Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass.

Author Notes: It has been a very long time but I hit a writer's block with this story. I am back now and this story will be completed! Sorry for the stellar writing since it will take me some time to come back to writing the story. Enjoy! (Review Replies at the end)

Chapter 4: Gathering Allies

Suzaku hated the Estate.

It was furnished in the old Japanese style with sliding doors and had the aura of tranquility about it. While Suzaku respected and even loved the Japanese culture he couldn't shake the feeling that he was betraying the people by just living like this while his countrymen could barely afford a roof over their heads.

But his guilt didn't override the fact that he had a promise to fulfill and that, according to him, was a lot more important than his conscience.

He may not deserve the privilege but she surely did.

He came upon a sliding door that was similar to the ones before it but he knew for a fact that this one of the only rooms in the Estate that was Britannian styled rather than the traditional Japanese style. It was mainly because of the fact that the person who spent most of their time here couldn't sit down without any assistance and so a normal dining table was preferable.

He entered the room and cast a perfunctory look around for anything amiss.

While the dining table took up most of the room, potted plants were pushed in a corner to make the room feel more homely. Another door opened up into the garden behind where the gurgling noise of the fountain could be heard.

There were only two occupants in the room and both of them looked up as he entered.

"Suzaku!" He felt a smile appear on his face when he heard her voice. She tended to have that effect on everyone around her regardless of their race and background. She even made Kirihara laugh on one memorable occasion and that alone was a testament of the kind of person she was.

He passed Kaguya who also had a small smile on her face and stopped side of Nunnally who sat at the head of the table. She turned the wheelchair to face him and he felt a small surge of affection for the young girl.

"Nunnally." He bent in front of her and she immediately clasped her hand over his. "I hope Kaguya hasn't been irritating you." There was slight amusement in his tone as his cousin bristled at the accusation.

"Suzaku Kururugi! Have you come here to fill my dear friend's mind with poison against me? If yes then I can guarantee you that it isn't going to work." Kaguya huffed but Suzaku knew she wasn't really upset with the way her lips twitched upwards when he glanced at her.

"Well, it is my duty to warn a sweet, innocent girl about the dangers of acquainting herself with a-" He stopped at the look on Kaguya face as if daring him to say something more. He had been going to use the words 'She-Devil' but he knew that that would only get him into more trouble with her and she would find a way to repay him back for it.

She always did.

Nunnally giggled at their banter and his attention turned back to her. "Kaguya has been great company for me. I really enjoy spending time with her." Suzaku noticed that Kaguya eyes had softened at the words and he pushed back the urge to smile at that. He knew that while Kaguya could be mischievous and ruthless when it came to things she wanted and believed in, she always had a soft spot for the Ex-Britannian princess.

Nor did she have any problem admitting it.

"Ara! You are too sweet." She squealed as she hugged the crippled girl tightly. Suzaku was pushed aside by Kaguya and he resisted the urge to laugh at the surprised expression on Nunnally's face. He would have thought that after 7 years of spending time with Kaguya she would have gotten used to the sudden affectionate gestures but apparently not.

Nunnally smiled and hugged her back. Suzaku got on his feet; the scene warmed his heart but there was also a dull ache when he thought about the one person who deserved to be there with them but wasn't.

"As great as this is Suzaku I am sure you didn't just drop by for a social visit." Kaguya had stepped back and was now intensely staring at him. At his bewildered look, she gestured towards his clothes.

He glanced down at his Japanese robe and internally grimaced. While he normally wore simple clothes it was only on certain occasions that he sought to revert back to the Japanese clothing.

"Is he back?" Kaguya asked, her head tilted to the side. Suzaku nodded, careful to keep his face blank even though he knew that Nunnally couldn't see the expression on his face.

"He wants to meet us." It was less of a question and more of a statement and before Suzaku could reply Kaguya stood up from the table and gently touched Nunnally's hands. "I will be back soon, Nunnally. Take care of yourself." Suzaku had to remind himself that while his cousin could be devil incarnate at times she was also immensely patient and kind when she wanted to be.

