Chapter 117: Britannian Social Club

"Ugh. This movie kind of sucks." Kallen mumbled as Maya barely kept herself from falling asleep.

"What are you talking about!? This is great!" Clara argued as C.C took another slice of pizza, "Ew. Isn't that ice-cold now?"

The Immortal nodded with a sigh, "Unfortunately so." her eyes then wandered to Zero's sleeping quarters, where the sound of Benio bouncing on the bed had finally subsided, "I wonder what happened in there?"

"I'll check." the red head announced while getting up, entering the bedroom cautiously, spying the little girl under the covers, finally asleep, clutching the Cheese-kun plush in a tight embrace, "Awe. You can't sleep here, Beni." she whispered, gently caressing Benio's forehead, moving a strand of hair in the process.

In response, the little girl whined slightly, before rolling over, where she would bury her head further into the plushie, "Not yet…"

Kallen rolled her eyes while pushing the blanket up, making sure the girl was almost completely covered. That's when she heard Maya shout, "Oh no!"

"What happened?" the red head asked while exiting the bedroom, greeted by the Disel on the floor, wiggling toward her tablet.

"It's Lelouch! He's coming here!"

"N-now!?"

"Yes, now!" Maya responded, using her nose to cycle through the camera's back to the hallway where the aforementioned man, Naoto, Luciano, Tamaki, and Kaguya stood, "Crap, Clara! Use the emergency plan!"

"On it!"

Lelouch swiped his card once, receiving a declined message in return, causing him to tilt his head in confusion, "What the…" he repeated the motion, only to receive the same rejection message again.

"Pft. Did our fearless leader forget his keys?" Bradley taunted, only to earn a glare in return.

"Need some help?" Naoto offered with an outstretched hand, taking the card, blowing on it once, before rubbing it against his jacket, repeating the motion for a second time, and handing it to Zero.

Lelouch swiped the card, only for it to still be denied, "Whatever, I still have my code.' he covered the keypad while entering the password, which was Kallen's birthday. "Seriously? That too?" he muttered upon getting rejected again.

"So… do we get off scot-free or something?" the Vampire questioned.

"We?" Tamaki raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry, I meant me."

"Do me get off scot-free?" the Japanese man mocked, "That doesn't sound right."

"You wanna fight again, bastard!"

Suddenly, the door cracked open, followed by Clara sticking her arm out, placing a sign on the door before forcing it shut. The men leaned in to read it, "No boys allowed." Naoto mumbled aloud, "Huh."

"Should've known they were up to something." the Prince complained, "Naoto, can you force it open?"

"There's no handle…" the Kozuki responded while feeling around the door, "Not even a groove for me to grab onto."

"Then how'd they open it?"

"There's probably a groove on the inside, or something."

Kaguya approached the door, knocking on it several times, shouting, "Clara! Can you please let me in?"

In response, the door cracked open, followed by the pink-haired girl grabbing the Princess by the arm, dragging her inside. Though, just as Naoto moved to wedge the opening, it closed shut, "I can't believe our fearless leader is getting treated like this." Bradley spoke, "This is what happens when you become buddy-buddy with your subordinates."

"That's enough out of you." Tamaki shouted, putting the vampire into a headlock, "The way Zero runs the Black Knights is none of your business!"

Luciano drove his elbow in the man's side, breaking himself free in the process, where he would deliver a powerful kick to his opponent's chest, knocking them into the door, "Don't touch me, freak."

Meanwhile, Lelouch let out a loud groan of frustration, "You know what? How about both of you mop the Knightmare bays. All of them!"

"He attacked me first! Why should I clean!?"

"I don't care!"

Naoto tilted his head in confusion as the Britannian reluctantly followed orders, strutting down the hallway, hands in his pockets with a scowl, "Hey… how did you do that?"

"Do what?" Lelouch asked as they headed toward the Knightmare bay.

"Command Luciano, I mean. The guy doesn't listen to a thing I say, so I'm just wondering how you did it?"

"Seriously? Have you actually forgotten?" the Prince gestured to his face, more specifically the area surrounding his eye, "Geass. It's not an absolute command like Rolo's was, but it's just enough to rein him in."

"Ah…" the Kozuki facepalmed, "That's kind of embarrassing."

"I'm sure you were busy. It happens."

"So… what were the specifics of the command again?"

"It essentially plays on his deepest desire, if that's what you want to call it." Lelouch began in a low tone, "For example, Luciano wants to kill Rai, and I made it seem like he has to work with me to do so. Thus, the command subconsciously activates, forcing him to follow my orders almost naturally."

"I see…" Naoto put a hand on his chin as they entered the Knightmare bay, "Hey… when the time comes, are you going to let Bradley kill Rai?"

