Chapter 22: Walking Holocaust

Everyone was still staring at the teenage pilot/bodyguard with unnerving feelings about him. Ritsuko and Misato smirked after he finished. However, they wanted to know how he got the information about Jet Alone Project and NERV's footage. They waited till after the meeting was over to ask. Near the end of the Q&A, the security guard that was knocked unconscious snuck his way in. He was in the back keeping himself hidden until a good opening came through. Seeing it, he set his silent assault rifle to one-shot. He took aim at the boy's head and grinned.

Shinji stared forward and looked up with his eyes. The child and the red-blue eye voice were playing catch with the speaker's head and limbs. About to ignore them, the silver eye Shinji busted through the table. Blinking and looking around him, pieces of the table flew out in different directions as the voice made man-size hole in the table. He was looking through binoculars at something behind him.

"Russian weaponry is too cliché. Your head might think so," the voice of the insane one chimed from behind.

"Madams, cover your ears. Now," Shinji said quietly.

Both Misato and Ritsuko looked at the Third Child with curious faces, but plugged their ears. The boy reached with his right hand behind and under his coat to grab his FNP-9 pistol. Taking a step back with his left foot and pivoting, he turned 160 degrees to his right and took aim with both hands on his pistol. Before anyone could react, two consecutive shots were fired. Each shot echoed violently throughout the large room as members saw massive light and recoil coming from the boy's handgun.

Once the echoing died, a body slumped forward from a wall showing a security guard. People turned around and saw half a head missing with blood and gray matter littering the floor and the side wall. Part of the guard's left shoulder was blown off showing bone as blood came out freely.

"What is the meaning of this!?" someone spoke startled and frighten. People near the dead body started shouting. Ritsuko and Misato looked wide eye at pilot with hands out of their ears.

'WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING!?' the Captain screamed in her head. She noticed him holstering his pistol and staring in the direction of the dead security guard. The scientist heard a faint drop on the table. Turning toward it, two pistol shells were on the table. She looked at the size and marking.

'.50CAL!' she thought with her mouth open.

Suddenly, a security team burst in and explained that they were missing a guard. They also told that he stole an unmarked rifle from their armory station and entered here without permission. Security was sent on a manhunt to capture the terrorist in disguise. Seeing the body and their missing rifle, they cleaned up the mess. Deeply bowing, the leader asked people to forgive them. The speaker told everyone to calm down and go to their designated waiting rooms to relax till the time came for the demonstration.

In the space that made for NERV's locker room area, two women were staring with mix feelings at their pilot. Misato had her arms across her chest and looked like a lot was on her mind. Ritsuko was sitting down with a folder. With one leg was over the other, she held the Jet Alone papers in one hand and a lighter in the other.

"Shinji…" the Captain began when he continued her line of thought.

"I gathered the information from MAGI in a security room," he stated. He started taking off his sunglasses and unbuttoning his coat.

"How did you get clearance?" the scientist asked. Engaging the lighter, she started to burn the folder.

"Someone was hacking into the system when I got there," he said removing his coat and folding it.

"So that's how they knew about the AT field. Damn intelligence staff," Misato said watching him undress.

"Who was it?"

"A NERV employee from the intelligence staff," he said unfolding his tie. She frowned and thought of making a report. Thinking about it again, she wondered how much more security and screening would be needed.

"Where is he now?" Ritsuko asked turning to him.

"Still there," he replied. Pulling his gloves off, the two looked at him strangely.

"What do you mean he is still there?"

"When I left, he was unconscious."

"Did you do anything to him?" the doctor asked feeling the eeriness around him start to form. The Captain felt it too.

"Yes," Shinji said stoically. Seeing them flinch a little, he continued by taking off his dress shirt.

"…what…did you do?" Misato asked clinching her arms a little tighter. Both saw him hold his dress shirt in front of him. He slowly moved his eyes toward them.

"I used a fire ax," the Third Child answered. Staring a little at them, he then slowly moved his eyes back to the shirt. He began folding it.

"…!?" Both women said feeling goosebumps litter their body and their eyes widening.

