CHAPTER 31: CLOAK AND DAGGER

"Data sets are still being confirmed by the MAGI!" Hyuga shouted as alarms continued to blare.

"The First Branch is still okay," Shigeru confirmed from his station as alert messages began to come in from the various NERV affiliates to confirm their status. "NERV Germany is still online, too."

"Satellite scans confirm," Maya announced as she brought up an offset image from a satellite that was just coming into view of the western United States. "Second Branch is nowhere to be seen!"

"Dr. Akagi," Commander Ikari looked over at the chief scientist to begin her briefing.

"Connection with the Second US Branch was lost at approximately 1332 hours, US Mountain Time," Ritsuko replied. "The only real clues we have are from the geosynchronous satellite overhead." She clicked the projector that showed a before and after slide. On the 'before' slide a cluster of building with interconnected roads was shown at Papoose Dry Lake in the Nevada Desert. The 'after' picture showed a slight depression, four meters deep, where the buildings once were, but no debris. It was like someone had taken a broom and just swept them up. She clicked the screen again, this time it showed a twenty-second long looping video. It showed the preceding seconds before a bright red glow was seen at the center of the cluster followed by a shockwave until, six seconds after 'contact' the screen became noise and the loop started over.

"Damn," Misato cringed.

"All facilities within an 89 kilometer radius and thousands of people…" Maya read off the losses. "Gone. Just like that."

"What about Unit-04?" Commander Ikari asked next.

"Still at the EVA production facility in Arizona," the head of the science division replied. "It was going to have the experimental S-2 engine that was manufactured in Germany installed but there was a wild fire in the region a few weeks ago which necessitated a temporary evacuation. The EVA and the actual construction facilities were undamaged but it still delayed construction."

"Any theories on what caused this event?"

"Judging from the time sheet," Shigeru said holding up a clipboard. "They were in the middle of testing the S-2 engine. The time matches the scheduled initial start-up test."

"Ultimate causes range from insufficient structural integrity within the engine to an error in preliminary calculations during the design stage," Ritsuko elaborated. "That's 32,768 possibilities."

"And that's not counting sabotage," Misato added, her operations oriented mind was already following that track.

"But this wasn't an explosion," Hyuga countered. "This isn't an image of any blast crater, there's no debris and no evidence of a shockwave or other concussive force beyond the disaster site."

"In all probability they were swallowed by a Dirac Sea not much different than the one we had to deal with last week," Ritsuko chimed in. "But there's no way to know for sure and no way of knowing where to start looking."

"What's the status of Unit-03?" Ikari asked next.

"The US Government is having it transferred here," Ritsuko replied, looking back down at her notepad to confirm the delivery date. "They don't want to risk losing their First Branch in Massachusetts as well."

"Didn't they insist on the rights to build Units 03 and 04?" Misato asked. "Now they want us to take all the risks in testing it?"

"Their official statement indicated that they're still in the midst of a reconstruction following the Russian invasion. And that they can't afford any more disasters like the one they just had in Nevada." Ritsuko shrugged. "Can't exactly blame them. If things had gone differently they would've lost not just the Second Branch but also Unit-04. They've already begun altering its construction to be an ordinary Production-type instead of a test bed for the S-2 engine. It should be ready for delivery a few days after Unit-03's arrival."

"But how are we going to test Unit-03? We're not going to use the dummy system are we?"

"No," Ikari countered. "The system has not yet been fully tested. And the risk of using it with Unit-03 are too great. We will need to use a pilot."

"But who?" Misato asked. 'I'd hate to Shinji to do it. Kid's got a lot on his plate right now as it is.'

"I'll begin going over the data," Ritsuko announced. "I should have a response by the week's end."

As they were leaving Misato passed by Ritsuko. "Misato," the doctor stopped her.

"What?" Misato snapped, but kept her voice even.

"Look, I understand you're still not over what happened last week. But…" she held out her clipboard. "I thought you should know. The Fourth has been found."

