The Black Knight

Disclaimer: the following is a non-profit fanbased fiction. Code Geass is owned by...whoever it is owned by. Please support the official release.

Rated M- if you are not comfortable with cursing I may put up a censored version on enough requests, but I'd really rather not have to. And maybe future lemons.

Turn 01: Dawn of a Demon

In the Britannian Crown City of Pendragon, surveillance trucks were always running through the streets after seven o'clock. Only Britannians were allowed out after that time, while the people of foreign birth were kept to a strict curfew. Kallen Stradtfeld was half Britannian, but not legally, the child of an affair by a citizen of Britannia and a daughter of a Japanese immigrant construction worker. She was fixing her makeup, trying to get the right mix between class and allure. If she could marry a Britannian like the one she was visiting tonight she could possibly rise above her birth in the eyes of the government and people around her.

'The college for specially needed children today mourned for the tragic fire that occurred here behind me just a few years ago. Among the dead was one of our Illustrious Emperor's many children, the prince, Lelouch vi Britannia.' Kallen glanced at the television to watch the news broadcast. She'd just been able to get a job for the broadcast company three years ago herself in the mail room. Slipping into her burgundy dress, she twirled once and began to straighten the covering over her, then decided to tug the v-neckline down a few inches to expose the tops of her breasts. She peered out the window to see the massive building that the television was talking of, the College. But everybody just wound up calling it the great tombstone. Nobody ever seemed to leave the school.

Grabbing her purse as she left, she stepped into the dark streets and gave a quick glance around. She was still half Japanese, and though it wouldn't be an immediate arrest for her, she'd still heard that the lesser arrests could often be worse for younger women. As she began to walk, she heard the sweeper truck coming and ducked into an alley, right into the chest of a larger Britannian man in the black finery of the intelligence division.

"What's this then?" asked the man lecherously. "Got your papers tonight love?" Kallen help up her small purse, popped it open, and started to reach in. The officer shoved his hand in on top of hers pulled two cards from it. "A fake I.D. In case you get caught out after curfew, eh? Whatcha think the punishment is for that, Rolph?"

"Oh requiring a good strip search on the spot at least, Earl," said another man from behind Kallen. She looked over her shoulder to see two more dressed as the first.

"I'm trying to get to my older brother. He's very sick and on the deathbed, sirs." Kallen lied in her best cockney accent. "Rob's gone under with the grey lung."

"The grey lung, eh? Well, Rolph here's got somewhat of a colored body part problem hisself. Was it the blues there Rolph?" The first man asked, grabbing Kallen's shoulder, smiling. Kallen's heart began to race. Dammit, why did she agree to a date after curfew? They began to grab her arm, the third man grabbing the front of Kallen's dress to pull it forward and glimpse under. Kallen began to sob, cursing her luck. Her mind instantly began to race, wondering if and where the knight police find her, even if she survived. A prostitute they'd call her, the victim of the refrain dealers catching her in the dark, alone. Shirley offered to escort her to avoid such dangers. Kallen hated herself as they began to rip her dress from her body, exposing her crimson under garments.

"What such creature requires three men to subdue?" asked an electronically assisted muffled voice. She turned to see another man dressed in black, but with finery much unlike her current attackers. A high-collar cloak, with gold stitching, over a purple suit. And a full helmet, black as the cloak, with a purple visor. "A young lady. Dangerous quarry indeed." the voice mocked. She struggled to place what accent it was, until she realized it was pure, High Britannian.

"Milord, we found this prostitute out sellin' her wares. After curfew. We was about to examine her for evidence of her no-doubt extensive drug use, sir." Earl said, walking up to the cloaked man. Earl reached into his pocket for something. In a flash of his cloak, the helmeted stranger had grabbed his arm and withdrawn it holding a badge of his office. Kallen had barely seen the arm move. "My apologies, milord. I did not wish to go for a weapon," Earl said, but his other arm was moving for his belt.

"He's got a-" was all Kallen could get out before she heard a sickening snap, Earl screaming, and saw another flurry of movement from the masked man, grabbing Earl's other arm and relieving the rapist of his firearm. The other two quickly began to draw their guns, maintaining a grip on Kallen. They fired several times, but the only managed to hit Earl while the cloak hid behind the larger man. Throwing Earl almost five feet the black stranger fired, twice. Kallen realized she'd been screaming and it cut off into a ludicrously pathetic sob. Her dress was ripped and she was now much less covered than she had wished. The stranger dropped the firearm carefully and began to walk to Kallen.

