When morning falls, Lelouch immediately heads to the headquarters and locks himself in his quarters.
"What if we fail to save her? Should I really let her be if that happens? Why did they capture her? Who is she really? All I know is she's a witch who grants a person geass. What else? Why did she erase my memories? Darn it!!" Lelouch thought. His mind is filled with doubts and his hands start to tremble. "I have never thought that she could be captured. I have relied on her too much that I couldn't compose myself without her. I should get her back no matter what."
While he's still confused and fear starts to control him, he felt someone holds his hands.
"You should learn to lean onto someone when you're afraid," Kallen says as she tightens her grip on Zero's hands when she felt that he's still shaking.
"Kallen," he whispers which made Kallen's heart skip a beat.
What Zero did next surprised Kallen. He took off his mask and she sees a troubled and confused Lelouch. Kallen freezes for a while due to shock and she even got nervous when Lelouch leans on her shoulder. She comes back to her senses when she felt his hands still trembling. Kallen took a deep breath and hugs Zero.
"What the heck? Zero and Lelouch are only one person? That annoying Lelouch is Zero? And why is my heart beating fast?" Kallen thought. "But even if Lelouch is Zero, he's still Zero, our leader, who needs someone to lean on when he's scared. But is he scared that he might not be able to see C.C again? Is C.C his girlfriend?"
"Zero, are you afraid that C.C might not be saved?" she asks but Zero only tightens his grip on her hand. "I don't know why you're so scared to lose her but you should know that the Black Knights are here to help you achieve your goals. And I am here,too. Even if I couldn't be on the same level as her, I can still help you in my own way."
On the other hand, Prince Schneizel, Prince Clovis and Princess Cornelia visit the witch once again. But this time, C.C is fully awake.
"C.C, am I right?" asks Prince Schneizel.
"Yes," replies C.C. "Would you mind telling me why you captured me?"
"Well, I read that you hold the power of geass. And you were also an immortal witch being experimented on decades ago," replies the prince. "And there's a possibility that you have given Zero the power of geass."
"It seems my records here are still around. But why would I grant Zero the power of kings?" asks the witch. "He doesn't have the qualification to be granted one."
"How am I supposed to believe the words coming from you?" asks Prince Schneizel. "If you're trying to deceive me, it's not working. Now, tell me where Zero is hiding before I will burn you over and over again."
"If you think that my words aren't true, then what's the use of asking me,then?" C.C replies. She feels the restraints burning her and her blood starts to drip on the floor.
"Before you get burned without regenerating, tell me the whereabout of Zero," Prince Schneizel demanded.
"I do not know," replies the witch and the restraints are burning her skin even more.
She is interrogated the whole day but they didn't get any answer from her. C.C's wounds are deep but they're healing,though, it's only little by little. As the moon shines bright at the dark sky, Zero and the Black Knights are ready to attack. The royalties have gone home but Suzaku, Kurt, Guilford and Jeremiah are still on guard.
"The princes and the princess have gone home. Lancelot, Kurt and Jeremiah are on guard," Neil reported.
"Good," says Zero. "Make your move when we attack."
"Got it," Neil replies.
After a few moments, the clashing of metals echoes through the Britannian Hall. With Gawain on the lead, half of the hall collapsed. The back up of Lancelot, Kurt, Guilford and Jeremiah has been annihilated by Neil and Haru under the Britannian Hall.
"Suzaku, follow me!" Kurt commands as he hurls towards the Gawain.
"Roger," replied the rookie and helps Kurt fight the Gawain.
With two powerful jabs from Gawain, Kurt is sent flying in midair.
"Troy and Travis, take care of that Kurt," Zero commanded.
"Are you sure you want to fight Suzaku?" Kallen asks Lelouch.
"Yeah," he replies.
With that reply, Kallen lunged at the Lancelot but Suzaku is able to dodge her attack. The hall continues to collapse due to the fight between strong knightmares. Smashing of metals is heard around the place, disturbing the peaceful night.
"Lancelot, go downstairs. I will take care of Zero," says Jeremiah. Suzaku retreats and went downstairs where the entrance to the laboratory is located. But to his surprise, three Black Knights attacked him from behind, causing damage to Lancelot. He forces Lancelot to still fight despite having a disadvantage. He was able to take down Haru and Travis. When he was about to finish Neil, the Lancelot suddenly stops moving. Suzaku loses due to Lancelot's sudden shutdown.
