22nd July 2015
Day One – In The Flesh

Fifteen years can be a short time depending on the person, for many it's hard to believe it's only been fifteen years since the impact incident and since the incident which took millions of lives and cost corporations billions. Some corporations weathered the storm easily. Global businesses, the ones with branch's across the world, they took a blow but were able to recover within the year. Others found it much harder, there were so many companies went bankrupt taking their owners and shareholders with them.

For some, however they saw the impact as an opportunity to stake a claim in the business world and to establish themselves. They just needed a way to do it, to make money from the impact yet keep a good public image. First objective of a business is to make money, and what better way to do so than to make it from the world's biggest disaster in nearly a hundred years?

It all started simply enough, an offer to build shelters in the newly dubbed Tokyo 2 for people affected by the impact. There were no survivors from Old Tokyo, but surrounding towns and villages felt it and they were the first to be targeted. The business would offer to build shelters and help these people if the government would fund them. It succeeded, how couldn't it? The offer of cheap help, the government jumped at the opportunity, within five years the business had grown substantially and now had backing not only from the Japanese Government but the support of governments around the world and even backing by the UN.

Soon centers were set up in other countries, the company's services no longer limited to just Japan and the impact. Across northern America centers were set up in deprived areas to help people get back on their feet. Same in Europe and Africa, thanks to the organization people all over the world were being given an opportunity. The owners were happy and profiting, its customers, the governments and UN were happy and most of all the people it served were happy.

Ten years after it was set up, it expanded. The Company was no longer limited to just giving aid to countries and the unfortunate. Thanks to the funding and public support it received, it moved into the field of medicine and biochemical research. Promising that a cure would be found for diseases previously thought incurable, the big breakthrough came when it privately tested the world's first working AIDS vaccine.

By the year Twenty Fifteen, the Marduk Institute is one of the world leaders in medical research. The AIDS vaccine is ready for a public testing as the New Year approaches, a promise that in the months that follow, cures for more diseases will be found. It was definitely a big promise, one that many people felt they couldn't follow through with but it was hope, something that was needed with the constant threat of another possible Impact Incident looming over them.

Then there was the person leading the institute, the person who had helped lead them into the field of medical research and promised this brighter future for mankind, the man known to the public as Kaworou Nagisa. On this day he stands in the Marduk Institute headquarters main meeting rooms, only an hour after giving a speech in front of hundreds of eager reporters. The speech that will set new wheels into motion, wheels that will turn humanity towards, as he put it 'A future beyond what they could have ever imagined.'

Now he stands looking out over the skyline of Tokyo 3, his own pale reflection looking back at him through the windows, his white hair coming down to his shoulders, his red eyes gazing out across the great metropolis. He smiled slightly at his handiwork, with a few simple words and the promise of hope, millions around the world put their trust in him. In the background he could hear the very words he had uttered earlier being repeated on one of the new programs he had turned to just to catch the continuing news coverage of the explosion at an abandoned factory outside the city. He went over and turned the TV off, muttering quietly to himself.

"Bardiel, you were a fool. I gave you the opportunity, yet you did not take it. We had a willing host yet you went against us, what a waste of life you truly were."

He returned to his position overlooking Tokyo 3 just as the doors to the room opened and three more people entered the room. Kaworou turned around just in time to see them fully enter the room. Smiling he observed the three of them, the first a man built slightly larger than Kaworou. He was wearing a typical business suit just like many Japanese business men wore when in this area of the city. Kaworou greeted the man and he took a seat.

Kaworou then turned to the second person and greeted her. She had the same piercing red eyes as him, however she did not share the white hair or the pale white skin. She too took a seat at the small conference table. Then he moved onto the third person, also female and remarkably identical to the woman before hand. However, instead of having long flowing brown hair she had long flowing blonde hair. She took the third seat with Kaworou taking the final seat.

