I don't own anything.
An Assassin's Memories:
Seventeenth Shot: Curiosity Kills
Kari sat up and looked around her room with a frown. A glance at her clock showed that it was ten minutes past six o'clock. Past her door she could hear Michael walking around the apartment. "Don't you ever sleep in?" she demanded in annoyance.
"No ma'am," Michael answered. Kari sighed and climbed to her feet. She stretched quickly and tugged her door open. The scent of a hot breakfast invaded her senses.
"What smells so good?"
"I invited Ayanami over for breakfast," Michael said simply. Kari made her way to the kitchen and stared at the food cooking on the stove in awe. "You like eggs and sausage, correct?"
"Yeah," Kari said. "What about Asuka and Misato?"
"They have each other," Michael said simply.
"I'm not complaining," Kari said. "You know that Ayanami is a vegetarian, right?"
"Yes ma'am," Michael said simply.
"Of course," Kari said. Someone knocked on the door.
"Could you get that ma'am? It should be Ayanami."
"Sure." Kari moved to the front door and pulled it open. "Good mourning Ayanami."
"Good mourning ma'am." Kari waved the blue-haired girl inside and shut the door.
"Michael should be done pretty soon."
"I'm done now," Michael said. Kari turned and saw him laying out plates.
"Are you eating Mike?"
"No ma'am," Michael said. "I am not feeling well."
(:ii:)
Yuji stared at the map of Tokyo-3 that had been pinned up against the wall and whistled. "That's a lot of safe houses."
"Some will be weapons caches," Michael said simply.
"Is that a normal number?" Yuji asked.
"For a city this size?" Michael asked. "Yeah."
"That's a big operations."
"Well this city is also quite important to NERV," Michael said. "We should move fast to take out these locations. The loss of four weapons caches will be a severe, if only temporary, blow to them."
"Maybe we could put them under surveillance," Yuji suggested.
"No. When SEELE discovers that Alex has been captured they will begin a relocation process," Michael explained. "We cannot afford to wait. They may have even started already."
"I'll go warm up the van," Ginji said with a sigh as he picked up the case containing his assault rifle. "Something tells me I just lost all the personal vacation days I had built up."
"What's a vacation?" Yuji asked.
"No clue," Michael answered.
"You two are kidding right?" Yuji didn't bother answering. "Great."
(:ii:)
"There's a problem sir." Gendo sighed and stared at the sergeant standing in front of his desk.
"What is it?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi is attempting to conduct a personal investigation," the sergeant said, "about Michael."
"Wonderful," Gendo muttered. He was stuck. It would draw attention if he had her killed. It would draw attention if he let her carry on. Then there was the problem that he didn't know how she would respond to threatening. "Is there anything we can do?"
"Of course sir," the sergeant said. "She has been using her status as the Third Child's guardian to grant her access to some information."
"Is that women an idiot?" Gendo roared. "She is making it obvious that there is a link between the Third Child and Michael!"
"We could arrange for an accident sir," the sergeant suggested.
"I would prefer not to kill her," Gendo said. "She may still serve some purpose. That will be a last resort."
"Yes sir."
"Find some legal grounds to stop her," Gendo ordered. "I don't care how."
"Yes sir," the sergeant said.
"Is there anything else?" Gendo asked.
"Section-9 brought in a prisoner," the sergeant said. "I was wondering how you would like me to proceed."
"Section-9?" Gendo asked.
"It's the name taken by the suspended NERV officers," the sergeant explained. "Technically they don't have the authority to arrest anyone."
"Technically they don't exist," Gendo said. "Therefore neither does their prisoner. Make sure he doesn't survive to prove the contrary."
"Yes sir," the sergeant said. He saluted and walked out.
"God damn that woman!"
"She's persistent," Fuyutsuki commented.
"Too much so," Gendo said. "We may have to have her eliminated."
"That would cause quite a stir," Fuyutsuki said. "She is fairly well know because of her tactics."
"I'm aware of that," Gendo said.
(:ii:)
"Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi?" Misato glanced up at the dark-suited man standing in the doorway to her office.
"What is it?"
"I was instructed to inform you that a body has been found in the forest outside the city," the man said. "It is believed to be the Third Child."
"What?" Misato demanded.
"You have been asked to come to the coroner's office to try to identify the body," the man said.
"How can that be?" Misato asked. "I just saw him this mourning!"
"You must have been mistaken," the man said. "It appears that the body was badly decomposed. Please come with me."
(:ii:)
"Well this is new." Ginji stared at the newspaper and then looked up and Michael. "Are you dead?"
"Not the last time I checked," Michael said.
"When was that?"
"Not too long ago," Michael said as he took a sip of his coffee.
