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An Assassin's Memories
Twenty-Second Shot: The Other Me
"That kid is a God send," Marshal said as he leaned back in his chair. "We've found out more from him in one day then we have in four years of espionage."
"So what do you want to do about him?" Ryan asked. "We can't keep him locked up for much longer."
"Probably not," Marshal said. "What do you think he would do?"
"He seems willing enough to work with us," Ryan said. "He'd be a valuable part of this team."
"So you think we should let him go," Marshal said.
"Pretty much," Ryan said. "He doesn't know the location of this building, so the threat to us is limited."
"Alright," Marshal said with a nod. "We can't carry on much longer as we are. We may need this kid to help us finally bring those geezers down."
"Geezers, eh?" Ryan asked with a smirk. Marshal self consciously smoothed his graying hair.
"One more crack and you're going to wish SEELE had gotten you."
(:ii:)
Michael glanced up as he heard the door to his room being unlocked. He sat up on his bed and waited for his visitor. It turned out to be Ryan. "Did you break the damn bonds again?"
"No," Michael said, holding up his bandaged wrists. "The bandages make it possible to slide out of them if they are loose. The medic was worried about hurting me and became lax over time. He did not tighten them as much as possible. People today are far too humane for their own good."
"Well aren't you a wealth of interesting knowledge," Ryan said. "We have nothing more to ask you. . ."
". . .but," Michael interrupted.
". . .but we'd like to request that you work with us," Ryan said. "We need help, help that you can provide." Michael felt his eyes narrow.
"Interesting. What's in it for me?"
"The safety of mankind?" Ryan asked.
"Mankind will destroy itself regardless," Michael said.
"How about the destruction of SEELE?" Michael's lips stretched into a smirk.
"Sounds good to me."
"Excellent," Ryan said. "I suppose you could kill me right now." Michael nodded. "So I might as well give you this." Ryan laid the Kukri knife on the bedside table. Michael stared at it and quickly dropped the scalpel he had been hiding behind his back. He picked up the large knife and nodded his thanks. "You are too happy to see that knife."
"I love this knife," Michael said.
"So what are you going to do now that you aren't locked in your room?" Ryan asked.
"I'm going to kill me."
"Haven't you hurt your wrists enough?" Ryan asked.
"The other me."
"Oh. Have fun."
"I will."
"You want some clothes or something?"
"I would be grateful."
(:ii:)
"So this is him?" Marlene asked as she stared at the picture in her hands. Beside her Yuji nodded. "And you want me to follow him because he's acting different?"
"Pretty much," the young man in the back said. "Be careful. He's tricky."
"Thanks for the concern," Marlene said.
"One Jericho 941F .40-caliber semi auto. Full cleaned and loaded." Marlene glanced over her shoulder and took the offered weapon. She checked it carefully and tucked it into the holster under her left arm. "Did you really teach Yuji everything he knows."
"Yes," Marlene said. "He was pretty hopeless when we first met." She could see Ginji grinning at the older man in the mirror. She glanced at her husband and noticed the tell-tale signs of annoyance through his calm façade. "So where am I being dropped off?"
"We'll get you a temp pass for the Geo-Front," Yuji explained. "You can find Michael there and shadow him."
"Alright," Marlene said. "This kid doesn't sound so bad."
"He's very dangerous," Ginji said. "Don't underestimate him."
"If Yuji here can shoot him," Marlene said, jerking her thumb at the driver, "then I should have a problem." Marlene noticed with some pride that a muscle in the corner of her husband's eye was beginning to twitch.
(:ii:)
Michael frowned as he felt the traitor's eyes burn into the back of his head. Her suspicion was becoming quite irritating. He had standing orders not to kill unless necessary. He was starting to consider what exactly was considered to be necessary. "That's how its done Mike." Michael glanced at one of the screen lining the walls of Central Dogma.
"I see." Asuka's smirking face showed great satisfaction. Michael glanced at one of the screens and frowned. Her score was absolutely dismal. It was no where close to where it had been before the encounter with the Fifteenth Messenger. He would be sure to relay that to his commanders. They would most likely find it interesting.
"You want to give it a try Michel?" Michael turned his attention on the blond doctor. His orders stated that he was by no means to attempt to synchronize with an Evangelion. There was a slim chance that he would be rejected due to his unique creation.
"No ma'am." Ritsuko looked slightly annoyed.
"I see."
"Maybe later," Michael said. He heard Kari push off from the wall. Obviously that was the wrong this to say. It had been difficult to understand the original, but he was still learning. He would soon perfect himself.