"Honestly? I'm anticipating Luciano's death long before that moment comes to pass." the Prince explained as Rolo and Mario ate gyudon in the background, "Though, if he somehow lives to see that day, then I'll be forced to prevent Rai's death, especially if what Nunnally said is true."

"Oh? Your sister?"

"Yeah. Apparently, he and Euphemia have been… getting close? Though, I don't know how much of that information is truly inflated."

"What happened?"

"They went to the Hokkaido block together, where they visited a branch of the Sumeragi family to try and find out more about Rai's past. Oh, and in the process, they found my – or I guess, our – niece." Lelouch let out a frustrated sigh as they leaned against a wall, "After informing me of that, Nunnally went off about teasing Euphemia and Rai, so I didn't get much else."

"What about Mario?" Naoto questioned, "You know he wants to kill Rai too?"

"Really? I interpreted it as a rivalry. I doubt that if they truly had the chance, they'd kill each other."

"I… I don't really know about that." the Kozuki scratched the back of his head, "I think their 'relationship' is a bit more intense than a simple rivalry."

"If that's the case, then I'll figure it out once the decision comes to pass."

"By the way… have you heard anything about Euphemia after the incident?"

"Considering there's been no announcement of her death, I think there's a good chance she's still alive. Especially knowing how Britannia likes to use the deaths of their Princes or Princesses as excuses to invade other countries." Zero watched as Bradley approached with a scowl, "Though, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried."

"Hey, where's the mops, huh?" he demanded as Tamaki chuckled in the background.

"Oh you're such a fool." the Japanese man taunted, "Do you really think someone as important as Zero would know where such a thing is?" he then pointed at himself confidently, "For things relating to cleaning, you'll have to ask me, the Head Custodian."

"Bahaha!" the Vampire laughed hysterically while pointing at Tamaki, "You're the custodian!? No wonder you smell so bad."

"What!? I don't stink! I took a shower this morning! And besides…" the Japanese man leaned back, "You have to respect me now, especially since you're my subordinate."

"What? There's no way I'm going to play second fiddle to a glorified maid."

"Maid!? How dare you!"

Just as they were about to fight, Naoto stepped in, holding them both in place with one hand, "That's enough. Right now, both of you are being punished, so enough of this superiority bullshit, and get to mopping!"

"Wait a minute…" Luciano's eyes narrowed, "Aren't you supposed to be getting punished too?"

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Tamaki turned on his friend, putting on a confident smirk.

"Both of you can screw off." Naoto turned to Zero, "Can you help me out here?"

"Just start mopping, all three of you."

"What!?" the Kozuki exclaimed, causing the other two men to chuckle, "Why should I be cleaning!?"

"Jeez, your memory's really deteriorated, hasn't it?" Lelouch taunted, "Are you really forgetting that you were a part of the original trio that started this whole mess?"

Tamaki suddenly shoved a mop into Naoto's chest, before saying, "You heard the boss, let's get to cleaning."

"Oh come on!"

Zero's Office.

"So you've decided to join us, Kaguya?" Maya asked as the Princess took a seat next to Kallen.

"While I would love to, I made a certain promise to a masked Prince." she nudged the red head with a smirk, "Wanna know what it was?"

Kallen glanced at the girl, huffing in the process, "What is it?"

Kaguya hummed with delight, kicking her legs in the process, "He wants to see you. Like a lot. So much so, that he asked me to seek you out, and help you out."

"Seriously? He did that?"

"Of course." the Princess replied with a smirk, "And, as my future husband, I can't just allow him to be sad like that."

Kallen briefly overlooked the girl's remark, instead focusing on the fact that Lelouch wanted to speak with her, "So… where is Lelouch now?"

"Oh? Because Kaguya said it, now you want to speak with him?" C.C raised an eyebrow, followed by a giggle, "How rude. Did you forget about us?"

"Well… if Lelouch is the one that said it… then how can I keep avoiding him?" the red head reasoned while getting up, "Though, we'll have to clean up first."

"Just leave that to us!" Clara announced, "By the time you return with Lelouch, this place will be all cleaned up!"

"Yeah!" Maya cheered as she was released from her binds by C.C, "Now, get out there!"

Suddenly, the girls teamed up, while pushing Kallen toward the door, which opened at the Disel's command, "W-wait! I need to get changed!" the red head protested, still in her fuzzy pajamas, "I can't be seen like this!"

"Really? I think it's super-cute." the Immortal said as they successfully pushed their 'victim' out, "And make sure you say Hi to Lelouch for me."

