I don't own anything.
An Assassin's Memories
Third Shot: Making a Statement
Ari stared at Shima and clamped a hand over her mouth to hide a giggle. "What is with that get up?"
"What do you mean ma'am?" Shima asked as he smoothed his khaki NERV uniform.
"Why are you wearing that?" Ari said as she tried not to giggle. "Uh. . .it looks good on you Shima." She looked him up and down. 'Very, very good.'
"I am wearing this because I was ordered too," Shinji said as he drew a pistol from under his shirt and jacked the action.
"Why are you carrying a SIG-Sauer?" Ari asked.
"It's NERV standard issue," Shima explained.
"What exactly is your mission?" Ari asked.
"I am to infiltrate NERV and confront Commander Gendo Ikari," Shima said robotically. "If he refuses to yield then I am to render him unconscious and escape from the Geo-Front." He picked up a black and khaki combination cap. "I need transportation."
"Oh," Ari said. "If you're going to blend in then you might not want to talk like that."
"Like what ma'am?" Shima asked.
"Try not to talk in a deadpan," Ari said as she picked up her keys. "And learn what the word rhetorical means."
"Rhetorical," Shima said. "Of or relating to rhetoric." Ari sighed and walked to the door of their new apartment.
"Okay," she said as she pushed the door open and walked out with Shima in tow. "Learn what a rhetorical question is and if you do know what that means then I don't want a definition."
"Very well ma'am," Shima said.
"Stop calling me ma'am!" Ari screamed. "I'm not old enough to be a ma'am."
"The term ma'am refers to respect," Shima said, "not age." Ari felt her eye begin to twitch.
"Learn how to talk like a human."
"I am a human," Shima said. "Therefore I am talking like a human."
"No," Ari said. "You're talking like a robot."
"Robots. . ."
"Enough!" Ari said, cutting him off. "Just get in the damned van and keep your mouth shut until we get to NERV."
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
Gendo Ikari smirked behind his folded hands as he looked at the massive, ominous monoliths floating around his desk. "You will not be this confident soon," one of the monoliths said before they all disappeared.
"We shall see," Gendo said as the lights came on. Then something cold and hard pressed against the back of his skull.
"Yes we will," a new voice said.
"I can pay you whatever you want," Gendo said calmly.
"I don't do this for the money," the assassin said. "Now here are your choices Ikari. Either you can submit. . ."
"Or?" Gendo interrupted.
"Or we'll meet again," the assassin said. "And I won't be this nice."
"I will not submit," Gendo said.
"I was hoping you'd say that," the assassin said. "I guess I'll have to give you a demonstration." The pistol's muzzle was pulled back from Gendo's head. He felt about a moment of relief before the weapon slammed into the base of his skull and everything went black.
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
Shima tucked the SIG-Sauer into the holster under his uniform shirt. He walked to the door and pushed it open. He walked out of the office and tried to blend with the people roaming the halls outside. "Had a meeting with the bastard, huh?" Shima glanced at the young man walking next to him.
"Yes," he said simply as he pulled the brim of his combination cover down over his eyes. The man was taller so he couldn't see his face anyway, but it made Shima feel better.
"I feel sorry for you," the man said as he brushed his long hair over his shoulder with one hand. "Ryoji?" the man read of the name tag on Shima's chest.
"Yes?" Shima asked.
"Nothing," the man said. "I just knew a man named Ryoji. He disappeared a couple of years ago."
"That's strange," Shima said.
"Not really," the man continued. "He was a spook. Maybe he just got reassigned."
"I guess that's possible," Shima said as he stepped onto the escalators.
"I'm Shigeru Aoba by the way," the man said. "So where are you heading?" the man continued.
"Out," Shima said. "I just had to tie up a few loose ends."
"Oh," Shigeru said. "So, did you just transfer in?"
"Temporarily," Shima said.
"From where?" Shigeru asked.
"Russia," Shima said.
"I thought I recognized your accent," Shigeru said. "What section are you working for?"
"Three," Shima said. "Internal security."
"Oh," Shigeru said as they stepped off the escalator. "Oh, hello Colonel."
