to be." she smiled.

Suzaku nodded in thanks. "Miss Lohmeyer." Suzaku addressed the woman. "I believe you would be better suited to get Miss Nunally acquainted with the administration here. I'm afraid I will have to investigate Zero's whereabouts immediately. Should trouble arise-"

"We will notify you at once, Sir Kuurugi, should Madam Dorthea not be available. Your highness..." she bowed, despite the fact her new superior was blind. "...if you would come with us, we have much to discuss."

"Of course."

Suzaku could tell Nunally wasn't exactly enthused about going, but he was proud of her for tackling such an enormous responsibility head on. "Perhaps, she is suited to rule after all." "I'll see you later, Nunally." Suzaku said, squeezing her shoulder. "You be good, and set a good example for your family."

"I will, Suzaku." Nunally smiled. As the soldiers moved her wheel chair towards the limousine, she turned back. "Oh, and Suzaku!"

"Yes?"

"If it's not too much to ask, is it possible for you to stop by Ashford Academy and tell everyone I said hello?"

Suzaku's breath stopped as he cursed silently. How could he have been so stupid? Of course Nunally would have wanted to contact the student council. But with the emperor's brainwashing, they would never remember her. And if Suzaku didn't do as she asked, she would find out. "I...I don't know if I'll have time to stop by today. But I promise you, Nunally. Eventually I'll go by and let everyone know you said hi."

"Thank you, Suzaku!" The door to her seat slammed shut by one of the soldiers as everyone got in.

The limo drove off, while Suzaku walked towards the base, intending to hit the road soon.

Later that night, after some preparation, Lelouch and CC were on the prowl for a new pair of victims. "How about there?" Lelouch asked, pointing to a long line monitored by a large bouncer. "That looks like a good place to look."

CC nodded in agreement. "As prime as any of these expensive looking nightclubs." Both had acquired (through somewhat illicit means) attire for a young rich couple to go out to a club. Lelouch was dressed in a white shirt, black tie and slacks with dress shoes. CC wore a silver party dress, heels, and a light touch of make-up and jewelry.

"It's decided then." Lelouch extended his elbow to her, to which she wrapped her arm around. "Try to smile more...sweetie." Lelouch said. "We're supposed to be having fun." CC nervously looked around, and smiled. The most forced smile Lelouch had ever seen. "I think I like you better when you're expressionless." Before CC could relax her face muscles, Lelouch reprimanded her. "Keep it up. Even if no one's convinced you are happy, at least you'll appear to be trying to look the part...albeit too hard."

The two cut ahead of the line, earning a few insults along the way, and encountered the bouncer. If Lelouch had to guess, he must've made good use of weights during some time in prison. Luckily, they didn't come here to fight. "Whoa there." the giant of a man said as he pushed Lelouch back. "You ain't comin' in. You're not on the list."

By now, Lelouch's special contact was off. "We're Edward Lannister and Ceserei Stark. Check again, and you'll find our names."

His geass activated, the light coming into contact with the man's eyes. "Uh...hold on a second." He flipped through the clipboard. Soon enough, he pointed to somewhere on it. Of course, that was only because Lelouch TOLD him he would see it. "My apologies, sir. Please, come in." He unhooked the rope, and the pair entered, much to everyone else's confusion.

Lelouch took in all the sights and sounds around him. Couples no older than they were dancing all around the floor, playing pool, drinking. Granted, they all appeared pompous, but in a place where the point was to lose inhibitions, anyone could look like that. Lelouch led CC to the bar, which thankfully had some vacant stools. As they took their seat, CC yelled "Good idea! I'm just worried that the bartenders won't be able to hear you!"

"Shit." Granted, he could simply yell it out, but yelling out his question would attract unwanted attention. "Think." Lelouch looked around, eying the glasses and the napkins...that's it! Quickly, he grabbed a napkin, and began scribbling something down with a pen.

"Good move." CC commented, knowing he couldn't hear her.

"What can I get you two?" the bartender asked loud enough as he approached them.

"Margarita, please." CC answered.

The bartender nodded. "And you, sir? What will it be?"

Lelouch finished writing down his note on the napkin. "Same as hers. However..." He removed his contact lens, and looked at him straight in the eye. "...I would like you to follow the instructions on this napkin, please!"

There was a slight delay in the man's reply. "Yes...sir." He went off, ignoring the hands from patrons calling for his attention. Thankfully, it only took him a few seconds to return the napkin to Lelouch. Then, he began blinking as he came out of his trance. "I..what was I doing?" He looked at the two. "I'm sorry. What did you two want again?"

"Two margaritas, please." Lelouch answered, holding two fingers in the air. The bartender got to work as he did most nights, passing the experience as nodding off during the job. Lelouch looked at the napkin he handed the bartender. The front, where he wrote, read in his writing "Put down the full names of the richest and biggest pricks you know who come here on the back."

He flipped it to see the answer given to him. "Tyler Harding and his girl Vanessa Nixon." Lelouch smiled. The first step to finding suitable prey.

"Here your drinks." The bartender pushed the two green glasses towards them. While not big drinkers, the two could handle a bit of alcohol. They tapped their glasses and took a sip.

"So, found anything?" CC asked.

