The Recruit Chapter 2: The Test, a ghost in the shell fanfic

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.

GitS/Eva: The Recruit

Chapter 2: The Test

"All right, this is it, Rei. I've taught you what you need to know. Your objective is to maintain surveillance of Major Motoko Kusanagi." Batou showed her a picture.

Rei took it and studied it carefully.

"She'll arrive at the hotel at approximately oh-nine-hundred hours. Acquire the target and track her for two hours." Batou gestured to the man standing next to him. "This is Pazu. He's with Section Nine as well." Pazu cracked a leery grin. Rei just nodded. "In the field, agents almost always work in pairs, but since we don't have any other recruits, Pazu here will be tagging along with you. But make no mistake; it's your assignment, your test. He's just providing backup."

Rei nodded. "And where will you be, Batou?"

Pazu raised an eyebrow.

"I'll be observing and evaluating your performance," Batou replied.

Again, she nodded.

"Well, good luck."

Rei and Pazu started towards the hotel entrance.

"Oh, and Rei."

The young woman turned.

"The Major doesn't take it easy on anyone, especially new recruits, so stay sharp," Batou warned.

"I shall." She gave him a hint of a smile, then turned and entered the building.

(000)

Batou walked about a block and a half before getting in the car next to Togusa. "Major, you copy?" Batou called via cyber-link.

"I copy," she replied. "Is she ready?"

"Ready and waiting. You can make your move any time."

"All right. I'm just getting off the riverboat. I should be there in ten minutes."

"Roger that."

The two men sat quietly, waiting for the Major's arrival. Togusa glanced over and started to open his mouth, but thought better of it and just drummed his fingers on the dash.

"You got something to say?" Batou barked.

Togusa smirked. "It's just … she called you Batou."

"So?"

"Not Mister Batou, not Sir, not Boss…"

"And?"

"And that last bit. Warning her about the Major. Telling her to stay sharp."

"What's your point?" the cyborg said gruffly.

"Big guy… are you in love?" Togusa struggled to keep a straight face.

"SHUT UP!"

"Can it, you two!" the Major commanded. "I'm going in."

(000)

Pazu read the newspaper and Rei flipped through a book she had taken out of her purse while they sat in the hotel lobby waiting for the Major to arrive. After about ten minutes, Rei spotted a dark-haired, voluptuous woman approaching the hotel entrance.

"The target is acquired." Rei sent the encrypted message to Pazu through an encoded channel.

"Okay, so… what do you want to do?" the agent asked.

Rei glanced around casually. "Assuming she is not going to get a room, she is probably heading for the restaurant or the bar. Let us head in that direction." She paused. "Go first. Take the escalator."

"Sure thing, babe." Glancing at his watch, Pazu folded his newspaper and casually made his way to the escalator, taking it to the second level.

(000)

"That's strange," Motoko broadcasted to both Batou and Togusa.

"What is?" Batou replied.

"Pazu's going up the escalator already," she said from just inside the hotel entrance. "Did he tip her off?"

"I'll check," Batou answered. "Hey, Pazu. Did you tip Rei off?"

"Negative. She spotted the Major before she even entered the hotel and figured she'd be heading to either the bar or the café. So she sent me on ahead."

"Did you get that, Major?" Batou asked.

"Yes, clever girl." She looked around but saw no sign of the blue-haired woman. A moment later she made her way to the escalators, stealing another glance around the lobby, but still found no sign of the recruit. "Hmm…"

Stepping off the escalator, the Major made her way towards the open-air café.

"May I help you, ma'am?" the young hostess asked with a smile.

"Table for one." Motoko smiled back, having spotted Pazu already.

The hostess grabbed a menu. "Very well, please follow me." She led her to the opposite end of the restaurant, far from her Section 9 comrade.

"Your waitress will be with you shortly." The hostess handed the Major her menu and bowed.

"Thank you," Motoko replied without actually looking up at the hostess. She simply took the menu and opened it to the beverage section.

A minute later the waitress arrived. "Good morning, ma'am." A young lady in a mini-dress and apron smiled. "What may I get for you today?"

Closing the menu and setting it on the table, Motoko answered, "I'll have a mocha latte and a buttered crescent, and can you bring me the latest issue of Tokyo Weekly?"

