Two Sons

Chapter 8
Two Fronts

Lelouch strolled through the hallways of the Lake Kawaguchi resort. As he'd predicted Kusakabe had allowed him entry, along with his two chosen bodyguards. In this case he'd chosen Kallen and Sugiyama. They had donned their masks and uniforms, He himself was wearing his mask and they walked in silence while four other JLF soldiers escorted them. Rifles laxly pointed in their direction.

As befitting of an officer, Kallen's uniform, unlike Sugimaya's, didn't feature the usual jacket, instead it was a coat, black with the silver trim that ended just above her knees. On the back was the insignia of a black chess piece. A black Queen to match her designation during operations. She glanced back at the soldier behind her and frowned when she caught him leering at her.

Feeling her gaze he looked up and was about to offer a suggestive look… when their eyes met he felt the searing anger behind the eyes and suddenly the man felt smaller compared to the shorter woman. He glanced adverted his eyes elsewhere.

The redhead turned back ahead and smirked slightly. A look only Lelouch and Sugiyama caught.

"We're here." One of the leading soldiers announced and stopped at the door. He glanced back at the three before knocking. "Your guards will wait out here for you." He informed them as he raised his hand to knock.

"Wai-" Kallen stepped forward to protest but Lelouch raised a hand and silenced her.

"It is fine, Q-1." He was, in fact, quite pleased that Kusakabe was being as traditional as he was paranoid. "I won't be long." He added.

The redhead frowned before grunting. "As you command, Zero." Sugiyama beside her nodded as well.

Lelouch stepped forward as the soldier opened the door, inside Kusakabe was seated on one of the luxury couches of the resorts upper rooms and was flanked by two guards. Both holding assault rifles while the General himself sat with sword resting on the ground like some cane rather than a traditional weapon made famous by Japan's warriors of old.

Their gazes were on Lelouch the whole way into the room as he strolled along and stood before Kusakabe. Lelouch could see the man's eyes were like an opportunistic predators, looking for any weakness in the Prince's walk and stance to exploit. But Lelouch, like his mask, expressed none.

It was finally Lelouch who broke the silence. "I'm grateful you allowed me passage, General Kusakabe."

The man frowned at being addressed by both rank and name. Instantly he was more weary of Zero as no one outside the JLF, Britannia's upper intelligence and the civilians he'd informed should know he was without introductions. "You have me at something of a disadvantage, Zero."

Lelouch closed his eyes and smiled behind his mask. "My apologies, General." He opened his eyes and soon, his tone steeled. "Now, I believe we should get down to business."

"Before that, remove your mask when speaking with me." Kusakabe demanded with the same frown. "It's disrespectful."

"Very well," They appeared surprised by his simple agreement. "But before I do, I wish to know exactly what you had planned with this little stunt."

"Stunt?" One of the guards growled. "You think-"

"Enough." Kusakabe said flatly without looking away from Zero. The command was followed shortly. "Explain what you mean by that, Zero? It seems a bit insulting."

"I'll do you one better. I will divine the reason you did this." Lelouch replied and glanced to the window, peering out at the gathered military forces lead by Cornelia, then to Kusakabe. "You did this to gain attention. A show of strength from the JLF, to show that despite your lack of activity as of late that you are still a force to be reckoned with." A pause as Kusakabe's frowned deepened. "No doubt spurred by my own recent miracles."

"Miracles?" Kusakabe's eyes were dark now. "Are you comparing yourself to Toudoh The Miracle?"

Something in that voice of his told Lelouch that the man was not a fan of the JLF's most renowned pilot. Lelouch could use that. "The Miracle of Itsukushima was not such. It was just a product of excellent intelligence, fast tactics and determination born of devotion. Hardly an act of divine intervention, but no less amazing."

"And what makes your Miracles any different, Zero?" It seemed the darkness had receded slightly, replaced by a smug approval that Zero didn't buy into Toudoh's "The Miracle" legacy.

"My miracles are born of a power beyond understanding." Lelouch reached a hand up. "A power you will experience, General Kusakabe." He inclined his head slightly and the slide slid open, revealing his crimson Geass about to take flight.

"You will serve me!"

The order took root in the three men's minds and without resistance their wills were now secondary to their new purpose in life. To serve Zero. The guards lowered their guards and saluted while Kusakabe bowed to the floor in reverence.

"How may we serve, Zero-sama?" Kusakabe asked with respect.