"I believe so. Hold on a minute."Lelouch said.

He set his drink down and found someone texting on his phone in the middle of the crowd. Tapping his shoulder, Lelouch said "Excuse me!"

The stranger turned around to look at him. "Yes?"

Lelouch once again released his geass. "I need to borrow your cell phone!" It might not have been necessary; for all Lelouch knew, this man was a nice guy. But Lelouch couldn't take that chance and get into an argument. Best to get this part of the mission over with quickly. The man stared at him blankly as he handed him his cell. Immediately, Lelouch began typing and browsing all the known social networks. Had the crowd not been so obsessed with their partying, they would have noticed Lelouch was taking a long time to had the cell back. Finally, he found what he needed: photos of his intended victims, and their plans for tonight. They were here; it seemed they had arrived 15 minutes before they did. "Perfect." "Thank you very much, sir." Lelouch said as he handed back the cellphone. He walked away before his victim could regain consciousness.

Walking back to CC, he had another sip of his drink. "Come; there's someone I'd like us to meet."

CC took his hand as she was led to the dance floor. CC remained quiet as Lelouch scanned the area. The blinking lights made it hard to focus, but Lelouch eventually found his prey. He pointed to them for her; a young, built man who's hair was geled up as if he was some has-been pop star. His neck was covered in gold chains, and his wife-beater shirt under his black jacket did its best to expose his muscles. The woman next to him must have been Vanessa. She wore the tightest black cocktail dress Lelouch had ever seen, but quite frankly Lelouch was not impressed with the person wearing it. Her orange skin implied one tan too many, and her large breasts were obviously implants. Like her boyfriend, she also carried large amounts of jewelry, only making them appear even more superficial. "What's the story with these two!?" CC asked over the music.

"Their money's inherited!" Lelouch answered back, confident they wouldn't hear him. "Both their families were workaholics who'd I imagine didn't take time to discipline their kids and now they just party and get drunk every night!"

"My heart bleeds for them." she moaned, not caring that Lelouch couldn't hear her.

"Get the man's attention!"

CC nodded, and headed down to the dance floor. If Lelouch was right, even if they were technically a couple, he figured either would go for any other member of the opposite sex and their partner would become insanely jealous. CC suddenly grabbed Tyler's arm, and pulled him close. "May I have this dance?" CC moved her hips sensually, as Tyler eyed them.

Lelouch watched with interest. "Hmm...interesting. It seems between her and Kallen, CC is most suited to be a seductress." Tyler was starting to get into the dance, while Vanessa pouted in the corner. "I suppose I should make my move."

Lelouch set his drink down and made his way towards Vanessa. He felt uncomfortable with what he was about to do, but he feared it was going to have to be necessary. "Here goes..." As he made his way next to her, he offered her his hand. "Excuse me; may I have this dance?"

Vanessa gave him an evaluation from top to bottom. Lelouch could tell she wasn't impressed. But after looking at her "boyfriend" having a good time with CC, she looked back to him and reluctantly accepted his offer, hoping it would be enough to make him mad too. For a good minute, they danced. Lelouch tried, anyway; he doubted he was any good and if he was reading her face right, it seemed Vanessa's judgment agreed with his opinion. She kept looking back to Tyler, hoping she would get his attention. It didn't look like that was happening anytime soon.

Lelouch quickly removed his contact and took her hands, looking her right in the eyes. "Listen, I have a few favors to ask of you until morning!" Vanessa's face went blank as she nodded. Lelouch then took her by the hand.

Tyler suddenly realized his girl wasn't acting up like she usually would. While he would normally think of this as a good thing, something was off. He looked across the dance floor...and saw Lelouch leading her out the exit. "What does that son of a bitch think he's doing!?" He pushed CC out of the way, and followed them.

This was the part Lelouch hated. Pulling Vanessa into a seedy alley, he began sloppily kissing her, as she did her best to kiss back. It was bad enough that Lelouch was essentially going first base against her will. Worse was that she stunk of alcohol and probably other substances that weren't legal here. Still, he pressed on, thankful that this was as far as he had to go. He only hoped that if he had to use the geass on another poor woman, this would be as far as he WOULD go, given the circumstances. "Kallen would kill me if she heard about this." he thought.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, you goddamn bitch!"

Lelouch looked to the side to see Tyler there, poising for a fight. He didn't know whom he was more pissed at: him, or Vanessa supposedly cheating on him. "Finally." Lelouch pulled away and put his hands up. "Sorry. I didn't know-" He was not allowed to finish, as Tyler suddenly slugged him across the face. Being Lelouch, he went down hard. It was a miracle he was still conscious. "Ow. That really sucked."

"The hell do you think you're doing!" He kicked him, earning a pained groan from Lelouch. "I don't know how a skinny little shit like you managed to get her attention, but quite frankly, I don't give a rat's ass right now. So..." He suddenly hoisted Lelouch up against the side of the dumpster. "I'm just going to beat that pretty little face of yours until you look as shitty as you fight!"

"Shit, better act quick." Lelouch, thankful his contact was still off, looked him in the eye and shouted "YOU WILL LISTEN TO EVERY WORD I SAY AND DO AS I COMMAND UNTIL MORNING!"