The smile that Nunnally gave her was proof of how much the girl liked Kaguya.

"Bye Nunnally. I will be back soon." Suzaku too, bid his farewell as he and Kaguya exited from the room. Nunnally waved at them before returning to her tea. Sliding the door close, Suzaku turned his attention back to Kaguya as they both started to walk towards the main room.

"He is going to talk about it again isn't he?" Kaguya asked as soon as they were safely out of hearing shot of the room. Even then she made sure to keep her voice low.

"He is starting to get a lot more adamant about it ever since the Britannian forces have started to crack down more harshly on the people." Suzaku grimaced. While it was true that he didn't want anyone to be hurt the alternative that Kirihara was suggesting didn't provide the perfect solution and would only lead to more complications.

"But I think he already knows that the chances of it working are pretty slim." Kaguya shook her head. "An Emperor who didn't think about his children before attacking the country they were in would accept his daughter being used as a bargaining chip? That is really doubtful."

"You never know. He may want Nunnally back." Suzaku's voice lacked any real conviction even as he said it. If the Emperor wanted his children back he would have gotten them out of Japan before declaring war on it. And Suzaku knew that even if it was their last choice there was no way he would allow Nunnally to be used as a bargaining tool.

Kaguya merely sighed. "Really Suzaku? Did you even listen to his speeches? The all 'weak must perish' and the 'strong shall thrive' talks."

Suzaku rubbed his forehead. It seemed like he and Lelouch had had poor luck in the father's department. And even then Suzaku didn't know whether his father would have been ready to use him if time came to that. He would never know the answer to that question and he felt the guilt suddenly gnawing on him.

"Hey, are you alright?" Kaguya had slowed down her pace and was now staring at him curiously.

He gave a wry smile, the memory of his father's death still causing the guilt to claw on his insides. "You know that we will do anything to keep Nunnally from harm's sake right? Don't worry. It will be alright."

Suzaku knew that it was an empty assurance more than anything since they were both technically powerless in front of Kirihara but for that moment he allowed himself to hope that everything will turn out alright. Kaguya smiled at him and stated to lead the way.

The thought of Lelouch just strengthened his resolve.

He wouldn't let Lelouch's death go in vain. He would protect Nunnally from the world even if it means burying his own conscience.

That was one promise he intended to keep.

Kallen was honestly tired of school. She felt it frustrating that while her comrades spent the day trying to come up with plans to beat back the Empire she was forced to spend time with the same people they fought against. She didn't envy Ohgi and the others but she would rather be with them than in her mansion.

She hitched her bag higher on her shoulder as she waved goodbye to her so called friends. Making sure to keep the sickly look on her face she slowly walked toward the exit. The Haunted House participation had been necessary for her pass grade and even though she was reluctant she had to participate. She didn't appreciate being stuffed into a fake grave for hours with her costume suffocating her. But there wasn't anything she could do about it so she went along with it quietly. Now she could go home.

Unfortunately there were still student's milling about on the streets and she couldn't shake off her adopted personality. So she continued on her slow journey towards the train station. The moment she took a seat on the train, her expression turned furious as she resisted the urge to punch something to calm her down.

She hated acting like a sick person.

It did give her a reason for being absent so often but it still didn't sit with her well that she had to act like something she was not.

She opened her bag in search for the juice she had bought with her but her eyes caught the sight of a thick envelope in it. She frowned as she tried to remember what it could be.

She was in the haunted house the whole day so her bag had been lying untouched in the adjacent classroom. But it still didn't explain how or why did the envelope end up in her bag.

She removed it and froze at the name in the cover.

Naoto Kouzuki was written in perfect Kanji.