"The time has come my friends, it has been a tough road but we have been able to stick together through it. All our other brothers and sisters have fallen, choosing to seek out Adam by themselves. For this arrogance they have been taken from this earth. Perhaps too early it must be said, but their sacrifice will be our gain. We now have a possible location for Adam and with the backing of Chairman Keel and SEELE we also know the identities of those known as the Evangelion."

Kaworou paused for a moment allowing the other three to take in what he had just said, their reactions did not say much of what they thought. Each of them looked on seemingly unperturbed by the news. One of them did however speak, the female with brown hair. She spoke, her voice soft sounding yet at the same time stern and to the point.

"What can we do with the identities? They have already been able to take out our brothers and sisters, surely we should not concern ourselves with the Evangelions but instead with retrieving Adam. After all this is our object, to retrieve Adam. Involving ourselves with the Evangelions would be a bad move."

"Normally I would agree with you Areal, but, it would seem however that the path to Adam leads us right through the Evangelions. We do have an advantage over them that our brethren did not."

Areal spoke again, her voice suspicious, "What is this advantage?"

"We have power and numbers, our brothers and sisters chose to act alone. Each one falling one after the other with no back up, if one fell no matter how weak the Eva's were there would be no one to capitalize. We have that advantage, we have each other and we have people ready to follow us."

Areal replied, seemingly more confident but still doubtful, "I see, I fear this might not be enough though. We would be better off trying to secure Adam and avoiding the Evangelions altogether."

"This is impossible, there is always an Evangelion in close proximity to Adam at all times. However two of them are unaware of their proximity to Adam, this can work to our advantage."

One of the other Angels entered the conversation, the male. "What of the other one?"

"She is weak compared to the other two, although she may still pose a problem. If we can isolate the other two then we will be able to launch a coordinated effort to retrieve the first sample.

"So what do you propose?"

"We cannot rush into this, we will need time. Fortunately we have it in abundance, they will still be recovering from Bardiel's attack. From my intelligence reports Unit 01, or Shinji Ikari, is in a weakened state, we will use this to our advantage to lure him away."

"How can we lure him away?"

"I've contacted Keel, he has been able to negotiate a new placement within NERV. Zureal, I want you to take the placement. Infiltrate their ranks and lead Ikari out, once there we will give him what he thinks he wants. I will offer him hope and he will receive it."

"How can we be sure of this?"

"We can be sure because, despite all his ability, he is still human." Kaworou paused for a brief moment before continuing, "The position will open up in twenty eight days, until that time I will assign each of you to a target. Observe them but do not make your true selves known, we should try to keep contact down to a minimum. I want a list and detailed check list of them all when we reconvene. Areal you will handle the one known as Asuka Langley Sohryu, have your people go through her records, find out what you can about her family history and her past. Armisael I want you to learn what you can about Rei Ayanami, unfortunately she is within proximity of NERV's director a lot of the time."

Armiseal cut in at that moment, "What do you suggest?"

Kaworou continued, "Instead I suggest a different approach, the doctor Ritsuko Akagi, she too is weakening. Persuade her to give you information but do not give away anything."

The blonde haired female nodded, acknowledging the request. Finally Kaworou turned to Zureal and spoke, "Shinji Ikari will be the hardest one, he is the Director's son and I feel there is something different about him. He will be the first one we need to isolate from the group. I will arrange something with Keel for this. As I said lure him away and I will handle the rest."

All three of the Angels nodded and stood from their seats, Kaworou looked on confidently. "We reconvene in twenty eight days and then we look onwards towards the New Year and the Lilim's new era."

25 July 2015

Day Three – Another Brick In The Wall

Asuka looked around the hospital, seething with anger. She hated these places so much. Every time she had been injured she had treated it herself or asked to be treated at the scene, it had agitated many people but she didn't care. Yet here she was walking down the corridor of one to visit someone, not to question the person but to actually visit them. There was something about this particular hospital she didn't like though, this is where it had pretty much all began. This was the hospital where they had first saw the man they then known as Gendo Rokubungi, the man they now knew to be Shinji's father.

