Chapter 379: A Turbulent World (2)
However, Lacus hadn't been asleep for long when the vehicles for relocation arrived.
DaCosta said with a worried expression, "What should we do now? Miss Lacus fainted from crying earlier, and she's still asleep."
Recalling the plot, Tolle felt that this place was definitely no longer safe—after all, there would later be a scene where Lacus uses a recorded radio broadcast to mislead the assassination unit.
Tolle signaled to Liza and Nicol with his eyes. "Liza, Nicol, you two pack up everything we need to take. Once you're done, carry her to the vehicle.
"I'll copy Lacus's speech recordings and set up an automatic radio broadcast here to draw ZAFT's attention."
"I'll get to packing right away." Liza immediately pulled Nicol along and discreetly began using the compressed-space wristbands to pack up what they needed, making preparations for evacuation.
Before long, after everything was packed, Liza supported Lacus—whose eyes were still red—and helped her into the pre-arranged vehicle, heading toward another safe house.
Not long after they left, ZAFT's assassination unit arrived at the recently vacated safe house and discovered the radio that was still broadcasting automatically.
Realizing they had been played, they immediately opened fire and destroyed the radio. What they could never have imagined was that the radio suddenly exploded.
In reality, the radio had been constructed using neo DG cells. When the shrapnel from the explosion struck them, it immediately carried out assimilation and control, causing them to subconsciously ignore Lacus's whereabouts.
After arriving at the new safe house, Tolle once again had the neo DG cells disguise the surrounding communications network, making the location untraceable and ensuring Lacus's safety beyond doubt.
Under Liza's care, Lacus fell asleep once more in the new room.
Watching Lacus, who was utterly exhausted both physically and mentally, Nicol said worriedly to Tolle, "Is this really okay? I don't even know anymore… whether hiding the fact that Siegel would be assassinated was right or wrong."
Tolle could only shake his head helplessly. "There was no other choice. This involves political maneuvering on many levels—things we simply can't interfere with easily.
"Even if we had warned him, it wouldn't necessarily have led to a better future. Some people within the Clyne faction had already decided to abandon Siegel.
"Even if he survived this time, there's no guarantee something wouldn't happen again."
Hearing this, Nicol asked in shock, "That can't be true, right? Siegel is also a member of the Clyne family. Why would they abandon him?"
Tolle turned his back to Nicol, raised his head at a forty-five-degree angle toward the ceiling, and put on a profound, inscrutable look as he calmly misled him. "Because of Lacus."
"Because of Lacus? How is that possible?"
"Because Siegel wanted to exchange peace by having P.L.A.N.T surrender to the Earth Alliance. Even within the peace-oriented Clyne faction, no one would be willing to do that.
"And the peace theory Lacus has been broadcasting while on the run—calling for restraint from both sides and an end to the war—happens to align perfectly with the Clyne faction's ideology.
"So they want to replace him with a new, controllable representative—a tragic peace maiden who lost her father. Wouldn't she be far easier to control than a stubborn old man?
"Unfortunately for them, they'll miscalculate in the end as well."
After hearing Tolle's words, Nicol lowered his head in shock and fell silent.
Meanwhile, over at the Carpentaria Base—
Creuset shut off the video of Patrick's speech denouncing Lacus's peace theory and said to Yzak beside him, "It seems our Chairman Zala is finding the Lacus Clyne issue quite troublesome as well. That must be why he ordered us to return to the P.L.A.N.T satellite as soon as possible."
Yzak said with a puzzled expression, "But I really can't believe that Lacus would be a traitor."
Nearby, Shiho also looked at Creuset in confusion. She likewise didn't believe Lacus was a traitor, but she didn't dare to speak up.
At that moment, Creuset walked up to Flay. Looking at Flay, who had her head lowered in fear, he said righteously, "It's precisely because people think this way that the Clyne faction is able to use her like this.
"War is the interweaving of everyone's desires. And so, in order to defend our future, we must continue fighting against others.
"You only need to trust me and follow my orders. That won't be wrong."
After that, Creuset left the office alone with a flourish, leaving Yzak, Shiho, and Flay standing there in silence, deep in thought.
Back on P.L.A.N.T's side, Lacus finally woke up. She quietly stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
After a long while, she gently said to Liza, "Liza, please ask Tolle to come over. There are some things I want to talk to him about alone."
Liza said worriedly, "Miss Lacus, are you feeling alright now? Would you like to eat something first?"
Lacus propped herself halfway up, shook her head, and replied, "I don't have any appetite. There are things I absolutely need to understand—otherwise, I won't be able to eat or sleep in peace. Please call Tolle in for me. Sorry to trouble you, Liza."
"Alright, I'll go right away." Seeing Lacus's stubborn expression, Liza sighed helplessly and walked out of the room.
When she reached the living room, she immediately grabbed Tolle and started walking, saying sternly, "Miss Lacus wants to see you alone. She's very weak right now, so I hope you won't do anything inappropriate."
"Don't worry, I won't." Tolle smacked his lips inwardly, thinking to himself what inappropriate thing he could possibly do.
Still, his imagination couldn't help but run wild.
I didn't expect Lacus to want to see me alone. Could it be… a door-to-door delivery? No, that's absolutely impossible. More likely, she's seen through the fact that I deliberately had Nicol hide the news about her father Siegel being assassinated.
This is really troublesome.
When they arrived at Lacus's room, Liza shot Tolle a vigilant, anti-thief glare, clearly saying I'll be watching you closely. Then she quietly stepped out, closed the door, and stood guard outside.
With no choice, Tolle stepped forward and asked the half-seated Lacus, "Lacus, you wanted to see me?"
Lacus pointed to the chair by the bed and said, "Tolle, come sit for a bit. Keep me company and talk with me."
Tolle knew it—Lacus was indeed planning to question him. All he could do now was steel himself and switch on deception mode.
"Alright, Lacus." Tolle put on a calm expression and sat down on the chair beside her bed, then asked with a worried look, "Lacus, are you feeling any better? Do you need to eat something?"