Adaptation
Scenario 2: Final Contact
Shinji entered the installation armed with nothing more than a pistol. After considering his options, he realized that it would probably be best to not burden himself with useless weapons. The soldiers that had died had already proved that conventional arms, even particle weapons, were of little use. A pistol would be enough for now. Shinji activated the armor plating and it wrapped itself around his body. He checked the pistol one more time before walking in. Several SEALs saluted him. To them, Shinji was still a Special Forces operative, one of them. Didn't matter that he was Delta Force. He was showing that he had the guts to go fighting like the men under his command. Shinji walked down the compound and approached the room. He entered the chamber and found the suit still there. However, there was someone else in the room with him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Adam."
"So who are you? An Angel, or something else?"
"An Angel. So what does that make you? A God?"
"A hybrid. Something far more powerful than any Angel or human could ever be."
"Is that so? Well, Adam. Perhaps we can test that."
The Angel threw a powerful blast of energy at Shinji. She struck a blue AT- Field and dissipated. Shinji then smashed through the Angel's AT-Field with a wave of his hand. He then opened fire with his pistol. Three bullets struck the Angel in the stomach, but she didn't flinch. The Angel merely smiled.
"You truly are powerful, though it is to be expected. You are the human that is the host of Adam. But then again, you control our Father."
"Don't bother with flattery," said Shinji, "Surrender now or be destroyed."
"You have not even considered what my true abilities are. Though you have proven to be more powerful than me in battle, let's take it up another step."
The Angel flooded the room with an orange light and Shinji was consumed in it. He didn't try to shield his eyes, but merely tried to keep the Angel in sight. Suddenly, he was in a large room. The Angel was sitting down on a chair, next to a table. It was as if she was inviting him to sit with her.
"I must say, I rather enjoy this power," she said, "So much like Ariel, and so different at the same time."
"Ariel. An Angel that was capable of mentally attacking his victims. So is that all you can do?"
"Hardly. Before we were awakened, we knew about you. It was said that the Messiah would be the link between humanity and Angels. Well, it's time you proved it to me. If you do, I will accept you. If you fail, I will kill you."
"You can try."
The Angel smiled slyly. "We shall see. So, what should we look at first? The past can be very troublesome, but it could also show me what I want to know."
"And what is it that you want to see?"
The room suddenly disappeared and they were floating above Tokyo 4. Shinji easily recognized the time. It was the day that he left, right after his promise to Asuka. They zoomed down and suddenly were among the sea of people in the city. Shinji could see himself at the age of eighteen. He was in Misato's office deep in the NERV complex.
"Do you understand what your orders are?" Misato asked him.
"Yes. I'm to kill the surviving members of Seele. Strange that they would be stupid enough to gather in one place."
"They must. Otherwise, we would have been able to initiate the retrieval of the Ark."
"Very well. What will happen to me after this?"
"Go where you want. There's also a promotion waiting for you. If this succeeds, I am to become a brigadier general in rank. You will be a full colonel."
"Very well. Is there anything else I need to know?"
"No. When are you leaving?"
"Right after this meeting."
"Good. Don't get yourself killed."
Shinji saluted and left the office. He left the NERV complex and got into the car. Section 2 still provided ample security, but it paid to be careful. Everything was ready. The drive to the airport didn't take too long and he was soon there. When he got out, he found Asuka waiting for him.
"Did you think you could sneak away?" she asked.
"Asuka. What brings you here?"
"Hikari told me you were leaving for Europe."
Shinji took off his sunglasses and looked at Asuka. That meant Toji had told Hikari, who passed the news to Asuka. If he returned, he'd tear his friend a new one for leaking information like that. However, now isn't the time for it.
"This is a routine mission, Asuka," said Shinji, "Just believe me on this. I'll be back in a month or two."
"And what is this mission for?" Asuka asked.
"Politics. I'm supposed to make sure the German NERV branch is operating efficiently."
"So why is it all so secret?"
"Because this is a surprise inspection," Shinji replied, "Asuka, what are you so worried about?"
"You're going after Seele."
Shinji looked at her, his blue eyes suddenly turning to ice. So she had found out. Didn't surprise him, but it was still an unpleasant complication.
"I'll be fine," he finally said.
