Tempest Aterna

XXI: The Calm Before the Storm

The sedan entered X-Factor's garage and parked. It's doors opened revealing Shinji and Misato exiting the vehicle, with Misato taking moment to pull the still bound up Doctor Akagi out of the back seat.

"Misato please," she almost pleaded. "I need to get back to NERV. He has need of me."

"No way," Misato replied. "I'm getting you out of this mess, once and for all."

The trio entered the main lab to find Maya testing a new device on the captured clone. She carefully inserted a probe of some form into the girl's head and in her sleep she shuddered.

Misato placed Doctor Akagi on another one of the beds and made sure she stayed put. The doctor for her part watched the experiment with interest. "You know, without the nanites, the clones have no real mind."

"We know Sempai," Maya responded. "So if this works, all brain activity should cease."

"Yes, that was the point I was trying to make."

"Here goes nothing." Maya pressed the final sequence and a burst of high frequency sound could be heard. Suddenly all the clone's brain waves flatlined, with only the automatic functions of circulation and breathing visible.

"It worked!" Maya said happily. "Ok Sempai, your turn."

"I really must protest," Ritsuko said as Maya stuck her with a syringe. In a moment, Akagi was unconscious.

"You can untie her now; she won't wake up till this is over."

Misato untied her and gently placed her in a proper position on her back. Maya moved the device over to her bed and prepped it for another shot.

"It's charging," she reported. "Just a second, please." The probe was inserted into Ritsuko's cranium. She then activated the device and that sound again pulsed. Almost the moment the probe was removed Ritsuko woke up.

She looked around at where she was. Everything was a bit foggy at first, but slowly her mind caught up. "Maya, you're amazing. The signal is gone."

"Thanks Sempai," she replied. "How do you feel?"

"Sick… knowing what that bastard did to me. I can't believe it went on for so long, and now he has the entirety of NERV at his fingertips."

"I know all about it, I found the Sub-Commander's notes."

"His notes?" She thought about that for a second. "Of course… Deathstrike failed after all. He must have got the files to you somehow before he died. Clever man."

"Where is that bitch," Maya almost growled. "I'd like to hurt her for killing him."

"Too late," Shinji commented. "Storm and I finished her off outside Ritsuko's apartment. The wench was not easy to kill."

"At least she's dead," Maya reasoned.

At that moment, the three aerial girls arrived. Shinji expressed obvious surprise to see Rei walking in looking like she did. As Spirit and Storm powered down, so did Rei, though there was no physical change.

"Ayanami?" Shinji asked.

"Yes Shinji, it's me."

"Shinji?" Misato asked. "Since when did you start using his first name?"

"A lot as happened Misato."

As she began to explain what happened to her, Ritsuko walked over to Kensuke and started looking him over, surmising this was the reason they racked their brains to find a way to release her. Ritsuko looked over the data and started calculating.

"So, you're the new Armisael?" Misato concluded.

"Essentially," Rei agreed. "The closest translation of the name is 'Mountain of Judgment of God'. This seems right; Armisael instilled in me the will to bring Doctor Doom to justice, but she also gave me my freedom to act. I do not know what I will do once our mission is completed, but I believe I can find my way now. Therefore I have joined the team as code-name Archangel."

"X-Factor could definitely use the help," Maya replied. "According to Kozo's notes, the SEELE Consul, as we figured, is made up of 12 individuals from 12 countries across the world. They are building something in secret… well 9 somethings, and it has to do with something he referred to as the Red Earth Ceremony."

Mayumi and Rei knew immediately what that was. "They can't do it now can they?" Mayumi asked. "Adam is dead. Without the All-Father, they can't complete the ritual."

"Actually they can," Rei replied. "Gendo became Doctor Doom when he implanted the embryo of Adam into his hand, and Adam attempted to assimilate him. Gendo lanced him on a letter opener made of f-LS, or Faux Longinus Steel, metal that contains the same properties as Lancea Longini. As you know, death by Lancea Longini is permanent death for any angel, but Adam's essence was absorbed into Gendo's body which is what transformed him. His Fruit of Life, what we know as the S2, can be used to initiate Third Impact. Doom could very well do it after the last messenger is revealed, but he won't. He doesn't want to destroy the human race… he wants to subvert it."

"And how does Exodus fit in to this?" asked Misato.

"Exodus was recruited and turned into an Angel by Adam when he was transporting it along with the Second Child to Japan. He has Adam's motivations. He will attempt to complete the White Earth Ceremony where the Lilum will become extinct and Angels will rule the world."

"Jesus," Misato commented and Shinji's face turned sour. "We have to stop him."

