Gendo Ikari sat in his office, his hands folded in his infamous pose, as Rei walked in. Gendo had, of course, summoned her. As they began talking, Ritsuko walked passed. Curious, she stopped for a second to hear bits of the hushed conversation.
"You've failed me again," Gendo murmured to Rei.
"I am sorry," the girl replied.
"How long do you expect me to tolerate your carelessness?"
"I will try harder, sir."
Ritsuko walked closer and crouched outside the door, peeking inside through a small crack, straining to hear. Gendo got to his feet and stood in front of Rei.
"I am afraid that will not do," the man whispered. Without a second thought, he pulled out a gun, put it to the girl's head, and...
Ritsuko gasped and looked away as the gun sounded. Even with a silencer, it made the faintest popping noise as he pulled the trigger. The scientist peeked again to see Gendo's cold gaze shifting from Rei's dead body to the crack in the door to meet her frightened eyes.The woman scrambled to her feet and ran, trying to put as much distance between herself and the man who had killed one of his own pilots. Her thoughts pounded around in her head.
He saw me, I know he did. Where can I go? What will happen if he finds me? Will he kill me, too? Will he? WILL HE? Ritsuko ran out of the building and jumped into her car, starting the engine.
Or, at least, attempting to.
She turned the key and the engine choked. Again. Again. Again.
"Please, please!" Ritsuko pleaded, hoping some powerful deity would pity her. She tried one last time. She turned the key and--SUCCESS! The engine turned over. She pulled out of her parking spot and took off down the road. She tried to clear her mind as she drove.
Maybe he didn't see me. Maybe I was lucky. Even if he did see me, all I have to do is go home and lock everything up. I'll call the police. Yes, that's what I'll do. Someone will be able to help me. I'll be okay. I'll be alright. I'll--
Her thoughts were interrupted as her car sputtered. She checked her gauges. She had almost a full tank and the engine hadn't overheated. She pounded her fists on the steering wheel in a fit of rage, unable to understand why the vehicle had halted.
"Damn car!" she yelled in frustration. The woman grabbed her keys out of the ignition and dropped them in her pocket, then got out of the car and ran. Her house was only a little farther. Just a little farther.
She managed to get to her destination and pulled her keys out of her pocket. She fumbled with them in the darkness until she found her house key. She jammed it in the lock and wrenched open her door. After locking it again, Ritsuko scampered around her house, locking everything up.
When she finally felt safe, the blonde woman turned on a dim light in the kitchen and headed for her phone on the counter. As she reached for the receiver, a hand grabbed her wrist tightly. She screamed. Gendo Ikari stepped out from a small niche. Ritsuko finally broke down, bawling like an infant that had fallen and scraped its knee. The man pulled out a knife, and put it against her throat at the shank, gently pressing it a bit harder with every passing second.
"Why, Gendo? Why?" Ritsuko managed between sobs as blood trickled down her neck. "Why did you kill her?"
"That is simple, Dr. Akagi." The head scientist looked up at the man with wide eyes. "Because I wanted to. And she'll forgive me. She always does." Ritsuko's eyes grew dull and glassy as Gendo pulled the blade swiftly across her throat. He let go of her wrist and she dropped to the floor.
"Curiosity killed the cat, Dr. Akagi," he whispered as a sinister smile found its way to his lips.