Lelouch smirked in satisfaction. It was always a treat to see the high and mighty brought low with but an order. "Rise, Kusakabe. So you receive your orders." The man rose with surprising swiftness and grace. Katana now held at his side rather than in such a disrespectful manner as before. "You and your guards are going to change into civilian clothing and escape with me and my Black Knights once you surrender your hostages to me." A pause. The men were paying rapt attention. "Once you have, you will return to the JLF and tell them I convinced this action wasn't the way to handle fighting Britannia. Then, you will resume your work for them as usual until such a time that I contact."

Lelouch raised a brow. "Understood?"

"Yes, Zero-sama." Kusakabe nodded. "But what of the others?"

"They will be killed, I am afraid, to provide credence that you perished as well, to hide your presence from Britannia." Lelouch replied simply.

Kusakabe appeared surprised before he nodded with a grim frown. "A good plan, Zero-sama. If unsightly."

The power of Geass was frightening indeed.

"I will contact you with this." Lelouch stepped forward and raised his hand, in it was a simple pager. "Only I will have this device. If any orders come through that are ended with "check". Then they are to be followed. If any come through and they arte not. Destroy it as it no longer secure. Am I clear?"

"Hai." Kusakabe accepted the device. "Should I keep it out of sight and knowledge?"

"Yes. For now, you may serve me, but the JLF must never suspect you do." The three accepted this with another simple nod, as if deceiving their comrades was nothing compared to following Lelouch's orders. "Now, would you kindly leave and wait in the hall while ordering the four guards outside to come and see me?"

"Of course," Kusakabe looked to the other two and nodded. They moved to the door, opened it. Kusakabe barked a quick series of orders and soon, the four JLF guards who escorted Kallen, Sugiyama and himself entered, looking confused at being alone with Zero.

Lelouch summoned his Geass again. They all tensed when power flooded the room and their bodies were suddenly unable to move as their gazes locked on that demonic eye with the red bird. Lelouch smirked.

"You will serve me!"

Geass took flight yet again.

Outside in the hall, Kallen shifted on her feet and watched as Kusakabe stood out there with she and Sugiyama. He seemed… different, not like she expected. He was just standing, seemingly patient for orders from someone, along with his two guards. Neither glanced their way. Kallen was suddenly reminded of that time on the train when no one had noticed them, hadn't reacted… as if she and the others hadn't even existed.

It was creepy then and it was creepy now.

What did Lelouch do? Or is Kusakabe just being disrespectful? She thought with rising ire as the image of the student boy who'd talked her into joining his little resistance group, well, not so little now as their deeds grew all the more renowned. This wasn't the first time she'd wondered exactly how Lelouch did what he did, she considered asking… but she felt that if she did he wouldn't tell her, or worse yet, leave.

And loathe as she was to admit anything about the Britannian student, she had come to terms with the simple they needed him. He was a commander, he was resourceful and above all he was charismatic and could, apparently, pull almost anyone to his side. It was frightening.

"Ka-" Kallen's elbow impacted Sugiyama's ribs hard enough to knock the wind from his lungs to interrupt his slip up. She glared.

"Yes, P-7?" She asked pointedly.

The man blinked before realizing he's almost used her real name and he quickly looked away in shame. "Sorry, Q-1." He said, sufficiently cowed. She almost felt bad, but the need for secrecy among the JLF was made quite clear by Lelouch, none of them may know their names. "I was just wondering if you felt this reminded you of that time on the train."

"It does." She replied and looked back at Kusakabe and his men. They hadn't reacted to the slip up it seemed. They still just waited for some order.

"General," A voice came through the door, it was undoubtedly Lelouch's. The door opened and Lelouch stepped out, the general and his two flunkeys stood even straighter as if being addressed by a superior. "You and your men get changed." Lelouch turned his masked visage to Sugiyama. "The case, P-7?"

"Hai." Sugiyama walked forward and held up a large briefcase to Kusakabe. Who accepted it with a nod. Nodded and he disappeared into the room, closing the door behind him.

Alone with Lelouch and Sugiyama, Kallen spoke her mind. "What the hell did you say to them to make them so… compliant?" She frowned when he just chuckled.

"I have many secrets, Q-1." Lelouch responded. "And my methods of persuasion will remain forever mine."

She looked ready to argue before a ping from her communicator drew their attention. She raised it up and brought it to her ear. "What?" She answered with a bit of irritation brought from Lelouch's blatant refusal of his methods.