Her hands tightened in the cover and she barely registered the fact that the train had stopped at her usual station. She sat there unmoving for a few more minutes before rushing out. Removing her phone from her pocket, she dialed the number under the name NK.

"We have a problem."

The Shinjuku Ghetto was not a place Britannians were welcome. Not that any of those snot faced people would anyway come into the Ghettos but Kallen knew that her uniform would only attract unwanted attention along with her Britannian features so she used the jacket she luckily had with her to hide her uniform.

A cheap hat bought from the shop near the train station had done the trick to hide her hair. While she knew that the people wouldn't hurt her and no Britannians would be here to see her it would be foolish to take the risk.

She had almost been caught once before by a few of her male classmates who had come into the Ghettos to goof off once and she wasn't willing to take the risk again.

"She knocked on the door of a shed. "It's me." It took a few minutes for the door to open up and when it did she caught sight of her elder brother standing there. She noticed that despite the tiredness reflecting on his face his mouth was pulled up in a bright smile.

"Kallen." He moved aside to let her enter. She glanced around the shed and internally grimaced at its condition. The wooden crates that had once carried supplies were scattered around and were all empty. There were trash pushed in one corner and the roof was missing a part. In one corner Kallen noticed that her brother had set up the laptop she had gifted him for his birthday.

She walked towards it as Naoto followed her. "Don't you have homework to do?" Kallen rolled her eyes. She never understood why her brother wanted her to attend school so badly. She knew that he didn't want her to get involved in this and they had fought before about it. Not that she listened to him anyways.

"You know as well as I do that homework isn't an issue for me." She didn't mention how stupid she felt for going to school while he sat here making plans. She wasn't in the mood for another fight.

"Then why are you here?" Naoto asked as he plopped into the chair front of the screen. His warm brown eyes held curiosity as he stared at her.

"Because of this." She extracted the packet from her bag and gave it to Naoto. She pursed her lips as his eyes widened and he glanced at her.

"Who gave you this?"

"I don't know." She sank into the nearest chair the frustration clear in her face. "It was kept in my bag when I was busy with the Haunted House I guess."

"So you have no idea who might have put this in here?" Naoto questioned studying the envelope.

"Sorry but I have absolutely no idea. It might be a member of the school but to be truthful it could be anyone since our school festival is open for all the people including Japanese." She sighed as she remembered their excitable Student Council President who went about everywhere with a big smile on her face like there wasn't a world out of Ashford Academy. A world where there were people who fought for freedom.

"Then this might be from anyone." Naoto traced the edge of the packet before coming to a decision. "Well, let's see what's in this."

Kallen had no complaints as he carefully ripped open one end of the cover.

"There are a lot of papers in here." Naoto said, removing the bundles of paper that were crammed inside the packet.

"They are all blank!" Kallen exclaimed as she studied the papers Naoto filed on the desk. Not even a single one of them had anything written on them. They were merely plain white papers. She frowned as she went through the papers.

"What does this mean?" Kallen asked as she tried to see some sense in this.

"A threat?" Naoto sounded more worried about the fact that the person knew who Kallen really was and whose side she was on. Kallen knew that she should be worried too but she was more frustrated than anything else.

"But why-" She cut off suddenly when she noticed a piece of paper with black ink on it. "Look Naoto!" She carefully removed the paper from the piles of paper that were now on the desk and studied it.

"It's an email id and password." She held out the paper to Naoto who stared at it in surprise.

"Looks like someone is trying to contact us." He smiled wryly. "Let's check what this anonymous person wants shall we?"

Kallen sat quietly as Naoto turned towards the laptop and began typing on it. Meanwhile Kallen thought about who could know about her real background since she had worked so hard to keep it hidden. It might have been someone from the school but it seemed highly unlikely since Kallen knew that most of the people from the school would have no qualms turning her in the second they knew about it rather than coyly sending things like this. So it had to be an outsider. But the question why still remained.

"Here it is." Naoto had logged in and clicked on the inbox.

There was only a single message in there.

