"He hasn't woken up yet," Ryo observed.

Leila watched as Ayano rolled her eyes. "I can see that, thank you very much. We aren't all morons, you know. Just you."

"Maybe he's dead," Ryo mused. "He hit his head pretty hard when he fell to the ground."

"He's not dead," She sighed. "You can see him breathing!"

Ryo grumbled. "Would that he were dead. It'd make our lives a hell of a lot easier."

"The commander wants him alive," Ayano reminded him.

"The princess wants him alive," Ryo corrected. "And here we are sitting around while an army is probably looking for us, babysitting a war criminal on behalf of a princess that might already be captured or even dead. Why are we even entertaining her?"

"Because we gave our word," Leila interjected. "And because we're better than Britannia. We don't break our promises. I told her I'd get Kingsley out and keep him alive, and I did. Now we wait."

"How long?" Ryo pressed. "They have to be searching for us by now. I doubt it'll be long before someone notices an entire motel was rented out. You wanna make deals with the princess, by all means. But I'm not going to let you get yourself killed over a pair of Britannian's."

"That isn't your call to make," She said sternly, before softening her expression. "Though I appreciate your concern. And trust me, I have no intention of dying here, and I certainly won't let any of you die either. We'll wait for a few more hours at least, and if the princess doesn't show up by then, we can start discussing how to get out of the city."

Ryo nodded. "Sounds good to me."

There. One less problem she had to deal with, at least. In truth, she was honestly a little glad for Ryo's outburst. She knew they were all more or less thinking the same things he was. They just didn't want to say it. That working with the princess was a bad idea. That waiting for her was a worse one. That they should just kill Kingsley now and get out of the city while they still could. She knew it was mostly just born out of stress, but hopefully now the worst of their fears would be put to rest.

Leila spared another glance at the sleeping form of Kingsley and frowned. It had to be a coincidence. Just a random chance I remembered then. It had to be. An old dream she thought she'd forgotten.

But even…even if that were true, then why did seeing Kingsley remind her of it?

After her father was assassinated, the car she and her mother had escaped in ran off the road and into the forest. Her mother had told her to run, and she had listened. She ran as far as she could, on and on and on until she fell through the ice and into a small lake.

She had managed to pull herself back out, the cold from the water shocking her into action. At least, that was what she thought had happened.

But for years, she'd had a recurring dream where things had gone differently. Where a woman with green hair had hauled her out of the water, and told her she would need to make a choice when she was older. She had almost forgotten.

And then Kingsley had made her remember.

So much about the military advisor puzzled her. Who was he to Cornelia? Why was he so important that he warranted a Knight of the Rounds for protection and the Imperial Scepter? Why did he speak Japanese, and why was he so…strange?

Kingsley stirred, and she watched as every pair of eyes in the lobby snapped to the Britannian. He groaned weakly, curling his knees up to his chest. His lone eye opened, full of pain and weariness, showing none of the arrogance from before. "Please," He croaked. "Please, do you have any water?"

Ryo growled in frustration. "Again with the begging! Give it a rest, will you? We have enough problems on our minds without you adding on to them, just spare us all the trouble and shut up already!"

"Ryo, follow your own advice," Leila said harshly, grabbing a plastic cup and filling it up from the water dispenser in the lobby of the motel. She walked carefully over to Kingsley. "Listen…if you answer a few of my questions, I'll give you some water." Cornelia wouldn't like it, but she was past caring. It was enough that they had grabbed Kingsley for her and were still waiting. They were entitled to some answers of their own. "Sound fair?"

Kingsley shook his head. "Who…who are you?" He muttered. "Where are we?"

"Somewhere safe, for the moment," She answered. Does he not remember that we kidnapped him? Maybe that would make things easier.

He frowned. "Did C.C. send you then?"

She tilted her head in confusion. C.C….A nickname for Cornelia? The princess had asked to refrain from mentioning her involvement until she arrived, but things had obviously deviated from the original plan, and besides he seemed to be cooperating now. For some reason. "Yes," She answered.

Immediately, Kingsley breathed out a sigh of relief. "I…I was worried she wouldn't come. That she'd cut her losses and try again with someone else." He smiled fondly. "I suppose that's what I get for doubting the witch."

That at least confirmed he was talking about Cornelia. The Witch of Britannia. "From what I saw, she was intent on getting you back. She refused to leave you in the palace."

