11

Diversionary tactics

"In a mad world, only the mad are sane"

/

Someone had once told him that in a mad world, only the mad are sane. Certainly, if that was the case than John Jeffries boss was a stark raving lunatic, John was one of the few people who knew his employer's true identity, and in a way that scared him. On the one hand "Grey" as he was quickly becoming known to the world, was a puppet to SEELE. Only that was the biggest irony of all, the puppet had long since cut his strings. Grey had been in exactly the right place to steal SEELE's repair fund, had bounced the funds across the globe leading SEELE's accountants a merry dance. Finances had fascinated Grey, and often he commented on the "Lilim" economy. That money was now being repurposed, from repairing Eva's to building a fledgling empire. The business in Sydney had been in Grey's own words, "to fuck with Reddington." Normally John would have advised against such action, but these days he was backing Grey to win. Indeed, when that immense smack down finally happened, Reddington would not know what had hit him. That was the price of association with the one-Person Grey hated with a passion, Shinji Ikari. John didn't know what the boy had done to earn his boss's ire, and to be completely honest he didn't care. At fifty-eight Jefferies was long passed giving a hoot, he'd paid more than his due.

He had joined SEELE way back in the day, Lorenz and others had been there from the beginning, John damn well nearly as long. Recruited straight out of King's college London, John had been on the fast track to success. Using his education and connections to make things happen, oh but he had so nearly had it all. Second Impact, that had been when his luck had turned for the worse. His contacts had been wiped out to a man, and due to some unfortunate speculation on his part he had been left broke. Relegated to a desk job he had languished criminally underused, the joke around the office was that he was a gopher, he would gopher this and gopher that. Bitter resentment had festered in his heart, and he was convinced he was kept around merely for amusement. Then one day an unmarked letter had turned up on his desk, a letter that had changed his luck for the better. John had listened at length to the young mans schemes, had seen what this person could do, and had perhaps sold his soul to the devil. Money made the world go around, and that was especially true in these post impact times. He paused sipping from an expensive coffee mug, his apartment was on the budget side of things, Grey's explicate instruction. "Once SEELE is gone my friend feel free to spend, you'll have earned it."

Since Grey had come into his life things had changed, he had found himself once more moving up the ladder. Out of the office and into the world, John had made it his mission to establish new contacts, ones who would serve Grey well. Grey was playing a dangerous game, they both were, but the prize to the victor was lucrative. John had no children of his own, had never really given it too much thought, yet at times Grey was happy to listen to his advice. He had no delusions of controlling Grey, the young man knew his own mind, but it had felt good to be listened to again, to feel useful. Carter had to both his and Grey's surprise survived Reddington's wrath, both had pondered as to whether the concierge was going soft? Perhaps, perhaps not. Right now, all that mattered was the current plan, a plan that required a bit of misdirection to take place. Meeting up with Creed had been an illuminating experience, like all serial killers the man was scarily lucid, not at all the stark raving lunatic one imagined these types to be. Tall lanky and bald as a new born baby, Alister Creed had a gaze that seemed to pierce right through you, as if he were searching your soul. He had unsettled John but not Grey, that had been interesting to note.

John had waited to one side as the pair exchanged pleasantries, much like a butler waiting on his masters every need, that had been the point. In reality he was there for Grey's safety, concealed pistol at the ready in case Creed's needs overwhelmed his common sense. However, no such thing had happened, and Grey had slowly brought the man around to the plan. All the while Creed's dog had remained hidden beneath its master's seat, never growling or barking but certainly not looking happy. John had gotten the strange sense the dog didn't really care for its owner, but none did not bite the hand that fed you. Once they had Creed on board they had sourced their next ally, that had proven slightly harder. The man Grey had initially directed John to had turned out to be dead, murdered by one of his own pupils. Fortunately, one of those students had been investigating the death, and had required very little persuading to join the cause. That indeed her proficiencies were such that getting her in place would not prove difficult, eleven months of careful planning about to bear fruit. "This will mean war with Reddington sir, you do understand that?" Grey who was sitting opposite him watching the television smiled that carefree smile of his, "of course it will, I'm counting on it."

John nodded, if Grey thought he could take on Reddington then so be it, this was a war that would be fought on the streets. A war that would end in a back-alley shootout, or perhaps a shootout in a warehouse somewhere. "I've got no strings, so I have fun, I'm not tied up to anyone. They've got strings, but you can see, there are no strings on me." Grey was singing merrily along to the Disney movie, the irony of his choice of movie was not lost on John. They had both been tangled in SEELE's strings, but it had been Grey who had set them both free. Perhaps that was how Reddington had done it, freeing people from disadvantaged positions, then seeing who would follow him willingly. Slowly but surely Grey was building his own group of reliable followers, people who would follow him to hell and back. A thought occurred to him, one he chose not to bother the young man with but one that nagged at him. The young woman they had employed, she had been after revenge and they had directed her to it. However, their directions had been false, based off hearsay more than anything else. He just hoped this "daughter of the Major" did not rebound in their faces, she was after all very adept. Shaking these thoughts away he returned to his coffee, John observed his employers red eyes dancing with almost childlike delight.

