The detention level was not in the same grip of chaos as the rest of the Center. Being a hardened portion of the base gave it some stability, and as most of the individuals posted down here were in body armor, there was less chance for injury among Nerv staff. Not so with the prisoners, however.
A large number of Seele loyalists and Section-2 personnel had been crammed into all available holding cells, which did them no favors when the GeoFront was struck. Multiple concussions and sprained limbs, bruising, several minor to major fractures, and at least one cardiac arrest. Injured prisoners were being cycled in and out as fast as the single medical team could see them, but it was hardly chaotic. Still, the sense that things had changed elsewhere was palpable. They all could feel it.
Rei could feel it.
She sat motionless on the cot, her hands on her knees. She could feel the tension throughout the facility, the tang and copper taste of building panic and fear. It wasn't quite a palpable thing yet, but it was there. Eddying through the mass soul-stuff of everyone present, feeding upon itself, building and climbing like an insect over a mountain of sludge. Rei felt it.
She felt the cells in her body dying, one by one, this frail and fragile golem of meat and bone decaying around her. It had always felt like a corpse, a rotting mass that was not her body, her frame…but it was even more so, now. She had lost something.
She had lost something integral to her, and the corpse would no longer sustain. She was too big for it now, or…it was too little. Too little, too late. She couldn't decide. All she knew was that her body was dying, and she couldn't stop that. Couldn't…or maybe…didn't want to. Had she lost the will to sustain it? To stop all those little cell-deaths? To keep the organs functioning in their proper manner, their designated place? Keep the blood pumping? The heart beating?
The girl closed her eyes, piecing through her mind. She had nothing but silence now, accentuated and emphasized by the blood-meat-viscera taste of fear beating down upon her. There were portions of her missing beyond the physical, and she had no desire or inclination to seek out those lost places. It was wearying, and she had the sense that such a loss had occurred before. This made it a normal thing, and thus those things lost were normal things to lose. They needed no rectification. No discovery. And yet, in this silence, with the stench of panic around her…indeed, the stench of her own decaying body…Rei found those gaps…tantalizing.
No, tantalizing wasn't the right word. Insistent. The more that animal-group-mind pushed on her, the internal-animal-self demanded stability. Safety. Assurance of things. She rarely cared about such things. She welcomed the death of this flesh prison that seemed to restrain her, that seemed to inhibit that…something.
Something, it was always something. Out of reach of her mind, her soul, her vision. It was just there, clawing at the edges…scratching at the frames…tapping on the window. Tap-tap-tapping, tap-tap-tapping.
Her skin itched. It felt as though it was loose on her arms, on her chest, and back, and stomach, and legs. Like it was waiting to peel off.
Tap-tap-tapping on my bedroom door….
The door to her cell slid open. A woman entered the cell, dressed in a Nerv security uniform. There was body armor plastered on her torso and limbs, and she wore a crash helmet, like a little beetle. A beetle with human flesh. Her right cheek was swollen, like she had something tucked away in there. It was purple, and ugly color. It was ugly to Rei.
The Nerv woman crossed the space, and knelt next to Rei. "Are you uninjured?" she asked.
"Yes," Rei said.
"I need to check. Is that all right?"
"Yes." The woman very quickly, efficiently, and a bit roughly pawed Rei's limbs and torso and neck and head, looking for anything those secret injuries that always seemed to creep out at the worst times. The ones that made a healthy person drop dead when ignored.
"You seem fine," the security woman agreed. "We have a medical team down to take a look, but we've already had several Priority alerts eat up our reserves. Since you're fine, it may be a while before they get here."
"Yes," Rei said. The woman studied her, as if trying to decide whether or not Rei's monotone was normal, or the result of an injury.
"You'll be fine until then, right?"
Rei closed her eyes, opened them, and turned to face the woman. "Will you?"
"Excuse me?" the woman asked.
"I asked, will you be all right until they get here?" Rei repeated.
"Uh…I'm fine as it is. Thanks for asking," the security woman stammered, confused.
"They will get here. At some point," Rei repeated. "Your fear will bring them."
"…my fear?"
"Like a wounded animal. The fear will bring the carrion eaters. It is the biological imperative of life. Life consumes life." She turned away. "I am fine. I do not need a medic."
The security woman looked as though she had more to say, but she stood and backed out of the cell. Unnerved. Shaken. They were all shaken. Rei closed her eyes. There was an animal fear in this place, restrained but there. It was eating the walls. It ate at her.