Tyler's angry face turned blank, as his fist relaxed back to his side and released Lelouch. Lelouch hunched over and breathed deeply, trying his best to force the pain to pass. "Whew. That was close." He held his cheek in pain, irritated he had to get hurt again. "Thanks for the help there, by the way." Lelouch groaned sarcastically.

"You had it under control." CC replied, her expression neutral as ever and her arms crossed over her stomach.

Lelouch rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I've got them. Shall we get this over with?"

"It's cold, and that noise they call 'music' inside threatens to burst my eardrums."

"I'll take that as a yes." Lelouch turned to his prey. "Now, let us go to an ATM machine. One where there is no one around. Lead the way, and you are to withdraw cash from your accounts. ALL of it."

The two silently walked away, as Lelouch and CC followed. "So far, so good."

The next day...

"How is she settling in?" Suzaku asked Dorthea on his Bluetooth as he drove down the street.

"So far, so good it seems. No problems that I can see. She misses you though."

"Tell her I said hello, and that I'll be there for her inauguration speech when she's ready."

"Yes sir."

Without another word, Suzaku hung up as he focused on his destination. Ashford Academy; the building itself hadn't changed a bit since he left it (collateral damage taken into account). But one thing he knew would change was the student body. None would remember him; he felt a pang in his heart at the thought of it. Perhaps it was for the best though; he couldn't face them with the knowledge that he and Lelouch were once friends. For what he was about to do, he felt them thinking he was a stranger would be for the best. He parked his car, and got out. "Almost like old times." Suzaku thought as he was overcome with a feeling of nostalgia.

It was a school day, so the academy was packed with students. If he was going to find Lelouch, he had to make sure he could find the people closest to him. He doubted he would find concrete answers, but hopefully they would point him in the right direction. As he walked up the stairs, the students took immediate notice of him. "What is he doing here?"

"Doesn't he know this is a school for Britannians?"

"Look, he's part of the military."

"Impossible. Perhaps he's...what do they call it? Cosplaying?"

Suzaku rolled his eyes. It seems he still had farther to go before he could prove himself to everyone...or get the all the Britannians to accept someone different. "That's not important now. I have a mission." Suzaku knew whom to visit first, but to keep up appearances, he had to stop by the principal's office.

The principal was, needless to say, a bit shocked to see an "eleven" visit him. Thankfully, he settled down once he saw that Suzaku was a knight. As expected, Lelouch had been missing for little over a month now. Suzaku had to expand upon that by telling him Lelouch was expected to have links to the Black Knights. "...it might explain Mr. Lamperouge's change in behavior..." the principal thought out loud. "It's such a shame; he had so much potential. Even so, I can't imagine what would cause him to murder Miss Finette."

Suzaku nearly lost face at the mention of Shirley's surname. "I beg your pardon?"

"One of our other students. I can't fathom why, but Lamperouge beat her to death out of nowhere. That was around the same time he went missing. Come to think of it, I haven't seen his little brother either. The poor lad was a rather reclusive fellow; I can only imagine how much of an impact his brother's crimes had on him. He hasn't been in school either since Lelouch left."

"Little brother?" Suzaku didn't hear much about Lelouch's brainwashing after he was brought to the emperor, only that it happened. He was just told that he and the others would remember nothing of his past life as Zero and that was the end of it. Suzaku was told nothing of a spy so close to Lelouch, though he heard that a Britannian officer was stationed here as an undercover agent posing as a PE teacher. "What's really going on here?" "Anything else unusual?"

The principal thought for a moment. "Well...there is one thing, but I can't imagine it's related..."

"Please tell me. You never know."

"I suppose not. Anyway, Miss Nu resigned a short while ago. She wasn't clear why; she was an excellent employee, and never complained. I tried calling her, but she hasn't picked up her phone."

"If you could, please, I would like their contact information. Both Miss Nu's...and Mr. Lamperouge's."

"Yes, of course." He took out a notepad and scribbled them down. "I haven't had any luck reaching them; I doubt you will either. But, I suppose it couldn't hurt."

"Thank you sir." Suzaku said as he took the paper and tucked it into his breast pocket.

"Good luck with your investigation sir. I'm sorry I couldn't be of much help."

"If I may, I have some questions for the students I would like to ask. May I interview anyone you know to be close to Lelouch?"

"Yes, he was a member of the student council, though one of his friends recently resigned. Rivalz Cardemonde and Milly Ashford."

"Ashford?" Suzaku asked, feigning surprise. "Is she related to the owner of this school?"

"His daughter, yes. It's about lunchtime right now. You should be able to find them in the courtyard."

"I see. Thank you for your time."

Suzaku exited the principal's office and made his way to the outside. "I was told nothing of Miss Nu being reassigned. She must have left of her own accord. But why?" Granted, the woman conspired with Gottwald to kill him, but the circumstances dictated that he must work with her (or under him...he had a feeling she would never go along with that). "I'm here now. May as well see how Milly and Rivalz are doing."

Once again, he came under the scrutiny of the student body. They were silent this time, but their stares spoke volumes. "Was my time here all for nothing?" While he did not regret his time spent, it did have it's share of tribulations. Ignoring the disaster of the Black Rebellion, he remembered how students would break into his locker and vandalize his gym shirt. He knew who did it; they were practically daring him to snitch or take matters into his own hands. He didn't, fearing that he would only cause more trouble than it was worth. "What would I do now, though?" A stupid question; a Knight of the Round surely needn't bother with school.