"The palace…" He murmured, before wincing in pain, his hand clapping over his eyepatch. He sucked in a breath, groaning. "Yes. Yes, I think I…Pendragon? Are we in Pendragon?" Before she could answer, he shook his head. "No. it doesn't matter. Is C.C. here?"

"She's close," Leila answered. "We're waiting for her, but we think she might be captured. Last I saw she was buying us time to escape. We may have to leave without her if she doesn't turn up soon."

His eyes widened. "And leave her with the enemy? Are you mad? No, we have to find her at once."

"Hey, you're not the one calling the shots, Kingsley," Ryo cut in. "The Commander decides what we do, and if that means leaving right now, we'll leave right now."

The Britannian frowned. "Kingsley? Who the hell is…" His eye fluttered weakly, and he slid to the floor. "No," He muttered. "None of this is right. None of this is real. Just…just more lies. More tricks. He dragged me back to Pendragon, just like he said he would. I'm waiting…waiting for father. Just a little longer now. And then you'll all go away." He laughed bitterly. "And maybe this time, you won't come back."

Ryo stepped back slowly with a shudder. "That's…that's freaky."

Yukiya crouched down in front of Kingsley, snapping his fingers in front of his face to no response. "Leila? What are we supposed to do now?"

"I don't…" She trailed off, unsure of what to say. There was something deeply wrong with Kingsley. Something the princess had refrained from telling them. This was a completely different person from the one they had dragged out of Caesar's palace.

She heard the entrance of the motel open, and turned to find the princess.

Cornelia felt her breath catch in her throat as she entered the motel and laid eyes on her brother.

Her first instinct was to go to him. She wanted to embrace him, to hold him tightly and make sure he wasn't hurt. She wanted to, at least, but she stopped herself. There was an audience, after all.

And there was no guarantee she was even looking at her brother.

Which one are you? She wondered silently. Lelouch, or that bastard Kingsley? He was dressed like the latter, certainly, but then, he had been when she first found him in the cells herself. It still looked wrong to her. She remembered him as a child dressed like that, yes, but something about how he wore it all these years later rubbed her the wrong way. Probably because I know how much he hates it.

She took a careful step forward, narrowing her eyes. "Cornelia!" Leila greeted. "You made it out alright then? You weren't followed?"

She ignored her, focusing on Lelouch. He hadn't realized someone new had arrived. "Is he conscious?" She asked tentatively.

"Err…" Leila looked back at him. "He was? He was acting strange like you warned, nothing like Kingsley. He asked if you sent us, but he sort of…he isn't really responding anymore."

"Kingsley," She addressed, raising her voice so he could hear. He didn't respond. She glanced over at Leila and her squad, hesitating only a moment before trying again, in a slightly more hopeful voice. "Lelouch?"

Slowly, he raised his head. His lone purple eye met hers, and she knew. It was him. Her brother, not that scum riding around in his skin. He stared at her in silence for a moment, tilting his head quizzically. "If…if all you're here for is to haunt me, then leave already," He mumbled weakly. "I…I need water, not memories."

He slumped forward, hitting the ground, and her eyes widened. She saw Leila holding a cup of water and snatched it out of her hand, rushing over to Lelouch's side. "Drink, brother," She whispered low so the others wouldn't hear, cradling his head in her arm. "Drink."

He sipped greedily at the water, downing the cup quickly. He panted briefly, before slowly widening his eye in realization. "You…you gave me water. You're here. You're real."

Cornelia laughed quietly, a few tears falling down her face. "I told you, brother. I promised I'd come back."

His eye shut, and she felt him slacken in her arms, falling into unconsciousness. She held him for a few moments longer. He's here. She had kept her promise. She had come back and freed him, she wasn't too late. She had saved him.

Behind her, she was aware of the others watching her. They might not have heard her words, but they had seen her rush to his side, embracing him. It hardly matters. They had done their part. Lelouch was safe, and their partnership was at an end.

She picked him up in her arms, rising to her feet and turning to face them. "Thank you," She said. "Truly, thank you. You kept your word, you brought him here instead of trying to kill him or take him with you back to the EU. You trusted me when you had little reason to, and even less to gain from it."

"So…what happens now?" Ryo asked.

"Now, I keep my word," She answered. "Kingsley will never again serve Britannia, that I can promise you."

"Because he doesn't want to, does he?" Leila interjected. "That's why he was acting so strange. Britannia…they're doing something to him. Brainwashing or something."

"Or something," Cornelia agreed vaguely. "He…I need to take him away for a while. Someplace safe. I'll keep him off the battlefield, don't you worry." She would find a way to heal his mind, too…or failing that…failing that, she would kill him.