"Wait!" Kallen shouted just as the door slammed shut, leaving her out in the hallway, "D-damn it…"

Ikaruga Knightmare Bay 2.

"I see their prank didn't end well." Mario commented as he watched Naoto, Tamaki, and Bradley mopped the floor.

"Of course it didn't." Lelouch mumbled while watching them, holding an intense gaze, "Though, I have a feeling they should be lucky, considering Urabe has to deal with Tohdoh."

"Do you really think Tohdoh's that cruel?"

"No. But Nagisa is."

"I suppose that's a fair point…" Mario nodded as another argument broke out.

"For a Britannian, you're pretty stupid, you know?" Tamaki mocked, causing the Vampire to scoff.

"The fucks that for, huh?"

"Well…" he pointed at the man's form, "You're not even mopping right."

"What the… are you saying I don't know how to clean!?" Bradley tossed his mop to the ground, "Let me ask you something, Eleven. Before I became a round, who do you think was cleaning my floors?"

"What? Maids?"

"Yeah, so get to cleaning, maid."

"That doesn't even make sense!"

Luciano kicked up his mop, before swinging it toward the Japanese man's head, forcing him to duck at the last second, picking up his own in the process. Though, just as their fighting was about to continue, Naoto stepped in, stopping them both by grabbing their weapons, "That's enough out of you!"

Mario and Lelouch let out a sigh, "Do you need me to handle things?" the former asked as Rolo stood next to him.

"If you would be so kind…"

The boys walked toward the trio, breaking up the fight alongside Naoto, making sure to separate Luciano from the rest of the group. Lelouch let out a sigh, leaning back in the process, catching the sight of a certain red head sitting next to him. His first instinct was to greet her, turning his head in the process, only to stop himself at the last moment, "Wait… she hasn't said anything… maybe I should wait?" he thought, taking note of the girl's concerned facial expression, which caused him to immediately betray his plan, "Hey…"

Kallen glanced at him, putting on a smile, "Hey…"

"How long have you been there?" he asked, noticing her outfit in the process, holding back his comments for now.

"I just got here…" she responded softly, "Could we… take this somewhere else?"

"Of course." the Prince got up, alongside his girlfriend, who he followed inside toward a storeroom.

However, just as he opened his mouth, the red head blurted, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to be." Lelouch said as she sat against a box, holding her legs close while listening, "It wasn't your fault that you fell under Geass, especially in that kind of situation." he moved next to her, taking off his mask in the process.

"But I should've just let you Geass me…" Kallen mumbled, "If I had, then you would've been safe."

"I'm safe now." her boyfriend cut in, "Besides, how can I blame you for not allowing me to Geass you? Who in their right mind would want that to happen? Especially considering you were Geassed moments earlier, so why would you want it to happen again, even if the purpose of mine was to help you?"

"Still no excuse… you could've died-"

"I'm not dead now, that's all that matters." Lelouch explained, "Thanks to your training, after all." he nudged her shoulder, which she remained unresponsive to, "If it weren't for your preparations, then we might not be speaking now." he repeated the motion, causing her to glance at him, "But that doesn't matter, and it never will."

Kallen's eyes returned to her knees, where she buried her face, "It's still scary. Thinking about that possibility. Knowing how easily that future could've been realized."

"From now on, you'll never have to. Especially since we now have Jeremiah with us." the Prince explained, nudging her once more, "We've already spoken about his canceller, and he's given me everything he knows about it."

"I see…" the red head mumbled.

"Let's change the subject." Lelouch scooted closer to his girlfriend, taking a risk by wrapping an arm around her shoulder, seeing how she would react. Other than a small jolt, she didn't pull away, nor make any effort to push him away either, "Have you heard about the ice cream thievery going on around here?"

Kallen snickered as he poked her side, clearly suspecting her to have something to do with it, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The chocolate stain on your cheek tells me otherwise." the Prince licked his thumb, before wiping away the remnants of his girlfriend's ice cream away, causing her to giggle while pushing him away.

"Stop that." she responded with a smile, keeping within his arm's reach, "I'll have you know that I didn't take it. C.C and Clara were responsible for such an operation."

"I see. Well, that certainly explains some things." Lelouch let out a sigh, "And Maya, she's a part of this somehow, right?"

"You already knew that."

"Just wanted your confirmation." the boy tapped his foot on the floor, "Where are they now?"

"You expect me to sell them out?" Kallen asked with a smirk, "And what will you give me in return?"

"Seriously? For a second there, I thought you'd outright refuse to divulge such information. But if you're offering…" Lelouch took a dramatic pause, before suggesting, "How about a permanent spot back in my bed? I don't know where you've been sleeping the past few days, but I'm sure it'd be much more comfortable in my room."