"But how?" Mayumi ponders.

Ritsuko walked over to the group, putting a device back on the table.

"What's the prognosis?" Shinji asked.

"Arael did try to contact him," she started. "I've seen this kind of brain activity before… a few times as a matter of fact. It's similar to what happens to a pilot when their Evangelion goes berserk. I've given him something to help ease the brain activity a bit. He should recover in a day or less."

Maya was ecstatic. "That's great news! Thank you so much, Sempai!"

She smiled at her former student. "Just trying to be helpful."

Shikoku

"But you said Third Impact couldn't happen now," Rogue questioned as she dressed in her black jump suit. She didn't make a full custom for herself but this jump suit was incredibly comfortable and she found she could fight in it just fine.

"What I meant was it can't happen as it was originally intended," Exodus clarified. "But it can still happen. I need Doom's core to initiate it."

"So why can't we do it now?"

"Because the last messenger hasn't arrived yet," Exodus explained.

"But don't you have control over the Angels?"

"I had control over all except two of them. One was Armisael who left for who knows what reason, and Tabris who I have never had contact with. Armisael already came here, and she's been defeated. Tabris is all that's left. SEELE had control over him, but I don't know if they still do."

Rogue stood up, throwing her hair back. "Either way, we should get moving I think. If Tabris shows up soon my love, you'll need to be ready."

"Indeed. This is the last step to hijacking the final messengers. Once this is done, we'll be ready."

NERV, The Next Day

Onslaught entered the office of Gendo Von Doom, and there have been some changes while she was busy with the cleanup. While the Sephriotic System was still visible on the ceiling of his office, the floor now resembled a huge map of the world. Doom stood near the point where Japan was visible, marks appeared for the locations of the 11 known SEELE members.

"I assume Mystique is back to masquerading as one of them?" she asked.

"I dispatched her an hour ago. SEELE is expected to have another meeting shortly. She should be able to locate Keel with any luck."

"So, we'll be rid of them soon."

"The assassinations are going to be a bit more difficult without Deathstrike," he added.

"I can handle them if you wish it," Onslaught offered.

"No, I need you here." Gendo walked towards her, walking over China to do so. "Exodus is likely to make his move as soon as Tabris has been found. I'll need your support to assure he doesn't survive to try again."

"We should have killed him when we had the chance," Onslaught noted.

"Indeed. A mistake I will not repeat."

X-Factor Headquarters

Maya as of late had taken to sleeping in the lab, normally on a bed close to Kensuke, but she couldn't sleep at all last night. It wasn't that she was wired, it was that at around 2 in the morning, the clone finally flatlined. Moments after its death, the clone exploded into a puddle of LCL making for a nasty cleanup. Though Ritsuko helped with the cleaning, the event kept playing in her mind.

"Oi," she heard from Kensuke's bed. She sat up and saw him sitting up as well, rubbing his head.

"You're awake!" she exclaimed and ran over to him. She grabbed and pulled him into a tight hug.

Kensuke at first looked a little freaked out but then returned the hug, realizing Maya was just overjoyed he was ok. He was able to surmise he'd been out for awhile.

"How long?" he asked.

"Just over a day," she replied. "We were beginning to worry about you."

Kensuke smiled as Maya released him from the hug. It was then that he realized something had changed.

"What is it?" she asked noticing his odd expression.

"Well isn't that odd," he whispered. Through his eyes, he was seeing though the outside casing of the machines around him, watched electrical pathing, the pulsing of capacitors and even the flow of data though processor chips.

He chuckled as he realized what he was seeing. "Neat!" he said and explained to Maya what he was seeing.

"How?"

"Arael was trying to give me something," he explained. "She saw into my soul and she tried to show me a dream world where everything was perfect… and I wasn't alone." He sighed. "But her mental connection was too powerful, my mind couldn't handle it. I could feel my neural pathways burning up. I guess she instead settled on rewiring my brain to better fit my lot in life."

"Are you saying you don't like being a geek?" she teased.

Kensuke's eyes widened. "No no no! Nothing like that!" he quickly got out. "It's… it's just…"

The more he tried to explain it the more flustered he got. Maya chuckled thinking it cute, and before she could really stop herself she locked lips with him.

To say Kensuke was surprised was an understatement, but as soon as his brain caught up to the fact that an incredibly cute and intelligent girl was kissing him, the connection became mutual. When they finally parted, she lay on the bed with him and tried her best to curl into him. Kensuke gently laid an arm around her.

But he couldn't help but think to himself that Shinji might have something to say about this.

Seeing Ritsuko on a nearby bed begged the question though.

"How did you free her?"