Finally, he reached his destination as he stumbled upon Milly Ashford. It looked normal to a stranger, but Suzaku could tell something was very wrong. Milly would always have a special meal for the student council during lunch; she never sat outside on the bench by herself. "Shirley." That had to be the reason, and he couldn't blame her. He wanted to reach out to her and give her whatever condolences he could. But he couldn't; she wouldn't remember him. As much as it pained him, he had to act like a stranger. "Excuse me." he called out to her.

Milly turned around and stared right at him. "Hello. May I help you?"

Suzaku was at least relieved for that; though he surprised her, he didn't scare her. "I'm sorry miss, but I'm with the Britannian military." he said, showing his badge. "I've been assigned to investigate the disappearance of Lelouch Lamperouge."

Milly looked away briefly before answering him. "I...I'm sorry, sir. It's a rather difficult subject for me."

"Yes, I heard from the principal. I'm sorry for the loss of both your friends. But I need whatever help I can get in finding Mr. Lamperouge. Would it be alright if I asked you a few questions?"

Milly sighed. "If you must."

Suzaku gave her the standard interview. It was as he suspected; she had no knowledge of Lelouch's ties to the Black Knights, and referred him to the same people. At the end of the interview, he said "I see. Thank you for your time." Suzaku tried his best to remain formal, but a part of him wanted to stay, just to be there for her.

"Madam prez!"

Suzaku looked behind Milly to see none other than Rivalz run up to them on his motor scooter, carrying a large pizza box. "Rivalz! What's that you got there? And stop calling me prez!" she said, looking a bit irritated. "I resigned, remember?"

"You'll always be Madam prez to me." Rivalz chuckled sheepishly. Anyway, to answer your question: pizza!" Rivalz proclaimed. "The best kind!"

Milly chuckled nervously. "Thanks, Rivalz. That's very sweet of you...but I already ate."

"Well eat some more!" Rivalz replied as he opened the box.

The scent of delicious pepperoni filled both Milly's and Suzaku's nostrils. "Um, Mr...I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?" Milly asked the man to her side.

"Kuurugi. Sir Kuurugi." Suzaku smiled, feeling a bit of pride in calling himself "sir".

Both Milly and Rivalz were surprised that he was a knight, but had the decency not to exclaim it out loud. "Sir Kuurugi. Would you like a slice?"

Suzaku smiled. "Sure. I'd be delighted."

Suzaku took a seat as he consumed his slice while Milly and Rivalz had some of theirs. They ate in silence for minutes, enjoying the peace and tranquility. "Strange." Milly commented.

"I beg your pardon?" Suzaku asked.

Milly smiled nervously. "Oh, it's nothing, I'm sure. This just feels...familiar."

Suzaku stood up as he wiped his mouth with a napkin, figuring he already overstayed his welcome. "I'm sorry, but I must be going. Listen, Rivalz, was it? I'm investigating the disappearance of your friend, Lelouch."

Rivalz immediately tensed. "You're going to lock him up, aren't you?"

Suzaku expected Rivalz would turn hostile; he and Lelouch were best friends before he came back into the picture. "That's up to him." Suzaku replied , politely as he could. "I'm only following orders. If it comforts you, though, I'll do my best to bring him in without harm. That will be up to him though, if he wants to come in quietly."

Rivalz seemed to try to contain himself, but desperately failed. "It doesn't make sense!"

"Rivalz!" Milly admonished him. "You're being rude!"

"It's alright, miss." Suzaku shushed her. "I want to hear this."

"They say Lelouch attacked Shirley out of nowhere."

"Yes, I heard from your principal. Whatever the reason or cause, you both have my deepest sympathies for the loss of your friend."

"What's more, the video shows he beat her to death! BEAT HER. Lelouch was never a physical person; he was only getting by PE for participation when he wasn't cutting class! I don't think he could even beat up his little brother if he tried!"

Suzaku knew that about Lelouch, but feigned ignorance. "I see. That is very interesting indeed."

"And it seems the whole military is interested in him...you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

"Rivalz!" Milly hissed. "You're being rude!"

"It's alright, Ms. Ashford." Suzaku said, gently squeezing her shoulder. "I'm afraid not; I was just assigned this case. If the rest of my peers had an interest in this, I know nothing about it. All I want is to uphold the law and bring justice." Suzaku looked at his watch. "I really must be going; I've taken up most of your recess. Please forgive me."

"It was no trouble at all, sir." Milly replied politely. Without another word, Suzaku took off without saying goodbye.

"Hey Milly." Rivalz said.

"Yeah?"

"Don't you get a strange feeling from that guy?"

"Strange?" Milly asked suspiciously. "How so?"

"I feel like we've met before." Rivalz said. "Like he's an old friend."

Milly looked back to the path Suzaku left on. "Now that you mention it...yeah. It feels like a sudden wave of nostalgia."

Day 3

"Here we are." Lelouch said as he opened the door to their new apartment; he had to use special means to get it so early, needless to say. "It's not as grandiose as a a Britannian mansion, but it will have to do."

