Chapter 70: Brewing from Within
In the dreamscape of a young police officer, the scenery was of the underground lab again. The discovery, the realization, the death, and the sudden take over from something inside her repeated in her dream. However instead of being where she was before, Rayne was looking from a third-person perspective at a distance. The last thing she saw in the dream was the two stray bullets going through the male Eva pilot. When his body slumped to the ground, he slowly turned his head toward where she was. His eyes suddenly went black and red and an inhuman grin formed.
" $^ #^h...E #%$^l$# P...M #%^&E %$& $RAYNE!"
"GAH!" Rayne said sitting up quickly with fright. Breathing hard and feeling mild sweat on her forehead, she tried calming down when someone spoke to her.
"Scary dream?" Nami stated getting up from her desk.
"Nami?" the young officer stated blinking in surprise. "What are you doing here at the hospital?"
"We aren't at the hospital. This is the police station."
"…police station?" she asked looking around. Seeing that the environment was different, she recognized the office and the couch she was on. Based on the orange light seeping through the window blinds, it seemed like the early morning. Rayne put a hand on her head feeling a large headache brewing and groaned.
"Here," the secretary stated getting some water and aspirin. Giving both to her, she watched the young officer take both and exhale after finishing the glass.
"What...what happened?"
"A lot…what was the last thing you remember?"
"…" Rayne said concentrating at the floor.
"I remember that I was in the hospital and I left my room. I do not know how I did it, but I was able to locate Shinji's room without altering anyone. I tried to talk to him, but the medical report stated that he wasn't able to. Last thing I did was sit down then fell asleep…did something happen between then and now?"
"Yes, quite a bit did happen," the Chief stated walking into the office.
"You were taken from the NERV medical facility by SELEE agents disguised as their doctors. From there, we intercepted one of the agent's cell phone calls to where you would be dropped off in a warehouse. A strike team was formed and we got you out."
"SELEE agents?!" Rayne said with a surprised expression seeing him nod.
"You have been out for a while," Nami stated and avoided stating how long she had been at the NERV base.
"…" the young officer said then sighed. "Thank you for saving me."
"Don't worry about. I can't let any officer go without my consent anyways," Ryu said with a smirk. "By the way, how was the pilot?"
"He…he was sedated in a strait jacket with a mouth guard, face mask, wires and computers hooked up to him…and strapped to his bed," Rayne said with a downcast head.
"Damn…so, he really is not there anymore huh?"
"…yeah…" she said depressingly.
"Did you find anything from him when you two went to the inland district?" Nami stated to alter the subject matter.
"I found out where I was born and who my parents were."
"Really? That's great…right?"
"…I am still in denial despite what I found out. It is just hard to take in."
"Sounds very hard to deal with," the Chief said sitting down. "Would you like to take some leave to recover and get back on your feet?"
"It wouldn't be a bad idea Rayne," Nami stated. "With all the stuff that happened, getting away from it all would refresh you up a bit."
"…" the young woman stated gripping her hands on her hospital gown. "I…I will think about it."
"In the mean time, I want you to keep out of sight for a while," Ryu stated looking at the young officer seeing her nod.
"If you'd like Rayne, you can stay at my place for a bit. I can take a couple of days off so you won't be alone," Nami said sitting down next to Rayne on the couch.
"…" she said looking at the secretary then at the Chief who gave a slight nod. "A-Alright…if you don't mind."
The remaining of the time Rayne was at the police station until leaving with Nami, she stared out the window. Visions of the underground lab came and went along with images of monstrosity. Recalling what seemed like a long time stuck in the same nightmarish dream, she curled up into a ball. Thinking about what transpired to get her the information of her past, he suffered an irreparable fate. Depression sunk in as she felt miserable.
A tad later in the morning, Asuka woke up to someone moving around in the apartment. Slowly getting up, she shuffled to her door. The lavender haired woman heard her ward open her door and walk into the living room. Turning to the Second Child, the redhead tiredly blinked at her.
"Morning Asuka. I have to go early to NERV. Where is Rei?"
