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An Assassin's Memories
Twelfth Shot: Cleaners
"This isn't a good idea ma'am," Takumi hissed as he moved carefully around the corner and into the hallway that would lead them to their old apartment.
"We need the equipment here," Ari answered.
"We don't need it this bad," Takumi said. He paused at one of the apartments with a kicked in door and swept it with his six-gauge shotgun. It was empty and he stepped past it. He moved past Rei's apartment as silently as he could and paused at the next door. He glanced back at Ari. She was being quiet at least, but she was also much slower then he was.
"Slow down," she hissed. She was far too loud for Takumi's preferences. He pressed a finger against his lips and started forward. He moved past the next empty apartment and slung the shotgun over his shoulder as he came up to their old one. He slid the door open a little and ran his fingers around the door frame. "What are you doing?"
"Checking for trip wires," Takumi said simply. He didn't find any and edged the door open only enough for him to get through. Of course that precaution went out the window when Ari shoved the door open. Takumi closed his eyes and waited for something to blow up. Nothing did. "You are staying here ma'am."
"Why?" Ari asked.
"Stay," Takumi growled.
"But."
"Stay!"
"Okay." Takumi un-slung his shotgun and moved into the apartment. It looked like it had been ransacked fairly heavily. He moved into the back equipment room and slung the shotgun once again. "Toc?"
"Are you moving?" Takumi asked as he gingerly pushed one of the ceiling panels up and over.
"No."
"Good. Stay that way." Takumi reached around and his fingers found the strap of one of the bags hidden up there. He tugged it out and dropped it to the ground.
"What was that?"
"What we're looking for," Takumi said. "You can come in now."
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Takumi looked around the apartment and shoved the last of the shotgun shells into his black overcoat's deep pockets. "Are you done ma'am?"
"We have a lot of stuff back here," Ari called from the back room. "Give me twenty more minutes."
"We have ten at most," Takumi said.
"Ten minutes before what?" Ari asked.
"Before SEELE gets here and kills both of us," Takumi answered. "I just hope they don't send any cleaners."
"What?"
"Pray you don't find out," Takumi said. Someone knocked at the door and Takumi was beside it in a heart beat. He pressed his .40 against the door at about head height and pulled the hammer back. "Who's there?"
"Rei Ayanami," a young woman's voice said. Takumi opened the door and saw the blue-haired woman standing outside. He leaned out into the hall and looked both ways before waving her in.
"What are you doing here?" Takumi asked as he closed the door and holstered the .40 under his left arm.
"I found that revolver you wanted Toc." Takumi turned and saw Ari walk out of the back room with a black box. She froze when she saw Rei. "Hello."
"I heard people over here talking and I wanted to come see if it was you," Rei said. "You have not been here for three days."
"We moved," Takumi explained as he took the box form Ari and laid it on the table. "We're just here to get some things that we forgot. Did you find an NVD ma'am?"
"I found two," Ari said as she laid the night vision devices on the table. Takumi paused and listened carefully. Something had caught his attention. He moved to the window and looked out carefully into the street. A black van had pulled up and four men climbed out.
"Shit."
"What's wrong?" Ari demanded.
"Cleaners," Takumi said as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. He opened the box that Ari had brought out and pulled the 12.3mm revolver from its foam cradle. "We need to leave now."
"But a lot of stuff is still back there," Ari said.
"Leave what isn't packed and forget about anything that rattles," Takumi said as he reached into the inside pocket of his coat and pulled out five bullets. He glanced at the colors of the cases and slipped them into the revolver's chambers. He snapped the cylinder shut and shoved it into cross draw holster on his left hip. "She's coming with us. It's too dangerous here."
"Okay," Ari said, Takumi's fear finally catching up with her.
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"It was him Misato!" Misato stared at the irate German redhead in front of her. She turned and stared at the man leaning against the wall.
"You knew."
"Of course I knew," Yuji said as he took a drag on his cigarette. "You should have too. There have been wanted posters up all over town."
"I haven't gotten out because of this damn cast!" Misato screamed, gesturing towards the lump of plaster on her left leg. "I've been stuck of a wheel chair for nearly two weeks!" She stared at Yuji. "Shinji did this to me?"
"Yes," Yuji said, "but I don't know if it was really him inside his body."
"You mean he has amnesia or something?" Asuka asked.
"It's a possibility," Yuji said as he pushed off the wall. He dropped his cigarette and ground it out under his heel.
"That was why you came to my apartment before, isn't it?"
"Yes ma'am," Yuji said.
"Why didn't you tell me then?"
"I didn't think it was necessary," Yuji said. "Later I was ordered not to tell you."
"I see," Misato growled. "God damned Commander Ikari. What does he get from keeping those under him in the dark?"