"The Fourth?" Misato whirled around and looked at the clipboard. "I never received a…" Her eyes fell on the candidate's picture. "You're…you're kidding. Him?"

"We already have enough preliminary data to build a synch profile of him. And his psychological profile is more promising than the other candidate. There was another option but she's currently undergoing physical therapy and is on the other side of the planet. We don't really have any other choice."

"But…still. Did it have to be him?"

XXXXX

"You know," Kaji said to Maya as he sipped on some hot tea in the break room. "Just once, when NERV finishes a project they could throw a party or something. NERV has to be the most stifling, stuck-up organization to have ever existed." He tossed the empty can at the trash bin, only to see that it was overflowing with poorly discarded and organized cans.

"I don't know," Maya shrugged. "The TSA is a close second."

"Ba-zing," Kaji smiled.

"Plus, Commander Ikari isn't one for celebrations." She went back to looking at her notepad, glancing over some last minute equations before the synch test. "He'salways about fit and function."

"And what about you?" Kaji asked slyly as he casually strolled up to her. "Are you a prude, too?"

"Uh, I," Maya stammered. "I don't think that concerns you, sir. And I'm gonna have to tell Colonel Katsuragi and Dr. Akagi about this."

"You can't tell them anything if your lips are covered with mine," Kaji grinned as he leaned in, knowing full well who was nearby.

"Kaji!" Misato's cheery voice filled the air. "How's it going?"

"It's going," Kaji smiled as he withdrew from Maya's airspace. "I guess."

"And, uh, I'll just be going," Maya said sheepishly, half-hiding behind her clipboard and tiptoeing out of the room. She'd never admit it but she was little afraid of Misato's wrath. Kaji then went about fixing the overflowing trash bin.

"You know," Misato grumbled. "I'm far from the most perfect person to be making judgments about your private life. But, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be hitting on women under certain chains of command. You know what I'm saying?"

"And when are you so concerned about who's under who?" Kaji asked in his usual cool guy voice. "Would you prefer I hit on you, babe?"

"Maybe," Misato smiled a little. It felt like the old days back in college again. It felt good. "But first, answer me this: what's the secret behind Adam and the Marduk?"

"And how would I know?" Kaji tried to play it off coolly.

"Kaji," groaned softly.

"It's not like you to ask for help Misato."

"Well, I am anyway," Misato growled as she dug her arm further underneath her pits. "All this stinks. The incident with Unit-01, the Second Branch, the Fourth Child…" She sighed. "And then there's the Dummy System…"

"I know," Kaji said standing up. He then leaned in close and placed his hand next to her head. "How's this for an answer? The Marduk Institute doesn't exist. Commander Ikari, Ritsuko and the SEELE Chairman Keel are the ones calling the shots. If you want to dig further, try Code 707."

"707, but that's…" 'Shinji's school.'

"Bow-chika-bow-wow," Misato heard a sarcastic voice that could belong to only one person. Kaji stepped away and Misato saw Shinji standing there with a shit eating grin on his face. "Just stopped by to tell you Ritsuko wanted to talk to you about an upcoming trip, Misato," he said to the Colonel. "And now I'll leave you two kids to your own games."

"Oh, shut up," Misato snapped. "But, thanks." She then walked past Kaji. "And thank you," she whispered to the older man.

"So," Kaji said to Shinji. "Can I buy you a drink? Cup'o'tea?"

"Kaji, you know I'm a dude, right?" Shinji shot Kaji a queer look. Misato's laughter echoed all the way down the hall.

Kaji showed Shinji his watermelon patch (A/N: not a double entendre). "I'm still having a hard time picturing you as a guy with a green thumb," Shinji said as he doused water over some of the plants.

"You hurt my feelings," Kaji replied, obviously feigning said hurt. "And after we've known each other for so long. After all the things we've been through? I thought you'd know me better."

"Kiss my ass," Shinji said as he finished watering his area. "Anything new with you?"

"Not much. You know how it is."

"Same shit, different day?" Kaji nodded. "Figures."

