The morning sun rose over Ashford Academy, shining down on everything below.
Its golden rays painted the windows and halls in a warm glow. It seemed to make the students of Ashford Academy happier. To them, it was another day of sunshine and rainbows painted behind the reality of control. Lelouch, though, didn't care at all.
He didn't even show up for class.
He was already gone by the time the first bell rang, slipping through the gates with his uniform exchanged for civilian clothes, a cap pulled low over his head. The other students barely noticed his absence. He was gone the majority of the time from class anyway, so it's not like it mattered.
That suited Lelouch just fine.
The truth was, he needed distance.
Milly's soft touch. C.C.'s chemistry with him. Kallen's passion. Shirley's young love. Villetta's annoyingly hot body and mind. Everything that has caused him great joy and confusion wrapped up into one. He needed time to think.
The most important thing was he needed time to act.
The journey to the Black Knights' new hideout took an hour by underground rail and foot.
The ruined edges of the old city sprawled out like a battlefield long forgotten. Britannia only cared about rebuilding the main big cities of the former Japanese land. Britannia built their large skyscrapers and placed their flags everywhere to mark the territory. However, all the rural cities and smaller towns destroyed by the war became long forgotten. Lifeless.
In the middle of the wreckage, life stirred again.
Makeshift tents, repurposed vehicles, supply crates marked with stolen Britannian emblems — Zero taught the Black Knights well. Adaptability is one of the best traits you can have in life. They were not going to go down without a fight.
When Lelouch arrived, he shed his civilian disguise and pulled the black cloak of Zero around his shoulders once more. His mask gleamed in the morning light like a weapon of darkness.
The moment he stepped into the open courtyard of the ruins, heads turned.
Recruits stiffened into attention. Veterans nodded grimly.
Zero had returned.
"Ohgi," Zero called.
The older man jogged over, sweat staining his jacket from the heavy lifting he'd been helping with.
"Zero," he greeted, panting lightly. "We're making progress. Slowly. No Knightmare frames yet, but we salvaged a few weapons caches from the old district."
Zero surveyed the work.
The Black Knights were resourceful. They had no choice. Their tents were camouflaged under shattered overpasses. Their supply routes were complicated and slow, but they had to be that way in order not to be noticed by Britannian surveillance. The good news was they had supply routes in the general sense.
He was glad Kallen was back at Ashford Academy.
He was able to get away with being absent a lot more than she was able to be gone from class. Lelouch was happy that she was safe. He understood her motivation for justice with the Black Knights, but at the same time, he didn't want her becoming dead in this line of work.
He turned to look over the base again. They were deep within the abandoned city. The defenses around the perimeter of the base seemed solid enough. If another attack were to occur if they got caught, they should be able to escape more easily. He knew that the Britannian army was pissed they lost in the Narita incident.
The Black Knights were his spark against them, to ignite their anger.
Lelouch had to fan them into a wildfire before Britannia stomped them out.
Movement caught his attention.
A younger member, no older than eighteen, ran up from the western sentry post, his chest heaving with urgency. "Zero! Sir! We've received word from our informant inside Area Eleven's command post!"
Zero's head tilted slightly. "Report."
"They're planning a public execution."
The words hit like a bullet. They were going to pull such a bold move off? Lelouch thought to himself as he processed the words. Perhaps their success in Narita incited more rebellions, giving people hope. They must be scared.
"Who?" Zero asked sharply.
"High-profile former Japanese officials such as politicians, military officers, activists. They're gathering them at Shin-Hibiya Square. It's being set up now. It's probably for a broadcast execution to send a message to everyone who is thinking of joining the Black Knights."
Zero's mind raced.
Public executions weren't just for punishment. They were for control through fear. Britannia wanted to gut the remnants of Japanese leadership and spread fear among the Elevens. Crush any future rebellion before it could spark.
"When?" Zero demanded.
"Within the next few hours, sir. They're already building the stage."
Ohgi swore under his breath. "That square's in the heart of the city! If they broadcast it, the whole Settlement will watch it happen."
"They're sending a message," Zero said coldly. "Not just to Japan, but to anyone who thinks of resisting."
He turned on his heel, his cloak snapping around him like a blade.
"Prepare the units," he ordered. "We're moving out."
Ohgi blinked. "We don't have a full strike force ready—"
"We won't need one," Zero said. His voice was calm. Icy. Deadly.
"They expect cowards. They expect helplessness. They expect a massacre."
He turned, his masked gaze sweeping over the gathering Black Knights.
"What they'll get is justice."
The Black Knights steadied their hearts and minds, adrenaline tightening their muscles, lighting fire behind their eyes. They believed Zero would lead them to success and to justice.
It wasn't just another mission. It was a message of their own.
Within twenty minutes, the trucks were loaded with weapons and Black Knights alike, engines rumbling as they prepared to roll out. Old supply jeeps and refitted transports were lined up behind broken buildings. Zero climbed into the front vehicle, taking command without hesitation. He gripped the side rail tightly, feeling the low roar of the engine beneath his fingers.
The sky was bright. Lelouch wondered how everyone was doing at the academy.
The beautiful day contrasted with what was about to happen. He didn't want people to see it happen. Lelouch knew firsthand what it was like seeing people that matter to you die right in front of you. He was going to stop it before it happened to anybody else.
The convoy rolled forward, moving like a snake through the ruins toward the gleaming towers of the Britannian-occupied city. The informant told Lelouch they had a couple of hours before it was supposed to occur, so they had time.
Lelouch hoped they were broadcasting it to the entire Britannia Empire, not just Japan. The reason being because he knew how embarrassing it would be for them if they failed their execution due to a few rebels. Let the whole world watch how your control over all of us is fragile, he thought to himself as they drove in formation toward the square.