"Hmmm…" the red-head teen stated still feeling sleepy and rubbing her eyes. "I don't know."
"That's strange. Did she come home yesterday?"
"I didn't see Wondergirl when I came home," she said then folded her arms over her chest. "You seemed recovered from being smashed."
"Oh, my hangover special works like a charm," Misato said with a bright smile.
"…whatever…" Asuka said with a neutral face. The corners of her mouth felt like they were pointing down from the remembrance of Kaji carrying the Major home yesterday; however, she just turned around and headed back to her room.
"Asuka, give me a call if Rei comes home. Okay?"
"Kay."
'She seems to be in a grouchy mood,' the Major thought leaving her apartment.
Getting to her car, she sped off to NERV. There was a list of things she had to do once there. However, a certain person was on her mind. The Major had been given more than one tip by security that NERV's Special Investigator was venturing into forbidden areas of HQ. It made her curious of what was he trying to do. Also, why he would risk himself to go to prison or be punished by death for possible espionage.
In a certain hospital room, two people were still asleep. Lying in the same position as she had fallen asleep, Ayanami started to stir. Moving around a little and feeling groggy, she felt something with much layered clothing and metal. Moving her face up a little, she brushed against something that felt like a cheek. Blinking and opening her eyes more, she saw that her face was touching Shinji's sleeping face. Backing away a little bit, she just looked at his face and saw something odd.
'…' she thought rubbing her eyes more. Looking at his face, there was no bruises. However, the scars and dried blood was still present. Images from the lucid, night long dream came to her mind. Shaking her head to rid them, she looked at his face again. Remembering him saving her and comforting her, she felt her face relax.
"…" Rei said staring with a small smile forming on her face.
Getting up from the bed slowly and as quiet as possible, she left the two get well packages on the nightstand. Looking at his gas mask contraption and face cover, she put both back on him. After engaging the mask and tightening the head straps to a snug fit, she heard his breathing through the mask. Grabbing her bag, she made her way to the door. Wondering if she will have changes in perception from spending such a long contact with him, nothing seemed to change around her. Making her way to the door, she opened it and took one last look at her fellow pilot.
"I will be going now Ikari. I might not be able to visit today due from school and NERV testing schedule. I will come visit you after. Goodbye."
Exiting and closing the door quietly, she left the quarantine area. Walking down the hallway to an elevator, a tag of loneliness started to develop inside. The further she walked away from the room, the lonelier she felt. Recognizing it and the sensation associated with it, a thought of him not being there came. Blinking and shaking her head, the First Child convinced herself that the male pilot was not going anywhere. If something did happen, she will be able to find out one way or another. Leaving the medical facility and asking the security guard for an escort to school, she had time to get there before the 1st bell rang.
After Misato reached the tunnel entrance to the base, she took the car escalator to go down to the Geo-Front. Looking out her car window, she would need to find where Kaji was and confront him. Afterwards, the Major would visit the Third Child to see how he was doing.
"…" she said thinking about him. The thought of his current state made her feel depressed. Knowing that she could not do much for him made her feel even worse.
'It is okay…Rits is making a miracle for him to be normal in short bursts of time,' Misato thought shaking her head a little.
'I wonder what happened to Rei,' she thought refocusing on the pyramid shape base. 'It is odd for her to not come home…maybe the Commander had her stay overnight to do tests and stuff…her doing something out of her routine is a bit out of character.'
When the car escalator reached the ground level, she drove her vehicle into the parking garage. After stopping in an open slot, she got out and walked to the entrance doors. Sliding her card, the roll up doors opened. Walking in to see the gray metal corridors, she headed toward her office. Once there and entering, the Major went to her desk and immediately called security.
[Yes Major?] a security tech answered on the phone line.
"Locate Special Investigator Ryoji Kaji," she stated.
[One moment…he was last seen accessing the lower levels of the restricted area.]
"What's the lowest level?"
[Terminal Dogma. Anything else Major?]
"No. Thanks," Misato stated and hanged up the phone.