"Oh? I wasn't aware my original residence had expired." Kallen playfully crossed her arms, looking away, "Besides, it's not like I have to sleep there. I'm a free woman, after all."

"While that's true…" the Prince leaned in with a gentle smile, "No other room has me in it."

The red head pretended to ponder on the offer, before saying, "You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Lamprouge. But you've convinced me." she finally looked him in the eyes, "I agree to your terms."

"In that case… where are the other girls?"

"Last I checked, they were cleaning your room." Kallen answered, "We made quite a mess, and they want to avoid as much punishment as possible."

Lelouch got up, offering a hand to help his girlfriend up, "Then let's see if they're still there."

The red head smirked while taking his hand up, before pulling him into a tight embrace, "I'm sorry… again." she mumbled into his chest.

"I told you, it's okay." the Prince reassured as he heard her taking a deep breath.

Though, that's when her head reeled back slightly in confusion, followed up by sniffing him several times, ending up at his neck, "What is that smell?" she muttered to herself.

"Oh yeah. I've been using your shampoo the past few days." Lelouch confessed as she tightly gripped his outfit, getting on her toes to track down the scent, "Sorry about that."

"As cute as that is…" she puffed out her cheeks with frustration, "There's something else here…" she took another sniff, "Is that… lime?"

Lelouch chuckled softly, believing this to be some kind of ridiculous antic, "Whatever. You're just trying to keep me from confronting the girls-"

"Clara!" Kallen proclaimed, "That's it! Clara smells like lime!" then she glared at her boyfriend, seeking an explanation, "Why do you smell like Clara?"

It took the Prince a moment, but he soon remembered his encounter with the pink-haired girl in the hallway, "Ah! I remember now. She leapt onto me in the hallway… and…" he soon trailed off, noticing his girlfriend's hold on him tightening, "It wasn't my fault, you know? She just-"

"I know." Kallen cut him off, "I know exactly how Clara is." she then began rubbing her cheek against his, as if trying to mark Lelouch like a cat would its scratch post.

"Ah, stop." the Prince said while laughing, "Kallen, that tickles."

"Not yet." the red head pulled him back in as he tried to escape, "I wanna erase any trace of Clara, before we go to see them."

Her boyfriend smiled as she continually repeated the motion, until she was satisfied with a determined nod, "At least it's the beginning of a return to normal." he gave her a head pat, before putting on his mask.

Lelouch and Kallen arrived at his office, now facing the tightly shut door, which was still denying him access, "How are we going to get in?" he muttered as the red head went into a supply closet, grabbing a broom.

"Like this." she went up to the door, leveraging herself into the frame, and pushed with all her might, managing to barely open it just wide enough for the broomstick to wedge a small gap. Kallen followed this up by tightly gripping the crack, forcing the rest of the door open with brute strength.

Lelouch quickly entered once it was big enough for him, offering to hold the door for his girlfriend, only to find her effortlessly entering without issue, allowing the entrance to close behind them, "Nicely done." he complimented her with a smile, before gazing upon his room, "Ugh. Cold." the Prince walked to the AC, turning it down. His eyes then wandered towards two tubs of ice cream, which were empty of their contents, with another two holding only a quarter, "All of you are probably going to get sick, you know?"

"Well, I won't have to worry about that, especially since I've got you to take care of me." Kallen responded cheekily as the Prince turned off the TV, taking note of Maya's tablet on the couch. "They're still here."

To which the red head added, "Obviously. After all, the door was still closed." she picked a blanket off the ground, which was hiding the emptied Pizza boxes, holding only crumbs.

"I was just thinking aloud, that's all." Lelouch responded while heading into his room, where he found the culprits, all bundled together on his bed, peacefully sleeping off their previous activities.

Kallen walked in shortly afterward, snickering at the sight, "Awe. Well, we can't just wake them, now can we?" she joked, causing the Prince to roll his eyes.

He then noticed someone's stray foot peeking over the edge of the bed, and grabbed it, earning a jolt from the owner, Maya, "Gah!" she shouted while kicking his hand away, "Stop! That tickles!"

This caused two more girls to slowly wake up, "Maya… shh… you're gonna wake Beni." Clara said while lazily rubbing her eyes.

"And Kaguya." C.C added with a smirk, before gazing upon Lelouch, "Oh, looks like they're back."

"Wh-what are you doing here, Kally!?" the Disel panicked.

"Well, after my talk with Lelouch, I told him about what we were doing in here. However, I thought you'd be gone by the time we returned, considering how determined you were to clean everything." the red head sighed, "Honestly, I don't know why I expected this place to be spotless by the time we returned."