He took his gun and holster off and placed it next to his folded shirt and jacket. He then started to unbuckle his belt. Both were pale and had fear on their faces. The insane voice started laughing when it was cut short. He received two light jabs in the stomach by the green and brown eye voices. Continuing, he unzipped his pants letting them fall to the floor. This brought the two women out of their stupors. Both looked and saw that he was already wearing his plug suit.

"I-Ikari…may I ask a question?" Ritsuko asked carefully. Still scared of what he said, she did not wanting to think about what the condition the spy was in. She saw the pilot turned to her direction normally.

"Why are you using .50Cal ammunition?" she asked. Misato's jaw dropped then stared at her. The scientist reached into her pocket and brought out the shells that were on the table.

"A voice insisted I use a .50Cal barrel coming here instead of a 9mm barrel," he explained. Both saw that Shinji's eyes were shining more oddly than usual which add more creepiness from him.

"W-w-why did it ask that?" Misato said shaking a little. They saw his eyes slowly move back to stare at them as he was opening the locker.

"Shock value," he stated stoically.

As the locker door slowly opened, it squeaked audibly. The door covered his face and his hand slowly moved away from it then grabbed something inside. He failed to see both women become very uncomfortable while staring at him. Pulling his backpack out, he began setting his clothes and items inside. Zipping the bag up and placing it back into the locker, he closed it. The Eva pilot turned to them while putting on the neural clips.

"Is there anything else you wish to know?" he asked seeing them back up a little thought both were next to a counter.

"A-Are you heading somewhere?" Misato asked which he nodded.

"Exactly where would that be?" Ritsuko asked trying to recover.

"To Eva Unit-01," Shinji said and looked at a clock on the wall.

"The demonstration is about to begin. I will excuse myself. See you in a while," he said with a bow and walked out.

"H-Hey, wait a minute!?" Misato said but couldn't get her legs to move. They were still shaking a little. The Captain heard a lighter being flicked and looked at the doctor. She lit a cigarette and took a needed drag. Exhaling in relief, Ritsuko stood up slowly.

"Well aren't you resourceful," Misato stated. She frowned from not being able to use her stress relief.

"Chugging a cold one would be more effective right now," Ritsuko said taking another drag. "But we don't have time to waste. Let's go to the control room."

Collecting herself, both went to the door. Looking down the hallway in both directions, the male pilot was nowhere to be seen. Looking back at the doctor, she shrugged her shoulders. Both went to the location where the demonstration would be observed.

Technicians in the control center started the Jet Alone program sequence and the other building slowly split open. Standing like a sky-scraper was the Jet Alone Unit claiming to replace the need for human pilots. The looks of the mighty robot was a puppet/knight like action figure. The head and shoulders were a bit angular coated with red. Its large torso and arms had creased lines that looked like it was built in segments. From the end of the shoulder to the mid-thigh the unit's color was white as well as its feet. The legs were built what seemed like segments as well colored black.

"We'll now begin the demonstration of JA. There's nothing to worry about. Please watch from the window there," the speaker announced.

People held up their binoculars to see the mammoth creation. The demonstration started by doing a system start. Both Misato and Ritsuko were leaning against a wall staring at the view with little interest. As the procedure went, six rods were prompted out of the JA Unit's back as control rods. The little window display in front of the Unit's head booted up to signal it was on.

"Start walking," the creator/speaker said as the next procedure.

The computer inside the JA clicked on one of the many selections to green. This caused the unit to take a right step forward which made sounds of wonder come out of the crowd viewing it. The speaker smiled at this and started the next sequence. The Unit started walking and heading toward the viewing station. Misato had walked toward the window and looked with binoculars.

"It's walking normally. It looks like it's worth being proud of," Misato said then turned at Ritsuko. She stayed at the wall with a neutral face.

The doctor was going to look the other way when she saw something in the distance. It was reflecting from the shuttle building's large windows. She walked over to Misato which the Captain handed the binoculars. Looking at the reflection, she saw a large mammoth standing behind the station. What made her eyes widen were white glowing eyes appearing. The head turned and was looking in the direction of the reflection. It made her feel creep out again, just like the time she saw him through the security camera. A beeping noise seemed to break the sightseeing.