'Restricted area,' she thought in mild surprise at where he was going.
Pulling out her service pistol, she checked the ammo clip to see it full. Engaging the slide back and hearing a round drop in the chamber, she reset it. Placing the pistol in her back belt holster, she left the office. Quickly heading to an elevator, she tried to beat where the NERV Special Investigator was going.
Hundreds of feet underneath the ground level of the Geo-Front was the lowest level at NERV. Walking out from a dark hallway, Kaji headed toward the story high metal sliding doors.
'So this is NERV's lowest level,' he thought seeing Terminal Dogma written on the doors. 'This must be where they keep it.'
Stopping in front of it, he saw a key slot and access panel to the right of the doors. Going toward it, he pulled out a card from a pocket. Just about to insert the card, a gun was felt pointing behind his head. Raising his hands first, he slowly looked behind him. It was the person he gave a piggy back ride yesterday.
"Hey there!" he said smiling at her. "I see you have sobered up a bit."
"I took something this morning," Misato said standing behind him with the gun.
"Ooo. I got to ask you what that is next time."
"Is this your true nature? A double agent?"
"Hmm, I wonder that myself."
"Someone with your name is in two places. One, NERV Special Investigator and the other, Inquirer of Japan's Ministry of Interior."
"You have done your homework," he said with a smirk.
"You are selling NERV cheap," she emphasized pushing the pistol to his head.
"Did the Commander order you?"
"No…this is from my own investigating."
"We should be partners. I can look for an opening for you."
"If you continue this, you will be killed."
"Both the Commander and JMOI make use of me. Sorry to hide this from you."
"Well," she said moving the gun back a little. "From your help earlier, I don't mind you keeping it a secret from me."
"Thanks. But you know…NERV has been hiding things from you. Like this," Kaji stated letting his hand drop with the access card. He swiped it through the key slot before Misato could react.
Both heard the access panel turn green as heavy locks became undone internally on the large metal doors. A red rotating light turned on as the entrance to Terminal Dogma started opening. Kaji stayed where he was while Misato slowly looked around him. Once the doors fully opened, both saw a massive underground chamber that was vast and wider than a football field or so. The ground was a dark sea of liquid with boulders and pillars sticking up from it. Out in the distance, there stood a massive monument in the shape of a large cross. Crucified on it was an albino behemoth of a humanoid creature with a mask. It had the symbol of SELEE's logo and a large red two prong spear piercing its chest.
"See what they have been hiding," he said lowering his arms.
"Is that an…Eva?" Misato asked baffled. She stared at the organism while keeping her hands on her firearm.
"No…it looks like an Angel."
"Indeed. The center of Second Impact and everything after that. Adam."
"Adam?!" she stated surprised looking at him. "The first Angel? Here?"
"…!?" both Misato and Kaji said feeling an eerie atmosphere developing around them. Instantly going back to back, Kaji got out his pistol and both pointed their guns forward. Not moving and only looking with their eyes, there were sounds of creaks and rattles from metal pipes above. However, nothing ever appeared. Slowly, the creepy aura died away.
'…?' Misato thought almost thinking something was giggling faintly near them. Shaking her head and listening harder, the aura was gone.
"Seems like it is gone," Kaji said evenly lowering his handgun. He heard her lower her weapon as well.
"I'm going to look into this later," Misato said holstering her weapon then turning around to face him. "But I will warn you again. Continue snooping, you will get killed."
"Hear you crystal clear," he said with a small smirk putting his weapon away. "Where to next partner?"
"…" she said looking at him. "I'm going to go see Shinji."
"Isn't he still in quarantine?"
"It is fine if a contamination suit is worn," the Major said walking to an elevator.
"Mind if I tag along?"
"Do what you want."
"Ah...so cold."
At school, students were coming in and heading toward their classes. It seemed like another day to most except for a couple. Kensuke and Toji were walking up the steps to their homeroom and saw Hikari standing outside.
"Morning you two," she said first.
"Mornin' Class Rep," the jock said with a yawn.
"Morning," Kensuke said.