"You sold us out!" Clara proclaimed, falling off the mattress in the process, "Kally… how dare you…"

"Oh yeah?" Kallen crouched to the pink-haired girl's level, and said, "Then I suppose you won't mind me asking why you gave Lelouch such a big hug before, right?"

"Gah! H-he told you?"

"Yeah, but only after I smelled your shampoo on him." the red head picked her up by the arm, "Mind explaining why?"

That's when Maya confessed, "Wait! It was a part of the plan to distract Lelouch while transporting our ice cream."

"Yeah, so don't get too angry with Clara, okay?" C.C added while crossing her legs.

Kallen let out a sigh, before giggling, "I knew there was some kind of reason. I just wanted to know what it was."

"S-so you're not mad?" the girl in question asked nervously.

"Of course not." the red head answered suspiciously, "But that doesn't mean I can just let this slide!"

Suddenly, Clara felt herself being lifted, before getting slammed back onto the bed, causing Kaguya and Benio to bounce slightly as they cutely held each other in their sleep. Miraculously, despite the commotion, neither of the girls woke, leaving Kallen free to get a bit of revenge on the former assassin.

Area 11. Yokota Air Base. 10:00PM.

Suzaku let out a breath as he watched his Lancelot – now wearing a black and gold coating – get loaded onto the Hercules, followed shortly by Princess Cornelia's Gloucester, as the aforementioned woman calmly strutted across the runway, alone.

"So, you're really not bringing Guilford?" the Knight questioned while kicking a stray piece of concrete away, the last remnant of the battle that had taken place here months prior.

"I told you, this is my battle." the Princess answered with a stern gaze, "I refuse to drag him into this."

"Well, I'd still appreciate the help." Suzaku sighed, "Nevertheless, what have you told him?"

"That I'm going on a trip, and that if I don't return, he's to protect Euphie, just as he would for me." Cornelia responded as they walked into the back of the plane, "And what's with the black? I thought Lancelot was supposed to be a heroic Knight."

"It'll be easier to get the blood off this way."

"Never took you for an edgy teenager, Suzaku."

The Knight rolled his eyes, "That's not what I meant. With this new black coat, I can easily shed it mid-battle, erasing the evidence of what we're about to do."

"I see." Cornelia took a seat, gazing upon her Gloucester which had been outfitted with a float system, "So, what did you have to say to get all of this?"

"I just requested it as the Knight of Seven, that's all."

"Seriously? You didn't have to provide some kind of explanation?"

Suzaku raised an eyebrow, before asking, "Don't you do the same?"

"At times… but I didn't expect you to be the same way." the Princess responded as the plane took off, heading towards Korea.

"Once we land, we'll come in contact with someone who also holds a disdain for the Geass Order."

"And I assume they're the reason we'll be able to enter the Chinese Federations airspace freely?"

"Correct." Suzaku grabbed a tablet, and began sifting through documents, "He'll also be participating in the attack."

"Sounds like you have a lot of faith in this man." Cornelia crossed her legs, "Tell me, is he also Japanese?"

"Actually, he's Britannian." the Knight answered casually, "In fact, you might've met him before, so I won't spoil his identity until you see him in person."

"Someone I've met before?" the Princess put a hand on her chin, "Who could that be?"

Ikaruga. Zero's Office. 8:30PM.

Lelouch sat in his office, hands clasped as Naoto entered, holding a folder beneath his armpit, "And here I thought we'd never look these over." the man commented while positioning a chair across from the Prince, feeling warm air circulate from the heater, "So, here's the manufacturing report." he slid the folder over, retrieving another in return.

"You'll find we've got some interesting Knightmares in development." the Prince responded as he looked over the report, "Especially Mario and Maya's."

"What about me?" Naoto asked, looking through the list hopeful, "Surely I'm going to get my own, right?"

"Oh? Is the Kagero not good enough?" Lelouch joked with a smirk.

"It's not like that. I'd just rather not be sharing with Luciano."

"I see. Well, I'm sure if you spoke with Rakshata, you two could make something to suit your needs. As for Bradley, if things go awry with the Geass Order, you might not have to worry about him."

"Speaking of which, you're going tomorrow, right?"

"I've made the preparations with the others already. If Bradley does live, then you'll be able to have your duel later in the day."

Naoto let out a sigh, before giving the Prince a stern gaze, "How's Kallen by the way?"

"Better. She's just hanging out with C.C now."

"That's good. For a moment there, I thought Kallen wouldn't be able to recover."

"Seriously? You of all people should know it would take a lot more for Kallen's spirits to break." Lelouch said as he placed the folder back on the table.

"And yet, you're going to sneak off to the Order without her." Naoto folded his arms.

