Chapter 18

It was days like this when Misato really missed Ritsuko… Her old friend Ritsuko from college, not the cold-hearted harpy who was willing to liquefy the human race on the scant hope she could remain a piece of ass to their Commander. She was the one close female friend Misato had, the one person she could lean on when she needed to discuss… Well, woman crap as she herself put it. Shinji and Asuka finally stoking those romantic fires that had flickered for several years, but they just couldn't ignite until now. This was definitely a topic she could've used Rits's advice on, albeit however dry, unhelpful, and jaded her advice may have been.

Maya Ibuki was sub-standard substitute. It wasn't that Misato disliked or distrusted her, quite the opposite in fact… It was just that Maya wasn't exactly the type of person Misato would be going out and having drinks with after a hard day of work. They were just too different, and it helped absolutely none that she was the Commander of NERV now. Most of the higher-ranking staff members who were retained after Third Impact didn't change how they carried themselves around the new Commander, in fact her appointment boosted morale considerably as many felt it was like having one of their own in charge. Maya however, acted as if Misato had been called up to Mount Olympus to rule over the Geofront, while Maya herself was merely an ant scurrying about below begging not to get stepped on. Misato guessed this was just how Maya was. While annoying, her reaction to Misato's position made it easy to corner her at times like this, as she wouldn't dare turn away her Commanding Officer when Misato needed to speak with her.

Misato started off slow, slowing bringing Maya down until she eventually started speaking to the Commander as if she were a normal human being. Maya was more than capable of giving a well thought out opinion if you gave her the chance. Yes, Misato methodically wore her down, bragging about how Shinji and Asuka had finally gotten together, smirking somewhat as Maya chuckled and declared what a cute couple they made, and how she always thought the two of them would end up together. Misato so badly wanted to scream bullshit to this. Nobody fucking thought Shinji and Asuka would even live long enough to get to this point without killing one another first. The only real question about it was wondering who would snap first and be the one serving the jail time while the other was fitted for a casket. Misato held her tongue though, allowing Maya to lower her guard down far enough so Maya wouldn't expect what was coming. The moment finally arrived, and Misato dropped the bomb on her.

"So, I think Shinji and Asuka are having sex."

Maya nearly gagged on her coffee. "Wha, what?! But they just got together you said, and they're still underage! Did you catch them in the act?"

"No, no at all. In fact, I have no proof whatsoever that they've laid a finger on each other."

"Well that's good… So there's at least a chance they're being responsible."

"Oh no, there have been all kinds of shades of gray going on in that apartment when I'm not around… I just don't know when it started, or how often it's been going on."

"I don't get it…. You said you had no proof and you haven't caught them in the act, so how can you be so sure they're being intimate?"

Misato smiled at Maya's choice of words. Leave it to the Lieutenant to refer to the carnal act of sex as if she were observing butterflies. "I just know… Because I can look at Asuka and I see… She just has the look."

Maya looked confused. "You mean there's an 'I just had sex' look?"

"No, not… It has nothing to do with sex… Well, that's not true, it's just not entirely sex. She has the look of a girl who's found something special, and is starting to realize it. She has the look of someone who's in love and is in it bad. I should know, I've seen that look before… I used to see it in the mirror back during my college days."

"You mean when you were involved with Mr. Kaji?"

Misato's frown indicated she didn't appreciate the connection being made, but couldn't fault Maya for bringing up the obvious. "Well, I don't see why you had to bring that man's name into it, but yes there was a time when Ryoji did make me feel that way. Looking at Asuka now, it's quite remarkable to see really… She actually looks happy, rather than someone ready to grab the world by the throat just so she can strangle the life out of it…"

"What are you going do? Separate them?"

Misato's wide eyes conveyed shock as if that solution hadn't and wouldn't be considered. "Why on Earth would I do that?"

"Well… Having two teenagers that age living under the same roof wasn't proper in the first place… There was always a risk something like this might happen. It would seem that splitting them up would be the most obvious solution."