/

"Faithful to the last crumb." Hikari's kidnapper said a wry smile on his thin face, he had jabbed a needle into her neck injecting something. Then as if it mattered not in the slightest had turned to feed his dog, the small black and white Shih Tzu sat looking up at her owner tail fluffy tail wagging, yet even Hikari could read the mild apprehension in the animal's demeanour. Spindly and emaciated, the bald man looked like he might be around seventy, yet he moved too quickly. He regarded the animal before him with a cool detachment, he had no real feelings for the dog Hikari realised, he just liked the control he had over it. Hikari realised she couldn't move her body and felt a rising sense of terror, she'd seen the news of course and recalled Kensuke relating the tale to her once. The mask collector, a man with a nightmarish modus operandi, and Hikari had the miserable misfortune of being his next victim. He walked up and poked her with a needle, Hikari wanted to yell out as the pain flared, but she couldn't. "Ah good, I do apologise about this my dear, but young mister Grey was quite specific." Hikari did not believe for one moment the man was sorry, he had dragged her to this nasty hovel of an apartment after he had caught her. One whiff of chloroform later and she was out, only to wake up here tied to what resembled a dentist chair.

She watched in frozen terror as the man got ready, slipping into scrubs and sliding on a pair of gloves with snap of the rubber. The monster was clearly enjoying the theatrics of the whole thing, a natural if ghoulish showman. He approached an old-fashioned record player, and soon strings of Mozart began to fill the small sitting room. Hikari watched as the man began gesturing, as if he himself were conducting the orchestra, save his baton was a scalpel. As he approached she wanted to pull away, to kick him and flee this mad place. Her body was utterly unresponsive save sensation, behind him the dog cocked its little head and let out a whimper. The man loomed over her like a figure from a horror movie, that horrid detached smile on his face. White hot pain flared through the right-hand side of her face, terror and agony threatening to overwhelm as he began his ghoulish task. The sound of the door being kicked in was almost muffled by the music, the dogs loud sharp bark alerting its master. The next thing Hikari knew was that he collapsed against the chair, and Mister Ressler was untying her bonds while Mister Holman handed him some cotton wool. "Your gonna be ok Miss Horaki, I'll get you out of here." Hikari felt hot tears of relief spilling forth, and as she was carried over the threshold her mind finally gave up and she passed out.

When she came around Hikari was on her back, her head resting in Asuka's lap the red head holding a bloody cloth against her face. Hikari saw anger blazing behind those eyes, she watched as that gaze softened when Asuka realised Hikari had come to. "Your gonna be fine Hikari, we're getting you to the hospital." Hikari felt her lips tug up in a smile, relief flooded her as she realised she was getting some of her mobility back. When she had lain strapped and immobile, she had been afraid that even if she survived she wouldn't be able to move again. The car stopped, and Ressler once again gently lifted her out, Asuka keeping pace and Hikari realised even Rei was here. At the hospital work station staff looked up stunned, "this girl has been attacked, she has lacerations on her face." The doctor began organising and a gurney was brought in, "I'm staying with Hikari." Asuka stated flatly, and Ressler nodded making it clear he would remain. "Your gonna sort her cut out properly right? Plastic surgery?" Asuka suddenly pressed the doctor, the young man's mouth floundered before he responded. "Young lady we don't have the funds for something like that, we're stretched as it is." Asuka's eyes became deadly slits, "Organise it, Mister Holman from the school will pick up the tab."

Hikari felt a sudden surge of affection for her friend, only Asuka could intimidate a doctor into acting. "Steve Holman will sort out the money, just take care of this kid." Ressler reinforced Asuka's words, and Hikari swore she saw a mischievous glint in the man's eyes. Realisation hit her which hospital they were at, Sakura Suzuhara was being treated here. "Least Toji won't have far to go." Hikari managed to get out, her voice was not very strong. Asuka nodded smiling encouragingly at her, and Hikari forced herself to relax as she was wheeled rapidly through the hospital. The ceiling whizzed past so quickly Hikari closed her eyes, the motion making her feel nauseous. All the while her brain was rattling along with the gurney, who would cook for her family whilst she was indisposed? Her sisters were not terribly good when it came to that, they would likely burn the family apartment down. Toji, if her face was badly scarred would he leave her? Hikari forced that thought away, Toji was not so fickle as to run at the first sign of trouble. Then there was the greatest puzzle of all, why had it been her school teachers to come to the rescue? Her mind reconjured the image of Holman, and as she was given an anaesthetic that slowly dragged her down she recalled, his eyes had been so full of a terrible anger.

