I own nothing. This story is set in an alternate universe. There will be OOC. You have been warned.

While You Were Sleeping

Chapter Eleven: Vested Interests

Shinji carefully pushed the metal bars blocking his way and frowned. "Can you get them?"

"Give me a minute," Shinji said. He planted his feet on either side of the storm drain and put his considerable strength behind the bars. There was a loud creek and the bars gave way. Shinji wiggled forward and dropped into the sewer. He landed kneeling with his SOCOM up and ready. "Clear." He grabbed the leash of his drag bag and pulled it the rest of the way out.

"It smells in here," Pierce growled as he dropped down next to Shinji. "I hate sewers." Shinji nodded and pulled on his helmet. He clipped his NVGs into place and slung his drag bag over his shoulders.

"Enough bitching. Let's get moving. I want to hit the surface and find cover before sunrise."

"Roger that."

(:ii:)

"Alright," Gambit said. "Now what was so important that you almost got into a fist fight with a Demon to see me over?"

"This," Asuka said as she shoved Maria's laptop into his arms. "You knew about that, but you didn't tell anyone!"

"Of course I knew about it," Gambit growled. "I was part of the investigation. We've faced something like this before."

"NERV has had spies before?" Asuka asked in surprise. She couldn't remember ever hearing about that before she was frozen.

"No," Gambit said. He sighed and looked around. Then he rolled up his sleeve. Asuka gapped at the mark tattooed on his left forearm. "Nagisa, Pierce, and I have faced something like this before."

"You?" Asuka began in shock.

"Someone had to stay behind," Gambit said coldly. "We needed to direct traffic in case Pierce and Nagisa survived. It wasn't my choice. I much would have preferred to leave another man here to take care of business."

"Why didn't you show this to everyone at NERV?" Asuka demanded.

"It would have been dismissed as forgery," Gambit said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go back to the command center." He nodded to her curtly and turned on his heel.

"Sir?"

"Yes?" Gambit asked, turning to regard Richey calmly.

"How are they doing?" The general paused and looked around.

"They're in the city," he said quietly. "Keep that to yourself."

(:ii:)

Shinji pushed the door open and moved quickly into the room with his Type 3. Pierce was right behind him with his DMR. "Clear."

"Clear," Pierce echoed. Shinji pushed the door shut and frowned when he noticed that the lock was broken. He shrugged and un-slung his massive rucksack. "Rest here?"

"Yeah," Shinji said. "Strip your pack and make sure that nothing was damaged." Pierce nodded and un-slung his rucksack. Shinji unclipped the hard-shelled carrying case from his own rucksack and opened it to reveal a disassembled Type 14 anti-material rifle. He pulled out the pieces and began to assemble the rifle. "Everything look good?"

"Yes sir," Pierce said as he checked over his Type 408. "Nothing was damaged."

"I was a little worried that the rucksacks wouldn't fit in the pipe," Shinji said. "But it looks like everything turned out alright."

"What part of this is alright?" Pierce asked.

"The part where we're still alive and the enemy doesn't have our exact location," Shinji said. "Can you ask for anything more?"

"Not really," Pierce said.

"Base," Shinji said.

"Go ahead Nagisa."

"We're going to wait out the daylight here," Shinji said. "Copy?"

"Roger that Nagisa." Shinji sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Do you want to take first watch?" Pierce asked.

"Sure," Shinji said. "Get some sleep." Pierce nodded and leaned back against the wall. His head tilted forward and his breathing leveled out.

"Nagisa?"

"General?" Shinji asked in surprise. "Is something wrong?"

"Of course," Gambit said. "Something's always wrong."

"Or about to go wrong," Shinji said cheerfully.

"The redhead loves that ring you gave her," Gambit said.

"I thought she might like it," Shinji said.

"By the way, I heard that you gave the other ring to that white coat."

"Yeah," Shinji said.

"Well?" Gambit pressed.

"She said yes," Shinji said. "Pierce already has the best man position, but you could act as the father of the bride."

"Sounds like fun," Gambit said. "Just make sure you don't break her heart Nagisa."

"No promises," Shinji said. "Out."

"Right."

(:ii:)

Misato glared at the Brigadier General as he handed the headset back to Maya. "What was all that about a ring General?" she asked coldly.

"Nagisa proposed to Horaki before he left," Gambit said with a shrug. "I get to by the father of the bride."

"Now I really want to have a drink," Misato said tiredly.

"I wouldn't mind one myself." Misato turned and glared at the man who had entered the command center.