"Of course, ma'am." The young waitress bowed, picked up the menu, and left to fill the order.

Accessing the hotel's security camera, which overlooked the restaurant, the Major asked, "So Pazu, where's your little friend?"

"Good question, Major. I'll find out." The lean, grim-faced agent switched to an encoded channel. "Rei, where are you, babe?"

The blue-haired woman's expression darkened ever so slightly. "I am on the fifth floor by the glass elevators. I have the target in my sights." She accessed the fifth floor elevator lobby's security camera and sent the image down to Pazu.

"Smart. Okay, I'll keep tabs on her from here. I'll let you know where she's heading if she moves out of your line of sight," he replied.

"Very well." She shifted from one foot to the other, leaning up against the marble wall that was part of the elevator's structure.

"Well, Pazu?" Motoko asked.

"She's got you in her sights, Major. Just being inconspicuous about it."

"Is that right? All right, guess I'll have to do some work here." She quickly accessed the building security system again and scanned the cameras floor-by-floor for the new recruit; first floor, second floor, third floor, forth floor, fifth floor, sixth floor. Wait a second… She went back and looked at the fifth floor cameras, then compared them with the images from the forth and sixth floors. She used the elevator lobby shot from the forth floor and the hallway camera that shows the lobby from the sixth to conceal herself. The Major overrode the system to gain direct access to the elevator lobby camera on the fifth floor, which showed a woman with light-blue hair, in a pants suit and sensible shoes. "Very clever girl."

"Here you are, ma'am." The waitress set the latte and crescent down along with the magazine. "Enjoy."

"Thank you." Motoko picked up the magazine and started flipping through it before taking a sip of her latte and tearing off a piece of her crescent.

(000)

"So, Batou, what makes this recruit different from the others we've tested?" Togusa asked.

"What do you mean?" The larger man took a swig of his canned coffee.

"You don't seem quite as pessimistic about Ayanami's chances as you did with the other recruits we tested a few months ago."

"I don't? Hmm… Maybe it's because she's different? She's sharp and learns fast. I never had to tell her anything more than once, and when I'd try to use her lack of size to her disadvantage, she always managed to work around it. There wasn't anything I threw at her that she couldn't handle." He took another drink.

"So, it is love." Togusa smirked.

"I swear, you're going to need a prosthetic body after I get through with you."

"Just kidding, big guy, just kidding." The younger agent chuckled, holding his hands up in defense.

(000)

Motoko set her empty cup down and finished reading the article that had caught her attention, then put the magazine down. Standing up, she made her way out of the restaurant.

"Target is moving. Pazu, can you tell where she is going?"

"Looks like she's heading for the restroom," the agent replied.

Rei accessed the blueprints of the building. "No other exists, one secured window." She paused. "Wait a minute…" Spinning towards the elevator, she hit the up button. "Pazu, go to the women's restroom, now."

"You mean inside?" He got up and started heading in that direction. "Why?"

"I believe Major Kusanagi is making her move." A few seconds later she got off on the top floor and hurried to the access stairwell. As she ran up the stairs towards the roof, Pazu contacted her. "Rei, you were right. The Major's no longer here and the window's been left open."

"Understood," she answered, just before forcing the door to the roof open. She looked left and right, catching sight of something moving. At the far end of the shorter building across the street a figure ran to the edge and jumped off. "Pazu, head to the far side of Mitsukawa Bank, next door. See if you can re-acquire the target."

"Gotcha." The agent ran down the escalator, shoving past people, and made a beeline to the exit.

Rei ran towards the edge of the building, reached into her purse, and pulled out what looked like a gun. Taking careful aim, she fired it at the building across the street. A projectile flew from it and impaled itself near the top of the building. Without hesitation, Rei dropped her purse, grabbed the gun securely with both hands, and jumped off the hotel. She sailed through the air towards the bank, striking it feet first about three stories from the top. Engaging the recoil on the gun, Rei scaled the side of the building with the aid of a razor-thin line attached to the projectile. In a matter of seconds she was on top of the bank and running to the far end.

(000)

Motoko crouched low in one of the thick branches of a large ginkgo tree in front of the bank. "Batou, what's happening?"