"I'm not kicking either one of them out Maya," Misato said, in manner that conveyed a clear message to her subordinate not to even go this route. Maya being smart, and maybe even somewhat spineless when it came to confrontations, took the hint immediately. "They finally seem happy after all the shit they've been through… It would be almost evil to take that from them now…"

"What are you going to do then? You certainly can't allow them to go on the way they are…"

"You know, if we were talking about any kids other than those two I would agree with you whole heartedly… As hard as this is to believe, they're not little kids anymore. I blinked a couple of times and suddenly they were almost adults. They're certainly old enough to understand the potential consequences of their actions, and to understand they'll have to deal with any consequences that come with those actions. We can't pretend they're normal kids either. With what they've been through during their short time on Earth, they know as well as anyone that nothing is guaranteed in life. An Angel could attack tomorrow and they both could be killed in combat. Just a week ago, we almost lost Shinji due to an internal attack by SEELE. Those kids don't have the luxury to plan out and wait on a future that there's a good chance they might not live to see. We ask those kids to do adult things all the time, none more significant than going off to fight in a war that we adults are powerless to fight. They don't always show it, but they're mature beyond their years because of it. Wouldn't it be the ultimate double standard to treat them like kids in this situation? Damn it, I'm giving myself a headache…"

The blaring of warning sirens finished the job the Shinji/Asuka conundrum had started. Poor Maya nearly jumped out of her seat, while several techs nearby stood up and were looking around, wondering what was going on. Misato pulled out her radio and contacted the bridge. "Damn it, I said an Angel *might attack* tomorrow! I know we're out of practice, but there's no need to sound the alarm over it!"

A frantic Shigeru responded over the comm. "Pardon me Commander, but this isn't a joke! We've detected a possible Pattern Blue inside the city limits!"

"What!" Misato jumped out of her seat, knocking her chair over. "I'll be right there! Try to confirm the pattern sequence is correct and isolate its location." Misato skillfully switched lines to that of her Seconds. "Tanaka, this no drill. We have a potential Pattern Blue, and we're not paid to be cautious. Have Section 2 round up Shinji, Rei, and Asuka and have them shipped to the Eva Bay. I'll make sure the Techs are getting our old war horses prepped."

"Affirmative." Tanaka's voice crackled over the comm. "I'll join you on the bridge shortly."

Misato clicked off the comm, now in full Operations Chief mode. "Let's go Maya… With any luck, hopefully this is just a false alarm."

Full blown chaos had erupted on both the bridge and in the Eva Bay area, as two teams of experts were clearly unprepared to coordinate an attack on an enemy they never thought they'd have to face again. Misato could only shake her head and blame herself… In some ways, she'd gotten lazy too after so many months of peace. At this time, Tanaka had finally joined her on the bridge. She turned to him expecting a routine report. "Are the pilots on their way?"

"Pilot Ayanami has been picked up by Section 2, and is en route to the Geofront…" Tanaka suddenly got quiet, reluctant to share this next piece of information with his Commander. "As for pilot's Ikari and Soryu, their whereabouts are currently unknown."

Misato glared at him in disbelief. "What do you mean unknown?! Weren't Section 2 agents assigned to keep an eye on them?!"

"Of course Commander, but with our security details on the children stripped down the bare minimum, it's not as difficult for them to give our agents the slip when they're really determined to do so… In this case, the team assigned to them had lost track of them some time ago…"

"That's what I get for trying to protect their privacy…" Misato sighed, feeling regret in hindsight. "Still, we pay these guys an awful lot of money to keep an eye on those kids, for them to never seem to know where they are…"

"I'll be sure to personally voice your concerns to the head of Section 2 the next time I see him Commander."

"Please do, and Lieutenant Aboa, please tell me you have a read on this suspected pattern's location."

"I'm working on it now Commander… We should have an answer in…" Aboa's eyes went wide in disbelief of what he was seeing on his screen. "What the hell?!"

"What, what's wrong?" Misato asked despite immediately walking up behind him to view what he was seeing on his monitor.

"Well, it's the suspected Pattern Blue we detected … It seems to have disappeared…"

"Disappeared?" Misato frowned, about to ask one of the most cliché questions in the history of the written word. "What do you mean it disappeared?!"

"Just that Commander… It was there, and at almost the very moment we finally locked onto its location, the pattern was gone! There's no sign the pattern is on the move either…"

"Is it possible that the Magi made a mistake, and the Pattern Blue was never there in the first place?" Maya asked from her station. "It would make sense seeing as, theoretically, all the known Angels have appeared and subsequently have been destroyed."

"It is possible… But extremely unlikely… No computer system is flawless, but the Magi is about as close as human beings have been able to get…. Shigeru, you mentioned you'd locked onto its location before the pattern disappeared. Where was its location?"

"On the Southwest edge of town oddly enough. It's a rather unpopulated area seeing as there weren't any major efforts to restore that area after Third Impact. All that's left are a few abandoned office buildings, and an old Scrap Yard. Can't quite give exact coordinates since the blip went poof before we could isolate an exact location, but that's the general area that the hit came in."