It was a rather large and nice apartment to be sure. Most sensible people would have no reason to complain. "Works for me. I'm not aware of any castles in this region anyway." CC replied as she closed the door. "So, now what?"

"First, we need to furnish the place." Lelouch proclaimed. "Then, we'll get around to hiring a maid. No point if it doesn't look like we're lavish people."

"True."CC agreed. "But we might be stuck with any maid, and I'd imagine most would be worthless in terms of the information we seek."

"Then I guess I have to make sure whomever we wind up with is not." Lelouch proclaimed. "Get the satellite receiver."

CC handed him a case without another word. Lelouch pulled out a laptop and got it running. Then, he opened the case, assembling what seemed to be a satellite. Hooking the two together, he had internet access without risking tracing. "Okay. I believe I overheard this small company does have a website..." Typing in the address, he exclaimed "Ah hah! Bingo!" An independent contractor in the island advertised all kinds of services; carpenters, electricians, and maids. Lelouch clicked on the current employees and selected maids. As he expected, most were immigrants. "Now, I just have to find someone Japanese." Lelouch scrolled down, and found several options to choose from.

"It's gamble." CC said. "We may have to stay here and hire several."

"Maybe. Maybe not." Lelouch said. "I'm leaning towards this one." he said, tapping a picture on the screen. It was a woman of 35. In her description, it said she was a loving mother and has resided on the island for nearly 17 years.

"Not a bad guess." CC concurred. "She's been here for several years; she may know something. Now, we have to solve our other dilemma."

"Yes..." Lelouch agreed. "We need dust. No point in hiring someone when there's no work to be done."

A week had passed since "Zero" and his two feminine compatriots began their investigation.

Kallen, at first, had no luck on her end. Most of her dorm mates were new, wisely escaping Britannia in hopes of a better (if not good) life here and knew of no underground. Her job wasn't any less satisfying; not only did she have to put up with complete snobs, but she found nothing new regarding the information, making it a complete waste of time. Whatever she did hear of graffiti in Japanese was just amounted to "punks."

That all changed one day however. She was called to do maid work for this one pig of a man. While the uniform itself wasn't too bad, it was clear her employer had a maid fetish. He kept making lewd comments to her, while she did her best to remain polite and do her cleaning duty. Then the bastard made the mistake of putting his hand up her skirt. For those who know Kallen...the rest does not require further explanation.

"Damn it, Suzumiya, how could you!?" her manager screamed as she was seated across his desk.

"Two words: sexual harassment." Kallen growled.

The man visibly shook, surprised to see this side of "Miyuki". "I...I understand you're upset. But didn't you go a bit overboard!? 7 cracked ribs, a smashed nose, and...well, he probably didn't want kids anyway...and...and..." He glanced over the medical report, astonished. "He was over two hundred pounds."

"Mostly by drinking beer."

"His athleticism or lack thereof is not important! How in the world could you lift a man that size and throw him out a window!?" the manager screamed again.

Kallen, realizing her fragile girl image had been blown clean out of the water, simply mumbled "I work out a lot."

The manager ran his hands through his thinning hair, and sighed. "Go wait in the lobby; I need to make a call. Figure out how I can resolve this mess before he regains consciousness and sues us."

Kallen did as she was told, imagining she would get fired at the end of it all; probably for the best. Her last undercover job had similar bouts of humiliation, but at least those men were satisfied with just looking and kept their hands to themselves. "This part of the operation hasn't panned out anyway; I've probably wasted my time here in the long run." Still, she had a feeling she should check one more time. Her MP3 player, in reality a cleverly disguised radio receiver, tapped into the boss's phone, wired to the device she placed under it.

"Yeah, it's me." her boss said into the phone as she listened. "Listen, I know you're not ready for more... 'direct' work, but I found someone interesting. She's half Britannian, but she identifies herself as Japanese. I hope that's not a problem."

"No problem at all. Long as she has no love for the empire, we'll consider her."

Kallen's heart skipped a beat. "That's the same man I heard from before! Back in Japan!"

"But..." the stranger on the other end continued. "...I hope you've other reasons for us to consider this person. Not even being 100 percent Japanese is enough to get you in."

"I'm getting to that. She's strong! Freakishly strong! She nearly killed one of my customers with her bare hands!" the manager exclaimed.

First, silence. Then, laughter howled on the other line in response to the manager's tale. "Oi, mate. That certainly sounds like quite the catch. Alright, then. Hook us up. Tell me something, though; is she good looking?"

"Good looking!? Are you kidding me!?" the manager suddenly screamed.

"Now I see why he has a soundproof door." Kallen groaned as she held her temple, bracing for what she was about to hear.

"Red hair, great legs, a great ass and big tits! She's a freakn' 10!"

Kallen clenched her teeth and fist. "Calm down, Kallen." she told herself. "He doesn't know your eavesdropping." It was one thing for men to think those things; to hear them out loud was an entirely different matter. In the long run, though, she only had herself to blame on learning his opinion of her. And maybe Lelouch...

"Anyway, you just tell me when and I'll let her know." the manager said, coming down from his arousing high.

"Very well." the stranger said. "Three days from now. At Fort Pierson at noon. Make sure she comes alone, mate."