"Good mourning Aoba," a woman said. Shima didn't bother raising his cover's brim to look at her. "Who's your friend?"
"This is Ryoji from Section Three," Shigeru said.
"Ryoji," the woman repeated.
"He just transferred in from the Russian branch," Shigeru continued.
"Well it's nice to meet you," the Colonel said as she held out her hand.
"Like wise ma'am," Shima said as he shook her hand. "Now if you excuse me, I need to be going."
"Of course," the Colonel said as she stepped aside.
"Catch you later Ryoji!" Shigeru called.
"I doubt it," Shima said simply.
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
"What an odd guy," Misato said as she watched the shorter man walk away.
"Yeah," Shigeru said. "Of course he is from Section Three. Those guys are all a little weird. Plus he did just have a meeting with the Bastard."
"Well that would explain it," Misato said.
"Yeah," Shigeru said with a chuckle. "Oh well. I have to get going. See you later Colonel."
"Okay," Misato said. She threw a look over her shoulder and frowned. "Where did he go?"
"What?" Shigeru asked.
"Ryoji," Misato said. "Where did he go?"
"He's right. . ." Shigeru paused and frowned. "Where the hell did he go?"
"He seems more like a Section Two agent if you ask me," Misato said dryly. "Those bastards are always doing dramatic stuff like that."
"Maybe he is a spook afterall," Shigeru said.
"What?" Misato asked.
"Nothing," Shigeru said. "Oh well. See you later."
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
"How'd it go?" Ari asked as Shima climbed into the van.
"He won't cooperate," the young man said simply.
"I didn't think he would," Ari said. "So where to?" She wasn't actually expecting an answer.
"Henderson Square," Shima said.
"What?" Ari asked.
"Henderson Square," Shima repeated slowly.
"Why do you want to go there?" Ari asked as she started the van and pulled out into traffic.
"A contingency," Shima said. "In the event that Gendo Ikari does not submit then I am to make a statement."
"A statement?" Ari asked.
"Yes," Shima said. "My orders are public and shocking. They also want me to make sure that NERV knows what's going on."
"Oh," Ari said simply. "Who's the target?"
"Alex Henderson," Shima said simply.
"Of course."
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
"So do you want to go to the mall?"
"Sure," Asuka said. "I've been meaning to pick up that outfit we saw a couple of days ago."
"You two shop too much." Asuka turned and glared at the tall black-haired boy walking behind them.
"Why are you two stooges following up around?" she demanded.
"Because we're all walking to the buss," Kensuke Aida said as they walked out of the office building.
"That has to have been the most boring field trip we've ever gone on," Touji Suzuhara complained. "At least the food was good."
"Isn't that Mister Henderson over there?" Kensuke asked.
"Yeah," Hikari Horaki said. "I guess even the CEO has to go home some time."
"Alexander Henderson!" Asuka turned and looked at the man who had yelled. He was shorter then her and wearing a NERV uniform. Asuka watched in shock in shock as the soldier brought a small black pistol up and fired. Then all hell broke loose. Asuka cursed as someone slammed into her and nearly knocked her down. It seemed that everyone was trying to run and scream. There was a break in the rush and Asuka saw the soldier. He walked up to the fallen form of Alex Henderson and emptied what remained in his pistol into the older man's face. The empty weapon fell from his grip and he turned towards her. Asuka watched in horror, unable to move as the man walked towards her. He ignored her and simply walked past.
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
Ari watched as Shima climbed into the van. "How did it go?"
"Flawless ma'am," Shima said as he pulled off the khaki jacket to reveal a simply light blue T-shirt and an empty shoulder holster. He pulled off his combination cover and laid it on the floor.
"Were you injured?" Ari asked as she started the van's engine.
"Negative ma'am," Shima said calmly. "The operation was flawless."
"Were any bystanders injured?" Ari asked as she looked at the young man in the rearview mirror.
"That is not my concern ma'am," Shima said simply. Ari had to look away.
"So lives aren't important?" she asked.
"Only those who get in my way are killed ma'am," Shima said. "And that is their fault."
