"ZERO!"

Lelouch looked up before he could say his words that would push Kallen away from him and saving her life. A blur of purple landed in front of him and Kallen who braced from the sudden landing of a Akatuski Zikisan with its revolving blade in a ready to attack.

"Urabe?" Lelouch whispered in confusion. He knew that Urabe was one of the few that knows his identity and part of C.C's remnant faction. But why was he protecting them?

"Kozuki! Get Zero out of here." Urabe called out as the Akatuskis in front of him aimed their guns at him. Kallen dragged a stunned Lelouch back to the elevator. "I have few of my men waiting for you two."

"Urabe, what are you doing!? Are you under geass!?" Todoh demanded.

"No, sir. I am not…" The Holy Sword member replied.

"Then why!? The demon used us, played a con-game on us!" Ohgi shouted in outrage.

"We would've gotten Japan back!" Chiba yelled.

"Better to be pawns and winners than forsaking our honour for a land grab by the lying words of our enemies." Urabe yelled back, shaken by the betrayal and dishonour is long time commander and comrades have committed. He could not believe that they would forsake their honour and so easily turn on their leader. "I once told Zero that we were pawns to be used to buy time to escape, and you know what his answer was? He told us that kind of attitude won't get us winning against Britannia and that each and every one of us counts. He truly meant every word on it. And I will continue to follow his lead regardless if he's a prince or a student."

"So you would betray Japan for him!"

"No! We are betraying Japan and the UFN with this dishonourable deal we made behind their backs, by the words of a Britannian prince who has every reason to get rid of Zero - the one who allowed us to get this far and the only hope for Japan and the world."

"His Geass, and ever-!" Ohgi was cut off by Urabe.

"Lady CC already told us everything to me, Kozuki, and our group." Urabe confessed, shocking everybody else that he knew. "We were told to keep it a secret and we did of our own will."

"And I cannot allow the only hope of Japan to be betrayed or the honour of Japan's freedom be tainted." Urabe declared as his knightmare charged at the line of Akatsuki and swung its revolving blade.

A what if scenario if Urabe was still alive, and he and CC's Black Knight remnant who know of Zero's secret/identity was there to launch a countercoup against the BK traitors.