"It's for her own good. I won't allow her to be Geassed again. Wiping out the Order is just the first step."

"Lelouch." the Kozuki called, this time in a forceful tone, "I'm glad that you're doing this for Kallen, I really am. And honestly? If you weren't, then I probably would. However, I think you and I both know there's only one possible way of protecting Kallen."

The Prince's smile faded, followed by his gaze turning stern, "This again?"

"I know you don't like it, and neither do I. But… it's the only path." Naoto leaned forward, clasping his hands, "That's why… if anything similar to this happens again… I need you to…"

The Kozuki finished the sentence in a barely audible tone, just enough for Lelouch to listen with a downtrodden gaze. Once he finished, only the faint sound of air blowing through the heater filled the silence.

"Lelouch, do you understand?" Naoto tried getting the Prince's attention, "I know it's not ideal, but it's the only solution."

"I… I get it." the boy mumbled, "It's just a bit difficult to wrap my head around, especially if it's for Kallen."

"Trust me, I wouldn't be asking you if I didn't think it was necessary. But I don't want to see her hurt again, not like that." the Kozuki reiterated, "So, will you do it?"

A minute of silence passed between the two, before Lelouch finally admitted, "Very well. If it comes to it, I'll fulfil your request."

Naoto let out a relieved sigh, "Thank you. And I'm sorry in advance."

An Hour Earlier.

Clara, Rolo, and Orpheus gathered in Lelouch's room, sitting around his table with their arms crossed, awaiting the meeting to begin, "Oz, I'm glad you made it." Zero greeted the boy while walking in.

"You wanted to speak with me about the order, so there was no way I could refuse." the Mercenary replied simply.

"Of course." Lelouch nodded at Clara and Rolo, before continuing, "I'm planning an assault on the Order, one that we'll head out early in the morning for tomorrow."

"And what brought this? I thought you still had things to do in the Chinese Federation."

"We won't be gone long, and if there are any calls, then I'll be putting Naoto in charge of everything." the Prince explained, "As for the reason, well the duo responsible for everything that occurred a few days prior, hailed from there. Castor and Pollux, twins."

"I see." Orpheus nodded, "Then I assume you'll be aiming to fulfil one part of our deal in this endeavor?"

"More than just that, especially considering you had been Geassed by those two."

The Mercenary quirked an eyebrow at the statement, "When did that happen?"

"Sometime when you visited the Federation to deliver the Shen Hu." Lelouch explained, "If you must ask how I found out, it came straight from the horse's mouth in a boastful fashion. Explaining that they used you to leak information, creating a trap for us."

"You sold us out?" Rolo faced Oz, which only annoyed the boy.

"As if I had control over that. Still… for me to not even be aware…"

"The thought never occurred to you, correct?" Zero interjected, "Well, if you'd like the Geass to be lifted so you can remember, I'll have Jeremiah do it once he arrives with our other guest."

Orpheus glared at Rolo, who continued to stare at him, "Out with it already. I know you have something to say."

The former assassin shrugged, "It's just amusing, that's all. We nearly fell into their trap because of you, and yet you're so calm."

"And what would you have me do?" Oz questioned, "Grovel at your feet, begging for forgiveness? I acknowledge what happened could've ended terribly for all of us, but there wasn't anything I could've done."

"I'm not blaming anything on you." Rolo shrugged, "After all, I know that this wasn't necessarily your fault, and I'm not one to hold such things over others."

"How mature." Orpheus said sarcastically, "Let me guess, you think we're even now, right?"

"Hey… wait…" Clara tried to break into the conversation, only to be stopped by a simple hand wave from Lelouch, allowing the boys to continue.

"Not at all. I'm not holding anything against you, Orpheus." Rolo explained calmly, though his words still somehow laced with venom, "After all, you didn't know what you were doing at the time."

"Your situation, and my situation, are completely different." Oz retorted, seeing what the former assassin was going for, "You weren't Geassed into killing Euliya, so there's no excuse."

"That's not what I was implying."

"Listening to you lie is like wearing a cardboard box in the rain; it's stupid, and I know what will happen next."

Suddenly, the door to the office opened, cutting their conversation short as Jeremiah, followed shortly by Luciano Bradley, walked in, "What's up? Is this the Britannian social club I've heard so much about?" the latter asked with a smug smile, freely taking a seat in one of the recliners.

"Why are you including him?" Orpheus directed the question at Lelouch.

"Because, he'll do as I say without question." Zero replied, "And… unlike most people on this ship, he'll most likely have no problem with what we're about to do, given his history."