"Oh pleasesirdon'tkillmeIwon'ttellasoul," she blurted out, retreating from his reaching hand, condensing her body and trying to make herself smaller. He lowered his arm back under his cloak, hiding it underneath, making his suit almost invisible under the large cape and collar, leaving on the collar of his suit and his helmet visible besides.

"I'm not...eager to kill you, miss. But I do need you to remain calm. Alarm is something I wish to avoid from the authorities...for the moment," masked man said. "But understand, if you give me away, I will kill you. But in the meantime, do you need to visit a doctor, or perhaps simply get home?" Kallen was breathing rapidly, tears on her face. She looked at the men.

"I want to get away...from them," she said, sobbing under her breath. He looked over his shoulder and nodded, offering his hand. She took it and he walked her onto the road. A truck was passing, it stopped, and Kallen inhaled in fright. Not more...not more! A man in a white shirt and tie emerged, a scanner in hand. She heard a slight clicking from the helmet of her escort.

"Get back in your truck, it's merely a cat, we are not here, by my order." The man nodded and got back in his truck, and the clicking happened again, and he looked at her. "Could you tell me what way your home is, dear girl?" Kallen nodded and led him slowly back to her door. Being only a dozen feet or so, it wasn't hard to do. He helped her up the steps. She looked back down to him after she opened the door. A part of his helmet's visor cracked open, revealing a purple eye, that began to changed red and had a glowing v in it. She retreated slowly, unsure of the man standing at her door. His strange eye narrowed, and he hissed slightly to himself. His visor closed. "What is your name, girl?" he asked.

"My name is Stradtfeld, milord, my christian name is Kallen," she said. He stepped up a step, offering a hand again. She took it and he lowered his helmet to touch the back of her hand briefly. Kallen realized he'd basically kissed it, and she blushed slightly. "Sleep safely and soundly Kallen. Good night." He gently released her hand and walked down the steps and the street. As she went back into her house she peeled off her clothes, locking her door and barring it. She went to the shower, grabbing her pink robe and a nightgown.

The bath made her feel loved again, like she hadn't almost been raped, and hadn't been the witness to the murder of three people. Rapists, true, but still people, and who worked for the government! If surveillance had had cameras in that area, she'd could in trouble. But the bath eased her thoughts, and she assured herself it would be fine. After she forgot how long, she dried herself and dressed in her sleep gown and pulled her robe tight around her when she noticed an orange glow coming from her front windows. She walked to them to see the large building, the college of the special, burning. On each side she could see, a large symbol was burning. Kallen was horrified when she realized, it was the same as the v in the man's eye.

The massive, lion-headed throne of Britannia sat the head of the room, with the ministers of the country sitting facing it in much smaller thrones of their own. Facing them, the Holy Britannian Emperor, Charles zi Britannia looked even more imposing and angered than usual.

"You have had twelve hours since this tragedy, what are your results?" the ruler demanded, his long silver hair shaking as he roared. His firstborn son, Odysseus zi Britannia, was quite ruffled, roused as he had been just a few hours ago. Generally weak-willed and incompetent, he merely was whimpering tring to from words before his father.

"We've captured some video-footage of the terrorist, father," Schneizel zi Britannia, the second holy prince, said, from Odysseus's left. "He managed to hi-jack one of our many Gloucester Knightmare Frames we had patrolling the area, and used it to affect massive destruction on the security forces present. He even destroyed one experimental unit, the Gawain, and suffered only minor damage. Neither mine nor the Knight Police's forces were able to reacquire him. We suspect he used the sewer system to escape, the Knight Police have begun to search those tunnels. We did find three of my Intelligence officers dead. Their personal recorders captured him, and a girl they were...questioning."

Charles looked displeased, but slightly more satisfied. "Have we increased the Knight Police's presence in sensitive areas, Jeremiah Gottwald?" the Knight-Commander looked up.

"Your highness. We have doubled our patrols and presence. Knightmare Frames are now patrolling for total coverage out to 500 feet around all our jurisdictional protection. I cannot speak for Prince Schneizel's Intelligence Ministry or private forces." Gottwald looked uncomfortable.