"Fort Pierson. Noon it is." the manager said. "Okay, I'll have her contact you. Good day."

He hung up, and Kallen did her best to look somewhat less than peeved as he walked outside, looking as professional as ever. At least he tried to look like a gentleman; Kallen had to give him credit for that. "It looks like I'm going to have to suspend you for a while." Kallen's head lowered in pretend shame. "But the good news is that I've found something else for you." Not knowing he was being spied on, he handed her the address. "Go here at the designated time, and make sure you go alone. Yes, I know that sounds bad, but trust me on this; it might be something more to your liking."

"Yes." Kallen said, standing up and bowing. "Thank you." She turned away, walking down the hallway as she looked at the note given to her. "This could be something we need. Or...it could be a trap..."

Day 9

"How are you, Ms. Hamasako?" Lelouch asked as he walked into the door, greeting the maid he and CC had recently hired.

"Hamasaki." The maid smiled as she put her duster away.

"Sorry." Lelouch pretended he couldn't say Japanese names worth a damn; would make them less suspicious.

"And anyway, sir, I'm doing quite well. I'm almost finished here."

"Excellent." Lelouch could tell she really appreciated his cordiality. She probably suffered ignorant abuse at the hands of other customers. "Anyway, my wife told me to pick up some fruit at the market. I got a little extra for you." he said as he placed a grocery bag on the counter top.

Hamasaki's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, I can't sir! You didn't have to go out of your way..."

"I insist; it's my treat to you. Besides, my wife would chew me out if I acted so thoughtless."

The woman blushed, and bowed. "Why, thank you sir! You're too kind." They both took a seat as Lelouch peeled an orange for her. Placing a slice in her mouth, she exclaimed"Mmm, these are delicious. What kinds are these again?"

"Clementines, I believe they are called." Lelouch replied.

"I'll have to get some for my son; he likes the sweet ones." Hamasaki commented.

"Now." Quickly, Lelouch removed his contact lens. Making sure he was making eye contact, he said "Speaking of which, I'd like to ask you a few questions about your son."

In an instant, her eyes showed the after glow of the geass. "Yes. How can I help you?"

"How has your son adjusted to life here?"

Her face betrayed no emotion, going solely by memory. "Not well. He had to leave many friends behind. While we are not as actively repressed, the Australians have still have no love for our people. He often finds it no different than living in Area 11."

"I see. And how does he cope with this?"

"He joined a gang of other young japanese, though I tell him not to."

"Do they do anything illegal?"

"Aside from some graffiti in the ghettos, no. But they seem to be planning something. That's what my gut says, at least."

"Where can I find them?"

"You can find them hanging out at the old train station on the outskirts of town, on the other side of Fort Pierson."

"I see. Thank you, that will be all."

Hamasaki suddenly snapped out of her trance. "W-what happened?"

"You asked me about the oranges." Lelouch smiled, his contact back in place. Underneath the table, he texted CC.

Somewhere else in town, a man with short red hair and a matching goatee went through his newspaper while parked in a secluded street. A couple of spoiled rich kids had lost their money; that wasn't surprising. What was was that they had no idea how they lost it, and seemed to experience missing time the night it happened. "I wonder..." He pulled out his cellphone and read the text message.

BLACK KNIGHTS BELIEVED TO BE HEADED SOUTH TOWARS AUSTRALIA. INVESTIGATE ALL SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY.

Gino Weinberg had recently been given control of all spies within the area, and the man in question was one of them, Peter Cavil. "The question is: is this incident related?" It seemed unlikely; Zero stooping down to robbing people just didn't seem like his style. But he had no way of knowing that for sure. And given the almost supernatural mythology Zero had built around himself...one could never be too certain. "I guess there's only one way to be sure." Quickly, he found directions to the boy's parents' place, put on his trench coat and drove over there.

At the door, he briefly met the father, another rich man who only seemed concerned for his money (and when he lost it) and used his fake badge and accent to pass himself off as a detective. Finally, he came face to face with Tyler. The kid looked like he had seen better days, judging by his black eye. "I guess I'd smack my kid around too if he lost that much money." "Hello, mate." Ben said. "I'm a detective with the police; I'm just here to ask you a couple questions."

Tyler only spat on the lawn. "About bloody time. They promised me they would send someone out days ago. What's holdin' up you pigs anyhow?"

Peter didn't have time to put up with this bullshit. "Listen, mate. I see I've caught you at a bad time. I'll just leave you with my card and-"

"Wait!" Tyler shouted, holding up his hand and breathing deeply to clear his thoughts. "I'm sorry, mate. I...it's just they didn't believe me before. I didn't figure they'd send anyone to give me a serious chance at this point."

"Well, mate. It's not my business to believe. It's my business to know. Think you can enlighten me on your predicament?"

"Well, you'll catch him, right? The guy who robbed me?" Tyler asked, more concerned with revenge than anything else.

"Only if you help me know where to start."

Tyler told him his story. There wasn't much to go on; he and his girlfriend tried to cheat on one another with another couple. Just as the papers said, they blacked out that night. But it wasn't from alcohol or drugs; they came to standing up, as if they were hypnotized. That was certainly curious.