"In short, Zero needs a cold killer like myself. Not a bunch of children pretending to be soldiers." the Vampire taunted, earning a quick glare from everyone in the room.

"So what does he know?" Orpheus questioned, ignoring the Britannian.

"Nothing specific. After all, it's in his best interest to comply, isn't it?" Zero turned his attention to Bradley, whose eyes glowed with red rings.

"Yeah. My best interest."

"Well, that explains that."

Lelouch nodded, "To keep this as contained as possible, the only people who will be participating in this operation, will be the ones currently present in this room."

"What about C.C?" Clara asked.

"I already spoke with her, but she chose to stay here with the others."

A few days prior. Zero's Office.

C.C abruptly walked into the Prince's room, where he was sitting on a couch, holding his head in his hands, clearly stressed out about something, "Kallen still hasn't dropped by?" she questioned while plopping herself next to him.

"No…" he muttered as Jeremiah entered, standing up straight with a folder in-hand, "C.C, I'm planning on attacking the Geass Order soon."

"So soon? Don't you have any other preparations?"

"No. This comes first." he responded, "Those damn twins came from there. The Geass Order's been around for too long already, and I'd say my 'uncle' deserves a visit from one of his precious nephews." Lelouch glanced at the Immortal from the corner of his eye, "I've planned on taking Rolo, Clara, Orpheus, and Jeremiah."

"Speaking of which…" C.C crossed her legs, "Now that we have Jeremiah, don't you think Clara and Rolo deserve some kind of reward for what they've done?"

"A reward?"

"Yeah. Don't you think they deserve to have their commands lifted? Especially Clara. After all, it's gotta take a lot out of her to fight it off, even with her own command to assist."

"Fine. It'll make things easier in the future anyway." Lelouch shrugged, "Jeremiah-"

"As you wish." the Knight bowed slightly.

"But make sure you don't affect Bradley. Because I'm sure if he gets free, then that'll only cause problems for the rest of us." the Prince leaned back, "Anyway, I've been preoccupied thinking of ways to attack the Geass Order."

"What about Kallen?"

"She won't be participating. I can't risk her falling under another Geass."

"We have Jeremiah, you know? There's virtually no-risk in including her." C.C suggested.

"No, not now. Especially since it's only been a few days… Kallen's still hurting. And even if she wasn't, I'm still not going to risk it, even with Jeremiah around."

"If that's the case… then I won't be a part of your plan."

"What?"

The Immortal nodded, "You heard me. Imagine how much more hurt Kallen will be if she finds out you did this without her?"

"It's for her own good."

"Even so, I won't be a part of your plan if you don't include her." C.C hopped onto her feet, "Until then, I'll actually work on helping Kallen, and not hurting her."

"Wait." Lelouch got up, "What are you implying?"

"Absolutely nothing~" the woman teased, "I'm just saying, I'll be working on helping Kallen, that's all."

"That's not it, is it?"

"It's a bit of a stretch to say otherwise." the witch questioned. "I know you want to help her too, but don't you think leaving her behind would do the opposite? In her mind, it would only confirm those terrible thoughts she's already having now." the Prince returned to his seat, head in his hands, "Oh? So that got your attention?"

"Just… let me think." Lelouch muttered.

"Really? You didn't realize the kind of harm it could've brought onto Kallen until I told you? You're hopeless."

"It's not like I hadn't thought of that-"

"You're just having second thoughts now?" C.C cut him off, "Well, I'll have you know that I'm going to tell Kallen about this, whether you like it or not." she returned to her seat, crossing her legs once again, "However, depending on what you say now, I might change how I tell her."

The Prince shook his head, "It's not that I haven't thought of it. Hell, if things were any different, I'd take her along without issue. And even now, I still do. But… I just can't."

The Immortal rolled her eyes, and headed for the door, "That's all I needed to hear." she then smirked, "Especially since I've heard such similar words before." Lelouch got up to object, only to find himself hesitating for a moment, still conflicted on the matter, thus earning a comment from C.C, "You know, the way you're acting right now is pretty lame."

"Lame?" the Prince tilted his head in confusion as the woman left him alone with Jeremiah, "What does that even mean?"

"Wait… does Kally know what we're up to?"

"I… haven't gotten the chance to tell her." the Prince lied.

Orpheus raised an eyebrow in confusion, trying to decipher who they were referring to. However, the conversation quickly shifted as Jeremiah chimed in, "So, what time must we meet up in the Knightmare bay?"

"5:00AM. I wanna get everything done as quickly as possible." Lelouch answered, "And make sure you tell no one about this. If anyone's wondering why we're gone, Naoto will be here to cover for us."

"But what about Kallen?" Clara thought while nodding along to their leader's words, "If she finds out, won't she be hurt again?"