"Mr. Diethard, how are we covering the destruction of the college?" the emperor questioned. Diethard smoothed back the hair covering one side of his face.

"Your son, Prince Clovis has been given material to repeat on his addresses to the commons, and we have several other prisoners being lined up to be assigned as scapegoats of the destruction and their capture after the heinous act, your royal highness," the former reporter said.

"I have recalled the Knights of the Rounds, they will be called upon at once if this terrorist dares to show his face again. Now, this girl. Tell me of her."

Schneizel smiled as he spoke. "She works within our press services, your highness, but will soon be arrested." The Emperor frowned angrily at Schneizel. Jeremiah looked between them. Schneizel was the clear successor since Odysseus had shown little ability to rule even his own forces. Britannia's first prince was a fine idol, but not a strong man. Schneizel was a capable commander, but only seemed to wish to fight if he knew he could win. But he had been far more capable, but had always made plays to be put in total command of the Empire ahead of the Emperor's retirement of the role. Charles zi Britannia valued results, but not so much as to lose his control.

"Lord Gottwald. Your Knight Police and the Purebloods shall execute the arrest and processing. Serve me well in this, and you could be the new Knight of Six," the emperor spoke loudly.

As Gottwald was leaving the building he entered the elevator. His second in command, Dame Villeta Nu, was waiting for him in one of the elevator's seats.

"I found out she's half-Japanese, from an immigrant worker's family. Her father was a scion of a land-owning knight, but didn't claim her or her older brother. The brother was a prominent leader in a rebel gang. The gang was destroyed, he was found overdosed on refrain," Viletta informed. Jeremiah let out a curse.

"A bloody rebel and half-breed. No wonder she wound up caught with the terrorist. We never would've had this much crime if we'd been willing to pay our own citizens a decent wage," Jeremiah said, sighing. He leaned back and put his chin in his hand. "Set up a detainment detail. No Knightmares, we don't need to make an incident. And no intelligence. We need to talk to her before Schneizel makes her disappear."

Suzaku Kururugi was strapping on his bullet-proof vest over his coverall. He did his best to ignore the looks from the Pureblood officers. Suzaku had been in the Knight Police only a few years. As he loaded his pistol and set it in the holster at his side, he thought about how far he had come, but how far the goal was still. The Britannian military typically avoided bringing any people of foreign race into their ranks. Suzaku was able to join because of his high test scores and prodigious physical abilities. But could knighthood really come to him? No knight-of-honor would have him as a squire, and knights of service were not allowed to train squires. Without a squire-hood, it would be impossible for Suzaku. He frowned, dismayed at his prospects, as he grabbed his rifle and closed the locker.

"Look here, Rog, got a 'leven what think he's a copper," said one of the men as they boarded the transport truck. The men laughed and Suzaku ignored them, glum. Perhaps if he caught this detainee he'd earn some minor recognition at least.

Kallen and Shirley were managing the mail when a woman entered. Kallen looked and saw that she too worked for B.B.C., the same as Kallen did. Kallen walked over with a fake smile plastered on her face.

"May I help you ma'am?" she asked, sweetly. The woman looked at her and formed her lips into a thin line, then spoke.

"I need someone to deliver Rivalz's tea service for him and his guests. Could you take it?" Kallen nodded.

"I know where his office is, ma'am," Kallen said and followed her to the silver-plated cart. She began to push it. After going through the elevator, she went down the hall, waving at George, the third level's guard, and started to enter Rivalz's office when she heard the voices laughing from inside the room. She knocked twice and opened the door.

"Oh, Kallen. Lelouch, Milly, this is the lovely girl I was going to introduce to you last night. Kallen, this is Milly Asplund Asheford, and the commander of the Asheford family's personal forces, Sir Lelouch Lamperouge. Both smiled at her, Milly with a sweet kindness, Lelouch with a mere curving of his lips. Milly wore a cream pantsuit and a white blouse, Lelouch wore an entirely black suit, with a longer leather coat, with a sash underneath with a sword hanging from it.

"My Lady, sir," Kallen said, nodding to them both. Rivalz stood and excused himself.

"Um, Kallen, I was surprised you didn't show up until I saw that exploding building that night. If you want to reschedule I'm free all this week after five," Rivalz said, taking her arm.