"So it's true. You're going to risk your life, maybe get killed, for a mission where the German NERV officers could easily take your place and finish this mission."
"Seele still has some influence over the German government," Shinji reminded her, "But once Seele is dead, we can be finished with our past. We can look forward to a better future."
"Do you really believe that, Shinji?"
Shinji walked up to her and took her hand.
"Asuka, I know why you're afraid. But listen to me. I promise to return and protect you. Once I return, I will never leave your side. I will always be faithful, and you will always be safe. Okay?"
Asuka smiled as a tear fell down her cheek. She then hugged him tightly.
"I know. And I also know that you would never make a promise you don't intend to keep."
Shinji returned the embrace, wrapping an arm around Asuka's waist. She was still wearing her lab coat, but it seemed to fit her. After a little while, Asuka broke away. Shinji kissed her goodbye and entered the airport. It would be five years before he returned.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Interesting," the Angel said.
"So what is the point of this?" Shinji asked, "I thought you were supposed to use this power to hurt me."
"Hardly. I am merely using my powers to determine what kind of person you are. In a way, you never broke that promise. You merely bent it. Understandable, under the circumstances. However, I'm rather sure many other humans would never forgive you. Shall we see more?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Private Sam Richards."
"Yes sir."
"Welcome to Delta Force. I hear that you're highly recommended."
Shinji looked at the rest of the team. A lot of them were rather young, and it was odd for soldiers like them to be placed into Delta Force. However, each of them was very good at what they did. Shinji was effective in close range combat. If anyone ran into him when he had a pistol, they were dead.
"Hi, I'm Sarah. Pleased to meet you."
Shinji looked at the smiling woman. She wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but she had this feeling around her that instantly caught Shinji's attention. Shinji nodded towards her. There were three other men in the team, all privates. A staff sergeant was also with them, explaining to them why they were other.
"Delta Force is going through some changes, which is why all of you are here," he said, "This team is one of five that will be trained with the new equipment we have been provided by. Get to know each other, cause you'll be living with each other and fighting with each other."
The sergeant left the room. Each of the soldiers studied the others, considering their abilities.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm here to kick some ass," said one of the men, "Name's William."
"So typical of you men," Sarah replied, "You only think about fighting with brute force. Learn some subtly."
"There are times when subtly is useless," Shinji suddenly said, "You either be direct or you die."
"Now that's what I like to hear," William said, clapping a hand on Shinji's shoulder.
"Really? Care to prove that?" Sarah challenged, a twinkle in her eye.
"Come on man," one of the other soldiers said, "She's insulted all of us men. Prove how tough we are!"
Shinji moved away from William and stood facing Sarah. He stared straight into her eyes, causing her to cringe slightly.
"Show me how strong you men are," she challenged.
Sarah moved quickly, striking out at him. Shinji caught her punch and twisted her arm, putting her into a hold she couldn't break.
"You should have moved faster and hit harder," said Shinji, "If that had been the case, I wouldn't have been able to get this hold on you."
He let Sarah go and she turned to face him.
"Well Sam, I must say. You're a lot more interesting than a lot of other guys I've met. More so than those morons over there."
She winked at them before leaving the room. When she was gone, one of the other soldiers started clapping.
"Nice moves," he said, "Name's Andrew and I must say. You handled her well."
"Maybe you'll go out on a date with her," the third joked, "I'm Bart."
Shinji shrugged. "I'm not interested in that right now. Besides, I already have someone."
He too left the room. However, one thought kept nagging at him. Sarah reminded him a lot about Asuka. But he couldn't break his promise to Asuka, no matter what."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So that's how you met the others," the Angel noted, "Hmm. It is a pity you lost your friends. But then again, maybe you should have protected them better."
"If I protected them too much they would have become dependant on me," said Shinji, "I only did my best. There was nothing more I could do."
"Perhaps. But what happens with Sarah? Shall we find out?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shinji and Sarah were alone in the living room. The team had been assigned a large apartment-like place to live. Each had their own bedroom, as the Army didn't want to encourage the soldiers to have sex. Shinji was reading a book on American history when Sarah sat down next to him.
"You weren't born in the States," she said.
"Of course not."
"So why did you join the Army?"