/

Reddington waited as Dembe pulled Creed upright and into a chair, the spindly doctor might have horrified his most recent intended victim, but to a man like Raymond Reddington? "I've seen violence in my time, dished out a large portion of it myself." Creed looked at him eyes watering from the pain, a bullet lodged in his left knee. "However, I hold myself to certain standards, something a man like you would appear to lack." Behind him Kaplan waited, normally she was called in after a person was killed. However, on this occasion she had taken things personally, not something Reddington often encouraged in his subordinates. Kates eyes were deadly slits of hatred, her expression subconsciously mirroring his own. The music had been turned down but not off, Reddington turned and scooped up the small dog, it whimpered but made no attempt to fend him off. "Dogs are such loyal creatures, all they ask is food and affection. They never think about betrayal, I like that." Behind him he failed to notice Kate shift ever so slightly. "I've dealt with sociopathic people like you, they very rarely if ever develop true attachment." "Oh, don't worry about the dog, I'd never think of harming her." He looked up from gently stroking the dogs fur, and pinned Creed with a glare that was pure loathing.

"who sent you?" The question was straight forward and to the point, Creed tilted his head to one side as if trying to read his interrogator. "Normally I would bring a specialist in, let him over the course of a day extract what I need from you, but time is tight." He needed a name behind these attacks, needed to be able to put a stop to this now. The chance was here to enable Shinji to get his life back, to no longer be in fear of an assassination attempt. "I can if need be strap you into your own chair, dose you up with your own concoction, and then over the course of two hours slowly cut your face off." Raymond gestured with his gun lazily, the offer was clear and obvious. A quick death here and now, or hours of agony and then death the choice was Creed's. Of course, Raymond's specialty didn't really include surgery and Kaplan would more than likely make the man suffer despite her expertise. "He calls himself Robert Grey, a young and very angry individual." Reddington leaned forward, it seemed that Grey was not just interested in screwing up his operations but was also the one targeting Shinji. "Can I ask you a personal question? What is the boy to you?"

Reddington paused considering the question before leaning in and whispering to Creed, the man nodded slowly as if the answer did not surprise him. Raymond wondered himself how long he could keep a lid on things, if word got out about Shinji and his origins? Raymond would be in danger of a repeat of what had happened to Lizzie, when her Russian birth name had come out, unpleasant elements had sat up and took note, and Elizabeth had died for that. The idea of something similar happening to one as young as Shinji, made even Raymond's iron stomach clench. "Well then you might want to hurry, I was never directed to kill young mister Ikari." Realisation hit like a truck, the whole thing had been a distraction. Get him and most of security away from Nerv, and outside of Baz Shinji was vulnerable. Reddington wasted no time putting a round in Creed's head, he handed the dog to Dembe and both men were on their feet and moving rapidly to the elevator. Somehow Grey had gotten someone inside Nerv, and there was every chance he had lost someone again. Snatching up his phone he dialled Baz, and Reddington felt the cold hand of fear when there was no response.

/

Misato paced the floor back and forth as Aram worked, Ressler had departed with Kaplan in tow heading topside. "Nobody thought that information was pertinent?" She heard Ritsuko growl up at Cooper, the man was unmoved by the doctor's anger at what had been revealed. "Reddington and I had our reasons for withholding, it was deemed need to know." Need to know was that each child in Reddington's class had been microchipped, they all had trackers injected underneath their skin. The mask Collector might have a head start, but Nerv and Reddington would be hot on his heels. Hikari had been snatched from outside Misato's apartment, that in and of itself was cause for concern, for whoever wanted Shinji knew where to look. Asuka and Rei were both with Reddington, the man pointing out that time was of the essence. The concierge did not have time to return them to base then set out again, which was where Ressler and Kaplan came into the picture. They would safeguard the two pilots while Reddington rescued Hikari, and if it all came off without a hitch, Misato planned to have a serious security review, again. Cooper was angry, at himself and at Section Two's continued ill-discipline.

