Chapter 40

"Command Hub to Unit 1."

"Major Ikari. Go ahead, General." Hope said as Asuka'a image flashed on the screen.

"Do you have a fix on the Hostile yet?" Asuka asked as she breathed in.

"Yes, General. I am in pursuit. ETA to target one minute."

"Engage target and fire at will." Asuka ordered.

As Hope studied her mother's face, she could see that there was tension on the General's face. As much as you think you're good at covering up, Ma, I know better. Something's up. "General, what is the status of the strike team?" Hope asked.

"MAJOR IKARI, FOCUS ON ENGAGING THE TARGET." Asuka told her firmly as her face became even more rigid and tense.

Something's wrong. Hope thought. "Understood." Hope told her. "Major Ikari, out"

Asuka's image blinked out and Hope breathed in deeply as she focused on her task.

The EVA charged across the desert landscape. Sand blew in every direction as the hot sun beat down on them.

As Hope looked at the display she saw on the read out.

"TARGET IDENTIFIED."

Hope turned her head and there she saw it…and it was terrifying.

It stood as tall as her Evangelion Unit. It was completely white and burned with a white-hot intensity. It was shaped almost exactly like an EVA and Hope stared it.

Oh holy Hell, Hope thought as she saw the hostile.

Then directly behind it, she saw the base that the strike team invaded but there was:

Fire.

"Sawyer…" She breathed out as her eyes widened. Oh God, no! Not this again! Not again…not him…please, not Sawyer…why? WHY?

Explosions.

"Major Ikari to Commander Dell, respond! Answer me, Sawyer! SAWYER!"

"MAJOR IKARI!" Asuka's voice sounded sharply as her image came up on the screen. "ENGAGE TARGET AND FIRE AT WILL."

"Ma…" Hope said as her face trailed off. "…Sawyer!" Hope called out as her eyes widened.

"FOCUS, HOPE!" Asuka said firmly. "YOU HAVE TO! DO YOUR DUTY, MAJOR. THAT'S HOW YOU CAN HELP SAWYER NOW. FOCUS ON YOUR DUTY! THAT IS AN ORDER!"

Hope could see bodies lying in the desert. She breathed in as she said to the EVA. "EVA, lock on grid 6A and magnify."

The image on the screen became clearer and Hope tensed as she saw dead bodies everywhere. She saw some of the bodies were badly mutilated and her heart jumped into her throat.

No, this can't be. This can't be. Sawyer made it out. He had to have. He's…safe. No, don't think about it. He's okay. He has to be.

"MAJOR IKARI, ACKOWLEDGE!" General Ikari said loudly. "YOU ARE ORDERED TO ENGAGE TARGET AND FIRE AT WILL…STOP THE HOSTILE, HOPE. YOU HAVE TO."

Hope's eyes shut as he felt her heart weighing heavily. She opened her eyes slowly as she saw the huge white fort now in flames, burning with a large fire, explosions went off and on the ground some men were running away.

Hope's eyes widened as she saw these men running for their lives while gunfire erupted violently

"MAJOR IKARI, DO YOU COPY?" Asuka asked in a worried voice as she looked at Hope through the relay..

Concentrate, Major. Fight back. Don't let it get to you. Focus, Major. You're stronger then this. You have to be. Do it for Sawyer and the world. Make fucking SEELE pay. They took Isao from you. They took your father and if they took Sawyer away, then don't let them take you away too. THEY ARE GONG TO FUCKING DIE!

Hope's face crossed into a scowl as she turned to the image of her mother and said firmly. "General Ikari, this is Major Ikari. I copy and acknowledge. Engaging target."

Hope breathed in and gripped the controls. "Dad, help me through this." She whispered aloud. "UNIT 1, ENGAGE TARGET!" She called out as unyielding rage pulsed through her.

You son of a bitch! She charged at the entity with everything she was and struck it hard with all of her strength and fire pulsing through her.

She continued to pursue the Angel, fighting it with everything she was, letting her anger and her pain fuel her.

She fired her particle rifle at it several times and unleashed her own AT field and pushed the Angel back.

"SEELE YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!" She growled. "YOU'LL PAY FOR ALL OF THEM! BASTARDS!"

She went after it again.

This time as her eyes was full of fury and hatred, she poured her rage into her strength and made it go through Unit 1.. I will kill you, you son of a bitch! You will all rot in hell after I am done with you! Trespass against me or my own? You'll pay with your life!

"Take this, Schwanzlutscher!" She yelled out with vehemence and ire.

She charged at Angle 20 full force and came down upon it fast with the EVA's arm and it went…right through Angel 20.

What the hell?

Then, she saw Angel 20 rush at her and Hope engaged her particle rifle as she fired.

Nothing happened.

Her eyes widened and sweat poured down her face.

The Angel rushed at her in what seemed like a second with blinding fast speed..

"Major Ikari, status………"

Hope shrieked and everything shook violently.

(A/N: I'll bet you didn't know that I knew how to curse in German, did you? Well, I'll be honest. I don't. To find some interesting choice words, I use Swearmonger. It's a great site full of insults, quick witted one-liners and best of all you can curse at anybody in any foreign language especially German. Perfect for Asuka's dirty mouth and it appears that Hope got that trait from her mother as well. If you want the site, I'll email it to you. Perfect for when you're looking for the perfect swear word to describe Asuka's feelings for Shinji. Now back to the fic. As always, special thanks to Nic, SteamedDumpling, Big Dave, Ari, Logan, Mike and JoJo. We're getting closer to the end, I promise you. I "hope" you like what's coming up next.)