No one had even explained to her why it was this hospital, Misato had been taken here, as had Shinji. Of course Shinji promptly checked himself out only to nearly collapse on the way out. Asuka remembered it well, she was walking with him at the time. She was tempted to take him back inside but she saw it in his eyes. He didn't want to go back in, his father was there. After what had just happened even Asuka knew it wasn't a good idea for them to be within close proximity.

Now, however, she wasn't just angry from having to enter the place again but because of her decision of what to do with Shinji. It had been three days, with each day she found herself getting more and more annoyed with him. At first she felt sorry for him, but he wouldn't do anything, he wouldn't speak, he would barely eat, Asuka found herself going back into her old mindset, the one that saw him as nothing more as a work colleague and the mindset that saw him as an increasingly pathetic human being.

She turned into the corridor leading to the room where Misato was being kept just in time to see both Gendo and Rei leaving. Gendo walked straight past her, however Ayanami stopped in front of her. Asuka cursed silently not really wanting to get into a conversation with her.

"Is Shinji not with you today?"

Asuka looked around and replied sarcastically, "Yeah he's just invisible. No Ayanami he isn't, he's at home sleeping."

Rei questioned her, "I am curious, what do you mean home? I thought he lived with Katsuragi."

Asuka replied, trying not to lose her temper. She didn't need reminding that Shinji was staying with her. "He does, except he's been staying with me since we retrieved him from Leliel."

"I see I am surprised you are allowing him to stay with you. I was under the impression you did not like him."

With each question Asuka was getting increasingly annoyed, she was already in a bad mood because of Shinji and, from before that, at being practically embarrassed by Bardiel. Rei was making her feel worse.

"I don't really think that's any of your business, besides it isn't like you've done much to help him. You could have told him or me what you know but you kept it to yourself, just whose side are you on anyway?"

Asuka shot back angrily, knowing her final words maybe making her sound a little bit childish but she didn't particularly care. It wasn't really as if Rei was in a position to question her about such a thing anyway, considering that Rei already knew so much but failed to mention it to either her or to Shinji.

Asuka felt bad when she saw Rei's reaction. It looked like Asuka had actually upset the blue haired agent. Rei spoke slowly this time, it was clear she was trying to maintain her composure.

"I am sorry for upsetting you. I hope Ikari feels better soon."

Rei moved quickly down the corridor to rejoin Gendo, not giving Asuka a chance to respond. She shrugged it off and went into Misato's room and found Kaji was already in there talking to her. Misato was sitting up, her arm still bandaged from the injuries she had sustained but she was looking well and had a smile on her face. Asuka went over to her and hugged her, Misato greeting her.

"Sohryu, it's good to see you."

Asuka did her best to smile at her superior. "It's good to see you too, how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot better thank you. They just won't let me out yet. They're keeping me in for observation. The director brought me here because he feared I may have contracted something from Bardiel. Apparently the parasite could be lying dormant in me, a load of bullshit if you ask me, because I feel fine."

Asuka laughed, "Well that's the exact reason I don't like these places. Do you know when you'll be out?"

"They say about a week, how is Shinji doing?"

Asuka sighed heavily, not quite sure what to tell Misato. There was no way she was going to get around explaining it to her at any rate. She knew how Misato felt about Shinji, that she felt of him as her own son and she had seen that had happened last time she had said anything bad about him. Although Asuka still felt she was right she didn't really want to get on the bad side of her superior either. Fortunately for Asuka, her silence on the subject said a lot to Misato.

"I see, he isn't taking it well then?"

Asuka sighed, "To put it bluntly, no he isn't. I thought I was doing the right thing by letting him stay with me while you were in here. I thought maybe being around someone else would have helped him a bit more but he's acting so pathetic over it."

"How do you mean?"

Asuka sped up, she didn't really want to talk about this today but at the same time needed to get it off her chest. "He's not speaking and barely eating. He won't leave the house or do anything, I keep on trying to get him to speak or do something but he won't. I don't know why he's acting like this, it wasn't even his fault. It was his bastard father who forced him to do it, and even then, what else could have been done? Shinji saw what Bardiel had done to his friend, that wasn't his friend in there anymore. He did his friend a favor if anything."