"What about you?" Kaji asked in a serious tone. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah," Shinji said putting his hands in his pockets. "I'm just in a soul searching mood right now. Plus, lately I've been wondering about what I'm gonna do after all of this."

"I know what you mean. I feel the same way. No more angels, then what? Book deals? Movies?"

"You're no writer and you're too ugly for TV or film," Shinji shot back. "I suggest radio."

"Kiss my ass."

"But still," Shinji said. "I don't know what I'll do. Except go back to America."

"You miss it, don't you?" Kaji said setting his bucket down.

"It's the only home I've ever really known. Misato's great and all but…my heart is still back in the US of A."

"So what's really troubling you?"

"Rei." Kaji looked over at him. "I don't know what to do about her. Everything seems to be revolving around her. But…it's got me worried."

"I see."

"Plus…there's something odd with her." Shinji paused. "She feels so familiar. Sometimes I think I've known her my whole life. And…when I was down there. I…I could swear I heard her voice."

"Her…voice?"

"Yeah," Shinji turned to face the agent. "Next thing I know I black out and bam! Misato's leaning over me and shaking me awake." He looked down at the dirt. "I saw the combat video of Unit-01 breaking out of that thing. But I swear to you, I heard Rei's voice." At that moment Kaji's phone rang.

"Go for Kaji," Kaji said cooly. "Yeah, he's here…I'll tell him." He then hung up. "That was Misato. She said the synch test is starting soon."

"They're doing more and more," Shinji said. "I don't like it. It's too…suspicious." He turned and left.

"Yeah," Kaji agreed. He thought about everything about NERV he'd accumulated thus far. But there were still blank spots. Questions that needed answers. But, since he didn't have any answers, and no way to go about getting them at the moment, he went back to watering his watermelons (A/N: seriously, for some reason, that just sounds wrong.).

XXXXX

"We should've expected this," Ritsuko said. "Shinji's ratio is still dropping."

"How bad this time?" Misato asked, as she sat backwards in her swivel chair, leaning her chest on the back.

"Not as much as it was right after the incident last week, only five points this time. It seems to be tapering, like it's bottoming out," the Project-E director said as she further examined the data. "I think something definitely happened during that incident that shook his confidence. And he's only now just starting to recover from it."

"This only makes it harder to tell him about the Fourth," Misato said, letting out a deep breath. "I don't want to push him over the edge."

"Why would it bother him?"

"Shinji is very protective of his friends," Misato said matter-of-factly. "If I tell him he may try to convince the candidate not to do it."

"The new pilot will be told tomorrow," Ritsuko said as she sent the test results to her terminal. "You'll have to tell Shinji eventually."

"I know. But I still don't like it."

As Shinji was leaving the EVA locker room he bumped into a NERV security officer, "Sorry," he said to the officer, "didn't see you there."

"Nor did I," the officer replied in an accented voice. Shinji looked up and saw that he was wearing an eye-patch over his left eye, partially concealing a vicious scar. He also noted that he was rather tall and well built. Definitely not a 'rent a guard'.

"Oh, sorry," the teen held up his hand. "I didn't mean any-"

"Nothing to be concerned of," the officer replied as he stepped out of the way so Shinji could go past. "And I took no offense. Just an old war wound, is all."

"Where are you from, sir? Your accent is a little weird," Shinji noted.

"Yours is too, young man. And don't take this the wrong way but, you don't look foreign."

"Well looks can be deceiving," Shinji replied as he noticed they were both walking towards the elevators.

"You are Shinji Ikari, yes? The son of the Commander?"

"That I am," Shinji growled. "And not by choice."

"Heh, heh," the guard chuckled. "It never is." They came to a stop at the elevators.

"You never did say where you were from." There was just something about this NERV security officer that felt off. And it went beyond that creepy eye patch.

"My apologies, comrade," the officer bowed his head.

'Comrade?'

"I am Captain Sergei Tokarev, NERV Security; formerly of the Russian Federation," he introduced himself.