"A lot of resentment in the ranks," Yuji said with a shrug. "Some things only a commander should know, but that idiot just does it in the hopes that the everyday Joes will think more of him." Yuji reached into his pocket and pulled out another cigarette. "Speaking of the old man, I have to go have a word with him."
"Good luck," Misato growled.
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Yuji pushed the door in front of him open and stepped into the massive office. "What is the meaning of this?" Gendo demanded.
"Your son wants to cut a deal," Yuji said. Gendo stared at him for a minute before speaking.
"What do you mean?"
"Shinji Ikari wants to make a deal," Yuji said. "He wants weapons in exchange for information."
"What brought this about?" Gendo asked.
"His employers tried to kill him," Yuji explained. "Apparently he is a rather vengeful man and he took it personal."
"I see," Gendo said. "I will speak with him."
"That's a problem sir," Yuji said.
"And what would that be?" Gendo demanded.
"He knows where we are," Yuji explained. "We don't know where he is. This meeting will happen on his terms."
"How did he contact you?"
"He was in my apartment with a gun pointed at me before I even knew he was there," Yuji said. "This kid is good. Do not let your guard down around him."
"Tell him that I agree to his terms the next time he contacts you," Gendo ordered.
"Yes sir."
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
Takumi peered out into the hallway and flipped the switch on the NVD he was wearing. Immediately the hallway shone with various shades of blue. Infrared wasn't great for general purpose viewing, but for observing people it was unmatched. "Takumi?"
"You have to be quiet now," Takumi hissed as he gripped the compact suppressed AK-104 rifle and BS-1 grenade launcher tightly. He moved slowly out into the hallway. He was praying that the simple fact that he knew the cleaners were there would be enough to at least allow him to get the women out. Weapons didn't matter. He had seen heavier armed men die for the cleaners.
"I can fight," Ari said.
"Stay behind me," Takumi whispered. "The only thing you'll do is get in the way."
"Oh." Takumi could hear her shame in her voice. He understood. Being helpless was never something to be proud of. Rei had not spoken since he had said not to. 'Thank God for small miracles.' Takumi paused. He could hear a strange sound coming towards them. He looked around the hallway and raised the AK to his shoulder.
"Above!" Ari shrieked. Takumi dropped to his knees and fired at the ceiling. Bullets stitched into the thin material and slammed into the man above. His grip of the heating pipe or whatever he was holding loosened and he dropped through the ceiling and onto the ground. Takumi was on his feet in a second and slammed his boot into the man's shoulder to keep him in place. He brought the muzzle of his assault weapon around and emptied the remainder of the magazine into the man's face, reducing it to a puddle of blood, gore, and shattered electronics from his NVD.
"Holy shit," Takumi managed as he ejected his rifle's magazine and drew a new one from his coat. He pushed it into the receiver and tugged the charging handle back.
"Cleaner?" Ari asked. She sounded shaken.
"Yeah," Takumi said flatly. "These men aren't assassins. They don't kill you. . .they erase you."
"I see," Ari said. Takumi snatched the suppressed assault rifle from the man's hands and thrust it into Ari's.
"Make sure that Ayanami doesn't get lost," Takumi said quietly. Rei was the only one of them not wearing an NVD.
"Alright," Ari said. Takumi turned and started down the hall as quietly as he could. He paused in front of the kicked in door again and peeked inside. Nothing showed any sign of heat. He moved past and stopped again. "What's wrong?"
"I'm not sure," Takumi whispered as he slung his rifle over his shoulder and un-slung the massive 46mm pump-action grenade launcher. He unfolded the stock and brought it to his shoulders. "Both of you cover your ears."
"Is that a good idea in a condemned building?" Ari asked.
"Beats the odds of fighting the cleaners," Takumi said. He peered through the launcher's sights and pulled the trigger. The doorway leading to the stairs exploded in a ball of flame. Takumi pumped the handle and started forward. Under him he could hear the floor creaking ominously. Then there were gunshots. "Shit!" Takumi stumbled backwards as bullets exploded from the floor in front of him. He dropped the heavy launcher and un-slung his shotgun. He fired once, pumped the handle and fired again. The gunshots from below cut out and Takumi, already badly off balance, fell on his ass.
"You okay?" Ari asked.
"I'm fine," Takumi said as he stood slowly. Ari started towards him. "Freeze!"
"What?" Ari demanded, looking around.
"They're listening," Takumi hissed. He carefully picked up the launcher and pressed the muzzle against one of the large holes chewed in the floor by a shrapnel shell from the shotgun. He pulled the trigger and had just enough time to wonder how the building foundation would handle another explosion before the floor caved in.