"Q-1," Inoue's voice filtered through. "We've planted the charges and we've secured the hostages, or rather… they secured themselves."

Kallen blinked. "Explain?" She demanded, tone less annoyed and more confused.

"I guess the guards were killed by three mercenaries who claim to be employed by Zero? I got names… one is Adam, Hayes and John…I was wondering if you check in with Zero to confirm?"

The redhead looked to Lelouch. "P-3 wants to confirm if you hired mercenaries to secure the hostages?" Her tone was a mixture of controlled anger and blatant incredulity. Did he seriously hire mercenaries?! Killers for hire who'd sooner shoot hostages as well as save them if the price was good enough?

"Ah yes, I almost forgot." Lelouch seemingly ignored her tone. "I did, they're with us and will be extracted with us." He stopped and looked squarely at her when she seemed ready to say more. And suddenly she too felt as if his gaze held a weight unseen. "We will speak of your protests when we are back at base, Q-1. For now we must focus on the task at hand."

Kallen bit her lip, she hated how calm he could act, even behind that mask it sounded like he was always smirking, or his tone, sounding so factual and humble, could make it seem as if he was just so much better than everyone around him. Everyone ate out of his hand and yet she felt as if he was only feeding her scraps.

And it only egged at her more because she couldn't figure out exactly why this bothered her so much! He was effective as a leader, he had yet to lead them astray and even now he was proving to be as crafty as ever and yet the idea of him keeping her in the dark grated at her in a way that only had the redhead frowning deeper.

A hand on her shoulder pulled her from her thoughts and she was faced with the masked face of Lelouch, who was focused solely on her. "We will speak later." It sounded like a promise and she was momentarily caught off guard, So much so that she almost missed the whispering of her name. "Kallen."

She frowned, but nodded and brushed his hand away. "Right, Zero."

Lelouch nodded and when the door to the room opened again he spun with a flourish of his cape to face the redressed Kusakabe and JLF members, now looking like usual civilians. They didn't seem the least bit awkward about their new attire. "You're dressed." Lelouch spoke. "Good."

"What are your orders, Zero-sama?" Kusakabe asked as he and the other JLF members, to Kallen and Sugiyama's shock, stood at attention yet against Lelouch stepped forward.

"At the bottom of the facility in the boating docks, you'll find several boats, they should be secured by my forces." He turned to Kallen. "Q-1. I want you to escort them. You know the way."

She nodded. "Right," She looked to Kusakabe. "With me, General." When the man gave her a serious nod she turned and began to march down the hallway towards the stairways. As elevator travel was forbidden by Lelouch incase something went wrong.

And then entire way down not a single question or word had been exchanged between herself and the seven JLF members she'd escorted.

Euphemia rarely ever truly feared for her life. Such was her will as she glared defiantly at the black and silver clad figures who held her lazily at gunpoint. They didn't seem overly hostile, in fact they just looked like they were doing their job, one of which wasn't aiming a gun at some unarmed princess.

Only the redhead, who was leering at her from beneath that black mask of his, made her truly uncomfortable. Her bodyguard had been removed with the rest of the civilians and she was alone in the room they'd been held in. Even the three mercenaries had been escorted out and only three of these new people were there with her.

"P-4, quit staring at her like that." The one in the longer coat, Judging from said coat, she could deduce that the man was a higher rank in whatever organization this was. It had to be Zero's own forces, if so… then these people would be more than likely to shoot her. So why did the officer reprimand his own man?

"Sorry, B-2." The man, P-4, replied and looked away, seeming scolded by the man in the coat's gaze alone.

The man himself held a handgun as opposed to the other two's assault rifles. And he hadn't been aiming at her, more keeping the gun in general direction at the floor.

Before she could question who they were, the door parted and her breath caught in her throat when she saw exactly who entered. The flowing cape, the mask that hid all human features and outfit so outlandish that it drew attention instantly to him.

Zero had come for her.

"B-2, P-4 and P-9. If you would give me and the Princess a moment in private." Zero's tone left no room for argument.

Except from a certain redheaded man. "Are you sure about that, Zero? What if she tries some-"

"I have my own weapon, P-4." Zero interrupted with calm patience, but she could hear the subtle edge in his wording that implied he was less so. The man seemingly did as well because he nodded and left as quickly as the other two. The door closed him.