She and Naoto exchanged a glance before Naoto clicked on the message.

As she read over his shoulder her eyes began to widen at all the implications. These kinds of details were the one they craved during their missions but never had. These were details that only high command staff of the Britannian Army could have. The details that could turn the odds in their favor.

It was the outline of a shipment that was going to be transported to an undisclosed safe location. The shipment was said to be some kind of weapon that could change the course of a battle if used properly. As she continued reading, Kallen could feel the smile light up her face. This was their chance at doing something about Britannia. If they could get this position gas in their hands then they could threaten the Britannian Government into giving in to into their demands at least for the time being.

"This is great!" Kallen shook her head as she leaned back. "This could really give us a boost in-" she stopped when she noticed the troubled look on Naoto face. "What's wrong?"

"There is another mail that just arrived." Naoto said as he went to the next mail.

She leaned forward in interest.

Naoto Kouzuki,

As you may have read the previous mail, it is sufficient to say that you are interested in what I have to say. I know that this method of communication is a little bit shady if not inconvenient but this is the best I can do at the present moment without revealing myself to you.

It may be hard to trust someone whose face and name remain a mystery to you and I cannot fault you for that. However it would be in your best interests to consider my offer.

The details I sent you are about the Poison Gas that's currently in the hold of Britannians. As to what they intend to do with it is quite simple.

Eradicate the Japanese in the Ghettos.

They consider the 'Numbers' who do not work for them as a burden to the society and have no qualms about silencing them. It will serve the dual purpose of clearing out the trash and showing everyone the ruthlessness of Britannia.

You, being a freedom fighter, have swore to protect the people of Japan. Hence I approach you with a request to consider my offer of helping you steal the Poison gas as it is being transferred to another location before they have a chance to use it on innocent citizens.

Think on it and reply back only if you are absolutely sure that you won't back out at the last moment.

Zero.

"Zero? What kind of alias is that?" Kallen asked as she plopped back on the chair. The information kept going through her mind again and again. This mysterious Zero was turning out to be more of a boon than a threat but she couldn't be sure which one was he just yet.

"What do you think Naoto? Should we accept it?" She asked him though she really wanted to say yes.

"We don't have a choice now do we?" Naoto muttered darkly and Kallen blinked in surprise.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"The fact that he sent the letter through you even though he could have directly sent it to me shows that it wasn't without a reason. It was a hidden threat." Naoto scowled. "He knows your secret and will have no problem revealing it to the authorities or anyone else if we don't accept his offer I am guessing. It's a kind of blackmail."

Kallen opened her mouth to refute it saying that her cover was nearly perfect and no one would believe it but she closed it. This man has already proven that he had friends in high places or at least he knew people who could get him the information he wanted and that kind of man was more dangerous than any classmate of hers

"You are right." Kallen conceded. "But what if it's a trap?"

"I doubt it. As he said, Britannians would decimate the whole ghetto instead of attempting such sneaky tactics." Naoto replied, his eyes still glued to the computer screen. "And I don't like the thought of them using the gas on innocent Japanese. So we do as he says."

As Naoto started to type back a reply Kallen tilted her head towards to stare at the roof. She still couldn't be sure if whether the man was a friend or foe but the fact that there was someone looking out if the Japanese still warmed her heart.

Only if they could win back their country.

"He replied." Lelouch smirked and leaned back, smug about the fact that his prediction came true. It wasn't often that he got the chance to use his capabilities on actual people instead of hiding behind the scenes for Research work. He had to admit that it was liberating.

Rolo looked at him from where the boy cooking something on the stove. "So everything is proceeding the way you planned." Rolo commented as he came to stand behind Lelouch and read the mail over the shoulder.

Zero,

Despite the ambiguity if the offer, I am willing to accept it since it seems like you don't have any hostile intentions towards us or else you would have already handed us in. I realize that asking you about who you are won't do us any good at this point since you have made it clear that you don't want anyone to know your identity.