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
'Too fast,' Ari's mind screamed at her. Everything was happening too damned fast. She stared at the space that Takumi had previously occupied and tried to puzzle out what had happened. "Toc?"
"I can't feel my arm." Ari edged up to the hole in the floor and looked down. Takumi was sprawled on top of a pile of smoldering rubble.
"Your arm is at a weird angle," Ari called down. Takumi grunted and stood up. "To your left!" Takumi whipped around, drawing the revolver from his left hip and putting two bullets into the man's chest. The man was actually thrown against the wall behind him. He looked around.
"I think I got them all," he called up. He lurched forward suddenly and Ari winched at the loud pop from his shoulder. He pulled something out of his pocket and pressed it against his neck.
"Where did you get that thing?"
"Somewhere," Takumi said as he tossed the empty pain pen aside. "Jump down!"
"Are you nuts?" Ari shrieked.
"It's less then two meters ma'am," Takumi said.
"You wouldn't know this," Ari began, "but I am terrified of heights!" Takumi sighed and pulled something from his pocket. "What are you doing with that grenade?"
"The same thing I did to make that guy in Russia jumped from a twentieth-story balcony," Takumi said as he pulled the pin and heaved it up through the hole.
"Look out below." Takumi had enough time to brace himself before she fell into him and he fell on his ass for the second time that night. He set her carefully on her feet and dusted off his jacket. "What about Ayanami?"
"The grenade was a dud," Takumi said simply. "You too Ayanami." Ari frowned as the blue-haired woman dropped gracefully into Takumi's arms.
"So where to now Toc?"
"The cleaners had a van in back," Takumi explained. "We're going to borrow it."
"Shouldn't you have had body guards?" Ari asked as they walked towards the back door.
"Yes," Rei said. "They should have responded by now."
"Where are they?"
"After two explosions and numerous gunshots?" Takumi asked. "They're probably calling for backup."
"What would happen to Ayanami while they're calling for backup?" Ari demanded.
"She'd probably be killed or abducted," Takumi said with a shrug. "They just don't make heroes like they used to. Maybe humans really are getting smarter."
"Damn," Ari said. "It sucks to be you." Rei didn't answer. Takumi moved to the backdoor and tossed the grenade out. "What was that?"
"Smoke," Takumi said. "It'll give us some cover. When we go out take shallow breaths. The smoke is non-toxic but it can cause respiratory irritation."
(:::::::::::::ii::::::::::::::)
Yuji sighed and picked up his phone. "Hello?"
"Mister Kaido?"
"Speaking," Yuji said.
"There has been a problem," the young man on the other end of the line said.
"What kind of problem?" Yuji asked.
"The First Child's residence has just collapsed."
"What?" Yuji roared.
"The building collapsed after several explosions were heard from inside." Yuji sighed and pulled a cigarette from his pocket.
"Where exactly was Section-2 at the time?"
"They were calling for backup after several shots were fired inside the building," the man explained. Yuji reached into his pocket and pulled out his lighter as he stepped out of one of the many passages leading from the streets of Tokyo-3 down to the Geo-Front
"Yo." Yuji stared at the black van and the man behind the steering wheel.
"Yo." It was the only thing he could think of saying. "The First Child's apartment just blew up."
"It was condemned," Takumi said with a shrug.
"The structure was also fairly sound."
"Not after I set off two 46mm high-explosive grenades," Takumi said. From anyone else it would have been a joke.
"So," Yuji began, "were you just shooting buildings for fun?"
"My old employers caught up with me," Takumi said with a shrug as he climbed out of the van and moved to the van's side door.
"You didn't happen to see a blue-haired girl in there, did you?" Takumi pulled open the door and Yuji sighed in relief as the First Child stepped out.
"Good evening Mister Kaido."
"Not for me," Yuji said. "The old bastard has agreed to speak with you. You get to name the time and place."
"Good," Takumi said as he shut the door and climbed into the van again. "Catch you later Yuji."
"Uh yeah. . .later."
"Thank you for saving my life Takumi," Rei said with a polite bow.
"My pleasure," Takumi said. "You have a cell number for me to call?"
"Just take my cell. The number is in the phone book under GI," Yuji said as he handed the phone to the younger man. "It's clean. You can check it if you want."
"I will."
"And if you get a call from a lady named Marietta tell her that I'm sorry I missed her birthday and I'll be home for the next one," Yuji said.
"Your daughter Marietta?" Takumi asked as he tucked the phone into his jacket.
"I forgot you had my files," Yuji said.
"Don't worry," Takumi said. "Israel isn't in my area of operations. That belongs to Fourteen. He is very efficient."
"Thanks for the assurance."
-End
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-Author's notes. I am so tired. I am too tired to sleep. Have you ever been there? It sucks.