The third Princess of Britannia stared back at Zero's "face" with a small frown, her shoulders straight and stance tall. She would not be cowed. Zero's faceless person continued to stare at her and the silence soon grew palpable.

She licked her lip and spoke. "So you wanted to see me, Zero?" She spoke without the discomfort she felt inside tinging her voice.

The masked male stared more before he reached up. "I have, for years." He replied to her surprise as he gripped his mask, there was a series of clicks as the back of it pulled upwards, revealing it was comprised of several "plates" before it loosed and he pulled off. It fell away in his hand and in the other he held his handgun.

She stared at the face he presented to her. Behind a simple black mask that hid only his mouth, she saw the dark hair, violet eyes. Filled with such passionate emotions that she found herself gasping at the swirling hatred she could feel in them. But there were softer ones, eyes were the windows to the souls and Euphemia had always been particularly good at reading them.

She saw hatred, swirling like a raging dragon. But there was familiarity, love and regret. The man in front of her was so suppressed she felt a part of her go out to him. To have such control and contain everything he felt so deeply.

"Who… are you?" She asked hesitantly.

He stared before his eyes closed and he spoke. "Ah yes, it has been sometime… I suppose I have changed since we last saw each other." He holstered his pistol, and reached up to pull down the face mask.

The face, with that simple pull of fabric, tore her world apart for several moments as she took in the appearance of the man. Black hair, messy yet with a wild purpose, violet eyes so expressive and the shape of his face. It had summoned ghosts from her past and one such ghost soon overlaid it's younger face to the older male before her.

They matched.

"L-Lelouch?" Her voice broke with emotion as memories of her first crush and brother to her second favorite sister seemingly returned to life before her. "Is…" She took a step forward and reached up. "Is that really you?"

The man who couldn't be anyone but Lelouch stared at her before his lips curled into a small smirk. It was undoubtedly him. That smirk was all she needed. "Yes, Euphemia, it is I, the Exiled Prin-Ah!"

He yelped as she suddenly tackled him, wrapping around his neck with surprising strength for her otherwise slight body. Her weight crashed into him and he released his helmet and fell back, his pistol and composure forgotten as she lay atop him, her face buried in his neck, he could damp droplets beginning to soak his mask and her shoulders shook in silent sobs.

His hands were frozen in the air as he struggled what to do, he had been expecting many possibilities about their meeting, but this? This was the result? She was hugging him, crying against him and on top of him? His cheeks instantly flamed and he cleared his throat. "Euphemia, what are you doing!?" He hissed.

She continued sob into him, little squeaks of them escaping against him every so often before she looked up at him with reddened cheeks and tear stained eyes. "Hugging you, Lelouch." She replied with a relieved smile. "Because you're alive! I…We… Cornelia, Schneizel and I, we… Oh god Lelouch!" She buried her face in his chest this time, gripping onto his shirt as if to anchor him to this reality of hers.

Her brother was truly alive and real. She could physically grasp him, he was real! He was alive! Unlike Clovis. A voice in her head reminded her.

She stopped, sniffling now as she pulled her gaze back up to his face. "Lelouch… if you're Zero… does that mean you… killed Clovis?"

His expression sobered immediately and those eyes were once again her only window into Lelouch's person. His lips thinned into a line and his body tensed with grim resolve. He finally spoke and it was as sharp as a knife. "Yes."

That knife point found her heart and twisted. She winced as if in physical pain as the coldness of his voice. It was as if he didn't feel anything for killing his own brother, a member of his own family. "Lelouch! He was out brother, he was gentle, kind. He was-"

"A monster." Lelouch interjected with the same icy voice he'd used before and she instantly felt this wasn't her Lelouch, she looked into those eyes and saw pain, hatred searing so brightly she almost felt like she could sweat from it if she gazed too long. "One I was glad to put down."

Her eyes widened in shock… before anger took root and her hand lashed out without any real thought.

Smack!

Lelouch's face was turned to the side, and his eyes were closed, her hand stung and she curled it into a fist as tears flowed from the corners of her eyes again. "Clovis wasn't some animal to be put down!" She said with hurt venom. "He was our brother, our flesh and blood. And you-"

"Put a slug through his head at point blank range." Lelouch whispered to her, eyes opening and turning to look back into her eyes. She stopped cold at the sight of them. Before they were expressive, so many emotions… But the ones he had now were anything but. They were cold, sharp and contained such focused rage she shuddered to think what he could do with all of it.