"Commander, might I'd suggest deploying a team in that sector to investigate?" Tanaka advised his superior. Misato was already a few steps ahead of him.

"Yes, in fact, I'll be heading up the team myself. Shigeru, Maya, Makato… Continue to monitor the situation and radio us immediately if the suspect pattern appears again. Also, make sure Unit 00 is prepped and ready to go in case she needs to be deployed… Oh and Tanaka…"

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Before we go, please see if you can get the idiots from Section 2 off there assess and find out where my kids are. And please let them know, if I don't get answers soon, the agents responsible for them are going to get demoted to practice range dummies…"

The Sub-Commander wasn't sure when the Commander began referring to pilots Ikari and Soryu as 'her kids', but he did know that it was a recent development. For some reason, he just couldn't help but smile. "I'll be sure to pass along the message Commander.

Unless you'd been living under a rock with no windows, you probably could've guessed that all holy hell was set to break loose at NERV. The chaos really heated up when the Commander's trip to investigate the strange pattern blip's last location, turned up Shinji and Asuka casually strolling in the opposite direction of said area. The story they spun, perhaps being too honest with the details, would leave heads spinning for days to come. For the present, the rest of that day would be spent in a series of interviews with the Commander, the Sub-Commander, both Commanders, just Asuka, just Shinji and then both all for the sake of getting their bizarre story straight. After literally half a day of debriefing, the exhausted Commander of NERV and her equally exhausted pilots, all wanted nothing more than to put this incident in the books and call it a night.

"Okay guys…" Misato groaned, her hand comforting her aching forehead. "Let's run through your version of events one more time, so I can be positively sure we have all the facts straight…"

"We've been over this twelve damn times already!" Asuka huffed, both tired and irritated at being treated like someone who was trying to lie her way out of some heinous crime.

"I know Asuka, I know… I know it seems like we're being paranoid, but that's because we are. You're both smart enough to see the potential ramifications if the wrong people get wind that two of our pilots have had contact with not just one, but two Angels! We can't afford to leave any loose threads dangling for our critics to pull at. If our report leaves so much as a single sentence open to be misconstrued, the integrity of NERV itself is going to fall under heavy scrutiny. Shinji's recent incarceration, Dr. Reniot's arrest, the Angel virus incident, NERV's security measures, they're all going to be called into question… None of that is even considering the potential reaction from the general public. People will be seeing Angels rising up from their swimming pools at night. Tokyo 3 isn't far removed from finally stabilizing after struggling for such a long time after Third Impact, and the last thing this city needs is another mass exodus. No Tokyo 3, then there's basically no NERV, so please work with us through the red tape on this incident, please?"

"Fine," Asuka huffed unhappily. Shinji nodded his head tiredly, also agreeing. "This better be the last time though!"

"As long as your stories don't deviate from your previous accounts, then we should be out of here in a few minutes… Now, Shinji… This girl you'd been seeing… Aeri, she turned out to be an Angel?"

"Yes Ma'am…"

"And why did you say she was after you?"

"Revenge I guess…" Shinji thought about his choice of words and wasn't quite satisfied with them. "No, I know it was revenge, she told me so herself. She wanted revenge on me for the harm I did to the other Angels or so she claimed… She felt that simply killing me would've been letting me off easy, so I guess she wanted to make me fall in love with her so she could break my heart and then kill me…"

"That is brutal…" Misato winced, genuinely feeling for the boy over what the other worldly skank had tried to do to her Shinji. She was in Commander mode at that moment though, so she couldn't let that show. "You said that you strongly believe that Aeri's appearance was not the precursor of a renewed assault on humanity by the Angels?"

"No. From what I've heard, Aeri was acting on her own and against the wishes of the other Angels. They even sent Kaworu back down to Earth with her to keep an eye on her."

"Yes Kaworu… Former Fifth Child, and the final Angel that you yourself Shinji, crushed within your Eva's hand… Yet he was able to reappear before you as if he returned from the dead?"

"From what I understand of what Kaworu told me, you can't completely kill and Angel. What we killed were the bodies that each Angel chose when their invasion of Earth began… When their bodies died… I guess they went wherever the Angles usually are when they're not trying to destroy humanity."

