No one wanted to believe that Rei Ayanami was gone, least of all Gendo Ikari.  It was like losing Yui all over again; the only way the man could bear it was to bury himself in the business of retrieving Rei.  It was not easy.  Rei was nowhere to be found.  After several weeks of searching, no one at NERV knew where to begin.

            That is, until the explosions began.

            Evangelion facilities in America and China and Germany had been destroyed.  The attacks always happened in the early morning.  No one had been killed, though some workers told of being incapacitated and finding themselves outside of the harm's way watching their place of employment come to ruin. 

            "Only Eva factories are being targeted."

            "Very few groups know what's being made.  Very few people know what an Evangelion is."  Fuyutsuki placed a folder of collected information on Gendo Ikari's desk.

            Only one group remained in possession of Evangelions.  Gendo Ikari knew that it was only a matter of time.  He also did not dismiss the possibility that the attacks and Ayanami's disappearance were related, as the two happened within a short time frame.

            "Do you think SEELE is behind this?"

            Gendo Ikari would have liked nothing more than to take the old men head-on, but the attacks were not their style.  SEELE had panache.  The attacker in question was not at all like the old men.  "There's no need for them to be so heavy-handed when there are no Angels.  Besides, those factories were built with SEELE money.  The old men would rather fall on their swords than waste money."

            Fuyutsuki shivered visibly despite himself.  Gendo Ikari's classic stony nature had become even more hardened since Ayanami was lost.  It unnerved Fuyutsuki that such a man as Ikari could be even more ruthless than usual.  "So we're dealing with someone else?"

            A picture slipped halfway out of the folder.  It was evidence taken from the destruction in America, at a facility in Utah.  The facility had burned to the ground.  All Evangelions – prototype and completed – as well as data were lost.

            Eyewitnesses said that when the explosion occurred, a pillar of flame in the shape of a cross shot into the air, a rather memorable sight against the darkened sky.

            "Are we so sure this isn't the work of an Angel?"

            "The Dead Sea Scrolls don't …"

            "Forget about the Dead Sea Scrolls.  We could be dealing with whoever took Rei.  Don't forget about that.  We need her."

            Fuyutsuki bit back the obvious:  that Gendo Ikari needed Rei Ayanami, that she had worth beyond her duties in the Human Instrumentality Project.  Instead, the former professor only nodded.  Gendo Ikari turned in his chair, and that was Fuyutsuki's cue to leave the room.  He did so without another word.

            Gendo Ikari sighed.  He was closer than ever to finding Ayanami and retrieving that necessary piece of the puzzle in the larger project.  All he needed was for the attacker to reveal himself.  NERV held the last Evangelions on earth.  Soon, the attacker would be dealt with and he could return to much more important business.  

            A small kink in the plans … that was all it was.  Gendo Ikari assured himself that there would be no more distractions.  He would achieve his intended goal.

            "Yui …"

--------

            In a darkened room, far from prying eyes, the men of SEELE gathered to assess the damage.

            "Five facilities in three months … this is not good news."

            "What do we pay those security officers for if they can't stop destruction like this?"

            "This is a flagrant waste of money!  Who knows how far the project has been set back?"

            "Perhaps NERV is involved."

            Keel Lorenz leaned forward, pondering the situation.  SEELE had created NERV.  SEELE had also created Kaworu.  Both entities threatened to destroy SEELE, and Keel Lorenz wanted nothing more than to wipe both wayward creations from the face of the earth.  However, one thing at a time … he could not afford to make a scene.  And though Gendo Ikari was no doubt an untrustworthy and dangerous opponent, Kaworu was even more dangerous.  That was a fact.

            "NERV is sniffing around, but I doubt they are involved.  Besides, there is a rumor that they have lost something equally precious to them."

            "There is another one?"

            "It is unconfirmed, but likely."

            "Gendo Ikari … that wily bastard!"

            "There is time enough to deal with Ikari.  Kaworu is a loose cannon.  The project cannot continue until this flawed incarnation is scrapped and we can begin anew."

            "Is that an authorization?"

            Keel Lorenz nodded.  "Yes.  Kill him on sight."

            The other men nodded as well.  The only way to bring the Human Instrumentality Project back to order was to regain control of an important key in the process.  Kaworu Nagisa had to be destroyed.