They were harsh words but both Misato and Asuka knew they were true. If Bardiel hadn't been stopped he would have used Touji's body to keep going and keep killing until there was nothing left. As tragic as it was it had to be done, there was no other way. Misato knew this and understood Asuka's predicament, she was feeling sorry for Shinji but at the same time he needed to be told.

"Asuka, I know during the Leliel incident you called Shinji a few things and I reacted harshly."

Asuka smiled trying to make a joke out of it she remembered it all too well, she remembered being slapped and then breaking down crying in the middle of Katsuragi's office, "Harshly? I felt that slap for the next few days."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have reacted like that, you were right to express your opinion of what happened." Misato paused for a moment, "When you go back, confront him and be honest with him. Be harsh with him. He needs someone like you to do that, you're the only one who can."

"I understand, but why me?"

"Because you can. If I do it I'll end up backing out at the last minute. You're stronger than me."

26th July 2015

Day Four – One Of My Turns

Asuka looked into the darkened room, in the shadows she could make out his sleeping form on the bed, his body moving silently up and down to the rhythm of his breathing. She paused for a moment just watching him sleep. She reached around for the light and flicked it on and saw his body move slightly. Not sure he was awake she began to speak, quietly at first not really sure of how to go about it.

"Kensuke…called me, they've arranged Touji's funeral five days from now. They want you to be there."

There was no response from him, Asuka began to feel the anger building up in her again. She tried to maintain it for now not wanting to resort to what Misato told her just yet. She spoke again, still trying to stay relatively calm.

"I told him we'll both be there."

Again no response from him, now she was getting annoyed. She knew he wasn't still sleeping since she had seen his body jump slightly when she had entered, so why was he ignoring her?

"So, if you want in the next few days I can take you over to Misato's to pick up your clothes. I know you have a few things here but…"

She trailed off there suddenly aware of how stupid her attempts at getting him to speak were. It wasn't going to work, talking about something so insignificant was never going to work, she remembered what Misato told her yesterday and her own feelings from yesterday and decided to be honest with him.

"Look Shinji I know what happened must have hurt, but you have to face up to it. You're not going to achieve anything by just doing nothing."

Still no reaction, she continued.

"If you just want to lie there and act pathetic then go ahead and do it. It may as well have been your fault he died if you're just going to do nothing."

This time it got a reaction.

She saw him pull himself up slowly into a sitting position. He held his head in his hands. Asuka could see him shaking slightly. She wasn't sure if it was because he was upset or if it was anger with what she was saying. At least now she knew it was having an effect. She smiled slightly and continued this time sounding much more malicious.

"You know you really are pathetic sometimes, I thought you would have changed after Leliel and you did a bit. Then this happened, I tried to feel sorry for you but how can I feel sorry for a coward like you."

She heard him sniffing quietly but didn't back down, she was fed up of feeling sorry for him or of other people feeling sorry for him. She heard him whispering quietly, it wasn't much but she could make out his words.

"Help…me…"

He had stood up and was now near to her, his eyes were red and his face was streaked with tears. She didn't feel sorry for him, instead she just spat back at him.

"Help yourself Shinji."

There was a pause, they both locked eyes on each other, then it happened. He lunged forward and Asuka felt his hands clasp around her throat, pushing her up against the wall. With each movement he was choking her a bit more. She didn't show any of the pain she felt instead she just continued to stare at him, her eyes showing pure hatred. He had his head bowed not looking at her, instead she heard him whispering again.

"Please…help me."

Through the pain she was just able to respond once again putting as much hatred into it as she could, she wanted Shinji to know she didn't want to help him, she wanted him to know the hatred she felt for him at that moment. "No."

He released his grip on her.