"How could you?" Euphemia whispered. Voice small and hurt as she clutched to his shirt, as if hoping the gesture would drag back her Lelouch. The boy she'd laughed and played with all those years ago. "Why did you do it?"

His eyes flickered and then his lips curled into a sneer. "Because he was a member of the Britannian royal family." He replied as if it was all so obvious. As if for not knowing this answer made her stupid. She winced and he continued. "Because he ordered the slaughter of innocent people. Because he allowed corruption to dig deeply into the area." He hissed each reason with condemnation.

"And because it brought me satisfaction."

"You're not my brother…" Euphemia stared at Lelouch, this man below her was her brother, Lelouch was dead, buried beneath the prominent hatred that had taken his heart and twisted him. "You're not Lelouch." She affirmed, tone no longer angry, but sad and disappointed. Her fingers curled into his shirt tightly, she bit her lip.

Lelouch stared at her and their eyes again met. She could see the raging emotions swirling around them, feeding his anger, hatred and reminding her this wasn't her brother anymore. And to him he could see her pain, feel her disappointment and agony that she'd almost had her brother back only to find out he'd been robbed of what made him special to her.

No, he wasn't her brother anymore. He was Nunnally's, not Euphemia's, Not Cornelia nor Schneizel.

"I am sorry, Euphemia." His voice was suddenly soft as silk, dripped with tired resignation as he reached up, she almost shied away from him until one of his gloved hands found the back of her neck while the other reached up to her shoulder, keeping their gazes locked. "I loved you all, once upon a time." He whispered again.

"Lelouch…" A pit grew in her stomach. "What are yo-…" She gasped when his eye tinged red before a sigil appeared in it. As if a bird waiting to take to the air.

"Euphemia Li Britannia." He spoke of her full name with power and command. She shook, somehow unable to break eye contact as some force commanded her to keep their eyes locked. "If I should ever say the words "Checkmate in two moves", You will…" The bird took flight.

"Kill Cornelia Li Britannia and then yourself."

Her lips parted in a shocked gasp as the command took root in her mind, her eyes rimmed crimson as the Geass began to write her mind… Lelouch watched, eyes resolved to this sin he committed against a woman who he knew only to be kind and warm, but it was as he told Clovis. You can't change the world without getting your hands dirty.

And Lelouch was ready to walk waist high in a river of blood to achieve Nunnally's wish.

"N-No!" Euphemia screamed, clutching at her head as she rolled from him, curling as if in agony, to his shock. He stared.

Is she resisting my command? He thought in astonishment. None had ever done this! A part of him, the part that was human, was horrified by the display as she writhed, clutching at her hair so tightly he saw strands snapping, her mouth parted in soundless cries as she fought the power of his Absolute Submission.

"I will not!" She cried again, tears streaming down her face. She rolled over, saw his handgun. She reached for it, Lelouch, seeing her going for his discarded weapon, reached over and knocked it further away from her hand and out of her reach. "No!"

Lelouch looked back to her face. The sheer betrayal in her eyes shone with her tears as she gazed at him as if he were the worst sort of person. He didn't break their contact as he said. "You're still too valuable a piece, Euphemia."

"L-Lelouch… No…" She croaked, before the redness of Geass took her eyes and this time it did not fade. Her expression, once horrified and betrayed, settled and instead she smiled and nodded. "I understand, Lelouch!" She said with sudden cheer.

It disturbed him to think that she would accept killing her sister, her beloved sister, with such cheeriness after being so distraught about it not seconds ago.

The door was knocked on. "Zero!" It was Tamaki. "You okay?!"

No… Lelouch's conscious told him everything about this was beyond words for how horrible it was. I am so sorry, Euphemia… I never intended to use you like this, but the opportunity couldn't be missed. Cornelia will never suspect you to be one of my agents. He thought, rationalizing it. Even if the knife in his own heart twisted painfully. He sat up and looked at her. "I'm fine, P-4!" He called back. "Just finishing up my discussion with the princess…"

"Is there anything else I can do you for, Lelouch?" Euphemia smiled as she too sat up, brushing off her knees and tilting her head, ready to comply with his wishes.

Lelouch stared at her, eyes falling into tired sorrow before his emotions were shoved to the furthest reaches of his mind, He closed his eyes and inhaled. "Yes, you can stop calling me Lelouch, I am Zero. And you will address me as such."

"Oh," She sounded disappointed, even as the red of Geass still took to her eyes. "Alright, Le-I mean Zero!" She smiled sheepishly. "I'll remember that!"