"So I did hear you correctly the first twelve times," Misato sighed, feeling another twinge of pain at her forehead. The thought that the Angels could return at any time they damn well pleased, in possibly even more lethal forms, was not the type of information that helped the leaders of International organizations, tasked with protecting humankind from those beings, sleep well at night. "And you also had some form of contact with Kaworu Asuka?... I mean, aside from the encounter you had with him today?"

"Yes… He started popping up in my dreams a few weeks ago, though he won't confess that it was him."

"And based on your statement, he acted like sort of a therapist for you?"

"Uh-huh, sure… If that's the way you want to interpret it then fine…"

"Asuka…" Misato's eyes narrowed in agitation. "You realize that being sarcastic and defiant isn't going to get you out of this room any faster don't you?"

"Gur…. Fine! Yes, he tried to help me with some of my… Personal issues that I'm perfectly aware I'm not required to disclose to you or anyone else!"

"As you've made pointedly clear at least half a dozen times…" The weight of the want of sleep pressing her eyelids downward, Misato still managed a sleepy, but still agonizingly mischievous grin. "And why is it that Kaworu decided to help you with these personal issues?"

Asuka's cheeks turned red. "Is this really part of the debriefing, or have you been asking for you own amusement?"

"I'm not required to disclose that information… Now, if you want to get out of this room anytime soon, you'd better answer the question," Misato nearly sang, suddenly sounding too chipper for someone that was an eyelash away from her face crashing into her desk.

"Fine!... He didn't really do any of it to help me… He did it for Shinji… For to um… Hell, you know!"

"That he was essentially playing match maker for the two of you? Yeah, I got it. Okay, now let's continue… What did Kaworu do when he first appeared before you?"

"He killed Aeri," Shinji responded, a tint of sadness still in his voice.

"Which explains the deformed humanoid husk we found in the scrap yard…" Misato shivered at the memory of seeing the grotesque shell. "And Kaworu then confronted you two afterward and said what?"

"He explained how Aeri had defied the other Angels by coming to Earth, and that he was sent to keep an eye on her. His decision to destroy her was based off her attempt to kill us. He also told me that he was only permitted to be on Earth until the situation with Aeri was taken care of… Then he would have to return home I guess…"

Misato nodded her head, by now almost able to speak his responses in unison with him. "And you believed what he was telling you?"

Shinji frowned slightly. "I have no reason not to believe him… He did save our lives don't forget…"

"I also can't forget that he was once sent to this planet to destroy us all," Misato groaned as her hand returned to the task of consoling her throbbing forehead. "I understand how you feel Shinji, and as someone who knows you as well as I do, I'm inclined to believe you… However, the Commander of NERV in me can also see how the representatives from the UN are going to have a difficult time seeing you're old buddy, and mankind's former nemesis, as someone whose suddenly not a threat to us. You do understand that don't you Shinji?"

Shinji's response was to hang his head, which wordlessly confirmed everything Misato needed to know. Annoyed at how easily he was backing down, Asuka decided to respond for him. "Of course the baka knows how difficult it's going to be to convince anyone Kaworu is no longer a threat… Probably impossible, but you know as well as I do that this thick-headed lug isn't going to just turn on one of his friends… Regardless of whether it's in his best interest or not…"

"I'm not expecting Shinji to do that either… I'm just trying to make sure you understand how openly supporting and defending a known Angel looks for you Shinji… Especially to those who already suspect you of having been contaminated by an angel, showing you've bonded with another angel is only going to add fuel to their fire. You get what I'm saying don't you?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied submissively. "I guess I never really did relate all this stuff that's happened with my relationship with Kaworu… Still though, I'm not going to lie to anyone about him. If anyone asks, I'm going to tell them exactly who he is to me, and what he's done for me."

"All I ask is that you use discretion and choose your words carefully… If I have it my way, you won't be talking to anyone else about this incident. I'm going to classify the situation with the highest security classification that I can give, and keep who knows the details of what occurred today to a minimum. This also means that you two need to be careful to whom you discuss the events of today with… Try not to tell anyone anything they don't need to know if at all possible."

"I'm not saying anything," Asuka said, looking smug, as she slouched in her chair.

"I have no reason to tell anybody either… Everyone I was close to had left Tokyo 3 by the time Kaworu came along. They wouldn't even know who I was talking about."

"Good, I'm counting on you two to keep quiet… With any luck, we'll never have to speak of this incident again…" Misato closed her file, and placed it under her arm as she would soon lock it away with the rest of her confidential files. "Now, what do you guys say we get the hell out of here, and into our nice warm beds!"