Maya raised her head a bit and saw what he was talking about. "Burst signal in her brain at the proper frequency. Doom is using nanites to control people. He…" she hesitated.

"Tell me."

"He got Toji."

Kensuke's eyes softened. "Damn…" he whispered. "We've got to free him."

"If you're thinking about using the device, don't. There is no way to effectively miniaturize the technology."

Kensuke's face set on determination. "Let me be the judge of that."

Untwining himself from Maya he got up and walked straight for the main computer. The fact that he was still wearing his cloths from over a day ago didn't factor into his equation. Maya got up after him and watched as he typed at unholy speeds and started creating prototype design specs for a portable version of the device.

"I'm telling you Ken-chan," she tried to explain, "it's not possible. There is no way to create a battery source for the amount of energy needed to send that pulse."

"I overheard something a while ago," Kensuke explained. "I heard that you had a crush on Akagi."

"Y-You knew!" Maya squeaked.

"Well I didn't know for sure but now you just confirmed it." He got a smack to the back of the head for that. "Love is a powerful emotion Maya. It was strong enough to keep Doctor Akagi from turning into a complete zombie to Doom's will."

"And?"

"And… think about it! Akagi must have felt something for you too otherwise she would have been no different than the clones. Instead she resisted just enough to help when Misato needed it."

Maya blushed at that prospect. She did have strong feelings for Akagi, but for some reason, Kensuke caught her heart in earnest. Thinking about that though made her put two and two together.

"So if someone close to Toji delivers this, we won't need a full charge to undo the control!"

"Precisely, and I know just who would fit the bill. Hikari."

"The class rep? Really?"

"He had such a crush on that girl but he never knew how to act on it. And Hikari… well, she'd never admit to it but she had a crush on him too."

"I don't know how you think you're going to deliver it. The pulse needs to be inside the brain to work. Toji is able to encase his entire body in steel."

"His whole body?"

"Yeah, all of it. Even his eyes."

"Wow, that just made this a whole lot easier." He began readjusting his plans.

"What do you…" her voice trailed as she saw what he was creating. "Of course! We'll use his head as a resonator for the signal! Ken-chan, you're a genius."

"Thanks," he replied. "Now to build it."

Hours Later, Russian Federation

A lone building stood in the middle of an endless tundra. Only a few people still manned this station and it was not operated by the Russian Federation. Instead, the only marking of ownership was a triangular mask with 7 eyes.

"I don't understand what we need this baka for," Asuka complained as the wind assaulted her the moment Exodus dropped his AT Field.

"He'll make a good blunt object. I can already control the 9 Heralds, but our list of ground allies is rather thin, and I need to get to Doctor Doom before I can instigate the ceremony. He'll be of help, trust me. Besides, the two of you have something in common."

"Death touch?"

"In a manner of speaking," he replied.

"Okay, now I'm intrigued. How'd they come up with this guy?"

They landed outside the facility looking for external guards. Realizing there were none, he started moving towards one of the side doors.

"When Shinji fought the fourth angel, they managed to take it mostly intact. The genetic data NERV gathered from the angel was collected by SEELE and used to try to create a super soldier. It seems SEELE was at this before NERV was."

"Interesting enough," Asuka commented. "So how do we do this?"

"Would you like to knock, Rogue?"

On cue Rogue lifted her foot and kicked hard, sending the heavy metal door flying at incredible speeds down the hallway. Two guards that were approaching the door to check on a call from security were instantly crushed by the projectile.

"After you," she said.

Exodus walked into the facility as the alarms started going off.

"What do you suppose SEELE's response time is this far from Germany?" Rogue mused.

"Does it matter?" Exodus asked flatly.

"True. Quick question; How do we even know this guy is going to listen to you?"

"Because when they created him, the free-floating spirit of Shamshel possessed him," Exodus replied. "He, like most of the other angels, is loyal to me. Best of all, he wants another crack at Shinji."

"The Baka is mine."

"Why chance a one on one encounter when you can have backup and assure victory?"

"Because I don't need backup? I've never needed back up!"

"Oh… right," he started sarcasticly, "I forgot. You're the great Asuka Soryu Langley."

She punched him… and unlike when other girls normally punch him, this hurt.

"Ow! Damn it, I keep forgetting how strong you are."

She laughed at him. "If it makes you feel any better, I'll let the ubermonkey follow for insurance, but I still get the kill."

"As you wish."

Another door was kicked down, only this time AK-47's answered its collapse. Exodus protected by his AT Field simply ignored the fire. Rogue on the other hand didn't even bother raising one. The bullets hit her and sparked off of her body.