'A Captain, eh? And an old war wound?' "I guess that explains the eye, I guess," Shinji said, forcibly trying to keep his voice even. 'Don't lose it here, Shinji. Don't start something now of all times.'

"True. Rough times, yes? I still can't place your accent, other than it being foreign to Japan," Tokarev prodded. He kept his good eye on Shinji, noticing that the teen had become visibly stiff.

"Well, I was born in Nagano. However, I was only in Japan until I was about ten-ish." Shinji tried to drag out his conversation long enough, at least until the elevator reached their floor. "But, I really shouldn't bore you with all the details of my life. You probably got more important things to do than listen to my story."

"It is actually a slow day," Sergei replied evenly, noting that Shinji seemed slightly evasive. "And you seem…uneasy, Comrade Shinji. Are you feeling well?"

"You'll have to forgive my uneasiness, Comrade Captain," Shinji said before taking a deep breath. "But, I haven't exactly heard good things about Russians. No offense."

"I see," the former Spetsnaz grumbled under his breath. "Amyerikanskoy propagandi nyet nikakikh somnyeniy. Popitka otravitʲ soznaniye lyodyey nyevinnikh dyetyey." (American propaganda, no doubt. Trying to poison the minds of innocent children). Shinji said nothing in reply, just clenched his jaw to keep himself from lashing out. If he struck the first blow the shit would hit the fan. The elevator arrived and Shinji stepped on. Sergei did not. The Russian just turned to leave. "Amyeriki svinyey." (American pigs.)

"Nye ochyenʲ vyeʐliviy, tovarisht," Shinji snapped back as the doors closed. (Not very polite, comrade.) Sergei stopped in his tracks and looked back just as the doors closed.

'He speaks Russian?' Sergei's mind twitched. 'He became evasive after learning my name. And he doesn't have a warm opinion of Russians?' At that moment, as if to give him another clue, Sergei's left eye socket began to give him some phantom pains. 'American raised, perhaps?'

That night, Shinji dropped a bombshell on Misato. He knew about the Fourth Child. "Kaji told me," he said evenly.

"He did?" Misato blinked. "I…I was going to tell you, Shinji but…"

"You didn't know how to," Shinji finished for her. "Because you were worried about how I would take it?" She nodded as Shinji closed the book he was reading, Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors. "I understand. But, don't you think it's odd that NERV's seemingly only source for new candidates happens to be my school?"

"It is strange. But it is easier," Misato opened another beer, the bitter liquid didn't seem to brighten her mood any, though. "And all the pilots have to be kept together to aid cohesion and for security. I guess it only makes sense to do the same with potential candidates."

"How are they going to convince him to pilot?" Shinji asked. "Knowing NERV it's not going to be with 'pretty please, with sugar on top'. In fact," he thought back to his first few days at school, specifically his fight with Toji, "I think I know just how they'll bribe him." But he didn't voice it. Misato knew that Shinji was sharp enough to have figured it out. And, though she would never claim to be the most intelligent person in the world, she was smart enough not to go there with Shinji. She just returned her attention to her beer as the awkward silence continued.

'Best not to push Shinji anymore,' Misato said to herself.

"I met Captain Tokarev today," Shinji said evenly after a couple silent minutes.

"The, uh, new arrival in NERV security?" Misato spoke up hesitantly knowing this was going to be a sensitive topic.

"You know him?"

"Only in passing," Misato shrugged. "Only really met him when that one angel attacked the simulation chamber."

"Really?"

"He ensured that the B-Wing was evacuated of all personnel."

"Sounds like a stand-up guy," Shinji kept his voice even, which for some reason made Misato nervous. His arms were folded across his chest, eyes staring at the table. Misato knew he was forcing his cool. "What did he do before joining NERV?"

"Shinji…" She exhaled. "Don't go trying to settle any old grudges, okay? Besides, I don't know what he did before joining NERV. And he's not in my division."

"Well he's got at least one visible war wound," Shinji looked up at her. He didn't say anything as the two of them just stared at each other. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll do my best to keep my distance." He then got up to go to bed. "For his safety if for no other reason."