"Best suggestion I've heard all night," Asuka said, while Shinji exhaled in relief.

After a brief trip back to the Commander's office in order to place the case file safely under lock and key, the trio wasted little time zombie-walking their way to Misato's car, ready to travel the moderate distance back to the Katsuragi apartment. Misato immediately took note when Asuka passed on the empty seat in the front of the car, in favor of sitting in the back with Shinji… Specifically, the seat right next to Shinji. Within five minutes, both teens were asleep and leaning against one another for support. The first legitimate smile of the evening found its way to Misato Katsuragi's lips. It was moments like this when she wished the hardest that those kids could live normal, peaceful lives without all the apocalyptic bullshit that went hand-to-hand with working for NERV.

Someway, somehow, Shinji Ikari couldn't sleep. Ever since they'd arrived home from that marathon interrogation, he'd been lying awake in bed, alternating between starring at the ceiling and the wall. All three roommates, of course, had gone to bed immediately after arriving home. Shinji felt it was absolutely unnecessary for Misato to insist he and Asuka sleep in their own beds, which they intended to do anyway… Her threat to post Section 2 guards at each of their doors if they didn't comply was even less necessary.

His mind racing, and sleep elusive, Shinji decided that perhaps some air would ease his frayed nerves. Something seemed to be calling him out to the balcony anyhow. Leaning against the railing, he stared out into the concrete jungle of bright lights, tall buildings, and all the tell-tale noises of a once thriving city now in recovery. The backdrop certainly wasn't waterfalls and snow-capped mountains with the sun-setting in the distance, but seeing as the world as humans once knew it was nearly eradicated, the sights and sounds of life moving along as normal was a wonderful sight indeed.

"It is quite amazing what the minds of the Lilin can conceive and create… Now if we could only get you people out of your pension to destroy every bit as much as you create…"

Shinji barely flinched upon realizing he wasn't alone out on the terrace. He wasn't even sure why… Perhaps he'd finally gotten to a point in life where things like this just didn't surprise him anymore. Either way, the sudden pull he'd felt to walk out onto the terrace now made perfect sense. "When you say it that way, it kind of makes it sound like you think the Angels should've caused Third Impact and destroyed mankind…"

"You forget, there was a time I did absolutely think that," Kaworu looked over at the human boy fondly, wearing his usual smile. "Until a certain someone got me to think otherwise."

Shinji returned the smile, even blushing somewhat. "Not that I'm complaining, but why are you still here? I thought you had to leave Earth once Aeri was taken care of…"

"That was a half-truth… I had one more order of business to take care before I left, but I didn't wish to do so with your feisty friend present. I need to discuss something with you privately."

Shinji's expression got serious quickly. "I take it that you're not here for one last heart-filled goodbye, are you?"

Kaworu shook his head, appearing apologetic. "I'm afraid not… The truth is, I'm technically forbidden to even be discussing this with you, but I'm afraid I'll be the one defying the wishes of my brethren this time. You see, certain events are about to unfold that will threaten everything you've risked your life to salvage and protect, and I just couldn't let this happen… You, above all others, deserve better than that."

"Can't say I agree with you… But I'm listening."

"Keep in mind, that it isn't set in stone that the events I'm about to share with you will come to pass. All that I'm aware of are potential futures that could come to pass if certain decisions are made. All I can do is try and stir you in the direction of which I feel are the right ones… You may want to take a seat… This might take a while."

Asuka slept like a rock from the second her head hit the pillow. Pleasant dreams were not in the cards for her though, as her evening was tormented by visions of Aeri doing unspeakable things to her as she made Shinji watch… It was a long drawn out dream too, as her near catatonic sleeping state didn't provide the usual jolt one usually received in the middle of the night during a nightmare.

When she finally did awaken, she woke up to a dull headache in roughly the center of her forehead. At first, Asuka's only desire was to roll over and go back to sleep… But then, memories from the previous day began to rush back. Memories that she'd been too exhausted to stress over the night before, but was now aware enough to mull over them, which made it near impossible to get back to sleep… After her mind ran a few laps around her skull, she decided it was time to get out of bed.

Asuka stretched out her back, and noticed a distinct lack of the scent of food coming from the kitchen. Wondering if Shinji was still asleep, Asuka played with the idea of preparing breakfast herself, when she found Shinji sitting at the table sipping on a cup of coffee… Which was strange, because Shinji never drank coffee.

