Chapter 9

Hope pounded the treadmill as a woman in a white lab coat with a clipboard and glasses kept watching on the clock behind her and wrote down notes. Hope was dressed in the standard military issue red gym attire, which basically was a red jersey with a zipper on it and matched red sweatpants.

Sweat poured down Hope's face as she continued to run feeling like she had ran a marathon so far.

"Okay, Major that's enough."

Hope decreased her speed on the treadmill until it came to a full stop. Taking the towel that hung over the grip frame, she patted her face down and stepped down.

"What? You don't want another hour out of me, Doctor?" Hope asked sarcastically.

"You're heart rate and pulse are right on target. You take good care of yourself, don't you?"

"I try." Hope said as she breathed out.

"No smoking, no drinking at all?"

"Nah, I don't drink hardly ever and as for smoking, I've never picked up a cigarette in my life."

"Good." The doctor said

"So, I take it I am physically fit then?" Hope asked.

"That's right. Now just one more test remains."

:"More tests?" Hope asked. "Since o eight hundred I've been going through test after test! I've been poked, prodded, stuck by needles! Why so many?"

"We just need to be sure of your physical condition." The doctor responded.

"You could have gotten that from my personnel file! I just had a physical last month!"

"Well, we like to review these tests personally. When you pilot the type of machine you will be trained on, you need to make sure you can handle it physically, mentally and emotionally."

"I see." Hope said.

"The next test will be a sync test. You'll need to conduct this naked."

"Naked?" Hope blurted. "Are you kidding me?"

"No, there is a reason. The environment must be pure. You're body will be submerged into a type of liquid that will allow you to connect to the unit. For this test we need you to be naked. Its necessary."

"And annoying. I hope that the cameras will be off."

"Only the infrared will remain on."

"Oh joy." Hope blurted.

"Proceed to room 16 down the hall, there you will conduct the test."

"I'm not going into the actual unit?"

"No, not until the simulators reveal the information that we require in order to take that next step."

"I see." Hope said as she walked out the door and then proceeded down the corridor

Everything was so confusing since yesterday. She couldn't believe when she had gone down to the large hanger with Sawyer yesterday what she had seen as she stood on the metal bridge with him.

"What is that?" Hope had asked as she recalled standing on the metal platform in front of a giant purple mecha that resembled a large humanoid robot with a head like a demon.

"That," Sawyer had told her. ", Is Evangelion Unit 1. That is what you are going to pilot."

"Its huge." Hope had told him. "I'm…. going to pilot that?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You'll see." Sawyer told her. "For now, look at it. This was what made your mother and your father instruments of death and destruction. Second Impact caused so many people to lose sight of morality and justice. It was more or less a call of preservation. It didn't matter that children were used, it just mattered that it be done."

"I find that despicable." Hope said. "I couldn't imagine the horrors my parents must have endured."

"Your parents are remarkable people. Especially, your mother, Hope. I've had the opportunity to work with General Ikari several times. You are very much like your mother."

"Thank you." Hope said. "How is it you've worked with my mother?"

"You're mother as you know is assigned to the Joint Committee of Peace Keeping Affairs with the UN. The United States is greatly involving with this committee. In fact, I've found your mother to be very enlightening at times."

"My mother?" Asuka asked. "Most people are afraid of her." Hope said with a chuckle.

"I respect her." Sawyer said. "Not many would listen to a twenty five year old CIA operative who advised the reconstruction of NERV."

"Why?" Hope asked. "How is it you got involved with this? You have no family ties to this, or do you?"

"I always knew that there was more to Third Impact than just a natural disaster. You see, my country endured a lot during Third Impact and my country was one of the few governments that still was able to stand after Third Impact. I guess you could say, I've been obsessed with Third Impact since I was a child. I wanted to make sure that it could never happen again. I always knew that there was more to it."

"So, you were one of those types that wanted to be a big hero, huh?" Hope asked.