It was what he asked of her. If she couldn't find a way to save her brother, she would stop him from turning into something he hated.

She shut her eyes. It won't come to that. I refuse to let it. I failed him when Marianne died. I failed him when father exiled him. I failed him by letting Geass corrupt him. I will not fail him now.

She took a deep breath. "We timed this well. In half an hour, a train will leave the St. Petersburg station heading for Moscow, and from there the two of us will disappear." Cornelia pursed her lips. "Good luck," She added. "You are a capable commander, Leila, and it's clear your subordinates aren't lacking for skill. If I were you, I'd leave soon. The moment the palace is back in order, Kururugi or the Duke will order a lockdown of the city. I'd make sure you aren't in the city when that happens if I were you." She paused. "You can keep the Scepter. Take that to your General, he should be pleased."

Leila nodded. "Good luck to you as well, your highness. It's been a pleasure working with you."

Cornelia snorted. "Yes, I'm sure you had a lovely time listening to the Duke ramble about the glories of Euro Britannia." She sighed, walking towards the door. We're nearly free, brother. Only a little further, I promise. "Goodbye, Leila Malcal. Try not to get yourself killed."

"You as well, your highness," Leila said. "You actually seem human for a princess. Besides, someone needs to ensure Kingsley stays out of Britannia's hands."

Yes, someone does. She only hoped she could find a way to get rid of him permanently, and bring back her brother. It wouldn't be easy, of course. She had no real leads, and no idea how to even begin going about it.

But she did at least have hope. Perhaps Lelouch would be able to help her once he woke up. He surely knew more about Geass than her. Enough to hopefully point her in the right direction, if nothing else. And at worst, she might have to seek out the remnants of the Black Knights for assistance now that she would surely be branded as a traitor.

Her eyes widened. I…I really am a traitor, aren't I? There would be no going back now. Her treachery would soon be known throughout the empire. She would be hunted, all of her previous resources taken away and her titles stripped from her. Shaing had been right. She was a pariah now.

And yet, despite all of that…she smiled. What did titles matter? What did the empire matter? Her brother was alive, in her arms and away from Britannian hands. She would find a way to heal him, cure him of Geass, and together they would clear Euphemia's name.

Everything else could wait.

"I cannot apologize enough for this transgression, Sir Kururugi," The Duke groveled. "I beg you, only give me the leave to correct this error, and the enemies of Britannia shall learn the error of crossing her."

"No," Suzaku refused simply, and Shaing couldn't help but curl his mouth into the edges of a faint smile. It was…satisfying, watching the Duke scramble, begging before an eleven. It was the most amusement he'd had in weeks. "I can hardly fault you for being deceived by the princess, not when I made the same mistake myself. But it was your responsibility to maintain the security of the palace. Your failure allowed Kingsley to be spirited away."

"I swear, I will-"

"You will sit here and make sure the rest of the city doesn't fall into disorder, while I fix your mess for you," Suzaku said sternly. "By the authority given to me by his majesty, I hereby assume authority over Euro Britannian resources until such time as Kingsley has been retrieved. If you have any complaints, take it up with his majesty."

The Duke swallowed, bowing his head. "I find no fault with your decision, Sir Kururugi."

Suzaku sighed, shaking his head. "At least you have managed to restore the palace to order. You need only keep the city together while I search for Kingsley, and then we shall be on our way."

The Duke breathed a sigh of relief. "I will maintain order, Sir. If you wish, I could place a cordon around the city, ensure no one enters or leaves."

Suzaku frowned. "That will take time to put into effect. No doubt Kingsley will be gone by the time it is…still, a response shows we are taking action, and that will soothe the civilian populace. Besides, we may get lucky." He nodded. "Very well, lock down the city. And once you do, look through travel logs from the last half hour or so. Flights, trains, buses, the like."

"It will be done, Sir," Duke Highland promised with a bow, before departing.

Shaing almost followed him out, but Kururugi stopped him. "I have something I would like you to do, Lord Shaing."

He bowed. "I am at your service."

"Send word to Pendragon," He asked. "I require an audience with his majesty. I don't have the time to ask myself, and if someone of your station were to make the request, I'm sure it would reach his ears sooner."

He seeks to flatter me before asking me to play at being his secretary. Utterly transparent, but at least he was learning. "Of course," Shaing said politely. "I'll inform you the moment I hear a response."