"Pazu exited the hotel about a minute ago and is making his way around to the front of the bank. You should be able to spot him any moment now," he replied.

"Yup, there he is." She saw her fellow Section 9 agent scanning the grounds in search of her. "He hasn't spotted me yet. And our new recruit?"

"Don't know. Last we saw her she was making her way up to the roof of the hotel. She must still be up there because she hasn't come down yet," answered Batou.

(000)

"Pazu, have you acquired the target?" Rei communicated.

"Negative. She must have taken off down the street. I'll head east and see-"

Rei cut in. "Negative. Target is near the top of the ginkgo tree. The large one to your right."

Pazu looked over and up. "Target acquired. Where are you?"

"On top of Mitsukawa Bank."

The agent shifted his gaze to the top of the building and spotted her pale blue hair poking out over the top. "How did you get over there?"

"Will explain later. Keep the target in your sights. I will be down momentarily," she replied, then disappeared from sight.

While riding the elevator down to the first floor, Batou contacted her. "Rei, where are you, and where is the target?"

"I am currently in elevator three of the Mitsukawa Bank, descending to the first floor. The target is in a ginkgo tree in the bank's plaza. Pazu has target in his sights and is awaiting my arrival," she answered.

"Understood, Rei. Continue surveillance."

"Very well." The elevator doors opened just as she received a message from Pazu.

"Rei! Target is on the move. She's making her way down Meijidori."

"Continue pursuit. I will catch up with you," she replied, rushing out of the building and heading up the street.

After covering two blocks and realizing that neither Pazu nor the Major were in sight, Rei got an idea. "Batou, we are pursuing the target down Meijidori. Suspect she will attempt to lose us at the university." If he will just… Rei came to a stop as she analyzed the data she accessed from hacking her instructor. A faint smirk crossed her lips and she broke across the Gakushuw University campus, heading for the railway station. Now, if they attempt to contact Major Kusanagi…

(000)

"The university?" Togusa asked suspiciously.

Batou raised his hand, silencing the younger agent. "Maintain pursuit at all costs."

"Understood," the recruit replied.

"Has the Major changed the route?" Togusa asked.

"Well, the university is next to the railway station. Maybe Rei's right? Could be that the Major's trying to lose them there, before boarding the train," Batou speculated. After a few quiet minutes, he tried to establish contact with Motoko. "Major, where are you?"

It took a little longer than normal but eventually a connection was made. "Just leaving Gakushuw Campus. Looks like I lost them. Boarding the Metro, eastbound."

"Eastbound?" Batou paused, going over the predetermined route in his head once again. "All right. We'll pick you up at the Ginza Station."

"Roger that," they heard.

Without a second thought, Batou started the car and merged into traffic.

(000)

Rei caught up to Pazu at the Metro station. "Where is the target?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, lost her." He scanned all round, but it was no use.

Rei looked at the two trains at the station. "These are the only two trains scheduled at this station for the next 12 minutes. She must have boarded one of them. Take that one, I shall take this one."

Before Pazu could protest, she turned and ran for the northbound train. "Shit!" the agent cursed himself, then turned and boarded the eastbound train just before the doors closed.

(000)

Rei took a seat as the train pulled out of the station. Based on the information she hacked from Batou, she knew she had nearly an hour before the Major planned to get off. After taking a quick mental inventory of what tools she still had on her, she sat back and waited, staring straight ahead with eyes unfocused. I should not have dropped my purse. She continued to stare aimlessly. Now I may never know if Aya and Tooya will end up together. She sighed softly.

(000)

From looking at her, one would assume Rei Ayanami had falling into a trance of some sort with the way she sat perfectly still, her eyes half closed and unfocused. But nothing could have been further from the truth.

From here, the Major will first determine if she has been followed. She has attempted to access the train's security cameras, but I believe I have successfully disabled them. If I allow her to exit the train first and rely solely upon the data I accessed from Batou, then I should be able to tail her to the conclusion of this exercise, unless she alters her destination, but the probability of that should be remote. However, if I make my presence known, then I will have revealed not only myself but also the fact that I managed to obtain her scheduled route. Rei pondered her options.