"Have either of you seen Ayanami?"
"…?" both guys said stopping at the top. Looking at each other then back at her, they shook their heads no.
"Strange," she said crossing her arms over chest. "She is usually here early…I was wondering if she was able to deliver the get-well gift."
"She probably did," Kensuke stated. "I mean, Ikari is at the NERV hospital so it would be hard for her to not give it to him."
"That is true," she said nodding.
"Don't look now, but here comes da fireball," Toji said in a low voice to get both of their attention. He got a kick in the shin from the Class Rep. Walking up the steps, Asuka was looking forward though not focused on anything in particular. Reaching the top and walking to her classroom, she looked up to see her friend with the jock and military nut.
"Morning Asuka," Hikari said with a smile. "How are you?"
"Morning Hikari," Asuka said with her usual confident smile and voice. "…and stooges."
"…" both Kensuke and Toji said with a small frown then walked in the classroom.
"How was your event yesterday?"
"My event?"
"Yeah…you know…the date."
"Oh," Asuka said remembering. "It was okay. Wasn't really my type."
"I see. Sorry to ask you to help me out with it."
"It is what I can do for a friend," the Second Child said putting her hands on her hips. Both heard murmurs inside their homeroom. Thinking the two males were commenting about her, she looked inside.
"What you say?" Asuka demanded with a small sneer at them. Both were not looking at her, but a magazine. Resetting her face to neutral, she heard her friend make a small gasp. Turning around, both she and Hikari saw the First Child reach the top of the steps and walked toward their direction.
'So Wondergirl finally showed up,' the redhead thought. About to ask interrogating questions, her friend piped in first.
"M-Morning Ayanami," Hikari stated causing the female Eva pilot to stop and blink.
"Morning," Rei said with a small nod.
"Well, well Wondergirl. Where were you yesterday?" Asuka asked crossing her arms over her chest and leaning on the door frame. "You didn't come home at all."
"I was out," the First Child said with an impassive expression on her face.
"Apparently," the Second Child stated with a smirk. "Another calling from the Commander was it?"
"Horaki, Aida, and Suzuhara asked me to deliver a get-well gift to Ikari," she stated plainly seeing a mix of reactions. The Class Rep smiled looking relieved. Noticing the two male students inside reading a magazine, both had stopped and looked at her with a small smile. Their reaction made her feel slightly embarrassed. However, the redhead held a surprised expression.
"Thank you Ayanami," Hikari stated.
"…" Rei said nodding then walked into the classroom heading toward her seat.
'If she went to that idiot's room, that would have to be after I was there,' Asuka thought with curiousness.
"Don't tell me you were with that idiot all night?"
"I was," Ayanami stated without stopping.
She didn't see Asuka's curiosity turn into irritation or Hikari blink in surprise. Following the blue-haired Eva pilot inside, both Toji and Kensuke looked up and saw something brewing. They tried half staring while keeping their head down toward the magazine. Hikari was about to try to calm down her friend when Ayanami reached her seat and sat down. Asuka stayed relatively in the front.
"Oh really?" the redhead stated with a small sneer. "I bet you slept with him too!"
"I did," Rei said. Without being fazed, she placed her school bag next to her chair.
"…" Asuka said blinking surprise then took a step back. "EHH!?"
"…!" the other three students reacted holding surprised expressions.
They were now looking back and forth between the pilots. Rei held up her head with a hand over her mouth and looked out the window. The Second Child's mind was processing the information for a bit when her ego side piped in with both a mocking and demeaning tone. Despite getting more dirt to throw at the First Child, her hands slowly clenched into fists for a different reason.
"Oh my. Feelings for the Commander while sleeping with his son. You do work around First Child," she said with a mocking tone despite the other students seeing an irritated face.
'Cat fight,' Toji and Kensuke thought at the same time. The bespectacled student was already rolling with his camera.
"…" Ayanami commented and continued to look out the window; however, her free hand was already in a fist.
"Must be nice to take advantage of him when his mentally unstable, drugged up, and physically constrained in a strait-jacket!"