"I considered it the best place I could be, with all the circumstances and all."
Sarah took his book and placed it to the side.
"Tell me, why are you here?"
Shinji looked into her eyes. Damn it. Even though they weren't blue like Asuka's, they still shared a similar quality. They both had this look of trust in them, something he could never destroy. He sighed. Why did he attract women like that all the time?
"You might say I'm running away," he finally said.
"From what?"
"The world. Reality. The Army was the best place to do it."
Sarah leaned back into the couch, resting on his shoulder.
"So is that your only reason? Or is there more?"
"I don't know. I'm still searching."
Sarah couldn't help but smile.
"We're alike, you know. We're both running away from reality."
"Perhaps. But what are you searching for?"
"Acceptance. In the Army, no one knows my past unless I want them to know."
Suddenly she stood, her back turned towards Shinji.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you all this. It always brings pain to others when I do."
She started to walk away but Shinji stood and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Each of us has a pain we don't fully understand," he said, "Sharing that pain does more than relieve it, it also shows us what we are like, and what others are like. But make sure you are ready when you share that pain. Okay?"
Sarah nodded and Shinji removed his hand. She walked back to her room and closed the door. Shinji sat back down and tried to make sense of his actions. However, the sound of crying soon caught his attention.
"I'm way too much of a nice guy," he muttered as he got up again.
He knocked on Sarah's door and bumped it open. She hadn't even fully closed it.
"Sarah? Are you okay?"
He heard someone sniff and get up. Sarah appeared a few moments later at the door.
"I'm sorry. Did I bother you?" she asked, tears still visible.
Shinji entered her room and took hold of Sarah.
"All of us have been through our own personal hell," he said, "You wouldn't have approached me without having a reason. Why did you come to me for help? I can't do anything unless you tell me."
Sarah took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry. It's just that I've always searched for someone that I could share my past with. But I never could bring myself to do so."
"Then finally perhaps you could tell me," said Shinji, "You can't keep running away from things. That's something I learned the hard way. You shouldn't have to."
Sarah nodded. "I know. But I've never been ready to tell others what happened."
"Then maybe someone else should speak first. My mother disappeared when I was about five. She's presumed dead right now, and officially is. My father abandoned me and I was raised by relatives and some of my teachers. It was only nine years later that I was able to confront him, and even then I kept running away. We all have our problems. It's how we deal with them that sets us apart."
Sarah smiled and looked up at Shinji.
"You know Sam, maybe you're right. All right. I had a younger sister once. My father died in the Second Impact and my mother had to work hard to raise us. She made sure we would get a good education and had a chance at a future. But when I was sixteen, some burglars broke into our house. My sister was home alone. She was raped and murdered. After that, I broke apart. I ran away from home and just drifted around, doing odd jobs and such. Finally, when I was eighteen, I decided to join the army. Now, I'm nineteen and still looking for a way to live life."
"I see."
Shinji embraced her and held her close to him.
"Sarah, there are many ways to live life, and many people you can live with. Right now, you have friends that can help you through anything. Okay?"
Sarah answered by hugging Shinji tighter. Shinji smiled and kept holding her. They stayed that way for a very long time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I did not know you were a philosopher," the Angel said, "So what else is there that I don't know about?"
"Many things," Shinji replied, "Do you have enough or are you going to dig for more?"
"One more thing," the Angel replied, "before I make my decision."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Red Team, move in."
Shinji's force broke down the door and threw a grenade in. Several enemy soldiers were inside, and they were immediately killed by the blast. Shinji kept his infrared vision on, aware that someone might have survived. His other teammates followed him in and scanned the room.
"Proceed to the next room," Shinji ordered.
He had been placed in command of the squad and had done well so far. They rammed down another door and jumped through. They encountered enemy fire but a quick burst from Shinji's rifle silenced it. He then nearly got shot but William covered him and took down the attacker.
"Where's the target?" Shinji asked.
"Somewhere further into the building," Zach replied. He had been a late addition to the team, but was fitting in well.