"Good," He stood and offered her his hand. She accepted it and he pulled her to her feet, she said a quick thank you before awaiting further orders. "Euphemia, your helpful nature… even now it's outstanding." He whispered to her.

She blinked before giving a small giggle. "I'm sorry if that's a bad thing, Zero, I just… want to be helpful to you." She paused, before tilting her head. "If there anything else I can do, don't hesitate to tell me!"

He stared at her. She had grown so beautiful, she was a woman now. Even now, he remembered how he'd felt for her as children, her presence… always lightened his mood, she was great with Nunnally as well. And he had just used his Geass on her. He closed his eyes swallowed back a lump in throat. "I'm going to be giving you back to Cornelia, you are not to tell her my identity, am I clear?"

"But… she would love to know you're alive!" Euphemia pouted sadly. "She'd be so happy."

Lelouch doubted that very much. "Still, do not inform her." Euphemia nodded finally, still looking conflicted. "And if she asks, tell her we just talked about Clovis' murder… and that I allowed you to live because today, you were an innocent."

She listened and nodded, smiling widely and giving a mock salute. "Alright, Zero! I'll do my best."

"Good," Lelouch nodded. He reached up and pulled his mask up, covering his mouth again. He grabbed his pistol and helmet. He slid the pistol into its holster. "B-2!" He called as he slid the helmet on and it clicked, signalling it's security.

The door opened and Ohgi stepped inside, looking between him and Euphemia. "Yes, Zero?" He replied when he saw now real danger.

"Escort Euphemia to the boats and begin the evacuation as planned. I'll be there shortly."

"R-Right!" Ohgi looked to Euphemia, nodding to her. "Come along, Princess."

"Okay." Euphemia looked back at him with a small wave before following after Ohgi, the door closed them.

Lelouch raised his hand, staring into his palm before he punched the nearest wall and grit his teeth as angrily pained tears gathered at the corners of his eyes. Guilt ate at his heart and he felt disgusted. I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! His mantra continued for a minute before he pulled his aching hand back and took a deep breathe, ignoring the ache in his chest and sneering voices of his conscious, he left the room to find Tamaki and Sugiyama standing there, waiting for him.

Tamaki handed him the detonator to the explosive. "Here ya go, boss." He grinned. "That'll get the show started when we're ready."

"Thank you, P-4." Lelouch stared down at the remote detonator for the explosives. "Let us go, we should join the others." They agreed and together they moved along towards the stairway.

Lelouch however, had left a piece of himself in that room to be destroyed with the building. All he could do was tell himself it was all for Nunnally and that for her he would walk the path of Lucifer himself, he would challenge demons and deities. Even as his vision swam and he was suddenly walking in a hallway filled with enough blood beneath his feet that it made a soft splash each step.

It was already enough blood that he wanted to see for a lifetime.

In the depths of the European Union territory, in a particular desert with the sun shining high in the sky and bearing down it's smouldering heat upon the sand, now hot enough to burn someone's bare skin if they walked too long bare footed upon it long enough. The desert, to anyone who flew, crossed or even surveyed it would find nothing but endless sands and overbearing heat.

To those who were part of the select few outsiders gifted with the knowledge, they would find beneath the dunes was the secretive Geass Directorate, or Geass Order depending on who you asked. The organization, by any name really, was the sole knowledge on the otherworldly power known as Geass and it's Codes. In the past they were purely an occult order dedicated to the worship of Geass and the code bearers.

However, when C.C had become director, she had taken it in a new road. Researching and understanding the Code and Geass itself, finding out it's intricacies and roots. For close to a century and a half it had been this. Then with C.C's resignation and V.V's appointment, the research part of the Directorate had further increased it's experiments and the Geass Order spawned many smaller operations.

C.C had laid the foundations for change and they were still strong when he'd come to power, he'd merely used them to expand his own little changes. Yes, research and understanding of Geass was still the primary purpose of the Geass Order, but then it's subsidiaries such as the "Personnel Department" and "Intelligence Division" had other purposes that suited the order and V.V's goals.

The Personnel Divison, for instance, took in orphans of every ethnicity from various regions, mostly poverty stricken areas where they would hardly be missed, and took them in, gave them shelter and promises of a future. Then, they began to train them in the arts of assassination. Firearms training, martial arts and even educating them to standards held by most noble families in Britannia.