"What's happening?" the creator asked.

"Something is wrong. The reactor's internal pressure is increasing. The temperature of the primary coolant is also coming up," a technician said.

"Release the valves! Inject reactor coolant!"

"No good! Pumping power won't come up!" the man stated. The JA unit continued walking closer and closer to the station.

"Stop the engine! Command an emergency stop!" the creator ordered.

"Transmission of the abort signal confirmed…It's not accepting! The communication system's not working! It's out of control!" another technician said.

"Impossible," the speaker said.

He watched his robot coming closer to almost running into the observation building. People scattered out of the way and covered their heads. After a few moments, nothing happened. They all looked back and saw the unit straining to move forward. They saw purple humanoid hands on its chest. A technician got a transmission link from Eva Unit-01 and the man in command accepted.

[Shall I intervene or not sir?] came the boy's voice before any could reply.

"Alright Shinji!" Misato stated which Ritsuko just stared. The murky feeling she was subsiding a little. Danger signs and sirens were going off as the technicians read the problems. It came to the possibility of a meltdown.

"I…can't believe this…JA was programmed to react to all possible emergency situations…" he said getting out of his shock and into a stern face. "This shouldn't be happening."

"But right now, we're facing the danger of a meltdown," Misato stated.

"Under the present conditions, there's nothing to do but wait until it stops by itself," he stated.

"How likely is it to stop?"

"Unlikely, it'll take a miracle," a technician stated.

"We'd better do something other than wait for a miracle. Tell me how to stop it," she asked.

"We've tried everything."

"No. There must be a way to reset everything. Tell me the password to do it."

"The deletion program is confidential. It's not my decision. I don't have the authority," he explained. Suddenly a five minute countdown went on the viewing screen.

"What is that?!" someone shouted.

"It's not the JA! It's the Eva's!" a technician stated.

[Five minutes Commander…authority?…or meltdown?] Shinji said monotone that sent shivers down most people's spines. Panicking, the creator picked up the phone. He contacted one person after another but didn't get authority. Misato then told the creator that she will take charge of shutting the unit down.

Misato and Ritsuko headed back to the locker room in which the Captain began changing. Wondering what she was planning on doing, the Captain told her by showing the anti-contamination suit from a storage locker. She put on the suit and both walked back to the command deck. The Commander gave her the password "Hope" and the technicians shut off the communications to the JA Unit. They also told her the main hatch was in the back and could be opened manually for the security sensors were off.

[Are you ready Misato?] Shinji asked.

"...?" Misato said. Putting on her helmet, he replied with an opened the comm-link.

"Ready."

The right fist of the Eva smashed through ceiling smashing the rubble to bits of pieces. The fist opened up and she climbed on it. The pilot brought up the Eva's hand to its height. Misato saw the strain of holding the Jet Alone Unit with one hand as the Eva was grinding the ground going backwards at a snail's pace. Changing its footing so it was holding the robot back with its chest, he guided Misato to the opening hatch.

[How much time do you have Shinji?] she asked.

[Two minutes and forty seconds] he replied. She jumped onto the unit's back on her hands and feet. It rumbled violent were she was pushed left. But, an Eva thumb kept her from rolling off.

[Thanks Shinji]

[You're welcome]

Opening the hatch, a heat wave came out and hit her. Knowing not much time was left, she walked briskly down to the core. The Third Child replaced the other hand on the JA robot adjusted his footing. The Evas feet were right next to the observation building which helped stop the sliding. Stream started shooting out of an opening of the JA's armor.

Misato looked at her map through infrared lighting finding the place she was looking for. Punching the emergency button, the doors opened to the inner control center. She kneeled to the small computer which the keyboard was shut close. To the side was a card reader. Sliding the creator's card through, the keyboard cover opened. A screen turned on and went through technical specs before to a password window. She typed in the password.

[ERROR]

"Error, why?" she thought worriedly. She typed the password again.