All I ask of you is to prove that you are trustworthy and if you can do that I promise you the full support of my group.

And I request you to keep your distance from Kallen or else this deal is off.

Until next time,

Naoto Kouzuki

"He still wants you to prove that you are a well-wisher rather than a threat." Rolo frowned as he fingered the pocket knife on his waist. It would be easier if he just used his Geass to break into the base and kill all the guards before capturing CC but Lelouch had shot down the plan. Even Rolo had to admit that several bodies turning up with an escaped experiment would make Clovis even more suspicious.

"I did prepare for this eventuality." Lelouch revealed as his finger hovered over the keyboard. "So if they want a Man of Miracle, that what they will get it."

Mr. Kouzuki,

I am happy to hear that you have started to at least consider my offer instead of outright rejecting it like I thought you would.

You want a show of my trustworthiness and I am willing to provide a reason. I am guessing you have a raid planned for the next week since it is the anniversary of the overtaking of Japan so I am willing to help you conduct the raid successfully. I can promise you Knightmare Frames, food and other basic supplies that I am sure your group as well as other families of the Ghettos will be thankful for.

While even this is a request for you to trust in my judgement and allow me to plan the raid I am sure you will accept this as an assurance before the big mission I have entrusted you with.

If even a member of your group is lost, or you don't get the supplies I promise you are free to withdraw your support.

I am sure you won't be disappointed by me.

Zero.

"Why did Naoto call us here of all places?" Tamaki grumbled. He was cold and hungry and witnessing Britannian soldiers deal out what they call Justice to the Japanese hadn't helped his bad mood. He hoped that Naoto would have planned something for them to do but his hopes were low.

They had kept low for the past few weeks and Tamaki doubted that anything would change now.

"To notify you of a new development." Tamaki jumped and scowled when he notice Naoto walk in from behind some crates. He wasn't really annoyed by Naoto but he didn't like being caught by surprise.

"And what might that be?" Ohgi, the ever calm one asked as the others started murmuring among themselves.

"We have an ally on our side." Many people frown and even Tamaki could feel himself copying them. An ally?

"Is it the Kyoto Houses?" A hopeful voice piped up from the behind and before they could even complete the sentence Naoto was shaking his head. Tamaki rolled his eyes at the dumb question. The only groups that Kyoto supported were the JLF because that was the only group with a real chance of causing any damage. The rest of them were just mere annoyances to the Britannian Empire and as much as Tamaki hated to admit it, they barely made a dent with their resistance.

"No, it's an unknown benefactor." Silence befell them and Tamaki turned his head to stare if Naoto. He could not comprehend what Naoto had just said. Unknown benefactor?

"Explain." Ohgi said in his best teacher voice that had Naoto look a bit guilty.

"Well-" With that Naoto began his story of how someone had gone to Kallen's Britannian school and slipped an email id in her bag with a password and his conversation with an anonymous tipper who promised to make their upcoming raid successful in order to garner their help for stealing a chemical weapon. They all stood there flabbergasted as Naoto finished narrating and looked at all of them, waiting for their verdict.

Tamaki was the first one to speak up.

"This is bullshit! How can this insane guy claim to give us all those supplies by making our raid successful? We don't even know for sure if they will be having a those supplies and yet this guy comes out of the blue and promises to help us." Tamaki scowled. "I am sorry buddy but I think you are being tricked."

Ohgi and the others too seemed to agree with him though they prevented themselves from vocalizing their thoughts.

"Look, I know that you are all skeptical and you don't believe this Zero guy but I am asking you to trust in me not him." Naoto looked passionate as he stood on top of the makeshift podium of crates. Tamaki knew how much Naoto loved the people and how much he wanted to free Japan.

He also knew how stubborn he- and Kallen- could be when they wanted something. He was sure that even if no one agreed with him he would still go ahead with it without them. Ohgi seemed to share the same thought as he glanced at Tamaki out of the corner of his eyes. Tamaki got the silent message and frowned.