Of course, if I do reveal myself, then she will most certainly alter her route. Attempting to keep pace with a fully prosthetic cyborg could prove too great a challenge. She paused. However, the likelihood of another opportunity to test myself like this is small.

The next stop was announced and Rei got up and made her way to the exit. When the doors opened, Rei quickly stepped off and away from the train, then looked back to locate her quarry. From the lead car, she saw the Major exit the train. Casually, the blue-haired woman made her way towards the exit, bringing her in plain view of Motoko.

(000)

What the…, the Major trailed off. Using a level-5 security channel, she transmitted, "Batou, do you copy?"

A moment later she heard him reply, "Roger that, Major."

"What is your current position?" She slowly made her way to the exit.

"Just outside the Ginza train station. Why?"

"Ginza? What are you doing in Ginza?"

"Waiting for you, of course."

"But I wasn't scheduled to go to Ginza. I'm to hell and back from Ginza."

"According to my data, you were scheduled to board the train and head east to Ginza."

"Togusa, can you confirm?" She kept a wary eye on the new recruit. Did she hack me without my even noticing? If she did, she's good.

"That's affirmative, Major. According to my data you were schedule to arrive at Ginza station at 1030 hours."

She stopped and scanned the area, spotting her pursuer by the window of a coffee shop, enjoying a drink.

She's toying with me. The Major's expression darkened. "Batou, double check the scheduled route with HQ."

A minute later, "Damn, how'd she do that?"

"What is it?"

"Looks like Miss Ayanami hacked both Batou and me, Major. You were right, we were supposed to head up north to the market district."

Well, at least I'm not the one that's slipping. She turned and headed up the block.

(000)

"Dammit! She made us look like fools!" Batou put the car in gear and peeled out of the parking spot.

"Well, at least you were right." Togusa smiled.

"Right about what?"

"She is something special."

While racing through traffic with a grim look on his face, Batou couldn't help but smile to himself.

(000)

After finishing her last sip, Rei tossed her iced tea in the trashcan while following the Major. Major Kusanagi is a very composed individual. She must be aware of my presence. Undoubtedly, she will attempt to elude me very soon.

As if on cue, the Major turned off the street she was walking and down a narrow alleyway that led up through a series of apartments to an open market area. Rei quickened her pace and stepped into the alleyway. There were a number of twists and turns along the way, with multiple opportunities for Motoko to duck out of sight.

The apartments were old and made of brick, and in bad need of grout repair. The windowsills were also brick and uncluttered. Rei sighed, then took her projectile gun out of her jacket pocket and tucked it in the back of her slacks. Taking the jacket off, she looked at it for a second. "It cost me over 60,000 yen." She sighed again. "Oh well." She set it on the ground. Digging in her pockets, she pulled out a pair of gloves and quickly put them on. Taking a deep breath, she flexed her fingers, then took a running start.

Rei jumped five feet up against the side of the building; coiling her leg, tightly, she pushed off and sprang to the windowsill of the apartment across of the alley. She continued this all the way up the four stories of the buildings. Grabbing onto the edge of the building, she pulled herself onto the roof, and without hesitation, she ran along the side and scanned the alley below in search of the Major.

The buildings in this part of town were constructed very close together, so Rei was able to jump from building to building with some effort, but her determination was rewarded when she spotted Motoko emerging from one of the open-air shops below. A modest grin played upon her lips when she saw the Major casually look up and down the street.

Searching for me, Major Kusanagi? You will have to look harder than that. A small measure of pride filled the young woman.

(000)

"Where've you been?" Pazu stepped out from the crowd and leaned against the roof of the car that pulled up to the light.

"How long have you been here?" Batou replied.

"After I searched the train I was on and determined the Major wasn't on it, I got off and took the next train northbound. The Major told me where to get off, but I've been here for almost 20 minutes and can't find either of them. Neither has responded to my hails," the former yakuza assassin explained.

"Well, hop in. Time is up. It's time to call in the players." Batou waited for Pazu to get in the back seat, then sped off before attempting to contact his boss. "Major, time's up. Where are you?"

"I'll tell you in a minute. First, find out where Rei Ayanami is." She sounded none too happy.

"Roger that." Switching to an encoded channel, he hailed the recruit. "Rei, the test is over. Where are you?"