He got the best description of the suspects from Tyler that he could, and bid him good day. "I want my money back." Tyler shouted as he walked away. "Make sure you put a cap somewhere in that asshole's knees after you find it!"

"Only if he fights back." he said, not bothering to look back. "And I can't make any promises about your money." "And I hear McDonnie's is hiring too; get used to that." he thought silently. He got into his car, glad to get away from the spoiled rich kid, and drove off.

Quickly, he activated a bluetooth to Britannian Intelligence. "Yeah." he said to the operator. "Inform Sir Weinberg to stay posted; I may have found a lead."

"Here it is." CC made sure to dress her best; a lovely floral hat, white sundress and a brown leather jacket, plus pink heels. The purse she obtained with the extra bit of money was a nice touch too...especially if you were goading someone into to rob you. And this place seemed to be the place for just that.

The abandoned train station that Lelouch had told her about was a good place to go if you wanted total seclusion. Not to mention quiet; CC couldn't find even so much as a bug around the place. Of course, that just meant no one was visible; as far as CC was concerned, they were here, whoever they were. CC continued to walk down the unused track, looking as girly and vulnerable as possible.

Slowly, she began to hear someone approach her and disappear from sight whenever she turned to look behind her. Whoever was stalking her wasn't stupid, moving back and forth between the abandoned cars. Then, the footsteps became noisier and more frequent. Someone suddenly ran by her and snatched her purse for a grand total of 1 second. CC quickly took action and grabbed the would-be robber's wrist, kicking the inside of his leg and throwing him over her shoulder Quickly reaching into the purse, she pulled a pistol and pointed it to her attempted robber. "Almost had me." she said. "But, I've a feeling money isn't what you're really after. Plus, you wouldn't want to be seen doing this now, would you?"

The dark-haired Japanese teen slowly rose to his feet, keeping his hands up. It was clear to CC that he was surprised she fluently spoke his language. "You're right." he said. "I'm kind of glad you aren't some ordinary woman. I'd have felt bad for anyone dressed up like you here; what you were doing otherwise in these parts is downright stupid. and while I've been told not to engage in such acts...I feel it doesn't matter what we do."

"No one comes here anymore." CC said, apparently uninterested in his life story. "Where are the others?"

The teen hesitated. "I...I don't know what..."

"You should know I came here for a reason. You're only part of it, at best." CC tucked the gun back into her purse. "Tell Kaguya I found Zero. And he's ready to see her." she said bluntly as usual.

As she turned around to walk away, the teen's eyes widened. He was at a loss of how to respond; not the best way to feel in this situation. "Wait!" he finally called. "You...you're lying!"

"If you want to think that, you're entitled to your own opinion." was CC's only reply, holding up her hand and not looking back. "But you sound rather bothered by it."

CC stopped when she heard the safety of a weapon switch off. "Don't move. Wait one minute, and I'll let you go." CC put her hands up not out of fear, but complacency.

She heard him dial a number, and carefully listened. "I found someone...no. She knows her. And she says she has Zero." There seemed to be shouting on the other end of the line. "What kind of idiot do you take me for!? I wouldn't have called if it looked like a trap! This might be the opportunity of a lifetime..." Finally, there was silence on the other end. "Uh huh. Got it."

He quickly hung up, but kept his gun on CC. "If he's the real deal, bring him here, tomorrow. To the station at your 3 o'clock. Just you, and him. My boss will decide for himself."

CC heard footsteps slowly moving away from her, then increasing in frequency. "You should have dove under the car there!" CC yelled without turning around as she went about her merry way. "You leave a trail with the sound of your footsteps too easily!" The teen stopped at some point, and CC guessed he was rather embarrassed.

"Have you seen this man?" Peter asked the bartender at what was Peter's favorite hangout, wisely coming in an hour before opening.

The bartender looked at the photo rather thoughtfully. "Hmm...he's not one of the regulars. But yeah; I think I've seen him before. He was a very distinct looking young man; he barely looked legal. He was with a small girl, too; green hair, back-length."

"Interesting." Peter said as he jostled down notes. "Can you remember the date you saw him?"

"It was last week, Friday. That's when we have our major parties and events."

"Did anything odd happen on that day?"

"You mean other than how those two kids lost their parents' hard-earned money? Sorry, I wouldn't know anything about that. While a part of me will miss their money, I'd be kidding myself if I told you that they didn't have it coming."

"And I'd be inclined to concur with you." Peter said. "But did you see anything else?"

The bartender scratched his chin in thought. "Well...there is one thing..." He then waved it off. "It's nothing..."

"Tell me." Peter insisted.

The bartender sighed. "Well, I was doing my job as usual...I saw your man and his partner. They ordered their drinks. And..."

"And?"

"I spaced out. I don't know if it was for just a moment or a full minute. But it seemed I just lost all sense of reality for a time. It was pretty odd; I'm normally a focused man, and make sure to get a good rest every day before working. Thankfully, it didn't happen again since, or else I would be in big trouble with the owner."

The two remained silent for a time. "That's it?" Peter finally asked.

"That's it, I'm afraid. The couple repeated their order and I gave it to them. Nothing else noteworthy happened that night."