[ERROR]

[One minute and 45 seconds Miss Misato]

She was about to say something when she heard the comm-link to the Eva go off and on several times before staying on. Misato started to hear Shinji's voice but something was astray. Another one came, another, and another with an accented voice and more came all sounding like him. There was one that sounded like a child.

[Is she going to die?]

[There's only one thing that a walking holocaust knows how to do best…]

[Misato! Get your butt moving and push down a coolant pillar!] an older one shouted which Misato blinked in surprise. She looked around and found one. Going to it, she started pushing with all her might while listening still to the comm-link. The command base was reading the coolant levels which were going right into critical points.

"Move you bastard," Misato grunted as she pushed. The JA unit was now shooting steam all around.

[One minute and 15 seconds Miss Misato]

[IsN't ThIs ExCiTiNg, fRoNt RoW sEaTs To AnNiHiLaTiOn!]

[Push that sucker Misato! Push!] another worried one shouted that was maybe a few years older than the other one.

[What's a holocaust?] the child one asked.

Misato continued to push the pillar slowly in. She took the ones that were trying to help while drowning the others out. Shinji's countdown towards the battery life remaining in the Eva was not helping. Errors we're blinking and whaling as meltdown was coming to the brink.

[Walking holocausts go…boom!] the accented one said as errors repeatedly flash and she pushed harder.

Suddenly, all the pillars slid down into their chambers. It caused all the errors to go away and turn green. Startled, she looked at seven red circles suddenly turn green with the power running down. Outside, the JA unit stopped steaming and the control rods came down into the robot's torso. At the command center, the red readings turned to green signaling the internal pressure was decreasing and everything was back to normal. The JA crew cheered.

"..." Ritsuko stated. Looking impassively at them, she turned around to walk back to the locker room.

[Are you well Miss Misato?] Shinji said over the communications link.

[Yeah, but it sucks to be in here] she responded tiredly sitting against the wall.

[I have one minute left Miss Misato. If you can make it back out in time, I can recover you outside] he said.

'This seems like it was set up to be a miracle,' she thought suspiciously looking at the floor. She blinked then looked up.

"Huh?"

She got up and looked at the opposite wall. Scanning a little, she thought she saw something like red orbs moving around. Shrugging it off as being tired, she moved quickly back to the hatch. Once out, she was greeted by the hand of Unit-01. Stepping on it, the Eva turned around toward the command center. He set Misato down on the roof where he punched a hole through. Jumping off, she took off her helmet. A wave of praise came from the crew below for her bravery and the miracle that came.

Everyone heard the Eva sitting on the ground and leaned against the building. Powering down, the entry plug ejected toward the roof top. Misato saw the hatch opening and the pilot climbing out and dropping onto the roof top. Walking towards the hole, he stood nearby her. Another wave of praise came which died a little seeing the murky gaze of the male pilot looking down at them.

Misato put in the call for the retrieval of Unit-01 where a large stealth bomber would be sent to retrieve it. Heading back to the locker room with the pilot, Ritsuko was there waiting for them. Both changed back to the clothes they were wearing. Heading back to the VTOL, all three bordered. Sitting back in their seats as before, Shinji sat nearby facing the other way. As the aircraft got the green to take flight, Misato took a nap while Ritsuko started working on her report.

-Misato's Dream-

Misato opened her eyes slowly and found herself in a bar. It was one that she knew of and walked to the bar stools. She wore her black zip up suit and boots without her red jacket. Ordering her usual beer, she took a sip then looked around. A couple of guys came toward her and tried to get fresh with her. She smiled and shook her head getting grins instead.

To her surprise, they walked away without causing a scene. It made her wonder if it was going to be a strange dream. Shrugging, she drank while listening to the pub around her. It sounded like a descent crowd, not too crowded or rowdy. A realization came to her as the dream seemed awfully real…almost too real.

"Is this seat taken?" someone asked to her right. She turned and recoiled in surprise.

"Shinji!?" she said looking at him.