"I am currently tracking Major Kusanagi, westbound on Toshiro near Gonzo." She paused long enough to jump to the next building. "She is in front of a pottery shop and does not appear to be in good spirits."

Batou couldn't help but grin, while Togusa pressed the back of his hand to his mouth to stifle a laugh.

Switching channels, Batou informed the Major, "She's tracking you down Toshiro. See any interesting pottery?"

(000)

Motoko whipped around, and around again, but saw no hint of the recruit, then on a hunch she looked up and caught the blue-haired woman's reflection off a third floor window. There you are.

"So, want us to pick the two of you up down Gonzo? We're almost there," Batou asked.

"Head back to headquarters now. We'll meet you there." She started walking quickly down the street.

"But Major--"

"That's an order!"

"Okay, you're the boss."

She broke into a run for almost a block before darting down an alley.

(000)

Rei started running the moment she saw the Major break into a run, but lost sight of her when she darted down the alley, though only for a brief moment.

"Clever girl. Send Batou on a wild goose chase but not before hacking him to get my route." Motoko stood on an adjoining rooftop with her arms folded across her chest. "But why let me know you were still on my trail? Why make it so obvious?"

Rei just looked at her.

"I see. A tree doesn't fall in a forest unless there's someone around to hear it, is that it?"

Rei tilted her head slightly and considered the analogy.

"All right, technically, the test is over. But in a situation like this, when you're showing your hand to your target, you have to be ready for the consequences." Motoko jumped over onto the same roof and took a defensive stance. "Let's finish it."

Rei's heart rate jumped. Is she serious? She knows I do not stand a chance against her in hand-to-hand combat. What are my options? I can run, but she could catch me without much effort. I could fight and hope she is simply testing my skill level, but Batou did say she does not hold back, especially on new recruits. Wait… hold back… She readied herself for battle.

The two women circled each other, drawing ever closer with each step. Motoko was utterly expressionless, methodical and calculated with every step. Rei appeared to be just as emotionless and calculated, but the tiny beads of sweat dotting her forehead would have given her away had her bangs not covered that portion of her face.

Motoko attacked first, leaping forward, landing on her left foot and launching a spin back kick with her right. Rei dropped to the ground, just avoiding the kick, and swept the Major's leg out from under her. In mid-air, Motoko arched her back and landed on her hands, completing a back flip in a fighting position.

The Major waited to give the recruit a chance to initiate an attack, but after a few brief seconds, she maneuvered in close again, this time throwing a series of punches. Rei ducked under the first two and both blocked and faded the third. When the forth came at her, she instantly noticed that Kusanagi left her side wide open. Her first instinct was to attack but instead, she rolled backwards and prepared for another assault.

Why didn't she attack me? I gave her the perfect opportunity. Motoko circled her opponent. Of course, she knows she can't hurt my cybernetic body. She knew I was baiting her. Smart girl. But it's over now.

The Major let out a yell and came at Rei with a series of leaping kicks that backed the recruit up to the edge of the building. Rei's concentration was broken for but a second, when she stole a glance over her shoulder at the street below, but Motoko's attack yell brought her back in time to see the Major coming down upon her. Rei crossed her arms over hear head.

"Rrrrr!" The force of the blow brought Rei down to one knee, and before he knew it she was struck in the side with another kick that sent her tumbling along the side of the building.

Motoko jumped and landed over the fallen recruit. Pinning Rei's shoulder down with one hand, she raised her fist, ready to deliver the knock out blow when, with her free arm, Rei pulled out her gun and pressed it again the Major's temple. "No matter how dense your brain casing may be, a nine millimeter round at this range will do irreparable damage."

Motoko hesitated. "You won't pull the trigger."

"You have read my service record, I'm sure. If so, you are well aware that I am very adept at pulling the trigger, even against my fellow operatives." Rei's expression gave nothing away.

Kusanagi released Rei's shoulder. "Game over. You win." She stood up and offered the smaller woman a hand.

Rei accepted it. "I hardly feel like a winner." She ran her hand along her side. "A draw perhaps, but only barely." She raised her gun to show the Major.

"Wait, that's not a nine millimeter."