Peter sighed as he got off the stool. "Thank you for your time, mate. I best be going. By the way, you know where the nearest ATM machines are? I don't care for the bank's name, just where a few are within walking distance from here."

"So, that is what you've found?" Lelouch asked CC as she told him of her encounter at the train station.

"Yes. And it was definitely Hamasaki's son who tried to attack me. He most definitely has a connection to this underground. Whether Kaguya is involved or not, I can't say."

"Yes. I expected we wouldn't be given such a clear cut answer at this point. But, it seems we're on the right track at least." Lelouch got up from his seat and walked over to his suitcase. Unzipping it, he lifted the helmet of Zero; it was all they could bring for a quick change. But, if he could convince Kaguya he was Zero, that would be all he needed. "When do we meet with them?"

"12'o clock tomorrow."

"Very well then." Lelouch placed the helmet back in. "Why don't you order us some pizza? I believe we're done for today."

"I thought you didn't like pizza."

"I don't like pizza EVERYDAY. But I am in the mood for it today, plus whatever I get you'll just get pizza for yourself. It will be simpler if we just share a large together." CC's face remained stoic as ever, but Lelouch had a feeling inside she was jumping for joy. She bounded off towards their new home phone.

Meanwhile, Lelouch decided it would be best to check in on his other female subordinate. Stepping outside to the balcony, he dialed the number to Kallen.

After four rings, she finally picked up. "Sorry." Her voice came in with static, but Lelouch could understand her good enough. "I had to find someplace safe to talk."

"Understood." Lelouch said. "We've finally got a lead. Fort Pierson station tomorrow."

"What a coincidence. So do I. After my manager fired me, he told me to go to the same place at the same time tomorrow."

"Then we're definitely on the right track." Lelouch smiled. "Excellent work, Kallen."

"Do you want me to join you?"

"No, not at the same place. It might raise an alarm. Just do as you were told for now. I suspect we'll reveal our connection soon enough."

"Understood. I guess I'll see you there tomorrow."

"Yes." Lelouch sighed. "And Kallen?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful." Lelouch said with genuine concern.

"For someone so brilliant, you can really be an idiot." was her only reply.

"What!?"

"If anyone here needs to be careful, it's you. If they get the drop on you, that's it. I'm prepared to fight back; in fact, I'm expecting it on my part, considering WHY my supervisor lead me on..."

"How is that?"

"I'd rather not talk about that right now." was her curt reply. "Anyway, once we find Kaguya, I'm going to work to fix that."

"What!? How?" Lelouch hoped she did not mean physical activity...though knowing Kallen he had doubts on any alternatives.

"You'll see." Kallen said. "I gotta go. See you tomorrow...Zero-sama."

With that, Kallen hung up. Lelouch sighed, leaning against the railing of the balcony. "What would you like for toppings?" CC called from inside.

"I dunno. Whatever you like. Oh, and maybe some mushrooms and olives. You know, for veggies."

Little did he know, he was being watched. Peter looked up from his car with night-vision binoculars. Although he was obscured by the green colors, Peter recognized him from the descriptions of the two witnesses he interviewed. "Found you...now, where will you be going?" He knew from experience that even if you were an expert at it, it wasn't a good idea to murder someone in their own home. He had to wait until they left...

The next day came in seemingly no time; Lelouch was only thankful he got to sleep in today. For most teenagers, waking up at 9 was not considered sleeping in, but under a strict military code that demanded being up by sunrise Lelouch took what he could get. He quickly made breakfast, packed his helmet, and got dressed.

CC had rented a car late last night, a small white economy. It wasn't grandiose, but Lelouch didn't care for such things; in fact, the less attention drawn to them the better. "Ready?" CC asked as she opened the door to the driver's seat.

"You think I've been ready for anything after all this?" Lelouch asked as he buckled up on the passenger's seat.

"I suppose not." CC agreed as she turned the ignition. "Well, no going back now."

"Nope." Lelouch agreed. CC pulled out of the parking garage, and onto the road.

Little did they know, Peter was waiting for them. When they were almost out of sight, he quietly followed them. "I've a feeling there's more to this than meets the eye." he thought as he drove down the street.

"We're here."

Lelouch took a look around; it was certainly desolate and empty. A good place to hide, though he feared predictable should some local authorities get wind of whoever lives here. "Keep an eye out." Lelouch reached into his bag, hoping there were no witnesses nearby.

As CC parked the car near the abandoned station, Hamasaki's son suddenly appeared and pointed his gun at the window. "I doubt your windows are bullet proof, especially at this range." he shouted through the glass.

"How astute of you." CC replied, clearly unimpressed. She stepped out of the car, not even bothering to put her hands up. The boy backed away nervously, remembering their last encounter. "You're not going to shoot us; not unless you happen to be one of those honorary Britannians in disguise, I'd imagine your superior would be most displeased."

"And why's that?"

"Because I'm here." a muffled voice said as the man stepped out of the car and from behind CC. The boy gawked. The man before him wore a standard business suit from the neck down. But his face was covered by a mask...a mask all Japanese and Britannians were all too familiar with. "Tell your superior that Zero is here. And we have much to discuss." he demanded, no doubt in his authority.

Not much of a surprise next chapter. But can Lelouch prevent the secret from spilling out?