Red Team kept going, while three other squads finished securing the area. Finally they were outside the room where the target was located. They were after an extremely dangerous man that had killed dozens of people. His brutality was legendary, and apparently this was the only way to silence him. Sarah placed a charge on the door and blew it. Gunfire burst out from inside the room, but that was expected. Shinji peered in and fired off two rounds. The sound of two bodies falling was heard. Andrew then ran in but took a hit in his side. Shinji then followed, taking down the man that shot Andrew. He then saw their target. He was holding a little blond haired girl in his arms, with a gun aimed at her head.
"Stay away or I'll kill her," he threatened.
Shinji raised his rifle, took aim, and fired. The bullet punched right through his head, killing him instantly. The gun went off, but barely grazed the girl's cheek. She screamed and collapsed, breaking into sobs. Shinji walked over to her and lifted her chin.
"It's okay," he said, "You're safe."
"He killed my parents," she murmured.
Shinji nodded and picked the girl up.
"Andrew, you going to be okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. Just get me out of here."
Zach and Sarah unfolded a stretcher and placed him on it. They then followed Shinji as he then exited the building, still holding the girl. She was unwilling to let him go once they were outside. Apparently the sound had caught the attention of the media, as many cameras were waiting for them. Soldiers tried to keep them back, but it was little use. One of the cameras got a shot of Shinji carrying the little girl out. He took her to the medical unit, but she was still unwilling to let him go. He stayed with her as they treated her.
"What's your name?" Shinji asked the girl.
"Jessica."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So you do have a heart," the Angel observed, "Very well. The suit is yours, and I will obey your orders."
The room disappeared and they were once again in the chamber that held the suit. Shinji looked at the Angel. She merely stood there, waiting.
"If I ordered you to die, would you do so?" he asked.
"Yes. You've proven yourself to me. But will you prevail against the others?"
Shinji shrugged. "Time will tell. For now, I suggest you stay down."
Shinji turned on his radio and called in more troops. They arrived quickly and tied the Angel up. Several engineers also arrived and removed the suit from its stand. They would be heading back to Tokyo 4 once everything was loaded. Capturing an Angel alive had never been done before, the last attempt being nearly disastrous. However, perhaps now some questions would be answered. Perhaps.
End of Scenario 2
Tired and hurrying to post this.
Z98
Scenario 2: Final Contact
Shinji entered the installation armed with nothing more than a pistol. After considering his options, he realized that it would probably be best to not burden himself with useless weapons. The soldiers that had died had already proved that conventional arms, even particle weapons, were of little use. A pistol would be enough for now. Shinji activated the armor plating and it wrapped itself around his body. He checked the pistol one more time before walking in. Several SEALs saluted him. To them, Shinji was still a Special Forces operative, one of them. Didn't matter that he was Delta Force. He was showing that he had the guts to go fighting like the men under his command. Shinji walked down the compound and approached the room. He entered the chamber and found the suit still there. However, there was someone else in the room with him.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Adam."
"So who are you? An Angel, or something else?"
"An Angel. So what does that make you? A God?"
"A hybrid. Something far more powerful than any Angel or human could ever be."
"Is that so? Well, Adam. Perhaps we can test that."
The Angel threw a powerful blast of energy at Shinji. She struck a blue AT- Field and dissipated. Shinji then smashed through the Angel's AT-Field with a wave of his hand. He then opened fire with his pistol. Three bullets struck the Angel in the stomach, but she didn't flinch. The Angel merely smiled.
"You truly are powerful, though it is to be expected. You are the human that is the host of Adam. But then again, you control our Father."
"Don't bother with flattery," said Shinji, "Surrender now or be destroyed."
"You have not even considered what my true abilities are. Though you have proven to be more powerful than me in battle, let's take it up another step."
The Angel flooded the room with an orange light and Shinji was consumed in it. He didn't try to shield his eyes, but merely tried to keep the Angel in sight. Suddenly, he was in a large room. The Angel was sitting down on a chair, next to a table. It was as if she was inviting him to sit with her.
"I must say, I rather enjoy this power," she said, "So much like Ariel, and so different at the same time."
"Ariel. An Angel that was capable of mentally attacking his victims. So is that all you can do?"
"Hardly. Before we were awakened, we knew about you. It was said that the Messiah would be the link between humanity and Angels. Well, it's time you proved it to me. If you do, I will accept you. If you fail, I will kill you."