"Force Jeremiah out of the knightmare," Lelouch commanded which Kallen immediately followed. She gave Jeremiah a powerful jab which made the pilot fly out from his knightmare. Lelouch puts on his mask and ejected himself from the Gawain. He walks towards the injured Jeremiah and activated his geass.
"I command you to show me where C.C is," he demanded.
"I do not know," replies Jeremiah. "Only Prince Schneizel, Prince Clovis and Princess Cornelia knows her whereabout."
With gritted teeth, Lelouch grabs the injured man's collar and hits him until he's satisfied.
"Useless!" he scoffs. He goes in the Gawain once more and commands the Black Knights to bring Kurt to him.
Travis brought Kurt to Zero just as he was ordered to. Kurt is injured as well but he can still talk. With his geass activated, he commands him once again.
"Show me where you've hidden C.C," he says.
"She's in the Britannian Special Laboratory under the Britannian Hall," replies Kurt.
"Bring us there," he commands. Just when Kurt starts to lead the way, an emergency came up.
"Zero, Princess Cornelia and Prince Clovis are already coming together with their troops," Haru reported. Zero gritted his teeth and looks at Kurt who is going down the basement and looks back at the Black Knights.
"Darn it," he curses. "Let's retreat for now."
Zero commanded the Black Knights to leave first. And when the prince and princess arrived, he activated the Gawain's laser which distracted the back ups, thus, they are able to escape from them.
Princess Cornelia curses under her breath and her rage controlled her.
"Damn it!!! That Zero escaped not just once or twice," she says. "I will kill you!!!"
"Calm down, Cornelia," says Prince Clovis. "What's important is that we're able to know that C.C is indeed connected with Zero."
"But how could those rebels cause such damage when the guards are the best out of the Britannian Army?!!" Princess Cornelia snapped. "Where are those so-called strong soldiers?!!"
"They're all injured, Your Highness," says one of the army.
"Should I take care of Zero myself?" says Prince Schneizel who just arrived. "That Zero is a reckless leader. I could take him down alone. Anyway, Cornelia, relax. C.C won't be saved by anyone, not even Zero."
"But how can you tell?" Princess Cornelia asks.
"Only I can open the room where the witch is located," he replies. "And if Zero comes to save her again, it would be his last for I will take that Gawain down to ashes."
Upon reaching their headquarters, Zero immediately goes in his quarters.
"Britannian Special Laboratory?" he asks himself while researching. "Darn it!!! Now, they knew that we're after C.C. And what's worse is that they now know she's my accomplice. Just how reckless have I become? No, I have to compose myself. I will definitely save her. Just wait for a little bit longer, I will come and save you, C.C."
Laboratory...
"Did you come to ask that boring question again?" asks C.C upon seeing Prince Schneizel.
"No. I already know that Zero is an accomplice of yours," replies the prince. "He came just now to save you when he realized that we have captured you. But he was as reckless as a kid so he just ran away in the end."
"He sure is reckless," the witch agreed. "What are you doing, Lelouch? Are you going to reveal yourself to these annoying people? Why don't you just calm yourself for a bit before you come here?"
"Would you mind telling me the identity of Zero?" Prince Schneizel asks. "It would be helpful for me and you as well. If we find Zero, I would let you go off. It's a win-win situation."
"Who are you trying to fool, young prince?" the witch chuckled. "You may be smart but you must not forget that the woman in front of you has lived for decades. I have encountered a lot of people like you who had said same words. I won't buy that cheap trick of yours."
"You sure are a pain, witch," the prince scoffs. "Should I burn you on a stake before you tell me who and where Zero is?"
"I had been burned on the stake countless times, got shot on the head and even decapitated but still here I am in front of you living like those things never happened," says C.C. "I am immortal and these restraints may weaken and slow down the healing of my wounds but it doesn't stop me from healing myself. Blackmails and death threats don't scare me at all."
Prince Schneizel gritted his teeth in anger. He couldn't win against this witch and what she said just now seems to be true.
"You annoy me," the prince scoffs. He left the laboratory with anger after being defeated verbally by a woman. It hurts his pride. "That woman just won't budge."