Tap-tap-tapping….
She had a vision in mind…of white wings and ruby lips. She had an idea of the shape of fear, of it slobbering down on them. She had an idea, but she didn't know from where. She dismissed it, to that place of lost pieces. If it was important, it would return.
She sat on the cot, feeling her body die around her.
"Jesus on the Cross, Major!" Aoba hissed, standing up. The bridge was not a roomy place, and it had become more crowded with the addition of a full-sized hospital gurney.
"I didn't know you were a Christian, Aoba," Misato murmured, her chin on a pillow. She was in a hospital gown, and face down on the stretcher. She looked highly displeased with the whole situation, but a lot happier to be back on the bridge.
"I'm not, but…Jesus!" Aoba complained. "Aren't you injured?"
"Aren't you?" Misato shot back.
"He doesn't have a compressed spinal injury and possible vertebral fractures," the med tech insisted. "How did you let us talk you into this?"
"Because you know what can happen if I'm not up here," Misato snapped. "So stop complaining, buzz off, and give me back my handgun!"
"You're on a gurney, so you don't need one, ma'am," the tech hissed, his one parting jab at being bullied into this course of action. "Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a lot of hurt folks out there right now." With that, the tech scurried off the bridge.
"Hyuga, give me your pistol," Misato snapped.
"I will not…ma'am!" Hyuga balked.
"Aoba! I know it's just a Glock, but I need something with bullets in it," Misato complained.
"Uh, that is a personally-issued service weapon, so unless you want to sign a receipt for it—"
"God damn it, give me Maya's!" Misato howled.
"We've reestablished contact with the outside, ma'am," Hyuga said, deflecting the complaints.
"With who?"
"The Fourth, actually. Their headquarters were rocked a bit by the blast, but unharmed. They say they've sustained at least ten percent fatalities, and twenty percent casualties, but are still operational. They know they didn't drop the N2 device so…they've been remarkably friendly for the past half-hour."
"Not too friendly, I take it," Misato grumbled.
"Well, they've given us the update: Tokyo-3 is still standing, so it was just the one device, and it was right on top of us."
"Oh, goody."
"They've traced the trajectory: it was that single satellite. They have it on their books as—"
"GAMA-02," Misato grumped, sitting up carefully on her elbows. "Those bastards actually had something waiting up there for us. Is it the only one? Do they have anything else they want to drop on us?"
"Uh…not seeing…," Hyuga turned, and coughed. Sitting up had let some of the flimsy gown slide a bit to reveal the Major's back, shoulders, and panties. Aoba turned, and quickly turned back. Misato detected the motion, and blushed furiously when she realized what it indicated.
"But what's next?" she griped, putting her head down on the pillow and using her hands to try and hitch the gown back into place. "Ikari says the Mass Production Evas, but where will the come from? Under what context? How soon can they get here? What are you doing?" Hyuga was unbuttoning his uniform shirt.
"Just bear with me, Major, I have an undershirt," he said. "I thought the MPs were still in the planning phase." He slithered out of his shirt, and very quickly stood and draped it across Misato's back.
"Thanks," she said, grateful. She propped herself up again. "According to Ikari, they're active, thanks to research we gave them. He has no idea how many, just that they are up and ready to move." She shook her head. "I'm thinking they have to be coming from Russia, or China. North or west. Probably by way of a major airlift transport. Something that big will have a radar signature."
"We are seriously lacking in radar at the moment," Aoba said.
"We have friends on the outside…for the moment." Misato sighed. "Is…the Fourth even aware of the situation?"
"I gave them the broad details," Aoba said. "End of the world, outside players, trying to prevent global genocide, that sort of thing."
"And he believed you?"
"No, but when I pointed out we've had plenty of opportunities to do that before, he agreed. Begrudgingly." Aoba smiled. "I didn't tell him I was a Lieutenant, ma'am: I don't think he would have been able to stomach that."
"Probably a wise decision," Misato sighed, lowering herself down on the bed.
"In other news, that hostage situation in the Foundry?"
"Mm-hmm?"
"Sounds like they may have had some injuries. The hostage takers are willing to negotiate the release of some hostages in exchange for medical aid."
"Nope." Misato sat up. "Tell them we have enough problems. They'll have to wait to surrender."
"I don't think they intended to surrender," Hyuga murmured.