"Okay, I know something isn't right here… You wouldn't be voluntary drinking dirt if otherwise," Asuka cracked, referencing Shinji's past comments regarding the taste of one of the world's favorite morning beverages.

"Oh… Morning Asuka," he greeted, slightly startled. "My head kind of hurts and I've heard coffee can help with that…"

After taking a seat next to him, Asuka studied the boy, noting his slightly pale skin and the bags under his eyes. She chose not to show it outwardly, but she became concerned. "You look like shit… Did you not sleep well? It's perfectly reasonable that you wouldn't, considering what you went through last night…"

"You went through the same thing, and you didn't have any trouble sleeping. I could hear you snoring from the terrace," he chuckled, drawing a slight frown form Asuka which quickly formed into a wry smile.

"Yeah, but I'm not the one who found out that my training-girlfriend was secretly plotting to kill me."

"Training Girlfriend?"

"Yep, or transitional girlfriend or whatever you want to call that bitch. She's just the girl you were settling for while you were waiting on me," She hummed proudly, drawing a smile from the young man seated next to her.

"I guess that's kind of true in a way… And no, I didn't sleep well… Didn't sleep at all actually." Shinji tapped the top of his head. "Too much going on in here."

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Asuka teased, as she moved a few strands of hair from in front of his eyes. She made a mental note to remind him later that he needed to get a haircut. "I knew something was wrong. Usually, you're wide awake and half-way through preparing breakfast by now."

"Oh crap breakfast! You're probably hungry aren't you… I'll get started as soon as…" Shinji didn't get halfway out of his seat before he found Asuka's hand covering his, and pulling him back down to a seated position.

"Don't worry about it! You're far too exhausted to be using the stove this morning. You're liable to burn the damn building down. I'm perfectly capable of making breakfast myself, and even if I wasn't, a bowl of cereal isn't going to kill me."

"Really? It wasn't that long ago when you would've yelled at me for even suggesting you eat a cold breakfast. Of course, when I finally did break down and cook you breakfast, you complained about that too…"

"Of course I did idiot… You should know by now, that was my way of putting you in your place."

"My place? Where exactly was my place?" Shinji had a feeling he already knew… And he did.

"Beneath me of course. You needed to be aware at all times that I was NERV's top pilot, and you were only there to make sure I was taken care of. I couldn't have you thinking we were equals could I? How else was I going to get you to do what I wanted you to do?"

"Asking me in a polite way would've worked just as well... Not as fun for you that way though, I guess… So then, is my rightful place still beneath you? If not, then where is it now?

Asuka's answer was immediate, as she clutched Shinji's hand and pulled him close to her. Her lips found his for a short, sweet morning kiss. "By my side stupid…"

"I kind of like that place," Shinji cheesed through a sleepy smile.

"Save it baka, it's too early in the morning for the mushy stuff," Asuka teased, as she stood up from the table. "Just drink your coffee, and I'll take care of breakfast. It's been a while, but I'll figure it out."

Shinji smiled after her as she went into the kitchen, but as soon as her back was turned, that smile all but disappeared. If what Kaworu had told him was indeed destined to come to pass… It would be so unfair. All the fighting, scratching, and clawing to get to where he was, both in life and in his relationship with Asuka. If Kaworu was right, everything that mattered to him could be ripped away before he'd ever have a chance to fully clasp his hands around it.

Albert McDermott was a born survivor… Er, at least that's what he convinced himself. What was undoubtedly true was that Albert always had a plan. He was always three steps ahead of his adversaries whether they'd be his competitors in business, the authorities, or even his partners. From the time he was a boy growing up in poverty in the American Northeast, starting his own business and making millions through legal and not so legal means. He was also blessed with the fortunate timing of moving his family to the Midwest mere days before Third Impact hit and literally wiped entire states off the map. Central Pennsylvania, which at one point was fairly far inland, was now beach front property, sans the beach. Of course, luck had very little to do with McDermott's sudden departure for this hometown that would soon be claimed by the sea, and everything to do with his connections at SEELE. His business acumen and ruthlessness had made him a successful businessman and a very wealthy man. His association with SEELE helped make him one of the most powerful men in the United States.