The Knight of Seven nodded, returning to the map he was studying. "Thank you."

Jean was waiting for him outside, as ever. "How much did you hear?" He asked.

Her eyes widened in surprise. "My lord…I would never presume to-"

"The walls aren't thick, Jean, and I'd be disappointed in you if you weren't listening," He said. "It's important to learn everything you can. Knowledge is power, particularly in politics. Now tell me, how much did you hear?"

"Most of it, my lord," She admitted sheepishly. "I…I didn't mean to overhear."

"You should, next time," He told her. "Train your ear to listen. You would be surprised by how much people will say thinking a closed door offers complete privacy." He gestured for her to follow him. "I have to send a message to Pendragon, it would seem."

Jean scowled. "He shouldn't ask you to do something so…so beneath you. You're a Knight, the Grand Master of the Order of Michael!"

Shaing laughed. "Your outrage on my behalf is appreciated, but I assure you it's entirely unnecessary. Sending a message is far from the worst thing I've done, and a little humility now and then is useful." He paused. "What did you think of the Duke?"

"He's desperate," She said at once. "This is an embarrassment for him. He fears his title being stripped, or worse."

"Yes," He agreed. "But did you hear Kururugi?"

"What about him?"

Shaing sighed. "He's inexperienced. He let his anger slip when he rebuked Highland, but he tried to reign himself in. Reminding him he was deceived by the princess as well, and giving him something to do. And then he sends me to act as his secretary. He's trying to play at politics, but he has no idea what he's doing. Like…like a shark thrown into a field of mice. Dangerous, but out of his element. Suzaku is a sword, not a scalpel."

"Then…are…are we to do something about it?" Jean asked tentatively. He knew she didn't like the idea of going against Britannian's, especially a Knight of the Rounds. She would of course, if he asked. But there was no need to upset her now. He would need her for later.

"I don't believe so," He finally said. "Kururugi taking control of Euro Britannia…it may end poorly. But then, the Duke is falling out of favor. First, Kingsley achieves in three months what he couldn't in years. Then he allows the military advisor to be kidnapped under his nose. He won't last much longer, I don't think. A weakened Euro Britannia would push things back, but it would also make it easier to assume control." He nodded, satisfied. "We'll let things carry on for now. Although…" There was still the matter of Kingsley

Kururugi wanted him. And Shaing wasn't certain he was willing to allow that. Kingsley was Zero. The greatest threat to Britannia in years, even if it ultimately wasn't anything more than a small rebellion the fizzled out after his capture.

Zero would bring Chaos to Area 11. He would draw Britannia's attention to them. He could…he could be very useful. But he couldn't outright oppose Kururugi.

"I think I will have a little task for you, very shortly now," He said. "If you can manage it."

"Whatever you need from me," Jean told him, her eyes shining at the opportunity to serve. "I won't fail you."

He grinned. "I know you won't."

She supposed it only made sense that she was getting looks for carrying around an unconscious man in the middle of a train station, but then, she still found herself irritated by it.

Thankfully, none of them tried to stop her. Though her cloak hid her from a distance, anyone around them could see clearly she was nobility. Lelouch too, for that matter. He was still dressed like Kingsley, and that afforded them a measure of security. They were peasants, none of them wanted to interfere and get mixed up with nobility. They would keep silent, so long as she did the same.

Cornelia grinned as she laid eyes on the train that would transport the two of them to safety. Finally. She was relieved to have made it in time. She had taken care to make preparations well before they ever entered Euro Britannian airspace. Two tickets, bought under aliases, and a generous tip to ensure no questions would be asked.

Only…no one seemed to be boarding. In fact, the train looked almost empty, and a small crowd was gathering near the door, held back by who she assumed was the conductor.

A scowl crossed her face. We don't have time for this. She pushed herself towards the front of the crowd without much trouble. The benefits of perfecting good glare, She mused.

"What is the meaning of this?" She demanded of the conductor. "I have places to be."

"No one must leave the city, ma'am," He said, obviously uncomfortable with telling her no. Good. He has some sense then. "By order of the Duke, and Sir Kururugi, all passage in and out of the city has been put on hold."

Then we were too late. Hm…perhaps they had the time to put the city on a lockdown, but she doubted they had sent word of her betrayal. Not yet, while the city was in disarray. They would try to keep that quiet until they could manage the fallout.

Which meant she still had some authority, for a little while longer. "Are your eyes failing you?" She asked harshly. "I am Princess Cornelia li Britannia, and I order you to leave the city, now."