"We are with you." Ohgi declared. And even though Tamaki didn't like it one bit he nodded along with Ohgi and the others soon joined in. He could nearly see the relief on Naoto's face as he grinned at them happily.

He was less than happy about it but be had decided to trust Naoto a long time ago. He wasn't going to back out of that now.

"Did you get the information required?" Lelouch questioned Rolo as he sat on the couch going through all the old subway routes in the Honzaki area. The warehouse was supposed to be a transit area for the shipments and the security would be tight. But if they listened to Lelouch's instructions and followed them perfectly then the raid could be over without any losses.

"Yes. I managed to gather information about the time of the shipment arrival and the inventory as well as the number of guards. And here is the internal sketch of the warehouse along with the position of the guards." Rolo replied, sliding the papers towards Lelouch as he took a seat on the other side of the table.

"Good job." Lelouch complimented off handedly his attention already on the papers Rolo had bought. Rolo nodded and sat back to fiddle with his phone.

Naoto Kouzuki,

This email details the information on the location of the warehouse along with the internal structure with the guard placement. I will be emailing you another set of instructions on how to carry out the raid successfully but I request you to first commit this emails contents to your memory and debrief your group about it too.

Zero

Naoto stared the printed sheet of the rough outline of the warehouse silently as he tried to understand just how this Zero got all this information. This was all high class information that he doubted anyone except for the high officials could have. It made him feel a bit uncomfortable to have it printed and in his hand like proof that what they were about to do was real.

"Has our man contacted you?" Tamaki's slightly sarcastic voice cut through his thoughts and he looked up from the piece of paper to look at one of his oldest friends enter.

He could feel Kallen slightly growl and he frowned. He knew for a fact that Kallen hated Tamaki but she normally kept her thoughts to herself. He was sure that Tamaki wasn't happy about the fact that he was including a mysterious person into their group without any reason but Tamaki had yet to complaint.

"Yes he did. With the information on the raid." Naoto kept his voice light as he smiled at Tamaki. Tamaki grunted before retreating to a corner as they waited for others to turn up.

Naoto used the time to study the sheet once more. While they normally stuck to simple raids that gave them plenty of time to escape if they wanted, this one would be difficult and impossible to escape if they were cornered.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" Ohgi asked, once everyone had assembled.

"No, I am not." He saw many people grimace and flinch at his grim tone. "But it's not like we have a choice. We aren't going to do much of damage ourselves and if there is someone promising to help us, well, we aren't in any condition to reject it."

"Even if we don't know who he is?" Inoue cut in.

"Even if we don't know who he is, he knows who we are. He put that envelope for Naoto in my bag when I was in school." Kallen glared around at everyone. "What do you think that says about him?"

"That he is dangerous?" Nagata sighed as he shook his head. "Well, I don't see any harm in going along what he says for now. If he wanted to rat us out he wouldn't have gone through all this trouble in the first place."

"Did he send anything else other than the layout of the warehouse and its inventory?" Ohgi asked focusing his attention back on Naoto.

"Yes, he left a set of instructions that he asked to be followed without fail. He said that if we follow it we were sure to succeed." Naoto revealed.

"Well then what are we waiting for? Let's start cracking." Tamaki came forward.

Naoto looked around at the grim yet determined faces of his fellow comrades and smiled. They could do this.

Kallen was starting to think that this was a bad idea. A very bad idea.

The area was isolated and creepy and even though she knew that her comrades would be sneaking in to meet her soon it didn't do anything to shake off her nervousness about the whole plan. While she was one of the few who wanted to go along with Zero for the time being she couldn't help but wonder if this was all a very elaborate trap for them.

She knew that the chances to escape were very slim if they didn't manage to retrieve the Knightmares in time. It wasn't like the Ghettos where they could escape though the underground tunnels or hide behind the fallen buildings. The area was of a typical Britannian infrastructure with very few buildings and only one road.