"You can try."
The Angel smiled slyly. "We shall see. So, what should we look at first? The past can be very troublesome, but it could also show me what I want to know."
"And what is it that you want to see?"
The room suddenly disappeared and they were floating above Tokyo 4. Shinji easily recognized the time. It was the day that he left, right after his promise to Asuka. They zoomed down and suddenly were among the sea of people in the city. Shinji could see himself at the age of eighteen. He was in Misato's office deep in the NERV complex.
"Do you understand what your orders are?" Misato asked him.
"Yes. I'm to kill the surviving members of Seele. Strange that they would be stupid enough to gather in one place."
"They must. Otherwise, we would have been able to initiate the retrieval of the Ark."
"Very well. What will happen to me after this?"
"Go where you want. There's also a promotion waiting for you. If this succeeds, I am to become a brigadier general in rank. You will be a full colonel."
"Very well. Is there anything else I need to know?"
"No. When are you leaving?"
"Right after this meeting."
"Good. Don't get yourself killed."
Shinji saluted and left the office. He left the NERV complex and got into the car. Section 2 still provided ample security, but it paid to be careful. Everything was ready. The drive to the airport didn't take too long and he was soon there. When he got out, he found Asuka waiting for him.
"Did you think you could sneak away?" she asked.
"Asuka. What brings you here?"
"Hikari told me you were leaving for Europe."
Shinji took off his sunglasses and looked at Asuka. That meant Toji had told Hikari, who passed the news to Asuka. If he returned, he'd tear his friend a new one for leaking information like that. However, now isn't the time for it.
"This is a routine mission, Asuka," said Shinji, "Just believe me on this. I'll be back in a month or two."
"And what is this mission for?" Asuka asked.
"Politics. I'm supposed to make sure the German NERV branch is operating efficiently."
"So why is it all so secret?"
"Because this is a surprise inspection," Shinji replied, "Asuka, what are you so worried about?"
"You're going after Seele."
Shinji looked at her, his blue eyes suddenly turning to ice. So she had found out. Didn't surprise him, but it was still an unpleasant complication.
"I'll be fine," he finally said.
"So it's true. You're going to risk your life, maybe get killed, for a mission where the German NERV officers could easily take your place and finish this mission."
"Seele still has some influence over the German government," Shinji reminded her, "But once Seele is dead, we can be finished with our past. We can look forward to a better future."
"Do you really believe that, Shinji?"
Shinji walked up to her and took her hand.
"Asuka, I know why you're afraid. But listen to me. I promise to return and protect you. Once I return, I will never leave your side. I will always be faithful, and you will always be safe. Okay?"
Asuka smiled as a tear fell down her cheek. She then hugged him tightly.
"I know. And I also know that you would never make a promise you don't intend to keep."
Shinji returned the embrace, wrapping an arm around Asuka's waist. She was still wearing her lab coat, but it seemed to fit her. After a little while, Asuka broke away. Shinji kissed her goodbye and entered the airport. It would be five years before he returned.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Interesting," the Angel said.
"So what is the point of this?" Shinji asked, "I thought you were supposed to use this power to hurt me."
"Hardly. I am merely using my powers to determine what kind of person you are. In a way, you never broke that promise. You merely bent it. Understandable, under the circumstances. However, I'm rather sure many other humans would never forgive you. Shall we see more?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Private Sam Richards."
"Yes sir."
"Welcome to Delta Force. I hear that you're highly recommended."
Shinji looked at the rest of the team. A lot of them were rather young, and it was odd for soldiers like them to be placed into Delta Force. However, each of them was very good at what they did. Shinji was effective in close range combat. If anyone ran into him when he had a pistol, they were dead.
"Hi, I'm Sarah. Pleased to meet you."
Shinji looked at the smiling woman. She wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but she had this feeling around her that instantly caught Shinji's attention. Shinji nodded towards her. There were three other men in the team, all privates. A staff sergeant was also with them, explaining to them why they were other.
"Delta Force is going through some changes, which is why all of you are here," he said, "This team is one of five that will be trained with the new equipment we have been provided by. Get to know each other, cause you'll be living with each other and fighting with each other."
The sergeant left the room. Each of the soldiers studied the others, considering their abilities.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm here to kick some ass," said one of the men, "Name's William."