The conductor's eyes widened in surprise. "Your Highness!" He sputtered. "But…but Sir Kururugi-"

"-Is a Knight of the Rounds," She finished for him. "And I am a princess of the realm. More to the point, I am right here, in front of you, and angry. Whereas Sir Kururugi is no doubt within Caesar's Palace, far away from us. Think very carefully about whose orders you are going to follow."

The conductor swallowed nervously, clutching at his collar. "As you say, princess. The train shall leave. I'll have a carriage arranged for you and your…" He glanced down at Lelouch, still unconscious in her arms. "...guest."

She nodded. "Excellent. I expect to depart shortly."

It was a risk, outing herself like that. It got the train on the move, but that was still a sizable crowd who saw her announce herself. It was possible that word might get back to Kururugi.

I had no choice. If she didn't hedge her bets and use her name, the train would never have left. And she would have been found if she and Lelouch were trapped in the city, she had no doubt. She had no other options.

She only hoped luck was on her side for once.

"They're still here," Ryo said, breathing out a sigh of relief.

Ayano smacked the back of his head lightly. "What, did you think they'd get up and walk away?"

"Hey! That hurt, asshole!" He accused. "And for the record, I was worried they might have been found. With our luck…"

"Luck has nothing to do with it," Yukiya cut in with a grin. "Anna's camo-foils did the trick. No one knows our Knightmares are here. All we need to do now is take them off, power our Knightmares back on, and book it to the border." He frowned. "Although, Akito may have to carry you, commander."

Leila shrugged, stretching her arms out. "I can afford to be uncomfortable for a few hours if it means we get out safely." She frowned. Something felt off to her. It had all gone…well, maybe not precisely according to plan, but everything turned out fine. Which was a good thing, of course. She should be celebrating, glad they were on their way back home.

So why did her gut tell her something was wrong? "Yukiya," She asked suddenly. "How hard would it be to check the local news, and break into local military communications?"

He tilted his head in confusion. "The former isn't a problem. It may take a few minutes to get into official communications, though. Why?"

"Just a hunch," She said. Her heart was beating faster, and her eye felt like it was burning. Something was wrong, she was sure of it. "Please, just…indulge me?"

Yukiya shrugged, pulling out a laptop from his bag. "If you insist."

"Leila?" Akito asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Is everything alright?"

"I don't know," She confessed. "I feel…anxious. Wound up. Like I know something is wrong. My eye is burning, and I swear-"

"Your eye?" Akito asked, his eyes widening. "You're sure?"

"Certain," She said. "And…and I think I can hear a rumbling. Like…like…" Like a train traveling on its tracks.

"Commander," Yukiya said before she could voice her thoughts. "There's…well, you aren't going to like this."

"What?" She asked quickly.

"There's been an arrest warrant placed for Cornelia," Yukiya announced. "It was sent out ten minutes ago. What's more, official channels are chattering about a train bound for Moscow. It seems they found the princess, and a Knightmare squad is mobilizing as we speak to intercept her and Kingsley."

Leila felt her stomach drop. I was right. Why did I have to be right?

Ayano shrugged. "Sucks for the princess, but our part in this is over. We got Kingsley for her. If she couldn't keep a hold of him, that's her problem."

"No," Leila said firmly. "Our mission isn't over, not yet."

"Commander?" Ayano questioned. "Don't tell me…you aren't seriously considering sticking our necks out for a princess, are you?"

"Not that," Leila said, shaking her head. "The objective of this mission was never to get Kingsley to Cornelia. It was to keep Kingsley away from Britannia through Cornelia. If Kingsley winds up back in Britannian hands, this entire mission will have been for nothing. And I refuse to let that be the case. I know you don't want to go back for the princess. But if we don't, if we allow Kingsley to go back to Britannia…then the blood of everyone who dies because of that choice is on our hands. If you don't wish to go back, I understand completely. You are not under any orders to follow me. I will, however, require the use of a Knightmare frame to reach Cornelia."

Ryo grunted. "Don't go saying that kind of stuff like you think for a second we aren't comin' with," He said. "Saving the princess's skin isn't exactly my idea of fun, but none of us are gonna let you get killed for it." He grinned. "Besides, I get to brag about it to her face, and that would make it worth it."

"And…and do the rest of you feel the same?" She asked hesitantly.

"Leila…" Akito shook his head. "You shouldn't ask questions you already know the answers to. It's considered rude, you know."