She guessed that it was because of the store houses that were around but it did make their job a hundred times harder. Shinji had thankfully managed to sneak in with the Glasgow earlier that evening while Naoto and the others had caused a distraction just outside the perimeters. Kallen didn't know where he was hiding except that she wouldn't be seeing him until time comes to enter the factory.

She was worried.

But this wasn't the time to back out now. So she bent her head, took a deep breath before she put on her best smiled and waved her arms in the air.

"Excuse me! Please stop." She shouted though she knew that her while wouldn't be heard in the approaching truck. Though she was sure that her exaggerated hand movements would do the trick.

And she was right as the truck slowed down and the driver poked his neck out of the window with a sleazy smile. "Yes dear? What's the matter?"

She inwardly grimaced but kept up the bright smile on her face. It was time for Kallen Stadtfeld to be out not Kallen Kouzuki. "Oh my, you have no idea what all had happened to me. First I lose my way and then my car breaks down in the alley way over there and now I am stranded in this isolated area with no one to help." She made sure to blink slowly and surely as she stared up at the driver. "I was wondering if you could help me."

"Well… I could help to check the car if you want?" He offered with another smile and it was all Kallen could do to celebrate at the success of her role in the plan but that would give the game away so she just nodded vigorously.

"Oh sure thank you so much. I am so happy that I met such a man like you." She felt like gagging at the words coming from her mouth but the man seemed pleased; the red flush on his face told her as much.

"Oh it's no problem, no problem at all" He said as he unlocked the door and got out. "For a beautiful girl like you I-" He was cut off as Kallen twisted his arm behind his back and put slight pressure on his neck.

He fell like a pile of bricks and she suddenly stumbled forward with his weight. She grimaced at that but she had no time to dwindle with him. So she slowly dragged him off towards the a few trash cans. She would've waited for the rest of her group but they were on a very tight schedule and she didn't want anyone coming to check on the truck.

After she managed to hide the man behind the trash cans a few of her group including Naoto approached her with huge grins. "You did it!" He whispered.

"Ah well." She smiled self-consciously.

"We don't have any time to waste. Unlock the rear door; we will all hide in the back. Nagata, you drive and make sure to keep your face hidden." Naoto instructed as they all began loading in the back of the truck. The crates gave them very less room to move about but helped in concealing them at first glance.

"Wouldn't they find out that it is a Japanese man that's driving their vehicle? I doubt they will let any truck pass without checking." Tamaki hissed as the truck started moving. The darkness felt constricting but it wasn't like Kallen had much of a choice.

"We should hope that Zero holds up his end of the bargain and sends someone to back Shinji up. I don't want to lose anybody else." Even though Kallen couldn't see Naoto face she could imagine the determination etched to his face. While her brother may be eager to get Japan back, he was against sacrificing anyone for it. Kallen knew that agreeing to this plan was be a big leap for him since it was all hinging on the help extended by Zero.

If he didn't appear to shield Shinji from the Britannian soldiers than they would lose another friend even if they got in the warehouse.

Shinji Nakamoto was feeling nervous would be an understatement. His hands felt slick on the controls and he could feel sweat pooling on his brow. But he was the one who had volunteered for this. He had lost most of his family by now and there was nothing much left for him to live for. The only goal he had in his mind was to free Japan and he was ready to die for it. But that didn't mean he wasn't scared.

Naoto had warned him that this was practically a suicide mission since they were depending upon a mysterious man, who called himself Zero, for assistance.

He managed to lay low and wait for the last truck to arrive. The truck in which his comrades would be hiding. He took a deep breath and gripped the controls harder. The fourth truck had just entered the warehouse and the next truck to enter would be theirs.