"…" Ayanami stated turning her head slightly and glared at the Second Child.
'…strait-jacket?' the three students thought blinking with confused faces.
"Listen here Wonderslut," Asuka stated pointing at her with more irritation in voice. "If you think you can best me by bedding with that psycho…"
She stopped talking when Ayanami suddenly stood up glaring at her. Walking quickly to where she was standing in the front of the classroom, both were staring at each other. Students that were in the classroom were watching the tension between them seem to grow more hostile.
"What? You got something-!" the redhead started to say when Rei slapped her face with anger.
"…!?" the other students said with shocked faces.
'…she…she slapped me!?' the Second Child thought shocked that quickly turned to anger. Gritting her teeth and glaring back at the First Child, she quickly recovered and slapped her face. Both female Eva pilots had bright hand prints on their cheeks while continuing to glare at one another.
"Daaammmnnn," Toji muttered into his fist that was in front of his mouth while continuing to stare.
Kensuke continue filming after grimacing from the slaps knowing how hard the red-head slaps. Hikari just stared in shock from not knowing that both of the Eva pilots had that ill-relationship brewing between them. Before anything could escalate further, the Angel alarm sounded causing a massive sound of hurrying students out from classrooms. Both Asuka and Rei continued to stare each other down.
"We should be leaving Pilot Souryu," Ayanami stated coldly.
"Ready when you are Wondergirl," Asuka stated evenly back then left first. Hikari, Toji, Kensuke and other students watched Rei follow the redhead as they headed to NERV. When they left, the remaining students left the classroom to head toward the shelters.
"You saw that," Toji stated still with a surprised expression. "Fireball Demon and Ice Queen about to duke it out."
"I don't think I have ever seen either of them hate each other before," the Class Rep stated as the three continued hurrying up to a shelter.
"What? You got to be kidding? Are ya blind or something?" he asked getting a glare from the female student.
'Always the smooth tex aren't you buddy,' Kensuke thought with a sigh.
Both female pilots were picked up by Section-2 and headed toward NERV as quickly as possible. Making it down to the base, they headed to the locker rooms to change into their plug suits. They heard that the Third Child was already in his entry plug of Eva-01. When they got inside their Evas, they got an audio only message from Misato.
"Alright listen up you three. This Angel coming is something we haven't dealt with before and looks a bit bizarre despite its simple shape. For right now, you three will get in different attack locations and wait for the command to attack. Is that clear?"
[Yes] all three pilots responded at the same time. Hearing his voice, both Asuka and Rei wanted to open their own channel to him to see him awake and responding. However, they would have to wait before doing so.
"All Evas and pilots are ready Major," Maya stated.
"Eva launch!" Misato stated as all three Units shot upward to the surface.
Once there, the Major continued with the finer details. The plan of attack was to do a gun assault on the Angel. Each of their Eva's lift opened a compartment with a weapon inside. Shinji grabbed a pistol, Asuka pulled out the assault rifle, and Rei wielded a long range rifle. Being told their positions, the three responded and got to their locations in the city.
Each position was to give NERV the tactical advantage for the assault. The Angel, Leliel, was a floating enlarged sphere of a three-story building. Its color pattern was black and white lines bending all around itself. The three Eva pilots watched and waited as the Angel slowly levitated toward their direction.
[On my mark, Shinji] Misato said over the link.
"Copy," he replied. Peering over a building, the Picasso ball was approaching slowly through a main street between buildings.
[Asuka. Rei. Be ready to apply the next attack] she said to the other pilots.
[Roger] both replied.
As the Third Child waited for the command, he felt a sharp ping through his head. It felt as if someone shoved a syringe in the back of his skull quickly. Ignoring it, he then noticed that all his voices started materializing in the cockpit. He stared at each of them seeing a range of emotions on their faces. The dark clone was missing.
'Something the matter?' he thought to them calmly while waiting for the command.
'…' the male voices said looking at each other and slowly turn back to him.