As she dropped to the ground she saw the orange glow of Shinji's A.T. Field forming around him. This was not what was meant to happen, she had wanted to get a reaction from him but maybe now she had pushed him too far. She found herself unable to move as she watched Shinji stagger backwards. He screamed out and with one movement he threw the chest of drawers near her onto the ground. They landed with a violent crash, their contents spilling out over the floor.

She watched on with horror as he didn't stop there, he picked up the bedside table and threw it across the room in pure rage. She didn't shout out at him to stop but instead just kept watching him as he attempted to tear up the room. She was just table to get out of the way of one of the ornaments flying towards the wall. Then almost as quickly as it had started it was over. The room was a complete mess, it could almost be likened to a bomb site. There was smashed glass from the mirrors, broken pieces of wood and an overturned mattress. In the center of it all was Shinji, who had dropped to his knees, his head in his hands. She noticed a thin trail of blood streaming from his knuckles, presumably from where he had punched through one of the mirrors.

"I killed him Asuka…I could have done more…but I didn't…I should have done more…but I let him control me. I could have saved him…it's my fault he's dead."

Asuka knelt down next to him, and pulled him towards her, allowing his head to rest on her shoulder. She felt him sobbing as she tried to think of the words to say, she was partially responsible for this. She had pushed him towards doing it, she had been told to be harsh and this was what had happened.

"It's not your fault he's dead, there was nothing else you could have done. But you can't live like this."

Through his sobbing he was able to respond, "I don't want to, but I don't know how. I don't want to feel the guilt for it, but I do. I don't know what to do anymore, please…help me."

Asuka looked around at it and put both her arms around him holding him tighter, "I'll try."

31st July 2015

Day Nine – Goodbye Cruel World

Shinji stood looking onward, he felt numb to it all. It was almost like something from a dream. Except he knew this wasn't a dream, it was real. He felt Asuka hold tightly onto his arm as the coffin was lowered into the hole and the priest finished speaking. Shinji didn't dare cry even if he wanted to, he didn't feel like he had the right to. It was a stupid way of thinking and he knew it, but he still felt guilt. Anyone would, his own body had been the one used to kill Touji.

He had kept on trying to tell himself it wasn't his fault, that it was something else that caused it and that he didn't have any control over it. There was still some doubt there, could he have done more? Asuka had told him there was nothing more he could have done, that if he did try to fight himself, he would have had to kill Touji anyway. The nature of the parasite and its dependence on a host only proved this further.

There weren't too many people at the ceremony, Touji's family, Kensuke, Shinji and Asuka, Misato and Kaji and Hikari. Hikari had grown up and gone to the same school as Shinji and Touji so knew him quite well. Asuka remembered how she reacted when she'd heard the news, no one knew it but she had feelings for Touji and although not seeing him was hoping to one day make her feelings known. She had missed her chance and was the first to break into tears.

Asuka kept hold of Shinji's arm, trying not to take any notice of what was going on. She hated being there, the damp air, the people crying and the coffin being lowered into the ground. It reminded her too much of that day twenty years ago when she watched the same thing happen to her own mother. This whole situation put her at unease, especially considering all the events leading up to it.

The ceremony finished and people began to make there way towards the exit, aside from Touji's family. They were stood on the opposite side to Asuka and Shinji and he looked at them. Shinji didn't dare make eye contact with them. It had been bad enough when they came up to him before and tried to tell him it wasn't his fault that Touji had died. Shinji only wished he could tell them the truth but how would he explain something like that? They believed their only son had been shot dead in a shoot out as opposed to the reality that he was really the victim of an alien parasite. Maybe, Shinji thought to himself, the truth isn't always the best thing to know.

He heard someone whispering next to him, "Let's go."

Shinji nodded as he and Asuka making their way towards the waiting car. "Asuka…I can't feel anything…"

She looked at him oddly, "Well it is cold."

"No, I mean when they were doing the ceremony and they lowered the coffin. I couldn't feel anything for him, I felt numb, like I didn't even have the right to be there."