(:ii:)
Kari sighed in disgust and walked out of the Central Dogma. She knew that wasn't Michael. There was no way in hell it was him. No one just changed that much, especially not Mike. "You still think that he isn't Michael."
"Yes," Kari answered, even though it wasn't a question. She turned and stared at Rei. The young woman was still in her plug suit. "Do you?"
"I an not a very good judge of character," Rei said, "but Michael is behaving in a manner unlike his previous one." Kari had to smile. She could tell that Ritsuko's doubts were starting to waver. Maybe Misato as well. It was nice to be able to know that at least one person didn't think she was paranoid.
"Thanks."
"For what?" Rei asked.
"It doesn't matter," Kari said. "I'll see you later Rei."
(:ii:)
Marlene glanced up at the young man and frowned. He was examining the security. She could tell by the way he moved. He was making mental notes of the locations of all the cameras. "Did you find him?"
"Yeah," Marlene said, her lips barely moving. "You were right. He is examining the security." She watched as he stepped into an elevator and cursed. She jogged forward. "Hold that elevator!" She slid inside and smiled at her target.
"Thanks. I thought was going to have to wait for the next one," Marlene said. "These things take forever, you know?"
"I do not," Michael said.
"Okay." Marlene frowned, trying to give off the vibe that she was put off. He was certainly as odd as Yuji had made him sound. 'No where near as good either.' The elevator ground to a halt. Marlene glanced at the digital readout. They were on the twenty-sense sub-floor. That was a floor that neither of them had pushed. She glanced at Michael. His finger was holding the emergency stop button. He turned to look at her.
"I don't know who you are and I don't care," he said calmly. "If I ever see you again I will kill you." He turned back to the elevator doors and they slid open. He stepped out and Marlene nearly fell to the ground in shock. She had not been that surprised or that scared in a long time.
"Marlene?"
"Not now," she said simply. She leaned back against the wall and felt the elevator begin to move again.
(:ii:)
Michael glanced at the man standing beside the door. "Taking off Thirty-Three?"
"My name is Michael," Michael said. Marshal nodded.
"You have any weapons?"
"A knife," Michael said. "That's more then enough." Marshal smiled at that. He reached under his jacket and tugged a long black pistol out.
"Not quite," he said. Michael took the pistol gratefully. He recognized it quickly as a modified black 1911 Colt with a dulled metallic compensator on the muzzle.
"Thank you."
"I like that gun," Marshal said. "I expect it back later."
"Alright."
"Promise."
"I promise," Michael said as he carefully tucked the weapon into the empty holster on his right hip that had been returned to him. It was a more of a leather loop them a true holster, so the pistol's superior length to his old H&K meant nothing.
"When you're done doing what you need to do come back here," Marshal said. "You're choice of course."
"I will," Michael agreed. "If I live."
"Good," Marshal said. "We've got a whole new thing to talk about."
(:ii:)
Michael frowned. He was being followed. He could feel a pair of eyes on his back as he walked. It wasn't that woman from before. His cell phone rang and he quickly dug it out of his pocket. "Hello?"
"You're being followed."
"I'm aware of that," Michael said. "Where is he?"
"He's. . ." A loud crack rang out in the square and people scattered. Michael around wildly for the gunman, but didn't see anyone. "Did you see that?" There wasn't an answer from the other end. "Report!" Michael cursed and looked around wildly. Any weapon with that kind of range and accuracy would be plainly visible. He had heard about pistol shots like that, but he had never actually seen one. Not one of the people scrambling around him had any noticeable weapons. "What the fuck?" Someone was taking out his support.
(:ii:)
Michael leaned back against the wall and peaked out into the square. Marshal's Colt was an incredible weapon. A shot like that with an unfamiliar weapon was never easy. Michael tucked his weapon into its holster. The other had undoubtedly know he was being followed. Therefore the elimination of his observer did only harm to the other. Michael stepped back out onto the street and pushed his sunglasses up his nose. He hadn't been this interested in a kill for a very long time.
End
(:ii:)
Author's notes. I must admit, I got the Colt from the movie the Punisher. I really like Colt .45s besides, but those were just works of art. As most of you know, if spell check doesn't catch it, then I sure as hell don't. I like to think it adds a little personality to my story. You know, cereal and serial, monkey and money, prophet and profit. I'll fix it when I finished reading the Something Positive web comic. No worries, I'm in August 2004 right now.