"Oh," Kallen said, surprised. She had stood Rivalz up last night, it was true, but only because of the attack, and the...stranger. "Um...maybe. I will have to check my calender."

"Oh it's quite alright, I can talk to Mary about your work if you need. But please, would you care to join us? We were just discussing some...thing. What were we talking about?" Rivalz said, asking his guests.

"Buying your old motorcycle for a shilling, you twit," Lelouch replied with a straight face. Milly chuckled and Rivalz laughed a tad. Kallen guessed that Lelouch's sense of humor was at play.

"I've never actually met a commander before," Kallen told Rivalz. He took her hand and guided her to the nearest chair.

"Milly is actually a countess, she married an Earl that works in the military research division. And Lelouch didn't join the military, he was squired by a Knight in the Emperor's court and became a Knight-of-Honor," Rivalz explained, gesturing to each in turn.

"I didn't brag about it," Milly said pointedly at Rivalz, who shrugged sheepishly.

"What is the difference between a Knight and a Knight with honor?"Kallen asked, realizing quite suddenly she knew nothing about the Britannian society she wanted to join. Lelouch smiled and sat up.

"You see Miss Stradtfeld, there are three kinds of knights. The lowest is a Knight-of-Service, which is merely a cavalryman in the military today, basically the men who pilot Knightmare Frames. They are not allowed swords, and can train no squires to become knights later. A Knight-of-Honor is a squire trained by a previous knight, and is knighted after a sufficient training, determined by the knight in question. A Knight-of-Honor is usually a member of an order, often serving a noble, and may be expected to defend that noble. We carry swords in everyday life, and are sworn to serve and defend Britannia, and so are part of the military if not necessarily ranked in the service. A Land-owning Knight-of-the-Realm is similar, but has been granted or inherited land from a Knighted parent. They are always considered high commanders in the military and lead Orders."

Kallen listened intently, absorbed by Lelouch's deep purple eyes and masculine voice. She looked at Rivalz to find him listening just as intently.

"What about the Knight of the Rounds? How do they fit in?" she asked, curious. Lelouch smiled.

"All of the knights in the realm serve the realm, but are not sworn directly to the Emperor. In history some Knights of the Realm and lower Knights of Honor have performed attempted coups. The Knights of the Round are considered the twelve best in the realm. All but one are Knights-of-Honor, the first is a Knight-of-the-Realm, and is granted governorship of any colony of the Realm they wish at a time. They're the Emperor's personal guard and-" Lelouch stopped, his friendly expression dropping. Kallen was suddenly worried as his face turned hard. Had she probed too much? Lelouch stood, walking to the door. Kallen realized that sirens were coming closer. Lelouch went to the window, peering out.

"Milly, I have to secure the building. Lock the door and only open it if I am there. The codeword is 'ravendown.'" Milly nodded as Lelouch left the room. Rivalz locked the door. Kallen took a deep breath. Were the sirens for her?

Jeremiah entered the building, followed by Villeta Nu and two tactical squad men. He turned to the rest of the squad to move forward and they entered, spreading out, weapons ready.

"Find the girl. When you find her take her alive and unharmed. If anyone is injured you'll have the injury returned on you by myself," Jeremiah said, donning a hard commander's tone over his worry. Villeta met his gaze as he turned. They both knew this wasn't adding up. What had the terrorist wanted with a half-breed Japanese mail-room girl? Had she simply been in the wrong place and the wrong time?

Kallen jumped when the security alarm was set off. What had happened? Was Lelouch alright. Milly grabbed her hand and gave a squeeze, her face a poster of confidence, Rivalz shared a sympathetic glance.

"Don't worry about Lelouch, Kallen. Only a handful of Knights could hope to match him. Hopefully he's just defusing the situation." Suddenly the television in the corner went black with a steel symbol in the center.

"Good morning, citizens of Britannia," said the voice from last night. Suddenly the helmeted stranger replaced the symbol. Kallen inhaled, shocked. "I'm sure you've already heard about my little 'after-school party' last night. I'm sure you think whoever did it is a mass-murdering terrorist, hell-bent on destroying your lives, freedoms, hopes, dreams, and of course, country."

