The sunlight was still soft through the blinds when a sharp voice cut through the quiet of the apartment.
"Lelouch! Wake up! There's a problem!"
Lelouch groaned, rolling over and shielding his eyes. "What now…? Did Aizen make yet another public comment about Suzko?"
CC leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, her expression unreadable. "No. It's… serious this time. The entire donation fund for Suzko's campaign has been stolen overnight. Millions. And on top of that, people have gone missing. The police are running in circles."
Lelouch's eyes snapped open. "Excuse me?!"
CC didn't flinch. "I'm not exaggerating."
He swung his legs off the bed, already lacing his shoes, mind racing. "Show me everything you know," he demanded, voice sharp.
Within the hour, Lelouch was in Suzko's office, papers strewn across the desk, aides whispering frantically in corners. Suzko himself ran a hand through his hair, tension visible on his usually composed face.
"The funds…" Suzko began, voice tight. "They were all in the main account. By morning, it was completely emptied. And the police… they aren't motivated. They claim routine investigation, but they're slow. My reform efforts are… apparently inconvenient."
"And the DA?" Lelouch asked.
"Aizen is fully supporting the police on this. He's undermining me at every opportunity."
"Then you will need to act faster than they can react. Time is the only leverage we have." Lelouch paused, tapping a pen against his notebook. "We cannot wait for the system to work—it won't. Not with this DA."
Lelouch arrived at the bank where the original robbery occurred, determined to see if there was any link to the stolen campaign funds. The lobby was tense, filled with anxious staff and detectives half-heartedly managing the scene.
He approached a detective leaning against the counter, arms crossed. Calm authority radiated from him, though his patience was thinning.
"Detective," Lelouch began, voice steady and commanding. "I am Lelouch vi Britannia. I'm here because the political campaign funds for Suzko have been stolen, and I need to understand any possible connection to this bank robbery. Time is critical, and inaction is not an option."
The detective raised an eyebrow, skeptical.
"You're not seeing the connection here!" Lelouch said sharply. "The funds taken from this bank—it must be linked to the missing political donations! How long before someone actually investigates the stolen campaign money?"
The detective's lips curled into a dismissive smirk. "…Look, I don't care about the technicalities right now. These robberies are different banks. Completely separate. And, frankly, all of Suzko's money is gone—compared to this branch, where only 1.4 million was stolen out of tens of millions. You're chasing shadows."
Lelouch's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're underestimating the situation." He leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice. "I need everything you know about this robbery—logs, witness statements, surveillance footage."
The detective frowned, shaking his head. "I can't release any evidence to a random person. That's not how this works. You have no authority here."
Lelouch's expression didn't change. Calm, commanding, yet impossibly firm, he spoke in that low, irresistible tone:
"Lelouch vi Britannia commands you to give me all the evidence you've got and tell me anything you know about this robbery."
The detective froze for a heartbeat. Then, almost mechanically, his posture relaxed. "Understood. I will provide all records and tell you everything I know about the robbery."
Without hesitation, he began gathering files, checking logs, and organizing surveillance footage. Every action was precise, calm, and efficient, as though Lelouch's command had instilled a singular focus on the task.
Back at Suzko's office, Lelouch leaned over the desk, tapping a few notes into his tablet. "You need a public statement. Fast. Highlight these key points: dozens of missing people, millions stolen from one bank. Not your campaign funds. The current police system cannot resolve this. With the DA's office acting as it is, nothing will be solved. And you should mention the case of the murderer who was freed tonight—it demonstrates systemic failure."
Suzko nodded and composed himself, releasing the statement exactly as Lelouch advised.
The broadcast switched to Suzko, standing behind a podium, flanked by aides. His voice was steady, though firm with urgency.
"Fellow citizens, recent events have shaken our city. Dozens of individuals have gone missing overnight, and millions of dollars have been stolen from a bank. These incidents cannot be ignored. The current police system is struggling to respond effectively, and we are taking immediate steps to ensure accountability and safety for all. Furthermore, a murderer recently freed tonight highlights flaws in our justice system that must be addressed. I call upon every institution, every citizen, to remain vigilant, and I pledge that we will work tirelessly to restore order and justice."
Lelouch noted every word, analyzing public reactions, patterns in phrasing, and the subtle influence this broadcast would have on both the police and political figures.
CC tilted her head. "You really enjoy all of this, don't you? Watching how people respond, seeing the threads… you manipulate them without touching a thing."
Lelouch allowed himself a faint smirk. "It's not manipulation. Observation first, strategy second. The city reveals itself if you know where to look. And the moment I move, every reaction has already been accounted for."
CC laughed softly. "And the fun part is seeing them never know why they're reacting the way they do."
He leaned back, eyes narrowing as the broadcast continued. The city was chaotic, yes—but every chaos had an order beneath it. And every order had a weakness.
I have to understand who orchestrated this, he thought. And why. The threads are here. I just need to follow them carefully…
Even as the sun set and the city lights flickered on, Lelouch remained focused, mind dissecting every reaction, every movement, every fragment of data. He didn't yet see the full picture—but the game had begun, and he was already several steps ahead.
CC shifted beside him. "You're thinking too much as usual. You need sleep."
Lelouch's eyes didn't leave the screen. "Sleep is a luxury. Observation is not."
And with that, the morning chaos of stolen funds, missing people, and political tension had only just begun to weave its tangled web—and Lelouch, patient and calculating, intended to unravel it, piece by piece.