"So typical of you men," Sarah replied, "You only think about fighting with brute force. Learn some subtly."
"There are times when subtly is useless," Shinji suddenly said, "You either be direct or you die."
"Now that's what I like to hear," William said, clapping a hand on Shinji's shoulder.
"Really? Care to prove that?" Sarah challenged, a twinkle in her eye.
"Come on man," one of the other soldiers said, "She's insulted all of us men. Prove how tough we are!"
Shinji moved away from William and stood facing Sarah. He stared straight into her eyes, causing her to cringe slightly.
"Show me how strong you men are," she challenged.
Sarah moved quickly, striking out at him. Shinji caught her punch and twisted her arm, putting her into a hold she couldn't break.
"You should have moved faster and hit harder," said Shinji, "If that had been the case, I wouldn't have been able to get this hold on you."
He let Sarah go and she turned to face him.
"Well Sam, I must say. You're a lot more interesting than a lot of other guys I've met. More so than those morons over there."
She winked at them before leaving the room. When she was gone, one of the other soldiers started clapping.
"Nice moves," he said, "Name's Andrew and I must say. You handled her well."
"Maybe you'll go out on a date with her," the third joked, "I'm Bart."
Shinji shrugged. "I'm not interested in that right now. Besides, I already have someone."
He too left the room. However, one thought kept nagging at him. Sarah reminded him a lot about Asuka. But he couldn't break his promise to Asuka, no matter what."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So that's how you met the others," the Angel noted, "Hmm. It is a pity you lost your friends. But then again, maybe you should have protected them better."
"If I protected them too much they would have become dependant on me," said Shinji, "I only did my best. There was nothing more I could do."
"Perhaps. But what happens with Sarah? Shall we find out?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Shinji and Sarah were alone in the living room. The team had been assigned a large apartment-like place to live. Each had their own bedroom, as the Army didn't want to encourage the soldiers to have sex. Shinji was reading a book on American history when Sarah sat down next to him.
"You weren't born in the States," she said.
"Of course not."
"So why did you join the Army?"
"I considered it the best place I could be, with all the circumstances and all."
Sarah took his book and placed it to the side.
"Tell me, why are you here?"
Shinji looked into her eyes. Damn it. Even though they weren't blue like Asuka's, they still shared a similar quality. They both had this look of trust in them, something he could never destroy. He sighed. Why did he attract women like that all the time?
"You might say I'm running away," he finally said.
"From what?"
"The world. Reality. The Army was the best place to do it."
Sarah leaned back into the couch, resting on his shoulder.
"So is that your only reason? Or is there more?"
"I don't know. I'm still searching."
Sarah couldn't help but smile.
"We're alike, you know. We're both running away from reality."
"Perhaps. But what are you searching for?"
"Acceptance. In the Army, no one knows my past unless I want them to know."
Suddenly she stood, her back turned towards Shinji.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be telling you all this. It always brings pain to others when I do."
She started to walk away but Shinji stood and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Each of us has a pain we don't fully understand," he said, "Sharing that pain does more than relieve it, it also shows us what we are like, and what others are like. But make sure you are ready when you share that pain. Okay?"
Sarah nodded and Shinji removed his hand. She walked back to her room and closed the door. Shinji sat back down and tried to make sense of his actions. However, the sound of crying soon caught his attention.
"I'm way too much of a nice guy," he muttered as he got up again.
He knocked on Sarah's door and bumped it open. She hadn't even fully closed it.
"Sarah? Are you okay?"
He heard someone sniff and get up. Sarah appeared a few moments later at the door.
"I'm sorry. Did I bother you?" she asked, tears still visible.
Shinji entered her room and took hold of Sarah.
"All of us have been through our own personal hell," he said, "You wouldn't have approached me without having a reason. Why did you come to me for help? I can't do anything unless you tell me."
Sarah took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry. It's just that I've always searched for someone that I could share my past with. But I never could bring myself to do so."
"Then finally perhaps you could tell me," said Shinji, "You can't keep running away from things. That's something I learned the hard way. You shouldn't have to."
Sarah nodded. "I know. But I've never been ready to tell others what happened."
