Unit 01 was deployed in the center of the Neo-Tokyo, while 02 was on stand-by in the deployment tunnel.
"Why am I stuck in the tunnel?"
"You're not stuck Asuka, you're in stand-by beside the exit. We don't really know where the Angel is, so we want to deploy you one at the time. If the Angel is like the last one you would be defeated together without even really knowing it"
Misato tried to approach the mission with a calm attitude. She was usually one to risk everything on one big move, but the last attacks from the Angels showed that they are adapting to NERV way of dealing with them.
"Rei, do you see anything?"
Rei observed her whereabouts, but in the city there was nothing to be seen.
"It's clear over here"
Misato ordered the other in the command room to start a research with some drones. A stronger reaction to the blue Wavelenght was found on the mountain where the last Angel was fought. Behind that mountain there was a really big valley. So Misato thought that maybe the angel was there.
"Rei, proceed with caution towards the valley in the outskirts, south where you are. Use every cable you can to have maximum charge and go check that out"
"Got it, commencing movement toward the valley"
3 minutes passed, Rei arrived near the mountain.
"This is gonna take a lifetime. Can you please at least free me from here? We've seen the Angel is not capable of attacking in the city yet, and it's better to have someone defending the city"
"No, we cannot be sure yet. Beside having you in stand-by there means your EVA will have maximum charge if needed"
"What a drag, if I knew my great comeback would be like this I would have swapped place with the monster girl"
In that moment a violent quake shook the NERV HQ.
"What's happening? Is this the Angel's doing?"
Shouted Misato asking for information to her crew
"Blue wavelenght detected, it's from beneath us"
"Beneath us? How is that possible"
While the crew was trying to understand what was happening, another communication was opened.
"Misato do you hear me?"
"Mari, what's the situation in the Hanger?"
"Unit 06 started moving on its own, it broke the wall on its right and its now descending on the lower levels"
"What? Did you see anyone boarding it?"
"No, not at all. Major I request the permission to remove the lockdown on my Unit-08"
"No, that unit has not been tested yet"
Misato tried to recollect her thoughts to decide what to do next
"Ok, can we redirect Asuka Unit 02 toward one of the lower levels? We still don't know for sure where the Angel is, but we should assume it has Unit-06 under its control. Redirect Unit-02 toward Unit 06"
"What if its a bait? It won't be the only one, even the one on the valley should be a bait"
Maya asked Misato, trying to discern the best course of action
"We have to contact Rei, it's not certain that the Angel in the valley is a bait, but she has to know that another one is attacking here."
Communication with Rei were opened, while Maya helped Misato and told Asuka that she would have redirected to the lower levels of the Geofront, tasked with taking into custody unit 06 and fighting the Angel that took control of the EVA.
"Rei, there's a possible attack here at HQ too. Asuka is being tasked of taking care of it. Its possible that the Angel you're going to see its some kind of bait. Discern the nature of the enemy and fall back here if possible."
On the other side, Rei was not listening to Misato words. Through the microphone pnly a heavy breath could be heard
"Rei! Rei are you okay?"
"What…What's that thing?"
"Rei…Rei respond, what are you seeing?"
"It's…It's an EVA, a white EVA."
—
The elevator arrived at destination.
Gendo took the young girl, Lilith's hand and walked out of it.
A Red Light illuminated a red corridor, conducing toward a white body, kept locked by a red lance.
That was Gendo's destination. The first progenitor, the first Angel, Adam.
But before arriving in Adam's room, there was another big room, in which the red corridor started. The light passed through the immense, opened door, creating the red corridor, but in what should have been an empty passage, someone, something stood.
A boy, with his hands in his pockets, was twenty or so meters from the door, and was watching toward Adam.
The elevator made quite a noise, arriving to that place, but didn't react to him. So Gendo, seeing his large shadow, took the first move. He took the gun out from the sheath he has on his waist, and shoot the boy. With an accuracy typical of someone who is not new to killing people, Gendo shoot right in the boy head…but the bullet didn't pierce his head. He stood there unscathed. While the bullet stopped one inch from his head.
Then, and only then, the boy turned around.
"Hello, chief of the Lilins"
"Seems like SEELEE was a step ahead of me, sending his boy here. I was fooled believing you were gone to their headquarters"
Kaworu looked at Gendo with calm eyes
"No, Lilin, you actually outwitted them. They have to idea you want to start the Impact now. I'm not here as their pawn, you see, I've got a personal gain in all of this."
Kawory turned around and pointed at Adam
"So, it seems like you want to unite the little doll with Adam. So that's your plan. Very smart Lilin, I didn't anticipate this."
Kaworu paused again, he seemed amused by the situation
"You see…I could just go there and touch Adam myself. I would trigger the Third Impact myself, but that way you would have no way to control the outcome of the impact. In the end we are just trying to do the same thing, just that the outcome are different."
"So, you're an Angel?"
"Yeah, I'm the last Angel. I've awakened now that you triggered yourself the birth of the twelfth."
Another pause echoed in that empty silent room.
"You see Lilin. I don't think that the Third Impact I'll cause would be the one who will make his wish come true. But on the other end, I don't think you having control over the Third Impact will do either. But you have that doll, Lilith on your side, so I don't think I have that much of a chance if you just let her awaken. So we can do it like this"
In that moment, the building shook. From the upper levels, something fell.
Gendo embraced Lilith, trying to cover her from the impact.
The impact came, but it didn't hurt anyone. It seems like Lilith protected Gendo and Fuyutsuki, and with an expressionless facel, she glanced towards Kaworu. Behind the boy, Unit 06 just landed with on its kneel and with its fist on the ground.
"The pieces are aligned"
—
Shinji woke up, he was still on the train as usual.
But he woke up again, so it meant someone was on that train as well.
He watched toward the closed door, separating him and the guy on the other side.
The black filter on the door was much lighter now. Shinji could in fact make out the silhouette of the guy on the other side
It was a boy with silver hair and red eyes
Before Shinji even had the time to say something, the boy spoke in its stead
"We're almost there Shinji. There's just one more crossroad. And then your wish will be granted."
"Am I getting out of here?"
"Yes, you are"
"Where to? The ticket says promised land"
"I'm looking forward to see it Shinji-kun. You'll lead us to the promised place… or to the scorpion fire"