Rana was standing outside of the others who encircled around him. All the sudden, a foreboding feeling was brewing in the back of Third Child's mind where the ping was. It was slowly intensifying and spreading down his body like thick lava. Yui noticed this and was perplexed at the change of behaviors that his voices were showing.
'Something about them has changed,' she thought feeling unnerved. She kept her distance while keeping a watchful eye.
'You…ruined…everything,' Shonj said seething with anger at the male pilot.
'He did? Ha, speak for yourself,' Sno stated with a smirk. He was met with a death glare in which he held his hands up still smirking.
'Come on kiddos, this isn't the time for a brawl. We got a show to put on!' Shino said upbeat.
'In his current state…give it five minutes and they will black him out,' Shoji stated adjusting his glasses.
'By the way,' Shinzin stated grinning sadistically at the Third Child. 'They found…it.'
'…' Shinji said looking at the silver eye voice. His heartbeat started to beat a little faster and the hairs on his body started to rise. The ping feeling was starting to feel uncomfortable.
'Who found what sir?'
'Take…a…guess.'
'…' the Third Child said breaking eye contact. Looking back at the Angel, it was still moving slowly forward. Waiting for a couple of seconds, Misato still hadn't given the order yet to engage.
Inside a NERV hallway, three Section-2 agents were walking down it. The lead was carrying a small box.
'What are you guys trying to do?' Rana asked speaking up. Shinzin immediately walked up to her and got into her face.
'Be a good fragment and be quiet. You will get your share soon enough and learn to appreciate it. Is that clear?'
'…' she said and just narrowed her eyes at him.
'Good response…for now.'
Shinji looked down trying to comprehend what his voices were trying to do and say to him. He was confused at why his voices were speaking clearly to him when normally they were chaotic. Not only that, but why did their words disturb him more than normal. The ping was now starting to make him wince in pain as the spreading inside of him started to feel familiar.
'…!?' Yui said feeling a tremor through her existence.
Observing, she saw something grotesque and viscous. It was squeezing itself through a distorted syringe in the back of the male pilot's head. Feeling fear rising in her, she took one step forward and froze. She recognized the presence and didn't move. Standing and watching helplessly, it continued to worm its way in.
'…?' all the male voices said feeling something starting to develop in the Third Child. He started to have the shakes. All of them looked at each other and smiled evilly at him.
"Pilot Ikari signals are changing. He is showing signs of regression," Maya called out.
"Increase drug concentration in his cockpit," Ritsuko stated.
"Come on Shinji," Misato whispered. "Just hold out for a couple of minutes."
The three Section-2 agents exited out of an elevator to the command center level. Turning down the hallway, they saw the main deck and headed toward it.
"…haaa…haaa…haaa…" Shinji said to himself feeling emotions overpowering him. It was taking immense willpower to not give in and sound the growing agony. Looking at the male voices, they were looking at him mischievously. Quickly moving his eyes, he looked at the Angel. It was closer and seemed a little bigger.
'…oh my god…' Rana whispered with wide open eyes. Terror register on her face as she was staring at something far behind him.
'Well isn't this a treat,' Shonj stated.
'The stone face one showing emotions,' Sno commented.
'Showing fear, apprehension, paranoia, confusion, and anxiety,' Shoji stated from his clipboard.
'About time you gained some humanity…what was it that you are called…oh yeah…seed,' Shino said cracking his knuckles.
'Don't worry…this transition will be…painless,' Shinzin stated with an evil chuckle.
Shinji looked back outside to see the Angel still slowly floating toward the Evas. That familiar feeling was almost completely inside of him. He couldn't turn his head to see the pale and horrified face of Yui. She was trembling seeing the last part of vileness pulsating and spewing black and red liquid everywhere.
"…" the male pilot said feeling his eyes slowly pulsating.
Each beat caused his vision to be tinted with red and hurt. Opening his mouth to gasp, his mouth automatically closed. A mild panic took over from not being able to control his body movements. Upon reflex, Shinji opened a private comm-link to both Rei and Asuka. Seeing them on the screen, he felt his sight go into micro-vision.