Right now, Aram was guiding Reddington to his target, a series of apartments on the edge of Tokyo three. Misato found herself feeling like a spare wheel and her pacing was beginning to irritate the others, "I'm going to go check on Shinji." She turned and exited the command centre, she just needed to see him and be sure he was ok. Misato couldn't shake an odd feeling, a feeling like calamity was closing in on the base. She reached the hospital ward and immediately drew her gun; the nurses were nowhere to be seen and Baz was flat on his back. She reached the door to Shinji's room weapon drawn, taking a breath she spun inside and drew a bead on the intruder. Karen was sat at the boy's bedside a hypodermic in her hands, the thing was still full, and she sat looking at it her expression confused. The fake blonde turned to look up at her a strange sadness in her eyes, Shinji was sat in bed eying the young woman warily. Misato knew the boy wouldn't be able to scurry away from the threat, so she kept a bead on Karen her eyes hard. "One wrong move and your brains will be on the wall." The doctor let out a sigh of resignation, "yeah I figured that might be the case." She continued to regard the hypodermic needle.

"Dimethylmercury, I was told to inject him with this once the distraction began." Misato felt her eyes widen, that stuff was a horrible way to die. "so why didn't you?" This came from Shinji; the boy was leaning away yet trying not to be obvious about it. Karen looked up at him a rueful smile on her face, and carefully let the hypodermic drop onto her feet before rolling it toward Misato. "Because you don't look like or sound like the evil incarnate I imagined you'd be, the way he described you." Misato kept the gun trained on the girl as she picked up the poison, "because in a way, your just like me." Baz staggered into the room glowering at the girl holding the back of his head. "Careful she packs a punch." Karen rose slowly whilst stepping away from Shinji, Baz placed a pair of cuffs on her, but Misato quickly asked the question. "Who sent you, why?" The blonde looked at her and Misato was struck at just how young this person really was, she couldn't be more than fifteen at most, yet had managed to convince everyone she was an adult. "Grey, he loathes Shinji. It's a hatred the likes I've never seen before, and I've seen hatred and known it." Grey, the same man who had scuppered Reddington's little deal in Australia. "Take her down to the holding wing, don't notify Reddington yet I want more answers."

The silver haired veteran looked like he might argue then shrugged, and Karen was led out of Shinji's room the girl looking haunted. Misato turned and sat down next to Shinji before raising her phone, "I need an investigation team made available, find out what happened to doctor Karen Destapo." She listened to the puzzled reply before responding patiently, "No that one is an imposter, and I want to speak to Cooper about security, we've been compromised again." Ending the call, she turned to regard Shinji, the boy had a far away look on his face. "Shinji, I know you, and right now your blaming yourself for what's happened." He blinked seeming to snap out of it, "I know its not my fault Misa, but all the same these people are coming here because of me." He seemed calm, calmer than she had ever seen him in recent weeks and her heart sank. "Your planning to leave." It wasn't a question, she could see the determination slowly rising in his eyes. Shinji reached out and took her hand, the first time she had really known him to initiate contact himself. "I have to Misato, until we can find out whose doing this and stop them, I have to." Misato sighed, Shinji was correct in his reasoning. Despite her best efforts Nerv's security was repeatedly being breached.

"Asuka wont like that." Misato pointed out as she tried to find a way to dissuade him, Shinji gave her a lopsided if sad smile and for a second she swore she was looking at a younger Kaji. "She'll get over it, besides I don't plan on leaving forever." "You know as well as I do Misato, a moving target is a harder target to hit." Misato relented, despite what she wanted she knew he was right, but that meant she knew who was going to have to go with him. "Just don't let Reddington start teaching you how to steal cars or anything ok? I want you coming home the innocent Shinji." The boy nodded, and Misato drew him to her, he didn't resist or protest seeming to sense she needed this moment. Her phone bleeped, and she snapped it open keeping a hold of her boy. "Katsuragi." She listened eyes slowly widening as Reddington addressed her, then when he asked her a question she responded. "The threat pretty much neutralised herself, she's in custody until we can work out what the hell to do with her." Shinji had drawn back enough so that he could look into her eyes, and Misato really wanted to avoid answering the unspoken question. As she hung up the call she let out an irate sigh, "they got to Hikari, but she's pretty traumatised, he did cut her, so she's been taken to a medical facility."

Shinji nodded slowly his eyes distant, and Misato suspected she might know what it was he saw, a long and uncertain road before him. Not for the first time Misato wished she could shoulder his burden, but she knew that was beyond her ability. "Now you see why I can't stay, whoever this Grey is, he's a really poor marksman." Misato sighed, Shinji was right again and that scared her. Grey had nearly hit the target the first time, and now was seemingly spraying and praying. "Reddington's on his way back here, Asuka's at the hospital with Hikari and Rei." Shinji grimaced raising one eyebrow, "here's hoping the angels stay away then."

AN: This chapter has had more revisions than tongue can tell, truth be told I'm not one hundred percent happy with it. However sooner or later you have to get on with it, hopefully this chapter sets things up for events to come.