Leila smiled. "I'm sorry. I dragged you into this because I saw a chance to get rid of Kingsley…but also because the Princess convinced me. For whatever reason, she seems to care about Kingsley. And for whatever reason, she seems to think the best place for him is away from Britannia. I…I really do think we can at least trust her to keep him out of their hands. We just need to get them both away first."

"Then we will," Akito said simply. "And once we get them to safety, properly this time, we'll go back to Weiswolf and report to the General." He paused. "All of us," He added.

Her smile widened. "What happened to not making promises you can't keep, Akito?"

He shrugged. "I intend to keep this one."

Cornelia brushed a strand of hair out of Lelouch's face absentmindedly, furrowing her brow in worry. He still hadn't shown any signs of waking up since falling unconscious back at the motel. He was breathing at least, but she was beginning to worry.

Was…was this normal since her father placed his Geass on him? Or was this a sign his health was worsening? She had no idea, and she couldn't do anything about it until he woke up. I suppose I just have to trust he'll be alright. Maybe once they reached Moscow, she'd be able to think of something. Or maybe he'd be awake by then, and render the problem moot.

She sighed, laying her hands on the table. As promised, the conductor had secured them a private train car, fit for someone from her station. It was rather small, though. Still, I should be thankful for the privacy at least. If she was forced to socialize with the damn conductor, or worse, the passengers, the train would have arrived at Moscow with fewer occupants than it had left with.

How long will it be before word gets out of my treachery, I wonder? Would Britannia try to keep it a secret? Or denounce her immediately to keep her from trying to use whatever resources she could get out of her name. What would the others think? The Emperor, Schneizel…Guilford.

Her eyes shut solemnly. He's going to suffer for this. Because of my actions, for the crime of being my Knight. She hoped he was tactful enough to at least publicly disavow her if word got out, but she knew she was being naive. Guilford was far too honorable for that, and far too stubborn. Hopefully she could contact him soon enough, and explain things. He at least deserved a few words from her if nothing else.

Moscow, then…and what after? Would they stay in the city while they recuperate? Or keep moving as fast as they can to get out of Euro Britannia? But where would we go then? The EU? Lelouch is a war criminal, technically. And while the chance of someone recognizing him as Kingsley is extremely slim, it isn't zero. State secret or not, she didn't trust their luck enough. Maybe a picture got out somehow. Maybe Suzaku would send out wanted posters. Unlikely, but still, possible.

Cornelia frowned, something pulling her out of her thoughts. I hear something…Rumbling. Some kind of mechanical whirring, and it wasn't coming from the train. She glanced out the window, and for a brief moment only stared at the Knightmare frame closing in on the train.

"Oh," She said simply, and something jumped on top of the train. She grunted as the train lurched forward, quickly flinging an arm out in front of Lelouch to keep his unconscious form from slamming into the table. "Bastards!" She swore.

Someone must have recognized her at the station then, and got word back to Suzaku. She…she thought they had more time. She thought they would at least be able to get to Moscow.

Her stomach dropped, and she swallowed dryly, glancing back at her brother. "I'm sorry," She whispered to him. "I…I thought I could help you. Get you out. I thought I could save you." Her gaze turned back to the Knightmares closing in. "And I only failed you. Again."

She stood up from their booth, drawing her sword. A Knightmare was on top of the train, and no doubt they would be carrying soldiers to enter the carriage and take them. It'd be too dangerous to her and Lelouch otherwise, and they would be wanted alive. And if she was going to be captured, she was going to kill a few of the bastards before they took her.

Only…no one ever came. She winced, her ears pounding at the sound of a rifle being discharged…

Discharged above her. Shooting at the Britannian Knightmares. Her eyes widened as she saw two, three, four of the machines picked off by whatever mysterious Knightmare was above her. What the hell is happening?

There was a terrible sound of crunching metal, as the roof of their train car was slowly peeled back, and an Alexander model Knightmare was revealed. "Greetings, princess!" The warbled voice of one of Leila's elevens rang out from the Knightmare. Yukiya, she believed. "Apologies for the delay, but we kinda switched things up last second." He extended his hand into the carriage for her to climb on. "Please hurry, we need to leave quickly before reinforcements arrive."

Cornelia hesitated only a moment before grabbing Lelouch, climbing onto the Knightmare's hand. It closed around the two of them gently, and once they were secure leapt off of the moving train, darting back into the woods they were traveling past. A few of the Britannian Knightmares tried to follow, but they were picked off by two more Alexanders hanging at the edge of the woods. A third sprang out from the other side of the train, hunting down the last two Knightmares that tried to flee.