"What are you doing here Colonel?"

"Actually, that's Brigadier General," Kaji corrected. "I just stopped by to watch the show."

"Shows over," Gambit said. "They're waiting out the daylight hours. So, tell me, how's your head. I haven't seen someone hit that hard since myself in boot camp a long time again." Kaji scowled at the man. "The last time someone looked at me like that I cut his throat."

"Was that a threat?" Kaji demanded.

"Yes," Gambit said. "At least you won't half to falsify evidence if you try to get me a court martial for it. Of course I'll be gone soon so. . .chop, chop." Kaji turned and looked at Misato as if demanding she do something.

"Did someone say something?" Misato asked in confusion. "I wasn't paying attention. Did anyone hear what the Brigadier Generals were talking about?"

"No ma'am," Maya said.

"They were talking?" Makoto asked.

"Sorry. I was day dreaming," Shigeru said. Kaji's face turned into a scowl.

"I will return later," he said flatly.

"Very well," Misato said.

"I'm going to go get drunk," Gambit said brightly. "Catch you guys later!"

(:ii:)

Pierce checked his watch and knocked Shinji's boot. "Night time?" the younger man asked.

"Yeah," Pierce said. "The sun just went down." Shinji stood up and pulled on his rucksack. He reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a crumpled letter.

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"That's bad luck," Pierce said as he eyed the letter.

"How would you know?" Shinji asked. "It's not like we've ever had anyone to return to before."

"True," Pierce said as he took the letter and shoved it under his vest.

"Thanks." Shinji moved to the door and eased it open. Pierce quickly followed him out onto the street. They moved quickly into the growing shadows and Pierce began to breathe a little easier as the sun went down. Suddenly Shinji raised his hand and kneeled. He brought up his DMR and looked around for the threat, but he couldn't find it.

"Where?"

"Sniper," Shinji said. "Five o'clock and four stories up. I don't think he's seen us yet." Pierce turned and spotted the telltale thermal glow. He pushed his NVGs up and brought his DMR's scope to his eye.

"Kill or maim?"

"Maim," Shinji said. "I have a bead on his headset. I'll fire first and then you take him."

"You got some questions for the man?" Pierce asked as his finger curled around the trigger of his rifle.

"Yeah." Shinji's rifle bucked and the headset on the side of the man's head shattered. He jerked upwards in surprise and Pierce fired. The round hit the man in the left side of the chest and he dropped from view.

(:ii:)

"Why didn't they just kill him?" Misato wondered. "They're taking a big risk trying to capture him."

"Snipers are observers," Gambit said. "They are an excellent source of information."

"I guess they would be," Misato said. She watched on the screen and Shinji and Pierce moved to stand outside a door. Pierce kicked the door open and Shinji moved in fast. The wounded sniper tried to fire, but Shinji fired again. The heavy bullet slammed into the sniper's right hand. Shinji grabbed the poor man and threw him down on his front.

"Don't move," he hissed sharply. Misato watched as Shinji used a pair of plastic safety cuffs to bind the sniper's hands behind his back. "Do you have the weapon?"

"Yes sir," Pierce said as he picked up a large sniper rifle. "It's an M25 sir."

"A Savior weapon," Shinji said. He rolled the man over and pulled off his ski mask. The sniper was a brown-haired man about Shinji's age. "Bishop."

"Hi El Tee," the sniper said. "No shame in being shot by the best, I guess."

"They know him?" Misato asked.

"Pierce and Nagisa were snipers in the Saviors," Gambit said with a shrug. "Saviors are a small group and snipers are an even smaller group."

"Who's the other guy?" the sniper asked.

"It's Pierce," Pierce said.

"Hey Sarge."

"How are you doing Bishop?" Pierce asked. "How's your wife and kids?"

"She divorced me," the sniper said as he struggled to sit up. "Can you get me a cigarette El Tee?"

"Nice try Bishop," Shinji said. "A good sniper can see a cherry from miles around. I should know." The sniper smirked.

"Why is he calling Shinji El Tee?" Misato asked.

"Maybe Shinji was still a Lieutenant when they knew each other," Gambit said with a shrug.

"You seen to know a lot General," Misato commented.

"I'm just observant," Gambit said with a shrug. Ever since the whistle had been blown on Pierce and Shinji, Misato had found herself suspicious of all the men who had shown up around the time that Shinji had. As far as she could tell there were ten men who had shown up within a week. They were all men ranging from higher ranking non-coms to mostly combat officers. Pierce and Shinji had been the first. Then there had been General Gambit, three First Lieutenants, a Master Gunnery Sergeant, two Gunnery Sergeants, and a Captain. They were all first generation Genesis. Shinji had more or less chosen them personally when his little side project had been green lighted.