Diethard was shocked at the television screens before him. He was in charge of all press in Britannia, so who was hacking into his own protocols? He began to track the signal, and found it occurring at the center of the B.B.C. building. His own building? The reporter stood up in a rage, and began to leave his office when his assistant spoke up.

"Sir, you have a call from the Emperor." Diethard cursed and took the phone.

Suzaku turned to look at the television, in pure shock.

"There are those who don't wish for me to address you. Orders being shouted by people with no right to lead, those lovely people called the 'Government,'" the figure raised his arms wide, "and do I care? Do you think I would post this across the realm, across the Empire, for THEM?! Are they the crushed, the repressed, the ones hoping for freedom? The answer is why I present you now with the truth. That college was nothing more than a laboratory! A laboratory experimenting on a power that destroys freedom itself! Destroys free will, destroys the privacy of your thoughts, the right to act, the right to move of your own accord, the right to live, the right to love as you see fit!" the image changed to that of many children, being locked into chairs, their head kept immobile, with their eyes red.

Kallen looked at the eyes of the children on the screen and gasped, stepping closer, dragging Milly, who was holding onto her hand. The eyes, were the same as the one that very helmeted stranger had shown her, last night.

"This is the power forced upon the unloved and the prisoners to make them weapons in Britannia's quest to oppress all who are not Britannian! You, the immigrants and slaves brought to work that they, those upper-class degenerates, may continue their constant struggle to oppress better than their rivals! I declare now, that I, ZERO, will destroy Britannia to create a world in which all will be equal!"

Jeremiah Gottwald turned from the television to see Diethard leaving his car closing his cellphone. Jeremiah sighed and watched the reporter walk to him.

"How did he use your system?" Jeremiah asked, weary. Diethard growled, his teeth gritted, shattering his normal composure.

"To the forces in the B.B.C. Building we now occupy, you have seven minutes to leave this building, or I will destroy it, and you with it!" The screen went black, then returned back to the normal program. Suddenly a one of the tactical squad returned escorting a man in a black suit with a sword up to Jeremiah.

"I am Sir Lelouch Lamperouge, personal Knight-of-Honor of the Asheford family. My Vassal is in this building, and I need to move her," the knight said, interrupting the officer that brought him. Jeremiah nodded at the officer and he walked away.

"Did you happen to see the terrorist, sir knight?" Jeremiah asked. Lelouch gritted his teeth and shook his head.

"He seems to have left an explosive device wired into the security system however. I didn't want to risk triggering it, and I don't have the sufficient training to deal with explosives," Lelouch informed. Diethard jumped in front of Gottwald, alarmed.

"If this facility is destroyed, we have next to no reliable way to prevent the terrorist from hijacking our system again whenever he wants!" Diethard exclaimed, then began to walk quickly back the way Lelouch had come. Gottwald began to follow, along with Lelouch and Villeta.

"May I ask," Lelouch began, annoyed, "what prompted you to enter the building in the first place?" Gottwald glanced at the knight of honor before replying.

"We're tracking a girl. We believe she may know something of the terrorist, sir." Lelouch frowned. He pulled out a cell phone and began to dial.

"Excuse me, my lord, I must contact my lady," Lelouch said, stopping in the hall. Gottwald continued, ignoring him. He found Diethard at the security console, the guard unconscious. Gottwald sneered at the overweight man on the floor, intensely disgusted with his incompetence. He kicked the man in the ribs, may hap a bit too hard.

"Who knocked you out?" the Knight-Commander asked. The guard shook his head groggily.

"I can't 'member mi lord." Gottwald looked back at Diethard.

"Back away, you fool, you'll blow us all to pieces. I'm going to pull back my squad and ask for the Ordinance Disposal team." Gottwald left the room, grabbing his cell phone.

"You need to leave, I don't," the reporter shouted back at the Commander without turning as Villeta followed Gottwald.

Milly got off her phone and looked at Kallen with worry. Kallen was immediately scared again. Would the military risk Zero's threat. Milly stood up.

"We're going to get out the back. Lelouch has had the driver bring the car around. But Kallen, if they catch us we can't keep them from taking you, even as a Countess," Milly said. Kallen blinked in suprise. Why were they doing this for her? She was about to ask when a voice came from the door.