"No, not so much a hero. A protector. I wanted to keep the world safe. So I did my level best as a student, went to a great college, got selected for the CIA and requested this duty personally."

"I'm amazed that they let somebody so young take control of such an intricate operation." Hope said. "I'm also surprised that they let an American handle it."

"With the way the world is, age does not matter so much as wanting to make the world better does. Plus, I'm wise for my age, or so I've been told, I've believed since I've learned of what this device has done and what it is capable of, that it is my responsibility to make sure it never falls into the wrong hands."

"So you are the type who wants to be the big hero." Hope said with a smile. "That doesn't surprise me about you."

"Really?" he asked with a smile.

:"Yes, Mr. Dell, you cocky American gaijin are all the same. You all have delusions of grandeur with riding into the sunlight screaming Yee Haw with your flag proudly flying in the wind! It doesn't surprise me in the least."

"Oh." Dell said as he snickered. "Is that what you think of me?"

"As a matter of fact," Hope said slyly. ", Yes I do."

"So how is that bad?" Dell asked.

"Its not." Hope said. "Its just the way you Americans are."

Dell snickered slightly and said. "Not all Americans. My intentions are for the world and yes, I do consider myself to be a patriot. There's nothing with being one."

"I am patriotic as well." Hope told him. "Yet, the arrogance you display is quite vivid."

"You hardly know me, Major." Dell said with a smirk. "How is it you can pass judgment on me so quickly?"

"I know your type." Hope said flatly. "I'll do what is required of me, Commander. However, don't attempt to get into my psyche, I don't need a guardian."

"Guardian?"

"Its obvious that my mother has sent you to watch over me. My mother worries too much."

"You're mother is concerned for your safety. As for watching over you, yes, I was sent to do that."

"So you admit it?" Hope asked.

"I pull no punches, Major, and at the request of a senior officer that I respect and admire, yes, I will watch out for you."

"You are not required to watch over me, Mr. Dell." Hope growled.

"Too bad." He responded. "Tomorrow morning you will report back to this facility at zero eight hundred hours. I'll bring you top side."

"Thank you." Hope said.

"It was nice to meet you, Major. I am looking forward to working with you." Dell responded.

"Thank you, Commander. Am I dismissed?" Hope asked.

"Yes." He told her.

Hope breathed out as she recalled that first meeting with Sawyer Dell. In less then two hours time so much had been revealed to her but yet she couldn't help to feel that Sawyer seemed to be a little more then interested in her.

Walking towards room 16, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her and then she heard. "Good morning, Major."

Turning around, she stood at attention and saluted him. "Good morning, Commander, sir."

"You don't have to stand on so much formality, Major." Dell said to her as he walked up to her. He was dressed casually wearing khaki pants and a khaki shirt with his sleeves rolled up. His blue eyes seemed to dance at her and she ignored every thought that may have lead her to believe she thought he was an attractive man.

"I am military, sir. I am used to formality."

"NERV is a very laid back organization. We rarely use our ranks."

"I am Major Hope Ikari of the Japanese Air Force, you will call me by my rank, sir."

Dell nodded his head. "Okay, Major."

"If you would excuse me, sir. I have to report to room 16 for another test."

"I am well aware." Dell said. "It's the sync test. We need the results to monitor how your harmonic output matches up to Unit 1."

"Yes, sir, that is correct, sir so if you would excuse me, sir, I have to go." Hope said as she turned her back.

Sawyer Dell watched as she walked away and a smile crossed his face. She's got a fire. He thought to himself as he watched the auburn Major walk down the hall.

That cocky American baka! Hope thought to herself as she continued to walk down the hall. Who does he think he is? He's my commander? They have to got to be joking!

Hope walked into room 16 and shut the door behind her.

(Do you hate me for giving Shinji cancer? I can see the hate mail all ready. Stay tuned for Chapter 10 where Hope runs into a little dilemma and Sawyer must deal with the consequences of something both Hope & Souke have long since feared….)