The warehouse was in a practically isolated area in between the town and the Ghettos. There were tall fences on both the sides and there were guards near the entrance. Shinji knew that there would be more guarding the back since the front was flooded with light. He was managing to hide himself behind the large crates but he didn't know how long he could keep it up. They would soon be making rounds and he could be caught.

The success of this plan all depended on him now and if he failed then he would doom them along with him. Zero hadn't turned up and Shinji doubted he would.

He was on his own now.

As the fifth truck came into view and was stopped at the entrance, Shinji waited for a few moments before rushing out in front of them. The Glasgow was an old model but he was sure he could get a few Sutherlands with it before they killed him.

His face spheres caught the fact that the truck was being rushed into the warehouse due to his attack. A Sutherland came speeding towards him and he quickly used his Slash Harkens before slipped to the side. There were more Sutherlands joining the hunt and he managed to get one of them.

But there were more of them than of him and he felt helpless.

'Sorry Aoko.' He thought grimly as he dodged yet another attack from the Sutherland. There was another more place for him to maneuver the Glasgow into and running was out of option. The only thing he could do was buy his friends time.

He was ready to die the moment he accepted this mission.

But, all of a sudden, the Sutherland on the left turned towards it neighbor and disarmed it before shooting it. The escape pod flew away but the Sutherland wasn't done yet. He moved on to other Sutherland and before he knew it the fight was over.

Shinji blinked in confusion as he tried to understand what happened. One moment the Sutherlands were all bearing down on him and the other he was being rescued by one of the enemy Sutherlands. And that Sutherland too was something weird. Shinji could swear that he didn't see the Sutherland move to destroy the remaining Sutherlands but the smoking piles of metals told another story.

"Here is my promised assistance. The rest is up to you." A voice echoed in the cockpit and Shinji blinked. Zero had ended up coming after all. Glancing at the screens, he noticed that there were more Sutherlands coming from behind the factory. But before he could even think of what he should do the door of the factory blasted off and Knightmare Frames emerged from it.

"We got you back up buddy! Don't you worry now." Tamaki's voice boomed from the radio. Shinji winced though a grin was starting to form on his face. They actually had a chance to win now.

And it was all thanks to Zero.

Lelouch smirked as he saw the terrorists burst out of the factory with all Sutherlands. He hadn't been sure if the terrorists would have been able to do it but they had proved him wrong.

"They seem to follow instructions quite well." Lelouch mused as he sat back and watched the chaos unfold. He knew that it wouldn't be long before back up arrived and Naoto would order all of them to pull back before that happened.

"Lelouch, I am going to retreat now." Rolo's voice sounded a bit haggard over the ear piece and Lelouch knew that it was because of his geass usage.

"Fine. They should be able to take care of the rest by themselves so you get out of there before anyone spots you." Lelouch said, his eyes intently following the moments of all the terrorists. He guessed that they weren't half as bad for amateurs and there was one particular Knightmare Frame that seemed to be on par with the highest Knights of the kingdom. Lelouch didn't know who was there in the Knightmare Frame but he didn't care about it either.

As long as he achieved his goal he would work with them.

As soon as CC was caught, they would be on their own.

Lelouch smirked and leaned back. The pieces were all coming together and soon, soon he would be able to reunite with Nunnally once again.

And that made everything he did worth it.

Author Notes: Ah, a bit rusty but it felt good to get it done with. I am not very good with these kind of scenes so forgive me if it was inadequate. Questions or suggestions? Thanks for reading!

Review Replies:

Shiki Shiori: Yes but the assassinations will lead to a lot of questions and that is what Lelouch wants to avoid. He will develop soon. He is just starting out so for now he is kind of selfish. Thank for the review!

Aren Kamelot: Well, the Shinjuku Incident will be different for sure. Since this Lelouch isn't going to get stuck in middle of a battlefield himself. Thanks for the review!

Zexs: Charles has a habit of underestimating others. He doesn't think of the future so he never thought of how useful Lelouch would be to him in the future. Thanks for the review!