"That was all of them," Yukiya said. "Akito got the ones trying to run, but we still need to move. No telling how far behind their friends were."

She didn't argue with them. In fact, she didn't say a word, too scared that if she spoke, she'd wind up back in the train car with her sword drawn, waiting to be captured and thrown at her fathers feet alongside Lelouch. She had no idea what was happening, or why Leila's squad had arrived to save them.

But she certainly wasn't going to complain about it, either.

"Everyone, form up tightly," Yukiya said. "And turn off your IFF beacons so they can't track us."

Cornelia remained silent all while they moved through the woods. Eventually, they began to slow down, coming to a stop at what appeared to be the entrance to a small cave. Yukiya set her down, allowing her to step onto the ground. Leila was waiting for them at the mouth of the cave.

"The cave itself is too small for the Alexanders to fit," She said. "But the outcropping above should shield them from aerial surveillance if we pack them tightly, and we can get out of our Knightmares to rest in the cave."

At her words, the Knightmares lined up close to the rocky wall, huddling beneath the cliffside. Cornelia set Lelouch down gently against a nearby tree, shaking her head. "What…why are you here? You should be halfway to the border by now!"

"That's what I said," One of her subordinates grumbled. Ryo, I believe.

"As we were preparing to depart, Yukiya learned about the warrant for your arrest, and the Knightmares sent to apprehend you," Leila explained. "The mission could hardly be called a success if you and Kingsley got yourself captured an hour after making it out of the palace."

"They placed a cordon around the city," Cornelia said. "I was forced to use my identity just to get out, but that must have given me away."

Leila frowned. "A bad situation all around, it looks like. Still, at least we managed to get you two out."

"Thank you for that," She said gratefully. "You didn't…you already fulfilled the terms of our arrangement."

"Yes, well…we need to let you have a chance to fulfill yours, don't we?"

Cornelia smiled wryly. "I suppose so. But what now? Are you going to carry us to the border?"

Leila glanced over to the others. "About that…" She pursed her lips. "Kingsley isn't in a good way. His mind's unstable. Which means that as long as he's like that, he's a liability. There's always a chance he could run off and try to go back to Britannia. We can't allow that."

Immediately, she stepped in front of Lelouch protectively, placing a hand on the pommel of her sword. "We had a deal," She growled.
"And I'm keeping it," Leila assured her. "I'm not trying to take him to the EU. I assume you have a plan? A way to heal him, or at least take him someplace he can't harm anyone?"

Cornelia eyed her warily, but nodded. "I have a few ideas."

"Then we'll go with you," Leila announced. "Keeping Kingsley out of Britannian hands is our top priority. And two people aren't enough to keep away from a Knight of the Rounds and the entirety of Euro Britannia. You're going to need the help."

She frowned. "Why? Didn't you mention your General doesn't know you were working with me? This isn't going to be something that gets done in a few days, girl. He's either going to think you were killed in action, defected, or worse, he hears you're traveling with me."

"I'm not doing this for General Smilas," Leila said, a hint of anger slipping into her voice. "I'm doing this for the people, Britannian and Europian alike. So that they might never have to deal with Kingsley again."

She hated to admit it, but Leila had a point. She could barely get out of the city without a squad of Knightmare's on her tail. It'd be a risk traveling with them, to a certain extent…but it would be an even greater one trying to look over her and Lelouch on her own.

"If…if you wish to accompany the two of us," Cornelia said slowly. "Then I would be grateful for your assistance. But this isn't going to be simple. I doubt Suzaku will be the only one after us."

"Nothing worth doing is ever easy," Leila said. "And I think keeping Kingsley away from Britannia is very much something worth doing."

Cornelia nodded. "Very well then. It's a pleasure to be working with you again, Leila Malcal."

To her surprise, she found she meant the words.

Kallen's footsteps rang out loudly against the metal floor. Her heart was racing in excitement, in anticipation. They had a chance. For the first time in eight months, they had a chance.

It wasn't hard to reach her destination. The blimp that served as the temporary headquarters was small enough, made even more cramped by the few Knightmares they managed to salvage in the wake of the Black Rebellion. Most of the others slept in a shared barracks, but she at least had a room to herself, to plan their missions.

Well, her and her fellow commander, that is.