"You knew we were coming," Shinji accused.

"Fuck you El Tee," the sniper growled. Misato paled and looked away as Shinji shoved his thumb into the bullet hole in the right side of the man's chest.

"How many patrols are out here?" Shinji demanded.

"Just kill me," the sniper groaned.

"Put him down Captain," Pierce said. "We won't get anything out of him."

"Yeah," Shinji said. Misato watched as Shinji drew his combat knife from his belt and pressed it against the man's neck.

"See you in hell El Tee," the sniper said. "You to Sarge."

"Probably," Shinji said. His arm jerked back and crashed forward, severing the sniper's head. "Inventory his gear."

"Seven magazines for a SOCOM and ten twenty-round magazines for the M25," Pierce said. "Looks like M993 armor penetrators." He was already stripping rounds out of the rifle magazines and stuffing them into his vest. Shinji kneeled down next to him and began doing the same.

(:ii:)

Gambit lowered his head and rubbed his temples. 'Bishop. What a nice guy, he shouldn't have had to die like that.' Gambit pushed the thoughts away. He looked at Misato and frowned. She was watching his carefully out of the corner of her eye. Gambit knew she was suspicious. "How could they just kill someone they obviously knew fairly well?" Misato asked.

"He was an obstacle," Gambit said simply. "Obstacles are for destroying."

"Isn't that a Savior saying?" Gambit glanced up and saw Kaji leaning against a wall.

"That's where I got it," Gambit said simply. "It's a good saying." Kaji nodded simply and Gambit looked back to the screen. "How far are they from the target?"

"Three more miles to go and then they'll get into the forest on the other side of the city," Shigeru said. "After that's its four miles through the other part of the forest." Gambit nodded.

"That'll only take them a couple of hours," he said, "if they keep up this slow pace that is."

"That's a pretty impressive slow pace," Kaji commented. Gambit's frown grew. 'Just give me ten minutes with that cocky little ass hole.'

"I need to go."

"Where to General?" Misato asked.

"To get something to eat," Gambit said. "I ate when they decided to bed down for the day."

"Oh." Gambit stood up and walked out of the command center. He walked down the hallway and ducked into a small room. Inside was a small group of men in urban BDUs.

"At ease soldiers," Gambit said before they could stand up.

"How are they doing?" a tall, broad black man asked.

"They're doing well Master Gunny," Gambit said. "But they just ran into a Savior sniper. There are two possibilities. The first is that the Saviors regularly deploy snipers to act as sentries."

"And the second sir?" a gray-haired Captain asked.

"The Saviors knew that they were coming," Gambit said. "If they stay in the shadows then it won't matter much either way."

"What about the operation?" a youngish Lieutenant asked.

"I'm green lighting the operation," Gambit said. "What about the fly boys?"

"They're in sir," another man said. "The crew came to me and asked if they could be of service. They know the risks."

"Good," Gambit said. "We need men we can trust. This will be over within twenty-four hours. I want everyone cocked, locked, and ready to rock at any time between now and then. Understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Move out Genesis."

"Genesis," one man mused. "Off we go to fight our kin."

"Saviors do what they need to," Gambit said. "Just like Genesis. Figure out a way to get your weapons issued."

(:ii:)

Shinji looked around the city and moved quietly down a small alleyway. In the two years that he has spent conducting operations in the city he had managed to learn his way around fairly well. This alleyway would lead them onto Crescent Street. All they had to do from there was follow it for half a mile. "Nagisa." Shinji sighed in annoyance and held up his fist before he kneeled.

"Yes?"

"We are adding to your list of targets of opportunity."

"Ryoji." Shinji turned and saw Pierce covered the end of his head set's mouth piece. Shinji covered his own.

"Of course it's him," he whispered. "The man's got a vested interest in neither of us surviving."

"What was that Nagisa?"

"Nothing ma'am," Shinji said. "Go ahead."

"There is an installation north of the HQ," Maya said. "It contains the main radar for the Psychos. If you can bring it down then we might be able to slip in some H-Jets to give you support and perform emergency extraction."

"Good deal?" Pierce asked.

"Good deal," Shinji said with a nod.

End

(:ii:)

Author's notes. Just one more to rewrite and I can move onto the real new chapter you've been asking for.