"Ravendown," Lelouch said through the door. Rivalz opened it and Milly dragged Kallen through the door. Walking quickly, the three made it to the elevator. When the door opened, Milly stopped Kallen from immediately walking through after Lelouch down the hall. Kallen made a questioning sound when Milly closed the elevator door. After a minute Milly opened the elevator door and Lelouch was there, visibly ruffled and sweating.

"You broke a sweat? You must be getting older," Milly said quietly. Lelouch gave her an irritated look.

"I had to knock them unconscious along our route in under 45 seconds. You try it," Lelouch said, leading them on again. When they saw the back door Lelouch stepped aside and let them lead, when they heard a gun click and a voice say, "Freeze!" Kallen spun to see Lelouch sigh in defeat and raise his hands. The officer began to get closer. Kallen saw Lelouch's eyes moving, and she swear she saw them deepen a thousand times. In a black flash, Lelouch had ripped the rifle from the officer's hand, and the two began to fight hand to hand. Lelouch took a hit to the side of his head, only to deliver a gut punch. The vest of the officer prevented the effect, and the man jumped back, then performed a jumping spin kick, only for Lelouch to catch the leg and throw the man into the wall. Lelouch's hand became a blur, and the officer's pistol was pointed at his own head. But the helmet had come off, and Lelouch's eyes were wide.

"How're you-" Lelouch started. But instead of finishing his sentence, he kicked the young Japanese officer in the chin, knocking him out and shooting him in the shoulder. Lelouch shoved the pistol in his coat and took the assault rifle, and gestured Milly and Kallen out the door.

Once they were outside, Kallen saw a mid-sized black car with tinted windows. Lelouch opened the door on the front passenger side, rifle raised, then nodded to Milly and opened the rear passenger door. Kallen was about to head around when Lelouch grabbed her wrist and shoved her right behind Milly, who scooted over in the back seat. Sitting inside, Lelouch scanned the alleyway and entered the shotgun seat after closing the rear door.

"Ohgi," Lelouch barked. The car started to move, surprisingly to Kallen at normal speed. She would've thought a getaway car would've sped.

Diethard suddenly cursed as a seven minute timer appeared on the security console and began counting down. Villeta and Gottwald stood straighter for a second and Gottwald cursed. Diethard began to work even harder on the computer.

"Mr. Diethard, the Ordinance squad is eight minutes away," Gottwald said, annoyed, "you seem to be the best option I have at the moment. Please continue, Minister of Information." Diethard snickered as he typed furiously.

"That sounded like it was painful to say, Sir Gottwald," Diethard commented. He pressed enter and the timer jumped to thirty seconds.

"Mister. Diethard. The. Clock. Is. Ticking." Villeta said, very nervous at the new countdown.

"I know, damn you!" Diethard replied. He pressed enter again and it jumped to five. "Oh fuck!" He covered his head and closed his eyes tight. Gottwald grimaced. Villeta looked up and began to pray silently. A few seconds later, there was a beep. Tentatively, Diethard opened an eye. He blinked and looked with both eyes.

QUITE AN EXPERIENCE TO LIVE IN FEAR, ISN'T IT? 0

Gottwald gave a shout of anger as he punched the monitor, shattering it. Diethard jumped from the breaking glass. Gottwald gave him a furious look and turned to see Suzaku Kururugi standing at his side.

"Kururugi, report," Gottwald said angrily. As they walked away, Villeta gave the minister of information a scowl and followed. Diethard was breathing heavily, recovering from his near-death. Yes, it was quite an experience to live in fear.

In the car, Kallen was breathing heavily, coming down from the adrenaline high of the escape. Lelouch looked back at her and Milly and began to pull on a pair of black leather gloves.

"Countess Asplund, Miss Stradtfeld, are you feeling alright? Are you shaking at all?" Lelouch asked, looking into the rear view mirror. Milly exhaled and shook her head. Kallen stammered.

"I need verbal replies please ladies," Lelouch admonished.

"I am shaking in my hands," Milly said immediately.

"I...I...-"

"Kallen, just breathe. Ohgi, find a drive through," Lelouch said. He reached into the glove box and retrieved two sodas. He turned and handed one to Milly and forced one into Kallen's hand. "May I borrow your phone please?" Kallen reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out. Lelouch traded with her, squeezing her hand reassuringly. He handed it to Ohgi, "have Billy make it untraceable please." Lelouch adjusted how he was sitting and punched his other hand.