With…with Zero's absence, along with the capture of most of the Black Knights command structure, she was left the single highest ranking Black Knight still running free. But C.C. was always closer to Zero, and even if she wasn't technically part of the command structure, everyone knew she had authority. Together, they managed to keep some semblance of order.

Kallen herself was the nominal leader of the Black Knights, planning their movements, leading raids whenever possible. But C.C. was clearly much more experienced in presenting an image, and helped maintain the facade that they were still a functional organization. She helped Kallen organize their raids, and tempered the worst of her impulsive tendencies that would put them at risk.

They weren't quite friendly. After Kamine Island, C.C. had told her everything. Or at least, the important parts. Lelouch was Zero, yes, and a prince as well. He possessed a power called Geass, a power C.C. had given to him. She refused to give any more answers than the bare necessities, however, leaving her in the dark. They might be able to work together well enough, but she didn't trust her.

She did, however, trust that she wanted to get Lelouch back as well. And now we have a chance.

Kallen threw open the door to their shared room, slamming the door shut in excitement. "You've seen the news, right?" She asked quickly.

"Obviously," C.C. all but scoffed. "Let's hope no one else has."

"Please," Kallen snorted. "No one even knows who he is except the Emperor and his lackeys, and they're chasing after him anyways."

"You never know," C.C. said. "And we don't have the resources any more to take risks. We need to be careful."

"But this is what we've been waiting for!" Kallen protested. "We've known the Emperor has been using Lelouch as Kingsley for months now, but he's always been kept in St. Petersburg, halfway across the world with Kururugi watching him like a hawk. This was why we were monitoring Euro Britannia in the first place! Lelouch is finally out of Britannian hands, this is our chance!"

"We don't know anything for certain," The witch said. "Halfway across the world, remember? Where did you hear about his escape?"

"One of the informants Diethard told us about before he vanished," She answered. "He was stationed in St. Petersburg."

"Unless he was Suzaku or the Duke, we don't know how accurate his information is," C.C. said. "It's possible Suzaku decided to let word of Lelouch's escape leak in order to lure us out. And by us I mean me."

"But it could be real," Kallen argued. "And if it is, we can't afford to pass it up. Eight months, C.C., and we're on our last legs. We might be able to keep this going a little longer, but Zero gave us a purpose, a direction. Without him, we're no different from every other rebel group in Japan. Worse, actually, because now the Empire is actively hunting us instead of just trying to kill us whenever we cause trouble."

C.C. frowned. "I know. We need him back, and soon. It isn't just the Black Knights. He…something's wrong. Something's very wrong with him. I can feel it."

Kallen winced. She didn't like being reminded about C.C's…abilities. "Is it…you know, that?"

She nodded. "We share a contract, and therefore a connection. It's how we found out he was Kingsley so quickly after he arrived. I could sense it. It felt right. But now, I try to reach out to him, and it's fine one moment, then the next…it's twisted, warped. Someone is meddling with his mind, and not for the better."

Kallen glared at her, crossing her arms. "You know who it is, don't you?"

"I know we need to do something," She said evasively. "You're right. We can't ignore this opportunity…but we can't risk ourselves either. Not when we don't know for sure."

"So what the hell are we supposed to do? We can't afford to send a squad out to verify for us." She doubted they even had a squad to send. Not without sacrificing practically all of the Blimp's defenders in the event of discovery.

"No…but we can send someone," C.C. said. "One of us to go to Euro Britannia and see if it's a real lead."

Kallen nodded. A compromise then. "Sounds good to me. But who? I'm the best Knightmare pilot by far, I can get Lelouch out if I find him."

She shook her head immediately. "Absolutely not. If it is a trap, and you're captured, the Black Knights fall apart. As far as they're concerned, you're in charge until we get Zero back. And I obviously can't go for the same reason, as well as the fact that if they catch me, they won't have any use for Lelouch."

C.C. grinned then. "No, I have someone else in mind."

As of this chapter, we are now uploading weekly! I'm still not done planning, but realistically, I'm 46 chapters into planning with four chapters written. I have plenty of time to finish plotting. So yeah, new chapters are on sundays. If I miss an update, assume I have no internet connection.

I've also begun posting another fic! It's a Code Geass/Warhammer 40k crossover. A bit of a weird idea, I know, but if that's something that would interest you, give it a look! I'm planning to go through the entirety of the Horus Heresy (Although obviously trimmed down)

Feel free to leave a comment if you're enjoying the fic, I read through them all even if I don't respond to everyone. Hell, I still wind up responding to most of them anyways.

Next Chapter: Sunday, November 17th