Chapter Twenty-One:

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass.

Author's Note: Warning this story will contain shounen-ai and eventual yaoi… enjoy!

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"Good Morning Nunnally," Lelouch yawned as he walked into the dining area. "Where's Sayoko?" He asked.

"Morning Lelouch, she had a few errands to run. We were in need of more groceries and she went to pick up some more medicine. I'm running a bit low," Nunnally replied.

Lelouch yawned once more, "I see…"

"Are you alright? You sound tired. Did you not get enough sleep?" Nunnally asked. Her face quickly changed from jovial to concern upon hearing Lelouch's exhaustion.

Lelouch smiled, "Not as much as I would like, but it'll have to do. Suzaku said he'll be here today and he'll get on my case if I skip."

His expression changed to slightly disgruntled, "There's also the student council meeting held in the morning and this afternoon. Though, I can't understand why we have to attend twice."

Nunnally giggled, "I think Milly likes to have everyone around as much as possible, that's all. She is graduating next year so she might be feeling a bit sadden at having to leave school before us."

"When did you get so insightful?" Lelouch teased.

"Always," Nunnally smiled. Lelouch chuckled, kissed her forehead, and bid her a good day before heading out the door.

However, his good mood ended when he came face to face with a silvery-white haired stranger. "Can I help you?" Lelouch asked hesitantly only to receive a wicked smile. "What?" Lelouch felt a pinch at his arm. His eyes lowered to see a small dart sticking out from it. Lelouch's vision blurred and he couldn't stay on his feet as he fell forward only for the stranger to catch him in his arms.

"Don't worry it's a low dosage tranquilizer and paralytic agent," The stranger smirked.

Thousands of thoughts flashed within Lelouch's mind in a fraction of a second. The stranger whistled appreciatively, "Your mind is very impressive, but no I wasn't sent by your father to kill you or your sister. My name is Mao and I'm here because of someone we are both acquainted with." He lowered his sunglasses and Lelouch's eyes widen.

"Yes, I'm here because of C.C. Come let's head somewhere a bit more private," Mao carried Lelouch away.

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"Zero we may have a problem," C.C. said solemnly as this instantly gained Zero's attention.

"What is it?" Zero turned away from the computer monitor he was viewing.

C.C. sighed, "You are aware that I had a previous contract with another."

Zero nodded, he was well aware over the many years she had lived she bestowed the power of Geass to others in the hopes of fulfilling her wish.

So far none were successful. This means if she brought up this subject means one of her contractors is still amongst the living and appears to be a threat.

"His name is Mao. I gave him the power of Geass when he was just six years old. Mao's Geass power allows him to read minds. Somehow his Geass ability can't be turned off and the constant influx of thoughts from all around him drove him insane," C.C. sighed.

"My mind was the only one he could not read so my presence was what gave him comfort. I became his entire world…" She couldn't find the strength to continue and Zero could guess what happened next.

Zero's eyes narrowed in brief anger at the conclusion he reached, she abandoned Mao. Killing him off in an act of mercy would have been preferable. "Now we have a pissed off psycho who is a telepath. He can destroy everything around us. Not only put us at risk but Lelouch… damn it!" Zero cursed, grabbing his phone and dialed Lelouch's number only for it to go to voicemail.

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Deep under the school in the tunnels, Mao managed to set up a semi-comfortable living quarters with a bed, desk, and cooler for food. Mao laid Lelouch onto the bed then pulled a chair next to it to sit on.

"From what I gathered you haven't much contact with C.C., but you're a safer bet than trying to get close to Zero," Mao smirked.

Lelouch narrowed his eyes angrily making Mao laugh, "Yes, very good I can read minds and I must say yours is on an entirely different level than those sheep out there. It's so orderly despite the thousands of thoughts flashing through your brain at any given moment."

Suddenly Mao's eyes widen in alarm, "Wait, what's going on? What are you doing?"

Lelouch's eye blazed with his Geass as Mao hunched over in pain. Lelouch gritted his teeth in pain. He could see into Mao's mind. Mao's past and present all in the blink of an eye. He felt sorry for Mao, knowing the other's Geass and abandonment have driven the man to insanity.