"Have a look." Ginji handed the paper to the other man and watched as he read it. "The Third Child's body was found in the forest. It's still not know why he was there or where he disappeared to."
"Interesting," Michael admitted.
"The funeral service will be held in a couple of days," Ginji said. "It's going to be big. He was the savior of the world after all."
"Sounds like an interesting guy," Michael said as he took another sip of his coffee. The driver side door opened and Yuji climbed into the van.
"I just heard some interesting news." Michael help up the paper. "So you've heard."
"Why would they do that?" Ginji asked.
"Probably has something to do with the Lieutenant Colonel," Yuji said with a shrug. "She been running around bothering people about you and the Third Child."
"Good way to catch a bullet," Michael commented as he took another sip of his coffee. "Let's get out of here."
(:ii:)
Kari glanced up as the door opened and nearly tackled the young man who walked in. "Ma'am?"
"I've been trying to reach you all day," Kari snapped as she hugged him tightly. "The newspaper said that you were dead." She frowned as Michael carefully extracted himself from her hug and pushed her away gently.
"Well obviously I'm not," he said simply as he shrugged off his leather jacket and hung it up. "I didn't have my phone on me most of the day. I was busy with work." Kari watched as he set his pistol down on the coffee table and sat down on the couch.
"God damn it Mike!"
"Is there a problem?" Michael asked.
"Well you can drop the act," Kari snapped irritably. "People do care for you so stop acting like they don't."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Michael said simply. His head cocked slightly to one side as he stared at her. Kari walked over to the couch and sat heavily next to the younger man.
"I thought you were dead," she said as she stared at the muted television. It was a late night news show that talked about several dozen fires that had sprung up around the city. "I was terrified that you really wouldn't be coming back."
"My death is inevitable," Michael said. "I don't understand why you fear what will eventually happen." Kari sighed and leaned back.
"I'm starting to see why you get along with Ayanami so well," she said after a moment. "You're both fatalist."
"I'm a realist," Michael said flatly. "There is a difference."
(:ii:)
Misato sighed in relief as she heard the automatic lock disengage and the door slid open. Kari stared at her tiredly and batted at her messy bangs. "Is something wrong?"
"Is Michael here?" Realization dawned on Kari's face and she quickly stepped aside.
"Come in." Misato stepped into the apartment and felt hours of stress melt away as she stared at the young man sitting on the couch.
"Good evening," he said calmly as he finished assembling his pistol and stood up.
"I thought. . ."
"I can assure you that I am very much alive," Michael said. His normally placid expression turned sharp. "I did wish to speak with you."
"You did?" the two women asked in shock.
"I was made aware of the need for this farce," Michael said simply. "You were launching a personal investigation."
"Well you weren't giving me any answers!" Misato exclaimed.
"This farce was necessary because if the Third Child wasn't found then SEELE might begin investigating me," Michael said. "That would lead to my untimely demise."
"I didn't mean to. . ."
"That doesn't matter." Michael raised his weapon. "I believe that I sufficiently demonstrated my lack of caring for other human beings. If you continue this course of action I will kill you."
"Put down the gun!" Kari snapped. "That is an order Michael." Michael glanced at her and lowered the weapon. Misato stared in shock at the man who had once been her charge.
"The Third Child is dead," Michael said. "You'll just have to move on. Judging from what I have learned that shouldn't be a problem for you."
(:ii:)
Gendo glanced up as his door open. "Michael?"
"Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi no longer poses a problem," the young man said simply.
"Is she still. . ."
"Alive?" Michael interrupted. "Yes sir. Your orders did not include killing her."
"Good," Gendo said. "You did well Michael."
"I do as I am ordered," Michael said. He turned to leave.
"Be very careful," Gendo said. "I doubt SEELE will be completely convinced."
"I'm aware of that sir," Michael said. "Is there anything else?"
"How are you feeling?" Gendo asked. "I was informed that you were ill."
"My health is perfect sir," Michael said. "Good evening." He opened the door and walked out. Gendo sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Yui would kill me if she ever saw him."
(:ii:)
Alex looked up as the door to his cell opened and a silhouette blocked the light. "Mister Ryoji."
"Go away," Alex whispered through swollen and bloody lips. The guard ignored him and drew a pistol from under his black suit jacket.
"I must admit that I am surprised to see you here," the man said as he screwed a long suppressor on the pistol's muzzle. "The last time I saw you, you were laying in a dark alley. . .apparently dead." Alex mused internally about fate's strange sense of irony. He would have voiced his opinion, but it hurt to talk. "No mistakes this time," the man said as he leveled the pistol at Alex's head. "Good bye Mister Ryoji."
"See you in hell," Alex managed.
"Most likely."
End
(:ii:)
Author's notes. Its longer then the other ones and I think it moved the story along, if only a little.