"Then maybe someone else should speak first. My mother disappeared when I was about five. She's presumed dead right now, and officially is. My father abandoned me and I was raised by relatives and some of my teachers. It was only nine years later that I was able to confront him, and even then I kept running away. We all have our problems. It's how we deal with them that sets us apart."
Sarah smiled and looked up at Shinji.
"You know Sam, maybe you're right. All right. I had a younger sister once. My father died in the Second Impact and my mother had to work hard to raise us. She made sure we would get a good education and had a chance at a future. But when I was sixteen, some burglars broke into our house. My sister was home alone. She was raped and murdered. After that, I broke apart. I ran away from home and just drifted around, doing odd jobs and such. Finally, when I was eighteen, I decided to join the army. Now, I'm nineteen and still looking for a way to live life."
"I see."
Shinji embraced her and held her close to him.
"Sarah, there are many ways to live life, and many people you can live with. Right now, you have friends that can help you through anything. Okay?"
Sarah answered by hugging Shinji tighter. Shinji smiled and kept holding her. They stayed that way for a very long time.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I did not know you were a philosopher," the Angel said, "So what else is there that I don't know about?"
"Many things," Shinji replied, "Do you have enough or are you going to dig for more?"
"One more thing," the Angel replied, "before I make my decision."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Red Team, move in."
Shinji's force broke down the door and threw a grenade in. Several enemy soldiers were inside, and they were immediately killed by the blast. Shinji kept his infrared vision on, aware that someone might have survived. His other teammates followed him in and scanned the room.
"Proceed to the next room," Shinji ordered.
He had been placed in command of the squad and had done well so far. They rammed down another door and jumped through. They encountered enemy fire but a quick burst from Shinji's rifle silenced it. He then nearly got shot but William covered him and took down the attacker.
"Where's the target?" Shinji asked.
"Somewhere further into the building," Zach replied. He had been a late addition to the team, but was fitting in well.
Red Team kept going, while three other squads finished securing the area. Finally they were outside the room where the target was located. They were after an extremely dangerous man that had killed dozens of people. His brutality was legendary, and apparently this was the only way to silence him. Sarah placed a charge on the door and blew it. Gunfire burst out from inside the room, but that was expected. Shinji peered in and fired off two rounds. The sound of two bodies falling was heard. Andrew then ran in but took a hit in his side. Shinji then followed, taking down the man that shot Andrew. He then saw their target. He was holding a little blond haired girl in his arms, with a gun aimed at her head.
"Stay away or I'll kill her," he threatened.
Shinji raised his rifle, took aim, and fired. The bullet punched right through his head, killing him instantly. The gun went off, but barely grazed the girl's cheek. She screamed and collapsed, breaking into sobs. Shinji walked over to her and lifted her chin.
"It's okay," he said, "You're safe."
"He killed my parents," she murmured.
Shinji nodded and picked the girl up.
"Andrew, you going to be okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. Just get me out of here."
Zach and Sarah unfolded a stretcher and placed him on it. They then followed Shinji as he then exited the building, still holding the girl. She was unwilling to let him go once they were outside. Apparently the sound had caught the attention of the media, as many cameras were waiting for them. Soldiers tried to keep them back, but it was little use. One of the cameras got a shot of Shinji carrying the little girl out. He took her to the medical unit, but she was still unwilling to let him go. He stayed with her as they treated her.
"What's your name?" Shinji asked the girl.
"Jessica."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"So you do have a heart," the Angel observed, "Very well. The suit is yours, and I will obey your orders."
The room disappeared and they were once again in the chamber that held the suit. Shinji looked at the Angel. She merely stood there, waiting.
"If I ordered you to die, would you do so?" he asked.
"Yes. You've proven yourself to me. But will you prevail against the others?"
Shinji shrugged. "Time will tell. For now, I suggest you stay down."
Shinji turned on his radio and called in more troops. They arrived quickly and tied the Angel up. Several engineers also arrived and removed the suit from its stand. They would be heading back to Tokyo 4 once everything was loaded. Capturing an Angel alive had never been done before, the last attempt being nearly disastrous. However, perhaps now some questions would be answered. Perhaps.
End of Scenario 2
Tired and hurrying to post this.
Z98