With a sigh, Lelouch used his Geass to create a mental wall between Mao's mind and the errant thoughts of the people around them.

"W…What did you do?" Mao asked almost afraid, it was so quiet for once. He no longer heard the thoughts of other people. Slowly he reached for his headphones and turned off the recording of C.C.'s voice to test his tolerance.

"Mao I know everything including what you planned on doing… but you don't have to anymore. I'm going to help you overcome this power so you don't need me to create this barrier for you," Lelouch whispered.

Mao shouted, "Why? I kidnapped you! I threatened you! Why do you wish to help me?"

Lelouch smiled, "I know what desperation can do to a person. How beautiful it is to love someone so much you would do anything for them just to keep them near you. It can be both a wonderful and terrible feeling."

"T…Thank you, Lelouch," Mao looked at the other in admiration. He quickly went to the table and grabbed a needle. "This will help the tranquilizer pass through your system quicker." He injected Lelouch gently then helped the younger male to sit up.

Minutes passed and Lelouch could move some of his body again. "Mao once you have a handle on your power, what will you do next?" Lelouch asked.

"I don't know before now I had no real plan other than finding C.C. and going to a place that's isolated from others. I guess I didn't think things through. To be honest I didn't think I had a future at least not without C.C.," Mao chuckled somberly.

Lelouch's lips twitched upwards before forming into a grim line, "Then you'll just have to figure it out. I've been where you are when my mother died and my sister was in a coma. I felt that without them I didn't exist because I believed the reason I existed was to love them. I was lucky that Nunnally survived."

"Would you have done it?" Mao questioned softly. He didn't need his mind reading ability to know what Lelouch's next step was if both his mother and sister were lost to him.

"Yes," Lelouch said with certainty.

Mao sighed, "That would have been a shame. I think this world would be lost without you."

Lelouch blushed, "What makes you say that?"

"You're willing to help a psychopath who kidnapped you. If anyone can change the world for the better it's you," Mao laughed, but it wasn't his usually chilling, deranged laugh. It was filled with joy.

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"Damn it he's not answering. I thought I didn't need to tell him to carry it with him always, but I guess I'll have to. That is after I find out if Mao has actually abducted him," Zero sighed from the passenger seat, dressed in his disguise from the concert.

C.C. grimaced as she drove a bit faster, trying to hide her own concerns. It took no time at all for them to arrive at Ashford Academy. C.C. led Zero to where Lelouch and Nunnally lived.

Upon reaching the front door, they heard laughter which didn't fail in confusing them both. Carefully knocking on the door they waited, "Yes can I help you?" Sayoko asked. She took in the two strangers, inwardly memorizing their features.

"The male is wearing a disguise," Sayoko thought. She readied the concealed kunai she always kept with her.

"Who is it Sayoko? Oh, it's you and C.C. as well," Lelouch said realizing he was never even given a fake name to address Zero.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Alex. I was the one who invited Lelouch to the concert not too long ago," Zero smiled charmingly.

After a slow nod from Lelouch, Sayoko relaxed and they all went inside. "Sorry that took so long, but we have some guests. This is Alex and C.C., and don't mind C.C.'s name Nunnally just think of it like a nickname," Lelouch sat down and gestured Zero and C.C. to join them.

"Do you know them as well Mao?" Nunnally asked the Chinese male who smiled at the little girl. The softness in the expression made C.C.'s eyes widen shock.

The last time C.C. saw Mao he was quite unhinged. "What could have changed? Could he have mastered his Geass? Or perhaps Lelouch was the source of the transformation," C.C. mused.

"What's going on he's nothing like C.C. said he was," Zero looked down in thought never seeing the secretive glance Mao and Lelouch made with each other.

"He's unaware of what your Geass does, isn't he?" Mao asked Lelouch. "Yes and I'd like to keep it that way. It's a game, which one of us will figure out first. I know I could very well cheat with my Geass, but that wouldn't be as fun as discovering through deductive reasoning." Lelouch replied.

A sudden knock on the door and Sayoko left to answer it, a few moments later she arrived with Suzaku making several people in the room freeze.

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End of Chapter