"What? What's wrong?" Ohgi said, pulling into a drive through. He ordered burgers and large soft drinks with no ice. Kallen popped her soda following Milly's example and took a giant drink from it, the can slurping between her lips. She grimaced at the unintentional sound. She found herself giggling. Lelouch glanced back at Kallen and winked.

"One of them saw the Countess. And Kallen. And my face," Lelouch said, irritated, his face showing disappointment. "It was Suzaku." Ohgi looked at Lelouch in suprise.

"I thought he was in Japan," Ohgi said, shocking Kallen. It was not legal to call Area 11 by it's original name. Even the thought was considered illegal, but it never was really enforced to think it, though it's mention was punished with fines. Most of the time.

"You called it...you called it..." Kallen said. "You can't call it-"

"Britannia cannot destroy my country's identity, even if they destroyed it's government and sovereignty. Your brother knew that when we served together," Ohgi said, giving her an irritated glare in the mirror. Lelouch just sat back in his chair and accepted one of the large soda cups and a straw. Ohgi handed Milly the bag. Kallen accepted the large soda cup to replace the now empty can. She looked briefly for somewhere to put it, until Milly took the can and replaced one of the burgers with it.

"I think I should call Tohdoh. He may be able to help," Lelouch said, turning his head to Ohgi again. Ohgi looked thoughtful as he put the car into drive again and took off out of the parking lot. "In the meantime, what are we to do with Kallen?"

"She can shtay in the reshidensh," Milly said with a bite of burger in her mouth. Lelouch nodded with a 'yes ma'am,' and began to text on his cell phone. Milly looked at Kallen and smiled. Kallen smiled back and took a bite of burger.

Schneizel entered the room of the Britannian Broadcast Company in a light purple suit, his straw hair looking silver in the lights. Gottwald looked up and nodded to greet him.

"Knight-Commander," Schneizel said pleasantly. "How was the hunt?" Gottwald frowned. He would swear Schneizel already knew the results of the debacle.

"The Terrorist made an unexpected appearance yet again, Minister of Intelligence. It complicated the hunt and she was aided in escape. We are questioning some officers who claim to have seen her abettors. But, he was injured, and has a concussion. Not completely reliable, but still better than our bomb defuser." This last sentence was aimed at the room's newest occupant, Minister of Information, Diethard, who scowled at Gottwald as the knight-commander read a checklist of injured personnel. Schneizel didn't lose his crocodile smile.

"Perhaps I could have my people question the young officer," Schneizel offered with his honeyed voice. Gottwald growled under his breath. He tucked the checklist under his arm and looked at Schneizel.

"I didn't mention he was young. And we shall handle it, my lord. It is a matter for the Knight Police. But if the Ministry of Security or the Knight Police require assistance, we shall be sure to remember the kind offer." With this Gottwald walked past the prince, shadowed by Villeta and a sergeant of the detainment squad Gottwald had taken into the building an hour ago.

Suzaku was in the back of the detainment truck, in the questioning cell. He looked up to see a man with silver hair and a white coat with his face and hands pressed up to the glass.

'Well, hello there,' said the man with a slightly nasally voice, 'would you be Suzaku Kururugi?'

'Earl Asplund,' Knight-Commander Gottwald said behind the man. The Earl turned to face him. 'Can Kururugi assist you?'

'Oh I do hope so, Commander. I think he may be just the man I've been looking for.' Suzaku just watched, entranced by the new occurrence.

Kallen was sleepy by the time the car had stopped, and she sat up, blinking her eyes. Milly was nudging her, Lelouch was standing at the car door, offering a hand. Kallen took his hand, and got out of the car, nearly tripping but for Lelouch's holding her up by the hand. She stomped her feet to get the feeling back. Milly was walking around the back end of the car.

"Well, here it is, the Asheford Manor," Milly said. "Come along Kallen. Let's meet the family...or," Milly's expression changed to hesitancy, glancing into space, "maybe just the staff, there's not too much family left in this house, I'm afraid." Kallen blinked as she walked up the stairs, hand in Milly's. The car door closed and the car began to pull away on the gravel, and Kallen looked to see Lelouch following, taking off his gloves.

"Sir, the Count is not home currently," a guard said, dressed in the same uniform that Kallen had seen Ohgi wearing.