They were even given acting lessons, drama to produce emotional reactions in themselves to fool friend and foe alike. They would entirely devoted to the order, and by extension, V.V.

And that was why the child like Director, once known as Viktor Zi Britannia, no only V.V Stared down at the up and coming recruits. There were a good seven dozen in a large gym on mats going through basic hand-to-hand combat training. Mostly Krav-Maga mixed with varying other styles to provide a wide pool of techniques for such purposes.

He knew there was another five in another, more sound proofed part of the facility going through life fire training against dummies while another two dozen were undergoing interrogation and counter interrogation techniques. Afterall, they had to be prepared for a good number of situations.

The child-like director raised a cup with one hand from a plate being held in his other and sipped at the expertly made Earl Grey tea he'd ordered. He sighed in content and continued to watch the various eleven and twelve year olds train beneath him. All to get ready to fulfill his and Charles' wish to reset the world to a better, gentler time where lies would be without meaning.

But, that was, sadly, still years away, but there was still time. Charles was getting on in years, but he was nowhere near old old yet, and without that troublesome Marianne to further cloud his focus then they would resume their true goal.

His observations of the future were interrupted by a knock at the door to his office. He sighed softly and turned to the door while answering. "Enter."

His personal servant, Nico, stepped inside and bowed his head respectively with an across his chest. "My lord, V.V. Researcher Higgins wishes to speak to you concerning a matter he deems urgent." He informed simply.

The dark haired man had served as V.V's personal servant for roughly fifteen years now, making him a good thirty-nine years of age and still fit as a fiddle and as loyal and subservient as they came. He was also, like the children below them, trained in every lethal art in the world.

"Oh?" V.V smiled slightly in amusement. "I wonder whatever it may be… Very well, Nico, send him in."

"Of course, M'lord." Nico retreated from the room and V.V sat down at his desk and waited patiently, both curious and annoyed his own musings had been interrupted for likely some trivial matter such as additional funding, which had been a bit of a bother for some of the researchers as V.V had been diverting more to the Personnel Department with recent events.

Higgins entered and the greying man adjusted his glasses and coat, looking at V.V with urgency, and excitement. "Director! We've found her!"

V.V's previous amusement and annoyance were wiped away in place of rapt attention as he cooed. "Oh really?"

"Yes, our system detected a spike in Geass activity! We cross referenced the readings with previous samples and we can safely confirm it was former Director's C.C's code!" The man was excited, and V.V found it contagious as he grinned.

"Excellent news, how old was the signal? Where was it located?" He asked. If it was recent then they could deploy a few search teams to the Area in question and finally bring back their errant second code to help the Ragnarok Connection along again. It would be a big leap in the completion of their plan.

"Ah, well, the signal was originally week or so ago, but we didn't wish to bother you until we confirmed it was indeed C.C, but now that we know, it originated in Area Eleven and-"

"A week?" V.V's smooth interruption brought Higgins back to reality and Earth as the child immortal stared at him with his cheek resting in his palms, lips curved in a rueful smile. "You're only now bringing this to my attention after a week, researcher Higgins?" He went on just as calmly.

Higgins sputtered now, looking decidedly more nervous as Nico behind him smiled in a similar manner as V.V. "Well, I… uh, we wanted to be absolutely sure, it was her… we didn't want to risk wasting time if it wasn't…" He started.

"And while that thought is most touching, it doesn't change the fact that you've cost us a good week's worth of time to ensure the re-acquisition of one of our most valued employees." V.V gave that same smile, only it widened into a grin. "Researcher Higgins, this is a blunder that I would normally punish severely. But!" The man's shoulders sagged in relief. "In light of your recent efforts and thoughtfulness, I shall be merciful."

"Nico, kill him quickly."

Higgins blinked. "B-But Direct-gah! Haaah!" He gasped and his eyes rolled in the back of his head, blood seeped from his nose before his body twitched and he collapsed, unmoving while behind him, Nico's eyes glowed with the power of Geass and it's ability "Absolute Death".

V.V chuckled and shook his head. "Honestly, Nico. These days it seems like you're the only reliable left in the world next to my dear younger brother." It was a compliment if ever there was one. His servant merely nodded and bowed his head. "Now! Do be so kind and have that mess cleaned up. I need to make preparations to find our wayward C.C."

"Of course, Lord V.V." Nico stepped over to the body, and taking it by the ankle, the man began to drag off the corpse, leaving a stream of blood in it's wake. V.V didn't mind, in the otherwise sterile white room, a little red mixed well with the grey and black furniture.