She sighed, "Don't be such an idiot he was your friend of course you had the right to be there. You're not blaming yourself for what happened again are you?"

Shinji stopped and turned, watching Touji's family leaving the cemetery "In a way I guess I am, but it's not just that. We lied to them Asuka, after all that's happened to us, all the lies we've had to listen to we turned around and fed them lies about what happened to their own son. It's not right."

"We didn't have a choice, besides even if we did tell them the truth would they have believed us?"

Shinji knew she was right, he nodded and agreed. "You're right, but it just doesn't feel right. We lied to them. That make's us as bad as the others who lied to us. Are we as bad as Keel or my father?"

"No of course it doesn't, they lied for their own gain. We had to lie to them to protect them, if we told them, what would they have thought of us? They would have thought you were trying to make a joke of it all or that you were crazy." She paused for a moment before smiling,

"Of course, not that people don't already think that you're crazy."

Shinji reacted moodily, although not shouting his voice was harsh and snapping, "Thanks, so now I'm a liar and crazy…"

"Oh come on, I was just trying to make a joke. Look it was just…the right choice."

"I suppose."

Shinji leaned back against the car and looked onwards, there was no one left at the cemetery, Touji's family had already left. Misato, Kaji and Hikari had took another car and were heading back to NERV. Both he and Asuka looked around in silence for a bit, he felt her arm wrapping around his back. He held her and rested his head on her shoulder as they embraced each other. She spoke softly to him.

"I'm sorry you had to lie to them but it was for the best. If we'd told them we risked involving them, they could have been targeted by SEELE."

She stopped for a few moments and continued, "We'll find a way to stop SEELE though, I'll make sure they don't succeed even if I have to fight all the remaining angels by myself and take on them alone."

Shinji whispered back to her, "You won't be alone."

"I know."

She gently moved his head off of her shoulder and leaned in towards him, their lips met, only this time she was aware of what she was doing. She actually wanted to kiss him this time and didn't care if anyone was watching. They stood there leaning against the car just lost in the kiss and for that moment in time there was no one else in the world, there was no conspiracy, no SEELE, nothing except for them two.

3rd August 2015

Day Twelve – Hey You

"Misato…should we really be doing this?"

She giggled, "We've already have done it several times to be precise."

He laid back on the bed, speaking in a serious tone. "Don't you think it's a bit too soon though?"

Misato looked at her bandaged arm, it was still injured. Each time they had made love that evening she had felt pain shooting through it but she didn't care. She shrugged it off, "I'm fine, don't worry about me."

Kaji smiled weakly while Misato lit up a cigarette, he looked her over as she sat with her back to him with only the sheets covering her. He was concerned about her, she hadn't been the same since he had come to NERV and definitely not since Shinji had been captured by Leliel. He couldn't blame her and he didn't really help the entire situation keeping all those secrets from them. Something stopped him though, fear. He knew what would happen if he told them anything. He had to choose the right times to reveal small pieces of the puzzle, though by the time he told everything, it wouldn't matter.

Something inside him kept on telling him that he was just running away from it, that he was a coward for pretending to know nothing or for lying to the people around him. That was why he felt uneasy now. It didn't feel right, Misato was depending on him yet he kept on lying. He wanted to stop the lying, he cared about her, he would even go as far as to say he loved her, but he couldn't do anything about it.

"Kaji…what happened to us all those years ago?"

"We were young Misato, too young but we each had our own lives. You wanted to stay here in Japan and worked with NERV, I joined but got sent to Germany. It was never going to work like that."

Misato wasn't sure if Kaji truthfully couldn't remember what had happened or if he was just trying to cover up how harsh it really was. She did remember the situation, the last meeting between them after which Kaji had flown out to Germany. Three months previously, she had told him it wasn't going to work, that it would be best for both of them if they didn't see each other. Ironically she broke it off a month before Kaji learnt he was going to Germany.

"Yet ironically we meet up again over ten years later working with the two very people we we're guardians of. Maybe we were wrong…"

"We weren't wrong, just not completely right either. It might have worked but at a later date."