"Not always," Ari said quietly.
"Not always ma'am," Shima agreed.
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
Misato stared at the papers on her desk and fought down the urge to pull her hair out. "What is this?"
"An incident report," Makoto said. "Alexander Henderson was killed today."
"The owner of Henderson International?" Misato asked. "The single biggest bank in the world?"
"Yeah," Makoto said, "gunned down in broad daylight outside his offices."
"The Henderson building?" Misato asked.
"Yeah," Makoto said. "And get this. The shooter was wearing a NERV uniform," he paused and looked at her. "You seem more worried then you should be."
"Asuka was on a field trip to the Henderson Building," Misato said.
"Oh," Makoto said. "Don't worry. Section Two probably has her."
"What's the number for Section Two?" Misato asked as she picked up the phone from her desk. Makoto leaned across and glanced down at the receiver.
"You have it on speed dial."
"Oh," Misato mumbled as she punched the button and brought phone to her ear. The other end was picked up before the second ring began.
"Lieutenant Byron," a man's smooth voice said. "Section Two."
"This is Colonel Katsuragi," Misato said. "Do you have the Second Child?"
"Yes ma'am," Byron said. "She is currently back at your residence with several additional guards."
"Alright." Misato said. The phone went dead and she frowned. "Section Two asshole."
"Is Sohryu okay?" Makoto asked.
"She's fine," Misato said. "So it looks like NERV committed the murder?"
"Yes," Makoto said. "We even recovered a NERV-issue weapon from the crime scene."
"Did it have a serial number?" Misato asked as she flipped through the papers.
"Yes ma'am," Makoto said. "It was issued to Special Investigator Kaji Ryoji."
"What?"
"And according to several eye witnesses the name tag on the man's chest read Ryoji," Makoto said. "Is it possible that the perpetrator is Kaji Ryoji?"
"No," Misato said, fighting to control her voice. "It's not possible. It can't be him."
"Why not?" Makoto asked. "It's the only lead we have. We should at least look into it."
"Kaji Ryoji was killed," Misato said flatly. "Leave it at that."
"Oh," Makoto said. "I'm sorry ma'am."
"It's fine."
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
Alex looked up from his beer and stared at the young man. "I heard you had some fun today."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Shima said.
"Of course not," Alex said.
"Good bye," Shima stood up and walked away. Alex finished his beer and picked up the briefcase that had been laid against his bar stool.
"See you tomorrow Larry."
"Sure Mister Beck," the bartender said. "Did you hear what happened today in Henderson Square?"
"No," Alex said. "What happened?"
"Someone bumped off Mister Henderson," Larry said. "It was some guy named Ryoji. The crazy bastard did it in broad day light too."
"Wow," Alex said. "Was anyone else hurt?"
"Four bodyguards were killed and three bystanders were seriously wounded," Larry said.
"That kid has issues."
"What?" Larry asked.
"Nothing," Alex said. "See you tomorrow."
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
"This whole city is in an uproar," Ari said as she stared at the television. "Even the respectably news stations are full of conspiracies about NERV."
"This is better then I could have hoped for ma'am," Shima said simply as he unpacked the weapons that had arrived.
"Okay," Ari said slowly. "Better. . .right. Do you think Ikari got the message?"
"No ma'am," Shima said. "He would have contacted our employers if he had."
"Stubborn old bastard," Ari said with a frown. "How come the innocents are always persecuted for another's sins?"
"There are no innocents ma'am," Shima said, "just victims."
"And victims are we all," Ari said.
"Yes ma'am," Shima said simply.
"So have you got a new target yet?" Ari asked.
"Yes ma'am," Shima said as he drew the .40-caliber from his waist and began to check in meticulously.
"Do you need a lift?" Ari asked.
"No ma'am," Shima said automatically as he pulled out a black jacket over his white button-down shirt.
"That's a weird outfit Shima."
"It's the uniform of a nearby high school," Shima explained as he began to button the jacket. "I will return shortly ma'am."
-End
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
-Author's notes. This is the biggest deviation from the original to date. Sleepy. . .bedtime.