"Correct. It is a projectile gun." Rei released the catch and let the anchor slide out. "Even at point blank range, this would have done little more than damage your prosthetic skin and scratched your casing."

"You lied."

"I did not."

"You said it was a nine millimeter."

"Correction. I said a nine millimeter would prove lethal at point blank range. At no time did I identify my weapon as a nine millimeter."

"Nice bluff." Motoko smiled. "Come on, I'll buy you a drink and get you some ice for your side."

Rei put the gun down her back and got in step with the Major. "If you do not mind, I'd like to see if my suit coat is still in the alleyway where I left it. It is my favorite."

"Your favorite, and you wore it to a field test?"

"I was not thinking properly this morning."

"Are you limping, Ayanami?" Motoko observed how the girl was walking.

"I believe I suffered a mild sprain when I jumped from the hotel to the bank."

"Jumped?" The taller woman was more than a little surprised.

"With the aid of my gun." Rei patted the tool in her back.

"I see." The Major smiled again. "You're resourceful, that's for sure."

(000)

Sitting at an open-air café, Rei sipped on a glass of iced tea while holding a small bag of ice to her side.

"I must say, you have very fast reflexes. There aren't many humans who could avoid my attack for as long as you did." The Major complimented the new recruit.

"Actually, I used your assault to my advantage."

"Oh?"

"I assumed with your focus on a physical attack, I might be able to access your lower cyber functions without detection. I managed to insert small delays in your motor functions." Rei took another sip.

"Is that right?" Motoko did a self-analysis and confirmed Rei's claim. "Ayanami, I see why Batou was so high on you."

"Unfortunately, it was not enough. You're final assault was far too powerful and much too fast for me to avoid, even with the delays."

"So tell me, why do you want to be a part of Section Nine? And you can leave the canned response from the application. I want to know the real reason," Motoko asked after putting her coffee down.

Rei considered the question for a few moments, than answered, "I suppose the primary reason is because I no longer feel challenged at the SIU and feel that of all the agencies, Section Nine possess the greatest test of my potential."

"A test?" Motoko ran her hand across her jaw line. "Is that what public service work is to you, a test?"

"Perhaps I have misrepresented my intentions and desires. I serve in the public sector because I feel my abilities can best be used to aid the public at large. In the process, I continually seek to push myself in order to… to fulfill my potential as a person. Is there anything wrong with that, Major Kusanagi?" Rei looked to dark-haired woman squarely in the eye.

The Major shook her head. "No, not at all."

"Am I to assume I have passed your test?"

"Well, technically I have to go over the results of today with Batou, Togusa, and Pazu. Then we still have to run a complete background check."

"Background check? I assumed such a check would have been performed much earlier," Rei questioned.

"A preliminary check, yes. But, assuming the others share my evaluation of your performance, a more thorough check will need to be performed; Interviews with past associates, supervisors, instructors, that sort of thing." Motoko leaned in. "There isn't anything in your past that will preclude your acceptance into Section Nine, is there?"

Rei paused for just a moment. "None that I am aware of."

"Good. I'd hate to see a spotted past get in the way of adding you to our team." Motoko lifted her cup. "Here's to you, Ayanami. Section Nine's unofficial newest member."

Rei took a moment to respond, but picked up her glass and gave a light tap to the Major's cup. "Thank you, Major Kusanagi. I am confident you will not regret your decision." Rei gave her a hint of a smile, then took a long slow drink.

(To Be Continued)

AN: I've always been one to try and research details in my stories as much as possible, but this was probably the hardest I've ever had to deal with. Trying to find a detailed map of Tokyo, in English, for free, is next to impossible. I suppose it is sort of overkill since the Tokyo in this story isn't the current day Tokyo, though since people tend to try and stay with what is familiar to them, I assumed that Tokyo 2, or New Tokyo would share many similarities with the original Tokyo. After wasting weeks on trying to properly identify street names, land markers and train routes, I finally gave up and just made things up.

I'd like to take a moment to thank my always amazing beta-reader, Janice, who turned this chapter around for me she a very short period of time. I'd also like to thank Tannim Murphy for offering his insight and opinions into the world of GitS.

I hope this everyone found this chapter even more entertaining than the first.

A. Amishi