XXXXX

"How was your trip to New Yokosuka?" Shinji asked Kensuke the next day at school. Toji had been called to the principles' office. Shinji knew exactly what for. Shinji and Kensuke had just finished their lunch up on the school's roof and were now relaxing before having to go back to class.

"It was awesome," Kensuke replied. "But I did hear something very disturbing. Unit-03, the EVA that was built in the US? It's been completed and being transferred to Japan."

"What's so disturbing about that?"

"Besides the fact that the other American-built EVA, Unit-04, barely missed being destroyed in some accident?"

"How the hell do you come by this information?" Shinji asked him as he finished off his orange soda.

"You'd be surprised how much engineers talk and how much they share information between countries," Kensuke said stretching his hands, fingers interlocked. "It's like it's an exclusive club."

"Hmm," Shinji thought. 'Four-eyes definitely has a knack for OSIS research.' "What's the big deal about the engine?"

"I think it was supposed to be something similar to what the angels have. That's all I know, though. I'm not a theoretical physicist so I can't give you anything juicy. But tell me this, Shinji," he leaned over. "Do you think you could put in a good word for me with Misato?"
"Huh?"

"I want to pilot Unit-03!" He got on his knees in front of Shinji. "Please, please, please, please!"

"Sorry, Kensuke," Shinji said. "But…it's not my call. And…" he looked down at the basketball courts where Toji just walked out. "They've already chosen a pilot." Kensuke stood up and followed his gaze.

"You mean…?"

"Yeah…Toji."

Down on the court Toji was still mulling over his recent recruitment. Rei knew, he figured. He also figured that Shinji either knew or would find out quickly. He wondered what he would say or do about it. Would he try to talk him out of it? If he did Toji would not budge. His sister was not improving in the hospital she was currently at. She wasn't in any real danger of her health deteriorating, but she wasn't likely to fully recover.

But, at the NERV facility she could. And he made that clear. If they wanted him to pilot she would have to be transferred first. The blonde haired doctor had agreed without missing a beat. It surprised Toji and it left a bad taste in his mouth. 'Shinji would probably say they were going to float that offer if I declined,' Toji said to himself, and then sighed. 'And I would've said 'yes'.' If there was anything that could get Toji to do something, get Sakura, his little sister, involved.

"His sister?" Kensuke asked. "They bribed him through his sister?"

"Yup," Shinji nodded. "And while I can't fault Toji for agreeing to something like that, I can't say the same for NERV. Their morals seem selective at times."

"Even…Misato?"

"Misato's one of the good guys," Shinji said, shaking his head. "No doubt about that. And most of NERV's employees aren't batting for the Dark Side. But…some of the one's calling the shots…I don't trust them." He then thought back on his encounter with Comrade Captain Sergei Tokarev. The one eyed-Russian who seemed to have a bone to pick with Americans. "Kensuke," Shinji barked lowly.

"Yeah?"

"You remember that favor?" He glared over at the otaku, subtly letting him know that he meant business.

"Um," the spectacled teen gulped, suddenly feeling nervous under his friend's glare. "Y-yeah?"

"I need you to do some digging for me," Shinji said kneeling down to whisper. "Nothing major, and nothing illegal or anything." Kensuke tensed at Shinji's choice of words. "Just a bit of open source snooping. Remember your little Jet Alone curiosity?" Kensuke nodded as sweat beaded on his forehead. "And how you found out about the Second Branch?" He'd never heard this kind of tone from Shinji before. He sounded like he was on the verge of ripping someone's throat out.

'I hope it's not mine,' Kensuke gulped yet again. "Uh, y-yeah…Um, what do you need? Anything you want, man."

"There's a new arrival at NERV," Shinji whispered. "A guy in the security forces division. He just rubs me the wrong way. And I need any information you can find on him."

"Well…" Kensuke began to quiver. 'He wants me to gather info on someone at NERV? It can't be Misato, or his dad.' "So, who…?"
"Captain Sergei Tokarev…"