He was maybe around her age or a little younger. A bit taller to her height and had a bit more hair. It was parted mostly in the middle with thin bangs in the front. His attire was different than usual being just causal cloths. Black jeans, blue t-shirt with a logo in front, sneakers and a light tan jacket. From what she could tell, he was probably a lean build for his cloths seemed a little loose on him. Looking at his face, it seemed different as well. At first it looked like Shinji then she noticed different things.

The round jaw from before was an angular one that changed it from cute to handsome. Another was his eyes were brown instead of the dark magenta. For some reason, the different eye color made him look friendlier. The last difference was his atmosphere. She knew the male pilot put up a cold and dark aura that was close to Rei's. This one seemed laid back, hands in his pockets and smile on his face that she added was nice to look at.

"...?" The older version said. He looked surprise, but kept his smile.

"Close, it's actually Shino. I didn't believe I was that well known by such a bombshell."

"..." Misato said then smiled back. "Sorry, you look like someone I know. But if you take a seat, you'll maybe learn a thing or two about me."

"Sounds like fun," he stated with smile.

Taking a seat next to her, he ordered a drink. The discussion went off from different topics and what was going on around town. She found out that he worked as a salesman at an auto dealer which she thought was strange. He seemed too nice and kind to be a salesman, but he said it was fun. She said where she worked and he knew about it for it was televised.

'NERV on TV…this is one strange yet entertaining dream,' she thought smiling at Shino.

"Keep smiling like that and you'll have eager men at your feet," he said smirking at her.

"What? My radiant attraction hasn't affected you yet. I'll say I'm impressed or maybe you prefer the boys," she said smirking. Leaning closer to him, she poked his left shoulder.

"Someone down south begs to differ," he said back at her which both laughed. They talked for a bit more and had a couple more drinks. Surprising to her, Shino held his liquor quite well.

'I think I found my drinking partner,' Misato thought cheerfully as both were buzzed.

More drinks went down as they became louder and sillier. After having their fill and leaving the bar, both were laughing the way home sometimes skipping and joking around. Misato was happy that she could act this way and with someone that was the same level as her. Their feet led them to her apartment. She invited him in which he first declined but she persuaded him.

"Nice place, it's better than mine by all standards," Shino said impressed looking around from the living room. Misato was also viewing her apartment for it was awfully clean. Out of a strange impulse, she checked her fridge and saw a cake. It wasn't clean-cut looking, but looked good by her standards.

"You made that?" he asked staring at it. She nodded unconsciously when she remembered that she wanted to make one once.

"You want some?"

"Sure," the man stated with a smile. Cutting two slices, she placed them on paper plates. Both sat on her couch and took a bit. Misato felt nervous for wondering it was one of her experimental tries at food.

"This is really yummy Misato," Shino said smiling at her.

"Thanks," Misato said. Blushing a little, she still did not believe that she could cook. Both finished and he took the plates to the trash. He sat back down as Misato started a conversation again. Time went by and the night came.

"Wow, time sure flew by. I probably should get going," he said with a smile.

"You going to leave me behind! Party pooper," she said pouting.

"NO! Don't you put on the puppy eyes! I'm always a…sucker…for" he stated then trailed off when she put the puppy eyes on. Misato saw him frown a little and looked away crossing his arms over his chest. Slowly, he peered back at her with a struggling face. She giggled at his attempt to break away.

"My lady, you've twisted my arms. What is your command?" he said. Kneeling in front of her like a knight, she giggled again and stood up.

"Arise my slav…knight," she corrected.

Seeing him smirk at her comment, he stood up. She took his hand and led him around to the couch armrest. Without any warning, Misato turned around grinning and tackled him to the couch. Both began wrestling a little until the tickling came. To her great delight, Shino was just as ticklish as her which both went off and on.

"Hahaha…got you now!" Shino said in triumph still feeling tickled.

He pinned her down on the couch with holding her arms above her head. She was on the bottom while he was sort of lying on top of her. He looked down at their position and looked back at her. She gave him a playful smile and wrapped her legs around his waist.

"Aren't you a wicked one," he said with a small blush on his face but smiling. Misato leaned forward and kissed him on the lips where he was startled a little then returned it. She felt his hands loosen their grip. Wrapping her arms around his neck while he embraced her.