"With that said, I'll begin explaining our plan for the Order."

Geass Order.

V.V finished packing as many important documents into a briefcase as fast as he could, before leaving his office, which had been trashed from an extensive fit of rage after losing both Jeremiah Gottwald, and his only reliable way out of the order in one day, all thanks to Castor and Pollux.

Once outside, he was confronted by both General Bartley and Colonel Madd, who saluted him with stern gazes, "Master V.V, may I ask where you're going?" the former asked.

"Where does it look like? I'm going back to the homeland." the Immortal snapped while walking down a flight of stairs, spying a construction team as they moved a few boulders from the lift that led to the underground bullet train.

"I still can't believe how much trouble those twins caused." Madd stated with scorn, "Not only did they destroy an entire section of the tunnel, but they rigged the train to explode upon arrival."

In the background, Alice, Sancia, Dalque, and Lucretia stood at attention, awaiting orders, "Master V.V, please allow the irregulars to hunt the twins down." the Colonel pleaded, "I assure you, we'll be able to hunt them down in only a matter of-"

"That's enough out of you." the pint-sized blond shut the man down, "The boys are probably dead by now, especially if they truly planned on revealing who they were to Zero. And you know what that means, right?"

"Please, enlighten us." Bartley added.

"Ugh. Idiots." V.V stomped his foot like a petulant child, "We're next on the chopping block. It's only a matter of time before Zero and his Black Knights arrive to wipe us out."

"Wh-what!?"

"Zero is coming here?" Madd clenched his fist, "Then what shall we do?"

"We?" the Immortal's eyes turned cold, "There is no 'we'. I'm leaving, just as I said previously." he reached the top of the stairs toward the thought elevator, extending his hand to open it.

"W-wait! What about our research!? Are you truly going to allow Zero to destroy all of our hard work!?" Bartley pleaded, only to receive the cold shoulder.

"I've gathered everything I need. This place no longer holds any purpose."

"What about the Irregulars!?" the Colonel shouted, "Alongside with the remnants of Pluton, we'll be able to easily push the Black Knights back."

"You're joking, right?" V.V turned to face them one last time as the gate opened, "Not only do the Black Knights have an arsenal of stellar Knightmare pilots, but they've also got our trump card, Jeremiah. A battle with them would be hopeless." he let out a frustrated sigh, "However, don't let that stop you from going out with a bang. After all, I'm sure you'd all like to avoid capture."

"So what!? You're just going to leave us like this!?" Bartley exclaimed, "Even after everything we've accomplished!?"

"Short answer? Yes." V.V answered heartlessly as a metallic hand emerged from the thought elevator, taking the Colonel and General by surprise. However, the Immortal paid their reactions no mind, thinking it was only a product of his previous confession, "Long answer? Everyone here has outlived their usefulness. Thus, I have deemed-gah!?"

The hand suddenly clamped around the Immortal, before pulling him into the Thought Elevator, "Master V.V!" Bartley shouted as the gateway closed.

"That's enough, General." Madd stopped the man from approaching the portal, "We won't be able to open it again."

"So, what do you suggest we do?"

"Fight. What else?" the Colonel faced the team of Irregulars, as they stood at attention, "There's no way we'll be able to escape, even if we had a plane to load everything up."

"The Chinese Federation would gun us down without hesitation, and that's not even thinking about what would happen if we somehow made it back to the homeland." Bartley muttered while clenching his fist, "Begin preparations for the impending battle." he ordered the Colonel with a stern gaze, "And make sure all of our documents are ready to burn at a moment's notice. If there's a chance we make it out of this alive, then perhaps we could bargain it for our lives."

"And in the case that's not possible, we can easily destroy it." Madd added, "I shall begin setting up our defenses now, General."

AN: Honestly, I've been trying to think of ways to write this chapter, but the past weeks have gone by and I hit a wall. Even now, I do feel unhappy with how the chapter turned out, mostly because of the scenes with Lelouch towards the end.

That does include the Jeremiah scene. It was always the plan for Lelouch to tell Jeremiah to lift the command from Clara and Rolo thanks to C.C's influence. Why? Because at this time, I don't think Lelouch would even have the mind to give such an order, unless suggested otherwise, due to him focusing on the problems with Kallen. The reason he didn't acknowledge it when Rolo brought it up, is two reasons; one is him focusing on Kallen at the time, and two, I don't think Lelouch is the type of person to openly come out and take credit for his own accomplishments. With that being said, I'm not happy with how the scene turned out, and I don't think it was conveyed properly.

Next chapter should hopefully come out sooner, and will be focusing on the C's World Trio and Geass Order.