"Don't care. I don't have the time or inclination to play around with them." She rubbed her eyes. It was damnably frustrating not being able to stand. Her legs were working. They worked fine! She was kicking her bare, left foot right now. It wobbled in irritation and mild boredom. She was fidgeting the toes on her right foot. It all worked. It was all there.
Why couldn't she stand up?
The Phone buzzed. She answered it. "What?" she grumbled, not really feeling the need for manners at this point.
"We've received word from the UN," the Voice said. "They have seen the explosion at the GeoFront, and are expressing their concern at the situation. They wish to send humanitarian aid."
"That's nice."
"They also want a UN team on site to assess and survey the damage, as well as secure any and all Evangelion and associated materials for the safety of humanity."
"Do they?"
"That's what they said."
"Did they mention what the nature of this team would be?"
"They did not, but they did indicate it was something appropriate for securing Evas," the Voice said. "We've been giving them a stonewall for the time being."
"And they're listening?"
"As I said…for the time being."
"Hmm." Misato shifted on the gurney, wanting to roll over on her back. She didn't. "They will send Evas of their own. That's their cover."
"Of course it is," the Voice said, sounding a bit exasperated.
"We need time to ensure our Pilots are ready to repel them."
"Are they injured?" The Voice had become entirely too casual, and Misato cursed herself a fool for letting something…anything…slip.
"No," she said, "Just shaken. We want to give them some time to rest and be ready to move."
"Yes," the Voice agreed. "We won't be able to keep them out forever, but we can give you time. Use it well." The line disconnected.
"I don't like this guy," Misato grumbled. She was in desperate need of a beer.
"We just have to deal with him a little longer, right?" Hyuga asked.
"Dunno. This is getting tense." She heard movement behind her, and she craned her neck. Fuyutsuki was shuffling onto the bridge with a brace on his ankle, and the assistance of a uniformed Nerv tech. Aoba and Hyuga stared at him in surprise. Misato lolled her head, closing her eyes. "So, you broke your ankle."
"A minor fracture, I assure you," Fuyutsuki deflected, settling into Maya's unoccupied seat. "What's the latest?"
"Hyuga, fill him in." Misato dozed for a bit as Hyuga went over the recent developments, trying to reach a state of relaxed detachment. It was nigh impossible: she was too agitated, too frustrated, too….
Why the hell couldn't she stand up!?
This was not how she had planned on facing down the apocalypse. She figured she would at least be able to have her feet under her. The panic of not being able to walk again…ever…that wasn't there, not yet. It was too likely she would be unable to have the time left to consider that. The gall, though…the sheer irritation at not being able to…at least stand.
If she had to face death…if she was going to die…she wanted to die on her feet. Fully clothed, at that. With a gun. Instead, it would be on her stomach, in a hospital gown with a borrowed shirt, and no pistol. Nothing. She could cry if it wasn't so pitiful. She couldn't even do that. She thought of what Kaji would say, looking at her like this. She tried to frame it just right, the snark in the observation…the wit. The bite.
She couldn't. That scared her.
She realized that Aoba was trying to get her attention. "Ma'am…Major!" he rasped. He turned in his chair, his hand pressed on his headset. "The Fourth is relaying a message to us: coastal watch and naval units have confirmed at least…seven large aircraft approaching Japan from the Chinese mainland. They are flying…in formation, at high altitude and at a high rate of speed. They're relaying the specifics, but…." He shrugged. "I think we know who that is."
Misato swallowed, and hit speed-dial on the Phone roughly. It rang twice before the Voice answered. "I was just about to call you," he said. "The UN is still insisting we allow a special team in. We just got the radar hits: I think that 'team' is coming whether we want them to or not."
"Fantastic," Misato grimaced.
"I hope, Major, that y0ur Pilots can get their rest between now and then. If not, this might be the last conversation we have." The line clicked again just as Misato began to reply. She raised the Phone as if to throw it, and relaxed. She sighed.
"All right. All right!" She dropped the Phone on the floor. "Get Shinji and Asuka to their Evas, and get them prepped and in place for deployment. This is happening, and it's happening now." She sighed, and lowered herself onto the pillow. Fuyutsuki sighed.
"So," he said. "The battle for the GeoFront is about to begin."
"Don't get cute, Professor," Misato grumbled, pulling the pillow on top of her head and hoping that someone would kindly push down on it until she stopped breathing.