'Soft, warm lips,' she thought melting in his arms pulling her closer.

Opening her mouth, a tongue was waiting for her. A second round of wrestling came which consisted of moans and shifts in positions. Time breezed by as their lip-tongue locking broke off. Misato was getting her ear nibbled on which tickled and aroused her a little more.

Deciding to change things, she flipped him over kissed him with force for dominance. In return, she got equal force back to her desire. Her right hand caressed his chest while the other was interlocked in his right hand. His free hand was gliding along her back making her shiver with comfort as it relaxed her. Something warm and bulging was felt from his pants.

"Someone's eager," she said smiling inches away from his face. She saw him frown a little.

"That guy is always eager. No matter how much I argue with him, he's still stubborn," Shino whispered back which she giggled.

"Oh, can't be that bad," she breathed on his lips which made him quiver a little. He rolled his eyes and breathed on her lips.

"It's bad when he butts in saying, 'I wanna play.'"

"Hee hee...Maybe somebody wants to play," she said and closed her mouth on his before he could say anything.

'Oh god…this is so much fun. He is as bad as I am and it works on me of all people! I wonder what would happen if we went all the way,' she pondered. Moaning with ecstasy, both grinded each other getting aroused more in their cloths. Thinking about where she was, she broke the kiss slowly. A sad expression came on her looking at the person below.

"You okay?" Shino asked with a concern face. She nodded then rested her head and hands on his chest. He heard her sigh sadly and wrapped his arms around her. He then started moving his hands a little to try and relax her which she smiled and closed her eyes.

"I wish you were real."

"Wish who was real Captain Katsurgai?" a familiar voice came to her head.

"...?" Misato said. Opening her eyes and blinking, she looked around her with a lost expression. She was still in the VTOL and she saw Ritsuko looking strangely at her. She blinked again then responded.

"Wha…no-nobody," she said trying to save herself.

"Are you sure? This Shino guy sounded pretty knowledgeable in foreplay," the scientist stated looking at her laptop again smirking. She looked at Misato from the corner from her eyes and saw her blushing.

"Well, your Shoji guy seemed to know who was dominant in bed," she stated and smirked. Ritsuko instantly blushed. Both glared at each other then looked away not saying anything about their dream guy...and activities.

"…" Shinji said with a slow blink. His right eye twitched hearing the two adult voices express details of their dream experiences. The other voices were rooting them on with catcalls and wolf howls. The exception was the red-blue eye voice which just rolled its eyes.

Back at NERV HQ, Ritsuko gave her report which Gendo was satisfied. In the Sub-Commander's office, Kozo was reading papers for future meetings down the road. They were dealing with their budget and projects among the UN, SELEE, and other companies. About to pick up another paper, three separate knocks came at his door.

"Come in," he said. The person that came in looked like a Section Two agent, but was much shorter than others. Then he recognized who it was as the boy stopped in front of his desk and bowed.

"Bodyguard operation a success Sub-Commander," Shinji said.

"That's good to hear. I also heard that there was a problem with the JA Unit."

"That there was sir. Fortunately, Captain Katsuragi was able to prevent the meltdown."

"That is what I heard. I also heard you spoke in the Q&A session."

"Yes sir."

"Is the information you had connected with the mole from earlier?"

"Yes sir."

"I see," the Sub-Commander said thinking a little. "Very well, you are dismissed."

"Thank you. Good day sir," Shinji said with a bow then headed out the door. Once the door was closed, Kozo rubbed his temples and looked at the piece of paper that was separate from the others.

'Breaking your son's trust isn't wise Commander,' he thought. Looking at the memo that Gendo messaged, it was regarding about gathering intel of the male pilot.

Recalling of what happened to the mole that the Third Child dealt with, it made him shiver. After a staff member discovered blood on the floor near a secure information panel, the spy was unconscious with one hand cut off. The bleeding was lessened by a tight gaze wrapping at the arm stump. Despite more fear breeding toward the child, he also earned him respect for his deed. He wondered how they were going to get what Shinji kept to himself without stirring a slaughter of employees.