"Boring," she complained as she flew straight at the guards. She beat them down with little effort, the slightest strikes from her breaking bones with ease. Within moments there were no more direct threats.

"What we seek is nearby," Exodus stated as he approached a heavy metal door. "Would you like to do the honors?"

Rather than kicking it down, Rogue punched one side of it causing it to buckle. Then she shoved her hand in the hole she made and pulled hard enough to rip the entire door off its frame and toss it away. Beyond was a chamber where a huge man with a bestial look to him was chained to a wall. Massive titanium clamps were slapped over the underside of his wrists. His hair was long and wild, with a reddish tint to it.

"Exodus," he said, his voice laced with a thick Cossack accent. "It's about time. I was wondering when you were going to release me from this prison."

"My apologies Shamshel… or shall I call you by your given name, Omega Red?"

He laughed. "I like the name Omega Red."

Rogue walked up and broke apart the clamps allowing him to be free. Rogue took note of the openings on the undersides of his wrists, and remembered that the fourth angel had some form of heat whips.

"I see you keep much prettier company now," he chuckled. "Is it time to strike?"

"Soon, very soon…"

NERV

Toji Suzahara had been here before, this time there was less anxiety. He laid on another table like the first one he was on when he first became the mutant juggernaut known as Colossus, this time wearing only something over his lower torso. The brackets closed around his wrists and ankles and the covers of the contraption he calls "The Iron Maiden" closed over him. Heavy gauge needles again pierced his flesh, and though he could have used his remarkable powers to stop their penetration, he knew what was happening to him this time and he wanted it to happen.

Doom threw the switch, causing a myriad of fluids to be pumped into his body. After a few minutes of this the machine stopped and opened releasing him.

"Well?" Doom asked as Toji stood up and again encased himself in living metal.

Without responding, he walked over to where there was a cube of Titanium set up. He picked up the cube and crushed it between his hands.

"I'd say the upgrade was successful," Colossus said dispassionately. "Next time I'm forced to fight She-Hulk, I'll be ready."

"Good. No mistakes this time," Doom replied.

Somewhere in Japan

An old theater near the sea stood as a reminder of what was before second impact. Within the sounds of piano music could be heard. The song was "Moonlight Sonata". At the piano sat a boy around 15 years of age wearing white sneakers, black kaki pants, and a white button-down shirt, his white hair a mess on his head. He played flawlessly without ever opening his eyes, as if he were simply feeling the music.

Approaching him from behind were 5 men in all black special ops uniforms and full tack gear. Their heads and faces were covered but their eyes were still visible. One of the men in front of the group stealthily approached the boy, silently drawing his side arm and taking aim. He was less than 5 feet from his target.

As the song reached its climax, the boy brought his fingers to the keys hard. The instant he did so, it was as if a shaped charge had exploded just behind him. The man closest to him was completely blown to pieces, and the ones behind took varying degrees of dismemberment from the blast the further back they were, but none escaped it.

As the dust settled, one could see that even the stage behind him was blown out. The boy silently opened his eyes revealing them to be blood red like the eyes of an angel. He carefully closed the cover over the keys of the piano as he gently ran his hands across the smooth polished wood.

Standing up he walked towards the edge of the stage and stepped off. But instead of dropping to the ground, he dropped only a few inches before he began to float above the floor, content to levitate across the theater towards the exit.

"Yes," he said to himself. "Music is definitely the greatest achievement of the Lilum."

As he exited the door, he began to hum a gentle tune to himself… the tune of Ode to Joy.

End of Chapter 21

A/N: Short chapter this time, but it got the preliminary stuff out of the way and set the stage for the final chapters.

In case you were wondering, yes this chapter was meant to be short. The inclusion of Omega Red was not originally planned for this part of the story, but when one of the reviewers mentioned him, I started thinking about Shamshel and the similarities. I've already established that when angels die, they go back to the collective and normally they can no longer take part in the trials. However nothing says they can't come back in a different form. Ramiel and Armisael are two fine examples of that. Instead of a dual heat whip wielding calamari, how about a Russian with a Death Pheromone and Carbonadium Tendrils?

Belthasar: He really doesn't know she turned and became something else... yet.

dennisud: I really had no plans to involve Yui directly. Might be something for me to look into with a "What If" storyline.

animefan29: Someone was paying attention. lol

I do have an important announcement to make. To anyone still reading this, the last series of chapters which are in fact the endgame will be written together so it may take a bit to come out. I do not know yet if it will be in 3 parts, 4 parts or even 5 parts. It just depends on how long it gets. And their will be an epilogue chapter.

Thanks for reading and see you next chapter.