"Like now you mean?"

"Precisely."

She paused for a moment before lying back in the bed and putting her arms around Kaji, "What was it like over there, bringing up Asuka? That can't have been easy."

"I didn't really have much involvement as you did with Shinji to be honest. I wasn't a full guardian I was just friends with her family and helped look after her. Her father never really had any time for her and...well I'm sure you know what happened to her mother, I was just there to look after her. She was difficult, she believed she was the best at everything."

Misato smiled slightly, from knowing Asuka now it wasn't really hard to believe. "And was she?"

Kaji responded his voice still sounding serious. "Usually yes, she pushed herself really hard in everything she did. She never let anything upset her, a sign of weakness according to her. She just had a wall there, she'd say one thing but you could see in her eyes exactly who she was and what she really meant. She was lost, lonely, she needed someone. When I saw her again on the Over The Rainbow, she had toned down the arrogance but the look in her eyes was still there, waiting to reach out to someone or for someone to notice and reach out to her."

"Did you ever try?"

Kaji shook his head, "No I couldn't, and it wasn't my place to. But I noticed in the past few days, that look…it's fading slightly. It's still there but it's not as noticeable, it's almost as if she has finally found someone."

"You mean Shinji?"

He grinned slightly as he spoke, "They're suited for each other, they're the opposite in terms of personality but when you look at their backgrounds and what's inside, they could almost be the same person, they just deal with it differently. It's the old cliché, opposites attract..."

"Shinji never really had someone to reach out to either" Katsuragi said "I tried to be that person, but maybe I was too forward for him or maybe it was because I wasn't really related to him. Maybe you're right, maybe they are suited for each other."

"Two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl…"

"What?"

"Nothing, just lines from a song I once heard."

12th August 2015

Day Twenty One – The Show Must Go On

Fuyutsuki dropped the folder onto Gendo's desk, his expression was solemn, a stark contrast to Gendo who was bearing his patented arrogant smile. The old professor was once again unsure of what to think, he had seen the files he had even given his blessing for it to go ahead, but now that it had started he wasn't really too sure if it was the right decision. Unfortunately there was no going back now, he looked once again at the name on the front of the document.

"Misato Katsuragi the only survivor of the impact incident fifteen years ago, the same woman who would later go on to join NERV and work for those who helped to assist in the Impact. Became legal guardian of one Shinji Ikari, who is now one of the Evangelions, when he was aged fourteen she now oversees all missions assigned to him and the other Evangelions."

"I am aware of her history Fuyutsuki, you are concerned about something?"

Fuyutsuki chuckled, "You know me Ikari I'm always concerned. Since twenty years ago when we became a part of this project I was concerned and nothing has changed since then. Have we gone too far this time, if the committee learns of this they will kill us, we can't cover up something like this? Shinji will suspect something as well, what are you going to tell him?"

"I will tell him what he needs to know and no more and I do not believe we will be hearing from the committee on this issue. It is not something they are interested in, Katsuragi is not one of their priorities."

"What about Katsuragi herself? This is far beyond anything we have done before."

"It was our only choice, our only hope for our scenario, our only regret is that we cannot steer this any further than we already have. The tide is turning in our direction, our role has been fulfilled, all we can do now is watch as it plays out."

"So we're just going to sit back and watch?"

Gendo smiled "The future lies in my son's hands, we will assist in steering it towards what we want but beyond that it is up to him."

Fuyutsuki reacted with surprise, "I never thought I'd hear that from you."

"Hear what?"

This time it was Fuyutsuki's turn to wear a cocky smile, he answered sharply, "You refer to Shinji as your son."

"A mere slip of the tongue Professor, nothing more."

19th August 2015
Day Twenty Eight – Isn't This Where We Came In?

Shinji felt his stomach churn as the lift got down to the basement level. This was his first day back in NERV since Bardiel, it was not something he had been looking forward to, unfortunately Asuka was not with him, she had been called out somewhere else to investigate. He took a deep breath as the elevator doors opened and stepped out into the corridor.