Today, Albert McDermott was one of the last hangers on of an endangered species, one that was being hunted down to the point of extinction. One by one, the members of the old boys club went down, most dragged away in chains, all guilty of crimes even their vast wealth wouldn't be able to get them out of. A few went into hiding, but somehow were picked up almost as soon as they fell of the map, as if the United Nations suddenly had insider information on SEELE's vast network of safe houses. Others went down in a hail of bullets and at least one, out of a 12 story window to the pavement below. Even the great Lorenzo Keel wasn't immune from the swift and merciless hand of justice. Keel wasn't about to wait around to be arrested though… No, Lorenzo was not a man who would ever willingly face up to his crimes. When the UN forces swooped in to arrest him, Keel had already put a bullet between his eyes… His final act of defiance…

Albert just did not have it in him to go out that way… He was a survivor, so he wasn't about to play dead or hang around waiting to get arrested. He escaped to his own private bunker in the mountains of Appalachia, one even the other members in SEELE knew nothing about, so it likely wouldn't have been revealed by whatever kind of intelligence the UN had dug up on SEELE. You could imagine his surprise when one of his bodyguards came bursting into his study.

"Mr. McDermott! Troops from the UN have invaded the bunker! They've taken down most of the security forces and are currently sweeping the complex in search of you!"

"How the hell did they find us?! Even my associates in SEELE weren't aware of this bunker!"

"I have no idea, but I need to get you out of here sir… I'll escort you to the emergency exit…"

"There is no emergency exit!... At least not since that partial cave in a couple of months ago… I'm afraid there's only one exit from this bunker, and currently an army of angry soldiers stands between us and freedom."

"Sir… How would you like us to proceed from here?"

"Hennessey, you've done good work for me over the years…" Albert complimented, as he stood up from his chair. "Men like me rarely find people they can trust explicitly. The only possible way I can thank you right now for your dedication, is to fire you… Now get yourself out of here before the UN comes bursting through that door."

"But sir…"

"You no longer work for me Hennessey, so your input is no longer of consequence to me… Now go. My fate was sealed the moment Keel put that bullet between his eyes… Now get lost, I still have one last job I need to complete."

Hennessey had a general idea of what his long-time employer had on his mind. He knew there was little point in arguing with the stubborn old codger. "It's been an honor to work for you sir…" With a nod of his head, Hennessey was out the door and gone. McDermott smiled slightly at this. He really did hope his top body-guard got back home safely… His kids were still young… Oh well, the rich and powerful rarely wasted too much time concerning themselves with the fates of those beneath their station. The old man forced his aged body forward, and limped over to the bookcase. Pulling back a book near the center but a bit to the left, a door shaped section in the bookshelf opened revealing a hidden room behind it. The room was small, containing nothing more than a chair and an end-table with a box in the middle of it. Without bothering to close the hidden door behind him, McDermott sat down, eyeing the box warily before flipping it open. Underneath the box was a keypad and the proverbial big red button super villains had made famous decades ago. The old man laughed at the cliché, his fingers hovering just above the keypad ready to enter his code.

Ever since Instrumentally had been aborted, SEELE's power waned as their collective wealth dwindled. They were too damn old to rebuild, or to form another plan that could force another impact, nor did they have the resources or influence to make it happen if time had been on their side. Instead, they chose to put their remaining resources in something tangible… Something they all might live to experience and enjoy… Revenge against those bastards that ruined their grand scheme to become Gods on Earth. Their first attempt, the Eva/Angel virus was a colossal failure. Not only did all the Eva units remain functional and the pilots survived, their inside agent, Estelle Reniot had been uncovered as being their spy and a saboteur. It was with her unmasking that all hell broke loose for the remaining members of SEELE… McDermott had little doubt it was her who flipped on them, the timing was just oh so convenient. Damn kids just didn't respect the code of honor, which included not selling out fellow members of the organization.

Plan B wasn't anything like the shot in the dark they'd taken with the virus. With the monetary resources they had left, they pulled it together to finance the construction of the ultimate Evangelion Unit. One specifically designed to take on other Eva Units and heavy military artillery. She was like the Eva Series models on steroids, human growth hormone, PCP's, and crack all at the same time. Twice as strong as NERV's models, twice as fast, and five time the firepower. The unit was pre-programmed to have one mission and one mission alone. This unit was to act as SEELE's last stand… The final hail-mary at the end of the game… Only the four highest ranking members of SEELE had the equipment and the security codes to active and launch the unit. Why the other three hadn't launched Zeus themselves he did not now. Perhaps they all suffered one last bout of conscious? Zeus was shelved as the final option because of the unit's high potential and unpredictability as well as the high probability it could cause a lot more damage than just too the intended target. For a second, Albert McDermott had a dilemma of conscious. Then he heard the agents from the UN burst into his bunker's office. With a smirk he typed in his code and pressed the button… If he was going down, then he was going to take as many people as he could down with him.