He tapped a few keys on his personal console and when he had a good enough link he turned in his spinny chair, a thing he so enjoyed when no one was around during his more boring days, and watched as a screen lowered from the ceiling. Revealing the Geass Directorate's sigil before the screen flickered and another researcher appeared on the screen.

"Director, how may I be of service?" The man asked, more serious than Higgins had been.

"Mathews, I've just learned from Higgins that there has been a sign of C.C's Code in your area, can you confirm that for me?" V.V asked with mock kindness.

"Of course, my lord. Give me a moment." The man looked to the side, there was the rapid sound of keys before he turned back to V.V. "Readouts suggest so, from the readings themselves. It suggests she passed on a Geass to another." A pause, then a frown. "Since then, I've detected many minor fluctuations of Geass activity." He informed the director.

V.V raised a brow. "She gave Geass to another? Do we know who?"

"No, sadly. All I can tell you most of the instances have been inside the Tokyo settlement, A few times inside the Ghettos… The uses are sporadic at best." A pause, before the man blinked and frowned at something. "Odd…"

"What's odd?" V.V arched a brow curiously.

"I've just gotten a stronger signal, this one is radiating C.C's signature as well… But the Geass activity is a constant flow. Looks like a Runaway Stage Geass." Mathews frowned, leaning over to his screen. "It's just entered the area, the signature isn't too hard to track."

Now that was interesting. A Runaway Geass with C.C's signature? V.V could only guess who it was and he grinned slightly. "Oh my… Mao? What rock did he crawl out of, I wonder?" Before Mathews could answer, V.V quickly changed topic. "I'll have some of our men follow him. But they'll need to keep distance, Mao's Geass is very potent and works within a fifty meter radius."

A pause, before the child-like director snickered. "And he may be a bit… unhinged, since his stay with us three years ago wasn't the most relaxing." He gave a darker smirk now. Mao had been captured, promised into a trap by using C.C's name as bait. His Geass was most unique and V.V had been determined to break the man and have him work for the Order.

It had been unsuccessful. He hadn't been fond of V.V's methods for persuasion for long and with his power and no active counter to it, he'd escaped. How he'd hidden for so long was curious, but it was a secondary concern. If the man was in Area Eleven, then it confirmed C.C's presence there as well. As each Geass user was, subconsciously, attracted to their Code bearer who birthed them.

Mathews nodded and the screen shut off. Lifting back into the ceiling while V.V turned around to see Nico just finishing up with wiping up the blood on the floor, silent as a ghost. Once that was done, the man stood and offered his lord a smile. "All clear, M'lord."

"Very good, Nico." V.V nodded and smiled himself. "Now, I'm sure you've been cooped up in this bunker for so long that you may wish some time outside?" He asked with a small bit of suggestive cheer.

Nico blinked his silver eyes before his lips curled into a malicious grin and his eyes glinted with menace. "I could use some fresh air, my lord." He replied, dark locks falling into his face, swaying with a deadly power as his Geass took form in his eyes. "Do I have an assignment?"

"Yes, track Mao, and once he's lead you to C,C, dispose of him and bring her in." V.V paused. "And if you can, deal with her secondary contractor, if there is another, then they will also be in Area Eleven."

Nico closed his eyes and wry smirk still on his lips as he bowed his head and replied. "Of course, my lord. I shall be on the next flight out to Area Eleven."

He stood straight, turned on his heel and marched for the door, pausing in the doorway to look over his shoulder V.V. "Shall I bring you a souvenir while I'm there, my lord?"

"Just C.C's pretty little self and her code will be the best gift you can get me, Nico." V.V responded with a grin. "And if she resists… You need not be gentle, she's not delicate."

"Oh good, I do enjoy a little rough housing." And with that statement Nico left, closing the door behind him with a small click.

V.V leaned back in his chair and chuckled, supporting his chin with his fists and looking off wistfully into nothing. "Well, C.C, you couldn't run forever, could you? No… You, me and Charles are in this together. And we cannot escape our pact." His eyes darkened and his smirk faded into a frown. "You will not escape our pact."

End of chapter 8

There's chapter 8! Now, I bet you thought it would take longer to type, but no! It did not! And so, I hope you all enjoyed the read. Thanks to those who read, and then reviewed. I do so enjoy reviews! They give me warm tingles! Now, until next chapter, peoples!