He stopped when he noticed a man he didn't recognize stood outside the office, their eyes met for a brief moment, Shinji could have sworn he saw a hint of recognition in this other mans eyes. He shrugged it off as tiredness and greeted him.

"Hello there, can I help you?"

The man spoke, his voice rather apologetic, "Hi I've just been assigned to the NERV Branch here, and I was assigned to work under Agent Katsuragi."

"Misato? Her office is up on the fourth floor."

The man looked at him oddly, "Really? I was told she worked here."

As the man spoke Shinji felt a chill run down his spine, something didn't feel right about him. The way he spoke and his mannerisms just seemed off to him, once again Shinji just put it down to tiredness and tried to answer his question. "Well in a way she does, sorry I didn't introduce myself. I'm Agent Ikari, Agent Katsuragi is my immediate superior."

The man nodded and introduced himself, "Agent Carter, I've been assigned to work with NERV on a special case by my government. I guess we'll be seeing more of each other

"I see, well if you want Katsuragi she'll probably be up on the fourth floor, but she'll be down here in about half an hour if you want to wait."

"No that's alright, I'll go and find her."

Carter left without saying anything else, Shinji shrugged as he let himself into the room. Surprisingly the door was already unlocked, he stepped inside to find Asuka busy at work at her desk. Slightly confused he walked over to her and greeted her, "Asuka, I thought you were..."

She cut him off, "…working on something else? Yes I am, I returned about fifteen minutes ago. What do you know about the Marduk Institute?"

Shinji nodded his head and began speaking, "World leader in medical research, provided support and shelters after the impact, provided support for people all around the world and has the support of governments all over. Why do you ask?"

"This case I was tipped off about, it was a woman, not quite sure who. She didn't show up, for an arranged meeting anyway. When I did arrive I was contacted by security, they seemed to know I was going there…"

Shinji nodded, "Right."

She continued, "Turns out the guy in charge has gone missing, not a trace of him anywhere. No one has seen him for the past twenty eight days."

"How come it's just been reported today then?"

"That's the thing, the last communication or sighting of him was twenty eight days ago when he was scheduled to have a meeting with three other people. Three of these people left the building, Mr Nagisa, the person in charge, did not. However someone has been sending down orders for those days, only problem is after consulting the records that person was not Mr Nagisa."

"What do you suspect?"

"Kidnapping most likely, Nagisa and Marduk were on the verge of unveiling a working Aids Vaccine at the end of the year. I would imagine a few people would like to get their hands on that and its creator."

Shinji inwardly agreed but he knew there was something else to it than what she had just mentioned, "So what's the catch?"

She answered him, "No groups have taken responsibility and no one's left a ransom note. No body has been found and no records of him ever leaving have been found. It's almost as if he has just vanished into thin air."

"I see well couldn't we…?"

Shinji was interrupted by a knocking at the door, the door opened and Misato poked her head into the room and called towards the door of them, she had a solemn expression on her face and didn't waste time in giving them instructions..

"Can I have a quick word with you two?"

Shinji nodded, wondering why she wanted to speak to them. He wondered if it was something to do with the Agent he had met a few minutes ago, "Of course, come on in."

She stepped into the room and stood before them with the same solemn look, "Look I know you might find this hard to believe and…well… it may be a bit strange, but me and Kaji are back together."

Shinji and Asuka nodded and just gave grunts of acknowledgment. They'd already known that. It had been obvious for weeks, Misato frowned at their lack of interest. "Well you two are enthusiastic, well that's not the only piece of news."

Asuka chimed in, "Let me guess you stayed at his place last night?"

Shinji tried to stop himself from laughing, he didn't really want to annoy Misato especially knowing how she could wind both of them up. Misato ignored Asuka and continued speaking.

"Like I said, it might seem a bit strange and even I find it hard to believe but we had it confirmed last week…." She paused for a moment before blurting out quickly, "I'm pregnant."