"Freeze!" ordered a heavily armored man, holding a gun pointed at McDermott's head. He was joined by half a dozen more soldiers, and several more who couldn't squeeze inside the small secret room, standing guard in the main chamber of the office. "Don't move a muscle… Albert McDermott, you're under arrest for crimes against humanity."

"The most heinous crime ever committed against humanity was the aborting of Instrumentality. If you consider administering revenge against the people who stole paradise out from under our feet a crime, then we'll just have to agree to disagree."

"Why yes Mr. McDermott… I do consider the mass murder of billions of people a crime. And you are going to pay for that crime… Now put your hands where we can see them."

The old man smirked as he complied with the command. "I thought that was your voice… I shouldn't be, but for some reason, I'm surprised to hear it. You are quite the difficult one to kill aren't you Inspector Kaji?"

"Everyone has their talents." Kaji lifted his face-guard, and despite the wisecrack, his expression was deadly serious. His eyes shifted to the keypad and panel built into the desk were Albert was sitting. "What's this contraption? Trying to call up some of your buddies to come to your rescue? I wouldn't bother… I have it on pretty good authority that there is no one else… You're the last one aren't you Mr. McDermott?"

"That I am," he surprisingly confessed. "No, I wasn't trying to radio for help, I'd already resigned myself to my fate. Before you had the chance to spirit me away from here however, I felt I should arrange a little going away present for our mutual friends over at NERV Japan."

Kaji's trigger finger suddenly became very, very itchy. "What are you getting at? I suggest you be straight with me. Nobody's going to bat an eyelash if it's your corpse we drag out of here."

The old man threw his hands up as if playfully asking the JSDU agent to back off. Judging from the old man's snarky demeanor, he wasn't acting like the cornered rat that the men holding guns to his head had expected him to be impersonating. "Did you really think my associates and I would be sitting idly by waiting for your organization and the UN to reign down your so-called justice upon us? Believe me when I tell you, we've been hard at work my friend… You know about the virus of course… I have to commend you though. I can't even begin to fathom where you gathered your information on that project. Don't try to deny your involvement either, I have full confidence you were waist deep in that business. I bet even you though, hadn't even the slightest clue to hint at our ultimate solution…"

Kaji's brow rose. "That would be a fair assumption… Please enlighten me. I'd prefer not to get blood on this uniform if I can help it."

"Oh, I would be absolutely delighted to," he grinned confidently. "When I referred to our Ultimate Solution, I'm referring to SEELE's last gasp offensive in case well… Individuals such as yourselves burst down our doors and held guns to our heads. The solution's name is Zeus… An Evangelion like nothing anyone has ever seen before. He was modeled after the Eva Series, only twice as fast, twice as strong, and five times the fire power. He's also equipped with an S2 engine, and best of all… He's loaded with enough explosives to devastate a city the size of the original Tokyo!"

Kaji's finger felt as if it would explode if he didn't squeeze the trigger right that second. "You're a liar… But for sake of argument, let's pretend you are telling me the truth… As a sign of good faith, call off your monstrosity, and maybe I can convince the UN to go easy on you."

"I'm afraid that's not possible. Zeus was programmed too, once activated, complete a certain number of tasks without hesitation. Those orders are to destroy NERV Central and the remaining Evangelions. Once these two tasks are complete, his final objective will be to self-destruct… Witch, of course, would obliterate NERV and likely all of Tokyo 3 along with it."

"You're aware that if you're trying to use this information to broker a deal, you're not leaving yourself much room for negotiation."

"I'm not working an angle. I'm simply telling you what is… You don't believe me? Flip on any of the international news networks in about an hour or so… I'm certain the smoking crater that used to be Tokyo 3 will be plastered all over the screen… Uurk!"

McDermott's boast was met by the butt of a rifle against his skull. The old man fell unconscious to the ground, Kaji's glare completely void of sympathy. "Would you boys get this piece of trash out of here… I have to make a phone call…"

"Agent Kaji…" One of the UN soldiers spoke up. "He's a very desperate man. I doubt we need to take his threats seriously…"

"Friend, there's one thing you need to remember above all else when you're dealing with SEELE. I don't care if they're telling you the sky is purple or that they ride flying unicorns to work every day that fart rainbows. Whatever spews from the mouths of these old men, you better damn well take seriously. There's no telling how many lives it might cost if you don't."

End of Chapter 17