"That will suit our purpose. Tell Sayoko I'll help set the girl up in one of the upstairs bedrooms." Suddenly realizing again what was happening, Kallen let go of Milly's hand and back up a step.

"Oh...no, no. I don't wanna be any trouble, I mean I've gotten you in so much trouble already-" Kallen was saying until Milly interrupted her.

"Oh don't be silly, it's no problem at all," Milly said with a fierce smile, eyes closed. Lelouch cocked his head back in surprise and looked between them.

"For you," he said. Milly gave him a narrowed eye look and called him a smart ass, dragging Kallen into the house. "I'll retrieve some clothes for her," Lelouch said, turning away.

"The address is-" Kallen called after him, before he cut her short.

"I know the address. I had Milly read your I.D. to me when you were sleeping in the car," Lelouch said, not turning around as he walked away. Ohgi passed him.

"Kallen, I'll show you your room," said an Eleven woman with black hair and maid's uniform. No, Kallen remembered, a Japanese woman. Kallen smiled a bit and the maid gestured up the stairs of the manor.

"Why don't you freshen up, we'll try to have some of my clothes on the bed that you can borrow until Lelouch has some of your clothes for you to wear," Milly called after, and she walked into a deeper part of the house.

Kallen's shower felt refreshing. She had a lot to think about as she rinsed her hair. She didn't think it would be polite to waste the shampoo of her saviors. She thought of the day's events. She had seen Lelouch's eyes as he had fought with the young soldier in the hall. What she had seen had scared her even more than the gunshot. It had been hatred. Black hatred. It was like a black hole, that swallowed up all the light that had been in Lelouch's eyes previously. In the car, the light had returned when he had winked at her. But it was frightening to think of. But Lelouch and Milly felt like good people. She paused in the shower, thoughtful.

She was shocked back to reality by the now-cold water. She gasped and shut it off. She toweled off and wrapped it around her body and tucked it under, peeking into the bedroom, she once again stared at the king-sized bed, now with red sheets and a white dress on it. She looked again as she closed the door to the shower. A white dress, and nothing else.

"Shit." she did not want to go back out there commando. She nervously peeked into the hallway, seeing a black-dressed guard at the end with the stairs. She closed the door again and threw off the towel. Suddenly the door opened and Lelouch barged in, then froze. He slammed the door, bolting from the room after he had seen her...Kallen gave an embarrassed shout and pulled the dress on quickly, ceasing to care about undergarments.

"It's...better," she said, mortified. The door opened slowly, and Lelouch leaned in just enough to see she was in fact covered.

"Apologies." His eye narrowed at the dress. He stepped in, and Kallen saw that he had ditched the long coat and sword belt for just a pair of dress pants and a simple button shirt, both the same color as his hair. Hair like a raven's feathers. Raven...down? Kallen realized the source of the code word from earlier.

"Well, dinner, such as it is, is served. Milly was quite full after the burger. She didn't have a chance to sleep it off," Lelouch said. He smirked, sheepishly. Kallen looked down.

"Is this really appropriate?" Kallen asked. Lelouch smirked.

"More so than the alternatives." Remembering the incident a few seconds ago, Kallen blushed. "Turn around," Lelouch suddenly said, approaching. Kallen looked wide eyed at the dark-haired knight. Was he kidding? THAT? Reading her expression he continued, "you aren't zipped." Kallen looked at Lelouch, incredulous. Was she always this much of an air-head? She spun and he quickly closed the dress on her back without touching her back. Kallen wasn't sure if she was relieved, or maybe disappointed. He stepped away and began to leave.

"Um, so. I never asked, are you part of a knight order?" Lelouch paused, looked over his shoulder and smirked.

"I am indeed," Lelouch said, amused at something. Kallen waited, then asked which one.

"Why...the Order of the Black Knights, of course," Lelouch said, then he swiftly and smoothly slipped through the door. Black knights. Kallen thought it sounded ominous, and frowned to herself. Then she thought of Zero. He'd nearly gotten Kallen killed, and had made her a fugitive. Her feelings about the stranger had shifted rapidly in just a few hours. Suddenly she was worried if the same would be said of Milly and Rivalz. But a part of her was worried more about feelings for Lelouch. The Black Knight.